Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Direct evaluation of endosymbiotic status in Paramecium bursaria using a capillary flow cytometer

STUDYING symbiotic associations might produce new insights into cell-to-cell interaction, parasitic diseases, and eukaryotic cell evolution because symbiosis is accomplished through multistep processes including infection of symbionts into a host organism, recognition of symbionts by the host, and the stable establishment of symbiosis. To date, representative symbioses have been observed between hosts and algal symbionts in Paramecium bursaria, Hydra viridissima, coral, anemone, and sponge (1–4). Endosymbiosis in P. bursaria is an excellent model for the study of symbiosis for the following reasons: Algae-free P. bursaria can be produced experimentally (5). Chlorella-like algae isolated from P. bursaria can be cultured independently from the host ciliate (6). It is particularly interesting that symbiosis between the ciliate and their algae can be reproduced in vitro by mixing the algae-free host with their pure-cultured algae (6,7). P. bursaria has been investigated conventionally using fluorescence microscopy, which is more laborious and less sensitive than flow cytometry (FCM) (1,5–8). Only exosymbiotic algae isolated from P. bursaria, but not the host, have been analyzed using FCM (7,9) because it has been assumed that host ciliates are damaged and broken during FCM measurement. However, data obtained solely from their algae are not available to elucidate the mechanisms of endosymbiosis because algae have already been disengaged from control by the host. This article presents a method of rapid and direct evaluation of symbiosis status between hosts and endosymbionts using FCM. To assess the performance and precision of this method, symbiosis between host ciliates and their endosymbionts of P. bursaria was disrupted artificially using herbicide. Results show that a capillary flow cytometer can evaluate the symbiotic status between both host cells and endosymbiotic algae of P. bursaria directly, even if algae are retained in host cells.
A comparison of the outcome of cognitive behaviour therapy and hydroxyurea in sickle cell disease

A cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted comparing outcomes for 36 adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) receiving treatment at a hospital in London. Standard measures for self-reported pain and health service utilization, quality of life, psychological coping, anxiety and depression were administered to 21 patients engaged in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and 15 patients treated with hydroxyurea (a disease-modifying drug). Patients who received CBT reported more pain episodes, shorter hospital admissions, more improved general health perceptions, and utilized significantly more psychological coping methods for pain than patients treated with hydroxyurea. There were no differences in mood. We conclude that both CBT and hydroxyurea appear to help improve quality of life in patients with SCD. CBT seems to have the additional advantage of increasing psychological coping ability, and may therefore be beneficial adjunctive to hydroxyurea.
Use of Head Guards in AIBA Boxing Tournaments—A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Objective: This study looks at the changes in injuries after the implementation of a new rule by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) to remove head guards from its competitions. Design: A cross-sectional observational study performed prospectively. This brief report examines the removal of head guards in 2 different ways. The first was to examine the stoppages due to blows to the head by comparing World Series Boxing (WSB), without head guards, to other AIBA competitions with head guards. Secondly, we examined the last 3 world championships: 2009 and 2011 (with head guards) and 2013 (without head guards). Setting: World Series Boxing and AIBA world championship boxing. Participants: Boxers from WSB and AIBA world championships. Interventions: The information was recorded by ringside medical physicians. Main Outcome Measures: Stoppages per 10 000 rounds; stoppages per 1000 hours. Results: Both studies show that the number of stoppages due to head blows was significantly decreased without head guards. The studies also showed that there was a notable increase in cuts. Conclusions: Removing head guards may reduce the already small risk of acute brain injury in amateur boxing.
Sex Differences in Vestibular/Ocular and Neurocognitive Outcomes After Sport-Related Concussion

Objective: To examine sex differences in vestibular and oculomotor symptoms and impairment in athletes with sport-related concussion (SRC). The secondary purpose was to replicate previously reported sex differences in total concussion symptoms, and performance on neurocognitive and balance testing. Design: Prospective cross-sectional study of consecutively enrolled clinic patients within 21 days of a SRC. Setting: Specialty Concussion Clinic. Participants: Included male (n = 36) and female (n = 28) athletes ages 9 to 18 years. Interventions: Vestibular symptoms and impairment was measured with the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS). Participants completed the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT), Post-concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS), and Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). Main Outcomes Measures: Sex differences on clinical measures. Results: Females had higher PCSS scores (P = 0.01) and greater VOMS vestibular ocular reflex (VOR) score (P = 0.01) compared with males. There were no sex differences on BESS or ImPACT. Total PCSS scores together with female sex accounted for 45% of the variance in VOR scores. Conclusions: Findings suggest higher VOR scores after SRC in female compared with male athletes. Findings did not extend to other components of the VOMS tool suggesting that sex differences may be specific to certain types of vestibular impairment after SRC. Additional research on the clinical significance of the current findings is needed.
Differential contributions of monocyte‐ and platelet‐derived microparticles towards thrombin generation and fibrin formation and stability

Summary. Background: Microparticles (MPs) are sub‐micron vesicles shed by activated or apoptotic cells, including platelets and monocytes. Increased circulating MPs are associated with thrombosis; however, their role in thrombogenesis is poorly understood. Objective: To determine how MPs promote thrombin generation and modulate fibrin density and stability. Methods: Platelets and monocytes were isolated from healthy donors. Platelets were stimulated with calcium ionophore, thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP) or TRAP/convulxin. Monocytes and human monocytic THP‐1 cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). MPs were isolated, washed by high‐speed centrifugation and assessed using the following: transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), flow cytometry, tissue factor (TF) activity, prothrombinase activity, thrombin generation, and clot formation, density and stability. Results: MPs from monocytes (M‐MPs) and platelets (PMPs) had similar shapes and diameters (100–300 nm). M‐MPs had TF activity (16.7 ± 2.4 pm TF per 106 MP), supported prothrombinase activity and triggered shorter thrombin generation lag times than buffer controls (5.4 ± 0.5 vs. 84.2 ± 4.8 min, respectively). Compared with controls, M‐MPs supported faster fibrin formation (0.24 ± 0.24 vs. 76.7 ± 15.1 mOD min−1, respectively), 38% higher fibrin network density and higher clot stability (3.8‐fold higher turbidity in the presence of tissue plasminogen activator). In contrast, PMPs did not have TF activity and supported 2.8‐fold lower prothrombinase activity than M‐MPs. PMPs supported contact‐dependent thrombin generation, but did not independently increase fibrin network density or stability. Interestingly, PMPs increased rates of thrombin generation and fibrin formation (1.7‐ and 1.3‐fold, respectively) when mixed with THP‐1‐derived MPs. Conclusion: MPs from platelets and monocytes differentially modulate clot formation, structure and stability, suggesting unique contributions to thrombosis.
Behavioral and psychological aspects of exercise across stages of eating disorder recovery

ABSTRACT This study examined the relationship between behavioral and psychological aspects of exercise and eating disorder recovery. Participants were categorized as having an eating disorder (n = 53), partially recovered (n = 15), fully recovered (n = 20), or non-eating disorder controls (n = 67). Groups did not differ significantly in time spent exercising, but did differ in exercise intensity, guilt-related exercise, obsessive exercise cognitions, and appearance/weight management and stress/mood management motivations for exercise. Results support the importance of measuring psychological aspects of exercise in particular across the course of an eating disorder.
Cost-effectiveness of achieving clinical improvement with a dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program

ABSTRACT Using data from an effectiveness trial delivered by college clinicians, we examined the cost-effectiveness of the dissonance-based Body Project program for reducing eating disorder symptoms in women with body dissatisfaction. The outcome of interest was individual-level change; 14.9% of Body Project participants attained clinically meaningful improvement vs. 6.7% of controls. Delivering the intervention costs approximately $70 (2012 U.S. dollars) per person. Incremental cost-effectiveness was $838 for each additional at-risk person reducing eating disorder symptomology to a clinically meaningful degree. These analyses demonstrate the economic value of the Body Project for college-age women with symptoms below the eating disorder diagnosis threshold.
Long-term Inhaled Corticosteroids in Preschool Children at High Risk for Asthma

Guilbert TW, Morgan WJ, Zeiger RS, et al. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:1985–1997 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To determine the role of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in preventing the development of asthma in a group of high-risk children before the development of symptomatic disease or abnormal lung function. STUDY POPULATION. Subjects were 285 children aged 2 to 3 years at high risk for developing asthma. METHODS. Subjects were assigned to fluticasone propionate (FP) 88 μg twice per day with a pressurized metered-dose inhaler with spacer or placebo for a 2-year treatment period. The patients were observed without treatment for 1 year. RESULTS. During the 2-year treatment period, there was significant improvement in symptom-free days for those in the FP group (86.8%–85.9%). Children in the FP group had more episode-free days, decreased exacerbations, and decreased need for extra controller medication. Those in the ICS group had a 1.1-cm decrement in growth after the first 2 years of the study, but this difference decreased to 0.7 cm after the 1-year observation period. CONCLUSIONS. Although ICS had a significant effect on the burden of asthma during the treatment period, there was no evidence that a long-term effect was carried over to the 1-year observation period. REVIEWER COMMENTS. The burden of childhood asthma is benefited with administration of ICS, but there is no evidence that long-term disease modification occurs.
PPARδ: a dagger in the heart of the metabolic syndrome

Obesity is a growing threat to global health by virtue of its association with insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, collectively known as the metabolic syndrome or syndrome X. The nuclear receptors PPARα and PPARγ are therapeutic targets for hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance, respectively, and drugs that modulate these receptors are currently in clinical use. More recent work on the less-described PPAR isotype PPARδ has uncovered a dual benefit for both hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance, highlighting the broad potential of PPARδ in the treatment of metabolic disease. PPARδ enhances fatty acid catabolism and energy uncoupling in adipose tissue and muscle, and it suppresses macrophage-derived inflammation. Its combined activities in these and other tissues make it a multifaceted therapeutic target for the metabolic syndrome with the potential to control weight gain, enhance physical endurance, improve insulin sensitivity, and ameliorate atherosclerosis.
The profile of CT scan findings in acute head trauma in Orotta Hospital, Asmara, Eritrea

Background: There are variations in outcomes of radiological investigations of head injuries in different studies from different countries. The use of investigation modalities are influenced by socioeconomic and cost effectiveness of the tests. Objective and methods: The purpose of the present five months observational study was to describe the profile of cranial computed tomography (CT) scan findings of 110 cases of acute head trauma in Orotta Hospital. Results: The mean age of the entire series was 32.5 years with SD of 20.9 years. The overall male to female ratio was 3:1. The commonest causes of head injury were falls (36.4%), car accident (29.0%), stone injuries (15%), and bicycle accident (9%). Abnormal CT findings were seen in 60 cases (54.5 %) and normal CT in 50 (45.5%). The most common CT findings were: intra cerebral hematoma 22 (20. %), cerebral contusion or laceration 18 (16.4%), skull fractures 16 (6%), and scalp swelling 3 (2.7%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of head trauma related CT findings justify the use of CT in acute head trauma in Eritrea. However; it should be done only when clinically indicated in order to reduce cost and avoid unnecessary irradiation.
Prognostic clinical prediction rules to identify a low‐risk pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Summary. Background: Prognostic assessment is important for the management of patients with a pulmonary embolism (PE). A number of clinical prediction rules (CPRs) have been proposed for stratifying PE mortality risk. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the performance of prognostic CPRs in identifying a low‐risk PE.
Blood Pressure-Lowering Effects of Angiotensin Receptor Antagonist Monotherapy and in Combination with Other Anti-Hypertensive Drugs in Primary Care Settings in Japan

Combination therapy with multiple anti-hypertensives is required to achieve target blood pressure (BP) control and is recommended as the first-line therapy in hypertension. Although angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may be combined with other anti-hypertensives, it is unclear how the effects of ARBs are influenced by co-administered anti-hypertensives. We investigated the effect of olmesartan medoxomil (OLM) when it is given alone (monotherapy) or concomitantly with other anti-hypertensives in 6507 OLM-naïve Japanese in “real world” clinical practice. After a 12-week treatment, BP was significantly reduced from baseline in both the monotherapy group and the combination therapy group (P < 0.0001). The BP-lowering efficacy after treatment and achievement rates of target BP were similar in both groups. In the combination therapy group, no significant difference of achieved BP level was detected between patients taking Calcium channel blockers and any other class of anti-hypertensive drugs. This study suggests that ARBs such as OLM-elicits BP-lowering efficacy as either a first- or second-line agent and its effects are minimally influenced by co-administered anti-hypertensives.
Parent Medication Barriers Scale (PMBS): A preliminary investigation of factor structures with hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

ABSTRACT Purpose. To examine caregiver barriers to medication adherence and the factor structure of the Parent Medication Barriers Scale (PMBS), a self-report measure, in children with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods. Caregivers of 81 children/adolescents with HSCT completed the PMBS. Results. Internal consistency in the current sample was acceptable (α = 0.85); subscale reliability ranged from 0.34 to 0.72. Criterion validity was examined with the Medical Adherence Measure. Confirmatory factor analyses yielded a 2-factor solution and the factors were found to be moderately reliable (α = 0.77; α = 0.67). Conclusions. Results suggest that adapting the PMBS measure to create a young child HSCT-specific caregiver version is warranted.
Precompetition Orthopedic Assessment of International Elite Football Players

Objective:To assess the feasibility of the orthopedic part of a standardized precompetition medical assessment (PCMA) in teams from countries with variable medical background and to collect data on medical history and musculoskeletal findings of the players participating in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Design:Retrospective analysis of the PCMA forms. Participants:Five hundred fifty-three players (75.1%) participating in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Methods:The team physicians of participating teams were instructed to perform a specific standardized PCMA in all players before the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The orthopedic section included medical history and orthopedic examination of the lower extremity. Results:The completeness of the orthopedic section was in general very high, but the quality of recordings and examination technique differed among teams. About half of the players (51%) were reported to have sustained at least 1 severe football injury, with ligament/meniscus lesions of the knee and ligament injuries of the ankle being the most frequent diagnoses. Pathological findings on examination were rare. Conclusions:A standardized PCMA including comprehensive orthopedic examination is principally feasible in international elite football. The challenge is to ensure the quality of the physical examinations and to verify their predictive value.
Automation and validation of a rapid method to assess neutrophil and monocyte activation by routine fluorescence flow cytometry in vitro

The aim of the present study was to design an automated‐gating hematology fluorescence flow cytometry methodology permitting the assessment of neutrophil and monocyte activation in EDTA‐anticoagulated whole blood based on cell granularity, lipid membrane components, cell shape and volume, and total cell nucleic acid (NA) compounds. For particularly monitoring the proper functioning of patients' innate immune system as the first line defense against microbial invaders, the suitable test system should be rapid, simple, reliable by yielding reproducible results. It must be validated against established methods, and it must prove to work in selected clinical settings, e.g. in intensive care unit (ICU) environments.
Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) as a noninvasive biomarker for early detection of diabetic nephropathy

ABSTRACT Background: To investigate the diagnostic level of cystatin C and growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) levels in elderly type 2 diabetic patients with different degrees of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods: Four hundred and eighty-two old people, including 130 healthy controls, 130 normoalbuminuric diabetic patients, 122 with microalbuminuria, and 100 with macroalbuminuria, were recruited. Plasma Gas6 and serum cystatin C levels were measured. Results: Plasma Gas6 concentration was significantly lower in diabetic patients with microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria, as compared with diabetic subjects with normoalbuminuria; while cystatin C was significantly higher. Gas6 was inversely correlated with BMI, WHR, and HbA1c, while cystatin C was inversely correlated with urea nitrogen and creatinine. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusted for established diabetes risk factors, higher plasma Gas6 was significantly associated with a decreased risk of DN, while higher serum cystatin C was significantly associated with an increased risk. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that Gas6 was better than cystatin C as a biomarker for early diagnosis and detection of DN, with a cutoff value of 9.435 ng/mL (86.1% sensitivity and 84.6% specificity). Conclusion: Compared to cystatin C, Gas6 may be potentially a better noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for early detection of DN.
Association of AdipoQ single-nucleotide polymorphisms and smoking interaction with the risk of coronary heart disease in Chinese Han population

ABSTRACT Aims: To investigate the impact of AdipoQ polymorphisms, and their additional interactions with smoking and drinking on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk based on Chinese population. Methods: Hardy‒Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was performed using SNPStats (available online at http://bioinfo.iconcologia.net/SNPstats). Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) model was used to screen the best gene‒gene and gene‒environment interaction combinations. Logistic regression was performed to investigate association between four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and CHD and the interaction effect between rs1501299 and smoking. Results: Logistic analysis showed that CHD risks were higher in carriers with homozygous mutant of rs1501299 and rs2241766 than those with wild-type homozygotes, odds ratio (ORs) (95%CI) were 1.49 (1.19–1.95) and 1.71 (1.33–2.24), respectively, but CHD risks were lower in carriers with homozygous mutant of rs7649121 than those with wild-type homozygotes, OR (95%CI) was 0.72 (0.51–0.96). GMDR model indicated that there was a significant two-locus model (p = 0.0107) involving rs1501299 and current smoking, indicating a potential gene–environment interaction between rs1501299 and current smoking. Overall, the cross-validation consistency of this model was 9/10, and the testing accuracy was 60.11% (p = 0.0010). T-allele carriage had 42% prevalence, and one-quarter of them were current smokers. Smokers with rs1501299-GT or TT genotype have the highest CHD risk, compared to never-smokers with rs1501299-GG genotype, OR (95%CI) was 3.56 (1.91–5.42), after adjustment for gender, age, alcohol status, and body mass index. But we did not find any significant gene–gene and gene–drinking interaction combinations in GMDR models. Conclusions: Polymorphisms in rs1501299 and rs2241766, and their additional interactions between rs1501299 and smoking were associated with increased CHD risks: polymorphism in rs7649121 was associated with decreased CHD risks.
mRNA levels of circadian clock components Bmal1 and Per2 alter independently from dosing time-dependent efficacy of combination treatment with valsartan and amlodipine in spontaneously hypertensive rats

ABSTRACT Chronopharmacological effects of antihypertensives play a role in the outcome of hypertension therapy. However, studies produce contradictory findings when combination of valsartan plus amlodipine (VA) is applied. Here, we hypothesized different efficacy of morning versus evening dosing of VA in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and the involvement of circadian clock genes Bmal1 and Per2. We tested the therapy outcome in short-term and also long-term settings. SHRs aged between 8 and 10 weeks were treated with 10 mg/kg of valsartan and 4 mg/kg of amlodipine, either in the morning or in the evening with treatment duration 1 or 6 weeks and compared with parallel placebo groups. After short-term treatment, only morning dosing resulted in significant blood pressure (BP) control (measured by tail-cuff method) when compared to placebo, while after long-term treatment, both dosing groups gained similar superior results in BP control against placebo. However, mRNA levels of Bmal1 and Per2 (measured by RT-PCR) exhibited an independent pattern, with similar alterations in left and right ventricle, kidney as well as in aorta predominantly in groups with evening dosing in both, short-term and also long-term settings. This was accompanied by increased cardiac mRNA expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. In summary, morning dosing proved to be advantageous due to earlier onset of antihypertensive action; however, long-term treatment was demonstrated to be effective regardless of administration time. Our findings also suggest that combination of VA may serve as an independent modulator of circadian clock and might influence disease progression beyond the primary BP lowering effect.