Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intolerance of uncertainty moderates the relations among religiosity and motives for religion, depression, and social evaluation fears.

OBJECTIVES Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) underlies several psychological disorders, and religion may help some individuals cope with IU and/or protect against psychological symptoms. It was hypothesized that IU would moderate the relations between coping motives for being religious, as well as religiosity, and common psychological disorder symptoms: Depression and social evaluation fears. METHODS Study 1 included 473 self-reporting community members (M age = 48, 48% female, 80% Protestant/Catholic). Study 2 included 412 self-reporting undergraduates ( M age = 19, 71% female, 76% Protestant/Catholic). RESULTS For Study 1, coping-based motives related to greater depression for young adults with above-average IU and to lower depression for young adults with below-average IU. For Study 2, religiosity related to lower depression and fear of negative evaluation for individuals with above-average IU and to greater fear of positive evaluation for individuals with below-average IU. CONCLUSION IU may be an important mechanism between aspects of religion and psychological disorder symptoms.
Early histological, microbiological, radiological, and clinical response to cemented and screw‐retained all‐ceramic single crowns

OBJECTIVES To assess the early histological, microbiological, radiological, and clinical response to cemented and screw-retained all-ceramic single-tooth implant-supported reconstructions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with single-tooth implants were randomly allocated to receive a cemented lithium disilicate crown on a customized zirconia abutment (CEM) or a screw-retained crown with a directly veneered zirconia abutment (SCREW). At the screening visit, at crown insertion and at the 6-month follow-up, clinical parameters were measured at the implant and the contralateral tooth. Marginal bone levels, technical parameters, and esthetic outcomes were measured at the implants. At the 6-month follow-up, a microbiological test was performed and a soft tissue biopsy was harvested at the implants for histological analysis. Inflammatory cells and fibroblasts/-cytes were analyzed at the level of the sulcular epithelium, junctional epithelium, and connective tissue. The histological parameters were analyzed by means of a linear mixed model. RESULTS Thirty-three patients completed the study, and implant and crown survival rates were 100% at 6 months. Histologically, the number of inflammatory cells tended to be higher in group CEM (p > 0.05). Moreover, significantly less inflammatory cells and fibroblasts/-cytes were found in the sulcular epithelium compared to the junctional epithelium and supracrestal connective tissue (p < 0.001). Four patients were tested positive for periodontal marker pathogens at the 6-month follow-up, and three of them belonged to group CEM. From crown insertion to the 6-month follow-up, median marginal bone levels changed only minimally and measured 0.31 and 0.32 mm in group CEM and 0.47 and 0.36 mm in group SCREW, respectively. Clinical and esthetic parameters remained stable over time and were comparable between natural teeth and implants as well as between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Cemented reconstructions were associated with more inflammatory cells, and more patients were diagnosed with periodonto-pathogens. Both types of reconstructions resulted in similar radiological (marginal bone levels) and clinical outcomes (bleeding on probing and probing depth).
Supplement Use Among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: Prevalence and Predictors

Purpose The purpose of this article was to assess the pattern of supplement use and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 339 pregnant women were included in the study, 63 (18.3%) and 23 (6.8%) of whom used at least 1 supplement during pregnancy and 2 to 4 weeks prior to pregnancy, respectively. Only 3 women were prescribed folic acid during pregnancy. The pregnant women were interviewed to collect supplements use and pregnancy-related information through a pretested semistructured questionnaire. Subsequent charts of prescribed supplements were reviewed using a pretested data collection format. Results The majority (76.4%) of the women claimed no awareness about the benefits of early supplementation. Supplement use was about 8 times higher among women with > 3 children (adjusted odds ratio, 7.85; 95% confidence interval, 1.69-36.28; P =.008) than among nulliparous women, and about 6 times higher among women in their second trimester (adjusted odds ratio, 6.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.91-20.55; P =.03) of pregnancy compared to those women in their first trimester. Conclusion Overall supplement use, particularly folic acid intake, was found to be negligible during the prenatal as well as antenatal periods. The majority of the women in the study lacked awareness about the benefits of supplementation and potential risks associated with the absence of folic acid during pregnancy. Information by the media and health care personnel given to childbearing women about the need to take folic acid to prevent neural tube defects seems to improve the intake of folic acid during the protective period.
Non-Enzymatic Synthesis of Bioactive Isoprostanoids in the Diatom Phaeodactylum following Oxidative Stress 1

The non-enzymatic peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in phosphatidylcholine and betaine lipids generates isoprostanoids that mediate part of the oxidative stress response. The ecological success of diatoms requires a remarkable ability to survive many types of stress, including variations in temperature, light, salinity, and nutrient availability. On exposure to these stresses, diatoms exhibit common responses, including growth arrest, impairment of photosynthesis, production of reactive oxygen species, and accumulation of triacylglycerol (TAG). We studied the production of cyclopentane oxylipins derived from fatty acids in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum in response to oxidative stress. P. tricornutum lacks the enzymatic pathway for producing cyclopentane-oxylipins, such as jasmonate, prostaglandins, or thromboxanes. In cells subjected to increasing doses of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), we detected nonenzymatic production of isoprostanoids, including six phytoprostanes, three F2t-isoprostanes, two F3t-isoprostanes, and three F4t-neuroprostanes, by radical peroxidation of α-linolenic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexanoic acids, respectively. H2O2 also triggered photosynthesis impairment and TAG accumulation. F1t-phytoprostanes constitute the major class detected (300 pmol per 1 million cells; intracellular concentration, ∼4 µm). Only two glycerolipids, phosphatidylcholine and diacylglycerylhydroxymethyl-trimethyl-alanine, could provide all substrates for these isoprostanoids. Treatment of P. tricornutum with nine synthetic isoprostanoids produced an effect in the micromolar range, marked by the accumulation of TAG and reduced growth, without affecting photosynthesis. Therefore, the emission of H2O2 and free radicals upon exposure to stresses can lead to glycerolipid peroxidation and nonenzymatic synthesis of isoprostanoids, inhibiting growth and contributing to the induction of TAG accumulation via unknown processes. This characterization of nonenzymatic oxylipins in P. tricornutum opens a field of research on the study of processes controlled by isoprostanoid signaling in various physiological and environmental contexts in diatoms.
Validation of RIFLE, AKIN, and a modified AKIN definition (“backward classification”) of acute kidney injury in a general ICU

Abstract The aim of this study was to validate Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) and to develop a modified AKIN aimed at an improved classification of patients without baseline creatinine versus Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, and End-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) in general intensive care unit (ICU) patients. We retrospectively analyzed medical records of general ICU patients over a 1-year period. We compared the grading of severity as well as the prediction of mortality and renal replacement therapy by AKIN and RIFLE. Furthermore, a modified AKIN score was evaluated. A total of 321 patients were included. In 87% of cases, the 2 definitions classified patients in the concordant severity group. Higher scores of AKIN and RIFLE were associated with increased ICU- and 28-day mortality. Both definitions provided large receiver operating characteristics (ROC)-area under the curve (AUCs) for the prediction of mortality, which were comparable to the ROC-AUC of unclassified serum creatinine. Modification of the AKIN score with a “backward classification” of baseline creatinine based on its time course resulted in a higher AKIN score in 32 patients. RIFLE and AKIN definitions had a high concordance in staging the severity of acute kidney injury. There was a strong relationship between the stages and need for dialysis, ICU, and 28-day mortality. However, unclassified serum creatinine values were at least comparable. Standardized observation of the creatinine time course allows for “ex-post” AKIN-classification in a substantial number of patients with missing baseline creatinine values.
Altered Glucosinolate Profiles and Expression of Glucosinolate Biosynthesis Genes in Ringspot-Resistant and Susceptible Cabbage Lines

Ringspot, caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella brassicicola, is a serious disease of Brassica crops worldwide. Despite noteworthy progress to reveal the role of glucosinolates in pathogen defense, the host–pathogen interaction between cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and M. brassicicola has not been fully explored. Here, we investigated the glucosinolate profiles and expression of glucosinolate biosynthesis genes in the ringspot-resistant (R) and susceptible (S) lines of cabbage after infection with M. brassicicola. The concomitant rise of aliphatic glucoiberverin (GIV) and indolic glucobrassicin (GBS) and methoxyglucobrassicin (MGBS) was linked with ringspot resistance in cabbage. Pearson’s correlation and principle component analysis showed a significant positive association between GIV contents and the expression of the glucosinolate biosynthesis gene ST5b-Bol026202 and between GBS contents and the expression of the glucosinolate biosynthesis gene MYB34-Bol017062. Our results confirmed that M. brassicicola infection induces the expression of glucosinolate biosynthesis genes in cabbage, which alters the content of individual glucosinolates. This link between the expression of glucosinolate biosynthesis genes and the accumulation of their respective glucosinolates with the resistance to ringspot extends our molecular sense of glucosinolate-negotiated defense against M. brassicicola in cabbage.
Cerebrovascular Reactivity during Prolonged Breath-Hold in Experienced Freedivers

Fifteen male freedivers underwent repetitive 3T pseudocontinuous ASL and 31P-/1H-MR spectroscopy before, during, and after a 5-minute breath-hold (split into early and late phases) and gave temporally matching venous blood gas samples. The spatial coefficient of variation of CBF (by arterial spin-labeling) decreased during the early breath-hold phase whereas CBF remained almost stable during this phase and increased in the late phase. Cerebrovascular reactivity differed between the anterior and the posterior circulation during all phases. The cerebral energy metabolism of trained freedivers withstands severe hypoxic hypercarbia in prolonged breath-hold due to a complex cerebrovascular hemodynamic response. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Experienced freedivers can endure prolonged breath-holds despite severe hypoxemia and are therefore ideal subjects to study apnea-induced cerebrovascular reactivity. This multiparametric study investigated CBF, the spatial coefficient of variation as a correlate of arterial transit time and brain metabolism, dynamics during prolonged apnea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen male freedivers (age range, 20–64 years; cumulative previous prolonged breath-holds >2 minutes and 30 seconds: 4–79,200) underwent repetitive 3T pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling and 31P-/1H-MR spectroscopy before, during, and after a 5-minute breath-hold (split into early and late phases) and gave temporally matching venous blood gas samples. Correlation of temporal and regional cerebrovascular reactivity to blood gases and cumulative previous breath-holds of >2 minutes and 30 seconds in a lifetime was assessed. RESULTS: The spatial coefficient of variation of CBF (by arterial spin-labeling) decreased during the early breath-hold phase (−30.0%, P = .002), whereas CBF remained almost stable during this phase and increased in the late phase (+51.8%, P = .001). CBF differed between the anterior and the posterior circulation during all phases (eg, during late breath-hold: MCA, 57.3 ± 14.2 versus posterior cerebral artery, 42.7 ± 10.8 mL/100 g/min; P = .001). There was an association between breath-hold experience and lower CBF (1000 previous breath-holds reduced WM CBF by 0.6 mL/100 g/min; 95% CI, 0.15–1.1 mL/100 g/min; P = .01). While breath-hold caused peripheral lactate rise (+18.5%) and hypoxemia (oxygen saturation, −24.0%), cerebral lactate and adenosine diphosphate remained within physiologic ranges despite early signs of oxidative stress [−6.4% phosphocreatine / (adenosine triphosphate + adenosine diphosphate); P = . 02]. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the cerebral energy metabolism of trained freedivers withstands severe hypoxic hypercarbia in prolonged breath-hold due to a complex cerebrovascular hemodynamic response.
Investigation of selective binding of inhibitors to PTP1B and TCPTP by accelerated molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a key negative regulator in insulin signaling pathways, is regarded as a potential target for the treatment of type II diabetes and obesity. However, the mechanism underlying the selectivity of PTP1B inhibitors against T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP) remains controversial, which is due to the high similarity between PTP1B and TCPTP sequence and the fact that no ligand–protein complex of TCPTP has been established yet. Here, the accelerated molecular dynamics (aMD) method was used to investigate the structural dynamics of PTP1B and TCPTP that are bound by two chemically similar inhibitors with distinct selectivity. The conformational transitions during the “open” to “close” states of four complexes were captured, and free energy profiles of important residue pairs were analyzed in detail. Additional MM-PBSA calculations confirmed that the binding free energies of final states were consistent with the experimental results, and the energetic contributions of important residues were further investigated by alanine scanning mutagenesis. By comparing the four complexes, the different conformational behavior of WPD-loop, R-loop, and the second pTyr binding site induced by inhibitors were featured and found to be crucial for the selectivity of inhibitors. This study provides new mechanistic insights of specific binding of inhibitors to PTP1B and TCPTP, which can be exploited to the further structural-based inhibitor design. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Amblyomin-X, a recombinant Kunitz-type inhibitor, regulates cell adhesion and migration of human tumor cells

ABSTRACT In a tumor microenvironment, endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis allow cancer to spread to other organs causing metastasis. Indeed, a number of molecules that are involved in cytoskeleton re-organization and intracellular signaling have been investigated for their effects on tumor cell growth and metastasis. Alongside that, Amblyomin-X, a recombinant Kunitz-type protein, has been shown to reduce metastasis and tumor growth in in vivo experiments. In the present report, we provide a mechanistic insight to these antitumor effects, this is, Amblyomin-X modulates Rho-GTPases and uPAR signaling, and reduces the release of MMPs, leading to disruption of the actin cytoskeleton and decreased cell migration of tumor cell lines. Altogether, our data support a role for Amblyomin-X as a novel potential antitumor drug. Abbreviations: Amb-X: Amblyomin-X; ECGF: endotelial cell growth factor; ECM: extracellular matrix; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; HUVEC: human umbilical vein endothelial cell; LRP1: low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein; MMP: matrix metalloproteinase; HPI-4: hedgehog pathway inhibitor 4; PAI-1: plasminogen activator inhibitor 1; PMA: phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate; TFPI: tissue factor pathway inhibitor; uPA: urokinase plasminogen activator; uPAR: uPA receptor. Graphical Abstract
Phyllanthin from Phyllanthus amarus inhibits LPS‐induced proinflammatory responses in U937 macrophages via downregulation of NF‐κB/MAPK/PI3K‐Akt signaling pathways

Phyllanthin, a lignan from Phyllanthus species, has been reported to possess potent immunosuppressive properties on immune cells and on adaptive and innate immune responses in animal models. Herein, we investigated the inhibitory effects of phyllanthin isolated from Phyllanthus amarus on nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB), mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), and PI3K‐Akt signal transducing pathways in LPS‐activated U937 cells. The lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated excess production of prostaglandin was significantly suppressed by phyllanthin via the mechanisms linked to the modulatory effects of cyclooxygenase 2 protein and gene expression. Phyllanthin also significantly inhibited the release and mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin‐1 beta and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha). Phyllanthin also significantly downregulated the phosphorylation of IκBα, NF‐κB (p65), and IKKα/β and suppressed the activation of JNK, ERK, p38MAPK, and Akt in a concentration‐dependent manner. Additionally, phyllanthin downregulated the expression of upstream signaling molecules including MyD88 and toll‐like receptor 4 that are essential for the activation of NF‐κB, MAPKs, and PI3K‐Akt signal transducing pathways. Based on these observations, phyllanthin may exert their suppressive effects on inflammatory process by mediating the release of inflammatory signaling molecules via the NF‐κB, MAPKs, and PI3K‐Akt signal transducing pathways. Thus, phyllanthin holds a great promise as a potential anti‐inflammatory agent to treat various inflammatory diseases.
Global folate status in women of reproductive age: a systematic review with emphasis on methodological issues

Inadequate folate status in women of reproductive age (WRA) can lead to adverse health consequences of public health significance, such as megaloblastic anemia (folate deficiency) and an increased risk of neural tube defect (NTD)‐affected pregnancies (folate insufficiency). Our review aims to evaluate current data on folate status of WRA. We queried eight databases and the World Health Organization Micronutrients Database, identifying 45 relevant surveys conducted between 2000 and 2014 in 39 countries. Several types of folate assays were used in the analysis of blood folate, and many surveys used folate cutoffs not matched to the assay. To allow better comparisons across surveys, we attempted to account for these differences. The prevalence of folate deficiency was >20% in many countries with lower income economies but was typically <5% in countries with higher income economies. Only 11 surveys reported the prevalence of folate insufficiency, which was >40% in most countries. Overall, folate status data for WRA globally are limited and must be carefully interpreted due to methodological issues. Future surveys would benefit from using the microbiologic assay to assess folate status, along with assay‐matched cutoffs to improve monitoring and evaluation of folic acid interventions, thus informing global efforts to prevent NTDs.
Pharmaceutical Care Increases Time in Therapeutic Range of Patients With Poor Quality of Anticoagulation With Warfarin

Thromboembolic events are associated with high mortality and morbidity indexes. In this context, warfarin is the most widely prescribed oral anticoagulant agent for preventing and treating these events. This medication has a narrow therapeutic range and, consequently, patients usually have difficulty in achieving and maintaining stable target therapeutics. Some studies on the literature about oral anticoagulant management showed that pharmacists could improve the efficiency of anticoagulant therapy. However, the majority of these studies included general patients retrospectively. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate a pharmacist’s warfarin management in patients with poor quality of anticoagulation therapy (Time in the Therapeutic Range- TTR < 50%). We included 268 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and without stable dose of warfarin (TTR < 50%, based on the last three values of International Normalized Ratio-INR). We followed them up for 12 weeks, INR values were evaluated and, when necessary, the dose adjustments were performed. During the first four visits, patient’s INR was measured every 7 days. Then, if INR was within the target therapeutic range (INR: 2–3), the patient was asked to return in 30 days. However, if INR was out the therapeutic target, the patient was asked to return in 7 days. Adherence evaluation was measured through questionnaires and by counting the pills taken. Comparison between basal TTR (which was calculated based on the three last INR values before prospective phase) and TTR of 4 weeks (calculated by considering the INR tests from visits 0 to 4, in the prospective phase of the study) and basal TTR and TTR of 12 weeks (calculated based on the INR tests from visits 0 to 12, in the prospective phase of the study) revealed significant statistical differences (0.144 ± 0.010 vs. 0.382 ± 0.016; and 0.144 ± 0.010 vs. 0.543 ± 0.014, p < 0.001, respectively). We also observed that the mean TTR of 1 year before (retrospective phase) was lower than TTR value after 12 weeks of pharmacist-driven treatment (prospective phase) (0.320 ± 0.015; 0.540 ± 0.015, p < 0.001). In conclusion, pharmaceutical care was able to improve TTR values in patients with AF and poor quality of anticoagulation with warfarin.
Perceptions of Faculty Using MyMathLab in Traditional, In-Seat Math Classes

Perceptions of Faculty Using MyMathLab in Traditional, In-Seat Math Classes by Kathleen Gromilovitz MEA, Virginia Technic University, 1993 BS, Pennsylvania State University, 1985 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University June 2018