Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Taking Lemons and Making Lemonade: Posttraumatic Growth From Pediatric Cancer

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of the perceived long-term effects of pediatric cancer on adult survivors and whether these effects had bearing on their primary support persons. Design: This work was guided by van Manen’s “new” interpretive phenomenology. Methods: Ten survivors of pediatric cancer (aged 21–28 years) and 9 of their support persons (aged 23–73 years) were recruited. Background questionnaires were administered, and interviews were conducted. Field notes were collected, and member checks were administered for data credibility. Results: A total of 4 themes emerged from this work; however, only the theme discussing posttraumatic growth will be discussed. Posttraumatic growth manifested in different ways, such as motivation for career or schooling choices, doing charity work, working with cancer organizations, or mentoring children undergoing pediatric cancer treatment. Conclusions: This work may provide comfort to other individuals with pediatric cancer knowing that they are not alone in their journeys. Healthcare providers should attempt to make pediatric cancer experiences as “normal” as possible for patients and their families and observe for signs of stress in their patients. As well, it is important for the pediatric cancer literature to illustrate that young adult survivors of pediatric cancer find positive outcomes in their experiences.
MicroRNA profiling and their pathways in South African individuals with prediabetes and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus

Early identification of individuals with elevated risk of developing diabetes mellitus, followed by the implementation of effective prevention interventions can delay the onset of the disease and related complications. In this regard, recent studies have shown that miRNAs are useful as early markers of certain disease types, including diabetes. We used high throughput sequencing to assess miRNA expression profiles from whole blood of 12 individuals with screen-detected diabetes, 12 with prediabetes and 12 with normal glucose tolerance, matched for age, blood pressure, smoking and body mass index. We identified a total of 261 (57 novel) differentially expressed miRNA profiles between the study groups. Comparison of the miRNA expression profiles between prediabetess and diabetes revealed 25 common miRNA, but highlighted some interesting differences. For instance, three miRNAs (miR-126-3p, miR-28-3p miR-486-5p) were dysregulated in prediabetes compared to screen-detected diabetes. Target gene analysis showed thousands of potential genes and KEGG pathway analysis revealed 107 significant pathways of which some are involved signal transduction, cell-cell communications, cell growth and death, immune response, endocrine system and metabolic diseases. This first detailed African study has shown both known and novel differentially expressed miRNAs in relation to glucose tolerance.
Optimization of the standard genetic code according to three codon positions using an evolutionary algorithm

Many biological systems are typically examined from the point of view of adaptation to certain conditions or requirements. One such system is the standard genetic code (SGC), which generally minimizes the cost of amino acid replacements resulting from mutations or mistranslations. However, no full consensus has been reached on the factors that caused the evolution of this feature. One of the hypotheses suggests that code optimality was directly selected as an advantage to preserve information about encoded proteins. An important feature that should be considered when studying the SGC is the different roles of the three codon positions. Therefore, we investigated the robustness of this code regarding the cost of amino acid replacements resulting from substitutions in these positions separately and the sum of these costs. We applied a modified evolutionary algorithm and included four models of the genetic code assuming various restrictions on its structure. The SGC was compared both with the codes that minimize the objective function and those that maximize it. This approach allowed us to place the SGC in the global space of possible codes, which is a more appropriate and unbiased comparison than that with randomly generated codes because they are characterized by relatively uniform amino acid assignments to codons. The SGC appeared to be well optimized at the global scale, but its individual positions were not fully optimized because there were codes that were optimized for only one codon position and simultaneously outperformed the SGC at the other positions. We also found that different code structures may lead to the same optimality and that random codes can show a tendency to minimize costs under some of the genetic code models. Our results suggest that the optimality of SGC could be a by-product of other processes.
Most calbindin‐immunoreactive neurons, but few calretinin‐immunoreactive neurons, express the m1 acetylcholine receptor in the middle temporal visual area of the macaque monkey

Release of the neuromodulator acetylcholine into cortical circuits supports cognition, although its precise role and mechanisms of action are not well-understood. Little is known about functional differences in cholinergic modulatory effects across cortical model systems, but anatomical evidence suggests that such differences likely exist because, for example, the expression of cholinergic receptors differs profoundly both within and between species. In the primary visual cortex (V1) of macaque monkeys, cholinergic receptors are strongly expressed by inhibitory interneurons. Here, we examine m1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor expression by two subclasses of inhibitory interneurons—identified by their expression of the calcium-binding proteins calbindin and calretinin—in the middle temporal extrastriate area (MT) of the macaque. Using dual-immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, we find that the majority of calbindin-immunoreative neurons (55%) and only few calretinin-immunoreactive neurons (10%) express the m1 acetylcholine receptor. This differs from the pattern observed in V1 of the same species, lending further support to the notion that cholinergic modulation in cortex is tuned such that different cortical compartments will respond to acetylcholine release in different ways.
The midterm outcomes of 1-stage versus 3-stage laparoscopic-assisted anorectoplasty in anorectal malformations with rectoprostatic fistula and rectobulbar fistula

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare the midterm outcomes of 1-stage and 3-stage surgical procedures to treat anorectal malformations (ARMs) with rectoprostatic and rectobulbar fistula using laparoscopic-assisted anorectoplasty (LAARP). A total of 56 patients with ARMs and rectoprostatic and rectobulbar fistula who underwent LAARP from January 2011 to May 2014 in our institution were included in the study. They were divided into 2 groups according to the stage of procedure. The patients’ data and postoperative complications were compared between the 2 groups. The Krickenbeck classification was used for assessing the bowel functions. About 20 ARM newborns (rectoprostatic fistula [12], rectobulbar fistula [8]) successfully underwent a 1-stage LAARP, and about 36 ARM children (rectoprostatic fistula [20], rectobulbar fistula [16]) underwent a 3-stage LAARP (colostomy, LAARP, and closure of colostomy). The average age at the LAARP procedure in 1-stage group was significantly lower than that in 3-stage group (39.8 ± 8.1 hours vs 4.9 ± 1.2 months; P = .00). The average operative time during the definitive procedure was 132.2 ± 15.9 minutes in the 1-stage group and 120.5 ± 12.7 minutes in the 3-stage group (P = .13). There was only 5 to 10 mL of blood loss during the LAARP procedure both the groups (P = .75). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in postoperative hospital stay during the definitive procedure (10.2 ± 2.3 days vs 8.5 ± 2.2 days; P = .22). The rate of surgical site infection and dehiscence was 5% (1/20) in the 1-stage group and 5.6% (2/36) in 3-stage group (P = 1.00). During the period of follow-up, the rate of voluntary bowel movement was 90% (18/20) in 1-stage group and 94.4% (34/36) in 3-stage group (P = .94). Free from soiling or grade I soiling was 80% (16/20) in 1-stage group and 83.3% (30/36) in 3-stage group (P = 1.00); grade II soiling was found in 3 (10%) patients in 1-stage group and 85.7% in 3-stage group (P = .75); grade III soiling was found in 3 (10%) patients in 1-stage group and 85.7% in 3-stage group (P = 1.00). Three patients (15%) in 1-stage group and 5 patients (13.9%) in 3-stage group suffered from grade I constipation (P = 1.00); while 3 (15%) patients in 1-stage group and 4 patients (11.1%) in 3-stage group had grade II constipation (P = 1.00); no patients in the 2 groups suffered from grade III constipation. The 1-stage LAARP procedure for neonate with rectoprostatic and rectobulbar fistula can achieve comparable midterm outcomes as the conventional 3-stage LAARP procedure. It provides an alternative method to rectify the ARMs with rectoprostatic fistula and rectobulbar fistula without colostomy.
False memories in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: evidence from the divided attention paradigm at encoding or retrieval

ABSTRACT Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) exhibit impaired retrieval of item-specific information, increasing their propensity to generate false recognitions. The present study investigated the effect of OSAS on false recognition, using a divided-attention paradigm to examine whether reducing the availability of attentional resources during encoding or retrieval in healthy participants mimics the effect of OSAS. We tested four groups of participants, using the Deese – Roediger – McDermott paradigm: patients with OSAS and controls, either under full attention or under divided attention at encoding or retrieval. Results showed that divided attention at retrieval, but not at encoding, mimicked the effects of OSAS on memory performance, as controls in this group exhibited a higher level of false recognition than those under full attention, but a similar level of correct recognition. Our results suggest that the greater susceptibility of patients with OSAS to false recognition may be due to a limited availability of attentional resources, which may specifically disrupt retrieval processes.
Reminiscence therapy for dementia: an abridged Cochrane systematic review of the evidence from randomized controlled trials

ABSTRACT Introduction: Reminiscence therapy (RT) is a popular psychosocial intervention widely used in dementia care. It involves discussion of past events and experiences, using tangible prompts to evoke memories or stimulate conversation. Areas covered: The aim of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of RT for people with dementia. It includes studies from the specialized register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group (ALOIS). Searches yielded 185 records of which 22 (n = 1972) were eligible for inclusion. The meta-analysis comprised of data from 16 studies (n = 1749 participants). The review included four large multicenter high-quality studies and several smaller studies of reasonable quality. Outcomes of interest were quality of life, communication, depression, and cognition at posttreatment and later follow-up. Expert commentary: RT has the potential to improve psychosocial outcomes for people with dementia. Effects are small and can be inconsistent, varying across intervention modality and setting. Individual approaches were associated with improved cognition and mood. Group approaches were linked to improved communication. The impact on quality of life appeared most promising in care home settings. Diversity in reminiscence approaches makes it difficult to compare them, and the field would benefit from the development, evaluation, use, and sharing of standardized approaches.
Directionally biased sidestepping of Kip3/kinesin-8 is regulated by ATP waiting time and motor–microtubule interaction strength

Significance Microtubules consist of parallel protofilament lanes for motor-based intracellular transport. While most motors translocate along individual protofilaments, members of the kinesin-8 family have been reported to sidestep. However, the mechanism of sidestepping is currently not understood. Here, we track the 3D motion of single kinesin-8 motors on freely suspended microtubules. We find that individual motors sidestep with a bias to the left, the probability of which is increased with the time taken per forward step. We relate this behavior to a bifurcation in the step cycle of kinesin-8. Experiments on a kinesin-1 with an elongated neck linker suggest that sidestepping is intrinsic to all processive kinesins possessing long neck linkers, potentially helping them to circumnavigate obstacles on the microtubule. Kinesin-8 motors, which move in a highly processive manner toward microtubule plus ends where they act as depolymerases, are essential regulators of microtubule dynamics in cells. To understand their navigation strategy on the microtubule lattice, we studied the 3D motion of single yeast kinesin-8 motors, Kip3, on freely suspended microtubules in vitro. We observed short-pitch, left-handed helical trajectories indicating that kinesin-8 motors frequently switch protofilaments in a directionally biased manner. Intriguingly, sidestepping was not directly coupled to forward stepping but rather depended on the average dwell time per forward step under limiting ATP concentrations. Based on our experimental findings and numerical simulations we propose that effective sidestepping toward the left is regulated by a bifurcation in the Kip3 step cycle, involving a transition from a two-head–bound to a one-head–bound conformation in the ATP-waiting state. Results from a kinesin-1 mutant with extended neck linker hint toward a generic sidestepping mechanism for processive kinesins, facilitating the circumvention of intracellular obstacles on the microtubule surface.
Sorting on Reconfigurable Meshes: An Irregular Decomposition Approach

Most algorithms for reconfigurable meshes (R-meshes) are based on the divide-andconquer (DAC) strategy. Although the strategyper se does not require the subproblems to be equal in size, existing DAC algorithms for R-meshes do divide the problem approximately evenly. This paper demonstrates that dividing a problem evenly is not necessarily a good way to decompose a problem. There are occasions on which an irregular decomposition scheme may be preferable. We take this approach and obtain a new sorting algorithm. Our sorting algorithm has several strengths: it is simple, scalable, and as broadcast-efficient as the best known result.
Dry eye syndrome and the subsequent risk of chronic fatigue syndrome—a prospective population-based study in Taiwan

Background and Aim The clinical association between dry eye syndrome (DES) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) remain unclear with less evidences. We aimed to investigate the relationship between CFS and DES using a national insurance and prospective cohort study. Methods Data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 was applied to estimate the incidence of CFS among patients with DES, and their age- and sex-matched controls without DES over a long-term follow-up period. All participants were CFS free at baseline, before the interval (2005–2007), but were later diagnosed with CFS. DES patients and its relative matched controls were excluded prevalent CFS before the same interval. Results We identified 884 patients with DES and 3,536 matched controls in baseline and estimated the hazard ratios for incident CFS in the follow-up period. Patients with DES had a 2.08-fold considerably increasing risk of developing CFS, compared to non-DES group. An elevated risk of developing CFS remained (1.61-fold risk) even after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities. There was a presence of increasing risk in DES-related CFS when CFS-related comorbidities existing (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.98, 95% confidence interval, 1.19–3.29; p < 0.01). The subsequent risk for CFS between DES and non-DES patients was significant increased with three or more annual medical visits, the adjusted risk for CFS was 4.88-fold risk (95% CI, 2.26–10.58, p < 0.001). Conclusion We recommended that physicians should be aware of the increased risk of CFS among DES patients and adequately assess the health impacts among these patients.
Crowdsourcing mobile content through games: An analysis of contribution patterns

Crowdsourcing of mobile content has become a major way of populating information‐rich online environments. One approach to motivate participation is via games. That is, a crowdsourcing game is built upon the desire of individuals to be entertained while generating useful outputs as byproducts of gameplay. A gap in current research is that actual usage patterns of crowdsourcing games have not been investigated adequately. We address this gap by comparing content creation patterns in a game for crowdsourcing mobile content against a non‐game version. Our analysis of 3024 contributions in both apps reveal 10 categories, divided into: (1) those that conform more to the notion of mobile content utilized to learn about a specific place or for navigational purposes; and (2) those that were about the content creator himself/herself, or in relation to other users or other non‐playing individuals, with the location as a backdrop, similar to status updates in social media platforms like Twitter. We argue that both categories are potentially useful in that they meet different needs, and together could serve to recruit and sustain participation in the longer term. Further, the distribution of categories varied across the apps, indicating that the features afforded by games shape behavior differently from non‐game‐based approaches to crowdsourcing.
Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Short- and Long-Duration Isometric Contractions in Patellar Tendinopathy.

OBJECTIVES Isometric muscle contractions are used in the management of patellar tendinopathy to manage pain and improve function. Little is known about whether long- or short-duration contractions are optimal to improve pain. This study examined the immediate and short-term (4 weeks) effects of long- and short-duration isometric contraction on patellar tendon pain, and tendon adaptation. DESIGN Repeated measures within groups. SETTING Clinical primary care. PATIENTS Participants (n = 16, males) with patellar tendinopathy. INTERVENTION Short-duration (24 sets of 10 seconds) or long-duration (6 sets of 40 seconds) isometric knee extension loading (85% maximal voluntary contraction), for 4 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Immediate change in pain with single-leg decline squat (SLDS) and hop, as well as change in pain and tendon adaptation [within-session anterior-posterior (AP) strain] were assessed over 4 weeks. RESULTS Pain was significantly reduced after isometric loading on both SLDS (P < 0.01) and hop tests (P < 0.01). Pain and quadriceps function improved over the 4 weeks (P < 0.05). There was significant AP strain at each measurement occasion (P < 0.01). Although transverse strain increased across the training period from ∼14% to 22%, this was not significant (P = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to show that short-duration isometric contractions are as effective as longer duration contractions for relieving patellar tendon pain when total time under tension is equalized. This finding provides clinicians with greater options in prescription of isometric loading and may be particularly useful among patients who do not tolerate longer duration contractions. The trend for tendon adaptation over the short 4-week study period warrants further investigation.
Coral microbiome database: Integration of sequences reveals high diversity and relatedness of coral‐associated microbes

Summary Coral‐associated microorganisms are thought to play a fundamental role in the health and ecology of corals, but understanding of specific coral–microbial interactions are lacking. In order to create a framework to examine coral–microbial specificity, we integrated and phylogenetically compared 21,100 SSU rRNA gene Sanger‐produced sequences from bacteria and archaea associated with corals from previous studies, and accompanying host, location and publication metadata, to produce the Coral Microbiome Database. From this database, we identified 39 described and candidate phyla of Bacteria and two Archaea phyla associated with corals, demonstrating that corals are one of the most phylogenetically diverse animal microbiomes. Secondly, this new phylogenetic resource shows that certain microorganisms are indeed specific to corals, including evolutionary distinct hosts. Specifically, we identified 2–37 putative monophyletic, coral‐specific sequence clusters within bacterial genera associated with the greatest number of coral species (Vibrio, Endozoicomonas and Ruegeria) as well as functionally relevant microbial taxa (“Candidatus Amoebophilus”, “Candidatus Nitrosopumilus” and under recognized cyanobacteria). This phylogenetic resource provides a framework for more targeted studies of corals and their specific microbial associates, which is timely given the escalated need to understand the role of the coral microbiome and its adaptability to changing ocean and reef conditions.
Complete lymph node dissection or observation in melanoma patients with multiple positive sentinel lymph nodes: A single‐center retrospective analysis

Although the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) as a prognostic factor is well established, its consequences for therapy are controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze if complete lymph node dissection (CLND) in patients with more than one positive sentinel lymph node (SLN) significantly improves melanoma‐specific survival (MSS) and progression‐free survival (PFS). Medical records of patients who underwent SLNB between 2001 and 2016 at the University Hospital of Cologne were reviewed, and patients with positive SLN were identified. Patient and tumor characteristics, patterns of recurrence, progression‐free and melanoma‐specific survival were analyzed. Seventy‐eight patients with multiple positive and 197 patients with one positive SLN were included in this study. Patients with multiple positive SLN had significantly more positive non‐SLN compared with patients with only one positive SLN (26.9% vs 8.6%, P = 0.01). However, in the subgroup of patients with multiple positive SLN, CLND did not significantly improve MSS (mean MSS 95 vs 75 months, P = 0.5) and PFS (mean PFS 59 vs 68 months P = 0.167). CLND did not result in a significant improvement in PFS and MSS in patients with multiple positive SLN.