Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heterologous expression of recombinant scygonadin antimicrobial peptide from mud crab Scylla serrata

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are the most common immune effectors in invertebrates that functions as the first line of defence against microbial infection. Scygonadin is an AMP which can be found in the seminal plasma of Scylla serrata. Preceding studies had shown that scygonadin have the ability to exhibit wide antimicrobial activities. Nonetheless, analysis of the antimicrobial properties of scygonadin is significantly dependent on acquiring sufficient amounts of the protein from mud crab, and this was proven difficult. Further functional studies of scygonadin and its commercial applications require a development of efficient, sustainable and cost-effective heterologous protein production. To address this issue, an expression plasmid containing 387 bp of scygonadin gene of Scylla serrata was cloned into pBAD/Myc-His A, expressed in TOP10 cells with L-arabinose as expression inducer, followed by protein purification by using immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). The optimal expression condition was determined by incubation with 0.02% of L-arabinose for 4 hours at 37°C. A total of 2 mg/ml of purified scygonadin with the molecular weight of ~17kDa was succesfully obtained. The results demonstrated that the recombinant scygonadin was successfully produced in heterologous expression system which may allow production of scygonadin in large quantities for further research and commercial application.
The potential impact of dietary supplement adulteration on patient assessment and treatment from a healthcare provider’s perspective

Dietary supplements have been manufactured and supplied to the market with the objective of enhancing the overall health of the general population and optimising the performance of athletes. The perceived intention of dietary supplementation is to increase the nutritional content of a normal diet, and to fill a dietary need and/or presumed deficiency. The usage and popularity of dietary supplements, however, raises concerns from a health benefit and risk perspective. Moreover, safety and efficacy of these supplements have generally not been established by the Medicines Regulatory Authorities, both nationally and internationally. The exponential increase in supplement sales can, however, be attributed to aggressive marketing by manufacturers, rather than the development of more effective nutritional supplements. These supplements may contain adulterated substances that may potentially have harmful short- and long-term health consequences for the patient. In addition, a large spectrum of drug interactions may render the use of such supplements risky, without proper medical and scientific assessment.
Yield and Morphological İnvestıgatıon of Different Tigger Melon (Cucumis Melo Dudaim) Genotypes Belongıng to Sirnak/Turkey Region

This study was performed in 18 different tigger melon ( CUCUMIS MELO DUDAIM ) genotypes which were collected from the various villages of Idil/Sirnak. In the study, measurements of brix in fruit, SPAD, dry matter in fruit, total yield, seed weight, seed weight per fruit, seed length, number of seeds per fruit, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, fruit wall thickness, main stem diameter, main stem length, the main number of nodes in the stem, nod in the main stem were carried out. In addition, the experiment was performed with 4 replications including 10 plants per every replicate. The experiment was made according to the random design of the trial blocks. The data obtained at the end of the experiment statistical analyzes were made by evaluating with JMP8 program and the means were compared according to LSD test. In addition, cluster analysis was also performed in terms of similarity between genotypes in the experiment. As a result, when the fruit measurements are examined; total fruit yield was recorded with high amount in the tigger melon genotype, on the other hand, genotype number 13 of the tigger melon was recorded as the low. According to the obtained results, morphological and pomological measurements demonstrated difference from each other in 18 tigger melon melon plants and fruits. Keywords: Tigger melon, Seed, CUCUMIS MELO DUDAIM, SPAD, Brix. DOI : 10.7176/JBAH/9-10-09 Publication date :May 31 st 2019
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES ASSOCIATED WITH FAILED MISOPROSTOL TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY

Misoprostol exposure in the first trimester of pregnancy has been related to congenital malformations, particularly the mobius sequence and terminal transverse limb defects. An unusual case of a 25-years old primigravida who was exposed to misoprostol at 8-weeks gestation is presented here. Failing to medical termination, the pregnancy continued and a live baby girl was delivered preterm at 35-weeks gestation with multiple anomalies like fronto-nasal bone, scalp defects and protrusion of duramater. Microcephaly and equinovarus deformities were also present. Hence, clinicians must be aware of the teratogenic risk of misoprostol with especial context to its unsuccessful use in the first trimester of pregnancy. For the ongoing pregnancies, patient must also be informed in detail.
Disparities in the occurrence of late effects following treatment among adolescent and young adult melanoma survivors.

9580 Background: Melanoma is the third most common cancer in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population and the incidence worldwide is increasing. However, no studies have addressed the occurrence of late effect medical conditions following melanoma treatment in these young survivors. Methods: All patients ages 15-39 diagnosed with cutaneous melanoma from the 1996-2012 and surviving ≥ 2 years were obtained from the California Cancer Registry and linked to statewide hospitalization data. The influence of age at diagnosis, sex, race/ethnicity, neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), and health insurance on the development of late effects by system was evaluated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: Of 8,524 patients, 35.6% were male, 83.1% non-Hispanic white, 82.1% had private health insurance, 60.3% were considered high SES, and 70.7% had no documented co-morbidities at diagnosis. After controlling for competing factors, males had an increased risk of developing late effects across all systems, including cardiac [HR:2.13, 95%CI 1.87-2.42], neurologic (HR:2.24, CI 1.92-2.63), lymphedema (HR:2.22, CI 1.89-2.62), bleeding events (HR:2.35, CI 2.00-2.77), major infection/sepsis (HR:2.23, CI 1.95-2.56), and second cancers [HR:1.66, CI 1.47-1.89]. In addition, patients with public or no insurance (vs. private) had a greater risk of developing all studied late effects, including lymphedema (HR:2.48, CI 2.04-3.01), respiratory illness (HR:2.21, CI 1.85-2.64) renal dysfunction (HR:2.31, CI 1.90-2.81), and subsequent cancers (HR:1.82, CI 1.54-2.16). AYA patients residing in low SES neighborhoods had a similar increased risk of developing late effects. However, neither age nor race/ethnicity had an impact on the occurrence of late effects. Conclusions: Of AYA melanoma survivors, males, those with public or no health insurance, and those living in low SES neighborhoods had a much greater likelihood of developing of late effects. Strategies to improve surveillance and secondary prevention of these late effects is needed among AYA melanoma survivors, particularly for this demographic.
Psychotropic medication of patients with Korsakoff's syndrome : the impact of medication reviews on psychotropic medication and possible changes in behavior

Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) is a degenerative neurological disorder caused by persistent vitamin B1 deficiency. In most cases this deficit is caused by chronic alcoholism. The condition is characterized by a disproportionate impairment in memory and executive functions relative to overall cognitive functioning. Primary medical treatments for cognitive, emotional and behavioral symptoms are antipsychotics, antidepressants, tranquilizers and anticonvulsants. Research on psychotropic medication of patients with KS is rare and shows mixed results for each treatment approach. Therefore, current treatment approaches should be regarded with criticism, to avoid overtreatment. In the present study data of 64 patients with KS were analyzed, in order to evaluate the advisability of systematic medication reviews for the psychotropic treatment of KS. The psychotropic treatments of patients before and after a systematic review of their medication were compared, in order to find out if the reviews were followed by changes in psychotropic medication. Further, the effects of reduced psychotropic medication on symptoms of agitation and apathy were examined. The most relevant conclusion of the study is that it is advisable, to review the psychotropic medications of patients with KS. Due to methodological issues this finding has to be regarded with caution. Further investigations are needed to confirm the conclusion. Furthermore, interesting associations could be discovered during the data analysis. Antipsychotic and antidepressant medications were associated with low levels of apathy. Even more interesting was the strong association found between number of psychotropic treatment categories a patient received and symptoms of apathy. Both findings could be interpreted as support for the effectiveness of psychotropic treatment for behavioral symptoms in patients with KS.
Predictors of mortality in hemodialysis patients

Introduction Mortality in patients with chronic renal failure is high compared to the general population. The objective of our study is to evaluate the predictive factors related to mortality in hemodialysis. Methods This is a retrospective study involving 126 hemodialysis patients in the Nephrology Department of Ibn Rochd Hospital, Casablanca. Data were collected between January 2012 and January 2016. For each of our patients, we analyzed demographic, clinical, biological and anthropometric data. The Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test were used to evaluate and compare survival curves. To evaluate the effect of predictors of mortality, we used the proportional Cox hazard model. Results The analysis of the results showed that the surviving patients were younger than the deceased patients (43.07±13.52 years versus 53.09±13.56 years, p=0.001). Also, the latter has a significantly lower albumin and prealbumin levels (p=0.01 and p=0.04 respectively). Overall survival was 80.2%. Cox regression analysis at age (HR=1.26, p<0.0002), inflammation (HR=1.15, p<0.03), AIP> 0.24 (HR=2.1, p<0.002) and cardiovascular disease (RR=2.91, p<0.001) were associated with global and cardiovascular mortality. Conclusion Our study showed that the mortality rate is high in our cohort. In addition, cardiovascular diseases, under nutrition and inflammation are predictive factors for mortality. Treatment and early management of these factors are essential for reducing morbidity and mortality.
A phase II trial cohort of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients (Pts) with recurrent/metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma (R/M ACC).

6084 Background: R/M ACC is a malignant neoplasm most commonly of salivary gland origin with no standard treatment. The impact of combined PD-1/CTLA-4 checkpoint blockade in R/M ACC is unknown. Methods: In a two-stage minimax phase II trial, pts with progressive R/M ACC (non-salivary primaries allowed) were enrolled and treated with nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks plus ipilimumab 1 mg/kg every 6 weeks (1 cycle = 6 weeks). Imaging, using RECIST v1.1 response assessment, was scheduled to be performed approximately every 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR = complete response [CR]+partial response [PR]) per RECIST v1.1. To detect a difference between an unacceptable ORR of 5% and a desirable ORR of 20% (one-sided type I error of 10%, power of 90%), at least 1 in the first 18 pts required an observed response. At least 4 responses of 32 total pts were needed to meet the primary endpoint. Treatment beyond progression of disease (PD) was allowed at the discretion of the investigator. A second cohort of pts with non-ACC salivary cancer is still accruing for separate analysis. Results: From 6/12/2017-6/20/2018, 32 pts were enrolled and evaluable for the primary endpoint. There was 1 confirmed PR in the first 18 pts, therefore enrollment of the second stage continued. ORR was 6% (2/32). One additional pt had an unconfirmed PR (-31% regression before CNS PD). For best overall response, there were 2 PRs, 15 SD, and 11 PD. Four pts never reached a first disease assessment: 3 due to death from clinical PD and 1 was removed for toxicity. Six pts discontinued the trial for toxicities (Grade 4 (G4) neutropenia/sepsis and G3 adrenal insufficiency (1), G2 hypophysitis (2), G3 arthritis > 7 days (1), G3 colitis (1), and G3 hepatitis/G4 creatinine kinase (CK) elevation (1)). The 2 confirmed PRs consisted of -73.1% and -58.4% regressions, with a duration of therapy of 18.4 and 7.8 months, respectively (treatment ongoing for both). Conclusions: The study did not meet its primary endpoint, though the responses observed were dramatic. Paired biopsy and peripheral blood samples will be analyzed to elucidate insights into mechanisms of response and resistance to dual checkpoint blockade. Clinical trial information: NCT03172624.
A randomized phase 3 trial of paclitaxel (P) plus carboplatin (C) versus paclitaxel plus ifosfamide (I) in chemotherapy-naive patients with stage I-IV, persistent or recurrent carcinosarcoma of the uterus or ovary: An NRG Oncology trial.

5500 Background: Gynecologic carcinosarcomas (CS) are rare yet aggressive epithelial malignancies for which optimal therapy is debated. PI was shown to be superior to I. PC demonstrated compelling phase 2 activity with improved safety and convenience. Methods: Main inclusion: ≥18 y; chemotherapy naïve stage I-IVB or recurrent uterine (U) or ovarian (O) CS. Treatment randomised 1:1 to PC (P 175mg/m2 with C: AUC 6 or 5 if prior RT on D1) or PI (P: 135 mg/m2; I 1.6 g/m2 D1-3; G-CSF support with dose escalation & de-escalation based on nadir counts) q21days for 6-10 cycles. Quality of life (QOL) (FACT-En TOI) and neurotoxicity (FACT/GOG-Ntx subscale) administered at 4 timepoints. A stratified log-rank test compared primary endpoint of overall survival (OS) from entry between treatment groups for non-inferiority (NI) of PC to PI. With 264 events, power was 80% for a null hazard ratio of 1.2 against a 13% greater death rate on PI when type I error is limited to 5% for a one-tail test. NCT00954174. Results: 637 pts accrued with a median follow-up of 61 months. The primary (U, n = 536) and secondary (O, n = 101) cohorts are analyzed separately and included 449 and 90 pts eligible pts, respectively. For the U cohort:PC and PI were randomly assigned to 228 and 221 eligible pts. Stage distribution: I (40%), II (6%), III (31%), IV (15%) and recurrent (8%). The study met its primary objective withPC not inferior to PI (intention-to-treat analysis;Median OS 37 vs. 29 mo, HR = 0.87; 90% CI = 0.70 to 1.075; p < 0.01 for NI, p > 0.1 for superiority (S)). PFS (median on PC 16mo vs PI 12mo; HR = 0.73; p = < 0.01 for NI, p < 0.01 for S). Toxicity (grade 1/2/3/4/5: PC 1/8/40/48/2%; PI 1/32/39/25/1%). Most of increase toxicity for PC was hematologic with G-CSF rarely used (N = 6). Confusion and genitourinary hemorrhage were significantly worse with PI. Both groups had decline in QOL and neurotoxicity scores. Similar trends were noted for the O cohort (OS: PC 30mo vs PI 25mo; and PFS: 15 mo vs 10 respectively). Conclusions: PC was not inferior to PI for OS with longer PFS and similar QOL and neurotoxicity. These results establish a new standard regimen for women with CS. Clinical trial information: NCT00954174.
Minimally Invasive Open Surgical Approach and Outcomes for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Objectives: The most common peripheral neuropathy is carpal tunnel syndrome. The present study aims to describe our minimally invasive open surgical approach for carpal tunnel syndrome and evaluate surgical outcomes. Methods: We included 217 patients who were operated in our clinic for carpal tunnel syndrome by minimally invasive open surgical approach. Visual Analogue Scale and Functional Outcome Scale scores were obtained preoperative, postoperative at one month and three months to determine surgical outcomes. Results: The mean age of the patients was 55.4±12.8 years (32 to 69), 175 (80.6%) were women and 42 (19.4%) were men. The assessment of carpal tunnel syndrome’s etiology showed that 189 (%87.1%) of the cases were idiopathic, 19 (8.8%) had hypothyroidism, 5 (2.3%) had rheumatoid arthritis and 4 (1.8%) were due to pregnancy. The average improvement of VAS between preoperatively and late postoperatively was 5.41±1.05. The average improvement FOS was 17.44±3.06. They were statistically significant. Conclusion: The minimally invasive open surgical approach for carpal tunnel syndrome (an average of 1 cm skin incision) is performed with local anesthesia and successful surgical outcomes are achieved.
Renal volume assessment with 3D ultrasound Determinazione del volume renale con ecotomografi a 3D

Purpose. This study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of 3D ultrasound (US) in assessing renal volume, with multislice computed tomography (MSCT) considered as the gold standard. Materials and methods. Forty-nine patients (30 men, 19 women; age range 30–82 years) underwent abdominal contrast-enhanced MSCT and 3D-US performed with a 3.5-MHz 3D/4D convex-array probe. The results of the two modalities were compared with the Wilcoxon test. Variability between the two measurements was determined with the Bland–Altman method and reported in terms of bias and coeffi cient of repeatability (CoR). Results. Mean values obtained were 210 ml with MSCT and 192 ml with 3D-US (p<0.001). Analysis of variability per patient between MSCT and 3D-US showed a bias of 19 ml, a CoR of 47 ml and an accuracy of 78%, with an average 3D-US underestimation of 19 ml (9%). Analysis of variability per kidney showed a bias of 9 ml, a CoR of 34 ml and an accuracy of 80%. Conclusions. Three-dimensional US is a valuable technique for monitoring renal volume, whereas MSCT may be reserved for assessing renal anatomy and relationships with neighbouring organs.
Psychological treatments for chronic Psychological treatments for chronic

Results Thirty-eight randomised controlled trialswere included in the meta-analysis.Trauma-focused cognitive^ behavioural therapy (TFCBT), eye movementdesensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), stressmanagement andgroup cognitive^behavioural therapy improved PTSD symptomsmore than waiting-listor usual care.Therewas inconclusive evidence regardingother therapies.Therewasno evidence of a difference in efficacybetweenTFCBTand EMDR buttherewas some evidence that TFCBTand EMDRwere superior to stress management and other therapies, and that stressmanagementwas superior to other therapies.
Glutathione Transferase P1 Polymorphism Might Be a Risk Determinant in Heart Failure

Disturbed redox balance in heart failure (HF) might contribute to impairment of cardiac function, by oxidative damage, or by regulation of cell signaling. The role of polymorphism in glutathione transferases (GSTs), involved both in antioxidant defense and in regulation of apoptotic signaling pathways in HF, has been proposed. We aimed to determine whether GST genotypes exhibit differential risk effects between coronary artery disease (CAD) and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) in HF patients. GSTA1, GSTM1, GSTP1, and GSTT1 genotypes were determined in 194 HF patients (109 CAD, 85 IDC) and 274 age- and gender-matched controls. No significant association was found for GSTA1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 genotypes with HF occurrence due to either CAD or IDC. However, carriers of at least one variant GSTP1∗Val (rs1695) allele were at 1.7-fold increased HF risk than GSTP1∗Ile/Ile carriers (p = 0.031), which was higher when combined with the variant GSTA1∗B allele (OR = 2.2, p = 0.034). In HF patients stratified based on the underlying cause of disease, an even stronger association was observed in HF patients due to CAD, who were carriers of a combined GSTP1(rs1695)/GSTA1 “risk-associated” genotype (OR = 2.8, p = 0.033) or a combined GSTP1∗Ile/Val+Val/Val (rs1695)/GSTP1∗AlaVal+∗ValVal (rs1138272) genotype (OR = 2.1, p = 0.056). Moreover, these patients exhibited significantly decreased left ventricular end-systolic diameter compared to GSTA1∗AA/GSTP1∗IleIle carriers (p = 0.021). Higher values of ICAM-1 were found in carriers of the GSTP1∗IleVal+∗ValVal (rs1695) (p = 0.041) genotype, whereas higher TNFα was determined in carriers of the GSTP1∗AlaVal+∗ValVal genotype (rs1138272) (p = 0.041). In conclusion, GSTP1 polymorphic variants may determine individual susceptibility to oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction in HF.
A Bimodal Weight–Length Relationship in Bleak (Alburnus alburnus)

The aim of this study was to find the location of a breakpoint in the weight–length relationship using a linearized biexponential model (LinBiExp). The analysis was performed using weight and length measurements of bleak (Alburnus alburnus) individuals captured in freshwaters of the Province of Ferrara (Italy). The LinBiExp function identified the breakpoint coordinates in the data set. The level of uncertainty in the breakpoint coordinates was analysed using bootstrap regression. Bilinearity was verified by comparing slopes and intercepts (ANCOVA) of the two linear sections. The study confirmed that LinBiExp can be a valuable tool for detecting the coordinates of a breakpoint in weight–length data.
Digital Writing and Diversity: The Effects of School Laptop Programs on Literacy Processes and Outcomes

Over the last decade, the number of one-to-one laptop programs in U.S. schools has steadily increased. Though technology advocates believe that such programs can assist student writing, there has been little systematic evidence for this claim, and even less focused on technology use by at-risk learners. This study examined the effect of daily access to laptops on the writing outcomes and processes of 2,158 upper elementary students in two school districts, and the effect among diverse students. In a California district, students showed improved English language arts achievement in both a partial laptop program year and a full laptop program year. In a Colorado district, overall writing test score gains were not statistically significant; however in both districts, at-risk student groups (i.e., Hispanics and low-income learners) showed significant gains. In addition, survey results, interviews, and observations indicate that at-risk learners used the laptops more frequently than their counterparts at school for a variety of learning purposes. This study suggests that well-planned use of laptops and digital media can help diverse learners improve their literacy processes and outcomes.
Women of the Harlem renaissance

Author's Preface A Note on the Journey Chapter I On Being YoungNa WomanNand Colored When Harlem Was in Vogue Chapter II Jessie Fauset: Treveling in Place Chapter III Nella Larsen: Passing For What? Chapter IV Zora Neale HurstonOs Traveling Blues Epilogue Destinations Deferred Appendix Selected Bibliography of Writings by Women of the Harlem Renaissance Notes Index