Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The reduced Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire: Psychometric properties and related factors in a young Swedish population

ABSTRACT During puberty, there is a delay in sleep patterns and the circadian clock, and the prevalence of sleep difficulties is high among young adults. Thus, it is important to be able to measure chronotype (CT) in this group, both in the clinic and for broader epidemiological studies, to better understand the sleep difficulties observed. The reduced version of one of the most widely used questionnaire to measure CT, the Horne & Östberg Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), has been developed and validated in many languages. The aim of the present study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Swedish reduced MEQ (rMEQ) and to investigate factors correlated with rMEQ scores in a random sample of young Swedish participants. We sent the rMEQ, sleep questions, demographic questions, the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A and HADS-D) to 1000 randomly selected individuals aged 16–26 years in Uppsala, Sweden (response rate = 68%). A parallel analysis of the rMEQ revealed a single factor solution. Inter-item correlations within the questionnaire were between 0.08 and 0.46. One of the rMEQ items displayed weak correlations with the other questions. Cronbach’s alpha of the rMEQ was 0.68. Low rMEQ scores (eveningness) were correlated with more frequent late bedtimes and difficulties getting up in the morning. Lower rMEQ scores were significantly related to male sex, no educational activity or work, nicotine use, younger age, and higher ISI and HADS-D scores. Even though the inter-item correlations of the rMEQ were very low to moderate, the rMEQ had a Cronbach’s alpha not far off from acceptable levels, and the strong correlations of the rMEQ scores with responses to the sleep questions indicated that the rMEQ had an adequate validity. To conclude, the rMEQ can be used to effectively estimate CT when a short questionnaire is required; however, caution should be taken when interpreting the results considering the reliability of the questionnaire.
Mood Disorders, Accelerated Aging, and Inflammation: Is the Link Hidden in Telomeres?

Mood disorders are associated with an increased risk of aging-related diseases, which greatly contribute to the excess morbidity and mortality observed in affected individuals. Clinical and molecular findings also suggest that mood disorders might be characterized by a permanent state of low-grade inflammation. At the cellular level, aging translates into telomeres shortening. Intriguingly, inflammation and telomere shortening show a bidirectional association: a pro-inflammatory state seems to contribute to aging and telomere dysfunction, and telomere attrition is able to induce low-grade inflammation. Several independent studies have reported shorter telomere length and increased levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines in mood disorders, suggesting a complex interplay between altered inflammatory–immune responses and telomere dynamics in the etiopathogenesis of these disorders. In this review, we critically discuss studies investigating the role of telomere attrition and inflammation in the pathogenesis and course of mood disorders, and in pharmacological treatments with psychotropic medications.
Metabolism study of hesperetin and hesperidin in rats by UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS n

Abstract Hesperidin (HPD) and hesperetin (HPT), as a kind of flavonone compounds, are abundant in citrus fruits with various pharmacological effects. HPD and HPT are not always consistent in some biological activities, even if they have the same skeletal structure. The aim of this study was to screen and identify HPT and HPD metabolites in rats using UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS n , compare the possible metabolism and provide the research basis for further understanding the similarities and differences in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of HPT and HPD. A total of 17 and 52 metabolites were identified in rats after oral administration of HPT or HPD, respectively. Three of HPT and HPD metabolites, glucuronidation, sulfation and diglucuronidation of HPT, were the same and could be the active components for the same pharmacodynamic action of them. We could find prototype in the urine sample of HPD group, but no prototypes in any samples of HPT group. There were hardly any general phase I metabolites of HPT, while 33 phase I metabolites of HPD could be identified. These data suggested that the poorer bioavailability of HPD compared with HPT.
Riemannian Procrustes Analysis: Transfer Learning for Brain–Computer Interfaces

Objective: This paper presents a Transfer Learning approach for dealing with the statistical variability of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals recorded on different sessions and/or from different subjects. This is a common problem faced by brain–computer interfaces (BCI) and poses a challenge for systems that try to reuse data from previous recordings to avoid a calibration phase for new users or new sessions for the same user. Method: We propose a method based on Procrustes analysis for matching the statistical distributions of two datasets using simple geometrical transformations (translation, scaling, and rotation) over the data points. We use symmetric positive definite matrices (SPD) as statistical features for describing the EEG signals, so the geometrical operations on the data points respect the intrinsic geometry of the SPD manifold. Because of its geometry-aware nature, we call our method the Riemannian Procrustes analysis (RPA). We assess the improvement in transfer learning via RPA by performing classification tasks on simulated data and on eight publicly available BCI datasets covering three experimental paradigms (243 subjects in total). Results: Our results show that the classification accuracy with RPA is superior in comparison to other geometry-aware methods proposed in the literature. We also observe improvements in ensemble classification strategies when the statistics of the datasets are matched via RPA. Conclusion and significance: We present a simple yet powerful method for matching the statistical distributions of two datasets, thus paving the way to BCI systems capable of reusing data from previous sessions and avoid the need of a calibration procedure.
Prevalence of Pediatric Surgical Conditions Across Somaliland

Key Points Question What is the prevalence of pediatric surgical conditions in Somaliland? Findings In this cross-sectional study that included 1503 children in Somaliland, the prevalence of pediatric surgical conditions was 12.2%. Only 23.7% of surgical conditions had been corrected at the time of this study. Meaning A scale-up of pediatric surgical infrastructure and resources to provide the needed surgical care for children in low- and middle-income countries is warranted.
Investigation of the Contributory Factors to the Guessability of Traffic Signs

Traffic signs play an important role in traffic management systems. A variety of studies have focused on drivers’ comprehension of traffic signs. However, the travel safety of prospective users, which has been rarely mentioned in previous studies, has attracted considerable attention from relevant departments in China. With the growth of international and interregional travel demand, traffic signs should be designed more universally to reduce the potential risks to drivers. To identify key factors that improve prospective users’ sign comprehension, this study investigated eight factors that may affect users’ performance regarding sign guessing. Two hundred and one Chinese students, all of whom intended to be drivers and none of whom had experience with daily driving after obtaining a license or visits to Germany, guessed the meanings and rated the sign features of 54 signs. We investigated the effects of selected user factors on their sign guessing performance. Additionally, the contributions of four cognitive design features to the guessability of traffic signs were examined. Based on an analysis of the relationships between the cognitive features and the guessability score of signs, the contributions of four sign features to the guessability of traffic signs were examined. Moreover, by exploring Chinese users’ differences in guessing performance between Chinese signs and German signs, cultural issues in sign design were identified. The results showed that vehicle ownership and attention to traffic signs exerted a significant influence on guessing performance. As expected, driver’s license training and the number of years in college were dominant factors for guessing performance. With regard to design features, semantic distance and confidence in guessing were two dominant factors for the guessability of signs. We suggest improving the design of signs by including vivid, universal symbols. Thus, we provide several suggestions for designing more user-friendly signs.
Histopathological Findings in Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) Consistent with Secondary Immunological Reaction to Biotherapeutics with an Emphasis on the CNS and Eye

Biotherapeutics are pharmaceutical products derived from or synthesized by biological systems. Such molecules carry the potential for immunogenicity which may lead to adverse immune responses. The cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is the species of choice in nonclinical safety assessment of biotherapeutics. The main aim of this study was to confirm whether mononuclear cell infiltrates at specific locations represent a generic effect of biotherapeutics, and therefore the result of their immunogenicity. Following a review of microscopic findings in studies conducted over a 10-year period at one test facility, 15% of biotherapeutics were reported to have such findings. The most commonly affected site was the choroid plexus and less frequently the meninges and ciliary body. The reporting of such findings as test article–related becomes more subjective as the severity and incidence decreases. To assess the accuracy of such associations, a mathematical approach was employed to determine the probability of obtaining the observed results by chance. There was good agreement between this approach and the original findings. In addition to an increased number and size of mononuclear cell infiltrates in the brain, biotherapeutic administration was strongly associated with the presence of plasma cells and eosinophils.
Pseudogene CHIAP2 inhibits proliferation and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells by means of the WNT pathway

Recently, pseudogenes have emerged as critical regulators in the onset of human neoplasia. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of pseudogene alterations at transcriptional levels in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) from The Cancer Genome Atlas. By combinations of differential expression analysis, survival analysis, and univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models, we identified four dysregulated pseudogenes, whose expression level was closely related to LUAD patients' prognosis and the four pseudogene signature could act as an independent prognostic indicator for LUAD patients. We further characterized CHIAP2, one of those four pseudogenes, whose expression level was the most closely linked to LUAD patients' prognosis. Consistent with our analysis, the expression of CHIAP2 was abnormally downregulated in LUAD tissues compared with that in normal tissues in our 50 pairs of clinical samples. Functional assays demonstrated that upregulation of CHIAP2 significantly impaired cell proliferation and invasion. After performing RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) and small RNA‐seq between CHIAP2 overexpression and negative control LUAD cell lines, we identified differentially expressed messenger RNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs), among which six miRNAs were downregulated. Target genes of six downregulated miRNAs were predicted with online miRNA target prediction tools and significant pathways including the WNT signal pathway were identified with Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. By combining predictor genes of six downregulated miRNAs and dysregulated genes of the WNT pathway, we inferred that overexpression of CHAP2 may inhibit LUAD cell proliferation and invasion via modulation of NFATC2 or GSK3B (WNT signal pathway) targeted by miR‐3614‐5p or miR‐873‐3p.
A Remote cis-Regulatory Region Is Required for NIN Expression in the Pericycle to Initiate Nodule Primordium Formation in Medicago truncatula

Discrete regulatory DNA elements, including far upstream located ones, regulate a proper spatiotemporal expression of NIN, a key transcription factor required during symbiotic root nodule development. The legume-rhizobium symbiosis results in nitrogen-fixing root nodules, and their formation involves both intracellular infection initiated in the epidermis and nodule organogenesis initiated in inner root cell layers. NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) is a nodule-specific transcription factor essential for both processes. These NIN-regulated processes occur at different times and locations in the root, demonstrating a complex pattern of spatiotemporal regulation. We show that regulatory sequences sufficient for the epidermal infection process are located within a 5 kb region directly upstream of the NIN start codon in Medicago truncatula. Furthermore, we identify a remote upstream cis-regulatory region required for the expression of NIN in the pericycle, and we show that this region is essential for nodule organogenesis. This region contains putative cytokinin response elements and is conserved in eight more legume species. Both the cytokinin receptor 1, which is essential for nodule primordium formation, and the B-type response regulator RR1 are expressed in the pericycle in the susceptible zone of the uninoculated root. This, together with the identification of the cytokinin-responsive elements in the NIN promoter, strongly suggests that NIN expression is initially triggered by cytokinin signaling in the pericycle to initiate nodule primordium formation.
Implications of the introduction of new criteria for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes: a health outcome and cost of care analysis

Objective To identify effects on health outcomes from implementing new criteria diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM) and to analyse costs-of-care associated with this change. Design Quasi-experimental study comparing data from the calendar year before (2014) and after (2016) the change. Setting Single, tertiary-level, university-affiliated, maternity hospital. Participants All women giving birth in the hospital, excluding those with pre-existing diabetes or multiple pregnancy. Main outcome measures Primary outcomes were caesarean section, birth weight >90th percentile for gestation, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and preterm birth less than 37 weeks. A number of secondary outcomes reported to be associated with GDM were also analysed. Care packages were derived for those without GDM, diet-controlled GDM and GDM requiring insulin. The institutional Business Reporting Unit data for average occasions of service, pharmacy schedule for the costs of consumables and medications, and Medicare Benefits Schedule ultrasound services were used for costing each package. All costs were estimated in figures from the end of 2016 negating the need to adjust for Consumer Price Index increases. Results There was an increase in annual incidence of GDM of 74% without overall improvements in primary health outcomes. This incurred a net cost increase of AUD$560 093. Babies of women with GDM had lower rates of neonatal hypoglycaemia and special care nursery admissions after the change, suggesting a milder spectrum of disease. Conclusion New criteria for the diagnosis of GDM have increased the incidence of GDM and the overall cost of GDM care. Without obvious changes in short-term outcomes, validation over other systems of diagnosis may require longer term studies in cohorts using universal screening and treatment under these criteria.
The prevalence of non-communicable disease in older people in prison: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND people in prison often experience poor health. Those aged 50 and over are the fastest growing age-group in prison and present particular challenges to criminal justice systems around the world. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for two-thirds of deaths globally and no estimate of the prevalence of NCDs in this vulnerable population exists. METHODS we searched PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and Global Health databases to identify original research papers that met our pre-defined inclusion criteria. No date or language restrictions were applied. Two authors undertook full-text screening as well as quality assessment and data extraction for all included studies. A random effects model was used to calculate pooled prevalence of any disease that was reported in two or more articles. RESULTS the initial search identified 2,712 articles. 119 underwent full-text screening with 26 meeting the inclusion criteria. This provided prevalence data on 28 NCDs in 93,862 individuals from prisons in 11 countries. Pooled prevalence for the most significant NCDs was a follows; cancer 8% (95% CI 6-10%), cardiovascular disease 38% (95% CI 33-42%), hypertension 39% (95% CI 32-47%), diabetes 14% (95% CI 12-16%), COPD prevalence estimates ranged from 4% to 18%. Heterogeneity across studies was high. CONCLUSIONS those in prison over 50 years of age experience a high burden of NCDs which is often higher than younger prison and age-matched community peers. This health inequality is influenced by lifestyle, environmental and societal factors. Prison services should be adapted to serve the needs of this growing population.
Reinterpretation of the substrate specificity of the voltage-sensing phosphatase during dimerization

Voltage-sensing phosphatases (VSPs) cleave both 3- and 5-phosphates from inositol phospholipids in response to membrane depolarization. When low concentrations of Ciona intestinalis VSP are expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, the 5-phosphatase reaction can be observed during large membrane depolarizations. When higher concentrations are expressed, the 5-phosphatase activity is observed with smaller depolarizations, and the 3-phosphatase activity is revealed with strong depolarization. Here we ask whether this apparent induction of 3-phosphatase activity is attributable to the dimerization that has been reported when VSP is expressed at higher concentrations. Using a simple kinetic model, we show that these enzymatic phenomena can be understood as an emergent property of a voltage-dependent enzyme with invariant substrate selectivity operating in the context of endogenous lipid-metabolizing enzymes present in oocytes. Thus, a switch of substrate specificity with dimerization need not be invoked to explain the appearance of 3-phosphatase activity at high VSP concentrations.
Nonhealing Crusted Papule on the Nasal Sidewall.

More than one-fifth of the study cohort received opioid medications from the emergency department. This high incidence underscores both the severity of the pain and an incomplete understanding of how to manage flares in an outpatient setting. Very few patients in this cohort were prescribed topical medications to address pain, highlighting a potential modality for pain control that may not be fully explored. Taken together, an HS-flare pain management strategy that may include various treatment modalities to manage both chronic pain and acute flares should be considered because it has the potential to both alleviate patient suffering and reduce urgent visits to the emergency department.
Alexithymic traits can explain the association between puberty and symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescent females

Symptoms of internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety increase in adolescence, especially in females. However, gender differences in depression and anxiety symptoms emerge only after puberty onset. Levels of alexithymia, characterized by difficulties identifying and describing one’s emotions, are elevated in depression and anxiety, and fluctuate across adolescence in a gender-specific manner. This study investigated changes in alexithymia across adolescence, and explored the potential role of alexithymia in the development of depression and anxiety, separately for females and males. Accordingly, 140 adolescents aged 11 to 21 years (77 female) completed self-report measures of alexithymia, depression and anxiety, and pubertal development. For females alone, pubertal maturation was associated with alexithymic traits (specifically difficulties identifying and describing feelings), as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety. After accounting for alexithymia, the relationship between puberty and depression and anxiety was absent or reduced in females. Thus, alexithymic traits may have differential consequences for males and females, and possibly contribute towards increased depression and anxiety symptoms in females during adolescence. We propose that developmental changes in alexithymia should be considered when studying the onset and development of internalizing psychological disorders during adolescence.
Adolescent Cyberbullying and Weapon Carrying: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations

This study examines the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between weapon carrying and cyberbullying (i.e., perpetration, victimization, and perpetration/victimization) and explore the relationship directions. Four waves of data were used from an ongoing longitudinal study. Participants were 1,042 adolescents, including 55.9 percent female, 31.7 percent Hispanic, 30.3 percent white, 26.6 percent African American, and 11.4 percent other, with a mean age of 15.1 years at baseline. Logistic regressions identified cross-sectional associations between weapon carrying and cyberbullying perpetration and victimization, but not for perpetration/victimization. Compared with their noninvolved counterparts, cyberbullying perpetrator were 1.97 times more likely to carry a weapon 1 year later and cyberbullying perpetrator/victims were 2.65 times more likely to carry a weapon one year later. Youth who had carried a weapon were 1.97 times more likely to be cyberbullying victims 1 year later and 1.70 times more likely to be a victim 2 years later, compared with their nonweapon-carrying counterparts. The findings highlight the importance of intervention programs targeting both cyberbullying perpetration and weapon carriage.
Preoperative biliary drainage for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality, but any meaningful improvement in its prognosis remains elusive. The lack of early diagnostic methods means that many patients only present when symptoms develop, such as obstructive jaundice. Once a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer has been made in a patient with obstructive jaundice, then a decision should be made if the patient is a candidate for surgical resection. Patients who are candidates for surgical resection generally do not need preoperative biliary drainage, unless they present with cholangitis, or if they require neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. If preoperative biliary drainage is to be done, then patient factors and local expertise should guide ap- propriate interventions. The evidence for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography as a first-line therapy for biliary decompression is strong; However, the use of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage as well as endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage has generally not been found to be inferior. Finally, to ensure ongoing patency and minimize complications, an appropriate self-expanding metal stent should ideally be placed. Copyright