Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MiR-205 enhances cisplatin sensitivity of glioma cells by targeting E2F1.

OBJECTIVE miR-205 has been previously identified as a diagnostic and prognostic factor in glioma. However, its exact functions in glioma remain unclear. The current research aimed to decipher the role of miR-205 in the development of cisplatin resistance in glioma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS miR-205 expressions in both cisplatin sensitive and resistant cell lines were compared by the Real-time PCR method. The dose-response to cisplatin of U87/DDP cells was determined by MTT assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry, caspase 3/7 activity assay and Western blot assay. The direct repression of E2F1 by miR-205 was confirmed by luciferase assay and Western blot assay. RESULTS miR-205 expression was decreased in cisplatin resistant glioma cell lines, and cisplatin treatment led to a decrease of miR-205 in glioma cells. Overexpression of miR-205 in U87/DDP restored its cisplatin sensitivity by enhancing apoptosis and G1/S cell cycle arrest; notably, all these effects were then partially abrogated by E2F1 overexpression. Luciferase assay and Western blot assay confirmed E2F1 as the direct target of miR-205 in U87/DDP cells. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that down-regulation of miR-205 confers the cisplatin resistance in glioma cells via upregulation of E2F1. It might serve as a candidate for glioma therapy.
Incidence of Primary Central Nervous System Cancers in South and East Netherlands in 1989–1994

About 2,000 patients with primary CNS cancers, as defined by the ICD-O, were registered in four adjacent cancer registries in South and East Netherlands in 1989–1994, covering a population of more than 5 million people. About 85% of the patients were registered through pathological laboratories, concentrated in four centers for neurosurgery. Patients with a clinical-radiological diagnosis only (about 50% in the age-group of 75 years and older) were mainly identified through medical records of hospitalized patients. World-standardized incidence rates of 6.5 and 4.4 per 100,000 person-years for males and females, respectively, were similar to those reported in other European cancer registries. Eighty-five percent of histologically verified primary CNS cancers were of glial origin, 6% were lymphomas and 4% embryonal tumors. Gliomas were mainly of astrocytic (about 85%) and oligodendroglial or mixed type (about 10%). Without additional review most astrocytic tumors could be classified into high-grade (70–75%) and low-grade astrocytomas (20–25%). Different grading systems were used for gliomas, but the dichotomy of astrocytomas according to differentiation grade seemed to correspond well with the definition of the WHO. Age-specific incidence rates for low-grade astrocytomas were remarkably constant. The incidence of high-grade astrocytomas increased sharply with age and declined after the age of 70, whereas the incidence of clinically diagnosed tumors continued to increase. Male/females-ratios were relatively high for these tumor types (1.6–1.7). We conclude that the registration of primary CNS cancers in the Netherlands may be almost complete and valid for gliomas, embryonal tumors and lymphomas.
Symptoms, Bothersomeness and Quality of Life in Patients with LUTS Suggestive of BPH

The QUIBUS study is the largest investigation ever performed in Italy with an extensive use of the ICS-BPH questionnaire. The internal consistency of each of its three domains was high for ICS-Male (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.83 and 0.89 for symptoms and bother, respectively) and lower for ICS-Sex (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.63 and 0.75, see a following paper of this issue) and ICS-QoL (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.53), as previously reported in the validation study of this tool. Voiding symptoms were more frequently reported, with reduced urinary stream, terminal dribble and incomplete bladder emptying as the most frequently represented. The first storage symptom in the ranking by frequency was ‘rush to toilet’ (70% of the population), in 7th position; however, the relevant bother was among the highest reported. Items related to urinary incontinence appeared, when present, highly bothersome (87–92% of patients), even though exhibited by a minority of the population (5–34%). The mean (±SD) IPSS, calculated on 970 patients, was 15 (±7). Two major discrepancies were found in the comparison between IPSS and ICS-Male. First, terminal dribble, which is not considered in the IPSS, is often reported in the ICS-Male. Second, some storage symptoms (nocturia and day-time frequency) are less frequently reported in the ICS-Male than in the IPSS, while being, in general, highly bothersome. As regards QoL, 95% of subjects declared that they would not be completely happy to spend the rest of their life with their actual symptoms (ICS-QoL item 33) and 79% that BPH influences their life from ‘a little’ to ‘a lot’ (ICS-QoL item 30). The mean (±SD) IPSS-QoL single question score was 3.0 ± 1.4 (n = 970), and the frequency distribution of scores was equivalent to the one detected by the corresponding question of ICS-QoL (item 33). SF-36, a disease-independent questionnaire about QoL, after a 1-year follow-up is expected to clarify which among the IPSS and ICS-BPH items better describe the impact of BPH on QoL.
The effect of actively induced vibration using shoulder joint on pain and dysfunction in patients with low back pain

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine the effect of a Flexi-Bar exercise program with vibration stimulation on pain and dysfunction in patients with low back pain. [Subjects and Methods] This study included 30 patients with low back pain. The participants were divided into a control (n=15) group and an experimental group (n=15). General physical therapy was used in both groups. A Flexi-Bar exercise program with vibration stimulation was used in the experimental group. The Visual Analog Scale was used to measure pain severity. The Oswestry Disability Index was used to measure the extent of dysfunction due to low back pain. [Results] The VAS and ODI of the experimental group showed a significant difference compared to that of the control group. [Conclusion] The results show that a Flexi-Bar exercise program with vibration stimulation is effective in alleviating pain and dysfunction in patients with low back pain.
An Exploration of the Perspectives of Associate Nurse Unit Managers Regarding the Implementation of Smoke-free Policies in Adult Mental Health Inpatient Units

ABSTRACT Context: In Adult Mental Health Inpatient Units, it is not unexpected that leadership of Associate Nurse Unit Managers contributes to successful implementation of smoke-free policies. Aim: In light of challenges facing mental health nursing, and limited research describing their leadership and the role it plays in addressing smoke-free policy implementation, the aim of this study is to explore Associate Nurse Unit Managers perspectives' regarding the implementation of smoke-free policies, which were introduced on 1 July, 2015. Design, Setting, Participants: Individual in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken six months post the implementation of smoke-free policies. In this qualitative descriptive study, six Associate Nurse Unit Managers working in a Victorian public Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit, were asked eight questions which targeted leadership and the implementation and enforcement of smoke-free policies. Associate Nurse Unit Managers provide leadership and role modeling for staff and they are responsible for setting the standards that govern the behavior of nurses within their team. All participants interviewed believed that they were leaders in the workplace. Main Outcomes: Education and consistency were identified as crucial for smoke-free policies to be successful. Participants acknowledged that the availability of therapeutic interventions, staff resources and the accessibility of nicotine replacement therapy were crucial to assist consumers to remain smoke-free while on the unit. Conclusion: The findings from this research may help to improve the understanding of the practical challenges that Associate Nurse Unit Manager's face in the implementation of smoke-free policies with implications for policies, nursing practice, education and research.
Applying Theory of Planned Behavior to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption of Young Adolescents

Purpose. The purpose of this research was to investigate how well Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) predicted frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables among seventh graders and to investigate whether gender or socioeconomic status (SES) had moderating effects on the relationships between the constructs in the model. Design. Two identical self-administered paper and pencil surveys were distributed 6 months apart. Path analyses of the TPB models by gender and SES were performed with AMOS software. Setting. The study occurred in eight middle schools from school districts in the Minneapolis—St.Paul metropolitan area, where a minimum of 20% of the students qualified for free or reduced-price meals. Subjects. Of the invited seventh graders, 1406 (74%) completed data for the model constructs at baseline and for behavior at interim data collection. Measures. We assessed frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables and attitudes, subjective norms, barriers, and intentions related to this behavior. Three levels of SES were created based on questions about free lunch, parents' education, and work. Results. No significant direct effects of attitudes and subjective norms on behavior were found, but for barriers, both indirect effects through intentions and direct effects on behavior were significant. Seven percent of the variation in the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and 31% of the variation in intention to eat more fruits and vegetables were explained by the model. Gender appeared to have moderating effects on the relationships between attitudes and intention and between intentions and behavior in the model. There were no moderator effects of SES, but the larger dropout rates from the low-SES group could have caused the groups to become more homogeneous. Conclusion. The data fit the model well; still, large proportions of the variance in the frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables were unexplained. This may be related to the operationalization of the model constructs or to missing important factors in the model. Furthermore, there appeared to be strong relationships between subjective norms or barriers and intentions as well as gender differences in the strengths of the relationships in the model that may have implications for intervention methods or messages.
Distribution of endangered Italian gudgeon Romanogobio benacensis (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae, Gobioninae) with remarks on distinguishing morphological characters

Abstract Distribution data on many freshwater fish species in Croatia are scarce and species identifications are difficult, requiring further detailed studies. This paper presents a report of the Italian gudgeon Romanogobio benacensis from the Mirna River in the Istra Peninsula in Croatia, in the south-east from its previously known distribution range. The identification of R. benacensis in Croatia was supported by a morphological comparison with R. benacensis from Italy and Slovenia, the common gudgeon Gobio gobio, and the Danubian gudgeon Gobio obtusirostris from geographically close locations. A combination of character states (number of scales between anus and anal-fin origin, branched pectoral-fin rays, lateral-line scales, total, abdominal, and caudal vertebrae, and the size and number of lateral blotches) distinguishes R. benacensis from both G. gobio and G. obtusirostris. The phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial sequences of cytochrome b gene confirmed that specimens from the Mirna River belong to R. benacensis. Also, Reka River system (Adriatic Sea basin) in Slovenia is inhabited by a possibly introduced Danubian gudgeon, G. obtusirostris, and not by R. benacensis.
Investigation on the roles of human and robot in collaborative storytelling

The tradition of storytelling is a distinctive human experience. There have been increasing evidences from social sciences that storytelling facilitates skill development in children. In this paper, we explore the use of humanoid robots to augment traditional storytelling, an area still understudied, to investigate the effectiveness of human-robot collaboration (HRC) in storytelling. In this preliminary experiment, a humanoid robot, Aldebaran's Nao, was programmed to recite a mystery story to 60 students aged 14 to 15, while engaging them through gestures, simulated eye contacts and varied voices. Nao delivered the performance as either an independent storyteller, or as a collaborator with a human storyteller. We assessed the effectiveness of HRC by comparing the participants' preference over the two settings. We found that 1) most participants believe that HRC is effective and prefer HRC over the robot-only performance; and 2) the complementarily effective roles of human and robot storytellers in interacting with the participants provide a glimpse of evidence on the preference towards HRC. These results, provide a first step towards effective use of robots for collaborative storytelling in day-to-day situations, which is well placed to guide the design of robots for education and entertainment purposes, e.g. for improving family bonding between parents and children while allowing parents to more effectively tell stories.
A Nutrition Intervention Focused on Weight Management Through Lifestyle Improvements in Prediabetic Subjects

We reported the cases in order to evaluate the effects of individualized nutrition interventions for enhancing self-management abilities of prediabetic subjects. We conducted four nutrition interventions for weight control in two subjects with high-risk of type 2 diabetes. The first subject was a 53-year-old housewife, and the second subject was a 46-year-old male office worker. The subjects visited the medical center 4 times during the study period, and the lifestyle interventions were advised by a clinical team comprised physicians, clinical dietitians, and nurses. In particular, nutrition intervention to achieve weight loss focused on enhancing motivation and problem-solving skills to improve self-management ability. As a result, both subjects achieved weight loss by the time of their last visits. These two case studies, which differed in terms of sex, occupation, and dietary habits showed the importance of individualized nutrition intervention and forming an intimate relationship based on trust centered on prediabetic subjects. In conclusion, systematic collaboration within the clinical team is necessary, and social infrastructure should be prepared to fully realize the benefits of a systematic intervention program.
Age estimation based on face images and pre-trained convolutional neural networks

Age estimation based on face images plays an important role in a wide range of scenarios, including security and defense applications, border control, human-machine interaction in ambient intelligence applications, and recognition based on soft biometric information. Recent methods based on deep learning have shown promising performance in this field. Most of these methods use deep networks specifically designed and trained to cope with this problem. There are also some studies that focus on applying deep networks pre-trained for face recognition, which perform a fine-tuning to achieve accurate results. Differently, in this paper, we propose a preliminary study on increasing the performance of pre-trained deep networks by applying postprocessing strategies. The main advantage with respect to fine-tuning strategies consists of the simplicity and low computational cost of the post-processing step. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first study on age estimation that proposes the use of post-processing strategies for features extracted using pre-trained deep networks. Our method exploits a set of pre-trained Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to extract features from the input face image. The method then performs a feature level fusion, reduces the dimensionality of the feature space, and estimates the age of the individual by using a Feed-Forward Neural Network (FFNN). We evaluated the performance of our method on a public dataset (Adience Benchmark of Unfiltered Faces for Gender and Age Classification) and on a dataset of nonideal samples affected by controlled rotations, which we collected in our laboratory. Our age estimation method obtained better or comparable results with respect to state-of-the-art techniques and achieved satisfactory performance in non-ideal conditions. Results also showed that CNNs trained on general datasets can obtain satisfactory accuracy for different types of validation images, also without applying fine-tuning methods.
Lo que las reformulaciones y repeticiones (halladas en los relatos orales) de los aprendices de español L2 pueden decirnos acerca de la adquisición del aspecto verbal del español

A pesar de lo que puede sugerir el título, éste no es un trabajo que trate de las autorreparaciones, repeticiones y vacilaciones como estrategias de comunicación en la interacción en la línea de los estudios de Bennett-Kastor (1994), Tarone y Yule (1989), Kasper (1985), Díaz y Aymerich (1990), por citar líneas de aproximación distintas a la interacción, la modificación y ajuste del input y el desarrollo de estrategias de aprendizaje en el curso de la adquisición de una lengua extranjera. Este trabajo recoge una investigación que demuestra de forma indirecta cómo se manifiesta en la producción individual de un alumno, en función de su lengua materna, la percepción de la dificultad de determinados aspectos de la gramática no nativa en el curso de una tarea de producción oral. En concreto, se muestra cómo se evita la combinación de determinados predicados (clases
Who Should Be Treated and How? Evidence-Based Medicine in Symptomatic BPH

The management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), although based on the best available evidence, should be individualised to patients’ circumstances and personal choices. Subjective symptoms (LUTS), bothersomeness and negative impact on the quality of life are the main reasons for the patient to seek treatment for BPH. Therefore, the improvement of this subjective discomfort ought to be an important treatment goal and criterion of appraisal. Although transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) remains the most effective and definite way of treatment, it is less attractive from the patients’ perspective, especially after medical treatments with better tolerability have become available. For this reason, the indication for surgery is nowadays set on more stringent criteria of ‘appropriateness’. Several new, less-invasive surgical techniques have been introduced, but their ultimate position is difficult to appraise because of the lack of appropriate long-term data from prospective, properly designed, controlled trials, also in terms of lack of data on cost-efficiency. Therefore, medical therapy with either finasteride or α1-blockers remains an attractive therapeutic alternative: both approaches are effective, reasonably well tolerated and in the ‘shorter’ term more cost-efficient than TURP. Available evidence suggests that finasteride is mainly effective on a long-term basis in patients with substantially enlarged prostates. In the shorter term, α1-blockers have consistently been shown to be more effective than finasteride, irrespective of prostate size. In addition, α1-blockers have the important advantage of a rapid alleviation of subjective discomfort. To date, the combination of an α1-blocker and finasteride seems to offer no more than an α1-blocker alone. Among the α1-blockers, tamsulosin is particularly suited because of its clinical selectivity (i.e. its low risk of safety relevant cardiovascular effects) and its ease of use (once daily administration without the need for stepwise dose increments on treatment initiation).
The Efficacy of Ultrasound-guided Type II Pectoral Nerve Blocks in Perioperative Pain Management for Immediate Reconstruction After Modified Radical Mastectomy: A Prospective, Randomized Study

Objectives:The pectoral nerves (Pecs) II block is a technique that places local anesthetic between the thoracic muscles to block the axillary and breast regions. This study aimed to compare the quality of perioperative analgesia and side effects of the Pecs II block under general anesthesia versus general anesthesia alone in immediate unilateral breast reconstruction with an implant and latissimus dorsi flap after modified radical mastectomy. Materials and Methods:Sixty-four patients scheduled for immediate breast reconstruction after modified radical mastectomy were randomly allocated into the Pecs II block under general anesthesia group (group P, n=32) or the general anesthesia alone group (group G, n=32). After anesthesia induction, patients in group P underwent a Pecs II block. The primary endpoint was postoperative morphine consumption in the first 24 hours in postoperative intensive care unit. Intraoperative fentanyl consumption, visual analog scale scores, shoulder range of motion, and postoperative nausea and vomiting were also assessed. Results:Sixty patients completed the study. There was a significant reduction in postoperative morphine consumption (3.67 mg; 95% confidence interval, 2.91-4.51 mg) and intraoperative fentanyl consumption in group P patients compared with group G patients. Less postoperative nausea and vomiting (relative risk 0.22; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.94) and lower visual analog scale scores were also observed in group P. No block-related complications were recorded. Discussion:When patients underwent immediate breast reconstruction with an implant and latissimus dorsi flap, the Pecs II block offers a comprehensive block of associated nerves in the surgical area, and therefore can provide superior analgesia and reduced perioperative opioids use without obvious block-related complications.
Novel pathomechanisms of cardiomyocyte dysfunction in a model of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasingly common, but the underlying cellular mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated cardiomyocyte function and the role of SEA0400, an Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) inhibitor in a rat model of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with HFpEF.