Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coriolus versicolor‐derived protein‐bound polysaccharides trigger the caspase‐independent cell death pathway in amelanotic but not melanotic melanoma cells

We have investigated the potential cell death mechanism promoted by Coriolus versicolor fungus‐derived protein‐bound polysaccharides (PBPs) in melanoma cells. Knowing that melanogenesis has the potential to affect the tumor behavior and melanoma therapy outcome, the cytotoxic effects of PBPs were evaluated in human SKMel‐188 melanoma cell line, whose phenotype, amelanotic versus pigmented, depends on the concentration of melanin precursors in the culture medium. Our results showed that inhibitory effect of PBPs (100 and 200 μg/ml) towards melanoma cells is inversely associated with the pigmentation level. This cytotoxicity induced in nonpigmented melanoma cells by PBPs was caspase‐independent; however, it was accompanied by an increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The ROS production was controlled by c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) because SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, significantly reduced ROS generation and protected cells against PBPs‐induced death. We also found that PBPs‐induced lactate dehydrogenase release in amelanotic melanoma cells was abolished by co‐treatment with receptor‐interacting serine/threonine‐protein kinase 1 inhibitor, implying engagement of this kinase in PBPs‐induced death pathway. The results suggest that PBPs induce an alternative programmed cell death, regulated by receptor‐interacting protein‐1 and ROS and that this process is modified by melanin content in melanoma cells. These findings are remarkable when considering the use of commercially available Coriolus versicolor by patients who suffer from melanoma cancer.
A Decade of Avian Influenza in Bangladesh: Where Are We Now?

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been a public health threat in Bangladesh since the first reported outbreak in poultry in 2007. The country has undertaken numerous efforts to detect, track, and combat avian influenza viruses (AIVs). The predominant genotype of the H5N1 viruses is clade 2.3. 2.1a. The persistent changing of clades of the circulating H5N1 strains suggests probable mutations that might have been occurring over time. Surveillance has provided evidence that the virus has persistently prevailed in all sectors and caused discontinuous infections. The presence of AIV in live bird markets has been detected persistently. Weak biosecurity in the poultry sector is linked with resource limitation, low risk perception, and short-term sporadic interventions. Controlling avian influenza necessitates a concerted multi-sector ‘One Health’ approach that includes the government and key stakeholders.
Decoding Brain States From fMRI Signals by Using Unsupervised Domain Adaptation

With the development of deep learning in medical image analysis, decoding brain states from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals has made significant progress. Previous studies often utilized deep neural networks to automatically classify brain activity patterns related to diverse cognitive states. However, due to the individual differences between subjects and the variation in acquisition parameters across devices, the inconsistency in data distributions degrades the performance of cross-subject decoding. Besides, most current networks were trained in a supervised way, which is not suitable for the actual scenarios in which massive amounts of data are unlabeled. To address these problems, we proposed the deep cross-subject adaptation decoding (DCAD) framework to decipher the brain states. The proposed volume-based 3D feature extraction architecture can automatically learn the common spatiotemporal features of labeled source data to generate a distinct descriptor. Then, the distance between the source and target distributions is minimized via an unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) method, which can help to accurately decode the cognitive states across subjects. The performance of the DCAD was evaluated on task-fMRI (tfMRI) dataset from the Human Connectome Project (HCP). Experimental results showed that the proposed method achieved the state-of-the-art decoding performance with mean 81.9% and 84.9% accuracies under two conditions (4 brain states and 9 brain states respectively) of working memory task. Our findings also demonstrated that UDA can mitigate the impact of the data distribution shift, thereby providing a superior choice for increasing the performance of cross-subject decoding without depending on annotations.
Kinematic recordings while performing a modified version of the Halstead Finger Tapping Test: Age, sex, and education effects

ABSTRACT Introduction: This study attempts to demonstrate that kinematic recordings of finger movements help explain the well-known effects of age, education, and sex on the Halstead Finger Tapping Test (HFTT). Method: High-speed kinematic recordings were obtained on 107 healthy adults (ages 21 to 80 years) while they performed a modified version of the Halstead Finger Tapping Test (HFTT). The number of “valid” taps and “invalid” taps (i.e., lever movements that did not produce an increase in the mechanical number count), tapping speed variability, “learning” and “fatigue” effects was obtained. Results: Previous age, education, and sex effects were replicated. Males had faster start and stop times when finger tapping and these measures correlated with the number of valid taps per 10 s. Educational level correlated with start times, not stop times. Age correlated only with the number of valid taps. Variability of tapping movements correlated with the number of invalid taps, but not valid taps. Females had more invalid taps than males. Fatigue and learning effects were independent of the person’s age, education, and sex. Conclusion: Kinematic recordings of finger tapping help explain the well-known age, education, and sex effects on finger tapping speeds. A modified method of administrating the HFTT is also introduced to assess fatigue and learning effects while performing this task.
FRESH: Long-Term Outcomes of a Randomized Trial to Reduce Radon and Tobacco Smoke in the Home

Introduction Tobacco smoke and radon are the leading causes of lung cancer. The FRESH intervention was a randomized controlled trial of 515 homeowners to promote stage of action to reduce radon and air nicotine levels. Methods We studied 515 participants, 257 in a treatment group and 258 in a control group. Treatment participants received free radon and air nicotine test kits, report back, and telephone support, and those participants whose homes had high radon levels received a voucher for $600 toward mitigation. Both groups were asked to retest 15 months post intervention. We examined differences in stage of action to test for and mitigate radon and adopt a smoke-free–home policy and in observed radon and air nicotine values by study group over time. Results Homeowners in the treatment group scored higher on stage of action to test for radon and air nicotine and to mitigate for radon during follow-up than those in the control group at 3 months and 9 months, but the effect of the intervention diminished after 9 months. We saw no difference between groups or over time in observed radon or air nicotine values. Of homeowners in the treatment group with high radon levels at baseline, 17% mitigated, and 80% of them used the voucher we provided. Conclusion The null finding of no significant change in observed radon or air nicotine values from baseline to 15 months may reflect the low proportion of radon mitigation systems installed and the decline in stage of action to adopt a smoke-free home policy. Including a booster session at 9 months post intervention may improve the remediation rate.
Studying Gaze Behavior to Compare Three Different Hazard Perception Tasks

Objective The aim of the current study was to compare the traditional, verbal, and motoric tasks regarding their contributions to hazard perception measurement. Background Traditional hazard perception tasks require the participants to respond to filmed traffic conflicts in an imprecise way, such as by pressing a button. More sophisticated tasks include either verbal specification or motoric localization of the perceived hazards. The present study investigated the participants’ gaze behavior when they were provided with an identical set of traffic animations but were instructed to perform one of three types of hazard perception tasks. Method In an eye tracking study, 69 drivers were shown animated traffic scenarios and instructed to perform the traditional (press button), verbal, or speeded motoric localization hazard perception task. Eye tracking revealed whether and when the participant had fixated a certain hazard cue. Results The participants in the traditional task group were slower to fixate emerging hazards, but quicker to respond to them than the participants of the verbal and the motoric groups. As a specific benefit, the verbal task differentiated between different types of failures. Conclusion Additional verbal or speeded motoric localization tasks seem to have increased the participants’ alertness when watching the animations. The verbal task provides valuable additional information regarding the participants’ performance. To approximate real-life hazard perception ability, it is recommended that researchers and practitioners use a combination of different hazard perception tasks for assessment and training.
Autoimmune hepatitis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection

Abstract Background: Liver disease in patients with HIV is common and typically has complex and multifactorial presentations that represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is rarely reported in patient with HIV and the disease course and clinical outcomes for treatment have not been well characterized. We are aiming to determine the patient characteristics, disease prevalence, and treatment outcomes from published articles of patients with HIV and AIH. Method: A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar through February 20th, 2019 identified 15 studies that reported the outcomes of AIH in patients with HIV. Because of the small sample sizes and skewed distributions, resampling tests of mean differences using permutation distributions (MAXn = 10,000 permutations) were utilized; analyses were performed using R (v. 3.5.1). Categorical differences were calculated using Fisher exact test for odds ratio = 1 (equal odds), and Cramer V was calculated for effect size; analyses were completed in SPSS (v. 25). Results: By reviewing 15 studies reporting a total of 35 patients with AIH and HIV, male patients were found to have significantly higher aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels at time of diagnosis. No other significant findings identified. The CD4 count and viral load did not show significant correlation with AIH diagnosis or its prognosis. All patients but one who presented with severe immune deficiency and responded to highly active anti-retroviral therapy received immunosuppressive treatment without side effects and achieved remission except 2 lost to follow-up and 3 expired. Conclusion: Although rare, but AIH can develop in patients with HIV and physicians should consider it in the differential diagnosis for HIV patients presented with abnormal liver function tests, especially after excluding hepatitis C virus and drug-induced liver injury. Patients with immune deficiency disorders who present with AIH can be treated safely with steroid either as monotherapy or in combination with another immune suppressant therapy.
Clinical Infections by Herpesviruses in Patients Treated with Valproic Acid: A Nested Case-Control Study in the Spanish Primary Care Database, BIFAP

The objective of this study is to evaluate the risk of clinical infections by herpesviruses in patients exposed to valproic acid (VPA). We performed a case-control study nested in a primary cohort selected from the Spanish primary care population-based research database BIFAP (Base de datos para la Investigación Farmacoepidemiológica en Atención Primaria) over the period 2001–2015. The events of interest were those diseases caused by any herpesviruses known to infect humans. For each case, up to 10 controls per case matched by age, gender, and calendar date were randomly selected. A conditional logistic regression was used to compute adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Current use of VPA was associated with a trend towards a reduced risk of clinical infections by herpesviruses as compared with non-users (OR 0.84; CI 95% 0.7–1.0; p = 0.057). Among current users, a trend to a decreased risk with treatment durations longer than 90 days was also observed. The results show a trend to a reduced risk of clinical infection by herpesviruses in patients exposed to VPA. These results are consistent with those in vitro studies showing that, in cultured cells, VPA can inhibit the production of the infectious progeny of herpesviruses. This study also shows the efficient use of electronic healthcare records for clinical exploratory research studies.
Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Metabolic Syndrome in Older Adults

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus type 2 which may be reduced by practicing regular physical activity. Objective: To assess the leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) of older adults with MetS and without MetS. Methods: Cross-sectional study of older adults (55–80 years old) from Balearic Islands (Spain) with MetS (n = 333; 55% men) and without MetS (n = 144; 43.8% men). LTPA was assessed with the validated Spanish version of the Minnesota LTPA Questionnaire. Two criteria of physically active were used: >150 min/week of moderate physical activity or >75 min/week of vigorous physical activity or a combination of both, and total leisure-time energy expenditure of >300 MET·min/day. Sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, anthropometric variables, MetS components, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) were also measured. Results: MetS subjects showed lower energy expenditure in LTPA, lower adherence to the MD, higher obesity and waist circumference, and were less active than non-MetS peers. LTPA increased as participants got older and there was higher LTPA intensity as educational level increased. Adherence to MD was as high as LTPA was. Conclusions: MetS is associated with physical inactivity and unhealthy diet. To increase LTPA recommendations and raise awareness in the population about the health benefits of PA and high adherence to MD is highly recommended.
The ER membrane protein complex is required to ensure correct topology and stable expression of flavivirus polyproteins

Flaviviruses translate their genomes as multi-pass transmembrane proteins at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. Here, we show that the ER membrane protein complex (EMC) is indispensable for the expression of viral polyproteins. We demonstrated that EMC was essential for accurate folding and post-translational stability rather than translation efficiency. Specifically, we revealed degradation of NS4A-NS4B, a region rich in transmembrane domains, in absence of EMC. Orthogonally, by serial passaging of virus on EMC-deficient cells, we identified two non-synonymous point mutations in NS4A and NS4B, which rescued viral replication. Finally, we showed a physical interaction between EMC and viral NS4B and that the NS4A-4B region adopts an aberrant topology in the absence of the EMC leading to degradation. Together, our data highlight how flaviviruses hijack the EMC for transmembrane protein biogenesis to achieve optimal expression of their polyproteins, which reinforces a role for the EMC in stabilizing challenging transmembrane proteins during synthesis.
Perceptions of occupational therapy threshold concepts by students in role-emerging placements in schools: A qualitative investigation.

INTRODUCTION Traversing threshold concepts has been identified as crucial in becoming an occupational therapist. To support this learning, previous research has emphasised the value of students engaging in practice-based learning, accompanying reflection, and a curriculum which makes threshold concepts explicit to students. Role-emerging placements form part of students' practice-based learning in many universities and could offer a valuable opportunity for students to learn threshold concepts. Understanding the value of threshold concepts to enhance role-emerging placement learning from both the students' and educators' perspectives warrants further research. The aim of this study was to examine how occupational therapy students on role-emerging placements in school settings experienced applying threshold concepts and how it impacted on their learning. METHODS An epistemological position of social constructionism and a qualitative research design was used. This included semi-structured focus group interviews and reflective logs that enabled exploration of 13 student's and one supervisor's perspectives of learning during the placement. Template analysis was used to analyse the data. RESULTS Students spoke of their learning of the threshold concepts of client-centredness, occupation, and understanding and applying occupational therapy theory in practice. These are expressed within the three emergent themes; 'curriculum supports in placement', 'uncertainty when applying their own knowledge', and 'placement context and expectations'. CONCLUSION Results suggest that learning happens within the liminal spaces which occurred from an intersection with the threshold concepts, the curriculum, knowledge generation and use, and the context and expectations of the role-emerging placement. Engaging with uncertainty may be considered a vital part of this process and something which should be valued.
Awareness of and attitudes towards cervical cancer prevention among migrant Eastern European women in England

Objectives It has been hypothesized that, in England, the rise in incidence of cervical cancer and the fall in screening coverage might be attributable in part to the effect of migration of Eastern European born women. We explored the attitudes and behaviours of these women towards cervical cancer prevention strategies. Methods A mixed methods study using quantitative surveys and in-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews was conducted between April 2015 and December 2016. Results In total, 331 surveys and 46 interviews were completed. Native English women had greater knowledge that a smear test is a screening test for pre-cancerous cervical cells (90% vs. 71% p≤0.01), whereas migrant Eastern European women believed that it was conducted as part of a full gynaecological examination (46% vs. 21% p≤0.01) and that the screen interval was annual (18% vs. 4% p≤0.01). Distrust of the English healthcare system resulted in some Eastern European women returning to their country of birth for screening. Poor awareness of cervical cancer prior to migration and lack of information at registration with a general practitioner in England were associated with failure to participate in screening. Conclusions The views and attitudes expressed by the migrant Eastern European women in this study suggest that they are not fully participating in cervical screening in England. Targeted education at the point of contact with healthcare services in England is needed to increase cervical screening participation among these women.
Long-Term Vemurafenib Exposure Induced Alterations of Cell Phenotypes in Melanoma: Increased Cell Migration and Its Association with EGFR Expression

Acquired resistance during BRAF inhibitor therapy remains a major challenge for melanoma treatment. Accordingly, we evaluated the phenotypical and molecular changes of isogeneic human V600E BRAF-mutant melanoma cell line pairs pre- and post-treatment with vemurafenib. Three treatment naïve lines were subjected to in vitro long-term vemurafenib treatment while three pairs were pre- and post-treatment patient-derived lines. Molecular and phenotypical changes were assessed by Sulforhodamine-B (SRB) assay, quantitative RT-PCR (q-RT-PCR), immunoblot, and time-lapse microscopy. We found that five out of six post-treatment cells had higher migration activity than pretreatment cells. However, no unequivocal correlation between increased migration and classic epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers could be identified. In fast migrating cells, the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA levels were considerably lower and significantly higher, respectively. Interestingly, high EGFR expression was associated with elevated migration but not with proliferation. Cells with high EGFR expression showed significantly decreased sensitivity to vemurafenib treatment, and had higher Erk activation and FRA-1 expression. Importantly, melanoma cells with higher EGFR expression were more resistant to the EGFR inhibitor erlotinib treatment than cells with lower expression, with respect to both proliferation and migration inhibition. Finally, EGFR-high melanoma cells were characterized by higher PD-L1 expression, which might in turn indicate that immunotherapy may be an effective approach in these cases.
Study of the Thermal Annealing on Structural and Morphological Properties of High-Porosity A-WO3 Films Synthesized by HFCVD

High-porosity nanostructured amorphous tungsten OXIDE (a-WO3) films were synthesized by a Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition technique (HFCVD) and then transformed into a crystalline WO3 by simple thermal annealing. The a-WO3 films were annealed at 100, 300, and 500 °C for 10 min in an air environment. The films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and UV–vis spectroscopy. Results revealed that the a-WO3 films were highly porous, composed of cauliflower-like structures made of nanoparticles with average sizes of 12 nm. It was shown that the effect of annealing on the morphology of the a-WO3 films leads to a sintering process. However, the morphology is conserved. It was found that at annealing temperatures of 100 °C, the a-WO3 films are of an amorphous nature, while at 300 °C, the films crystallize in the monoclinic phase of WO3. The calculated bandgap for the a-WO3 was 3.09 eV, and 2.53 eV for the film annealed at 500 °C. Finally, the results show that porous WO3 films preserve the morphology and maintain the porosity, even after the annealing at 500 °C.