Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The protective effects of Arctium lappa L. Extract on testicular injuries induced by ethanol in rats

The aim of this study is to assess the antioxidant activity and also protective effects of Arctium lappa L. (AL) extract on ethanol‐induced testicular injuries in rats. In addition, the total phenol and flavonoid contents of the methanolic extracts were analysed and the antioxidant activity of the extract was investigated. The studied extract possessed strong antioxidant activity (IC50; 0.113 ± 0.007 mg/ml) and exhibited more active than the ascorbic acid (IC50; 0.142 ± 0.002 mg/ml). The histological examinations revealed that the co‐administration of ethanol and AL extract inhibits the testicular injuries, alterations in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were observed in ethanol‐treated rats in comparison to the control group. The obtained results demonstrated strong pharmaceutical activities of AL and its potential capacity to be developed as a new health‐care supplement against ROS‐related substances.
Comparison of the predictive value of scoring systems on the prognosis of cirrhotic patients with suspected infection

Abstract Cirrhotic patients with infection are prone to develop sepsis or even septic shock rendering poorer prognosis. However, few methods are available to predict the prognosis of cirrhotic patients with infection although there are some scoring systems can be used to predict general patients with cirrhosis. Therefore, we aimed to explore the predictive value of scoring systems in determining the outcome of critically ill cirrhotic patients with suspected infection. This was a retrospective cohort study based on a single-center database. The prognostic accuracy of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria, quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), chronic liver failure (CLIF)-SOFA, quick CLIF-SOFA (qCLIF-SOFA), CLIF-consortium organ failure (CLIF-C OF), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II were compared by using area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve and net benefit with decision curve analysis. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality while the secondary endpoints were duration of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay and ICU mortality. A total of 1438 cirrhotic patients with suspected infection were included in the study. Nearly half the patients (50.2%) were admitted to the ICU due to hepatic encephalopathy and the overall in-hospital mortality was 32.0%. Hospital and ICU mortality increased as the score of each scoring system increased (P < .05 for all trends). The AUROC of CLIF-SOFA (AUROC, 0.742; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.714–0.770), CLIF-C OF (AUROC, 0.741; 95% CI, 0.713–0.769), and SAPS II (AUROC, 0.759; 95% CI, 0.733–0.786) were significantly higher than SIRS criteria (AUROC, 0.618; 95% CI, 0.590–0.647), qSOFA (AUROC, 0.612; 95% CI, 0.584–0.640), MELD (AUROC, 0.632; 95% CI, 0.601–0.662), or qCLIF-SOFA (AUROC, 0.680; 95% CI, 0.650–0.710) (P < .05 for all). In the decision curve analysis, the net benefit of implementing CLIF-SOFA and CLIF-C OF to predict the prognosis of cirrhotic patients with suspected infection were higher compared with SIRS, qSOFA, MELD, or qCLIF-SOFA. CLIF-SOFA and CLIF-C OF scores, as well as SAPS II were better tools than SIRS, qSOFA, MELD, or qCLIF-SOFA to evaluate the prognosis of critically ill cirrhotic patients with suspected infection.
Massive parallel screening of phage libraries for the generation of repertoires of human immunomodulatory monoclonal antibodies

ABSTRACT Immune checkpoints are emerging as novel targets for cancer therapy, and antibodies against them have shown remarkable clinical efficacy with potential for combination treatments to achieve high therapeutic index. This work aims at providing a novel approach for the generation of several novel human immunomodulatory antibodies capable of binding their targets in their native conformation and useful for therapeutic applications. We performed a massive parallel screening of phage libraries by using for the first time activated human lymphocytes to generate large collections of single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) against 10 different immune checkpoints: LAG-3, PD-L1, PD-1, TIM3, BTLA, TIGIT, OX40, 4-1BB, CD27 and ICOS. By next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis we ranked individual scFvs in each collection and identified those with the highest level of enrichment. As a proof of concept of the quality/potency of the binders identified by this approach, human IgGs from three of these collections (i.e., PD-1, PD-L1 and LAG-3) were generated and shown to have comparable or better binding affinity and biological activity than the clinically validated anti-PD-1 mAb nivolumab. The repertoires generated in this work represent a convenient source of agonistic or antagonistic antibodies against the ‘Checkpoint Immunome’ for preclinical screening and clinical implementation of optimized treatments.
Biomedical applications of Aloe vera

Abstract Over the last centuries, Aloe vera, a plant species belonging to the genus Aloe, have been extensively studied for various therapeutic activities, including anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-cancer activity, as well as immunoregulative and hepatoprotective properties, although some of these claimed efficacies are controversial as demonstrated by some of the recent studies. In spite of the intensive historic and recent use of this herb and its extracts in various areas, a well-balanced, systematic review seems crucial in order to gain in-depth comprehensive knowledge about this plant and to reflect and revive the use of Aloe vera in biomedical sciences. This review will focus on summarization of the pharmacological activities and clinical studies of Aloe and various extracts, as well as its extensive application in food chemistry, and will also discuss the future prospects of biomedical applications of this herb. Highlights It is the first systematic review of the full spectrum of bioactivities of Aloe vera. Comprehensive overview of the clinical applications of Aloe vera is also provided, as well as the underlying mechanism. Quality control, preparations and current products of Aloe vera are discussed. The application of Aloe vera in food chemistry is discussed.
Shaving Is an Epiphenomenon of Type I and II Anti-CD20–Mediated Phagocytosis, whereas Antigenic Modulation Limits Type I Monoclonal Antibody Efficacy

Rituximab is an anti-CD20 mAb used in the treatment of B cell malignancies. Loss of surface CD20 Ag from the surface of target cells is thought to be one mechanism governing resistance to rituximab, but how this occurs is not completely understood. Two explanations for this have been proposed: antigenic modulation whereby mAb:CD20 complexes are internalized in a B cell intrinsic process and shaving, in which mAb:CD20 complexes undergo trogocytic removal by effector cells, such as macrophages. However, there is conflicting evidence as to which predominates in clinical scenarios and hence the best strategies to overcome resistance. In this study, we investigated the relative importance of modulation and shaving in the downregulation of surface mAb:CD20. We used both murine and human systems and treated ex vivo macrophages with varying concentrations of non–FcγR-interacting beads to achieve differential macrophage saturation states, hence controllably suppressing further phagocytosis of target cells. We then monitored the level and localization of mAb:CD20 using a quenching assay. Suppression of phagocytosis with bead treatment decreased shaving and increased modulation, suggesting that the two compete for surface rituximab:CD20. Under all conditions tested, modulation predominated in rituximab loss, whereas shaving represented an epiphenomenon to phagocytosis. We also demonstrate that the nonmodulating, glycoengineered, type II mAb obinutuzumab caused a modest but significant increase in shaving compared with type II BHH2 human IgG1 wild-type mAb. Therefore, shaving may represent an important mechanism of resistance when modulation is curtailed, and glycoengineering mAb to increase affinity for FcγR may enhance resistance because of shaving.
Graphitic carbon nitride nano sheets functionalized with selected transition metal dopants: an efficient way to store CO2

Proficient capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) is considered to be a backbone for environment protection through countering the climate change caused by mounting carbon content. Here we present a comprehensive mechanism to design novel functional nanostructures capable of capturing a large amount of CO2 efficiently. By means of van der Waals corrected density functional theory calculations, we have studied the structural, electronic and CO2 storage properties of carbon nitride (g-C6N8) nano sheets functionalized with a range of transition metal (TM) dopants ranging from Sc to Zn. The considered TMs bind strongly to the nano sheets with binding energies exceeding their respective cohesive energies, thus abolishing the possibility of metal cluster formation. Uniformly dispersed TMs change the electronic properties of semiconducting g-C6N8 through the transfer of valence charges from the former to the latter. This leaves all the TM dopants with significant positive charges, which are beneficial for CO2 adsorption. We have found that each TM’s dopants anchor a maximum of four CO2 molecules with suitable adsorption energies (−0.15 to −1.0 eV) for ambient condition applications. Thus g-C6N8 nano sheets functionalized with selected TMs could serve as an ideal sorbent for CO2 capture.
Esophageal cancer in patients under 50: a SEER analysis.

Background Concomitant with rising rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma, there has been a significant increase of diagnoses among relatively younger individuals. However, most studies that focus on esophageal cancer (EC) in younger patients have had small sample sizes of patients treated at a single institute. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics, outcomes and independent prognostic factors for EC in patients under 50-year-old using a large, multi-center dataset. Methods The national Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was analyzed for EC reported from 2004 to 2013. Patients were divided into two groups, those under 50-year-old and those 50 years or older, and comparisons were made regarding demographics, histology, stage distribution, treatment, overall survival (OS), and esophageal cancer-specific survival (ECSS). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were also used to identify independent prognostic factors. Results Among the 16,544 eligible patients, 1,385 (8.37%) were under 50 and 15,159 (91.63%) were over 50. Compared with the older group, patients under 50 were characterized by a higher frequency of males, lower esophagus involvement, adenocarcinoma histology, stage III/IV disease, and receiving esophagectomy or radiation therapy. The stage-wise OS and ECSS were significantly better in the younger group (P<0.001). The multivariate analysis indicated that African-American heritage, grade III or IV, later stage, and not undergoing surgical or radiation therapy were independent negative prognostic factors of ECSS for patients under 50. Conclusions EC patients under 50-year-old had distinctive clinicopathological characteristics compared with patients over 50-year-old. Despite more often presenting with stage III and IV disease, survival rates were better in the younger cohort. Prognostic factors for ECSS in patients under 50 differed from those in all age patients.
Quantification of Chronic Lymphedema in a Revised Mouse Model

Background Lymphedema is a common and debilitating complication following cancer treatment with surgical lymph node excision and radiotherapy. Currently there are no curative treatments for lymphedema. Animal models that intended to replicate the disease have been inadequate, making a troublesome transition from experimental therapeutic studies into the clinic. It is therefore imperative to establish an experimental animal model that can reliably replicate clinical lymphedema. Methods To discover the optimal method of lymphedema induction, surgical lymph ablation and irradiation or silicone splint emplacement were combined in 8 experimental groups (n = 4). In total, 32 mice served in this study and were followed for 8 weeks after surgery. Outcomes included micro–computed tomography hind limb volumetry, lymphatic clearance measured with technetium Tc 99m (99mTc) human serum albumin lymphoscintigraphy and lymph vessel ectasia quantified with LYVE-1 immunohistochemistry. Results All trialed models but one resulted in only transient lymphedema or lasting lymphedema with adverse morbidity. Combined surgical lymph obstruction with 2 fractions of 10-Gy irradiation successfully induced lasting lymphedema without adverse events. Over the 8 weeks' follow-up, limb volumes were significantly increased at all time points (P < 0.001), lymph drainage was impaired (P < 0.001), and lymph vessels were ectatic (P < 0.001), when compared with the unoperated limbs. Conclusions The presented model of acquired lymphedema is a reduction and refinement of previous works and can transpose to future observational and interventional studies. In addition, it is shown how 99mTc-HSA lymphoscintigraphy can quantify lymphatic clearance, which can prove insightful in therapeutic studies aiming to enhance lymphatic drainage.
Socio-Economic Inequalities in Tobacco Consumption of the Older Adults in China: A Decomposition Method

Background: In China, tobacco consumption is a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases, and understanding the pattern of socio-economic inequalities of tobacco consumption will, thus, help to develop targeted policies of public health control. Methods: Data came from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2013, involving 17,663 respondents aged 45 and above. Tobacco use prevalence and tobacco use quantities were defined for further analysis. Using the concentration index (CI) and its decomposition, socio-economic inequalities of tobacco consumption grouped by gender were estimated. Results: The concentration index of tobacco use prevalence was 0.044 (men 0.041; women −0.039). The concentration index of tobacco use quantities among smokers was 0.039 (men 0.033; women 0.038). The majority of the inequality could be explained by educational attainment, age, area, and economic quantiles. Conclusions: Tobacco consumption was more common among richer compared to poorer people in China. Gender, educational attainments, age, areas, and economic quantiles were strong predictors of tobacco consumption in China. Public health policies need to be targeted towards men in higher economic quantiles with lower educational attainment, and divorced or widowed women, especially in urban areas of China.
A Swedish Nationwide Adoption Study of the Heritability of Heart Failure

Importance Heart failure (HF) aggregates in families, but the heritability of HF has not been determined. Discerning the genetic and environmental contributions to HF risk is important to further helping to identify individuals at risk. Adoption studies may establish the genetic contribution to HF. Objective This nationwide adoption study aimed to determine the heritability of HF. Design, Setting, and Participants This case-control study and cohort study design used logistic regression for calculating risks of HF in adoptees. Adoptees who were born in Sweden between 1942 and 1990 were linked to their adoptive parents and biological parents. The Swedish Multi-Generation Register was linked to the Swedish Patient Register for information on hospital inpatient and outpatient admissions and to the Swedish Cause of Death Register for the period 1964 through 2015. Heritability (h2 with a standard error) for HF was determined both with Falconer regression and with tetrachoric correlation. Data analysis was completed from July 2017 to April 2018. Exposures Heart failure in biological parents and/or adoptive parents. Main Outcomes and Measures Heritability; risk of HF, expressed as odds ratios. Results A total of 21 643 adoptees were included (of whom 10 626 [49.1%] were female), as well as 35 016 adoptive parents (14 872 [42.5%] female) and 43 286 biological parents (21 643 [50.0%] female). There were 194 cases of HF in adoptees, 3972 cases of HF in adoptive parents, and 3657 cases of HF in biological parents. The cohort study odds ratio (OR) for heart failure was 1.45 in adoptees (95% CI, 1.04-2.03) for biological parents with HF, compared with those without an affected biological parent. If cardiomyopathies were excluded, this OR was 1.58 (95% CI, 1.03-2.42). The corresponding OR associated with an affected adoptive parent were nonsignificant, both with cardiomyopathies included (OR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.57-1.20]) and with cardiomyopathies excluded (OR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.49-1.29]). The heritability of HF per Falconer regression (h2) was 26% (SE, 14%). With exclusion of cardiomyopathies the heritability using Falconer regression was 34% (SE, 18%). Conclusions and Relevance Heart failure in a biological parent is an HF risk factor that is worth clinical consideration. The increased heritability of HF suggests that genetic factors are important in HF pathogenesis.
Perceived social support, coping, and stigma on the quality of life of people living with HIV in Nepal: a moderated mediation analysis

ABSTRACT Perceived social support, coping strategy, and internalized stigma have been linked with the quality of life (QOL) among people living with HIV (PLHIV). However, little is known about how these psychosocial factors interact with each other and affect QOL. This study incorporated a moderated mediation model to investigate whether coping strategy mediates the relationship between perceived social support and QOL, and to examine whether this mediating effect varies with the level of internalized stigma among PLHIV. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 599 PLHIV in Nepal. The multidimensional scale of perceived social support, World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF, Brief COPE, and AIDS-related stigma scales were used to measure perceived social support, QOL, coping strategy, and internalized stigma, respectively. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, and moderated mediation analysis was conducted with multi-group approach. The relationship between perceived social support and QOL was significantly and partially mediated by problem-focused coping strategy. Internalized stigma significantly moderated the mediating effect of coping strategies on the association between perceived social support and QOL. For high internalized stigma group (total stigma score > 2), the effects of perceived social support on QOL were indirect (β = 1.48; 61.0% of total effects) through the mediating effect of coping strategy, especially problem-focused coping one. For low internalized stigma group (total stigma score ≤ 2), problem-focused coping strategy did not significantly affect the QOL, and most of the effects of perceived social support were direct (β = 1.24; 99.2% of total effects). Internalized stigma was found to moderate the mediating effect of problem-focused coping on the relationship between perceived social support and QOL. Enhancing the problem-focused coping and social support may be helpful to improve QOL among PLHIV reporting high stigma.
Land Use Regression Modelling of Outdoor NO2 and PM2.5 Concentrations in Three Low Income Areas in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Air pollution can cause many adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. Land use regression (LUR) models are frequently used to describe small-scale spatial variation in air pollution levels based on measurements and geographical predictors. They are particularly suitable in resource limited settings and can help to inform communities, industries, and policy makers. Weekly measurements of NO2 and PM2.5 were performed in three informal areas of the Western Cape in the warm and cold seasons 2015–2016. Seasonal means were calculated using routinely monitored pollution data. Six LUR models were developed (four seasonal and two annual) using a supervised stepwise land-use-regression method. The models were validated using leave-one-out-cross-validation and tested for spatial autocorrelation. Annual measured mean NO2 and PM2.5 were 22.1 μg/m3 and 10.2 μg/m3, respectively. The NO2 models for the warm season, cold season, and overall year explained 62%, 77%, and 76% of the variance (R2). The PM2.5 annual models had lower explanatory power (R2 = 0.36, 0.29, and 0.29). The best predictors for NO2 were traffic related variables (major roads, bus routes). Local sources such as grills and waste burning sites appeared to be good predictors for PM2.5, together with population density. This study demonstrates that land-use-regression modelling for NO2 can be successfully applied to informal peri-urban settlements in South Africa using similar predictor variables to those performed in Europe and North America. Explanatory power for PM2.5 models is lower due to lower spatial variability and the possible impact of local transient sources. The study was able to provide NO2 and PM2.5 seasonal exposure estimates and maps for further health studies.
The ABC Transporter Components HgdB and HgdC are Important for Glycolipid Layer Composition and Function of Heterocysts in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120

Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 is a filamentous cyanobacterium able to fix atmospheric nitrogen in semi-regularly spaced heterocysts. For correct heterocyst function, a special cell envelope consisting of a glycolipid layer and a polysaccharide layer is essential. We investigated the role of the genes hgdB and hgdC, encoding domains of a putative ABC transporter, in heterocyst maturation. We investigated the subcellular localization of the fusion protein HgdC-GFP and followed the differential expression of the hgdB and hgdC genes during heterocyst maturation. Using a single recombination approach, we created a mutant in hgdB gene and studied its phenotype by microscopy and analytical chromatography. Although heterocysts are formed in the mutant, the structure of the glycolipid layer is aberrant and also contains an atypical ratio of the two major glycolipids. As shown by a pull-down assay, HgdB interacts with the outer membrane protein TolC, which indicates a function as a type 1 secretion system. We show that the hgdB-hgdC genes are essential for the creation of micro-oxic conditions by influencing the correct composition of the glycolipid layer for heterocyst function. Our observations confirm the significance of the hgdB-hgdC gene cluster and shed light on a novel mode of regulation of heterocyst envelope formation.
Description and Factors Associated With Missed Nursing Care in an Acute Care Community Hospital

OBJECTIVE The aims of this study are to describe and evaluate the factors associated with missed nursing care in an acute care community hospital. BACKGROUND Despite RNs’ accountability for high-quality patient care in hospitals, missed nursing care is widespread, jeopardizing patient safety and health system costs. Better understanding of the factors associated with missed nursing care may provide nurse leaders with opportunities for improvement. METHODS Using a cross-sectional correlational study design, 138 RNs were randomly sampled during May-June 2017. RESULTS The extent of missed nursing care is consistent with other studies, was greater on medical-surgical and telemetry units compared with specialty units, and was negatively associated with staffing/resources, satisfaction with current position, and collegial nurse-physician relationships. CONCLUSION Findings suggest urgent nurse leader action and future research.