Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is Attitudinal Acceptance of Violence a Risk Factor? An Analysis of Domestic Violence Against Women in Pakistan

Violence against women (VAW) is a grave problem in Pakistan, and women from all socioeconomic groups are vulnerable to domestic violence in varying degrees. It is argued that patriarchal definition of gender roles may reinforce the internalized inferiority of women. So, it may not be a mere coincidence that a large number of women in Pakistan justify VAW for various reasons. The objectives of this article are threefold: (a) to identify the drivers of VAW, (b) to see if women’s attitudinal acceptance of violence is causally linked with observed violence against women, and (c) to see if attitudinal acceptance of violence mediates between the socioeconomic status of women and observed violence. We used data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2012-13. The sample consisted of 3,265 ever married women aged between 15 and 49 years who were interviewed for domestic violence. We used multivariate logit regression analysis to identify the drivers of VAW and used the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method for mediation analysis. We found that women’s attitudinal acceptance of violence, their childhood experience of violence in their parental household, the education of both husband and wife, and some occupation types significantly predicted their experience of spousal violence. In addition, we found that women’s attitudinal acceptance of violence mediated the relationships between socioeconomic factors (education and wealth status) and VAW. The significance of the study lies in the fact that it highlights the need to modify the perceptions of violence through change in educational policy. Among multiple other factors, an increase in the economic status of women is an effective hedge against the risk of spousal violence.
Perceptions of patient safety culture among medical students: a cross-sectional investigation in Heilongjiang Province, China

Objectives Medical school education plays an important role in promoting patient safety. In this study, we assess medical students’ perceptions of patient safety culture, identify their educational needs and provide evidence on the most important content relating to patient safety for the medical school curriculum. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted in four medical universities in Heilongjiang province. Medical students in the first through five years completed an anonymous questionnaire—the Attitudes toward Patient Safety Questionnaire III. We analysed the differences in responses across the four universities and their cohorts. Results The overall perceptions of patient safety culture across the four medical universities were positive. The highest positive response rate was for ‘I have a good understanding of patient safety issues as a result of my undergraduate medical training’ (range: 58.4%–99.8%), whereas the lowest positive response rate was for ‘medical errors are a sign of incompetence’ (14.7%–47.9%). Respondents in the earlier years of school tended to have more positive responses for items concerning working hours and team work; however, fourth and fifth year students had more positive responses for error inevitability. Items with the lowest positive response rates across the cohorts included items related to ‘professional incompetence as a cause of error’ and ‘disclosure responsibility’. Conclusions While students generally had positive views of patient safety culture, none of them had been exposed to any formal curriculum content on patient safety. Policymakers should focus more on how educational needs vary across schools and cohorts in order to establish appropriate curricula.
Patient‐ and health care‐related factors associated with initiation of potentially inappropriate medication in community‐dwelling older persons

Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older persons are defined as medications of which the potential harms outweigh their benefits. The purpose of this study was to determine how initiation of PIMs accumulate in community‐dwelling persons aged 65‐74 and ≥75 years, and which patient‐ and health care‐related factors are associated with PIM initiation over time. Data of this study were gathered from population‐based registers by a 10% random sample of persons (n = 28 497) aged ≥65 years with no prior PIMs within a 2‐year period preceding the index date (1 January 2002), and the study individuals were followed until 2013. The Finnish Prescription Register was linked using a personal identity code to register on inpatient care and causes of deaths and socio‐economic data. In this study, 10 698 (37.5%) persons initiated PIMs during the study period. Female gender was associated with PIM initiation in 65‐74‐year‐olds, but not in ≥75‐year‐olds. In 65‐74‐year‐olds, the risk of PIM initiation increased with the higher income, whereas in ≥75‐year‐olds, the association between PIM initiation and the high income was not significant. The prescribing physician explained 9%‐16% of the variation in the probability of PIM initiation. In conclusion, there were age‐related differences in the factors associated with PIM initiation in relation to gender and socio‐economic status. Overall, patient‐related factors explained a large proportion of variation of PIM initiation, but there were also differences in PIM prescribing among physicians. However, physician‐related variance of PIM initiations decreased during the 12‐year follow‐up.
The Extended C-Terminal α-Helix of the HypC Chaperone Restricts Recognition of Large Subunit Precursors by the Hyp-Scaffold Machinery during [NiFe]-Hydrogenase Maturation in Escherichia coli

Members of the HypC protein family are chaperone-like proteins that play a central role in the maturation of [NiFe]-hydrogenases (Hyd). Escherichia coli has a second copy of HypC, called HybG, and, as a component of the HypDEF maturation scaffold, these proteins help synthesize the NiFe-cofactor and guide the scaffold to its designated hydrogenase large subunit precursor. HypC is required to synthesize active Hyd-1 and Hyd-3, while HybG facilitates Hyd-2 and Hyd-1 synthesis. To identify determinants on HypC that allow it to discriminate against Hyd-2, we made amino acid exchanges in 3 variable regions, termed VR1, VR2, and VR3, of HypC, that make it more similar to HybG. Region VR3 includes a HypC-specific C-terminal α-helical extension, and this proved particularly important in preventing the maturation of Hyd-2 by HypC. Truncation of this extension on HypC increased Hyd-2 activity in the absence of HybG, while retaining maturation of Hyd-3 and Hyd-1. Combining this truncation with amino acid exchanges in VR1 and VR2 of HypC negatively affected the synthesis of active Hyd-1. The C-terminus of E. coli HypC is thus a key determinant in hindering Hyd-2 maturation, while VR1 and VR2 appear more important for Hyd-1 maturation.
Molecular Detection of Human Astrovirus in Children With Gastroenteritis, Northern Italy

Background: Human astroviruses have increasingly been identified and are important agents of diarrheal disease, especially in infants and young children. This article presents the real-time polymerase chain reaction TaqMan assay for the detection and quantification of human astrovirus for clinical fecal samples collected from hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis in Piedmont (northern Italy) from December 2014 to November 2015. Methods: A total of 159 fecal specimens from hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis, previously screened for rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus, human parechovirus, salivirus and sapovirus, were tested for human astrovirus. Results: The most commonly detected virus was norovirus GII (33.8%), followed by rotavirus (21.3%), sapovirus (10.9%), human parechovirus (8%), norovirus GI (6.7%), adenovirus (1%) and salivirus (0.52%). A total of 30 of 159 (18.87%) episodes of acute gastroenteritis were associated with human astrovirus genomic detection. Conclusions: Our data showed that the detection rate of astrovirus in diarrheal children (18.87%) was higher than observed in other countries, where they were reported in diarrheal children in 10.3%–0.8% of patients and a mean incidence worldwide of 11%. Our data showed that the detection rate of astrovirus in pediatric gastroenteritis was greater than previously reported in Italy.
Clinical characteristics of cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease and its related pattern in 18F‐FDG PET imaging

This study aimed to characterize the clinical features and the related cerebral glucose metabolism pattern of cognitive impairments in Parkinson's disease (PD) with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. We recruited 168 PD patients and 100 age‐matched healthy controls of similar education and gender distribution. All of those enrolled underwent clinical assessment including the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale motor score, Hoehn and Yahr scale, and comprehensive neuropsychological tests including domains of executive function, attention, memory, visuospatial function, and language. Demographics and the results of cognitive measures were compared between patients and healthy controls. Cognition status was classified as PD patients with dementia (PD‐D), PD patients with mild cognitive impairment (PD‐MCI), or PD patients with normal cognition (PD‐NC). In 53 PD patients who underwent 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (18F‐FDG) PET imaging, correlations between Z‐score values of the different cognitive domains and cerebral 18F‐FDG uptake were assessed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM8) corrected for age and motor severity. A total of 23.2% of PD patients were PD‐MCI and 8.9% were PD‐D. In the group of PD‐MCI, 96.3% showed multiple‐domain deficits, with executive function and attention impairment most predominantly involved. All the cognitive domain scores with the exception of language correlated with 18F‐FDG metabolisms, primarily in posterior temporo‐parieto‐occipital association cortical areas. This study found that cognitive impairment in PD particularly encompasses frontal/executive deficits. Posterior cortical areas, containing multiple neurotransmitters and neural circuits, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in PD.
Aberrant O‐glycosylation contributes to tumorigenesis in human colorectal cancer

Aberrant O‐glycosylation is frequently observed in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, but it is unclear if it contributes intrinsically to tumorigenesis. Here, we investigated the biological consequences of aberrant O‐glycosylation in CRC. We first detected the expression profile of Tn antigen in a serial of human CRC tissues and then explored the genetic and biosynthetic mechanisms. Moreover, we used a human CRC cell line (LS174T), which express Tn antigen, to assess whether aberrant O‐glycosylation can directly promote oncogenic properties. It showed that Tn antigen was detected in around 86% human primary and metastatic CRC tissues. Bio‐functional investigations showed that T‐synthase and Cosmc were both impaired in cancer tissues. A further analysis detected an occurrence of hypermethylation of Cosmc gene, which possibly caused its loss‐of‐function and a consequent inactive T‐synthase. Transfection of LS174T cells with WT Cosmc restored mature O‐glycosylation, which subsequently down‐regulated cancer cell proliferation, migration and apoptotic‐resistant ability. Significantly, the expression of MUC2, a heavily O‐glycosylated glycoprotein that plays an essential role in intestinal function, was uniformly reduced in human CRC tissues as well as in LS174T cells. These data suggest that aberrant O‐glycosylation contributes to the development of CRC through direct induction of oncogenic properties in cancer cells.
An observational study of apatinib mesylate in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer with unknown driving gene(s).

PURPOSE To investigate the efficacy and safety of apatinib mesylate (AM) in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) with wild or unknown epidermal growth factor receptor (w/nEGFR). METHODS A total of 34 w/nEGFR -aNSCLC patients who failed chemotherapy from August 2015 to April 2017 were administered orally AM (425 mg/d) as primary treatment and observed their progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR), as well as related adverse events. RESULTS Efficacy was evaluable in 30 cases, with median PFS (mPFS) 3.75 months (95% CI 0.648-6.852), ORR 20%, and DCR 73.33%. The main adverse reactions included hypertension (52.94%), hand-foot syndrome (52.94%), proteinuria (44.12%), and fatigue (41.18%); no drug-related death occurred. The efficacy correlation analysis showed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0-1 (p=0.008) combined with chemotherapy (p=0.009) were the factors that extended PFS, and combined chemotherapy (p=0.040, HR=3.052, 95% CI 1.052- 8.858) was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS AM has good therapeutic efficacy in treating aNSCLC patients after chemotherapy failure. The side effects can be controlled and it is worth testing it in large-scale clinical studies.
Acute idiopathic optic neuritis: not always benign

Few recent data are available concerning idiopathic optic neuritis (ON). We aimed to describe a large cohort of patients with idiopathic ON. We compared this cohort with patients with ON related to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) or ON related to aquaporin‐4 (AQP4) antibodies.
The impact of transposable elements in adaptive evolution

The growing knowledge about the influence of transposable elements (TEs) on (a) long‐term genome and transcriptome evolution; (b) genomic, transcriptomic and epigenetic variation within populations; and (c) patterns of somatic genetic differences in individuals continues to spur the interest of evolutionary biologists in the role of TEs in adaptive evolution. As TEs can trigger a broad range of molecular variation in a population with potentially severe fitness and phenotypic consequences for individuals, different mechanisms evolved to keep TE activity in check, allowing for a dynamic interplay between the host, its TEs and the environment in evolution. Here, we review evidence for adaptive phenotypic changes associated with TEs and the basic molecular mechanisms by which the underlying genetic changes arise: (a) domestication, (b) exaptation, (c) host gene regulation, (d) TE‐mediated formation of intronless gene copies—so‐called retrogenes and (e) overall increased genome plasticity. Furthermore, we review and discuss how the stress‐dependent incapacitation of defence mechanisms against the activity of TEs might facilitate adaptive responses to environmental challenges and how such mechanisms might be particularly relevant in species frequently facing novel environments, such as invasive, pathogenic or parasitic species.
Direct-Continuous Preparation of Nanostructured Titania-Silica Using Surfactant-Free Non-Scaffold Rice Starch Template

The conventional synthesis route of nanostructured titania-silica (Ti-SiNS) based on sol-gel requires the use of a surfactant-type template that suffers from hazardous risks, environmental concerns, and a tedious stepwise process. Alternatively, biomaterials have been introduced as an indirect template, but still required for pre-suspended scaffold structures, which hinder their practical application. Herein, we report an easy and industrially viable direct-continuous strategy for the preparation of Ti-SiNS from nanostructured-silica (SiNS) using a hydrolyzed rice starch template. This strategy fits into the conventional industrial process flow, as it allows starch to be used directly in time-effective and less complicated steps, with the potential to upscale. The formation of Ti-SiNS is mainly attributed to Ti attachment in the SiNS frameworks after the polycondensation of the sol-gel composition under acidic-media. The SiNS had pseudo-spherical morphology (nanoparticles with the size of 13 to 22 nm), short order crystal structure (amorphous) and high surface area (538.74 m2·g−1). The functionalized SiNS into Ti-SiNS delivered considerable catalytic activity for epoxidation of 1-naphtol into 1,4-naphthoquinone. The described direct-continuous preparation shows great promise for a cheap, green, and efficient synthesis of Ti-SiNS for advanced applications.
Adenomatous Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Middle Ear: A Multi-institutional Investigation of 32 Cases and Development of a Staging System.

OBJECTIVE To date, less than 150 cases of middle ear adenomatous neuroendocrine tumors (MEANTs) have been reported in the English literature. The objective of this study was to provide a contemporary analysis of these rare lesions and develop a consensus-driven staging system. STUDY DESIGN Multi-institutional retrospective histopathologic, radiologic, and clinical review. SETTING Six tertiary referral centers. PATIENTS Thirty-two patients with pathologically confirmed MEANT. INTERVENTION Surgical resection, adjuvant therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Clinical manifestations, outcomes, staging system. RESULTS Patients commonly presented with progressive conductive or mixed hearing loss (90%), aural fullness (50%), and tonal tinnitus (46%). Pulsatile tinnitus (16%), carcinoid syndrome (4%), and facial nerve paresis (4%) were less commonly observed. MEANTs frequently mimicked temporal bone paraganglioma (31%) and cholesteatoma (15%) at presentation. According to a novel T/N/M/S staging system (S = secretory tumor) proposed herein, there were 6 (19%) T1, 19 (59%) T2, and 7 (22%) T3 MEANTs. T3 tumors were significantly more likely to undergo subtotal or near total resection compared with lower staged tumors secondary to adherence to critical neurovascular structures such as the petrous internal carotid artery and facial nerve (p = 0.027). Patients with T3 MEANTs were more likely to experience multiple recurrences, require adjuvant therapy with a somatostatin analogue, or develop permanent facial nerve paresis compared with lower staged tumors. At last follow up, no patients with T1 MEANTs had developed recurrence, whereas 37% (7/19) of patients with T2 MEANT and 57% (4/7) of patients with T3 MEANT experienced either disease recurrence after gross total resection (GTR) or regrowth of known residual tumor requiring additional surgery at a median duration of 72 months (95% CI, 24-84). CONCLUSIONS Patients with MEANTs can present with nonspecific symptomatology that overlaps with more commonly encountered middle ear lesions. MEANT exhibits a proclivity for recurrence according to T-stage and long-term clinical follow up is necessary, particularly for advanced stage tumors.
Tetramethylpyrazine protects against high glucose-induced vascular smooth muscle cell injury through inhibiting the phosphorylation of JNK, p38MAPK, and ERK

Objectives High glucose-induced alterations in vascular smooth muscle cell behavior have not been fully characterized. We explored the protective mechanism of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on rat smooth muscle cell injury induced by high glucose via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Methods Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) isolated from rat thoracic aortas were divided into control, high glucose (HG), and pre-hatching TMP groups. The effect of different glucose concentrations on cell viability and on the migration activity of VSMC cells was examined using MTT analysis and the wound scratch assay, respectively. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunoassays. The levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38MAPK, and MAPK phosphorylation were assessed by western blotting. Results Cell proliferation was remarkably increased by increased glucose concentrations. Compared with the HG group, the migratory ability of VSMC cells was reduced in the presence of TMP. TMP also decreased the MDA content in the supernatant, but significantly increased the SOD activity. Western blotting showed that TMP inhibited the phosphorylation of JNK, p38MAPK, and ERK. Conclusions TMP appears to protect against HG-induced VSMC injury through inhibiting reactive oxygen species overproduction, and p38MAPK/JNK/ERK phosphorylation.
Long‐term safety and treatment effects of cannabidiol in children and adults with treatment‐resistant epilepsies: Expanded access program results

Since 2014, cannabidiol (CBD) has been administered to patients with treatment‐resistant epilepsies (TREs) in an ongoing expanded‐access program (EAP). We report interim results on the safety and efficacy of CBD in EAP patients treated through December 2016.
Hexavalent chromium in tattoo inks: Dermal exposure and systemic risk

The presence of hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI]), which is carcinogenic to humans and a dermal sensitizer, in tattoo inks may represent a serious health concern. The level of this impurity is limited to 0.2 mg/kg in tattoo inks by the European Resolution ResAP(2008)1.
Preliminary study of hearing protection and non-impact, blast-induced concussion in US military personnel

ABSTRACT Primary objective: To examine the relationship between hearing protection and non-impact, blast-induced concussion in US military personnel. Research design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods and procedures: A total of 501 US service members from the Expeditionary Medical Encounter Database with hearing protection status reported either ‘worn’ or ‘not worn’ were eligible for analysis. Clinical records were reviewed for concussion diagnoses. Univariate and multiple logistic regressions were performed. Main outcomes and results: Overall, 270 (53.9%) service members sustained non-impact, blast-induced concussion and 231 (46.1%) sustained other blast injuries. Only 39.6% (107 of 270) of service members with concussion wore hearing protection at the point of injury compared with 61.0% (141 of 231) of those with other injuries (p < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, service members wearing hearing protection had significantly lower odds of concussion compared with those not wearing hearing protection (odds ratio = 0.42, 95% confidence interval = 0.29–0.62). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this preliminary study is the first to demonstrate that hearing protection is associated with lower odds of non-impact, blast-induced concussion. The benefits of using hearing protection in terms of force readiness could be significant since many service members wounded in recent conflicts were diagnosed with concussion.