Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preliminary Evidence For The Effects Of Aging And Multiple Sclerosis On Cognitive Performance: An Analysis Based On Effect Size Estimates

ABSTRACT Background/Study Context: Although cognitive impairment is common in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), there are limited data on older adults with MS. The current pilot study involved a preliminary examination of cognitive impairments across a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment in older adults with MS compared with older adults without MS. Methods: Twenty older adults with MS and 20 older adults without MS (≥60 years of age) underwent cognitive assessments, including the Trail Making Test (TMT) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). The primary analytical model involved independent-samples t tests on the TMT and RBANS scores. The analysis focused on ½ SD (i.e., Cohen’s d of 0.5) for judging the differences as meaningful. Results: Overall, the study hypotheses were supported such that older adults with MS demonstrated decreased cognitive performance that exceeded ½ SD compared with the older adults without MS. Conclusion: This preliminary study demonstrated moderate and meaningful differences in cognitive performance in older adults with MS compared with older adults without MS. This suggests a clear need for identifying strategies for alleviating cognitive impairment in older adults with MS.
Deregulation of miR-34a and Its Chaperon Hsp70 in Hepatitis C virus-Induced Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

Background: MicroRNA deregulation may occur during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) genesis and progression stages. MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) functions as a tumor suppressor and is down-regulated or silenced in a variety of human cancers, while heat shock proteins (Hsps) play important roles in assisting protein folding and preventing both protein aggregation and transport across membranes. The present study aimed to evaluating serum expression of miR-34a and its target Hsp70 for early detection of HCC in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), focusing on correlations with clinicopathological features. Methods: A total of 180 patients were included: 120 with HCC on top of LC (60 with either early or late HCC) and 60 patients with HCV-related LC. In addition, 60 healthy individuals were considered as controls. Real-time polymerase chain reactions were performed for expression profiling of serum miR-34a and Hsp70 and for allelic discrimination of the promotor variant (rs2763979, C/T). In addition, in silico analysis was carried out. Results: All participants were heterozygote for the promotor polymorphism. miR-34a serum levels were significantly under-expressed in LC and especially HCC patients as compared to controls. Associations with a high Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, advanced cancer stage, and number of masses were noted. In contrast the target Hsp70 was significantly overexpressed in cancer patients but not in LC group and inversely correlated with miR-34a levels. Conclusion: Utility of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for early detection of HCC was raised. Future large-scale studies are warranted to confirm the current findings.
Randomized study evaluating recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 for extraction socket augmentation.

BACKGROUND Conventional dentoalveolar osseous reconstruction often involves the use of grafting materials with or without barrier membranes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of bone induction for the placement of dental implants by two concentrations of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) delivered on a bioabsorbable collagen sponge (ACS) compared to placebo (ACS alone) and no treatment in a human buccal wall defect model following tooth extraction. METHODS Eighty patients requiring local alveolar ridge augmentation for buccal wall defects (> or =50% buccal bone loss of the extraction socket) of the maxillary teeth (bicuspids forward) immediately following tooth extraction were enrolled. Two sequential cohorts of 40 patients each were randomized in a double-masked manner to receive 0.75 mg/ml or 1.50 mg/ml rhBMP-2/ACS, placebo (ACS alone), or no treatment in a 2:1:1 ratio. Efficacy was assessed by evaluating the amount of bone induction, the adequacy of the alveolar bone volume to support an endosseous dental implant, and the need for a secondary augmentation. RESULTS Assessment of the alveolar bone indicated that patients treated with 1.50 mg/ml rhBMP-2/ACS had significantly greater bone augmentation compared to controls (P < or =0.05). The adequacy of bone for the placement of a dental implant was approximately twice as great in the rhBMP-2/ACS groups compared to no treatment or placebo. In addition, bone density and histology revealed no differences between newly induced and native bone. CONCLUSION The data from this randomized, masked, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical study demonstrated that the novel combination of rhBMP-2 and a commonly utilized collagen sponge had a striking effect on de novo osseous formation for the placement of dental implants.
Factors Affecting an Individual's Ability to Administer Medication

In this study, the authors identify how well selfcare agents function in the self-administration of medication. The sample population included 60 adults who were evaluated on their ability to read three common prescription labels and perform the tasks necessary to administer medications correctly. Age, gender, number of medications taken, and type of chronic disease did not contribute significantly to the ability to self-medicate correctly. Complexity of the medication regime and educational level were highly significant. Reading scores improved as educational levels increased; however, all educational groups had consistently lower performance scores compared with reading scores.
Comparison of acute hemodynamic effects of aerosolized iloprost and inhaled nitric oxide in adult congenital heart disease with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension.

OBJECTIVE To compare the acute hemodynamic effects of aerosolized iloprost and inhaled nitric oxide (NO) in adult congenital heart disease (CHD) patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS One hundred and eighty five adult CHDs with severe PAH were nonrandomized into two groups (iloprost, n=127; NO, n=58). Various hemodynamic parameters were measured before and after iloprost or NO inhalation. RESULTS Iloprost and NO inhalation resulted in significant reductions in pulmonary arterial pressure (from 110.6±21.8 mmHg to 105.5±22.3 mmHg, p<0.05; from 113.1±18.7 mmHg to 107.2±19.9 mmHg, p<0.05, respectively) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) (from 13.4±8.3 Wood units to 9.6±6.4 Wood units, p<0.01; from 13.7±7.1 Wood units to 9.3±4.9 Wood units, p<0.01, respectively) and increases in pulmonary blood flow (from 6.7±3.3 L/min to 9.4±5.8 L/min, p<0.05; from 6.6±3.1 L/min to 9.6±5.9 L/min, p<0.01, respectively) and the Qp/Qs ratio (from 1.5±0.8 to 2.1±1.4, p<0.01; from 1.5±0.8 to 2.0±1.3, p<0.01, respectively). When the effects of inhaled iloprost and NO were compared, similar reductions in pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were observed. Aerosolized iloprost and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) were generally well tolerated and no patient experienced any side effects during inhalation. CONCLUSION Aerosolized iloprost can be effectively and safely used and might be an alternative to NO for testing pulmonary vascular reactivity and treating severe PAH in adult CHD patients.
Mécanismes hormonaux impliqués dans l’induction de l’abandon du nid chez un oiseau marin longévif : le manchot Adélie

La theorie des traits d’histoire de vie predit que les oiseaux longevifs devraient favoriser leur propre survie lorsque les contraintes energetiques deviennent trop importantes. Le reproduction chez les oiseaux marins est associee a une periode de jeune prolonge, caracterisee par trois phases metaboliques distinctes. Cette situation peut conduire a l’epuisement des reserves energetiques et a l’abandon de la reproduction, un signal de realimentation etant mis en place (PIII). Le but de cette these est d’examiner les mecanismes physiologiques sous-jacents a l’abandon du nid en precisant le role respectif de deux hormones impliquees dans le controle du comportement parental (corticosterone -CORT- et prolactine) chez un oiseau marin longevif, le manchot Adelie Pygoscelis adeliae. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilise des approches correlatives et experimentales, chez des oiseaux sauvages en cours de reproduction et des oiseaux captifs en echec de reproduction. Nos resultats indiquent que la CORT agit de facon precoce dans le processus de desertion du nid et entraine une diminution du niveau de prolactine. Il semble que la prolactine doit atteindre un niveau seuil bas pour finalement declencher l’abandon du nid. Ainsi, l’effet de la CORT sur la prolactine apparait comme un mecanisme crucial implique dans la decision d’interrompre un episode reproducteur lorsque la survie de l’individu est menacee. Si l’atteinte de cet etat hormonal (niveaux eleves de CORT et faibles de prolactine) entraine l’abandon du nid, il semble cependant que la modification seule de l’une ou l’autre de ces hormones controlant le comportement parental ne soit pas suffisante pour declencher l’abandon du nid.
Engineering of recombinant E. coli cells co‐expressing P450pyrTM monooxygenase and glucose dehydrogenase for highly regio‐ and stereoselective hydroxylation of alicycles with cofactor recycling

E. coli (P450pyrTM‐GDH) with dual plasmids, pETDuet containing P450pyr triple mutant I83H/M305Q/A77S (P450pyrTM) and ferredoxin reductase (FdR) genes and pRSFDuet containing glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) and ferredoxin (Fdx) genes, was engineered to show a high activity (12.7 U g−1 cdw) for the biohydroxylation of N‐benzylpyrrolidine 1 and a GDH activity of 106 U g−1 protein. The E. coli cells were used as efficient biocatalysts for highly regio‐ and stereoselective hydroxylation of alicyclic substrates at non‐activated carbon atom with enhanced productivity via intracellular recycling of NAD(P)H. Hydroxylation of N‐benzylpyrrolidine 1 with resting cells in the presence of glucose showed excellent regio‐ and stereoselectivity, giving (S)‐N‐benzyl‐3‐hydroxypyrrolidine 2 in 98% ee as the sole product in 9.8 mM. The productivity is much higher than that of the same biohydroxylation using E. coli (P450pyrTM)b without expressing GDH. E. coli (P450pyrTM‐GDH) was found to be highly regio‐ and stereoselective for the hydroxylation of N‐benzylpyrrolidin‐2‐one 3, improving the regioselectivity from 90% of the wild‐type P450pyr to 100% and giving (S)‐N‐benzyl‐4‐hydroxylpyrrolidin‐2‐one 4 in 99% ee as the sole product. A high activity of 15.5 U g−1 cdw was achieved and (S)‐4 was obtained in 19.4 mM. E. coli (P450pyrTM‐GDH) was also found to be highly regio‐ and stereoselective for the hydroxylation of N‐benzylpiperidin‐2‐one 5, increasing the ee of the product (S)‐N‐benzyl‐4‐hydroxy‐piperidin‐2‐one 6 to 94% from 33% of the wild‐type P450pyr. A high activity of 15.8 U g−1 cdw was obtained and (S)‐6 was produced in 3.3 mM as the sole product. E. coli (P450pyrTM‐GDH) represents the most productive system known thus far for P450‐catalyzed hydroxylations with cofactor recycling, and the hydroxylations with E. coli (P450pyrTM‐GDH) provide with simple and useful syntheses of (S)‐2, (S)‐4, and (S)‐6 that are valuable pharmaceutical intermediates and difficult to prepare. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 363–373. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Actions of a versatile fluorene-degrading bacterial isolate on polycyclic aromatic compounds

Pseudomonas cepacia F297 grew with fluorene as a sole source of carbon and energy; its growth yield corresponded to an assimilation of about 40% of fluorene carbon. The accumulation of a ring meta-cleavage product during growth and the identification of 1-indanone in growth media and washed-cell suspensions suggest that strain F297 metabolizes fluorene by mechanisms analogous to those of naphthalene degradation. In addition to fluorene, strain F297 utilized for growth a wide variety of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), including naphthalene, 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and dibenzothiophene. Fluorene-induced cells of the strain also transformed 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene, biphenyl, dibenzofuran, acenaphthene, and acenaphthylene. The identification of products formed from those substrates (by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) in washed-cell suspensions indicates that P. cepacia F297 carries out the following reactions: (i) aromatic ring oxidation and cleavage, apparently using the pyruvate released for growth, (ii) methyl group oxidations, (iii) methylenic oxidations, and (iv) S oxidations of aromatic sulfur heterocycles. Strain F297 grew with a creosote-PAC mixture, producing an almost complete removal of all aromatic compounds containing 2 to 3 rings in 14 days, as demonstrated by gas chromatography analysis of the remaining PACs recovered from cultures. The identification of key chemicals confirmed that not only are certain compounds depleted but also the anticipated reaction products are found.
Slip model of the 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake from inversions of ALOS‐2 and GPS data

We use surface deformation measurements including Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar data acquired by the ALOS‐2 mission of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency and Global Positioning System (GPS) data to invert for the fault geometry and coseismic slip distribution of the 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal. Assuming that the ruptured fault connects to the surface trace of the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) fault between 84.34°E and 86.19°E, the best fitting model suggests a dip angle of 7°. The moment calculated from the slip model is 6.08 × 1020 Nm, corresponding to the moment magnitude of 7.79. The rupture of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake was dominated by thrust motion that was primarily concentrated in a 150 km long zone 50 to 100 km northward from the surface trace of the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT), with maximum slip of ∼ 5.8 m at a depth of ∼8 km. Data thus indicate that the 2015 Gorkha earthquake ruptured a deep part of the seismogenic zone, in contrast to the 1934 Bihar‐Nepal earthquake, which had ruptured a shallow part of the adjacent fault segment to the east.
Introduction to QAM-FBMC: From Waveform Optimization to System Design

The asynchronous heterogeneous network scenario is becoming one of the key features for 5G mobile communications. Compared to CP-OFDM, which is 4G waveform, superior spectrum confinement as well as higher spectral efficiency has been taken into consideration for 5G waveform design. In this article, we introduce a new waveform called QAM-FBMC that provides superior spectrum confinement and higher spectral efficiency simultaneously against CP-OFDM. The article explains fundamental trade-offs in waveform design and shows how they can be optimized for QAM-FBMC. We also introduce the transmission and reception procedures for QAM-FBMC including its similarities and differences compared to well-known waveforms such as CP-OFDM and OQAM-FBMC. Performance evaluation results show where the spectral efficiency gain of QAM-FBMC over CP-OFDM comes from.
omparison of the effectiveness of manual and entilator hyperinflation at different levels of ositive end-expiratory pressure in artificially entilated and intubated intensive care patients

34 BACKGROUND: Manual hyperinflation (MHI) and ventilator hyperinflation (VHI) are two methods of recruitment maneuvers used in ventilated patients to improve lung compliance and secretion mobilization. The use of VHI may minimize the adverse effects of disconnection from the ventilator, but it is uncertain whether high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) would decrease the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and consequently affect secretion clearance.
Bi-Hemispheric Engagement in the Retrieval of Autobiographical Episodes

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to study the neural correlates of neutral, stressful, negative and positive autobiographical memories. The brain activity produced by these different kinds of episodic memory did not differ significantly, but a common pattern of activation for different kinds of autobiographical memory was revealed that included (1) largely bilateral portions of the medial and superior temporal lobes, hippocampus and parahippocampus, (2) portions of the ventral, medial, superior and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, (3) the anterior and posterior cingulate, including the retrosplenial, cortex, (4) the parietal cortex, and (5) portions of the cerebellum. The brain regions that were mainly activated constituted an interactive network of temporal and prefrontal areas associated with structures of the extended limbic system. The main bilateral activations with left-sided preponderance probably reflected reactivation of complex semantic and episodic self-related information representations that included previously experienced contexts. In conclusion, the earlier view of a strict left versus right prefrontal laterality in the retrieval of semantic as opposed to episodic autobiographical memory, may have to be modified by considering contextual variables such as task demands and subject variables. Consequently, autobiographical memory integration should be viewed as based on distributed bi-hemispheric neural networks supporting multi-modal, emotionally coloured components of personal episodes.
ɑ‐Synuclein strains and the variable pathologies of synucleinopathies

Several decades ago, a mysterious transmissible agent was found responsible for a group of progressive and lethal encephalopathies affecting the nervous system of both animals and humans. This infectious agent showed a strain‐encoded manner of inheritance even though it lacked nucleic acids. The identification of infectious proteins resolved this apparent conundrum. Misfolded infectious protein particles, or prions, were found to exist as conformational isomers with a unique fingerprint that can be faithfully passaged to next generations. Protein‐based strain‐encoded inheritance is characterized by strain‐specific infectivity and symptomatology. It is found in diverse organisms, such as yeast, fungi, and mammals. Now, this concept is revisited to examine the pathological role of amyloid proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases where it might underlie certain types of dementia and motor‐related neurodegenerative disorders. Given the discovery of the SNCA gene and the identification of its gene product, ɑ‐synuclein (ɑ‐SYN), as the main histopathological component of Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy, the scientific community was left puzzled by the fact that a single protein appeared to be involved in different diseases with diverging clinical phenotypes. Recent studies are now indicating that ɑ‐SYN may act in a way similar to prions and that ɑ‐SYN misfolded structural variants may behave as strains with distinct biochemical and functional properties inducing specific phenotypic traits, which might finally provide an explanation for the clinical heterogeneity observed between Parkinson's disease, MSA, and dementia with Lewy bodies patients. These crucial new findings may pave the way for unexplored therapeutic avenues and identification of new potential biomarkers.
Cryptococcemia in an HIV-negative patient with decompensated liver cirrhosis

Background Cryptococcal infections have been mostly associated with immunocompromised individuals, 80–90% of whom have been HIV-positive patients. Increasingly, cryptococcal infections are being reported in cirrhotic patients who are HIV-negative. The underlying immunologic defects in cirrhotic patients seem to play an important role in predisposing them to cryptococcosis and affecting their morbidity and mortality. Case presentation We present a case of disseminated cryptococcosis in an HIV-negative patient with underlying cirrhosis, who had rapid worsening of his hyponatremia with renal failure and was unable to recover, despite aggressive measures. Conclusion Cryptococcus is a more common culprit of infections seen in cirrhotic patients than what it was previously known, and a high index of suspicion is required to diagnose these patients. Identification of poor prognostic factors, early diagnosis and intervention is crucial in the management of these patients.
Stress, the Endoplasmic Reticulum, and Insulin Resistance

Abstract: Stress, such as nutrient deprivation, viral infections, inflammation, heat shock, or lipid accumulation, imposes a serious threat to the body. These stimuli, acting both on the central control stations of the stress system and its final effectors, catecholamines and glucocorticoids, and on the peripheral target tissues, can modulate insulin action in the body. Metabolic complications, such as diabetes, visceral obesity, and atherosclerosis have emerged as major health threats in the modern societies. Indeed, obesity and atherosclerosis are regarded as states of chronic low‐grade inflammation, while inflammatory mediators and lipid accumulation can evoke a chronic stress at the cellular level, principally affecting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It has recently been shown that ER responds to metabolic stressors through a well coordinated molecular response that involves the transcriptional activation of multiple genes, the attenuation of protein synthesis and degradation of the ER‐localized misfolded proteins, and the onset of apoptosis. This article examines the emerging role of stress on ER and its possible link with obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
Satellite cell pool enhancement in rat plantaris muscle by endurance training depends on intensity rather than duration

Aim: Increases in the number of satellite cells are necessary for the maintenance of normal muscle function. Endurance training enhances the satellite cell pool. However, it remains unclear whether exercise intensity or exercise duration is more important to enhance the satellite cell pool. This study examined the effects of different intensity and duration of endurance training on the satellite cell pool in rat skeletal muscle.
Is Mental Health in the Canadian Population Changing over Time?

Objective: Mental health in populations may be deteriorating, or it may be improving, but there is little direct evidence to support either possibility. Our objective was to examine secular trends in mental health indicators from national data sources. Methods: We used data (1994–2008) from the National Population Health Survey and from a series of cross-sectional studies (Canadian Community Health Survey) conducted in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007. We calculated population-weighted proportions and also generated sex-specifc, age-standardized estimates of major depressive episode prevalence, distress, professionally diagnosed mood disorders, antidepressant use, self-rated perceived mental health, and self-rated stress. Results: Major depression prevalence did not change over time. No changes in the frequency of severe distress were seen. However, there were increases in reported diagnoses of mood disorders and an increasing proportion of the population reported that they were taking antidepressants. The proportion of the population reporting that their life was extremely stressful decreased, but the proportion reporting poor mental health did not change. Conclusions: Measures based on assessment of symptoms showed no evidence of change over time. However, the frequency of diagnosis and treatment appears to be increasing and perceptions of extreme stress are decreasing. These changes probably reflect changes in diagnostic practice, mental health literacy, or willingness to report mental health concerns. However, no direct evidence of changing mental health status was found.