Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Energy retrofitting of existing residential buildings: developing a decision process for energy saving and cost effectiveness

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The influence of skin tears following collagenase treatment of Dupuytren’s disease on treatment outcomes

This study investigated influence of skin tears on patient-reported outcomes of injection of collagenase clostridium histolyticum for Dupuytren’s disease and association between extension deficit of digits before injection and skin tear after the injection. From 2016 to 2018, 391 Dupuytren’s cords were treated in 184 patients in a prospective cohort study and the patients were evaluated before injection and six months after injection. Skin tears occurred in 50% of these patients. We found no significant differences in the patient-reported outcomes between patients with or without skin tears. A higher extension deficit before treatment was associated with significantly increased frequency of skin tears. We conclude that the incidence of skin tears after injection does not affect patient reported outcomes six months after collagenase injection, but the incidence of skin tears is significantly associated with the severity of pre-treatment finger extension deficits. Level of evidence: II
Reduced Handgrip Strength in Hospital Admission Predicts Prolonged Hospital Stay and Death, but is not Accurate to Identify Malnutrition: A Longitudinal Study, Reduced handgrip strength in hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND Malnourished patients present impairment of functionality due to loss of strength associated with loss of muscle mass. However, the validity of handgrip strength (HGS) in identifying malnutrition and its association with clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients requires investigation. AIMS To evaluate the accuracy of HGS in identifying malnutrition, its association with clinical outcomes, and the change in HGS in the first two weeks of hospitalization. METHODS Prospective cohort study with adult/elderly patients. Subjective global assessment (SGA) was applied in the first 48h for malnutrition diagnosis and HGS was measured in this moment and after seven and 14 days of hospital admission. HGS< 20 kg for females and < 30 kg for males were considered reduced. Outcomes of interest were prolonged hospital stay and in-hospital death. RESULTS 600 patients (55.75±14.78 years, 51.5% males) were included, 34.0% of them were malnourished (SGA B or C) and 37.2% presented reduced HGS. The concordance between reduced HGS and SGA in malnutrition diagnosis was weak (kappa = 0.192) and accuracy was not satisfactory [AUC ROC curve = 0.599 (CI95% 0.551 - 0.648)]. HGS did not change during the hospitalization. Reduced HGS increased in 1.2 times (CI95% 1.03 - 1.40) the odds for prolonged hospital stay and in 9.11 times (CI95% 1.13 - 73.60) the risk of death. CONCLUSION Reduced HGS did not present satisfactory accuracy to identify malnutrition and HGS did not change during the first 14 days of hospital stay, however was associated with prolonged hospital stay and in-hospital death. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Hyrtioscalaranes A and B, two new scalarane-type sesterterpenes from Hyrtios erectus with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects

Abstract Two new scalarane-type sesterterpenes, hyrtioscalaranes A and B, were isolated from the organic extract of the Demosponge Hyrtios erectus through extensive chromatographic purification. Hyrtioscalarane A exhibited significantly greater attenuation property against cyclooxygense-2 (IC50 0.83 mM) than that displayed by hyrtioscalarane B (IC50 0.98 mM). The greater selectivity index of hyrtioscalaranes (> 1) than that exhibited by the commercial anti-inflammatory agent ibuprofen (0.43) further supported the higher selectivity of the former towards pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2. Hyrtioscalarane A exhibited greater antioxidant activities as determined by 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (IC50 0.77 mM) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (IC50 0.81 mM) free radical quenching properties than those displayed by hyrtioscalarane B (IC50 > 0.83 mM) and the antioxidative agent α-tocopherol (IC50 1.51 mM). The greater binding energy (–14.32 kcal/mol) and docking score (15.22 kcal/mol) of hyrtioscalarane A at the active site of cyclooxygenase-2 along with the higher electronic parameters and balanced hydrophobicity could attribute its potential anti-inflammatory activity. Graphical Abstract
Low-frequency rTMS inhibits the anti-depressive effect of ECT. A pilot study

Abstract Objective: Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the prefrontal cortex has been shown to have a statistically and clinically significant anti-depressant effect. The present pilot study was carried out to investigate if right prefrontal low-frequency rTMS as an add-on to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) accelerates the anti-depressant effect and reduces cognitive side effects. Methods: In this randomised, controlled, double-blind study, thirty-five patients with major depression were allocated to ECT+placebo or ECT+low-frequency right prefrontal rTMS. The severity of depression was evaluated during the course using the Hamilton scale for depression (the 17-item as well as the 6-item scale) and the major depression inventory (MDI). Furthermore, neuropsychological assessment of cognitive function was carried out. Results: The study revealed no significant difference between the two groups for any of the outcomes, but with a visible trend to lower scores for MDI after treatment in the placebo group. The negative impact of ECT on neurocognitive functions was short-lived, and scores on logical memory were significantly improved compared to baseline 4 weeks after last treatment. The ECT-rTMS group revealed generally less impairment of cognitive functions than the ECT-placebo group. Conclusion: The addition of low-frequency rTMS as an add-on to ECT treatment did not result in an accelerated response. On the contrary, the results suggest that low-frequency rTMS could inhibit the anti-depressant effect of ECT.
Defense responses in tomato landrace and wild genotypes to early blight pathogen Alternaria solani infection and accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins

Plants dispense localised and systemic defense responses against biotic colonisers and plant resistance to pathogens depends upon timely recognition of pathogen infection and subsequent rapid activation of defense responses through signal transduction pathways. Induction of host defense responses involving compatible and incompatible interactions in tomato landrace, LE996, LE150 and LE1165 (Solanum lycopersicum), and wild relatives, Seijima Jeisei and I979 (S. hirsutum) genotypes, and early blight (EB) pathogen, Alternaria solani were studied. Accumulation patterns of different defense related proteins in resistant genotypes (LE996, Seijima jeisei and I979) and susceptible genotypes (LE150 and LE1165) are reported here. Challenge inoculation led to similar protein profiles in resistant genotypes yielding 11 proteins, unique are 14, 54, and 58 kD proteins that are absent with susceptible genotypes. Resistant genotypes accumulated more proteins well in advance, 6-h after challenge inoculation. Resistant genotype LE996 expressed 54%, 90%, and 52% enhanced enzymatic activity of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase respectively than susceptible LE150 and correlated phenolics accumulation peaked 2-d after challenge inoculation. Activity gel assay indicated the unique expression of PO1 and PO2 in LE996 upon challenge inoculation. Significant increase in expression of chitinases (63%) and β-1,3-glucanase (71%) upon challenge inoculation than susceptible LE150 control was recorded. Western blotting indicated the unique presence of less than 30 kD chitinase in resistant LE996 and Seijima Jeisei and was absent in susceptible LE150. The results demonstrate the importance of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins in EB resistance and their use as biochemical markers for genotype selection.
Protective Role of DJ-1 in Endotoxin-induced Acute Kidney Injury.

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a frequent complication of sepsis and an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A cornerstone of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is dysregulated inflammation leading to increased tissue oxidative stress and free radical formation which leads to multiple forms of cell death. DJ-1 is a peroxiredoxin protein with multiple functions including its ability to control cellular oxidative stress. Although DJ-1 is expressed prominently by renal tubules, its role in AKI has not been investigated. In this study we examined the effect of DJ-1 deficiency in a murine model of endotoxin-induced AKI. Endotoxemia induced greater kidney injury in DJ-1-deficient mice. Further, DJ-1 deficiency increased renal oxidative stress associated with increased renal tubular apoptosis and with expression of death domain-associated protein (DAXX). Similar to the in vivo model, in vitro studies, using a medullary collecting duct cell line (IMCD3) and cytotoxic serum, we show that serum obtained from WT mice results in increased expression of s100A8/s100A9, DAXX, and apoptosis in DJ-1 deficient iMCD3 cells. Our findings demonstrate a novel renal protective role for renal tubular DJ-1 during endotoxemia through control of oxidative stress, renal inflammation, and DAXX-dependent apoptosis.
Use of Accelerometry for Long Term Monitoring of Stroke Patients

Stroke patients are monitored hourly by physicians and nurses in an attempt to better understand their physical state. To quantify the patients’ level of mobility, hourly movement (i.e. motor) assessment scores are performed, which can be taxing and time-consuming for nurses and physicians. In this paper, we attempt to find a correlation between patient motor scores and continuous accelerometer data recorded in subjects who are unilaterally impaired due to stroke. The accelerometers were placed on both upper and lower extremities of four severely unilaterally impaired patients and their movements were recorded continuously for 7 to 14 days. Features that incorporate movement smoothness, strength, and characteristic movement patterns were extracted from the accelerometers using time-frequency analysis. Support vector classifiers were trained with the extracted features to test the ability of the long term accelerometer recordings in predicting dependent and antigravity sides, and significantly above baseline performance was obtained in most instances ( $P < 0.05$ ). Finally, a leave-one-subject-out approach was carried out to assess the generalizability of the proposed methodology, and above baseline performance was obtained in two out of the three tested subjects. The methodology presented in this paper provides a simple, yet effective approach to perform long term motor assessment in neurocritical care patients.
Distribution, Stability, and Continuity of Autonomic Nervous System Responsivity at 18- and 36-Months of Age

Objective: Cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) measures, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and preejection period (PEP), are valid and reliable indicators of children’s sensitivity to their environment; however, there are few studies of ANS measures in children less than three years of age. This study’s aim was to summarize the distributions, stability, and continuity of RSA and PEP measures during resting, challenge, and reactivity for children at 18- and 36-months. Methods: This was a cohort study of racially- and ethnically-diverse, low-income children who completed a developmentally challenging protocol while we simultaneously assessed their RSA and PEP at 18-months (N = 134) and 36-months (N = 102). Results: The ANS resting, challenge, and reactivity measures at 18- and 36-months of age were normally distributed. The RSA resting (r = 0.29), RSA challenge (r = 0.44), PEP resting (r = 0.55) and PEP challenge (r = 0.58) measures were moderately stable but RSA (r = 0.01) and PEP reactivity (r = 0.02) were not stable from 18- to 36-months of age. There was no continuity in the ANS measures from 18- to 36-months of age with statistically significant changes in sample means for all of the ANS measures. Discussion: These developmental changes in ANS are shown at the sample level but there are individual differences in ANS responses from 18- to 36-months that may be affected by adversity or protective factors experienced early in life.
ADAM17‐triggered TNF signalling protects the ageing Drosophila retina from lipid droplet‐mediated degeneration

Animals have evolved multiple mechanisms to protect themselves from the cumulative effects of age‐related cellular damage. Here, we reveal an unexpected link between the TNF (tumour necrosis factor) inflammatory pathway, triggered by the metalloprotease ADAM17/TACE, and a lipid droplet (LD)‐mediated mechanism of protecting retinal cells from age‐related degeneration. Loss of ADAM17, TNF and the TNF receptor Grindelwald in pigmented glial cells of the Drosophila retina leads to age‐related degeneration of both glia and neurons, preceded by an abnormal accumulation of glial LDs. We show that the glial LDs initially buffer the cells against damage caused by glial and neuronally generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), but that in later life the LDs dissipate, leading to the release of toxic peroxidated lipids. Finally, we demonstrate the existence of a conserved pathway in human iPS‐derived microglia‐like cells, which are central players in neurodegeneration. Overall, we have discovered a pathway mediated by TNF signalling acting not as a trigger of inflammation, but as a cytoprotective factor in the retina.
Genetic characterization of three breeds of high royal jelly producing honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) in China

There are three most famous breeds of high royal jelly producing honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) in China. After numerous rounds of selection for royal jelly production, the royal jelly production of the three breeds is much higher than the unselected. It is important to maintain genetic diversity of breeds in selective breeding and stock management. The genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of three breeds were surveyed using 18 microsatellite markers. Using Polymorphism Information Content (PIC), mean heterozygosity (H), number of effective alleles, genetic distances, gene flow (Nm) and F-statistics, we evaluated the genetic diversity and genetic differentiation. The result showed that the number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 (AP156 and A028) to 25 (AP053). All of the three breeds showed high levels of heterozygosity. Significant genetic differentiation was found among the three breeds and the average genetic differentiation coefficient of the three breeds was 0.037. Key words: High royal jelly producing honeybee, Apis mellifera ligustica, genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, microsatellite marker.
Application of stable isotope dilution techniques to assess body fat and comparison with WHO BMI-for-age classification as a measure of obesity among schoolchildren in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract Objective: WHO BMI-for-age z score (BAZ) is widely used in epidemiology, yet it does not distinguish body fat-free mass and fat mass which are better indicators of obesity and related risks. The stable isotope dilution techniques (SIDT) are gold standard methods of assessing body composition. Main objective was to assess significant differences in measurement and validity of WHO BMI-for-age classification for defining childhood obesity by comparing with body fatness using SIDT among schoolchildren. Design: A cross-sectional analytical study. A questionnaire, anthropometry and body composition data were used. SPSS was used to analyse data at P < 0·05 at 95 % CI. Setting: Primary schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya Participants: One hundred seventy-nine schoolchildren aged 8–11 years were randomly sampled. Results: Prevalence of adiposity by reference SIDT (24·0 %) was significantly higher than that of obesity by BAZ > 2 sd (2·8 %) (Wilcoxon test, P < 0·05). Concordance coefficient between SIDT and BAZ > 2 sd in diagnosing obesity was poor (κ = 0·167). Only 11·6 % of children with excess body fat were correctly diagnosed as obese by BAZ > 2 sd. The use of BAZ > 1 sd for overweight and obesity showed fair concordance coefficient (κ = 0·409, P < 0·001) with 32·5% of children with excess fat positively identified as overweight and obese. Conclusion: WHO BMI-for-age cut-off points severely underestimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity compared with body composition assessment by stable isotope dilution techniques. Evidence-informed interventions should be based on more accurate estimates of overweight and obesity than that can be provided by BAZ.
Benefits of turmeric supplementation for skin health in chronic diseases: a systematic review

Abstract The skin is a physical barrier that protects the body from the external environment. Through its immune system, it limits the attack of environmental threats. Unregulated immune reactions, however, can cause chronic inflammatory skin diseases, requiring that effective treatment routes be sought. Turmeric, a root originated from Southeast Asia, has a number of therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effects of turmeric oral supplementation in the treatment of chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Through PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, clinical studies examining the relationship between turmeric, curcumin, and skin health in humans until September 2019 were systematically searched. Evidence analysis were performed using robust tools to evaluate the risk of bias (RoB 2.0), (ROBINS-I) and methodological quality (GRADE) of the included studies. A total of eleven studies were included. The skin conditions examined include psoriasis, pruritus, oral lichen planus, facial redness, as well as types of skin cancers. Overall, therapeutic benefits for skin health have been observed through oral turmeric supplementation. The current published studies, nevertheless, are limited, requiring continuity and improvement in the intervention methodology employed.
Pathways to psychiatric care and factors associated with delayed help-seeking among patients with mental illness in Northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Objective This study aimed to assess pathways to psychiatric care and factors associated with delayed help-seeking among patients with mental illness in Northern Ethiopia using the WHO Pathway Study Encounter Form. Design A cross-sectional study design was used. Setting Data were collected using face-to-face interview from patients with various diagnoses of mental illness attending outpatient treatment at Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Mekelle City, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Participants Participants who came to attend outpatient treatment during the study period were included in the study using consecutive sampling technique. Outcome measures Pathways to psychiatric care, delayed psychiatric treatment and factors affecting delayed psychiatric treatment. Results The median duration from problem onset to contact with first care provider was 4 weeks, whereas contact with modern psychiatric services was 52.0 weeks. Study participants who were single (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.91, 95% CI 1.19 to 7.11), divorced (AOR=3.73, 95% CI 1.33 to 10.49) and who perceived mental illness as shameful (AOR=3.29, 95% CI 1.15 to 9.41) had delayed treatment-seeking behaviour, whereas participants with no history of substance use (AOR=0.43, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.92) were less likely to have delayed treatment-seeking behaviour. Conclusions There is significant delay in seeking modern psychiatric treatment. Religious healers were the first source of help for mental illness. Majority of the respondents described that mental illness was due to supernatural causes. Stigma and lack of awareness about where treatment is available were barriers to seeking appropriate care.
Supercritical carbon dioxide extracts of small cardamom and yellow mustard seeds have fasting hypoglycaemic effects: diabetic rat, predictive iHOMA2 models and molecular docking study

Abstract In the present investigation, the supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extracts of small cardamom (SC) and yellow mustard (YM) seeds have been investigated for their efficacies in combating type 2 diabetes in streptozotocin-induced Wistar albino rats. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels in the rats were monitored on days 8, 15 and 21. On day 15, FBG level reduced appreciably by 31·49 % in rats treated with SC seed extract and by 32·28 % in rats treated with YM seed extract, comparable to metformin (30·70 %) and BGR-34 (a commercial polyherbal drug) (31·81 %) administered rats. Either extract exhibited desirable effects on hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and catalase activities in controlling diabetes. A molecular docking exercise was conducted to identify specific compounds in the extracts which possessed augmenting effect on G6PD. The results revealed that all the bioactive compounds in the extracts have binding affinities with the enzyme and contributed to the antidiabetic efficacies of the extracts as G6PD augmenters. The effects of the extracts on insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake were investigated using non-invasive modelling by iHOMA2 software. This in vitro approach indicated that extract administration resulted in increased both insulin sensitivity of the liver and glucose uptake in the gut. The findings of the present study attest these SC-CO2 extracts of the spices as safe alternatives of metformin and BGR-34 in combating type 2 diabetes and could be safely subjected to clinical studies. These extracts could also be employed in designing proactive food supplements in mitigating the metabolic disorder.
Multiple Pulmonary Nodules in Leptospirosis

A 21-year-old man presented with the chief complaints of fever and sore throat after visiting Cambodia and Thailand. Computed tomography revealed multiple pulmonary nodules. After performing antibiotic therapy, the pulmonary nodules without bacteremia disappeared completely. Paired microscopic agglutination tests revealed seroconversion against Leptospira serogroup Autumnalis. Thus, he was diagnosed with multiple pulmonary nodules caused by leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a common zoonosis that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas. Its various clinical features include unspecified fever and Weil's disease. Although diffuse alveolar hemorrhaging is known to occur in severe leptospirosis, multiple pulmonary nodules resembling septic emboli or vasculitis are a rare complication.