Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Evaluation of Serum IgE and Th2-Associated Interleukins in Children With Uncomplicated and Complicated Appendicitis

Background The pathogenesis of appendicitis is not understood completely and establishing a correct diagnosis can be clinically challenging. Previous investigations have shown an association between a T helper cell (Th)2-mediated inflammatory response, for example immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergy, and a decreased risk of complicated appendicitis. The present study aimed to evaluate differences in serum concentrations of IgE and Th2-associated interleukins (IL) in children with uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis. Method A prospective study including children <15 years with appendicitis. Blood samples were collected preoperatively at the time of clinical assessment at the Pediatric Emergency Department and analyzed for concentrations of serum total IgE and IL-4, IL-9, and IL-13. Associations with complicated appendicitis were evaluated through logistic regression adjusting for age, appendicolith, and symptom duration. Results 138 children with confirmed appendicitis were included. The median age was 10 (IQR 8–12) years, 87 (63%) were boys and 58 (42%) had complicated appendicitis. Children with complicated appendicitis had significantly higher concentrations of IL-9 and IL-13 compared to children with uncomplicated appendicitis. In the univariate logistic regression, high concentrations of IL-13 were associated with an increased risk of complicated appendicitis [OR 1.02 (95% CI 1.01–1.04) p = 0.005], which remained in the multivariate analysis [aOR 1.02 (95% CI 1.01–1.04), p = 0.01]. Serum concentrations of IgE, IL-4, and IL-9 did not significantly affect the risk of complicated appendicitis. Conclusion High levels of IL-13 seem to be associated with an increased risk of complicated appendicitis. This is incongruent with the hypothesis of an Th1/Th17-driven inflammation in this type of appendicitis.
Green Space, Air Pollution, Weather, and Cognitive Function in Middle and Old Age in China

Prior research has shown that environmental hazards, such as limited green space, air pollution, and harmful weather, have the strong adverse impact on older adults' cognitive function; however, most of the studies were conducted in developed countries and limited to cross-sectional analyses. China has the largest aging population in the world so the research evidence from it can offer an insight to the study in other developing countries facing similar issues and inform future public health policy and disease control. This study examined the long-term impact of environmental factors, namely, green space coverage, air pollution, and weather conditions on cognitive function using a nationally representative sample consisting of adults aged 45 years and older selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2011–2018), the China City Statistical Yearbook, and other sources. Multilevel growth curve models were utilized for analysis and the mediator effects of physical activity and social engagement on the relationship between environmental factors and cognitive function were examined. Findings of this study showed that after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, annual precipitation of 80 cm or more, living in areas with July temperature of 28°C or higher, urban community, and green space coverage were positively associated with cognition score at the baseline and lower precipitation, urban community, and greater green space coverage were associated with slower cognitive decline over a 7-year period. The impact of gross domestic product (GDP) seemed to take into effect more and more over time. These effects did not substantially change after weekly total hours of physical activities and levels of social engagement were added. More research on the mechanisms of the effect of environmental factors on cognition is needed such as the subgroup analyses and/or with more aspects of environmental measures.
The Role of Death-Anxiety-Induced Fear of COVID-19 in Compliance With and Acceptance of Government-Issued COVID-19 Regulations

The present research was conducted to empirically examine whether death anxiety is the fundamental fear that feeds people’s fear of COVID-19 and leads to increased behavioral compliance with and acceptance of COVID-19 regulations. Results from an online survey of 313 participants from New York City show that death anxiety was, indeed, positively associated with behavioral compliance with, but not acceptance of, COVID-19 regulations via an increased fear of COVID-19. Hence, media campaigns that are designed to increase people’s compliance with restrictive COVID-19 measures by stirring up their death anxiety are likely to meet their target, but they do not necessarily lead to increased public acceptance of the measures taken.
Policy Goals of Contract Arrangements in Primary Care in Jeopardy: A Cross-Sectional Consumer Satisfaction Survey of Community Residents in Hangzhou, China

Objective China is attempting to establish a voluntary contracting system in primary care. This study aimed to determine the degree of consumer satisfaction with the entitlements of contract arrangements and its associated factors. Methods A stratified cluster sampling strategy was adopted to recruit study participants from three administrative districts of Hangzhou municipality, each containing six residential communities. In each community, 50 households were recruited. A questionnaire was administered through face-to-face interviews with members of the households who signed a contract with community health centers, to collect data regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, and knowledge of and attitudes toward the contract entitlements. Consumer satisfaction was measured using six items rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from “1=very dissatisfied” to “5=very satisfied” and a summed score was calculated. A mixed linear regression model was established to identify individual predictors of consumer satisfaction after adjustment of the random (intercept) effect of household clusters. Results Overall, the respondents reported low levels of awareness and understanding of the contract entitlements, with an average knowledge score of 8.21 (SD = 3.74) out of a maximum possible of 19. The respondents had relatively lower levels of satisfaction (satisfied or very satisfied) with their prioritized entitlements (51.5%) and hospitals at home and telemedicine services (31.3%), compared with the contract and insurance policies (85.5%) and medical services provided (87.0%). Female gender, older age, chronic conditions, and perceived better health were associated with higher levels of satisfaction, while poor awareness and knowledge were associated with lower levels of satisfaction. Conclusion The study participants perceived limited benefits from the contract arrangements in primary care, which may jeopardize the policy purpose of the arrangements to encourage patients to use primary care as the first contact point in accessing health care services. It is evident that consumer satisfaction with the contract entitlements varies by healthcare needs. Lower levels of satisfaction are associated with poor awareness and knowledge of the entitlements.
Epidemiological, Clinical, and Trichoscopic Features of Syphilitic Alopecia: A Retrospective Analysis and Systematic Review

Background Syphilitic alopecia (SA), which mimics other types of alopecia, is an uncommon manifestation of secondary syphilis. Trichoscopic features may facilitate its diagnosis. However, studies on SA and its trichoscopic characteristics remain limited. Objective To investigate the epidemiological, clinical, and trichoscopic findings and laboratory results, treatment, and outcomes of SA in Thai patients as well as to comprehensively summarize all trichoscopic features of SA through a systematic review. Methods Data on patients diagnosed with SA between December 2010 and December 2021 were obtained from their medical records and analyzed retrospectively. A systematic review of trichoscopic data, both from our institution and from studies registered in the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases, was conducted. A descriptive summarization was performed to comprehensively study the trichoscopic features of SA. Results Of the 205 patients with secondary syphilis, 23 patients with SA (symptomatic SA: 20, essential SA: 3) were included. The mean age was 27.6 ± 8.8 years, and male predominance was noted. The moth-eaten pattern was the most common SA presentation, and the parieto-occipital scalp was the most commonly affected area. All patients with SA achieved significant hair regrowth within 3 months of antibiotic therapy. Trichoscopic images were available for 20 patients with SA from our institute and were included in the systematic review. Fourteen articles provided information on 21 patients. Overall (N = 41), 26 (63.4%), 8 (19.5%), and 7 (17.1%) patients had moth-eaten alopecia, diffuse alopecia, and mixed alopecia, respectively. The most frequent trichoscopic finding was short regrowing hairs (78%), followed by decreased hair per follicular unit (75.6%), and empty follicles (51.2%). Unique features included flame hairs, bent tapering hairs, reddish-brown background, and brown rings around the perifollicular areas, each described in one case. However, the results were based only on case reports and small case series. Conclusions Given the progressively increasing frequency of SA, trichoscopic examination may be valuable when SA is suspected in patients with idiopathic alopecia; however, our findings are quite non-specific. The absence of exclamation mark hairs may help in the diagnosis of SA. Further comparative studies on other types of alopecia are required to determine the most useful diagnostic features.
Brain Functional Alteration at Different Stages of Neuropathic Pain With Allodynia and Emotional Disorders

Neuropathic pain (NeuP), a challenging medical condition, has been suggested by neuroimaging studies to be associated with abnormalities of neural activities in some brain regions. However, aberrancies in brain functional alterations underlying the sensory-discriminative abnormalities and negative emotions in the setting of NeuP remain unexplored. Here, we aimed to investigate the functional alterations in neural activity relevant to pain as well as pain-related depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in NeuP by combining amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) analyses methods based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). A rat model of NeuP was established via chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Results revealed that the robust mechanical allodynia occurred early and persisted throughout the entire observational period. Depressive and anxiety-like behaviors did not appear until 4 weeks after injury. When the maximum allodynia was apparent early, CCI rats exhibited decreased ALFF and DC values in the left somatosensory and nucleus accumbens shell (ACbSh), respectively, as compared with sham rats. Both values were significantly positively correlated with mechanical withdrawal thresholds (MWT). At 4 weeks post-CCI, negative emotional states were apparent and CCI rats were noted to exhibit increased ALFF values in the left somatosensory and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as well as increased DC values in the right motor cortex, as compared with sham rats. At 4 weeks post-CCI, ALFF values in the left somatosensory cortex and DC values in the right motor cortex were noted to negatively correlate with MWT and exhibition of anxiety-like behavior on an open-field test (OFT); values were found to positively correlate with the exhibition of depressive-like behavior on forced swimming test (FST). The mPFC ALFF values were found to negatively correlate with the exhibition of anxiety-like behavior on OFT and positively correlate with the exhibition of depressive-like behavior on FST. Our findings detail characteristic alterations of neural activity patterns induced by chronic NeuP and underscore the important role of the left somatosensory cortex, as well as its related networks, in the mediation of subsequent emotional dysregulation due to NeuP. Graphical Abstract Brain functional alteration at different stages of neuropathic pain.
Serial Analysis of the T-Cell Receptor β-Chain Repertoire in People Living With HIV Reveals Incomplete Recovery After Long-Term Antiretroviral Therapy

Long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV (PLHIV) is associated with sustained increases in CD4+ T-cell count, but its effect on the peripheral blood T-cell repertoire has not been comprehensively evaluated. In this study, we performed serial profiling of the composition and diversity of the T-cell receptor β-chain (TRB) repertoire in 30 adults with HIV infection before and after the initiation of ART to define its long-term impact on the TRB repertoire. Serially acquired blood samples from 30 adults with HIV infection collected over a mean of 6 years (range, 1-12) years, with 1-4 samples collected before and 2-8 samples collected after the initiation of ART, were available for analysis. TRB repertoires were characterized via high-throughput sequencing of the TRB variable region performed on genomic DNA extracted from unsorted peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Additional laboratory and clinical metadata including serial measurements of HIV viral load and CD4 + T-cell count were available for all individuals in the cohort. A previously published control group of 189 TRB repertoires from peripheral blood samples of adult bone marrow transplant donors was evaluated for comparison. ART initiation in PLHIV was associated with a sustained reduction in viral load and a significant increase in TRB repertoire diversity. However, repertoire diversity in PLHIV remained significantly lower than in the control group even after long-term ART. The composition of TRB repertoires of PLHIV after ART also remained perturbed compared to the control cohort, as evidenced by large persistent private clonal expansions, reduced efficiency in the generation of TRB CDR3 amino acid sequences, and a narrower range of CDR3 lengths. Network analysis revealed an antigen-experienced structure in the TRB repertoire of PLHIV both before and after ART initiation that was quite distinct from the structure of control repertoires, with a slight shift toward a more naïve structure observed after ART initiation. Though we observe significant improvement in TRB repertoire diversity with durable viral suppression in PLHIV on long-term ART, the composition and structure of these repertoires remain significantly perturbed compared to the control cohort of adult bone marrow transplant donors.
ILF2 Contributes to Hyperproliferation of Keratinocytes and Skin Inflammation in a KLHDC7B-DT-Dependent Manner in Psoriasis

Background: The extensive involvement of interleukin enhancer binding factor 2 (ILF2) in RNA stability and the inflammatory response is well documented. Aberrant long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) expression contributes to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, little is known about the role of ILF2 in psoriasis. Objective: To investigate the role of ILF2 and KLHDC7B-DT in psoriasis. Methods: LncRNA expression in psoriatic tissues was measured by lncRNA microarray and qRT–PCR. Normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs), HaCaT cells, and Ker-CT cells stimulated with M5 (IL-17A, IL-22, IL-1α, oncostatin M, and TNF-α) were used to establish a psoriasis model in vitro. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to detect the distribution of KLHDC7B-DT and ILF2 in keratinocytes. The proliferative effects of KLHDC7B-DT and ILF2 on keratinocytes were demonstrated by EdU assay and flow cytometry. ELISA was used to detect the secretion levels of cytokines. RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were used to detect the direct binding of KLHDC7B-DT with ILF2. Western blotting was used to detect the proteins related to STAT3/JNK signalling pathways. Results: ILF2 and KLHDC7B-DT were significantly overexpressed in psoriatic tissues and M5-induced keratinocytes. KLHDC7B-DT promoted the proliferation of keratinocytes and induced the secretion of IL-6 and IL-8. KLHDC7B-DT could directly bind to ILF2 and activate the STAT3 and JNK signalling pathways. KLHDC7B-DT expression was regulated by ILF2. M5-induced proliferation and inflammatory cytokine secretion in keratinocytes was inhibited after ILF2 knockdown. Furthermore, we found that ILF2 promoted keratinocyte proliferation and the inflammatory response in a KLHDC7B-DT-dependent manner. Conclusions: ILF2 and KLHDC7B-DT are involved in the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes and skin inflammation in psoriasis. In addition, ILF2 functions in a KLHDC7B-DT-dependent manner.
Extraction of Bioactive Compounds From Cannabis sativa L. Flowers and/or Leaves Using Deep Eutectic Solvents

The increasing demand for medical cannabis urges the development of new and effective methods for the extraction of phytocannabinoids. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are an alternative to the use of hazardous organic solvents typically used in the industry. In this study, hydrophilic and hydrophobic DESs were developed based on terpenes, sugars, and natural organic acids as green extraction media for the extraction of cannabis bioactive compounds. The factors influencing the extraction of bioactive components, such as the type of DESs and extraction time, were investigated. Initial screening in hemp showed that the DES composed of Men: Lau (a 2:1-M ratio) had a greater extraction efficiency of cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) (11.07 ± 0.37 mg/g) of all the tested DESs and higher than ethanol. Besides having a higher or equivalent extraction yield as the organic solvents tested, DESs showed to be more selective, extracting fewer impurities, such as chlorophyll and waxes. These results, coupled with the non-toxic, biodegradable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly characteristics of DESs, provide strong evidence that DESs represent a better alternative to organic solvents.
Visual Merchandising and Consumer Buying Behavior: Comparison Between Two Product Categories

Buying behavior of customers for different product categories varies because of different factors. This research was intended to find impact of visual merchandising on consumer buying behavior for two different product categories. The two product categories for study were apparel and furniture. Dimensions of visual merchandising taken for study of this topic were window display, store front, mannequin display, floor merchandising, merchandise display, store layout and organization, creative style and trend co-ordination, signage/graphics, store atmosphere. It is found that few dimensions of visual merchandising do affect buying behavior. Window display affects buying behavior for both product categories. Mannequin display is important visual merchandising dimension is found to impact customer’s apparel buying behavior. While, store front, shelf display (in merchandise display) and creative combination of colour (in creative style and trend co-ordination) giving new design ideas for home impacts customer’s buying behavior for furniture category.Note: The full paper is uploaded with the permission of the publisher GBATA. The copyright of the paper rests with the publishers who have made the paper available on the internet. For the commercial use of paper permission from publisher is needed.
The sphingosine kinase inhibitor SKI-V suppresses cervical cancer cell growth

Overexpression and/or overactivation of sphingosine kinase 1/2 (SphK1/2) is important for tumorigenesis and progression of cervical cancer. The current study examined the potential activity and signaling mechanisms of SKI-V, a non-lipid small molecule SphK inhibitor, against cervical cancer cells. In different primary and immortalized cervical cancer cells, SKI-V exerted significant anti-cancer activity by inhibiting cell viability, colony formation, proliferation, cell cycle progression and cell migration. Significant apoptosis activation was detected in SKI-V-treated cervical cancer cells. Significantly, SKI-V also provoked programmed necrosis cascade in cervical cancer cells, as it induced mitochondrial p53-cyclophilin-D-adenine nucleotide translocator-1 (ANT1) complexation, mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, reactive oxygen species production and the release of lactate dehydrogenase into the medium. Further, SKI-V blocked SphK activation and induced ceramide accumulation in primary cervical cancer cells, without affecting SphK1/2 expression. SKI-V-induced cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cells was largely inhibited by sphingosine-1-phosphate or the SphK1 activator K6PC-5, but was sensitized by adding the short-chain ceramide C6. Moreover, SKI-V inhibited Akt-mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) activation in primary cervical cancer cells, and its cytotoxicity was mitigated by a constitutively-active Akt. In vivo, daily intraperitoneal injection of SKI-V significantly inhibited subcutaneous primary cervical cancer xenograft growth in nude mice. Together, the SphK inhibitor SKI-V suppresses cervical cancer growth in vitro and in vivo.
Mucosal Vaccination Antigen-Specific Immune Responses in Antigen Delivery and Induces The M Cell-Targeting Ligand Promotes

Oral mucosal immunization can induce protective immunity in both systemic compartments and the mucosa. Successful mucosal immunization depends on Ag delivery to the mucosal immune induction site. The high transcytotic activity of M cells within the mucosa makes these cells attractive targets for mucosal Ag delivery, although it remains unclear whether delivery of Ag to M cells only can guarantee the induction of effective immune responses. In this study, we evaluated the ability of an M cell-targeting ligand with adjuvant activity to induce immunity against ligand-fused Ag. We selected M cell-targeting ligands through biopanning of a phage display library against differentiated in vitro M-like cells and produced the recombinant Ags fused to the selected ligands using the model Ag. One of the selected peptide ligands, Co1, promoted the binding of ligand-fused Ag to mouse Peyer’s patch M cells and human M-like cells that had been deﬁned by binding with the M cell-speciﬁc and anti-GP2 Abs. In addition, Co1 ligand enhanced the uptake of fused Ag by immunogenic tissue in an ex vivo loop assay and in vivo oral administration experiments. After oral administration, the ligand-fused Ag enhanced immune responses against the fused Ag compared with those of the control Ag without ligand. In addition, this use of the ligand supported a skewed Th2-type immune response against the fused Ag. Collectively, these results suggest that the ligand selected through biopanning against cultured M-like cells could be used as an adjuvant for targeted Ag delivery into the mucosal immune system to enhance immune induction. The Journal of Immunology , 2010, 185: 5787–5795. induction of speciﬁc immune responses against a ligand-fused Ag after oral administration.