Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age interferes with sensorimotor timing and error correction in the supra-second range

Introduction Precise motor timing including the ability to adjust movements after changes in the environment is fundamental to many daily activities. Sensorimotor timing in the sub-and supra-second range might rely on at least partially distinct brain networks, with the latter including the basal ganglia (BG) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Since both structures are particularly vulnerable to age-related decline, the present study investigated whether age might distinctively affect sensorimotor timing and error correction in the supra-second range. Methods A total of 50 healthy right-handed volunteers with 22 older (age range: 50–60 years) and 28 younger (age range: 20–36 years) participants synchronized the tap-onsets of their right index finger with an isochronous auditory pacing signal. Stimulus onset asynchronies were either 900 or 1,600 ms. Positive or negative step-changes that were perceivable or non-perceivable were occasionally interspersed to the fixed intervals to induce error correction. A simple reaction time task served as control condition. Results and Discussion In line with our hypothesis, synchronization variability in trials with supra-second intervals was larger in the older group. While reaction times were not affected by age, the mean negative asynchrony was significantly smaller in the elderly in trials with positive step-changes, suggesting more pronounced tolerance of positive deviations at older age. The analysis of error correction by means of the phase correction response (PCR) suggests reduced error correction in the older group. This effect emerged in trials with supra-second intervals and large positive step-changes, only. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that sensorimotor synchronization in the sub-second range is maintained but synchronization accuracy and error correction in the supra-second range is reduced in the elderly as early as in the fifth decade of life suggesting that these measures are suitable for the early detection of age-related changes of the motor system.
Cost analysis of severe burn victims in Southwest China: A 7-year retrospective study

Background Severe burn injury can be a life-threatening experience and can also lead to financial issues for suffers. The purpose of the current study was to analyze the direct hospitalization costs of severe burn inpatients in Southwest China. Methods Data related to all inpatients admitted with severe burns [total body surface area (TBSA) ≥30%] pooled from 2015 to 2021 were reviewed retrospectively at the Institute of Burn Research of Army Medical University. Demographic parameters, medical economics, and clinical data were obtained from medical records. Results A total of 668 cases were identified. The average age was 37.49 ± 21.00 years, and 72.3% were men. The average TBSA was 51.35 ± 19.49%. The median length of stay of inpatients in the burn intensive care unit was 14 [interquartile range (IQR): 5.0–34.8] days, and the median length of stay (LOS) was 41 (IQR: 22.0–73.8) days. The mortality rate was 1.6%. The median total cost was 212,755.45 CNY (IQR: 83,908.80–551,621.57 CNY) per patient varying from 3,521.30 to 4,822,357.19 CNY. The direct cost of scald burns was dramatically lower compared with that of other types of burns, with 11,213.43 to 2,819,019.14 CNY. Medical consumables presented the largest portion of total costs, with a median cost of 65,942.64 CNY (IQR: 18,771.86–171,197.97 CNY). The crucial risk factors for medical cost in our study were TBSA, surgical frequency, LOS, depth of burn, and outcome. Conclusion We conclude that an effective burn prevention program, shorter hospital stays, and facilitating the healing of wounds should be focused on with tailored precautionary protocols to reduce the medical costs of inpatients with severe burns.
Insight into the role of the gut-brain axis in alcohol-related responses: Emphasis on GLP-1, amylin, and ghrelin

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) contributes substantially to global morbidity and mortality. Given the heterogenicity of this brain disease, available pharmacological treatments only display efficacy in sub-set of individuals. The need for additional treatment options is thus substantial and is the goal of preclinical studies unraveling neurobiological mechanisms underlying AUD. Although these neurobiological processes are complex and numerous, one system gaining recent attention is the gut-brain axis. Peptides of the gut-brain axis include anorexigenic peptide like glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and amylin as well as the orexigenic peptide ghrelin. In animal models, agonists of the GLP-1 or amylin receptor and ghrelin receptor (GHSR) antagonists reduce alcohol drinking, relapse drinking, and alcohol-seeking. Moreover, these three gut-brain peptides modulate alcohol-related responses (behavioral and neurochemical) in rodents, suggesting that the alcohol reduction may involve a suppression of alcohol’s rewarding properties. Brain areas participating in the ability of these gut-brain peptides to reduce alcohol-mediated behaviors/neurochemistry involve those important for reward. Human studies support these preclinical studies as polymorphisms of the genes encoding for GLP-1 receptor or the ghrelin pathway are associated with AUD. Moreover, a GLP-1 receptor agonist decreases alcohol drinking in overweight patients with AUD and an inverse GHSR agonist reduces alcohol craving. Although preclinical and clinical studies reveal an interaction between the gut-brain axis and AUD, additional studies should explore this in more detail.
Population genetic differentiation of Daphnia sinensis in a lasting high-phosphorus Chinese lake, Lake Chaohu

Ecological shifts (e.g., eutrophication) can affect the genetic differentiation of zooplankton populations in lakes. However, the role of environmental change in a lasting high-phosphorus lake driving the genetic differentiation of zooplankton population structure over time is poorly understood. In this paper, the changes of the genetic diversity and differentiation of Daphnia sinensis population were studied by using the mitochondrial COI gene and microsatellite markers on modern groups (from January to June 2016) and historic groups (obtained from resting eggs in the sediments) in Lake Chaohu. Based on the microsatellite markers, six modern groups were clustered into two clusters (the WG cluster and SG cluster) during the seasonal dynamics, whereas the genetic differentiation of the five historic groups showed a wave-like pattern and had evolved into four clusters. Moreover, the haplotype network showed that six modern groups had one origin center whereas five historic groups had two origin centers based on the mitochondrial COI gene marker. Fu’s Fs neutral test and Tajima’s test indicated that the five historic groups deviated from neutral evolution and showed a bottleneck effect in the history process. Water temperature and total dissolved phosphorus were obviously associated with the seasonal genetic differentiation of D. sinensis, whereas nitrogen content of the sediments was significantly related to the long-term microevolution of D. sinensis in the high-phosphorus environment. Therefore, the changing pattern of D. sinensis population genetic structure was one of the environmental selections probably combined with co-evolutionary, where rapid-increasing nitrogen level had a large impact on D. sinensis population genetic structure in lasting high phosphorus environment in Lake Chaohu.
Proteomic and in silico analyses of dextran synthesis influence on Leuconostoc lactis AV1n adaptation to temperature change

Leuconostoc lactis is found in vegetables, fruits, and meat and is used by the food industry in the preparation of dairy products, wines, and sugars. We have previously demonstrated that the dextransucrase of Lc. lactis (DsrLL) AV1n produces a high-molecular-weight dextran from sucrose, indicating its potential use as a dextran-forming starter culture. We have also shown that this bacterium was able to produce 10-fold higher levels of dextran at 20°C than at 37°C, at the former temperature accompanied by an increase in dsrLL gene expression. However, the general physiological response of Lc. lactis AV1n to cold temperature in the presence of sucrose, leading to increased production of dextran, has not been yet investigated. Therefore, we have used a quantitative proteomics approach to investigate the cold temperature-induced changes in the proteomic profile of this strain in comparison to its proteomic response at 37°C. In total, 337 proteins were found to be differentially expressed at the applied significance criteria (adjusted p-value ≤ 0.05, FDR 5%, and with a fold-change ≥ 1.5 or ≤ 0.67) with 204 proteins overexpressed, among which 13% were involved in protein as well as cell wall, and envelope component biosynthesis including DsrLL. Proteins implicated in cold stress were expressed at a high level at 20°C and possibly play a role in the upregulation of DsrLL, allowing the efficient synthesis of the protein essential for its adaptation to cold. Post-transcriptional regulation of DsrLL expression also seems to take place through the interplay of exonucleases and endonucleases overexpressed at 20°C, which would influence the half-life of the dsrLL transcript. Furthermore, the mechanism of cold resistance of Lc. lactis AV1n seems to be also based on energy saving through a decrease in growth rate mediated by a decrease in carbohydrate metabolism and its orientation toward the production pathways for storage molecules. Thus, this better understanding of the responses to low temperature and mechanisms for environmental adaptation of Lc. lactis could be exploited for industrial use of strains belonging to this species.
Adhesion and invasion studies of uveal melanoma.

Posterior uveal melanoma is the most common intraocular malignancy in adults. Metastasis occurs in approximately 50% of all cases, and spread is primarily to the liver. Very little is known about the factors that regulate uveal melanoma metastasis, and it possible that this tumour may follow Paget's 'seed and soil' hypothesis. Identification of further indicators associated with the metastatic phenotype, may aid in detecting patients most at risk. Using a series of short-term cultures, this study aimed to further identify factors that may be involved with uveal melanoma metastasis to the liver. Detachment of cells from the primary tumour mass requires changes to adhesive and degradative interactions. Uveal melanomas were shown to ubiquitously express some integrins, degradative enzymes and inhibitors, whilst expression of others (a 1, a2, a4, and a6) are more variable, and may in part be related to the in vitro stimulation. Once migrated through the surrounding matrix, and basement membrane, migration through the endothelium is essential. Using an in vitro model of transendothelial invasion, results indicated that for uveal melanoma, invasion seemed to correlate with a wider range of prognostic indicators, than through the basement membrane alone. Uveal melanoma cells may disseminate widely, but primarily initiate metastatic growth at the liver alone. Factors associated with uveal melanomas have been reported to assist in liver targeting, and similarly most uveal melanomas in this study responded positively to factors secreted by cells of hepatic origin. Cells derived from dermal tissues nevertheless also stimulated invasion. After coculture of uveal melanoma cells with dermal or hepatic endothelial cells, notable changes were however only observed through interactions with hepatic endothelial cells, suggesting that despite attraction to other sites, uveal melanomas may only arrest in the liver. In particular, an increase in uveal melanoma a4 expression, accompanied by an increase in hepatic endothelial VCAM-1 expression may be involved in liver targeting.
ELUCIDATION OF THE CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF MISSENSE MUTATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH FAMILIAL EXUDATIVE VITREORETINOPATHY AND CONGENITAL MYASTHENIC SYNDROME

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER), within eukaryotic cells, is a hub for protein folding and assembly. Misfolded proteins and unassembled subunits of protein complexes are retained in the ER and degraded by a process termed endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation (ERAD). Frizzled class receptor 4 (FZD4) and muscle, skeletal, receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) are Wnt receptors. These proteins contain the frizzled cysteine-rich domain (Fz-CRD) required for dimerization in the ER. Mutations in FZD4 and MuSK genes are known to cause familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR, an autosomal dominant disease) and congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS, an autosomal recessive disease), respectively. It was hypothesized that missense mutations within Fz-CRD lead to misfolding of FZD4 and MuSK proteins and consequent ER-retention. Investigating the molecular mechanism of these mutations is important since misfolded protein and ER-targeted therapies are in development being developed. Wild-type and mutants of FZD4 and MuSK were expressed at 37 °C in HeLa, COS-7, and HEK293 cells and their subcellular localizations were investigated using confocal microscopy imaging and glycosidase treatments. Abnormal trafficking was demonstrated in 10 of 21 mutants studied; nine mutants were within Fz-CRD and one was distant from Fz-CRD. These ER-retained mutants were improperly N-glycosylated confirming ER-localization. They were tagged with polyubiquitin chains confirming targeting for proteasomal degradation. The half-lives of wild-type MuSK and P344R-MuSK were 45 and 37 minutes, respectively; the latter half-life improved on incubation with proteasomal inhibitor MG132. The P344R-MuSK kinase mutant showed around 50% of its in vivo autophosphorylation activity. Trafficking defects in three of the 10 mutants (M105TFZD4, C204Y-FZD4, and P344R-MuSK) were rescued by expression at 27 °C and by chemical chaperones (2.5-7.5% glycerol, 0.1-1% dimethyl sulfoxide, 10 μM thapsigargin, or 1 μM curcumin). Trafficking of wild-type FZD4 was not affected by
Task Performance induced Work Load in Nursing

Background & objective: High workload may lead to increase human errors, compromise quality and safety of care, and reduce the nurses’ quality of working life. The aim of this study is to determine the task-induced workload in nursing. Methods: This is a descriptive analytical study. All of 214 nurses of one of the educational hospital took part in. After obtaining informed consent from participants, data were collected based on NASA-TLX questionnaire and the desired level assumed less than 50%. Analysis of data was performed by descriptive statistics and Anova in SPSS software (version 11. 0) at significant level of 0.05. Results: The results showed that perceived mental pressure for nurses is more than other NASA-TLX subscales (P< .001). Also, the mean perceived workload was more than 50%. However, mean workload score of NASA-TLX showed significant correlation with age (P< .001), work experience (P< .001), shift work (P< .02), and department (P< .001). Conclusion: The results show that effective programs will be required to reduce the work load, and to enhance nurses' performance.
Economic Outcomes of Risperidone in Comparison to Typical Neuroleptic Agents for Treatment-Resistant Psychosis: A Community-Based Study

Objective: To compare the costs of treatment for psychosis with risperidone and typical neuroleptics in severely ill outpatients treated in a community mental health setting. Methods: This was an open, retrospective, controlled cohort comparison of actual costs of psychiatric treatment in a group of 17 patients treated with risperidone for psychotic disorders and 15 typical neuroleptic-treated controls matched for severity of illness. Assignment to the two groups was nonrandomized, and outcome data were gathered for the duration of the study for each subject, with dropouts included. Results: Risperidone use did not lead to increased treatment expenses compared with typical neuroleptic use in a mean of approximately nine months follow-up. The median overall cost per patient per year was $2,703 in the risperidone group, compared with $2,551 in the typical neuroleptic group (p = 0.64). Increased drug costs (mean expenses per patient per year: $1,631 for risperidone vs. $357 for typical neuroleptics; p = 0.005) were offset by reduced expenses due to decreased hospitalization rates (mean expenses per patient per year: $1,379 for risperidone vs. $3,920 for typical neuroleptics; p = 0.04). Use of other outpatient services did not significantly differ between the two groups. Conclusions: Use of risperidone led to lower hospitalization rates in this severely ill sample and did not lead to greater overall expense than typical neuroleptic use.
Comparison of Drainage, Delayed Pits Excision, and Closure With Excision and Secondary Healing in Pilonidal Sinus Abscess Cases

A pilonidal abscess is an emergency situation which requires immediate drainage and is usually seen in young men. We aimed to compare incision and draining (I&D) of acute pilonidal abscess (PSA) and healing by secondary intention with I&D and subsequent delayed pits excision and closure (PE/PC). A total of 62 patients admitted with PSA were randomized to undergo either I&D and healing by secondary intention (group 1, n = 33) or I&D and PE/PC (group 2, n = 29). Demographic characteristics of the patients, abscess depth and location, duration and healing times of the symptoms, time required to return to work, and ratio of chronic pilonidal sinus (PNS) development were recorded, and the two methods were compared. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in relation to sex, age, and preoperative findings, including discharge, infection, pain, and length and depth of abscess. There was no difference in length of hospital stay between the groups, and no statistically significant di.
Conventional and Papillary Renal Cell Carcinomas and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis in a Nephrectomy

This is a case report of a 63-year-old morbidly obese (body mass index, 46.5 kg/m2) African American woman with a medical history of recurrent urinary tract infections, diverticulosis/diverticulitis, duodenitis, colovesical fistula, gout, hypertension, degenerative joint disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, a 20-pack-year history of tobacco use, and bilateral axillary hidradenitis suppurativa. After multiple episodes of gross hematuria and suprapubic discomfort, a computed tomographic scan showed a solid mass in the lower pole of the right kidney. The patient underwent right open radical nephrectomy in May 2010 without major complications. A conventional (clear cell) renal cell carcinoma and a small papillary renal cell carcinoma were found upon histopathologic examination of the kidney. Examination of the nonneoplastic renal parenchyma revealed changes indicative of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, as well as mild arterial nephrosclerosis. No tumor metastases were detected at 5 years after nephrectomy. Her serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate gradually deteriorated in the 5 years after nephrectomy. The gradual, less steep renal function deterioration of this patient emphasizes the importance of reporting nonneoplastic renal lesions/diseases in nephrectomies for kidney and renal pelvis tumors. She developed edema, progressive proteinuria reaching 6.5 g/d, and serum creatinine level of 4.2 mg/dL (baseline serum creatinine at time of nephrectomy was 0.7 mg/dL). The early diagnosis helped medically manage and delay the progression of the medical renal disorder. An easy algorithmic approach for nonneoplastic renal parenchymal tissue should be adopted by general/surgical pathologists when evaluating surgical nephrectomies.
Excess Surgical Mortality: Strategies for Improving Quality of Care

Much has since been done to investigate these issues. The WHO has provided guidance for measuring surgical services and capacity through a set of standardized metrics for surgical surveillance (Weiser and others 2009). In addition, a situational analysis tool has been constructed and deployed in a number of countries to help assess surgical capacity (WHO 2010). Yet the logistics of performing surgery are complex and demand standardization. Surgical services must also continuously measure patient outcomes to identify shortcomings, inform improvements, and maintain high levels of quality care. Mortality Following Surgery
Evaluation of the platelet cross-matching in oncology patients

Context: Platelet transfusion is an essential part of managing cancer. Refractoriness to platelet transfusion poses great challenge in the treatment of thrombocytopenic patients. Aims: The prospective study was undertaken to correlate and evaluate the result of the platelet cross-matching with posttransfusion count increment and to ascertain the effectiveness of routinely performing platelet cross-matching in Indian perspective. Subjects and Methods: ABO compatible, leukoreduced, random-donor platelets were randomly transfused to 30 thrombocytopenic, oncology patients. Platelet cross-match and platelet antibody screen were performed using solid-phase red-cell adherence (SPRCA) techniques and corrected count increment (CCI) was ascertained. Statistical Analysis: Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16, Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Multivariate analysis and step-wise regression procedure were used to choose the set of best predictors. Results: One hundred and twenty-two units (86%) were negative cross-matched while 20 units (14%) were positive platelet cross-matched. Mean CCI was 28,927 ± 23,007 which was more and statistically significant in females than in males. Four cases (13.33%) showed platelet refractoriness with CCI <5000 including three cases of leukemia (25% of hematological malignancies). Patients with low CCI showed positive cross-match and antibodies against platelets. Conclusion: Platelet cross-match using SPRCA is an effective and rapid first-line approach for selecting compatible platelets as compared to human leucocyte antigen-matched platelets in the treatment of thrombocytopenic cancer patients. Platelet cross-match along with testing for anti-platelet antibodies should be an important component in the management of oncology patients which is less time-consuming and cost-effective than the molecular testing.
Uptake of adriamycin and daunomycin in L1210 and human leukemia cells: a comparative study.

: The uptake of Adriamycin (AM) and Daunomycin (DM) in L1210 leukemia cells was found to be dependent on drug dose, time, and temperature. DM was taken up to a greater extent in human leukemia cells in vitro and in L1210 leukemic cells both in vitro and in vivo. Intracellular retention of DM was less than that of AM. Drug transport appears to be a factor in developing resistance to DM in L1210 cells, but the data for AM were inconclusive in this regard. The importance of cellular uptake and retension operative in determining differences in the overall therapeutic efficacy in vivo remains to be elucidated.
Tumor-mimicking facial nerve lesion: a rare cause of facial palsy and literature review

Abstract Facial nerve palsy involves a wide spectrum of etiologies. The most common cause of peripheral facial palsy is Bell’s palsy. Facial nerve neoplasm is a rare cause of facial palsy. A 56-year-old male patient presented with a gradual onset of peripheral-type right facial palsy and with a finding of facial nerve mastoid segment tumor by magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical exploration showed no tumor tissue, but there was granulation surrounding a segment of an atrophic facial nerve. Pathology revealed fibrosis mixed with granulation, and virologic analysis was negative for herpes simplex virus. Facial palsy is a challenging issue. Suspicion of a facial neoplasm at a rare location and isolated segment raised the differential diagnosis of uncommon facial nerve lesions. Surgical exploration could not categorize the lesion into infection, neoplasm, or trauma. Further studies on similar patients may define this as a completely new disease in the future.