Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oral health related quality of life and self-esteem in a general population

Background and aims The interest in the research of both Oral Health Related Quality Of Life and dental aesthetics has increased in the recent years. The aim of the current study consists in the evaluation of the perception of oral-health, dental aesthetics and self-esteem in a general population. Methods A group of students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, were trained in the field of questionnaire interviewing. The students were asked to apply the following questionnaires to a number of maximum five close persons: the OHIP-14Aesthetic questionnaire, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and a questionnaire evaluating demographic data. Each interviewed subject provided informed consent. The sample included 97 subjects with an age range of 18–75 years. For each of the three applied questionnaires overall scores were computed and used for the calculation of Pearson correlations and inferential statistical procedures: the t-test. Results Related to the complete sample (N=97), the highest OHIP-14Aesthetic scores were obtained for the functional limitation (mean score of 2.22), physical pain (mean score of 2.72) and psychological discomfort (mean score of 1.37) subscales. The highest Rosenberg self-esteem scale scores were obtained for the following questions: “I think I am no good at all” (mean score of 3.50), “feel useless at times” (mean score of 3.53), “inclined to feel that I am a failure” (mean score 3.77), “positive attitude toward myself” (mean score of 3.50). Statistically significant correlations were registered between the overall Rosenberg self-esteem scale score and the scores of the following OHIP-14Aesthetic subscales: psychological discomfort (r = −0.201, p = 0.49), physical disability (r = −0.219, p = 0.031), psychological disability (r = −0.218, p = 0.032), social disability (r = −0.203, p = 0.046). The t-test revealed statistically significant gender differences, in regard to the OHIP-14Aesthetic overall score t(95) = −2.820, p = 0.006. Conclusions The current study indicates the existence of statistically significant gender differences in the perception of oral health and a series of dental aesthetics elements in a general population. Moreover, statistically significant correlations were obtained between the perception of oral health and the perception of self-esteem.
Pseudodiastrophic dysplasia expands the known phenotypic spectrum of defects in proteoglycan biosynthesis

Background Pseudodiastrophic dysplasia (PDD) is a severe skeletal dysplasia associated with prenatal manifestation and early lethality. Clinically, PDD is classified as a ‘dysplasia with multiple joint dislocations’; however, the molecular aetiology of the disorder is currently unknown. Methods Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed on three patients from two unrelated families, clinically diagnosed with PDD, in order to identify the underlying genetic cause. The functional effects of the identified variants were characterised using primary cells and human cell-based overexpression assays. Results WES resulted in the identification of biallelic variants in the established skeletal dysplasia genes, B3GAT3 (family 1) and CANT1 (family 2). Mutations in these genes have previously been reported to cause ‘multiple joint dislocations, short stature, and craniofacial dysmorphism with or without congenital heart defects’ (‘JDSCD’; B3GAT3) and Desbuquois dysplasia 1 (CANT1), disorders in the same nosological group as PDD. Follow-up of the B3GAT3 variants demonstrated significantly reduced B3GAT3/GlcAT-I expression. Downstream in vitro functional analysis revealed abolished biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycan side chains on proteoglycans. Functional evaluation of the CANT1 variant showed impaired nucleotidase activity, which results in inhibition of glycosaminoglycan synthesis through accumulation of uridine diphosphate. Conclusion For the families described in this study, the PDD phenotype was caused by mutations in the known skeletal dysplasia genes B3GAT3 and CANT1, demonstrating the advantage of genomic analyses in delineating the molecular diagnosis of skeletal dysplasias. This finding expands the phenotypic spectrum of B3GAT3-related and CANT1-related skeletal dysplasias to include PDD and highlights the significant phenotypic overlap of conditions within the proteoglycan biosynthesis pathway.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus and educational attainment in childhood: a systematic review

Objectives The primary objective of this systematic review was to evaluate available literature on whether type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) has an impact on educational attainment in individuals undertaking high stakes standardised testing at the end of compulsory schooling. Design A systematic review was undertaken comparing educational attainment for individuals with and without T1DM who have undertaken high stakes testing at the end of compulsory schooling. Data sources A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, MEDLINE (epub ahead of print, in-process and other non-indexed citations), EMBASE, Web of Science, British Education Index, Education Resources Information Center and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature was undertaken on 15 January 2018 and updated on 17 January 2019. Eligibility criteria Included studies fulfilled the following criteria: observational study or randomised controlled trial; included individuals who have undertaken high stakes testing at the end of compulsory schooling; compared the grades obtained by individuals with T1DM with a representative population control. Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers performed study selection and data extraction independently. Quality and risk of bias in the observational studies included were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A detailed narrative synthesis of the included studies was completed. Results 3103 articles were identified from the database search, with two Swedish cohort studies (using the same linked administrative data) meeting final inclusion criteria. A small but statistically significant difference was reported in mean final grades, with children with T1DM found to have lower mean grades than their non-diabetic counterparts (adjusted mean difference 0.07–0.08). Conclusions More contemporary research is required to evaluate the impact of T1DM in childhood on educational attainment in individuals undertaking high stakes standardised testing at the end of compulsory schooling, taking into consideration the substantial advances in management of T1DM in the last decade. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017084078.
Trial of labor after cesarean in women in their second delivery – labor characteristics and postpartum factors which influence a patient’s choice

Abstract Introduction We aimed to assess trial of labor rates in patients in their second pregnancy following a cesarean delivery (CD), and asses the correlation to delivery and postpartum characteristics of their primary delivery. Materials and methods This was a retrospective cohort of deliveries at our institution between 2009 and 2016. Files of patients with one past CD and a subsequent second delivery were reviewed. Included were patients with a favorable past indication for CD – malpresentation, nonreassuring fetal heart rate, multiple gestation, or placenta previa/abruption. Cases in which a TOLAC was undertaken were compared to those who did not undergo a TOLAC regarding maternal, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes. Results Five hundred and thirty-six deliveries matched the inclusion criteria, in which 269 patients attempted a TOLAC (TOLAC group) and 267 patients did not (no TOLAC group). Patient demographics at the time of primary CD were similar, but the rate of preterm deliveries was higher among the no TOLAC group. In their second delivery, patients who attempted a TOLAC were younger, had a lower body mass index, had a lower rate of assisted reproduction, and has less pregnancy-related complications (diabetes, hypertensive disorders). Conclusions In patients with a first CD, a history of preterm delivery negatively correlated with a TOLAC, while patient age, body mass index and gestational comorbidities negatively affected TOLAC rates in subsequent delivery.
Role of microRNA-21 and microRNA-155 as biomarkers for bronchial asthma

MicroRNA (miRNA)-21 and miRNA-155 are important regulators of gene expression of different immunological molecules. This study aimed to investigate the role of miRNA-21 and miRNA-155 as biomarkers in asthma by comparing their serum expression levels in asthmatic patients to those in healthy controls and correlating their levels with serum IL-4. The expression levels of miRNA-21 and miRNA-155 were evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR. Serum levels of IL-4 were determined using ELISA. Asthmatic patients showed significantly higher serum miRNA-21 and miRNA-155 expression levels compared to controls. A statistically significant positive correlation between the expression levels of miRNA-21 and IL-4 serum levels in asthmatic patients was detected. Nonetheless, no correlation was detected between miRNA-155 expression and each of IL-4 and miRNA-21. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that at a cut-off value of 1.37, the sensitivity of miRNA-21 as an asthma biomarker was 100% and the specificity was 95%. At a cut-off value of 1.96, the sensitivity of miRNA-155 as an asthma biomarker was 100% and the specificity was 100%. It can be concluded that miRNA-21 and miRNA-155 are potential non-invasive biomarkers in the diagnosis of eosinophilic asthma and its response to therapy.
Hybridization between Felis silvestris silvestris and Felis silvestris catus in two contrasted environments in France

Abstract European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) populations are fragmented throughout most of the whole range of the subspecies and may be threatened by hybridization with the domestic cat F.s. catus. The underlying ecological processes promoting hybridization remain largely unknown. In France, wildcats are mainly present in the northeast and signs of their presence in the Pyrenees have been recently provided. However, no studies have been carried out in the French Pyrenees to assess their exposure to hybridization. We compared two local populations of wildcats, one living in a continuous forest habitat in the French Pyrenees, the other living in a highly fragmented forest‐agricultural landscape in northeastern France to get insights into the variability of hybridization rates. Strong evidence of hybridization was detected in northeastern France and not in the Pyrenees. Close kin in the Pyrenees were not found in the same geographic location contrary to what was previously reported for females in the northeastern wildcat population. The two wildcat populations were significantly differentiated (F ST = 0.072) to an extent close to what has been reported (F ST = 0.103) between the Iberian population, from which the Pyrenean population may originate, and the German population, which is connected to the northeastern population. The genetic diversity of the Pyrenean wildcats was lower than that of northeastern wildcat populations in France and in other parts of Europe. The lower hybridization in the Pyrenees may result from the continuity of natural forest habitats. Further investigations should focus on linking landscape features to hybridization rates working on local populations.
Macrophage subtype and cytokine expression characterization during the acute inflammatory phase of mouse bone fracture repair

Fracture repair is a complex process requiring heterotypic interactions between osteogenic cells and immune cells. Recent evidence indicates that macrophages are critically involved in fracture repair. Polarized macrophage populations differentially promote and regulate inflammation in other tissues, but little is known about the various macrophage subtypes and their signaling activities following a bone fracture. The authors hypothesized that classically activated (M1 subtype) and alternatively activated (M2 subtype) macrophages are active during the early repair process to initiate and regulate the inflammatory response. To test our hypothesis, bone marrow was collected from intact femurs (naïve group), contralateral and fractured femurs of mice on days 0, 1, 2, 4, and 7 postfracture. Macrophages were isolated from the bone marrow and macrophage subtypes were identified using flow cytometry with antibodies to F4/80, MHC II, CD86, CD11c, and CD40. Bone marrow cytokine levels were measured using xMAP. Flow cytometry revealed dynamic changes in M1 subtype (F4/80+/MHC II+/CD86+), M2 subtype (F4/80+/MHC II−/CD86−), and dendritic cell (DCs; MHCII+/CD11c+/CD40+) populations following fracture as compared to naïve controls. M1 subtype levels were correlated with IL‐1α, IL‐1ß, IL‐2, IL‐17, Eotaxin, and MCP‐1, while DCs were correlated with IL‐6, G‐CSF, LIF, KC, and VEGF‐A. The results indicate that M1 and M2 subtypes and DCs are recruited to the fracture site early during the repair process and consequently may work in tandem to regulate the inflammatory response required to recruit osteogenic cells needed for later stages of repair.
Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of NADPH oxidase genes in response to ABA and abiotic stresses, and in fibre formation in Gossypium

Plasma membrane NADPH oxidases, also named respiratory burst oxidase homologues (Rbohs), play pivotal roles in many aspects of growth and development, as well as in responses to hormone signalings and various biotic and abiotic stresses. Although Rbohs family members have been identified in several plants, little is known about Rbohs in Gossypium. In this report, we characterized 13, 13, 26 and 19 Rbohs in G. arboretum, G. raimondii, G. hirsutum and G. barbadense, respectively. These Rbohs were conservative in physical properties, structures of genes and motifs. The expansion and evolution of the Rbohs dominantly depended on segmental duplication, and were under the purifying selection. Transcription analyses showed that GhRbohs were expressed in various tissues, and most GhRbohs were highly expressed in flowers. Moreover, different GhRbohs had very diverse expression patterns in response to ABA, high salinity, osmotic stress and heat stress. Some GhRbohs were preferentially and specifically expressed during ovule growth and fiber formation. These results suggest that GhRbohs may serve highly differential roles in mediating ABA signaling, in acclimation to environmental stimuli, and in fiber growth and development. Our findings are valuable for further elucidating the functions and regulation mechanisms of the Rbohs in adaptation to diverse stresses, and in growth and development in Gossypium.
Bacterial signatures and their inflammatory potentials associated with prostate cancer

Chronic inflammation can create a microenvironment that can contribute to the formation of prostate pathologies. Far less well understood is the origin of inflammation in the prostate. One potential source is microbial infections of the prostate. This review summarizes recent findings regarding the presence of bacteria in the prostate and the dysbiosis of bacterial populations in the urinary tract and the gastrointestinal tract related to prostate cancer, thereby focusing on next‐generation sequencing (NGS)‐generated data. The current limitations regarding NGS‐based detection methods and other difficulties in the quest for a microbial etiology for prostate cancer are discussed. We then focus on a few bacterial species, including Cutibacterium acnes and Escherichia coli that are often NGS‐detected in prostatic tissue specimens, and discuss their possible contribution as initiator or enhancer of prostate inflammation and prostate carcinogenesis.
Macaca leonina has a wider niche breadth than sympatric M. mulatta in a fragmented tropical forest in southwest China

Niche differentiation has long been identified as an essential stabilizing mechanism for the coexistence of sympatric species. Using camera trapping data obtained during 2012–2016, we identified Macaca leonina and M. mulatta as the dominant macaque species in the Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve (NRW‐NNR), a tropical forest in southwestern China. In general, M. leonina exhibited a wider distribution and greater niche breadth than co‐occurring M. mulatta. According to a fitted maximum entropy model (MaxEnt), M. leonina was predicted to predominantly occur in forest at higher elevation, whereas M. mulatta was predicted at lower elevation; the broadleaved evergreen forest was predicted as the most suitable vegetation for both species to inhabit, while the unsuitable area was bordered by rubber plantation, in which both food scarcity and human disturbance restricted the movement of macaques. Although the niches of these two species highly overlapped across space and time, we also found evidence for their spatiotemporal niche differentiation. When the two species inhabited independent areas with different elevations and vegetation, they maintained a similar activity pattern; however, in the zones of overlap, their activity patterns differed significantly. Further comparative field studies of these two macaques, considering other niche dimensions, are required to ensure their coexistence and long‐term conservation.
Class-I TCP Transcription Factors Activate the SAUR63 Gene Subfamily in Gibberellin-Dependent Stamen Filament Elongation1[OPEN]

TCP transcription factors participate in stamen filament elongation in response to the plant hormone gibberellin through direct modulation of a family of genes involved in cell expansion. In autogamous plants like Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), stamen filament elongation must be finely regulated to ensure that anthers reach the pistil at the correct developmental stage. In this work, we studied the roles of Arabidopsis TEOSINTE BRANCHED1, CYCLOIDEA, PCF15 (TCP15), and related class-I TCP transcription factors in stamen filament elongation. Plants with decreased expression of class-I TCPs and plants that express a fusion of TCP15 to a repressor domain (pTCP15::TCP15-EAR) had shorter stamens, indicating that class-I TCPs stimulate filament growth. These plants also showed reduced expression of several SMALL AUXIN UP RNA (SAUR)63 subfamily genes, which contain TCP target motifs in their promoters. Mutational analysis indicated that the TCP target motif in the SAUR63 promoter is required for expression of SAUR63 in stamen filaments. Moreover, TCP15 directly binds to the SAUR63 promoter region that contains the TCP target motif in vivo, highlighting the role of the TCPs in this process. Class-I TCPs are also required for the induction of SAUR63 subfamily genes by gibberellins (GAs). In addition, overexpression of SAUR63 restores filament growth in pTCP15::TCP15-EAR plants, whereas overexpression of TCP15 rescues the short stamen phenotype of GA-deficient plants. The results indicate that TCP15 and related class-I TCPs modulate GA-dependent stamen filament elongation by direct activation of SAUR63 subfamily genes through conserved target sites in their promoters. This work provides insight into GA-dependent stamen filament elongation.
Influence of onion skin powder on nutritional and quality attributes of wheat pasta

Onion skin is a waste produced during onion bulb processing. Recent studies have reported that it contains large amounts of bioaccessible and bioavailable compounds thus it can be used to design of novel food products. The objective of the study was an attempt to substitute semolina with onion skin (OS) powder in pasta at 2.5, 5 and 7.5 g/100 g levels. The effects on the chemical composition, antioxidant potential, technological and sensory properties of the fortified pasta samples were evaluated compared with a control sample. Fortification with OS resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in nutritional properties, which was demonstrated by an increase in the content of dietary fibre, ash, total phenolic compounds, flavonoids content and antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH). Cooking loss increased with increasing levels of OS, however, all pasta samples were in the acceptable range (8 g/100 g). Onion skin incorporation decreased optimal cooking time, water solubility index and increase redness (a*), compared to the control sample. Results of sensory evaluation suggest that pasta, in which 2.5% of the flour was replaced by this plant component, showed the highest value of the “overall quality”. Our study indicates that onion skin powder can be a potential alternative for the food industry to provide nutritional enriched pasta.
Acute Kidney Injury and Renal Regional Oxygen Saturation During Pediatric Liver Transplantation

Background Kidney injury is a complication among children undergoing liver transplantation (pLTx). Cystatin C serum concentration seems to be superior to creatinine-based determination of kidney injury in adults and children. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology provides non-invasive and real-time measurement of renal tissue oxygenation. Here, we compared renal tissue oximetry (rSrO2) with conventional diagnostic criteria cystatin C and creatinine concentration in children undergoing pLTx. Material/Methods rSrO2 was measured intraoperatively in children undergoing pLTx over the left kidney, and was statistically compared with pre- and postoperative serum creatinine and cystatin C concentrations. Results rSrO2 was affected by hemoglobin concentration, bilirubin concentration, and FiO2. Statistical analysis demonstrated that rSrO2 was significantly reduced in children with preoperative pathologic increased cystatin C concentrations compared to children without (63.7±4.3 vs. 53.4±4.9, p<0.05). We did not detect a significant difference in rSrO2 between children who developed postoperative renal impairment, either determined by increased postoperative cystatin C concentration, creatinine concentration, or the pRIFLE criteria. Intraoperative increase or decrease in rSrO2 did not predict the development of postoperative kidney injury. Conclusions In children with liver failure undergoing pLTx, a preoperative decrease in rSrO2 indicates compromised renal function. However, intraoperative rSrO2 is not predictive of postoperative kidney injury.