Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Presentation, Management and Early Mortality of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in a Large Sample Study of a Middle East Country

Background: Due to lack of contemporary data on the presentation, management, and mortality of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admissions in Iran, in this prospective registry study, we aimed to evaluate the presentation, management, and mortality as the outcome of patients with ACS in Isfahan, Iran, 2001–2016 to address treatment and healthcare depletions. Methods: Data of 62,276 patients admitted with the diagnosis of ACS from 2001 to 2016 prospectively were obtained by Surveillance Unit of Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan, Iran, in 13 hospitals of Isfahan province. We evaluated data on presentation, management, and in-hospital and 28-day mortality. Results: Nearly half of the patients ranged in age from 51 to 70 years (32050, 51.5%), which did not differ among ACS types (ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI): 53.9%; non-STEMI: 53.4%; unstable angina: 51.9%). In-hospital, anti-platelets use was high (84.9%). Thrombolytic were used in 48.1% of STEMI, 3.8% of non-STEMI, and 1.1% of unstable angina. Discharge medication rates were suboptimal. In-hospital and 28-day mortality were highest for STEMI (6.5 and 12.6%, respectively). Conclusions: These data represent the large ACS registry in Iran. Data revealed the various presentations of ACS and demonstrated opportunities for improving ACS management by focusing on increasing use of recommended drugs especially after discharge due to suboptimal medical treatment in these patients. The high mortality rate needs to be taken into consideration in ACS patients.
Light-sheet autofluorescence lifetime imaging with a single-photon avalanche diode array

Abstract. Significance Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) of the metabolic co-enzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) [NAD(P)H] is a popular method to monitor single-cell metabolism within unperturbed, living 3D systems. However, FLIM of NAD(P)H has not been performed in a light-sheet geometry, which is advantageous for rapid imaging of cells within live 3D samples. Aim We aim to design, validate, and demonstrate a proof-of-concept light-sheet system for NAD(P)H FLIM. Approach A single-photon avalanche diode camera was integrated into a light-sheet microscope to achieve optical sectioning and limit out-of-focus contributions for NAD(P)H FLIM of single cells. Results An NAD(P)H light-sheet FLIM system was built and validated with fluorescence lifetime standards and with time-course imaging of metabolic perturbations in pancreas cancer cells with 10 s integration times. NAD(P)H light-sheet FLIM in vivo was demonstrated with live neutrophil imaging in a larval zebrafish tail wound also with 10 s integration times. Finally, the theoretical and practical imaging speeds for NAD(P)H FLIM were compared across laser scanning and light-sheet geometries, indicating a 30 × to 6 × acquisition speed advantage for the light sheet compared to the laser scanning geometry. Conclusions FLIM of NAD(P)H is feasible in a light-sheet geometry and is attractive for 3D live cell imaging applications, such as monitoring immune cell metabolism and migration within an organism.
Depression Symptoms, Perceived Stress, and Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Diverse US Racial-Ethnic Groups

Introduction: Studies have reported increases in psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to estimate associations between race-ethnicity and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic among nationally representative samples of all major racial-ethnic groups in the United States. Methods: We conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional survey between December 2020 and February 2021 of Asian, black/African American, Latino (English and Spanish speaking), American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, white, and multiracial adults (n=5500). Distress measures included: anxiety-depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-4 [PHQ-4]), stress (modified Perceived Stress Scale), and loneliness-isolation (frequency felt lonely and isolated). Multinomial logistic regression models estimated associations between race-ethnicity and psychological distress, adjusting for demographic and health characteristics. Results: Overall, 23.7% reported moderate/severe anxiety-depression symptoms, 34.3% reported moderate/severe stress, and 21.3% reported feeling lonely-isolated fairly/very often. Compared with white adults and adjusting for covariates, the prevalence of moderate/severe anxiety-depression was significantly lower among Asian (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.34–0.58), black (aOR=0.49, 95% CI=0.38–0.63), English-speaking Latino (aOR=0.62, 95% CI=0.45–0.85), Spanish-speaking Latino (aOR=0.31, 95% CI=0.22–0.44), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (aOR=0.66, 95% CI=0.49–0.90) adults. Similar trends were seen for moderate/severe stress and feeling lonely-isolated fairly/very often. Worse distress profiles of American Indian/Alaska Native and multiracial adults were attenuated after adjustment. Conclusions: Minoritized groups tended to have less distress than white adults. Collective experiences of cumulative disadvantage could engender shared resiliency/normalization among these groups.
Juvenile survival and movements of two threatened oceanic sharks in the North Atlantic Ocean inferred from tag‐recovery data

Abstract Understanding population dynamics, movements, and fishing mortality is critical to establish effective shark conservation measures across international boundaries in the ocean. There are few survival and dispersal estimates of juveniles of oceanic shark species in the North Atlantic despite it being one of the most fished regions in the world. Here we provide estimates of dispersal, survival, and proportion of fishing mortality in the North Atlantic for two threatened oceanic sharks: the blue shark (Prionace glauca) and the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus). Our results are based on multi‐event models applied to tag‐recovery data of 700 blue sharks and 132 shortfin makos tagged over a decade. A total of 60 blue sharks (8.57% of tagged) and 30 makos (22.73%) were recovered by the longline fishery between 2009 and 2017. Tag‐reporting rate (percentage of returned information when a tagged shark was caught) was estimated to be high (0.794 ± 0.232 SE). Mean annual survival, as predicted from the models, was higher for blue shark (0.835 ± 0.040 SE) than for shortfin mako (0.618 ± 0.189 SE). Models predicted that fishing caused more than a half of total mortality in the study area for both species (0.576 ± 0.209), and more than a third of tagged individuals dispersed from the study area permanently (0.359 ± 0.073). Our findings, focused mainly on juveniles from oceanic areas, contribute to a better understanding of shark population dynamics in the North Atlantic and highlight the need for further conservation measures for both blue shark and shortfin mako, such as implementing efficient bycatch mitigation measures and static/dynamic time–area closures in the open ocean.
Associations of dietary patterns with common infections and antibiotic use among Finnish preschoolers

Background Preschoolers suffer frequently from infections. Although nutrition plays a key role in immune function, very little is known about the impact of overall diet on preschoolers’ infections. Objective To assess the associations between dietary patterns, common infections and antibiotic use among Finnish preschoolers. Design The study included 721 3–6-year-old preschoolers participating in the cross-sectional DAGIS survey. Parents retrospectively reported the number of common colds, gastroenteritis episodes and antibiotic courses their children had acquired during the past year. Food consumption outside preschool hours was recorded using a food frequency questionnaire. Dietary patterns were derived from the consumption frequencies using principal component analysis. Associations between the thirds of the dietary pattern scores and the outcomes were analysed using logistic and negative binomial regression models. Results Prevalence of common colds was lower in moderate and high adherence to the sweets-and-treats pattern than in low adherence (prevalence ratio [PR]: 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80–1.00, and PR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79–0.99, respectively) and higher in high adherence to the health-conscious pattern than in low adherence (PR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.01–1.27) after adjusting for age, sex, number of children living in the same household, frequency of preschool attendance, family’s highest education and probiotic use. The risk of ≥1 gastroenteritis episode and the prevalence of antibiotic courses were lower in moderate adherence to the sweets-and-treats pattern than in low adherence (odds ratio [OR]: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.44–0.92 and PR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.59–1.00, respectively). Conclusions The results were unexpected. Parents who were most health-conscious of their children’s diet might also have been more aware of their children’s illness.
Dyssynchrony and resynchronization in heart failure—effects on regional and global gene expression in a murine pacemaker model

Department of Medicine; Solna, Karolinska Institutet and ME Cardiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Norrbacka S1:02, Eugeniavagen 27, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Clinical Physiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Unit of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; and Endorsed Course in Pediatric Community Medicine, Nihon institute of Medical Science, Saitama, Japan
Lake water chemistry and population of origin interact to shape fecundity and growth in Daphnia ambigua

Abstract Freshwater environments vary widely in ion availability, owing to both natural and anthropogenic drivers. Field and laboratory work point to the importance of overall salinity, as well as cation depletion, in shaping the physiology, behavior, and ecology of freshwater taxa. Yet, we currently have a poor understanding of the degree to which populations may vary in response to ion availability. Using Daphnia collected from three lakes that differ greatly in salinity and calcium availability, we conducted a laboratory reciprocal transplant experiment to assess how animals representing these populations vary in fecundity, body size, and survival when reared in lake water from each environment. The lake water environment and population of origin strongly interacted to shape Daphnia growth and reproduction. Surprisingly, we found only modest evidence that lake water with abundant calcium (5.5 vs. 1.2–2.3 mg/L) increased Daphnia growth or reproduction. By contrast, water from a relatively ion‐rich lake (400 μS/cm specific conductance) strongly boosted Daphnia fecundity over lower‐ion lake water (20–50 μS/cm), especially for the population originating from the high‐ion environment. Our results suggest that ion‐poor conditions common in regions around the world may exert stress on freshwater organisms, even for populations inhabiting these environments. Meanwhile, moderate salt enrichment may not prove harmful but could even benefit freshwater taxa in these ion‐poor regions. The context dependence of how and when lake water chemistry affects Daphnia and other freshwater taxa deserves greater attention, in both ion‐depleted and ion‐rich conditions. Daphnia are key members of lake food webs and serve as an important model for ecology, evolution, and toxicology research. Consideration of how lake water chemistry may influence how Daphnia populations respond to abiotic and biotic stress may improve the ability to evaluate and predict ecological and evolutionary dynamics in lakes of varying chemical composition.
Urtica dioica (Gazaneh) distillate restores glucose metabolism in diabetic rats

Background: Diabetes has become an important health problem in the world. Natural agents, with antidiabetic property, are potential candidates for improving diabetes. Urtica Dioica Distillate (UDD) or Araghe Gazaneh is widely used for the treatment of diabetes as per traditional medicine. Despite the tremendous use of UDD as an antidiabetic compound in folk medicine, the antidiabetic effects of UDD has been neglected by medical scientists. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of UDD on the glucose metabolism in diabetic rats. Methods: A total of 24 male rats were divided equally into four groups, two treatment and two control groups, each containing normal or Streptozotocin (STZ)–induced diabetic rats. During 4 weeks, control and treatment rats received water or UDD, respectively. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbA1c, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and specific activities of hepatic enzymes including glucokinase (GK), hexokinase (HK), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), and muscle glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) and liver phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) mRNA levels were measured. Results: FBS and HbA1c increased in diabetic groups. Treatment with UDD significantly lowered FBS and prevented weight loss. Decreased FBS level was associated with higher activity levels of GK and HK in UDD-treated diabetic rats. G6PD-specific activity decreased in diabetic control rats compared to nondiabetic ones, but UDD treatment improved it to the normal levels. A significant decrease in the expression level of GLUT4 was observed in diabetic control rats compared to nondiabetic ones, but UDD increased it to the normal levels. Conclusions: These findings suggest that UDD might exert therapeutic effects against diabetes by improving glucose metabolism and can be used as an alternative or complementary medicine for the treatment of diabetic patients.
Aggressive strategies of the COVID-19 pandemic on the apparel industry of Sri Lanka using structural equation modeling

During the COVID-19 crisis, the apparel industry faced many challenges. Aggressive cost-cutting strategies became a top priority, and in turn, these influenced stressors and adversely affected business sustainability. This study examines the impact of aggressive strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic on business sustainability in the apparel industry of Sri Lanka. Further, it investigates whether the relationship between aggressive cost-cutting strategies and business sustainability was mediated by employee stress, considering aggressive cost reduction strategies and workplace environmental changes. This was a cross-sectional study with data collected from 384 employees in the apparel industry in Sri Lanka. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to analyze the direct and indirect effects of aggressive cost reduction strategies and workplace environmental changes on sustainability with mediating effects of stress. Aggressive cost reduction strategies (Beta = 1.317, p = 0.000) and environmental changes (Beta = 0.251, p = 0.000) led to an increase in employee stress but did not affect business sustainability. Thus, employee stress (Beta = -0.028, p = 0.594) was not a mediator in the relationship between aggressive cost-cutting strategies and business sustainability; business sustainability was not a dependent variable. The findings proved that managing workplace stress, particularly improving stressful working environments and aggressive cost reduction strategies, can enhance employee satisfaction. Thus, managing employee stress could be beneficial for policymakers to focus on the area(s) required to retain competent employees. Moreover, aggressive strategies are unsuitable to apply during crisis to enhance business sustainability. The findings provide additional knowledge to the existing literature, enabling employees and employers to predict causes of stress and serve as a significant knowledge base for further studies.
Evaluation of changes in Salivary Lactate Dehydrogenase Level for detection of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study

Background: Research has examined the relationship between salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) screening and prognosis. Due to biochemical changes in cancer cells and increased production of lactate products in the body. The present systematic review aims to evaluate the changes in salivary LDH levels in HNSCC patients. Methods: The present study is a systematic review and meta-analysis. The data were collected by searching PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from 2000 to 2021. The heterogeneity of the articles was analyzed using I2 and TAU2. Results: After searching the databases, of 988 articles, 665 duplicated articles were excluded by adopting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. So, 25 articles were primarily selected to be reviewed and evaluated for quality. Finally, 19 articles were selected and analyzed according to the Newcastle–Ottawa checklist. A total of 642 HNSCC patients were reviewed. The meta-analysis showed salivary LDH levels in the HNSCC group were higher than the control group (mean difference = 0.675, standard error = 0.058) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: As the research results showed, a significant correlation was observed between salivary LDH levels and HNSCCs. So, LDH can be employed as a valuable and minimally invasive biomarker in head and neck cancer screening and prevention.
The role of stress hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia in non-diabetic patients with myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND Stress hyperglycemia and lactates have been used separately as markers of a severe clinical condition and poor outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). However, the interplay between glucose and lactate metabolism in patients with MI have not been sufficiently studied. The aim in the present study was to examine the relationship of glycemia on admission (AG) and lactate levels and their impact on the outcome in non-diabetic MI patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS A total of 405 consecutive, non-diabetic, MI patients were enrolled in this retrospective, observational, single-center study. Clinical characteristic including glucose and lactate levels on admission and at 30-day mortality were assessed. RESULTS Patients with stress hyperglycemia (AG ≥ 7.8 mmol/L, n = 103) had higher GRACE score (median [interquartile range]: 143.4 (115.4-178.9) vs. 129.4 (105.7-154.5), p = 0.002) than normoglycemic patients (AG level < 7.8 mmol/L, n = 302). A positive correlation of AG with lactate level (R = 0.520, p < 0.001) was observed. The coexistence of both hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia (lactate level ≥ 2.0 mmol/L) was associated with lower survival rate in the Kaplan-Meier estimates (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis both hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia were related to a higher risk of death at 30-day follow-up (hazard ratio [HR] 3.21, 95%, confidence interval [CI] 1.04-9.93; p = 0.043 and HR 7.08; 95% CI 1.44-34.93; p = 0.016, respectively) CONCLUSIONS: There is a relationship between hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia in non-diabetic MI patients treated with PCI. The coexistence of both hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia is associated with lower survival rate and are independent predictors of 30-day mortality in MI patients and these markers should be evaluated simultaneously.
The influence of atrial high-rate episodes on stroke and cardiovascular death: an update

Abstract Atrial high-rate episodes (AHRE) are atrial tachyarrhythmias detected by continuous rhythm monitoring by pacemakers, defibrillators, or implantable cardiac monitors. Atrial high-rate episodes occur in 10–30% of elderly patients without atrial fibrillation. However, it remains unclear whether the presence of these arrhythmias has therapeutic consequences. The presence of AHRE increases the risk of stroke compared with patients without AHRE. Oral anticoagulation would have the potential to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with AHRE but is also associated with a rate of major bleeding of ∼2%/year. The stroke rate in patients with AHRE appears to be lower than the stroke rate in patients with atrial fibrillation. Wearables like smart-watches will increase the absolute number of patients in whom atrial arrhythmias are detected. It remains unclear whether anticoagulation is effective and, equally important, safe in patients with AHRE. Two randomized clinical trials, NOAH-AFNET6 and ARTESiA, are expected to report soon. They will provide much-needed information on the efficacy and safety of oral anticoagulation in patients with AHRE.
Light-driven Proton Pumps as a Potential Regulator for Carbon Fixation in Marine Diatoms

Diatoms are a major phytoplankton group responsible for approximately 20% of carbon fixation on Earth. They perform photosynthesis using light-harvesting chlorophylls located in plastids, an organelle obtained through eukaryote-eukaryote endosymbiosis. Microbial rhodopsin, a photoreceptor distinct from chlorophyll-based photosystems, was recently identified in some diatoms. However, the physiological function of diatom rhodopsin remains unclear. Heterologous expression techniques were herein used to investigate the protein function and subcellular localization of diatom rhodopsin. We demonstrated that diatom rhodopsin acts as a light-driven proton pump and localizes primarily to the outermost membrane of four membrane-bound complex plastids. Using model simulations, we also examined the effects of pH changes inside the plastid due to rhodopsin-mediated proton transport on photosynthesis. The results obtained suggested the involvement of rhodopsin-mediated local pH changes in a photosynthetic CO2-concentrating mechanism in rhodopsin-possessing diatoms.
Statistical Refinement of the Q-Matrix in Cognitive Diagnosis

Most methods for fitting cognitive diagnosis models to educational test data and assigning examinees to proficiency classes require the Q-matrix that associates each item in a test with the cognitive skills (attributes) needed to answer it correctly. In most cases, the Q-matrix is not known but is constructed from the (fallible) judgments of experts in the educational domain. It is widely recognized that a misspecification of the Q-matrix can negatively affect the estimation of the model parameters, which may then result in the misclassification of examinees. This article develops a Q-matrix refinement method based on the nonparametric classification method (Chiu & Douglas, in press), and comparisons of the residual sum of squares computed from the observed and the ideal item responses. The method is evaluated with three simulation studies and an application to real data. Results show that the method can identify and correct misspecified entries in the Q-matrix, thereby improving its accuracy.