Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corydalis saxicola Alkaloids Attenuate Cisplatin-Induced Neuropathic Pain by Reducing Loss of IENF and Blocking TRPV1 Activation.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common complication of cisplatin, which is characterized by intolerable paresthesia, burning, and hyperalgesia, and severely impacts the life quality of patients. However, no clearly potent drug has been found for clinical medication due to its undefined mechanism. Corydalis Saxicola Bunting, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been proven to work well in anti-inflammation, blood circulations improvement, hemostasis, and analgesia. This study was designed to observe the effects of Corydalis saxicola Bunting total alkaloids (CSBTA) on cisplatin-induced neuropathic pain and to explore its potential mechanisms. In this study, the rats received intraperitoneal injection of 2mg/kg cisplatin twice a week for five weeks. Meanwhile, oral administration of low (30mg/kg)-, medium (60mg/kg)- and high (120mg/kg)-dose CSBTA were given daily for five weeks. By using Von-frey hair, heat radiant and -80∘C cold acetone, we found that CSBTA could obviously relieve cisplatin-induced mechanical, heat, and cold hyperalgesia. It has been verified that cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy is related to intraepidermal nerve fibers loss and activation of inflammation downstream. Our research found that Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were significantly increased by 10 intraperitoneal injections of cisplatin, and such pro-inflammation cytokines could be reduced via CSBTA administration. Besides, in the cisplatin model group, the neuronal structures of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were severely damaged and the loss of intraepidermal nerve fibers occurred; but in the CSBTA administration groups, all above pathological changes were improved. Moreover, CSBTA could normalize the overexpression levels of p-p38 and Transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor (TRPV1) induced by cisplatin in DRG, trigeminal ganglion (TG), spinal cord, and foot of rats. In summary, we considered that CSBTA exerted its therapeutic effects by ameliorating neuronal damages, improving intraepidermal nerve fiber (IENF) loss, and inhibiting inflammation-induced p38 phosphorylation to block TRPV1 activation. These findings were the first to confirm the analgesic effect of CSBTA on CIPN and suggested a novel strategy for treating CIPN in clinic.
Perceived Treatment Satisfaction and Effectiveness Facilitators Among Patients With Chronic Health Conditions: A Self-Reported Survey

Background Approximately 50% of patients are nonadherent to prescribed medications. Patient perception regarding medication effectiveness has been linked to improved adherence. However, how patients perceive effectiveness is poorly understood. Objective The aim of this study was to elucidate factors associated with perceived treatment satisfaction and effectiveness among patients with chronic health conditions. Methods We conducted a descriptive study using a cross-sectional survey design. We administered a Web-based survey to participants with migraine, multiple sclerosis (MS), or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients were recruited from established online communities of Health Union. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and comparison tests were used to examine outcomes. Results Data were collected from 1820 patients: 567 with migraine, 717 with MS, and 536 with RA. The majority of participants were female (1644/1820, 90.33%), >40 years old (1462/1820, 80.33%), and diagnosed >5 years ago (1189/1820, 65.33%). Treatment satisfaction and perceived medication effectiveness were highly correlated (r=0.90, P<.01). Overall, three temporal factors were positively correlated with satisfaction or perceived effectiveness: time on current medication (satisfaction rs=0.22, P<.01; effectiveness rs=0.25, P<.01), time since diagnosis (satisfaction rs=0.07, P<.01; effectiveness rs=0.09, P<.01), and time on treatment (effectiveness rs=0.08, P<.01). Conclusions Findings validated the strong relationship between treatment satisfaction and perceived effectiveness. Understanding the (1) positive relationship between time and treatment satisfaction and effectiveness and (2) factors associated with determining medication effectiveness can help clinicians better understand the mindset of patients regarding treatment. Clinicians may be better prepared to elicit patient beliefs, which influence medication adherence, for people diagnosed with chronic health conditions.
Ab initio folding of a trefoil‐fold motif reveals structural similarity with a β‐propeller blade motif

Many protein architectures exhibit evidence of internal rotational symmetry postulated to be the result of gene duplication/fusion events involving a primordial polypeptide motif. A common feature of such structures is a domain‐swapped arrangement at the interface of the N‐ and C‐termini motifs and postulated to provide cooperative interactions that promote folding and stability. De novo designed symmetric protein architectures have demonstrated an ability to accommodate circular permutation of the N‐ and C‐termini in the overall architecture; however, the folding requirement of the primordial motif is poorly understood, and tolerance to circular permutation is essentially unknown. The β‐trefoil protein fold is a threefold‐symmetric architecture where the repeating ~42‐mer “trefoil‐fold” motif assembles via a domain‐swapped arrangement. The trefoil‐fold structure in isolation exposes considerable hydrophobic area that is otherwise buried in the intact β‐trefoil trimeric assembly. The trefoil‐fold sequence is not predicted to adopt the trefoil‐fold architecture in ab initio folding studies; rather, the predicted fold is closely related to a compact “blade” motif from the β‐propeller architecture. Expression of a trefoil‐fold sequence and circular permutants shows that only the wild‐type N‐terminal motif definition yields an intact β‐trefoil trimeric assembly, while permutants yield monomers. The results elucidate the folding requirements of the primordial trefoil‐fold motif, and also suggest that this motif may sample a compact conformation that limits hydrophobic residue exposure, contains key trefoil‐fold structural features, but is more structurally homologous to a β‐propeller blade motif.
Examining the Relationship between Youth-Targeted Food Marketing Expenditures and the Demographics of Social Media Followers

Background: To determine how many adolescents follow food/beverage brands on Instagram and Twitter, and examine associations between brands’ youth-targeted marketing practices and percentages of adolescent followers. Methods: We purchased data from Demographics Pro to characterize the demographics of Twitter and Instagram users who followed 27 of the most highly advertised fast food, snack, and drink brands in 2019. We used one-sample t-tests to compare percentages of adolescent followers of the selected brands’ accounts versus all social media accounts, independent samples t-tests to compare followers of sugary versus low-calorie drink brands, and linear regression to examine associations between youth-targeted marketing practices and the percentages of adolescent followers. Results: An estimated 6.2 million adolescents followed the selected brands. A higher percentage of adolescents followed the selected brands’ accounts (9.2%) compared to any account on Twitter (1.2%) (p < 0.001), but not Instagram. A higher percentage of adolescents followed sugary (7.9%) versus low-calorie drink brands (4.3%) on Instagram (p = 0.02), but we observed the opposite pattern for adults on Twitter and Instagram. Television advertising expenditures were positively associated with percentages of adolescent followers of the selected brands on Twitter (p = 0.03), but not Instagram. Conclusions: Food and sugary drink brands maintain millions of adolescent followers on social media.
Prevalence of Cysticercus bovis in Cattle Slaughtered at Bishoftu Municipal Abattoir; Public Health Significance and Community Perception about Zoonotic Importance of Taeniosis in Bishoftu

A cross-sectional survey on bovine cysticercosis was carried out from October 2013 to April 2014 on 371 zebu cattle slaughtered at Bishoftu municipal abattoir to estimate the prevalence. Moreover, 140 residents in Bishoftu were sampled for a questionnaire surveys to assess the community perception and public health significance of the disease. Similarly, inventory of pharmaceutical shops and collection of retrospective laboratory data about human Taeniosis was made in the same town. The prevalence of Cysticercus bovis was found to be 7.8%. There was no significant association between the prevalence of Cysticercus bovis and sex and age of the cattle (p > 0.05). Of 62 total cysts collected 20 (32.26%) were found to be viable while the rest 42 (67.74%) found to be non-viable cysts. The anatomical distributions of the cysticerci were 37.1%, 27.42%, 22.58%, 6.45%, 4.84% and 1.61% in masseter muscle, tongue, triceps muscle, heart, diaphragm and esophagus, respectively. The overall prevalence of Taeniosis was found to be 80% in the town. The questionnaire survey clearly indicated that age category, occupation and habit of meat consumption were significantly associated with Taeniosis in humans (p < 0.05). 80% of the respondents were aware about Taeniosis and source of infection. The retrospective laboratory data in four years (2010 to 2013) revealed that out of 84,035 patients stool examined, 121 were positive for Taeniosis. Besides, an inventory of pharmaceutical shops during the four years revealed that a total of 98,818 taenicidal drug doses worthing a total of 384,198.97 ETB were used. This study assured that Cysticercus bovis/Taeniosis was the problem of both humans and cattle in this study area. Therefore, it needs due attention to safeguard the public.
Rabbit Fungal Keratitis Model of Fusarium solani Tested Against Three Commercially Available Antifungal Drugs

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a reproducible preclinical Fusarium solani keratitis model, which would allow comparative testing of currently available antifungals (NATACYN [Alcon, Fort Worth, TX], voriconazole 1%, and amphotericin B 0.1%) as well as efficacy testing of new antifungals for translation into clinical practice in the future. Methods: The rabbit F. solani keratitis model was developed in New Zealand white rabbits using local and systemic immunosuppression. Infection was introduced by intrastromal injection of F. solani spores into one of the immunosuppressed rabbit eyes while the contralateral eye was a control. Progress of the infection was assessed by the clinical features, histopathology, and viable fungal counts. In this study, the efficacy of currently available antifungals (NATACYN [Alcon], voriconazole 1%, and amphotericin B 0.1%) was compared. Rabbits were randomly divided (n=4 in each group), and the respective antifungal was instilled topically 5 times/day for 7 days. Treatment effects were analyzed by evaluating the anterior segment with the help of slit-lamp, histopathological findings and viable fungal culture at the end of the experiment. Results: We report the development of a reproducible and progressive rabbit F. solani keratitis model as shown by the substantial viable fungal counts (3 log CFU), the presence of large patchy lesions and substantial hypopyon in the 12-day model correlated with specific histopathological analysis for fungus (extended F. solani hyphae from midcorneal stroma into the anterior chamber and traverse Descemet membrane with anterior chamber suppurative plaque). Voriconazole 1% and NATACYN revealed significant reduction of the fungal wound area (P=0.02 and 0.021), respectively, while amphotericin B 0.1% exhibited P value of 0.083 compared with their infected nontreated controls. Voriconazole 1% and amphotericin B 0.1% showed significant viable fungal count differences (P=0.004 and 0.01), respectively, whereas P value of NATACYN was 0.337 compared with control infected corneas. Conclusion: The reported rabbit fungal keratitis model can be used for screening new antifungals and evaluating currently available antifungals to facilitate better clinical outcomes. Voriconazole 1% showed the best efficacy among the three tested currently available antifungals by showing the significant differences in both wound size and viable fungal count comparisons in our F. solani rabbit keratitis model.
Important citation identification by exploiting content and section-wise in-text citation count

A citation is deemed as a potential parameter to determine linkage between research articles. The parameter has extensively been employed to form multifarious academic aspects like calculating the impact factor of journals, h-Index of researchers, allocate different research grants, find the latest research trends, etc. The current state-of-the-art contends that all citations are not of equal importance. Based on this argument, the current trend in citation classification community categorizes citations into important and non-important reasons. The community has proposed different approaches to extract important citations such as citation count, context-based, metadata, and textual based approaches. The contemporary state-of-the-art in citation classification community ignores significantly potential features that can play a vital role in citation classification. This research presents a novel approach for binary citation classification by exploiting section-wise in-text citation frequencies, similarity score, and overall citation count-based features. The study also introduces machine learning algorithms based novel approach for assigning appropriate weights to the logical sections of research papers. The weights are allocated to the citations with respect to their sections. To perform the classification, we used three classification techniques, Support Vector Machine, Kernel Linear Regression, and Random Forest. The experiment was performed on two annotated benchmark datasets that contain 465 and 311 citation pairs of research articles respectively. The results revealed that the proposed approach attained an improved value of precision (i.e., 0.84 vs 0.72) from contemporary state-of-the-art approach.
Bronchoalveolar lavage procollagen-111-peptide in recent onset hypersensitivity pneumonitis: correlation

Bronchcalveolar lavage procollagen-/11-peptide in recent onset hypersensitivity pneumonitis: co"elation with extracellular matrix components. H. Teschler, A.B. Thompson, W.R. Pohl, N. Konietz}co, S.l. Rennard, U. Costabel. ©ERS Journtlls Ltd 1993. ABSTRACT: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is characterized by the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lung parenchyma, and may progress to fibrosis. The content of the fibroblast derived collagen metabolite procoUagen-ID-peptide (PCP-ill) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of HP patients has been found to be increased. Previous studies have shown elevation of the fibroblast adhesion molecules, vitronectin and fibronectin in the BAL fluid of recent onset HP. In view of these observations, it was hypothesized that increases in PCP-ID would be associated with increases in vitronectin and fibronectin in the BAL fluid of subjects with untreated recent onset HP. BAL was performed in 14 patients with HP and nine normal controls. The aminoterminal domain of PCP-IIl was measured by radioimmunoassay, and vitronectin and fibronectin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Detectable amounts of BAL PCP-ID were seen in all HP patients but not in the normal controls (mean±sEM 5.1±1.2 versus <0.2 ng·ml"; i.e. below the limit of detection of the PCP-ID assay). The BAL fluid concentration of PCP-ID correlated well with the amount of vitronectin (r-0.638) and fibronectin (r=0.710). Except for PCP-m and mast cells, no significant correlations were found between PCP-m, vitronectin, fibronectin and the cellular parameters. The fmdings suggest that an increased turnover of collagens and proteoglycans is present in the lower respiratory tract of patients with recent onset HP, possibly reflecting remodelling of the extracellular matrix. Eur Respir J., 1993, 6, 709-714. • Ruhrlandklinik, Dept of Pneumology, Medical Faculty, University of Essen, Gennany. u Dept of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INSULIN, GHRELIN, HOMEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT-INSULIN RESISTANCE, HOMEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT-β, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO AND BODY MASS INDEX TO PLASMA GLUCOSE AND GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN AND ITS CLINICAL USEFULNESS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS WITH OBESITY

Objectives: To evaluate new diabetic control monitoring parameters insulin, ghrelin, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and HOMA-β for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with obesity and to compare them with the existing diabetic control markers plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and to recommended these additional tests to assess complications associated with kidney, liver, cardiac, and pancreas. Methods: A total of 100 T2DM patients with obesity who attended the sugar clinic attached to Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Vanagaram and who were on standard treatment and 50 age and sex matched controls attending the routine master health check in the same hospital were enrolled for the study. Fully automated analyzers and reagents and controls were used for all assays to ensure validity of the results obtained. For insulin and ghrelin assays, established commercial kits were used and all other parameters were calculated using formulae established previously. Graphpad online calculator was used to calculate t and p values. Results: The results obtained for both controls and patients for the set of additional parameters were compared with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), post prandial plasma glucose (PPPG), and HbA1c between controls, patients and controls with patients by calculating r and p values. Highly significant correlations were obtained in all comparisons. Conclusions: Very good associations (p<0.0001) were found between FPG, PPPG, and HbA1c to each of the new parameters for controls, patients and between controls and patients. These additional parameters may be done at fixed intervals of time to evaluate kidney, liver, cardiac and pancreatic complications/dysfunction in T2DM patients with obesity.
Down Regulation and Loss of Auxin Response Factor 4 Function Using CRISPR/Cas9 Alters Plant Growth, Stomatal Function and Improves Tomato Tolerance to Salinity and Osmotic Stress

Auxin controls multiple aspects of plant growth and development. However, its role in stress responses remains poorly understood. Auxin acts on the transcriptional regulation of target genes, mainly through Auxin Response Factors (ARF). This study focuses on the involvement of SlARF4 in tomato tolerance to salinity and osmotic stress. Using a reverse genetic approach, we found that the antisense down-regulation of SlARF4 promotes root development and density, increases soluble sugars content and maintains chlorophyll content at high levels under stress conditions. Furthermore, ARF4-as displayed higher tolerance to salt and osmotic stress through reduced stomatal conductance coupled with increased leaf relative water content and Abscisic acid (ABA) content under normal and stressful conditions. This increase in ABA content was correlated with the activation of ABA biosynthesis genes and the repression of ABA catabolism genes. Cu/ZnSOD and mdhar genes were up-regulated in ARF4-as plants which can result in a better tolerance to salt and osmotic stress. A CRISPR/Cas9 induced SlARF4 mutant showed similar growth and stomatal responses as ARF4-as plants, which suggest that arf4-cr can tolerate salt and osmotic stresses. Our data support the involvement of ARF4 as a key factor in tomato tolerance to salt and osmotic stresses and confirm the use of CRISPR technology as an efficient tool for functional reverse genetics studies.
Performance, motivation, and enjoyment in young female basketball players: An interdisciplinary approach

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the variation in accumulated basketball training experience, body size, functional performance, deliberate practice motivation, achievement and competitiveness motivation and sources of enjoyment among young female basketball players, partitioning the potential variation by individuals´ biological characteristics (menarche status) and contextual characteristics (competitive age group and competitive level). We considered 114 adolescent female basketball players aged 14.3 (1.8) years. We used multilevel regression and poststratification estimations. The adolescent female basketball players selected for state-level had more accumulated experience, were taller and with better functional performance. Conditional on the data, youth female coaches tend to value (probably overvalue) size and function when selecting/promoting players, even at early age groups, likely contributing to an overrepresentation of early maturing girls in at early age groups. Players from club- and state-level were similarly highly motivated for deliberate practice and to achievement. Only for competitiveness, state-level players had higher values than club level players. The sources of enjoyment were influenced by context (competitive levels) for self-referenced competencies and others-referenced competencies. Structured programs of training and competition in youth female basketball provide a nurturing environment for the development of players´ engagement and commitment to training and excellence attainment.
SIRT2 protects peripheral neurons from cisplatin-induced injury by enhancing nucleotide excision repair.

Platinum-based chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common causes of dose reduction and discontinuation of life-saving chemotherapy in cancer treatment; it often causes permanent impairment of quality of life in cancer patients. The mechanisms that underlie this neuropathy are not defined, and effective treatment and prevention measures are not available. Here, we demonstrate that SIRT2 protected mice against cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). SIRT2 accumulated in the nuclei of dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons and prevented neuronal cell death following cisplatin treatment. Mechanistically, SIRT2, an NAD+-dependent deacetylase, protected neurons from cisplatin cytotoxicity by promoting transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER) of cisplatin-induced DNA crosslinks. Consistent with this mechanism, pharmacological inhibition of NER using spironolactone abolished SIRT2-mediated TC-NER activity in differentiated neuronal cells and protection of neurons from cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity and CIPN in mice. Importantly, SIRT2's protective effects were not evident in lung cancer cells in vitro or in tumors in vivo. Taken together, our results identified SIRT2's function in the NER pathway as a key underlying mechanism of preventing CIPN, warranting future investigation of SIRT2 activation-mediated neuroprotection during platinum-based cancer treatment.