Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bacteriological Assessment of Hawked Sorrel Drink (Zobo Drink) in Aba, South-East Nigeria

Bacteriological investigation of hawked Sorrel drink (zobo drink) was carried out in Aba, South-east Nigeria, between January and March, 2014. Zobo drink is a non-alcoholic local beverage made from different varieties of dried petals, acid succulent aqueous extract of calyx of roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa . It is consumed in Nigeria and other parts of the world. Samples of zobo drink were randomly purchased from the open markets, for a period of three months and analyzed for bacteriological qualities using standard methods. The result revealed a total aerobic bacterial count ranging from 0.3 × 10 6
Paracaspase MALT1 regulates glioma cell survival by controlling endo‐lysosome homeostasis

Glioblastoma is one of the most lethal forms of adult cancer with a median survival of around 15 months. A potential treatment strategy involves targeting glioblastoma stem‐like cells (GSC), which constitute a cell autonomous reservoir of aberrant cells able to initiate, maintain, and repopulate the tumor mass. Here, we report that the expression of the paracaspase mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue l (MALT1), a protease previously linked to antigen receptor‐mediated NF‐κB activation and B‐cell lymphoma survival, inversely correlates with patient probability of survival. The knockdown of MALT1 largely impaired the expansion of patient‐derived stem‐like cells in vitro, and this could be recapitulated with pharmacological inhibitors, in vitro and in vivo. Blocking MALT1 protease activity increases the endo‐lysosome abundance, impairs autophagic flux, and culminates in lysosomal‐mediated cell death, concomitantly with mTOR inactivation and dispersion from endo‐lysosomes. These findings place MALT1 as a new druggable target involved in glioblastoma and unveil ways to modulate the homeostasis of endo‐lysosomes.
Murder-Suicides Perpetrated by Adolescents: Findings from the National Violent Death Reporting System.

OBJECTIVE Murder-suicide is a rare and especially tragic form of violence. Nascent literature has characterized murder-suicide perpetrated by adults, but no study has focused on adolescents who perpetrated murder-suicide. METHOD This study evaluated all cases of murder-suicide perpetrated by persons under age 21 who were included in the National Violent Death Reporting System, and categorized each incident using Joiner's perversion of virtue framework of murder-suicide. RESULTS Forty-seven incidents of murder-suicide perpetrated by adolescents were identified, representing 56 victims. Most cases did not have sufficient information to be categorized within a particular perversion of virtue. Among the 20 cases who did have sufficient detail to be categorized, incidents were identified as perversions of self-control (n = 11), justice (n = 8), and mercy (n = 1). Most perpetrators were male, and the majority of victims were female. Additional victim, perpetrator, and incident characteristics are described. CONCLUSIONS Our findings extend previous work by employing a coding system based on a theoretically derived framework for categorizing "genuine" murder-suicide and related behavior among adolescents. This study also characterized the nature of this complex and tragic sequence of behavior among adolescents, who are at elevated risk of suicide, and who may benefit from prevention efforts that effectively address means safety, suicidality, and intimate partner violence.
Estudio IDEA (International Day for Evaluation of Abdominal Obesity): prevalencia de obesidad abdominal y factores de riesgo asociados en atención primaria en Colombia

Introduccion. La obesidad esta asociada con factores de riesgo para enfermedades cardiovasculares y metabolicas. La obesidad central, marcador de adiposidad intraabdominal aumentada, es mejor factor de riesgo para aterosclerosis y diabetes que el indice de masa corporal (IMC), y buen predictor de riesgo de morbimortalidad cardiovascular, sindrome metabolico y diabetes. Objetivo. Estimar prevalencias de obesidad por IMC y de obesidad abdominal por circunferencia abdominal en pacientes de atencion primaria en Colombia. Materiales y metodos. Como parte de un estudio internacional, 105 medicos de atencion primaria elegidos al azar reclutaron consecutivamente a pacientes de 18 a 80 anos, que consultaran por cualquier razon, en dos medios dias especificados previamente. Se registraron edad, sexo, tabaquismo, antecedentes cardiovasculares, diabetes, altura, peso y circunferencia abdominal mediante metodos estandarizados. Se excluyeron mujeres embarazadas y quienes no quisieran participar. Resultados. Se evaluaron 3.795 pacientes, con edad promedio de 45 anos (69 % mujeres). El 60,7% de los hombres y el 53,9 % de las mujeres tenian sobrepeso u obesidad segun el IMC. El 24,6 % de los hombres y el 44,6 % de las mujeres tenian obesidad abdominal (segun las guias del National Cholesterol Education Program), pero las cifras cambiaban a 62,5 % y 67,0 %, respectivamente, si se consideraban las guias de la International Diabetes Federation. La obesidad, determinada por el IMC o por la circunferencia abdominal, se asocio con mayor prevalencia de diabetes, hipertension y dislipidemia. Conclusiones. El aumento de la circunferencia abdominal es un marcador practico y util para enfermedades cardiovasculares y metabolicas. La prevalencia de obesidad abdominal en pacientes de atencion primaria en Colombia fue alta, y mas frecuente en mujeres. doi: http://dx.doi. org/10.7705/biomedica.v32i4. 799
Effect of structured pre-simulation preparation and briefing on student’s self-confidence, clinical judgment, and clinical decision-making in simulation

Background: The importance of preparation and briefing before simulation has been overlooked. A ‘think-before-action’ strategy is needed in simulation. Purpose: To determine the effect of structured preparation and briefing prior to simulation on nursing students’ learning outcomes. Method: In the experimental group, structured pre-simulation preparation and briefing lasted for a total of 35 minutes before simulation. The control group were performed in a conventional manner. Subjects were 80 senior students in one university in Korea (40 students in each group). Data were analyzed using independent t-test. Results: Scores for self-confidence for problem solving (F = 17.414, p < 0.001), clinical judgment (F = 123.781, p < 0.001), and clinical decision-making (F = 45.593, p < 0.001) in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Conclusions: Structured preparation and briefing prior to simulation can effectively improve nursing-students’ self-confidence for problem solving, clinical judgment, and clinical decision-making.
Astaxanthin protects against osteoarthritis via Nrf2: a guardian of cartilage homeostasis

Scope: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive disease characterized by cartilage degradation. Astaxanthin (Ast), a natural compound with remarkable antioxidant activity and multiple medical applications due to its activation of Nrf2 signaling, has been studied for application to various degenerative diseases. Currently, however, little is known about its efficacy in treating OA. This study reports the effects of Ast on cartilage homeostasis in OA progression. Methods: IL-1β, TNF-α, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) were used to impair cartilage homeostasis. Modulating effects of Ast on the Nrf2 signaling pathway, and damage-associated events including extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, inflammation, oxidative stress, chondrocyte apoptosis, and in vivo cartilage degradation were examined. Results: Ast attenuated ECM degradation of OA chondrocytes through the Nrf2 signaling, and ameliorated the IL-1β-induced inflammatory response and ECM degradation via blockade of MAPK signaling. Additionally, Ast alleviated TNF-α-induced ECM degradation and chondrocyte apoptosis by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling, suppressed TBHP-induced oxidative stress, and subsequently reduced chondrocyte apoptosis. In vitro results were finally corroborated in vivo by demonstrating that Ast attenuates the severity of cartilage destruction in a mouse model of OA. Conclusions: Ast could protect against osteoarthritis via the Nrf2 signaling, suggesting Ast might be a potential therapeutic supplement for OA treatment.
Gene Expression Profiles Controlled by the Alternative Splicing Factor Nova2 in Endothelial Cells

Alternative splicing (AS) plays an important role in expanding the complexity of the human genome through the production of specialized proteins regulating organ development and physiological functions, as well as contributing to several pathological conditions. How AS programs impact on the signaling pathways controlling endothelial cell (EC) functions and vascular development is largely unknown. Here we identified, through RNA-seq, changes in mRNA steady-state levels in ECs caused by the neuro-oncological ventral antigen 2 (Nova2), a key AS regulator of the vascular morphogenesis. Bioinformatics analyses identified significant enrichment for genes regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (Ppar-γ) and E2F1 transcription factors. We also showed that Nova2 in ECs controlled the AS profiles of Ppar-γ and E2F dimerization partner 2 (Tfdp2), thus generating different protein isoforms with distinct function (Ppar-γ) or subcellular localization (Tfdp2). Collectively, our results supported a mechanism whereby Nova2 integrated splicing decisions in order to regulate Ppar-γ and E2F1 activities. Our data added a layer to the sequential series of events controlled by Nova2 in ECs to orchestrate vascular biology.
ATP-dependent thermostabilization of human P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) is blocked by modulators.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an ABC transporter associated with multidrug resistance in cancer cells, is capable of effluxing a number of xenobiotics as well as anticancer drugs. The transport of molecules through the transmembrane region of P-gp involves orchestrated conformational changes between inward-open and inward-closed forms, the details of which are still being worked out. Here, we assessed how the binding of transport substrates or modulators in the transmembrane region and the binding of ATP to the nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) affect the thermostability of P-gp in a membrane environment. P-gp stability after exposure at high temperatures (37-80{degree sign}C) was assessed by measuring ATPase activity and loss of monomeric P-gp. Our results show that P-gp is significantly thermostabilized (>22{degree sign}C higher IT50) by the binding of ATP under non-hydrolyzing conditions (in the absence of Mg2+). By using an ATP-binding-deficient mutant (Y401A) and a hydrolysis-deficient mutant (E556Q/E1201Q), we show that thermostabilization of P-gp requires binding of ATP to both NBDs and their dimerization. Additionally, we found that transport substrates do not affect the thermal stability of P-gp either in the absence or presence of ATP; in contrast, inhibitors of P-gp including tariquidar and zosuquidar prevent ATP-dependent thermostabilization in a concentration-dependent manner, by stabilizing the inward-open conformation. Altogether, our data suggest that modulators, which bind in the transmembrane regions, inhibit ATP hydrolysis and drug transport by preventing the ATP-dependent dimerization of the NBDs of P-gp.
Retrospective comparison of the George Gauge™ registration and the sibilant phoneme registration for constructing OSA oral appliances

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare outcomes for appliances manufactured utilizing the George Gauge™ Registration (GGR) and the Sibilant Phoneme Registration (SPR). It was hypothesized that there would be no difference in outcomes. Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of two groups. Each group consisted of 20 oral appliances manufactured utilizing the GGR and 20 utilizing the SPR. Results: For the two-site data, no difference in outcomes was demonstrated (p = .24). The SPR method required fewer calibrations (p = 5.6 × 10−3) and less jaw movement (p = 3.33 × 10−4). Both bite methods resulted in similarly variable post-AHI scores (p = .52). For the eight-site data, no difference in outcomes was demonstrated (p = .76). The SPR required less movement of the jaw (p = 4.52 × 10−5); however, outcome variance was larger for the SPR (p = .036). Conclusion: The study null hypothesis of no difference in outcomes was supported. Abbreviations: AHI: Apnea-Hypopnea Index; GGR: George Gauge Registration; SPR: Sibilant Phoneme Registration; OSA: Obstructive Sleep Apnea; OA: Oral Appliance; OAT: Oral Appliance Therapy; MA: Mandibular Advancement; VDO: Vertical Dimensional Opening; AADSM: American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine; ABDSM: American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine; BMI: Body Mass Index
Next generation neural mass and field modelling.

The Wilson--Cowan population model of neural activity has greatly influenced our understanding of the mechanisms for the generation of brain rhythms and the emergence of structured brain activity. As well as the many insights that have been obtained from its mathematical analysis, it is now widely used in the computational neuroscience community for building large scale \textit{in silico} brain networks that can incorporate the increasing amount of knowledge from the Human Connectome Project. Here we consider a neural population model in the spirit of that originally developed by Wilson and Cowan, albeit with the added advantage that it can account for the phenomena of event related synchronisation and de-synchronisation. This \textit{derived} mean field model provides a dynamic description for the evolution of synchrony, as measured by the Kuramoto order parameter, in a large population of quadratic integrate-and-fire model neurons. As in the original Wilson--Cowan framework, the population firing rate is at the heart of our new model; however, in a significant departure from the sigmoidal firing rate function approach, the population firing rate is now obtained as a real-valued function of the complex valued population synchrony measure. To highlight the usefulness of this \textit{next generation} Wilson--Cowan style model we deploy it in a number of neurobiological contexts, providing understanding of the changes in power-spectra observed in EEG/MEG neuroimaging studies of motor-cortex during movement, insights into patterns of functional-connectivity observed during rest and their disruption by transcranial magnetic stimulation, and to describe wave propagation across cortex.
Pregnancy following endometrial ablation resulting in subtotal hysterectomy under spinal anaesthesia - A case report

A 44-year-old woman presented in her second pregnancy following a cavaterm balloon endometrial ablation three years earlier. Antenatal scans showed a fibroid measuring 11 × 7.5 × 8.2 cm in the lower segment. The placenta was fundal positioned and the baby’s growth was normal. At 32 weeks, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan excluded placenta percreta but was unable to exclude placenta accreta. At 37 weeks, she was in labour with a transverse presentation. The baby was born with good apgars and weighed 2970 g. The fibroid was removed. She recovered well and histology described a leiomyoma and myometrial hyperplasia. There was no evidence of placenta accreta. Key words: Pregnancy, endometrial ablation, antenatal scans, fibroid.
A rat model of arthrofibrosis developed after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction without rigid joint immobilization

ABSTRACT Purpose: Complications including arthrofibrosis have been reported after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) even under accelerated rehabilitation. To overcome this, we developed an animal model of ACLR-induced arthrofibrosis without immobilization. Materials and Methods: Thirteen male Wistar rats were divided into ACL transection (ACLT) and ACLR groups. Surgery was performed in the right knees and untreated left knees were used as controls. After surgery, rats could move freely without joint immobilization. Results: One week after surgery, flexion contracture represented by passive ROM reduction was 49 ± 5° and 21 ± 6° in ACLR and ACLT groups, respectively. Thereafter, flexion contractures were gradually reduced to 21 ± 8° and 12 ± 6° after 12 weeks, respectively. Fibrosis, which is characterized by significant upregulation of fibrosis-related genes, thickening, and adhesion in the posterior joint capsule, was observed in the ACLR group after 12 weeks of surgery. Nociceptive behavior and joint swelling were more apparent in the ACLR group than in the ACLT group, especially after 1 week of surgery. Discussions: We developed a rat model of ACLR-induced joint contracture due to arthrofibrosis without rigid immobilization. Joint contracture was also observed in the ACLT group, but to a considerably milder degree than in the ACLR group. Thus, signs of inflammation as a result of reconstruction surgery, rather than ACL transection, play an important role in the formation of joint contracture after ACLR. Our animal model is suited to examine the mechanisms and efficacy of therapeutic strategies for arthrofibrosis following ACLR treated without rigid joint immobilization.
Between placebo and nocebo: Response to control treatment is mediated by amygdala activity and connectivity

In experimental placebo and nocebo studies, neutral control treatments are often administered for comparison with active treatments, but are of little interest, as, on average, they result in little change. Yet, when considered at an individual level, they fluctuate between baseline and subsequent measurements and may reveal important information about participants' placebo/nocebo responding tendencies.
Effect of Rosmarinic Acid and Sinapic Acid on Oxidative Stress Parameters in the Cardiac Tissue and Serum of Type 2 Diabetic Female Rats

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most common complications of type 2 diabetes. They are considered the leading cause of death among diabetics. One of the mechanisms underlying diabetic cardiovascular complications is oxidative stress. Many phenolic acids are regarded as antioxidants. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of rosmarinic acid (RA) and sinapic acid (SA) on oxidative stress parameters in the cardiac tissue and serum of type 2 diabetic female rats. Additionally, the effect of these compounds on glucose homeostasis and lipid profile in the serum was evaluated. Type 2 diabetes was induced with high-fat diet and streptozotocin. RA at the doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg and SA at the doses of 5 and 25 mg/kg were administrated orally for 28 days. Untreated diabetic rats exhibited unfavorable changes in glucose metabolism and lipid profile. Changes in the enzymatic and non-enzymatic markers indicated the onset of oxidative stress in these animals. The results showed that the higher doses of the tested phenolic acids—50 mg/kg of RA and 25 mg/kg of SA—revealed beneficial effects on oxidative stress in the cardiac tissue of diabetic rats.
A MnO2 Nanoparticle-Dotted Hydrogel Promotes Spinal Cord Repair via Regulating Reactive Oxygen Species Microenvironment and Synergizing with Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most debilitating injuries and transplantation of stem cells in a scaffold is a promising strategy for the treatment. However, the stem cell treatment of SCI has been severely impaired by the increased generation of reactive oxygen species in the lesion microenvironment, which can lead to a high level of stem cell death and dysfunction. Herein, a MnO2 nanoparticle (NP)-dotted hydrogel is prepared through dispersion of MnO2 NPs in a PPFLMLLKGSTR peptide modified hyaluronic acid hydrogel. The peptide modified hydrogel enables the adhesive growth of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and nerve tissue bridging. The MnO2 NPs alleviate the oxidative environment, thereby effectively improving the viability of MSCs. Transplantation of MSCs in the multifunctional gel generates a significant motor function restoration on a long-span rat spinal cord transection model and induces an in vivo integration as well as neural differentiation of the implanted MSCs, leading to a highly efficient regeneration of central nervous spinal cord tissue. Therefore, the MnO2 NP-dotted hydrogel represents a promising strategy for stem cell-based therapies of central nervous system diseases through the comprehensive regulation of pathological microenvironment complications.
phyB and HY5 are Involved in the Blue Light-Mediated Alleviation of Dormancy of Arabidopsis Seeds Possibly via the Modulation of Expression of Genes Related to Light, GA, and ABA

Light is one of the most important environmental factors regulating seed germination. It is known that light inhibits seed germination of some monocotyledonous species and that it is mostly related to the blue wavelength of the spectrum received by cryptochromes (cry). Research has also found that the red light (R) stimulates germination of dicotyledonous seeds and that this reaction involves mainly phytochromes (phy). Surprisingly, up to date, the role and the mechanism of action of blue light (BL) in seed biology of dicot plants is still very poorly understood and some questions are unexplained, e.g., whether BL plays a role in regulation of dicot seeds dormancy and/or germination? If, so what particular elements of light signaling pathway are involved in modulation of this(ese) process(es)? Also, is the BL action in regulation of dicot seeds dormancy and/or germination maybe due to changes of expression of genes related to metabolism and/or signaling of two phytohormones controlling seed-related events, such as gibberellins (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA)? To answer these intriguing questions, the combination of biological, transcriptomic, and genetic approaches was performed in this particular study. The germination tests show that freshly harvested wild type (WT) Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 seeds are dormant and do not germinate in darkness (at 25 °C), while nondormant (after-ripened) seeds germinate well in these conditions. It is also proven that dormancy of seeds of this species is released in the presence of white and/or BL (λ = 447 nm) when placed at 25 °C. Presented here, novel results emphasize the role of BL in dormancy alleviation of dicot seeds, indicating that this wavelength of light spectrum received by phyB induces this process and that the sensitivity to this stimulus depends on the depth of seed dormancy. In addition, it is demonstrated that various elements of phy-mediated pathway can be used in response to the signal induced by BL in germinating dormant seeds of Arabidopsis. The quantitative real time PCR analysis supported by results of germination tests of WT, T-DNA insertion mutants (i.e., hy5, hfr1, and laf1) and overexpression transformants of Arabidopsis seeds (i.e., 35S:OE:HY5, 35S:OE:HYH, 35S:OE:HFR1, and 35S:OE:LAF1) revealed that the HY5 gene coding transcription factor is most probably responsible for the control of expression of genes involved in GA/ABA metabolism and/or signaling pathways during BL-dependent dormancy alleviation of Arabidopsis seeds, while biological functions of HYH and HFR1 are associated with regulation of germination. The model of BL action in regulation of dormancy alleviation and germination potential of Arabidopsis seeds is proposed.