Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease on 95 hospitalized patients with COVID‐19 in Wuhan, China: A retrospective study

Studies have demonstrated that comorbidities, especially cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, correlated with poorer clinical outcomes. However, the impact of digestive system diseases has not been issued. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) on hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). We extracted clinical data regarding 95 patients in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, China, between 26 January and 21 February 2020. The Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) was used to assess the presence and severity of LPRD. An RSI greater than 13 is considered to be abnormal. A total of 95 patients with COVID‐19 were enrolled, with 61.1% (58/95), 32.6% (31/95), and 6.3% (6/95) being moderately ill, severely ill, and critically ill, respectively. In this study, 38.9% (37/95) of the patient had an RSI score over 13, which was indicative of LPRD. In univariable analysis, the age and RSI scores of severely or critically ill patients were statistically significantly higher than patients with moderate disease (P = .026 and P = .005, respectively). After controlling for age difference in a multivariable model, the RSI greater than 13, compared to RSI equal to 0, was associated with significantly higher risk of severe infection (P < .001; odds ratio [OR] = 11.411; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.95‐42.09) and critical infection (P = .028; OR= 19.61; 95% CI, 1.38‐277.99). Among hospitalized patients with COVID‐19, RSI scores greater than 13, indicative of LPRD, correlated with poorer clinical outcomes. The prevalence of LPRD may be higher than the general population, which indicated that COVID‐19 can impair the upper esophageal sphincter and aggravate reflux.
Effects of insomnia symptoms and objective short sleep duration on memory performance in youths

Sleep quantity and quality are both important for optimal development and functioning during youth. Yet few studies have examined the effects of insomnia symptoms and objective short sleep duration on memory performance among adolescents and young adults. One‐hundred and ninety participants (female: 61.6%) aged from 12 to 24 years completed this study. All participants underwent a clinical interview, a 7‐day actigraphic assessment, a battery of self‐report questionnaires and cognitive tests to assess working memory and episodic memory. Insomnia symptoms were defined as a score ≥ 9 on the Insomnia Severity Index, and objective short sleep duration was defined as average total sleep time less than 7 hr for those aged 12–17 years, and 6 hr for those aged 18 years and above as assessed by actigraphy. Insomnia symptoms were significantly associated with worse self‐perceived memory (p < .05) and poorer performance on the digit span task (p < .01), but not the dual N‐back task and verbal learning task. There was no significant difference in any of the memory measures between participants with objective short sleep duration and their counterparts. No interaction effect was found between insomnia and short sleep duration on any of the objective memory outcomes. Insomnia symptoms, but not objective short sleep duration, were associated with poorer subjective memory and objective working memory performance in youths. Further studies are needed to investigate the underlying mechanisms linking insomnia and memory impairments, and to delineate the long‐term impacts of insomnia on other aspects of neurocognitive functioning in youth.
Feeding and digestion in terebellid polychaetes

Most of the naturalists of the nineteenth century were attracted by the tube-building abilities of the terebellid polychaetes rather than by their feeding behaviour. As Dalyell (1853) says in his Powers of the Creator, referring to terebellids: ‘All are architects, nor of contemptible skill, as we shall find on contemplating their mechanical labours. ’ Perhaps the best known English work dealing with this subject is the paper by Arnold Watson (1890) on the tube-building habits of the sand mason (Lattice conchilega), and while concerned mainly with tube building, the paper does include some observations on the feeding habits. Earlier, Gosse (1854) had recorded his observations on the behaviour of terebellids, and some additional information may be found in Quatrefages's Treatise of 1865. The first serious attempt to find out more about the morphology and histology of the gut in terebellids was made by Claparède (1873), and this work was published posthumously in his monograph on the Polychaeta Sedentaria.
Covid-19 and co-morbidities: a role for Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 (DPP4) in disease severity?

The Covid-19 pandemic is caused by a novel betacoronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, similar to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, which cause acute respiratory distress syndrome and case fatalities. Covid-19 disease severity is worse in older obese patients with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung disease. Cell binding and entry of betacoronaviruses is via their surface spike glycoprotein; SARS-CoV binds to the metalloprotease angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, abbreviated hereafter to ACE2, MERS-CoV utilises dipeptidyl peptidase 4, abbreviated hereafter to DPP4, and recent modelling of the structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein predicts that it can interact with human DPP4 in addition to ACE2. DPP4 is a ubiquitous membrane-bound aminopeptidase that circulates in plasma; it is multifunctional with roles in nutrition, metabolism, immune and endocrine systems. DPP4 activity differentially regulates glucose homeostasis and inflammation via its enzymatic activity and non-enzymatic immunomodulatory effects. The importance of DPP4 for the medical community has been highlighted by the approval of DPP4 inhibitors, or gliptins, for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. This review discusses the dysregulation of DPP4 in Covid-19 comorbid conditions; DPP4 activity is higher in older individuals and increased plasma DPP4 is a predictor of the onset of metabolic syndrome. DPP4 upregulation may be a determinant of Covid-19 disease severity, which creates interest regarding the use of gliptins in management of Covid-19. Also, knowledge of the chemistry and biology of DPP4 could be utilised to develop novel therapies to block viral entry of some betacoronaviruses, potentially including SARS-CoV-2. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
CD24 blunts the sensitivity of retinoblastoma to vincristine by modulating autophagy

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common childhood malignant intraocular tumor. The clinical efficacy of vincristine (VCR) in the treatment of RB is severely limited by drug resistance. Here, we found that CD24, a GPI‐anchored protein, was overexpressed in human RB tissues and RB cell lines, and was associated with the sensitivity of RB cells in response to VCR therapy. We demonstrated that CD24 plays a critical role in impairing RB sensitivity to VCR via regulating autophagy. Mechanistically, CD24 recruits PTEN to the lipid raft domain and regulates the PTEN/AKT/mTORC1 pathway to activate autophagy. Lipid raft localization was essential for CD24 recruitment function. Collectively, our findings revealed a novel role of CD24 in regulating RB sensitivity to VCR and showed that CD24 is a potential target for improving chemotherapeutic sensitivity and RB patient outcomes.
N α-Acetylation and Proteolytic Activity of the Yeast 20 S Proteasome*

N α-Acetylation, catalyzed co-translationally with N α-acetyltransferase (NAT), is the most common modifications of eukaryotic proteins. In yeast, there are at least three NATs: NAT1, MAK3, and NAT3. The 20 S proteasome subunits were purified from the normal strain and each of the deletion mutants,nat1, mak3, and nat3. The electrophoretic mobility of these subunits was compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Shifts toward the alkaline side of the gel and unblocking of the N terminus of certain of the subunits in one or another of the mutants indicated that the α1, α2, α3, α4, α7, and β3 subunits were acetylated with NAT1, the α5 and α6 subunits were acetylated with MAK3, and the β4 subunit was acetylated with NAT3. Furthermore, the Ac-Met-Phe-Leu and Ac-Met-Phe-Arg termini of the α5 and α6 subunits, respectively, extended the known types of MAK3 substrates. Thus, nine subunits were N α-acetylated, whereas the remaining five were processed, resulting in the loss of the N-terminal region. The 20 S proteasomes derived from either the nat1 mutant or the normal strain were similar in respect to chymotrypsin-like, trypsin-like, and peptidylglutamyl peptide hydrolyzing activitiesin vitro, suggesting thatN α-acetylation does not play a major functional role in these activities. However, the chymotrypsin-like activity in the absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate was slightly higher in the nat1 mutant than in the normal strain.
Quality of life and its determinants among hemodialysis patients: A single-center study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between selected demographic and clinical characteristics and quality of life (QOL) scores in patients with end-stage renal disease who receive dialysis. We conducted the study at one hemodialysis (HD) unit in Bahrain from May 2018 to July 2018. We used standard QOL Index (QOLI) score instrument in Arabic form. This study included 100 patients (66 men and 34 women), aged 22 to 80 years on treatment with maintenance HD for four to 190 months. Inclusion criteria were as follows: those aged >18 years with no severe morbidities or psychological diseases and were on dialysis for at least three months. The following QOL scores were recorded: the health and functioning domain (64.8 ± 15.3), the social and economic domain (65.6 ± 14.1), the psychological/spiritual domain (74.9 ± 14.3), and the family subscale domain (75.9 ± 14.5). Male patients had reduced QOL though not statistically significant and younger patients had better QOL scores. The QOL scores revealed a decreasing trend with decreasing level of education, and they were higher among those who were not working and stayed at home. In addition, the family subclass scores were significantly higher among the married patients. Correlations between the demographic characteristics and QOL scores showed that there was a significant negative correlation between family domain and educational level and marital status, while there was a significant positive correlation between residence and psychological domain. Age, gender, marital status, residence, ethnicity, education level, employment status, income, and duration on HD nonsignificantly affected one or more domains of QOLI scores in such patients. Adequate management of these factors could influence patient outcomes.
Sex Differences in HEXACO Personality Characteristics Across Countries and Ethnicities.

OBJECTIVE We examined sex differences in the HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R) factor- and facet-level scales and the associations of national sex differences in those scales with national characteristics such as wealth and gender equality. METHOD HEXACO-PI-R self-reports were collected online from persons in 48 countries (N=347,192). RESULTS (1) Women averaged substantially higher than men in Emotionality and in Honesty-Humility, with (sample-unweighted) mean differences across countries of d = 0.84 and d = 0.37, respectively; (2) the HEXACO-PI-R factor scales showed a rather large multivariate sex difference (D > 1 in most countries), about 16% larger than found in similar samples with the Big Five personality factors, (3) some facet scales belonging to the same factor showed widely varying sex differences, (4) national-level sex differences in Emotionality are larger in wealthy and gender-egalitarian countries, replicating previous counter-intuitive findings, but such a tendency was not clearly observed for Honesty-Humility, and (5) within several English-speaking countries, sex differences in Emotionality show little ethnic variation, supporting the suggestion that societal characteristics may influence the size of sex differences in Emotionality. CONCLUSION The HEXACO model of personality structure provides some new insights in understanding sex differences in personality at the individual and national levels.
Imperatorin and β‐sitosterol have synergistic activities in alleviating collagen‐induced arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease with complex molecular network of pathophysiology, single drug is usually not full satisfactory because it is almost impossible to target the whole molecular network of the disease. Drug combinations that act synergistically with each another is an effective strategy in RA therapy. In this study, we aimed to establish a new strategy to search effective synergized compounds from Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) used in RA. Based on multi‐information integrative approaches, imperatorin (IMP) and β‐sitosterol (STO) were predicted as the most effective pair for RA therapy. Further animal experiments demonstrated that IMP+STO treatment ameliorated arthritis severity of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) rats in a synergistic manner, whereas IMP or STO administration separately had no such effect. RNA sequencing and IPA analysis revealed that the synergistic mechanism of IMP+STO treatment was related to its regulatory effect on 5 canonical signaling pathways, which were not found when IMP or STO used alone. Moreover, LTA, CD83, and SREBF1 were 3 important targets for synergistic mechanism of IMP+STO treatment. The levels of these 3 genes were significantly up‐regulated in IMP+STO group compared to model group, whereas IMP or STO administration separately had no effect on them. In conclusion, this study found that IMP and STO were 2 synergistic compounds from the CHM in RA therapy, whose synergistic mechanism was closely related to regulate the levels of LTA, CD83, and SREBF1.
Trimethylamine N-Oxide in Relation to Cardiometabolic Health—Cause or Effect?

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is generated in a microbial-mammalian co-metabolic pathway mainly from the digestion of meat-containing food and dietary quaternary amines such as phosphatidylcholine, choline, betaine, or L-carnitine. Fish intake provides a direct significant source of TMAO. Human observational studies previously reported a positive relationship between plasma TMAO concentrations and cardiometabolic diseases. Discrepancies and inconsistencies of recent investigations and previous studies questioned the role of TMAO in these diseases. Several animal studies reported neutral or even beneficial effects of TMAO or its precursors in cardiovascular disease model systems, supporting the clinically proven beneficial effects of its precursor, L-carnitine, or a sea-food rich diet (naturally containing TMAO) on cardiometabolic health. In this review, we summarize recent preclinical and epidemiological evidence on the effects of TMAO, in order to shed some light on the role of TMAO in cardiometabolic diseases, particularly as related to the microbiome.
Aggrecan Turnover in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated with TNF-α Inhibitors

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of 15-month anti-tumor necrosis factor α (anti-TNF-α) therapy on the aggrecan turnover of female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Serum was obtained from healthy subjects and female RA patients treated with TNF-α inhibitors (TNFαI) in combination with methotrexate. We measured serum levels of aggrecan chondroitin sulfate 846 epitope (CS846), aggrecan fragments (AGC), disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 (ADAMTS-4) and 5 (ADAMTS-5), as well as their natural inhibitor, known as tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3), using immunoassay methods. Serum levels of CS846, AGC, ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5 and TIMP-3 were higher in female patients with RA before the treatment in comparison to healthy subjects. Ratio of ADAMTS-5 to TIMP-3 was significantly higher in RA women than in controls, whereas ADAMTS-4/TIMP-3 ratio did not differ from that in controls. During the anti-TNF-α therapy, the serum levels of 846 epitope increased, whereas levels of AGC decreased in female RA patients. Furthermore, 15 months of treatment with TNFαI downregulated serum levels of both ADAMTS, without any effect on TIMP-3 levels. These changes were accompanied by significantly reduced ratios of ADAMTS to TIMP-3. According to our results, anti-TNF-α therapy has a beneficial impact on aggrecan remodeling during RA.
Genomic Analyses of Human Sapoviruses Detected over a 40-Year Period Reveal Disparate Patterns of Evolution among Genotypes and Genome Regions

Human sapovirus is a causative agent of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups. The use of full-length viral genomes has proven beneficial to investigate evolutionary dynamics and transmission chains. In this study, we developed a full-length genome sequencing platform for human sapovirus and sequenced the oldest available strains (collected in the 1970s) to analyse diversification of sapoviruses. Sequence analyses from five major genotypes (GI.1, GI.2, GII.1, GII.3, and GIV.1) showed limited intra-genotypic diversification for over 20–40 years. The accumulation of amino acid mutations in VP1 was detected for GI.2 and GIV.1 viruses, while having a similar rate of nucleotide evolution to the other genotypes. Differences in the phylogenetic clustering were detected between RdRp and VP1 sequences of our archival strains as well as other reported putative recombinants. However, the lack of the parental strains and differences in diversification among genomic regions suggest that discrepancies in the phylogenetic clustering of sapoviruses could be explained, not only by recombination, but also by disparate nucleotide substitution patterns between RdRp and VP1 sequences. Together, this study shows that, contrary to noroviruses, sapoviruses present limited diversification by means of intra-genotype variation and recombination.
Effects of Inorganic Ions on Ice Nucleation by the Al-Surface of Kaolinite Immersed in Water.

Molecular dynamics simulations are employed to investigate the influence of inorganic salts on ice nucleation by the Al-surface of kaolinite, terminated with hydroxyl groups. Seven salt solutions (LiI(Cl), NaI(Cl), KI(Cl), and NH4I) are considered. Simulations were performed at 300 K to obtain equilibrium surface-ion and surface-water density profiles. These simulations show no specific ion adsorption at the kaolinite surface. There are weak surface-ion correlations, with cations preferring to be closer to the surface than the anions. At a supercooling of 26 K (taking account of freezing point depression), 1 M salt solutions slowed ice nucleation by a factor of 2-3 compared with pure water, and significantly reduced the rate of ice growth after nucleation. All salt solutions had similar influences on ice nucleation, and no specific ion effects were identified. Ice nucleation simulations for 1 M NaI(Cl), KI(Cl), and LiI solutions were performed for a range temperatures. In all cases, the supercooling required for ice nucleation was larger by 1 - 6 K, after accounting for freezing point depression, than that required for pure water. For 1 M LiI solution an earlier laboratory study using kaolin as ice nucleating particles (INP) reported that the supercooling required for ice nucleation was 11 K smaller than that required for pure water. Our simulation results are not consistent with this finding. In this paper, we report new laboratory results for 1 M LiI solution employing kaolinite as INP. In our experiments ice nucleation in the LiI solution required the same supercooling as pure water, which is more consistent with our simulations.
Variation Between Barley Cultivars in Early Response to Weed Competition

An experiment was conducted with three spring barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare L.) cultivars of contrasting competitiveness to identify variations in their early competitive response to weed competition and to study canopy architecture and growth development at the early stages of cultivar growth. The aim was also to investigate whether differences in shoot morphology, growth development and competitive response could explain the differences in competitive ability against weeds. The barley cultivars were grown outdoors in boxes either in monoculture or in a mixture with white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) as a model weed. The experiment was run until the barley cultivars were in the stem elongation stage. The varieties with strong to medium competitive ability against weeds shortened the time of emergence in the presence of S. alba in contrast to the least competitive cultivar. The results also indicated that spring barley cultivars with strong competitive ability against weeds have an early stem extension as a response to weed competition and a low competitive response. Morphological traits, namely large length of the two first internodes, long main shoot in the tillering stage and a small leaf angle, may be important traits in competition for light. Variation bei Gerstenkultivaren in einer Fruhreaktion auf Unkrautkonkurrenz Es wurde ein Experiment mit drei Sommergerstensorten (Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare L.) durchgefuhrt, um unterschiedliche Konkurrenzstarke in der fruhen Reaktion gegenuber Unkrautkonkurrenz zu bestimmen und die Bestandesoberflachenarchitektur und das Wachstum der fruhen Stadien der Kultivare zu bestimmen. Ziel war es nachzuweisen, ob Unterschiede in der Sprossmorphologie, der Wachstumsentwicklung und der Konkurrenzreaktion die Unterschiede in der Konkurrenzstarke gegen Unkraut beeinflussen konnen. Die Gerstenkultivare wurden im Freien in Gefasen sowohl in Monokultur als auch in Mischungen mit Senf (Sinapis alba L.) als ein Modellunkraut aufgezogen. Das Experiment wurde bis zu dem Zeitpunkt, an dem die Gerstenkultivare schosten, durchgefuhrt. Die Sorten mit starker bis mittlerer Konkurrenzkraft gegenuber Unkraut wiesen eine kurze Auflaufzeit in Gegenwart von S. alba auf; das stand im Gegensatz zu den weniger konkurrenzstarken Kultivaren. Die Ergebnisse weisen auserdem darauf hin, dass Sommergerstenkultivare mit einer starken Konkurrenzfahigkeit gegenuber Unkrautern ein fruhes Langenwachstum als Reaktion auf die Unkrautkonkurrenz und eine geringe Konkurrenzempfindlichkeit aufweisen. Morphologische Eigenschaften wie grose Lange der beiden ersten Internodien, lange Hauptsprossachsen in der Schossphase und geringe Blattwinkel konnen wichtige Eigenschaften in der Konkurrenz um Licht sein.
Effects of elevated CO2, N-fertilization, and season on survival of ponderosa pine fine roots.

We used minirhizotrons to assess the effects of elevated CO2, N, and season on the life-span of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) fine roots. CO2 levels were ambient air (A), ambient air + 175 µmol·mol-1 (A + 175) and ambient air + 350 µmol·mol-1 (A + 350). N treatments were 0, 100, and 200 kg N·ha-1 per year (N0, N100, and N200, respectively). Fine root survival was strongly influenced by season and seemed to be most strongly linked to soil temperature. Roots born in the fall and winter had longer median root life-span (MRLs) than those born during the spring and summer. Elevated CO2 increased root life-span, but N fertilization decreased it. Under A, MRL was 74 ± 12 days (mean ± SE) and was significantly different from the MRL for the A + 350 treatment (102 ± 14 days). MRL under A + 175 averaged 92 ± 10 days. MRL was 116 ± 13 days for the N0 treatment and was significantly greater than MRL for the N100 (70 ± 10 days) and N200 (62 ± 14 days) treatments. Assuming that longer lived fine root.