Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Orthostatic hypotension, orthostatic hypertension, and ambulatory blood pressure in patients with chronic kidney disease in CRIC

Background: Orthostatic changes in blood pressure (BP), either orthostatic hypotension or orthostatic hypertension (OHTN), are common among patients with chronic kidney disease. Whether they are associated with unique out-of-office BP phenotypes is unknown. Methods: CRIC is a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study of participants with CKD. BP measured at 2 min after standing and ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) were obtained on 1386 participants. Orthostatic hypotension was defined as a 20 mmHg drop in SBP or 10 mmHg drop in DBP when changing from seated to standing positions. Systolic and diastolic night-to-day ratio was also calculated. OHTN was defined as a 20 or 10 mmHg rise in SBP or DBP when changing from a seated to a standing position. White-coat effect (WCE) was defined as seated minus daytime ambulatory BP. Results: Of the 1386 participants (age: 58 ± 10 years, 44% female, 39% black), 68 had orthostatic hypotension and 153 had OHTN. Postural reduction in SBP or DBP was positively associated with greater systolic and diastolic WCE and systolic and diastolic night-to-day ratio. Orthostatic hypotension was positively associated with diastolic WCE (β = 3 [0.2, 5.9]). Diastolic OHTN was negatively associated with systolic WCE (β = -4 [-7.2, -0.5]) and diastolic WCE (β = -6 [-8.1, -4.2]). Conclusion: Postural change in BP was associated with WCE and night-to-day-ratio. Orthostatic hypotension was positively associated with WCE and OHTN was negatively associated with WCE. These findings strengthen observations that postural changes in BP may associate with distinct BP patterns throughout the day. These observations are informative for subsequent research tailoring orthostatic hypotension and OHTN treatment to specific BP phenotypes.
Filter and Wrapper Stacking Ensemble (FWSE): a robust approach for reliable biomarker discovery in high-dimensional omics data

Abstract Selecting informative features, such as accurate biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prognosis and response to treatment, is an essential task in the field of bioinformatics. Medical data often contain thousands of features and identifying potential biomarkers is challenging due to small number of samples in the data, method dependence and non-reproducibility. This paper proposes a novel ensemble feature selection method, named Filter and Wrapper Stacking Ensemble (FWSE), to identify reproducible biomarkers from high-dimensional omics data. In FWSE, filter feature selection methods are run on numerous subsets of the data to eliminate irrelevant features, and then wrapper feature selection methods are applied to rank the top features. The method was validated on four high-dimensional medical datasets related to mental illnesses and cancer. The results indicate that the features selected by FWSE are stable and statistically more significant than the ones obtained by existing methods while also demonstrating biological relevance. Furthermore, FWSE is a generic method, applicable to various high-dimensional datasets in the fields of machine intelligence and bioinformatics.
β-aminopropionitrile Induces Distinct Pathologies in the Ascending and Descending Thoracic Aortic Regions of Young Mice

This study characterized β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN)-induced aortopathies in young mice. The effects of BAPN were first determined with regard to BAPN dose and mouse strain, age, and sex. BAPN-induced aortic rupture predominantly occurred or originated in the descending thoracic aorta. For mice surviving 12 weeks of BAPN administration, profound dilatation was consistently observed in the ascending region, while there were more heterogeneous changes in the descending thoracic region. Pathological features were distinct between the ascending and descending thoracic regions. Aortic pathology in the ascending region was characterized by luminal dilatation and elastic fiber disruption throughout the media. The descending thoracic region frequently had dissections with false lumen formation, macrophage infiltration, collagen deposition, and remodeling of the wall surrounding the false lumen. Cells surrounding the false lumen were predominantly positive for α-smooth muscle actin. To investigate the molecular basis of the regional heterogeneity, ascending and descending thoracic aortas were harvested after one week of BAPN administration prior to the appearance of overt pathology. BAPN compromised contractile properties in both regions equivalently, and RNA sequencing did not show obvious differences between the two aortic regions in smooth muscle cell markers, cell proliferation markers, and extracellular components. In conclusion, BAPN-induced pathologies show distinct, heterogeneous features within and between ascending and descending aortic regions in young mice.
Prevalence of Pathogenic Leptospira spp. in Non-Volant Small Mammals of Hutan Lipur Sekayu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease that is transmitted worldwide through infected small mammals such as rodents. In Malaysia, there is a paucity of information on the animal reservoirs that are responsible for leptospirosis transmission, with only a few studies focusing on leptospirosis risk in recreational areas. Therefore, in this study we characterized the species composition and the prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in non-volant small mammals of Hutan Lipur Sekayu, Terengganu. We performed ten trapping sessions totaling 3000 trappings between September 2019 and October 2020. Kidney samples from captured individuals were extracted for the PCR detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. Overall, we captured 45 individuals from 8 species (1.56% successful trapping effort), with 9 individuals testing positive for pathogenic Leptospira, that is, a 20% (n = 9/45) prevalence rate. Rattus tiomanicus (n = 22) was the most dominant captured species and had the highest positive individual with pathogenic Leptospira (44.4%, n = 4/9). Despite the low successful trapping effort in this study, the results show the high diversity of non-volant small mammals in Hutan Lipur Sekayu, and that they could also maintain and transmit pathogenic Leptospira.
The use of radiocarbon to constrain current and future soil organic matter turnover and transport in a temperate forest

We investigated the merits of radiocarbon measurements for estimating soil organic matter (SOM) turnover and vertical transport for a temperate deciduous forest in Germany. Eleven parameters, defining decomposition and transport in the soil carbon model SOMPROF, were estimated using a Bayesian approach based on organic carbon measurements and radiocarbon concentration of SOM and heterotrophic respiration. The addition of radiocarbon data had strong effects on the parameters, most importantly a reduction of the decomposition and production rate of the slowest SOM pool by an order of magnitude, and a similar reduction in advective SOM transport. The modified parameters further led to changes in the partitioning of SOM over the different model pools. The calibration results were subsequently used to perform transient soil carbon projections for the period 1901–2100. These simulations were run with parameter sets from calibrations both with and without radiocarbon. The results show an increase over time of topsoil carbon and a decrease in the subsoil, adding to a net gain overall. Near the end of the 21st century, total carbon stocks stabilize and—for the radiocarbon‐constrained model—start to decrease. However, the changes are small compared to the total stocks. The model results for the calibrations with and without radiocarbon are in general quite similar, but the latter shows notably higher heterotrophic respiration fluxes. Constraining the model with radiocarbon yielded only a small reduction of uncertainty for the total carbon stocks, while for the individual depth compartments, the uncertainty was increased.
Winter Daily Precipitation Variability over Northern Scotland

ABSTRACT Daily winter (December, January and February) precipitation variability over mainland Northern Scotland (1994–2004) is analysed using 99 rain gauges. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to identify four main patterns of rainfall variability that collectively account for nearly 75% of the variance. The most important pattern (PC 1) shows a west to east decline in rainfall; and is associated with a westerly wind flow, orographic enhancement and rain shadow effects. PC 2 shows a south to north decline in rainfall, a distribution that is generated disproportionately by southerly winds and a more southerly storm track than PC 1's pattern. PC 3 produces the most rainfall in Aberdeenshire and the least in Inverness-shire and Argyll. This spatial distribution is caused mostly by south-easterly flows, with the lowest pressure occurring in eastern Scotland or over the North Sea. PC 4 exhibits a localised precipitation maximum in Nairnshire and Moray, which tends to occur on days with a north to north-easterly wind. Cluster analysis is used to identify six rainfall regions, with regionalisations being derived for each wind direction. The most important sub-division in the region's rainfall climatology is between Aberdeen and Banff and the remainder of the mainland; rainfall variability over time in these two eastern counties thus differs considerably from other parts of Northern Scotland. The Caithness Plain also emerges as a distinct region despite its small area. Distinct rainfall regions are most evident on days when the wind blows from the westerly quadrant.
From Augmented to Virtual Reality in Plastic Surgery: Blazing the Trail to a New Frontier

Abstract Background Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)—termed mixed reality—have shown promise in the care of operative patients. Currently, AR and VR have well-known applications for craniofacial surgery, specifically in preoperative planning. However, the application of AR/VR technology to other reconstructive challenges has not been widely adopted. Thus, the purpose of this investigation is to outline the current applications of AR and VR in the operative setting. Methods The literature pertaining to the use of AR/VR technology in the operative setting was examined. Emphasis was placed on the use of mixed reality technology in surgical subspecialities, including plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, colorectal surgery, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, neurosurgery, and orthopaedic surgery. Results Presently, mixed reality is widely used in the care of patients requiring complex reconstruction of the craniomaxillofacial skeleton for pre- and intraoperative planning. For upper extremity amputees, there is evidence that VR may be efficacious in the treatment of phantom limb pain. Furthermore, VR has untapped potential as a cost-effective tool for microsurgical education and for training residents on techniques in surgical and nonsurgical aesthetic treatment. There is utility for mixed reality in breast reconstruction for preoperative planning, mapping perforators, and decreasing operative time. VR has well- documented applications in the planning of deep inferior epigastric perforator flaps by creating three-dimensional immersive simulations based on a patient's preoperative computed tomography angiogram. Conclusion The benefits of AR and VR are numerous for both patients and surgeons. VR has been shown to increase surgical precision and decrease operative time. Furthermore, it is effective for patient-specific rehearsal which uses the patient's exact anatomical data to rehearse the procedure before performing it on the actual patient. Taken together, AR/VR technology can improve patient outcomes, decrease operative times, and lower the burden of care on both patients and health care institutions.
Comparing the efficacy of chlorhexidine and povidone–iodine in preventing surgical site infections: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract Surgical site infections (SSIs) post‐surgery impact patient health and raise healthcare costs. This meta‐analysis examines the efficacy of antiseptics, chlorhexidine and povidone–iodine, in reducing SSIs, including various types, to settle ongoing debates on their comparative effectiveness. A systematic literature search conforming to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines was executed on four established databases without temporal restrictions. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including patients aged 18 years or older undergoing clean or potentially contaminated surgeries were included. Two independent evaluators carried out study selection, data extraction and quality assessment, adhering to Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Statistical analyses were performed using chi‐square tests and the I 2 index to evaluate heterogeneity, and meta‐analyses were conducted employing either fixed‐effects or random‐effects models as warranted by the heterogeneity assessments. A total of 16 RCTs were included after rigorous selection from an initial pool of 1742 articles. The studies demonstrated low levels of heterogeneity, supporting the use of a fixed‐effects model. Chlorhexidine exhibited statistically lower rates of overall SSIs (RR 0.75; 95% CI 0.64–0.88; p < 0.001), superficial SSIs (RR 0.62; 95% CI 0.47–0.82; p < 0.001) and deep SSIs compared to povidone–iodine. The study furnishes compelling evidence in favour of chlorhexidine as a more efficacious antiseptic agent over povidone–iodine in minimizing the risk of various types of SSIs.
Activism, Coping, and Hopefulness Among Parents of Children With Cancer

Background: Coping styles employed by parents of children with cancer have significant implications for parents’ and children's well-being. To supplement the minimal literature in this area, activism (participation in activities that serve to benefit children with cancer as a group) was investigated as a potential coping strategy. Method: Parents (N = 67) of children with cancer completed an online survey that included measures of COPE inventory (COPE), hopefulness (Adult Hope Scale), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire—9-item). Participants retrospectively reported their engagement in activism to benefit children with cancer and to benefit other causes, including actions that were taken before and after their child's cancer diagnosis. Relations between activism, overall styles of coping, hopefulness, and depression were assessed. Results: Activism was positively correlated with hope and active coping, but not associated with depression. Participants reported a significant increase in childhood-cancer-related activism following their own child's diagnosis, with 100% of parents endorsing engagement in such activism. Postdiagnosis childhood-cancer-related activism uniquely explained 17% of the variance in hopefulness after other forms of activism had been accounted for. Discussion: Childhood-cancer-related activism is a common activity among parents of children with cancer that has significant implications for parental hopefulness. Parents who endorse an active, solution-focused approach to coping with the childhood cancer experience may be more likely than others to engage in activism. Further research is needed to clarify the role of activism in the lives of families of children with cancer.
GM1 ganglioside exerts protective effects against glutamate‐excitotoxicity via its oligosaccharide in wild‐type and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis motor neurons

Alterations in glycosphingolipid metabolism have been linked to the pathophysiological mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons. Accordingly, administration of GM1, a sialic acid‐containing glycosphingolipid, is protective against neuronal damage and supports neuronal homeostasis, with these effects mediated by its bioactive component, the oligosaccharide head (GM1‐OS). Here, we add new evidence to the therapeutic efficacy of GM1 in ALS: Its administration to WT and SOD1G93A motor neurons affected by glutamate‐induced excitotoxicity significantly increased neuronal survival and preserved neurite networks, counteracting intracellular protein accumulation and mitochondria impairment. Importantly, the GM1‐OS faithfully replicates GM1 activity, emphasizing that even in ALS the protective function of GM1 strictly depends on its pentasaccharide.
Degradation of Arid Rangelands in Thar Desert, India: A Review

ABSTRACT Land degradation has recently been exacerbated in rangelands of arid Rajasthan by heavy grazing pressures. The total livestock population in the arid region of Rajasthan has reached 29.25 million in the year 2001 from 10.34 million in the year 1951. In terms of adult cattle units (ACU) the livestock pressure was 9.58 million in 1983, which increased to 11.27 million in 2001. Local grazing pressures are surpassing the recommended stocking rates of the rangelands at an enormous pace. The pressure was 0.87 ACU ha−1 in 1981 which increased to 1.02 ACU ha−1 ha in 2001 against the optimum desirable density of 0.2 ACU ha−1. Excellent, good, fair, poor and very poor condition rangelands (having approximate productivity of 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, 0.75, and 0.5 Mg ha−1, respectively) can safely provide year long grazing to 0.25–0.30, 0.20, 0.17, 0.13, and 0.01–0.06 ACU ha−1 blocks, respectively, during normal years. The carrying capacities of the rangelands were estimated several decades ago, however, qualitative evidence is available regarding changes in soil and vegetation patterns. There is need to evolve practices for improving the long-term productivity and sustainability of rangeland ecosystems. An increase of 639% in forage yield was observed over control by adopting moisture conservation technique. Increase in forage yield was recorded in the range of 30 to 122% in “poor” and 29 to 107% in “fair” class rangelands after 3–5 years of reseeding. Premonsoon sowing of grass seeds give 36% higher forage yield over monsoon sowing. Application of 22.5 kg N ha−1 during normal year resulted in additional increase in forage yield by 20 to 70%. If sustainable productivity increases are to be achieved, mechanisms must be developed to involve fully range users (herders) in all aspects of project planning and implementation. A flexible stocking rate, dependent on seasonal and annual variation in feed availability, is suggested as a key element in any improved range and livestock management strategy.
Surveys for Marbled Murrelets in Potential Habitat in the Oregon Coast Range

To mitigate for the injury and scale restoration for Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) from the New Carissa oil spill, information on murrelet habitat use, nest density and site characteristics was needed. We conducted intensive surveys for Marbled Murrelets in 10 sites along the Oregon Coast between 17 May and 3 August 2001. We also established vegetation plots within each site to describe the habitat features known to be important to murrelets. The specific objectives of this project were to: (1) determine the status (presence, absence or occupancy) of murrelets in each site by conducting dawn surveys; (2) characterize the quality of nesting habitat within each site by estimating the number of platform trees and the abundance moss or other substrate on each platform; and (3) estimate nest density within each site. We detected murrelets in 100% of the sites surveyed, with occupied behavior observed in seven sites and presence documented in the remaining three sites. The number of total and occupied detections was correlated with the number of platforms. The mean density of platform trees (55.5-66.0 trees/ha) and total number of platforms (926-1078) was highest at Cook=s Ridge, Darkey Creek and Oswald West. These sites also had the highest total number of murrelet detections, ranging from 73 to 246. The remaining seven sites had lower mean densities of platform trees (15.5-49.5 trees/ha), total number of platforms (173-744), and total number of detections (1-74). Moss abundance ranged from 36-77% and was highest (66%) in four of the mature sites (80-200 yrs). Based on our intensive surveys using multiple observers in radio communication, the highest number of birds we observed on any single survey day over the survey season ranged iii from 0 to 5 birds. Using our best professional judgment based on our detection data, we concluded that between 0 and 8 birds could be using our sites (see methods). We estimate that the potential density of nests among the eight sites ranged from 0.03 to 0.11 nests/ha (0 = 0.07 nests/ha). This is comparable to nest density estimates from some studies conducted in
Neuropeptide Y gene polymorphisms and chronic kidney disease progression

Background: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neurotransmitter expressed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, which is involved in regulating a multitude of physiological processes ranging from arterial pressure, energy balance, the immune response and inflammation and renal electrolyte transport. In a cohort of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, we recently showed that high plasma NPY levels predict renal disease progression independently of hypertension and other risk factors but the causal nature of this association remains unproven. Methods: In the same cohort of the previous study, we tested the relationship of NPY gene variability, as assessed by five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that explained the whole gene variability, with the incidence rate of a predefined combined renal endpoint (dialysis/transplantation/estimated glomerular filtration rate reduction >30%) over a median follow up of 36 months (inter-quartile range 35–37 months) in 735 ethnically homogeneous patients with stage 2–5 CKD. Results: Two variants [rs16131 (recessive model for the T risk allele: TT, n = 563; CT + CC, n = 172) and rs16140 (dominant model for the G risk allele: GG + CG, n = 413; CC, n = 322)] were coherently associated with the incidence rate of renal events [hazard ratio (HR) ranging from 1.39 to 1.57, P ≤ 0.015] and this was also true when the two SNPs were jointly introduced into the same Cox model (P ≤ 0.043). The analysis of the biological interaction showed a significant synergism between the NPY rs16131 and rs16140 variants. Indeed, patients harboring NPY rs16131 TT and NPY rs16140 GG + CG risk genotypes had a much higher HR of renal events [HR: 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.16–2.79, P = 0.009] than that expected in the absence of biological interaction under both the additive and multiplicative models and the attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) was 25% and 38% on crude and adjusted analyses, respectively. Conclusion: This study, based on the Mendelian randomization approach and using NPY gene variants as instrumental variables to test the link between NPY and CKD progression, is in line with findings indicating that high plasma NPY levels predict an increased risk for renal events and lend support to the hypothesis that NPY is causally involved in renal disease progression.