Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression Profile of Selected Genes Involved in Storage Lipid Synthesis in a Model Oleaginous Yeast Species Yarrowia lipolytica

Yarrowia lipolytica yeast is a model species of the group of oleaginous microorganisms capable of intracellular lipids accumulation in an amount exceeding 20% of the dry mass. Single cell oil biosynthesis can follow one of two biochemical pathways—de novo accumulation of cellular lipids in medium containing non-lipid carbon sources (including saccharides, glycerol) and ex novo microbial oil synthesis which involves fatty acids uptake from the environment. The mRNA expression of selected genes of de novo and ex novo lipid synthesis pathways was analyzed and correlated with the phenotypically observed features. It was proved that the accumulation yield of storage lipids via ex novo pathway was to some extent dependent on the limitation of the nitrogen source in the medium. It was also proposed that the synthesis of intracellular lipids in lipid-rich medium proceeded mainly via ex novo pathway, although the activity of genes encoding the enzymes of the de novo pathway were not completely inhibited at the stage of transcription by fatty acids present in the medium (e.g., ATP-citrate lyase). Molecular markers of two biosynthesis routes has been outlined and a hypothetical connection point between de novo and ex novo route were indicated.
The real-time status of strong and weak islands

In two eye-tracking reading experiments, we used a variant of the filled gap technique to investigate how strong and weak islands are processed on a moment-to-moment basis during comprehension. Experiment 1 provided a conceptual replication of previous studies showing that real time processing is sensitive to strong islands. In the absence of an island, readers experienced processing difficulty when a pronoun appeared in a position of a predicted gap, but this difficulty was absent when the pronoun appeared inside a strong island. Experiment 2 showed an analogous effect for weak islands: a processing cost was seen for a pronoun in the position of a predicted gap in a that-complement clause, but this cost was absent in a matched whether clause, which constitutes a weak island configuration. Overall, our results are compatible with the claim that active dependency formation is suspended, or reduced, in both weak and strong island structures.
The association between acne care provision and quality of life: A cross‐sectional survey

It has been suggested that professional acne care can be effective not only in reducing clinical signs but also in improving quality of life (QOL). This study aims to reach a better understanding of the association between QOL and professional acne care. The study also investigates other factors that might influence QOL such as age, gender, and acne severity.
Assessment of Pharmacists’ Willingness to Conduct Medication Use Reviews in Poland

Introduction. Pharmacists play an important role in healthcare. Their functions are evolving and, in many countries, they actively participate in interdisciplinary patient treatment. One of the most common services provided by pharmacists as part of pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies involves medication reviews. Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the readiness of pharmacists to conduct medication reviews in community pharmacies. Materials and methods. This study comprises 493 pharmacists from community pharmacies in Poland. A questionnaire (developed for the purposes of this study) was used. It consisted of eight questions regarding readiness to conduct medication reviews, along with personal data. Results. A total of 63.9% of the pharmacists were ready to conduct medication reviews, and 23.1% already had experience in this area. Participants were of the opinion that this service should be funded by the Ministry of Health or a third-party public payer, and overall was valued by the participants at PLN 169.04 (SD = 280.77) net per patient. Conclusions. Pharmacists in Poland have expressed their readiness to conduct medical reviews. Implementation of this service in community pharmacies in Poland can have a significant impact on optimising patient health outcomes.
CDK7 Predicts Worse Outcome in Head and Neck Squamous-Cell Cancer

Simple Summary Head and neck squamous-cell cancer (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancer entities worldwide. Still, prognosis is rather poor, and therapeutic regimes come with harsh side-effects. In cancer research, certain biomolecules serve an important role as biomarkers that help to gain deeper insights into tumor biology. In this study, we sought to investigate the clinical implications of CDK7 and pMED1 as potential biomarkers in HNSCC patients. Therefore, we measured the levels of the above-mentioned proteins within tissue sections of our cohort using suitable software. Possible correlations of protein abundancy and clinicopathological features might help to guide future therapeutic decisions. We found that high levels of CDK7 in patients’ tumor tissue point to lower survival and disease-free survival rates. There are current studies that investigate CDK7 as a therapeutic target in drug therapy. Our study provides a rationale that such therapies might benefit HNSCC patients. Abstract HNSCC is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the prognosis is still poor. Here, we investigated the prognostic implications of CDK7 and pMED1. Both proteins affect transcription, and their expression is altered throughout different tumor entities. pMED1 is phosphorylated by CDK7. Importantly, CDK7 and MED1 have been ascribed prognostic implications by various studies. However, their prognostic value in head and neck squamous-cell cancer (HNSCC) remains elusive. We applied immunohistochemical staining of CDK7 and pMED1 on our large and clinically well-characterized HNSCC tissue cohort comprising 419 patients. Software-aided quantification of staining intensity was performed as a measure of protein expression. The following results were linked to the clinicopathological features of our cohort and correlated in different tissue types (primary tumor, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, recurrence). Upregulation CDK7 was associated with worse 5-year overall survival as well as disease-free survival in HNSCC while being independent of other known prognostic factors such as p16-status. Also, CDK7 expression was significantly elevated in immune cell infiltrated tumors. In HNSCC CDK7 might serve as a novel prognostic marker to indicate the prognosis of patients. Furthermore, in vitro studies proved the feasibility of CDK7 inhibition with attenuating effects on cell proliferation underlining its remarkable translational potential for future therapeutic regimes.
Effect of High-Pressure Processing on Fresh Sea Urchin Gonads in Terms of Shelf Life, Chemical Composition, and Microbiological Properties

Paracentrotus lividus is a widespread sea urchin species appreciated worldwide for the taste of its fresh gonads. High-pressure processing (HPP) can provide a thermal equivalent to pasteurization, maintaining the organoleptic properties of the raw gonads. This study evaluated HPP technology’s effect at 350 MPa and 500 MPa on microbial inactivation and biochemical characteristics of P. lividus gonads. HPP at 350 MPa resulted in a higher decrease in protein and free amino acids associated with a loss of olfactory, color, and gustatory traits and a visual alteration of the texture. On the other hand, gonad samples stored for 40 days after treatments at 500 MPa showed a good organoleptic profile similar to fresh gonads. Furthermore, only 500 MPa effectively reduced mesophilic bacteria contamination among the two HPP treatments carried out. Total lipids increased during storage; however, the SAFA/PUFA rate was homogeneous during HPP trials ranging from 2.61–3.91 g/100 g. Total protein decreased more than 40% after HPP at 350 MPa, whereas, after 500 MPa, it remained stable for 20 days. The amount of free amino acid constantly decreased during storage after HPP at 350 MPa and remained constant at 500 MPa. HPP can effectively remove the bacterial flora and inactivate enzymes, maintaining the properties of the fresh sea urchin gonads.
Effects of Winglet Geometry on the Aerodynamic Performance of Tip Leakage FLow in a Turbine Cascade

Experimental and numerical methods were used to investigate the aerodynamic performance of a winglet tip in a linear cascade. A flat tip and a cavity tip are studied as baseline cases. The flow patterns over the three tips are studied. The flow separates over the pressure side edge. For the cavity tip and the winglet tip, vortices appear in the cavity. These vortices reduce the discharge coefficient of the tip.The purpose of using a winglet tip is to reduce the driving pressure difference. The pressure side winglet of the winglet geometry studied in this paper has little effect in reducing the driving pressure difference. It is found that the suction side winglet reduces the driving pressure difference of the tip leakage flow near the leading edge, but increases the driving pressure difference from midchord to the trailing edge. This is also used to explain the findings and discrepancies in other studies. Compared with the flat tip, the cavity tip and the winglet tip achieve a reduction of the loss to the size of the tip gap.The effects of the rounding of the pressure side edge of the tips were studied to simulate the effects of deterioration. As the size of the pressure side edge radius increase, the tip leakage mass flow rate and the loss increase. The improvement of the aerodynamic performance by using a winglet remains similar when comparing with a flat tip or a cavity tip with the same pressure side radius.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Promoting Acceptance and Adherence to Noninvasive Ventilation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT Objective People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may suffer from anxiety, depression, low quality of life, and cognitive deficits that could play a role in their clinical conditions. These situations could be worsened during the adaptation process to a new treatment such as noninvasive ventilation (NIV), which is often rejected or inappropriately used. The study aimed to analyze the impact of a brief psychological support intervention on adherence to NIV among patients with COPD. Methods A two-branch randomized controlled trial was conducted on 90 patients with COPD who had an indication for NIV. The experimental group received cognitive behavioral therapy support, including counseling, relaxation, and mindfulness-based exercises. Controls received standard care and watched educational videos. The course had been structured for four to eight meetings at the hospital, at home, and/or via telemedicine. Results The psychological intervention was related to improvements in both adherence to NIV (F(304) = 19.054, p < . 001) and quality of life (F(156) = 10.264, p = . 002) after eight meetings from baseline compared with the control group. Results indicated a significant change in the quality of life also over time (F(71.480) = 8.114, p = . 006). Conclusions The findings suggest that the psychological intervention is an appropriate treatment for acceptance of and adherence to NIV in COPD in clinical practice and highlight the importance of determining the underlying reasons for NIV use. Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02499653.
Just-in-Time In Situ Simulation Training as a Preparedness Measure for the Perioperative Care of COVID-19 Patients

Introduction Routine workflows were redesigned during the first surge of the COVID-19 pandemic to standardize perioperative management of patients and minimize the risk of viral exposure and transmission to staff members. Just-in-time (JIT), in situ simulation training was adopted to implement urgent change, the value of which in a public health crisis has not previously been explored. Methods Implementation of workflow changes in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic was accomplished through JIT, in situ simulation training, delivered over a period of 3 weeks to participants from anesthesia, nursing, and surgery, within our healthcare network. The perceived value of this training method was assessed using a postsimulation training survey, composed of Likert scale assessments and free-text responses. The impact on change in practice was assessed by measuring compliance with new COVID-19 workflows for cases of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 managed in the operating room, between March and August 2020. Results Postsimulation survey responses collected from 110 of 428 participants (25.7%) demonstrated significant positive shifts along the Likert scale on perceived knowledge of new workflow processes, comfort in adopting them in practice and probability that training would have an impact on future practice (all Ps < 0.001). Free-text responses reflected appreciation for the training being timely, hands-on, and interprofessional. Compliance with new COVID workflows protocols in practice was 95% (121 of 127 cases) and was associated with lower than expected healthcare worker test positive rates (<1%) within the network during this same period. Conclusions These findings support JIT, in situ simulation training as a preparedness measure for the perioperative care of COVID-19 patients and demonstrate the value of this approach during public health crises.
Pediatric Forensic Analysis

ABSTRACT Background Although the presence of forensic evidence aids in successful prosecution of sexual abuse, controversy remains regarding the timing and indications for collection of forensic evidence in child sexual abuse/assault. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe forensic evidence findings in acute child sexual abuse after implementing more inclusive indications for collection of evidence in a pediatric emergency department and to identify factors associated with yield of DNA. Results Of the 306 evidence kits collected and analyzed, 110 (35.9%) kits were positive for an interpretable DNA profile foreign to the patient, which may or may not have contributed to the investigation of the sexual abuse concern. Several factors were associated with increased forensic yield of identifiable foreign DNA: increased age of child victim, 48 hours or less between the latest incident of sexual abuse and the collection of forensic evidence, child disclosure of high-severity sexual abuse acts (anal–genital or genital–genital contact) in the pediatric emergency department forensic interview, and sexual abuse by a nonrelative perpetrator. Conclusions Finally, although certain factors were associated with increased yield of identifiable foreign DNA within each factor, there were multiple outliers where failure to collect forensic evidence would have resulted in a loss of recoverable foreign DNA.
Myocardial oedema: pathophysiological basis and implications for the failing heart

Myocardial fluid homeostasis relies on a complex interplay between microvascular filtration, interstitial hydration, cardiomyocyte water uptake and lymphatic removal. Dysregulation of one or more of these mechanisms may result in myocardial oedema. Interstitial and intracellular fluid accumulation disrupts myocardial architecture, intercellular communication, and metabolic pathways, decreasing contractility and increasing myocardial stiffness. The widespread use of cardiac magnetic resonance enabled the identification of myocardial oedema as a clinically relevant imaging finding with prognostic implications in several types of heart failure. Furthermore, growing experimental evidence has contributed to a better understanding of the physical and molecular interactions in the microvascular barrier, myocardial interstitium and lymphatics and how they might be disrupted in heart failure. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the factors controlling myocardial water balance in the healthy and failing heart and pinpoint the new potential therapeutic avenues.
Ross procedure provides survival benefit over mechanical valve in adults: a propensity-matched nationwide analysis.

OBJECTIVES The choice of optimal surgical treatment for young and middle-aged adults with aortic valve disease remains a challenge. Mechanical aortic valve replacement (mAVR) is generally preferred despite promising recent outcomes of the Ross procedure. Our goal was to compare the strategies at a nationwide level. METHODS This study was a retrospective analysis of prospectively recorded data from the National Registry of Cardiac Surgery of the Czech Republic. Using propensity score matching, we compared the outcomes of patients undergoing the Ross procedure in 2 dedicated centres with all mAVRs performed in country between 2009 and 2020. RESULTS Throughout the study period, 296 adults underwent the Ross procedure and 5120 had an mAVR. We found and compared 291 matched pairs. There were no in-hospital deaths, and the risk of perioperative complications was similar in both groups. Over the average follow-up period of 4.1 vs 6.1 years, the Ross group had a lower all-cause mortality (0.7 vs 6.5%; P = 0.015). This result remained significant even when accounting for cardiac- and valve-related deaths only (P = 0.048). Unlike the Ross group, the mAVR group had a significantly lower relative survival compared with the age- and sex-matched general population. There was no difference in the risk of reoperation (4.5 vs 5.5%; P = 0.66). CONCLUSIONS The Ross procedure offers a significant midterm survival benefit over mAVR. The procedures have a comparable risk of perioperative complications. Patients after mAVR have reduced survival. Thus, the Ross procedure should be the preferred treatment option for young and middle-aged adults with aortic valve disease in dedicated centres.
The Association of COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination Rates in Florida

Objective: This study investigates the association of COVID-19 infection and vaccination rates with 2020 presidential election voting preference in Florida counties and the moderating role of age, race, ethnicity, and other community characteristics. Methods: Florida county COVID-19 infection and vaccination counts through September 2021 were supplemented with socioeconomic characteristics and 2020 presidential election results. Poisson regression measured the association of infection and vaccination rates with county political preferences, race, ethnicity, and other county demographic and economic characteristics. For models of April through September 2021 infection rates, the same county characteristics were assessed alongside county vaccination levels. Results: Each 1% increase in county full vaccination rates was associated with 82.47 fewer infections per 100 000 during the span of April to September 2021. Vaccination rate was the largest and most statistically significant determinant of vaccine era infections. Each 1% increase in the county share of votes for the 2020 Republican presidential candidate was associated with 109.7 more COVID-19 infections per 100 000 through March 2021 and a 0.546% decrease in county vaccination rates through September 2021. Conclusions: At the county level, COVID-19 vaccination rates are associated with infection rates, with a higher county population proportion of fully vaccinated associated with fewer infections per 100 000. County political preference in the 2020 presidential election is significantly associated with county-level COVID-19 infection and vaccination rates.
Willingness to Participate in Clinical Research Among Individuals With Cognitive Impairment.

This secondary analysis examined (1) factors associated with willingness to participate in clinical research for cognitive health among individuals with cognitive impairment and their care partners, and (2) concordance regarding such willingness between individuals with cognitive impairment and their care partners (dyads). Neuropsychological factors and willingness to participate in clinical research were collected using self-reported questionnaires. Participants' sociodemographic and clinical information was extracted from the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer's Disease Research Center record. Binary logistic regression and Cohen's kappa coefficient analyses were performed. Greater trust in medical researchers (p = 0.031, B = 0.127) and more severe cognitive impairment (p = 0.009, B = -0.289) were associated with willingness to participate in clinical research among individuals with cognitive impairment. Dyadic agreement on willingness to have the individual with cognitive impairment enroll in clinical research was poor to fair (κ = 0.380). Findings suggest that individuals with cognitive impairment with greater trust in health professionals are more likely to agree to clinical research participation. Nurses and other health care providers who counsel individuals with cognitive impairment and their care partners should work to build trusting relationships with participants and be mindful of how increased trust can alter power dynamics between participants and health care professionals. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, xx(x), xx-xx. ].
Dyspnoea and cough in patients with systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease in the SENSCIS trial

Abstract Objective The aim of these analyses was to investigate the rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) in patients with SSc-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) with and without cough or dyspnoea in the SENSCIS trial. Methods Patients in the SENSCIS trial were randomized to receive nintedanib or placebo. Subgroups with and without cough or dyspnoea at baseline were defined by responses to the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire. Results At baseline, 114/575 patients (19.8%) did not have cough and 172/574 patients (30.0%) did not have dyspnoea. In the placebo group, the rate of FVC decline over 52 weeks was similar in patients with and without cough (−95.6 and −83.4 mL/year, respectively) or dyspnoea (−95.8 and −87.7 mL/year, respectively). The effect of nintedanib vs placebo on reducing the rate of FVC decline was numerically more pronounced in patients without than with cough [difference: 74.4 (95% CI −11.1, 159.8) vs 31.5 (−11.1, 74.1)] and without than with dyspnoea [79.8 (9.8, 149.7) vs 25.7 (−19.9, 71.3)], but interaction P-values did not indicate heterogeneity in the treatment effect between these subgroups (P = 0.38 and P = 0.20, respectively). Conclusion In the placebo group of the SENSCIS trial, the rate of FVC decline was similar irrespective of the presence of cough or dyspnoea at baseline. The effect of nintedanib on reducing the rate of FVC decline was numerically more pronounced in patients without than with cough or dyspnoea at baseline, but no statistically significant heterogeneity was observed between the subgroups. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02597933.