Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stop the Bleed: The Impact of a Basic Bleeding Control Course on High School Personnel’s Perceptions of Self-Efficacy and School Preparedness

Background: Uncontrolled bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death from trauma. The Stop the Bleed (STB) initiative provides basic education about bleeding to potential immediate responders. The present study aimed to assess the perceptions of self-efficacy and school preparedness related to responding to a life-threatening bleeding emergency in school personnel at an urban high school. Methods: High school personnel from an urban high school (N = 156) completed a 1-hour STB course that included a didactic and hands-on component. Participants rated their agreement with statements about self-efficacy and school preparedness on a 5-point Likert-type scale, responded to items regarding how school personnel could be better prepared for life-threatening emergencies, and had the option to provide written responses pre- and post-course. Findings: Independent samples t tests revealed that perceptions of self-efficacy and school preparedness increased after the course (p < .001). Before the course, 87% of participants felt they needed training, 80% felt the school needed clearer procedures, and 74% felt the school required more equipment for a life-threatening bleeding incident compared with 63%, 69%, and 78% post-course, respectively. Thematic analysis of written responses revealed that participants desired higher frequencies of STB training, more equipment, clearer school procedures, and realistic training scenarios with students. Conclusions/Application to Practice: The STB course increased both perceptions of self-efficacy and school preparedness in a sample of high school personnel. Qualitative analyses provided insight to personnel’s opinion of STB’s effectiveness and what is necessary to maintain or follow through with this knowledge after completion of the course.
COVID-19: asymptomatic carrier transmission is an underestimated problem

Abstract At the present time, COVID-19 is spreading rapidly [1]. The global prevention and control of COVID-19 is focused on the estimation of the relevant incubation period, basic reproduction number (R0), effective reproduction number (Rt) and death risk. Although the prevention and control of COVID-19 requires a reliable estimation of the relevant incubation period, R0, Rt and death risk. Another key epidemiological parameter-asymptomatic ratio that provides strength and range for social alienation strategies of COVID-19, which is widely defined as the proportion of asymptomatic infections among all disease infections. In fact, the ratio of asymptomatic infection is a useful indicator of the burden of disease and a better measurement of the transmissibility of the virus. So far, people have not paid enough attention to asymptomatic carriers. The asymptomatic carriers discussed in this study are recessive infections, that is, those who have never shown symptoms after onset of infection. We will discuss three aspects: detection, infectivity and proportion of healthy carriers.
Controlling Hypertension After Severe Cerebrovascular Event (CHASE): A randomized, multicenter, controlled study

Background The optimal blood pressure lowering target in the acute phase of severe stroke is uncertain. Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of individualized blood pressure lowering with standard blood pressure lowering in severe stroke. Methods Five-hundred consecutive patients with acute severe stroke and elevated BP were recruited from 26 Chinese hospitals. Eligible patients were randomized into an individualized blood pressure lowering group (with 10–15% reduction in systolic blood pressure from admission level or standard blood pressure lowering group (with a target SBP of <200 mm Hg in acute ischemic stroke and <180 mm Hg in intracerebral hemorrhage). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a poor functional outcome at day 90 of enrolment. Results Of 483 participants included in the analysis, 242 received individualized blood pressure lowering treatment and 241 received standard treatment. The primary outcome event was observed in 71.1% of the participants in the individualized treatment group and in 73.4% of the standard treatment group (odds ratio with individualized treatment for primary outcome, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.47 to 1.19; p = 0.222). The rates of serious adverse events in the two groups were similar (27.7% vs. 28.2%). Conclusions In patients with acute severe stoke, individualized blood pressure lowering treatment did not significantly reduce the rate of three-month death or dependence. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02982655. Registered in 5 December 2016, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02982655
Echocardiographic evaluation of centenarians in Trieste

Background Population aging has increased together with the need for cardiovascular care. Understanding the relevance of cardiovascular conditions in the very old is crucial to developing a specific and rationale therapeutic approach. Centenarians can be considered a model of successful aging, although the impact of cardiovascular disease in this population is still unclear. Aim To evaluate the cardiovascular health status of a subset of centenarians enrolled in the Centenari a Trieste study and living in the province of Trieste to describe the prevalence of cardiovascular conditions among them. Methods The current study included 20 individuals born before 1919 and living in the province of Trieste as of 1 May 2019. All centenarians were able to give consent and were subjected to an in-home complete clinical assessment focused on cardiovascular conditions, ECG and echocardiography. Results The majority of centenarians were women (85%) and were not taking any chronic cardiovascular medication (55%). No centenarians had a history of ischemic heart disease while about one-third had signs suggestive of heart failure at examination (20%). Atrial fibrillation was present in 20% of individuals and conduction disorders were uncommon. Although the majority of individuals had a preserved left ventricular function, diastolic function was abnormal in 80% of enrolled centenarians that, however, was mild in 73% of cases. Conclusion This is the second study to perform in-home echocardiography in centenarians and the first to characterize the cardiovascular status of centenarians living in Trieste. The majority of centenarians had asymptomatic diastolic dysfunction and were naïve from cardiovascular therapy. The recruitment of new individuals from the Trieste area is continuing to perform analyses on clinical, genetic and environmental factors that may predict greater longevity in this geographical context and unveil mechanisms that regulate cardiac aging associated with increased lifespan.
FOLIAR NUTRIENT REFERENCE LEVELS OBTAINED IN HYDROPONIC CULTURES AS PRELIMINARY NORMS FOR DRIS TO FERTIGATE CONIFERS

Preliminary norms for foliar tissue were developed for Cupressus glabra grown on a sand culture for use in the diagnosis and recommendation integrated system (DRIS). These norms were generated from macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) of high-quality plants growing in hydroponics cultures in controlled conditions. The values were those of foliar tissues from three periods of the growing cycle (July, September, and November). These norms were applied to perform DRIS in plants growing in five artificial potting mixes with different physico-chemical properties. The results show that hydroponics are a good system to obtain nutrient reference levels at a lower analytical cost than that of a survey for its use in DRIS. DRIS indices obtained by using hydroponic norms are much higher than those obtained for other crops by using survey norms, due to luxury consumption of some nutrients with the hydroponic system. The physico-chemical properties of the potting mixes have a great influence by changing significant nutrient concentrations in tissues and consequently diagnosis and interpretation. DRIS is able to detect nutrient imbalances caused by the own composition of the substrate (i.e., K and Ca limitation in substrates with sepiolite—release Mg—in their composition, or P limitation in substrates with high pH and Ca).
Quality properties of non-fat yogurt with addition of whey protein concentrate

The aim of the study was investigation of quality of fat-free, set- type yoghurt made at 5% (w/w) protein level with addition of skim milk powder (SMP) and whey protein concentrate (WPC) blends. The ratio SMP/WPC in used blends was: 1/0; 2/1; 1/2; 0/1. On 1 st , 7 th and 21 st day of refrigerated storage yoghurt was analysed for sensory properties, titrable acidity, pH, free fatty acids (FFA), acetaldehyde, and diacethyl. Also enumeration of viable L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus was carried out. During the whole storage period products with SMP/WPC ratio at 1/2 and 2/1 obtained the best sensory score. Addition of WPC to yoghurt significantly decreased lactic acid concentration which positively influenced its stability during shelf life. It was shown that during storage acidity of yoghurt was growing up in concern of pH level. The acetaldehyde content tended to increase significantly in the yoghurt fortified with higher proportion of WPC opposite to diacethyl level which was the lowest in yoghurt with an SMP/WPC addition at 0/1. During storage concentration of both volatile compounds were the highest on 7 th day and the lowest on 21 st day. The maximum concentration of FFA was stated in products with SMP/WPC ratio 1/2. During the storage period FFA content significantly increased after 7 th days and had no changed during next 14 days. The total number of yoghurt bacteria during the whole storage time was up to 10 10 and did not vary depending on SMP/WPC ratio. Amount of L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus was about one log cycle lower than S. thermophilus in all kinds of yoghurt.
Combination Therapy and Nanoparticulate Systems: Smart Approaches for the Effective Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer has become one of the biggest concerns for oncologists in the past few decades because of its unpredictable etiopathology and nonavailability of personalized translational medicine. The number of women getting affected by breast cancer has increased dramatically, owing to lifestyle and environmental changes. Besides, the development of multidrug resistance has become a challenge in the therapeutic management of breast cancer. Studies reveal that the use of monotherapy is not effective in the management of breast cancer due to high toxicity and the development of resistance. Combination therapies, such as radiation therapy with adjuvant therapy, endocrine therapy with chemotherapy, and targeted therapy with immunotherapy, are found to be effective. Thus, multimodal and combination treatments, along with nanomedicine, have emerged as a promising strategy with minimum side effects and drug resistance. In this review, we emphasize the multimodal approaches and recent advancements in breast cancer treatment modalities, giving importance to the current data on clinical trials. The novel treatment approach by targeted therapy, according to type, such as luminal, HER2 positive, and triple-negative breast cancer, are discussed. Further, passive and active targeting technologies, including nanoparticles, bioconjugate systems, stimuli-responsive, and nucleic acid delivery systems, including siRNA and aptamer, are explained. The recent research exploring the role of nanomedicine in combination therapy and the possible use of artificial intelligence in breast cancer therapy is also discussed herein. The complexity and dynamism of disease changes require the constant upgrading of knowledge, and innovation is essential for future drug development for treating breast cancer.
Assessing the relationship between psychosocial stressors and psychiatric resilience among Chilean disaster survivors

Background According to the stress inoculation hypothesis, successfully navigating life stressors may improve one's ability to cope with subsequent stressors, thereby increasing psychiatric resilience. Aims Among individuals with no baseline history of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD), to determine whether a history of a stressful life event protected participants against the development of PTSD and/or MDD after a natural disaster. Method Analyses utilised data from a multiwave, prospective cohort study of adult Chilean primary care attendees (years 2003–2011; n = 1160). At baseline, participants completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), a comprehensive psychiatric diagnostic instrument, and the List of Threatening Experiences, a 12-item questionnaire that measures major stressful life events. During the study (2010), the sixth most powerful earthquake on record struck Chile. One year later (2011), the CIDI was re-administered to assess post-disaster PTSD and/or MDD. Results Marginal structural logistic regressions indicated that for every one-unit increase in the number of pre-disaster stressors, the odds of developing post-disaster PTSD or MDD increased (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.08–1.37, and OR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.06–1.27 respectively). When categorising pre-disaster stressors, individuals with four or more stressors (compared with no stressors) had higher odds of developing post-disaster PTSD (OR = 2.77, 95% CI 1.52–5.04), and a dose–response relationship between pre-disaster stressors and post-disaster MDD was found. Conclusions In contrast to the stress inoculation hypothesis, results indicated that experiencing multiple stressors increased the vulnerability to developing PTSD and/or MDD after a natural disaster. Increased knowledge regarding the individual variations of these disorders is essential to inform targeted mental health interventions after a natural disaster, especially in under-studied populations.
Herbivore egg deposition induces tea leaves to arrest the egg‐larval parasitoid Ascogaster reticulata

Plants are able to activate direct and indirect defences against egg deposition by herbivorous insects. A known indirect defence is the production of synomones to help egg‐ and egg‐larval parasitoids to locate their hosts. The wasp Ascogaster reticulata Watanabe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a solitary egg‐larval parasitoid of the moth Adoxophyes honmai Yasuda (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), which lays eggs and feeds as caterpillars on the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (Theaceae). Here, we studied whether or not oviposition by A. honmai induces tea plants to produce synomones that help the parasitoid to locate its host. An olfactometer bioassay suggested that synomones produced by the infested plants did not attract the parasitoid over a short range. However, a contact bioassay showed that tea leaves were induced to arrest the parasitoid 24 h after egg deposition and remained induced until the host‐egg masses were no more attractive to the parasitoids. Wing scales and deposits of adult moths and the contents of the egg masses did not induce the tea leaves to arrest the parasitoid, but the contents of the female moth's reproductive system did. Synomone induction was systemic: uninfested leaves in the vicinity of egg‐laden leaves also arrested the parasitoid.
ACE2 and COVID-19 and the resulting ARDS

This article reviews the correlation between ACE2 and COVID-19 and the resulting acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ACE2 is a crucial component of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The classical ACE-angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang II)-angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) axis and the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas counter-regulatory axis play an essential role in RAS system. ACE2 antagonises the activation of the classical RAS ACE-Ang II-AT1R axis and protects against lung injury. Similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) also uses ACE2 for cell entry. ARDS is a clinical high-mortality disease which is probably due to the excessive activation of RAS caused by 2019-nCoV infection, and ACE2 has a protective effect on ARDS caused by COVID-19. Because of these protective effects of ACE2 on ARDS, the development of drugs enhancing ACE2 activity may become one of the most promising approaches for the treatment of COVID-19 in the near future. In the meantime, however, the use of RAS blockers such as ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers that inhibit the damaging (ACE-Ang II) arm of the RAS cascade in the lung may also be promising. Trial registration number: NCT04287686.
Unbalanced production of LTB4/PGE2 driven by diabetes increases susceptibility to cutaneous leishmaniasis

ABSTRACT Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus leads to several comorbidities, including susceptibility to infections. Hyperglycemia increases phagocyte responsiveness, however immune cells from people with diabetes show inadequate antimicrobial functions. We and others have shown that aberrant production of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is detrimental to host defense in models of bacterial infection. Here, we will unveil the consequences of high glucose in the outcome of Leishmania braziliensis skin infection in people with diabetes and determine the role of LTB4 in human phagocytes. We show that diabetes leads to higher systemic levels of LTB4, IL-6 and TNF-α in cutaneous leishmaniasis. Only LTB4 correlated with blood glucose levels and healing time in diabetes comorbidity. Skin lesions of people with leishmaniasis and diabetes exhibit increased neutrophil and amastigote numbers. Monocyte-derived macrophages from these individuals showed higher L. braziliensis loads, reduced production of Reactive Oxygen Species and unbalanced LTB4/PGE2 ratio. Our data reveal a systemic inflammation driven by diabetes comorbidity in opposition to a local reduced capacity to resolve L. braziliensis infection and a worse disease outcome.
Long non-coding RNA PCAT29 regulates the growth, migration and invasion of human triple-negative breast cancer cells.

PURPOSE A number of studies have provided concrete evidence about the role of Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) in the development and progression of cancer. As such LncRNAs are believed to exhibit the potential to be used as therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer. This study was undertaken to investigate the role and therapeutic implication of LncRNA PCAT29 in triple-negative breast cancer. METHODS The breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436, BT20, HCC70 and HCC38 and non-cancer cell line MB157 were used in this study. Gene expression analysis was performed by qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation was monitored by MTT and colony formation assays. Apoptosis was detected by annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) assay. Cell migration and Invasion was detected by wound heal and transwell assays. RESULTS The expression of LncRNA PCAT29 was significantly suppressed in the breast cancer tissues and the triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. PCAT29 overexpression caused inhibition of the proliferation rate and colony formation of the MDA-MB-231 cells. The proliferation of MD-MB-231 cells was inhibited by apoptotic cell death which was accompanied by elevation of Bax and depletion of Bcl-2 expression. The wound healing assay showed that PCAT29 caused remarkable inhibition of the MDA-MB-231 cell migration. The transwell assay showed that PCAT29 overexpression resulted in 65% inhibition of the MDA-MB-231 cell invasion. CONCLUSION PCAT29 regulates the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells and may point to a novel therapeutic target in triple-negative breast cancer.
IS ALBUMIN PREDICTOR OF MORTALITY IN COVID-19 ?

Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) is a pandemic associated with a high risk of mortality. Human serum albumin (HSA) is an acute phase reactant with antioxidant property, however its behavior and impact on survival in Covid-19 patients has never been studied so far. Among 319 Covid-19 patients followed-up for a median of 19 days, 64 died. Compared to survivors, non-survivors had more prevalence of Intensive care unit (ICU) admission, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, elevated levels of D-dimer, hs-CRP and troponins and lower values of albumin. At the Cox regression analysis, albumin (HR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.23-0.63, p<0.001) and age (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06, p=0.001) were independently associated with mortality, irrespective of adjustment for sex, ICU admission, heart failure, COPD and hs-CRP levels. Our observation leads to the hypothesis that HSA analysis may be used to identify patients at higher risk of death in Covid-19 patients.
Collateral circulation of the femoral and genicular systems in human lower limbs is highly uncommon

The descending branch of the lateral circumflex artery is a septocutaneous vessel that is vital for free and pedicle thigh flap transfer surgeries when repairing tissue defects. It also forms an anastomosis with the superior lateral genicular artery to create a collateral pathway for circumventing occlusions in the superficial femoral artery (SFA). Many anatomical texts and atlases imply the persistence of this anastomosis. However, previous studies indicate variability in the source of the arteries that form the anastomosis, and have reported cases where an anastomosis does not exist. We hypothesized that variations from the conventional accepted pattern can be predicted by comparisons of arterial diameters, and that unconventional anastomoses may be present to facilitate collateral circulation to the limb. Fifty‐one limbs were dissected and analyzed to establish the source of the descending branch of the lateral circumflex artery, classify the types of anastomoses, and compare the diameters of the descending branch of the lateral circumflex artery, the SFA and the profunda femoris artery to the common femoral artery (CFA). Vessel diameters were normalized to the diameter of the CFA to allow comparison of limbs from both sexes and to minimize the effects of cadaver size on correlating vessel size to the presence or absence of collateral circuits. We report that 62.7% of limbs (32/51) had typical branching patterns; however, only 27.4% of limbs (14/51) had any anastomosis to connect the proximal and distal regions of the thigh. Importantly, the SFA had a wider relative diameter in limbs without anastomoses than in limbs that had normal anastomoses, perhaps precluding the formation of a collateral pathway. Overall, collateral circulation of the lower limb was highly uncommon, in contrast to information inferred from anatomical texts. This study suggests the need for more thorough procedures for determining viable anastomoses prior to thigh flap surgeries to ensure flap survival.
Enhanced cellulose production by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) mutagenesis of an Acetobacter species isolate

Cellulose-producing bacteria were isolated from 14 bacterial cellulose (BC) factories in Thailand, and subjected to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and/or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) mutagenesis for strain improvement. BC yields of the NTG mutant NU4-NTG30-51 were 54.68% higher than that of the reference strain Acetobacter xylinum ATCC 10245 and 43.69% higher than that of the parent strain NU4 (P < 0.01). BC yields of the UV mutant NU4-UV40-07 were 50.59% higher than that of A. xylinum and 39.60% higher than that of NU4. Glucose consumption of these mutants was also higher than that of NU4. However, crystallinity of cellulose produced by NU4-NTG30-51 was higher than that produced by NU4-UV40-07. Combining UV irradiation and NTG did not result in BC yields higher than those of the mutants generated with a single mutagen. The mutant strains were then tested for reversion. Our results demonstrate that the BC yields of these mutants remained higher than that of the reference strain A. xylinum ATCC10245, and did not revert to the same level as the parent strain. The isolate NU4 and the two mutants were identified as Acetobacter species.