Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do You Prefer Safety to Social Participation? Finnish Population-Based Preference Weights for the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) for Service Users

Introduction. The Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) was developed in England to measure people’s social care–related quality of life (SCRQoL). Objectives. The aim of this article is to estimate preference weights for the Finnish ASCOT for service users (ASCOT). In addition, we tested for learning and fatigue effects in the choice experiment used to elicit the preference weights. Methods. The analysis data (n = 1000 individuals) were obtained from an online survey sample of the Finnish adult general population using gender, age, and region as quotas. The questionnaire included a best-worst scaling (BWS) experiment using ASCOT. Each respondent sequentially selected four alternatives (best, worst; second-best, second-worst) for eight BWS tasks (n = 32,000 choice observations). A scale multinomial logit model was used to estimate the preference parameters and to test for fatigue and learning. Results. The most and least preferred attribute-levels were “I have as much control over my daily life as I want” and “I have no control over my daily life. ” The preference weights were not on a cardinal scale. The ordering effect was related to the second-best choices. Learning effect was in the last four tasks. Conclusions. This study has developed a set of preference weights for the ASCOT instrument in Finland, which can be used for investigating outcomes of social care interventions on adult populations. The learning effect calls for the development of study designs that reduce possible bias relating to preference uncertainty at the beginning of sequential BWS tasks. It also supports the adaptation of a modelling strategy in which the sequence of tasks is explicitly modelled as a scale factor.
Study on Extraction Technique and Antibacterial Activity for Essential Oil from Platycladus Orientalis

The optimal extraction technique and antibacterial activity for the essential oil from Platycladus orientalis were investigated.The essential oil was extracted by the method of steam distillation and the essential oil yield was evaluated as main indicator.The essential oil was analyzed by TLC and GC.The antibacterial activity of essential oil was measured by the diameter of antibacterial circle.The optimal extraction process for essential oil from Platycladus orientalis was obtained through orthogonal experiment as follows:the powder of 20~30 eyelets was soaked for 12 h with 6 times water and then extracted for 5 h.The essential oil had obvious antibacterial activity on Micrococcus tetragenus,Staphycoccus aureus,Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenus,but had no obvious antibacterial activity on Bacillus subtilis.
Vitamin and mineral requirements in human nutrition

145 8.1 Nutrients with an antioxidant role The potential beneficial effects of antioxidants in protecting against disease have been used as an argument for recommending increasing intakes of several nutrients above those derived by conventional methods. If it is possible to quantify such claims, antioxidant properties should be considered in decisions concerning the daily requirements of these nutrients. This section examines metabolic aspects of the most important dietary antioxidants—vitamins C and E, the carotenoids, and several minerals—and tries to define the populations which may be at risk of inadequacy to determine whether antioxidant properties per se should be, and can be, considered in setting a requirement. In addition, pro-oxidant metabolism and the importance of iron are also considered. Members of the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council in the United States recently defined a dietary antioxidant as a substance in foods which significantly decreases the adverse effects of reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, or both on normal physiological function in humans (1). It is recognized that this definition is somewhat narrow because maintenance of membrane stability is also a feature of antioxidant function (2) and an important antioxidant function of both vitamin A (3) and zinc (4). However, it was decided to restrict consideration of antioxidant function in this document to nutrients which were likely to interact more directly with reactive species.
Thioredoxins m are major players in the multifaceted light-adaptive response in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Thioredoxins (TRXs) are well-known redox signalling players which carry out post-translational modifications in target proteins. Chloroplast TRXs are divided into different types and have central roles in light energy uptake and the regulation of primary metabolism. The isoforms TRXs m1, m2 and m4 from Arabidopsis thaliana are considered functionally related. Knowing their key position in the hub of plant metabolism, we hypothesized that the impairment of the TRX-m signalling would not only have harmful consequences on chloroplast metabolism but also at different levels of plant development. To uncover the physiological and developmental processes which depend on TRX-m signalling, we carried out a comprehensive study of Arabidopsis single, double and triple mutants defective in the TRXs m1, m2 and m4 proteins. As light and redox signalling are closely linked, we investigated the response to high light (HL) of the plants that are gradually compromised in TRX-m signalling. We provide experimental evidence relating the lack of TRXs m and the appearance of novel phenotypic features concerning mesophyll structure, stomata biogenesis and stomatal conductance. We also report new data indicating that the isoforms of TRXs m fine-tune the response to HL including the accumulation of the protective pigment anthocyanin. These results reveal novel signalling functions for the TRXs m and underline their importance for plant growth and fulfilment of the acclimation/response to HL conditions. SUPPORTING Information.
PPARα Agonist Fenofibrate Attenuates Iron Induced Liver Injury in Mice by Modulating the Sirt3 and β-catenin Signaling.

Iron accumulation is frequently associated with chronic liver diseases. However, our knowledge on how iron contributes to the liver injury is limited. Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a hallmark of several hepatic pathologies. We recently reported that peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonist, fenofibrate prevents iron induced oxidative stress and β-catenin signaling by chelating the iron. Sirtuin3 (Sirt3), a type of NAD+-dependent deacetylase that plays a critical role in metabolic regulation was found to prevent ischemia reperfusion injury by normalizing the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In the present study, we explored if fenofibrate prevents iron induced liver injury by regulating the Sirt3 and β-catenin signaling. In-vitro and in-vivo iron treatment resulted in the downregulation of PPARα, Sirt3, active β-catenin and its downstream target gene c-Myc in the mouse liver. Pharmacological activation of Sirt3, both invitro and in vivo, by Honokiol (HK), a known activator of Sirt3, abrogated the inhibitory effect of iron overload on active β-catenin expression and prevented the iron induced upregulation of αSMA and TGFβ expression. Intrinsically, PPARα KO mice showed significant downregulation of hepatic Sirt3 levels. In addition, treatment of iron overload mice with PPARα agonist fenofibrate reduced hepatic iron accumulation and prevented iron induced downregulation of liver Sirt3 and active β-catenin, mitigating the progression of fibrosis. Thus, our results establish a novel link between hepatic iron and PPARα, Sirt3 and β-catenin signaling. Further exploration on the mechanisms by which fenofibrate ameliorates iron induced liver injury likely has significant therapeutic impact on iron associated chronic liver diseases.
High metabolic substrate load induces mitochondrial dysfunction in rat skeletal muscle microvascular endothelial cells

The influence of glucose and palmitic acid (PA) on mitochondrial respiration and emission of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was determined in skeletal muscle‐derived microvascular endothelial cells. Measurements were assessed in intact and permeabilized (cells treated with 0.025% saponin) low passage endothelial cells with acute‐or prolonged (3 days) incubation with regular (1.7 mM) or elevated (2.2 mM) PA concentrations and regular (5 mM) or elevated (11 mM) glucose concentrations. In intact cells, acute incubation with 1.7 mM PA alone or with 1.7 mM PA + 5 mM glucose (p < .001) led to a lower mitochondrial respiration (p < 0.01) and markedly higher H2O2/O2 emission (p < 0.05) than with 5 mM glucose alone. Prolonged incubation of intact cells with 1.7 mM PA +5 mM glucose led to 34% (p < 0.05) lower respiration and 2.5‐fold higher H2O2/O2 emission (p < 0.01) than incubation with 5 mM glucose alone. Prolonged incubation of intact cells with elevated glucose led to 60% lower (p < 0.05) mitochondrial respiration and 4.6‐fold higher H2O2/O2 production than incubation with 5 mM glucose in intact cells (p < 0.001). All effects observed in intact cells were present also in permeabilized cells (State 2). In conclusion, our results show that acute and prolonged lipid availability, as well as prolonged hyperglycemia, induces mitochondrial dysfunction as evidenced by lower mitochondrial respiration and enhanced H2O2/O2 emission. Elevated plasma substrate availability may lead to microvascular dysfunction in skeletal muscle by impairing endothelial mitochondrial function.
Feeding practices and factors associated with the provision of iron-rich foods to children aged 6–23 months in Matam area, Senegal

Abstract Objective: The objectives of this study were to document feeding practices amongst rural Senegalese children aged 6 to 23 months and to investigate psychosocial and environmental factors associated with the provision of iron-rich foods (IRF). Design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from January to July 2018. Setting: The study took place in the region of Matam, northern Senegal. Participants: Ninety-eight mothers of children aged 6–23 months. Results: Results show that 27·6 % of children were fed according to the minimum acceptable diet, and 55·1 % and 53·1 % had the minimum diet diversity and minimum meal frequency, respectively. About 65·3 % of mothers provided IRF to young children the day before the survey, mostly fish. Mother’s intention to provide IRF to their children was not associated with the provision of these foods neither was the perceived behavioural control. Child’s age (OR = 1·14, 95 % CI (1·03, 1·26), P = 0·012) and household food insecurity score (OR = 0·80, 95 % CI (0·68, 0·96), P = 0·014) were the predictors of the provision of IRF to children aged 6–23 months. Conclusions: Household food insecurity status and age of the child rather than mothers’ psychosocial factors were significant predictors of IRF consumption amongst children aged 6–23 months in the study area. More attention should be given to food environment and child-related factors in order to improve children feeding practices and, in particular, their consumption of IRF in the study setting. For instance, home visits and the 5-month-old vaccine consultation in health centres might be opportunities to reinforce the importance of providing IRF as part of complementary foods from the age of 6 months. Implementation of measures for the improvement of socio-economic conditions and food security of households would also be valuable.
Neuroprotective effect and mechanism of butylphthalide after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

INTRODUCTION To investigate the neuroprotective effect and mechanism of DL-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) on the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) and its downstream signalling pathway after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI) in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS The middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model was used. Reperfusion was performed 2 h after ischemia, and 20 mg/kg of NBP was intraperitoneally injected. Neurological defect score and pathological changes were performed. Apoptotic cells were detected using in situ end-labelling with TUNEL. The expression of BDNF and TrkB proteins was measured by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining. BDNF mRNA, TrkB mRNA, protein kinase B (AKT) mRNA and caspase-3 mRNA expression were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). RESULTS After 24 h of reperfusion, the neurological defect score and the percentage of apoptotic cells in the ischemia/reperfusion group (I/R group) were higher than those in the ischemia/reperfusion + drug group (I/R + d group). The positive expressions of BDNF and TrkB mRNA and protein in the I/R + d group were obviously higher than those in the I/R group (p < 0.05). After intervention with the TrkB receptor inhibitor (K252a), the expression levels of BDNF and TrkB and AKT mRNA were significantly decreased in the ischemia/reperfusion + drug + TrkB receptor inhibitor group (I/R + d + R group) compared with the I/R + d group, however the caspase-3 mRNA expression level showed the reverse trend. The expressions of BDNF, TrkB and p-Akt proteins in the I/R + d group were remarkably higher than those in the I/R group at each time point, and reached the peak at 24 hours after reperfusion, which were earlier than that in the I/R group. CONCLUSIONS Butylphthalide represents a neuroprotective effect after CIRI in rats and used within 24 h of early onset contributes to better prognosis. The underlying mechanism may be related to reducing the apoptosis of nerve cells through BDNF/TrkB signalling pathway.
Comparison of Lyme Disease in the United States and Europe

Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is the most common tickborne disease in the United States and Europe. In both locations, Ixodes species ticks transmit the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato bacteria species responsible for causing the infection. The diversity of Borrelia species that cause human infection is greater in Europe; the 2 B. burgdorferi s.l. species collectively responsible for most infections in Europe, B. afzelii and B. garinii, are not found in the United States, where most infections are caused by B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. Strain differences seem to explain some of the variation in the clinical manifestations of Lyme disease, which are both minor and substantive, between the United States and Europe. Future studies should attempt to delineate the specific virulence factors of the different species of B. burgdorferi s.l. responsible for these variations in clinical features.
A Novel Mutation in Cse1l Disrupts Brain and Eye Development with Specific Effects on Pax6 Expression

Forward genetics in the mouse continues to be a useful and unbiased approach to identifying new genes and alleles with previously unappreciated roles in mammalian development and disease. Here, we report a new mouse allele of Cse1l that was recovered from an ENU mutagenesis screen. Embryos homozygous for the anteater allele of Cse1l display a number of variable phenotypes, with craniofacial and ocular malformations being the most obvious. We provide evidence that Cse1l is the causal gene through complementation with a novel null allele of Cse1l generated by CRISPR-Cas9 editing. While the variability in the anteater phenotype was high enough to preclude a detailed molecular analysis, we demonstrate a very penetrant reduction in Pax6 levels in the developing eye along with significant ocular developmental phenotypes. The eye gene discovery tool iSyTE shows Cse1l to be significantly expressed in the lens from early eye development stages in embryos through adulthood. Cse1l has not previously been shown to be required for organogenesis as homozygosity for a null allele results in very early lethality. Future detailed studies of Cse1l function in craniofacial and neural development will be best served with a conditional allele to circumvent the variable phenotypes we report here. We suggest that human next-generation (whole genome or exome) sequencing studies yielding variants of unknown significance in CSE1L could consider these findings as part of variant analysis.
MVNet: Multi-Variate Multi-View Brain Network Comparison Over Uncertain Data

Visually identifying effective bio-markers from human brain networks poses non-trivial challenges to the field of data visualization and analysis. Existing methods in the literature and neuroscience practice are generally limited to the study of individual connectivity features in the brain (e.g., the strength of neural connection among brain regions). Pairwise comparisons between contrasting subject groups (e.g., the diseased and the healthy controls) are normally performed. The underlying neuroimaging and brain network construction process is assumed to have 100 percent fidelity. Yet, real-world user requirements on brain network visual comparison lean against these assumptions. In this work, we present MV<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{2}$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:msup><mml:mrow/><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="shi-ieq1-3098123.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>Net, a visual analytics system that tightly integrates multi-variate multi-view visualization for brain network comparison with an interactive wrangling mechanism to deal with data uncertainty. On the analysis side, the system integrates multiple extraction methods on diffusion and geometric connectivity features of brain networks, an anomaly detection algorithm for data quality assessment, single- and multi-connection feature selection methods for bio-marker detection. On the visualization side, novel designs are introduced which optimize network comparisons among contrasting subject groups and related connectivity features. Our design provides level-of-detail comparisons, from juxtaposed and explicit-coding views for subject group comparisons, to high-order composite view for correlation of network comparisons, and to fiber tract detail view for voxel-level comparisons. The proposed techniques are inspired and evaluated in expert studies, as well as through case analyses on diffusion and geometric bio-markers of certain neurology diseases. Results in these experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of MV<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{2}$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:msup><mml:mrow/><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="shi-ieq2-3098123.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>Net over state-of-the-art approaches.
Competition between Osmotic Squeezing versus Friction-Driven Swelling of Gels

Some types of hydro-gels have almost the same equilibrium swelling volume in water and in ethylene glycol (EG), a highly viscous liquid completely miscible with water. Experiments showed that when a gel fully swollen with EG is immersed into a large amount of water, it temporarily swells up and then relaxes to the equilibrium volume in water. The temporary swelling is explained by the friction force exerted on the gel network from the outward EG flux In this paper, we experimentally show that the temporary swelling is suppressed by adding linear PEG (polyethylene glycol) in the outer water. Although the suppression seems to be explained by the osmotic pressure (i.e., by the same mechanism as the conventional osmotic squeezing), our theoretical analysis reveals that the effect of PEG is much stronger than that expected from the equilibrium osmotic pressure, implying that the PEG chains are condensed on the gel surface.
Hairpin sequence and structure is associated with features of isomiR biogenesis

ABSTRACT MiRNA isoforms (isomiRs) are single stranded small RNAs originating from the same pri-miRNA hairpin as a result of cleavage by Drosha and Dicer enzymes. Variations at the 5ʹ-end of a miRNA alter the seed region of the molecule, thus affecting the targetome of the miRNA. In this manuscript, we analysed the distribution of miRNA cleavage positions across 31 different cancers using miRNA sequencing data of TCGA project. As a result, we found that the processing positions are not tissue specific and that all miRNAs could be correctly classified as ones exhibiting homogeneous or heterogeneous cleavage at one of the four cleavage sites. In 42% of cases (42 out of 100 miRNAs), we observed imprecise 5ʹ-end Dicer cleavage, while this fraction was only 14% for Drosha (14 out of 99). To the contrary, almost all cleavage sites of 3ʹ-ends (either Drosha or Dicer) were heterogeneous. With the use of only four nucleotides surrounding a 5ʹ-end Dicer cleavage position we built a model which allowed us to distinguish between homogeneous and heterogeneous cleavage with the reliable quality (ROC AUC = 0.68). Finally, we showed the possible applications of the study by the analysis of two 5ʹ-end isoforms originating from the same exogeneous shRNA hairpin. It turned out that the less expressed shRNA variant was functionally active, which led to the increased off-targeting. Thus, the obtained results could be applied to the design of shRNAs whose processing will result in a single 5ʹ-variant.
The Effects of Screening Brief Intervention Referral to Treatment (Sbirt) Training on Health Professional Trainees’ Regard, Attitudes, and Beliefs toward Patients who Use Substances

Background: Screening Brief Intervention Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) was developed as an integrated and comprehensive public health approach that includes early screening and intervention to address substance use in a variety of health care settings. Research suggests that SBIRT is effective in reducing substance use in individuals whose use places them at higher risk for negative health and social consequences. However, less is known about how training in SBIRT modifies attitudes, regard, and beliefs toward people who use substances. Methods: Participants included 461 students from a variety of healthcare related disciplines (physician assistant, nurse practitioner, pharmacy, psychiatry and psychology, and medical students). Participants were evaluated using a pre-post design to assess changes in regard, attitudes, and beliefs by completing the Short Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire, the Drug Problem Perception Questionnaire, the Medical Condition Regard Scale, and the Short Understanding of Substance Abuse Scale before and after a 7-hour SBIRT training program. We hypothesized that trainees would have more positive regard, attitudes, and beliefs toward people who use substances following training in SBIRT relative to a baseline assessment and that there would be between program differences. Results: Results were consistent with hypotheses and suggested that trainees had significantly more positive regard and changes in attitudes and beliefs toward working with patients who use substances following training in SBIRT. Results also suggested significant differences by training group at baseline and at 30-day follow up. Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that an important additional benefit of SBIRT is the impact it has on mitigating healthcare professional trainees’ negative regard and modifying attitudes and beliefs toward those who use substances.