Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nurse Practitioners’ Job Satisfaction and Associated Factors among Nurses working at the University of Gondar Specialized Hospital: A Cross-sectional Survey study

Background Job satisfaction is an important measure of cognitive as well as a behavioral component of employees’ feelings of comfort in their particular work. It is also the outlook and spirit of certain professionals towards their work. Nurses’ job satisfaction is a significant predictor of staff retention. Therefore, this study aimed to assess Nurse Practitioners’ Job Satisfaction and Associated Factors among Nurses Working at the University of Gondar Specialized Hospital Northwest Ethiopia.Methods A cross-sectional study design was employed from May 15–20/2019. A total of 416 nurses participated in the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select each study participant. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. A Minnesota satisfaction measurement tool was used to measure nurse practitioners’ job satisfaction. A binary logistic regression analysis was used. Variables having p-value < 0.05 in a multivariable analysis model were considered as statistically significant and independently associated with the outcome variable.Result A total of 416 study participants were used in the study with a response rate of 97.6%. In this study, 204(50.2%) of nurse practitioners were dissatisfied with their job. Motivational factors such as professional advancement (AOR = 2.737, 95% CI; 1.109, 6.751), work itself (AOR = 4.250, 95%CI; 1.645, 10.983), recognition at work (AOR = 11.869, 95% CI; 4.238, 33.241), growth at work (AOR = 6.272, 95% CI; 2.278,17.264), and hygienic factors; organizational policy (AOR = 5.623, 95% CI; 2.131, 14.836), relationship with friends (AOR = 6.112,95% CI; 2.393, 15.612), work-security (AOR = 6.562, 95% CI; 95% CI; 2.374,18.136), relationship with supervisor(AOR = 5.127, 95% CI; 1.796, 14.641), payment (AOR = 5.889, 95% CI; 1.989, 17.438), and working conditions AOR = 3.806, 95% CI; 1.195, 12.123) were the factors associated with nurses’ job dissatisfactionConclusions In this study, one of every two nurses experienced job dissatisfaction. Motivational factors such as professional advancement, work itself, recognition at work, growth at work, organizational policy, relationship with friends, work security, relationship with supervisor, payment, and working conditions were the factors associated with nurses’ job dissatisfaction.
Bringing the Ca2+ sensitivity of myristoylated recoverin into the physiological range

The prototypical Ca2+-sensor protein recoverin (Rec) is thought to regulate the activity of rhodopsin kinase (GRK1) in photoreceptors by switching from a relaxed (R) disc membrane-bound conformation in the dark to a more compact, cytosol-diffusing tense (T) conformation upon cell illumination. However, the apparent affinity for Ca2+ of its physiologically relevant form (myristoylated recoverin) is almost two orders of magnitude too low to support this mechanism in vivo. In this work, we compared the individual and synergistic roles of the myristic moiety, the GRK1 target and the disc membrane in modulating the calcium sensitivity of Rec. We show that the sole presence of the target or the disc membrane alone are not sufficient to achieve a physiological response to changes in intracellular [Ca2+]. Instead, the simultaneous presence of GRK1 and membrane allows the T to R transition to occur in a physiological range of [Ca2+] with high cooperativity via a conformational selection mechanism that drives the structural transitions of Rec in the presence of multiple ligands. Our conclusions may apply to other sensory transduction systems involving protein complexes and biological membranes.
Breast Cancer Surgery in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Validation of a Preventive Program for Patients and Health Care Workers

Background/Aim: The perspective validation of a selective approach in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery was performed in order to assess whether patients as well as Health Care Workers (HCWs) were exposed to any undue risk of COVD-19 infection. Patients and Methods: From March 9th to June 9th 2020, 207 patients were phone-triaged by a dedicated Breast Care Nurse; a patient-tailored program was adopted with the aim of avoiding hospitalization of SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic patients, with a careful prioritization of surgical procedures according to specific disease features. Results: Two hundred and three out of 207 patients underwent operation; seven patients were temporarily excluded because they tested positive at phone triage (n=3), or in-hospital triage (n=3); another asymptomatic patient with negative NP swab tested IgM Ab-positive so that surgery was re-scheduled two weeks later. Four patients had no surgery; one of them was reconsidered for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) after testing positive at phone triage; three patients were excluded because they were already hospitalized for COVID-19. Overall, mean in-hospital stay was 2.2 days (±SD, 0.7) and, after hospital discharge, no patient required readmission. Conclusion: This preventive program avoided any COVID-19 infection among patients and HCWs, so that an elective breast cancer surgical procedure can be safely and timely pursued without affecting the oncologic outcome.
The evolution of skin pigmentation-associated variation in West Eurasia

Significance Some of the genes responsible for the evolution of light skin pigmentation in Europeans show signals of positive selection in present-day populations. Recently, genome-wide association studies have highlighted the highly polygenic nature of skin pigmentation. It is unclear whether selection has operated on all of these genetic variants or just a subset. By studying variation in over a thousand ancient genomes from West Eurasia covering 40,000 y, we are able to study both the aggregate behavior of pigmentation-associated variants and the evolutionary history of individual variants. We find that the evolution of light skin pigmentation in Europeans was driven by frequency changes in a relatively small fraction of the genetic variants that are associated with variation in the trait today. Skin pigmentation is a classic example of a polygenic trait that has experienced directional selection in humans. Genome-wide association studies have identified well over a hundred pigmentation-associated loci, and genomic scans in present-day and ancient populations have identified selective sweeps for a small number of light pigmentation-associated alleles in Europeans. It is unclear whether selection has operated on all of the genetic variation associated with skin pigmentation as opposed to just a small number of large-effect variants. Here, we address this question using ancient DNA from 1,158 individuals from West Eurasia covering a period of 40,000 y combined with genome-wide association summary statistics from the UK Biobank. We find a robust signal of directional selection in ancient West Eurasians on 170 skin pigmentation-associated variants ascertained in the UK Biobank. However, we also show that this signal is driven by a limited number of large-effect variants. Consistent with this observation, we find that a polygenic selection test in present-day populations fails to detect selection with the full set of variants. Our data allow us to disentangle the effects of admixture and selection. Most notably, a large-effect variant at SLC24A5 was introduced to Western Europe by migrations of Neolithic farming populations but continued to be under selection post-admixture. This study shows that the response to selection for light skin pigmentation in West Eurasia was driven by a relatively small proportion of the variants that are associated with present-day phenotypic variation.
The development of affiliative and coercive reproductive tactics in male chimpanzees

Like many animals, adult male chimpanzees often compete for a limited number of mates. They fight other males as they strive for status that confers reproductive benefits and use aggression to coerce females to mate with them. Nevertheless, small-bodied, socially immature adolescent male chimpanzees, who cannot compete with older males for status nor intimidate females, father offspring. We investigated how they do so through a study of adolescent and young adult males at Ngogo in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Adolescent males mated with nulliparous females and reproduced primarily with these first-time mothers, who are not preferred as mating partners by older males. Two other factors, affiliation and aggression, also influenced mating success. Specifically, the strength of affiliative bonds that males formed with females and the amount of aggression males directed toward females predicted male mating success. The effect of male aggression toward females on mating success increased as males aged, especially when they directed it toward females with whom they shared affiliative bonds. These results mirror sexual coercion in humans, which occurs most often between males and females involved in close, affiliative relationships.
Effect of AgpP-P phytase supplementation on productivity, nutrient availability, veterinary-sanitary assessment of meat and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens

Background The major storage form of phosphorus in plant-derived feed is presents by insoluble phytates and not digested by animals. Microbial enzymes phytases are able to hydrolyze phytates and are widely used as feed additives in animal nutrition to improving the utilization of phytate-phosphorus in diets and reducing manure phosphorus excretion to the environment. However, no single phytase can perform effectively under various conditions of digestive systems and dietary compositions. That's why there is a constant search and development of new effective feed phytases preparations. The objective of this study was to study the effect of AgpP-P phytase supplementation on productivity, nutrient availability, veterinary-sanitary assessment of meat and serum biochemical parameters of Hubboard broilers. Results Results showed that phytase supplementation increased body weight and absolute weigh gain in broilers, while reducing the total amount of feed consumed by birds (P < 0.05). Phytase improved the availability and absorption of organic nutrients, calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). However, no differences were observed for nitrogen (N) (P < 0.05). Phytase supplementation increased Ca and P contents, total protein (TP) level and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, and reduced urea level, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities in serum, respectively (P < 0.05). The meat of phytase-fed broilers meets Russian State Standards (GOST) for fresh good-quality meat based on organoleptic, physicochemical and bacterioscopic characteristics. Conclusions The results of present study demonstrated that addition of AgpP-P phytase to the diet of broiler chickens has a positive effect on the nutrient availability and productivity of birds, while reducing the total amount of feed consumed by chickens. Biochemical parameters in serum remained within the physiological norm. The meat of phytase-fed broilers met the Russian State Standards (GOST) for fresh good-quality meat. Thus, it is shown that AgpP-P phytase has the potential for use as a feed additive in poultry farming.
Pathogenicity of trypanosomes in relation to 1 drug sensitivity: comparative studies between a drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Trypanosoma congolense strain in murine-and bovine model

Background: Indiscriminate exposure of Trypanosoma congolense and other trypanosomes to trypanocides have led to emergence of resistant strains, which increasingly undermine the control efforts against tsetse transmitted animal trypanosomosis. Despite the increasing trend of resistance, no studies have conducted to assess whether or not drug sensitivity affects the pathogenicity of T. congolense and other predominant species. Methods: We compared the pathogenicity of two strains of trypanosomes: drug-sensitive Trypanosoma congolense -Mikese and drug-resistant T. congolense Mbagala. These strains were isolated from cattle at Mikese, Morogoro region and Mbagala, Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania, respectively. Experimental mice and cattle were infected with either tryapnosomes and monitored for rectal temperature, prepatent period, parasitemia, packed cell volume (PCV), survival and clinical manifestations. Drug sensitivity status of either strains was re-confirmed before pathogenicity testing. Results: Mean rectal temperature was higher in mice infected with T. congolense -sensitive strain (p=0.049, 95% CI= 0.003-1.13). Mean prepatent period of resistant strain in mice and cattle was shorter than that of sensitive strain. The mean level of parasitemia was significantly higher in resistant- (7.5±0.8) than in sensitive-strain (6.5±0.8) (p<0.001, 95% CI= -1.28 to -0.68). Mice infected with resistant strain were relatively dull and lethargic compared to those infected with sensitive strain. The decline PCV was higher in cattle infected with sensitive- strain than resistant-strain (p=0.041, 95% CI, -6.97 to -0.17). Conclusion: Pathogenicity of the two Trypanosoma congolense strains varied significantly across host species. The resistant strain was highly pathogenic in mice and less so in cattle. Contrarily, the sensitive strain was highly pathogenic to cattle and less so to mice. As such, this study emphasizes variations on the pathways by which different trypanosomes act upon the host; thus warranting subsequent studies using large number of experimental animals, preferentially cattle, in view of reflecting the field situation.
Enforcement may crowd out voluntary support for COVID-19 policies, especially where trust in government is weak and in a liberal society

Significance This paper makes three contributions. First, it provides insights from Germany on people’s agreement with policy choices that all countries face in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. My findings point to dimensions relevant for policy makers when deciding between voluntary as opposed to enforced measures. These insights include the essential role of trust in government. Second, the paper contributes to the small but important literature on the intersection of policy design, state capacities, and the interplay of obedience and voluntary compliance. Third, my finding that even 30 y after reunification those who have experienced state coercion in East Germany are less control-averse concerning anti–COVID-19 measures than West Germans contributes to the literature on endogenous preferences and comparative cultural studies. Effective states govern by some combination of enforcement and voluntary compliance. To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, a critical decision is the extent to which policy makers rely on voluntary as opposed to enforced compliance, and nations vary along this dimension. While enforcement may secure higher compliance, there is experimental and other evidence that it may also crowd out voluntary motivation. How does enforcement affect citizens’ support for anti–COVID-19 policies? A survey conducted with 4,799 respondents toward the end of the first lockdown in Germany suggests that a substantial share of the population will support measures more under voluntary than under enforced implementation. Negative responses to enforcement—termed control aversion—vary across the nature of the policy intervention (e.g., they are rare for masks and frequent for vaccination and a cell-phone tracing app). Control aversion is less common among those with greater trust in the government and the information it provides, and among those who were brought up under the coercive regime of East Germany. Taking account of the likely effectiveness of enforcement and the extent to which near-universal compliance is crucial, the differing degrees of opposition to enforcement across policies suggest that for some anti–COVID-19 policies an enforced mandate would be unwise, while for others it would be essential. Similar reasoning may also be relevant for policies to address future pandemics and other societal challenges like climate change.
Genome-wide surveillance of transcription errors in response to genotoxic stress

Significance Accurate transcription is required for the faithful expression of genetic information. If the fidelity of transcription is compromised, protein homeostasis, cell fate, and various metabolic processes are disrupted. Here, we demonstrate that mutagens can lower the fidelity of transcription in yeast, worms, flies, and mice by promoting the misincorporation of nucleotides by RNA polymerases. These observations establish a mechanism by which the environment, our lifestyle choices, and work-related exposures may promote the age of onset, severity, and progression of various diseases. Mutagenic compounds are a potent source of human disease. By inducing genetic instability, they can accelerate the evolution of human cancers or lead to the development of genetically inherited diseases. Here, we show that in addition to genetic mutations, mutagens are also a powerful source of transcription errors. These errors arise in dividing and nondividing cells alike, affect every class of transcripts inside cells, and, in certain cases, greatly exceed the number of mutations that arise in the genome. In addition, we reveal the kinetics of transcription errors in response to mutagen exposure and find that DNA repair is required to mitigate transcriptional mutagenesis after exposure. Together, these observations have far-reaching consequences for our understanding of mutagenesis in human aging and disease, and suggest that the impact of DNA damage on human physiology has been greatly underestimated.
In vitro reconstitution reveals phosphoinositides as cargo-release factors and activators of the ARF6 GAP ADAP1

Significance The complex morphology of neurons relies on a tight control of protein localization and activation. How spatiotemporal activity patterns emerge from the interplay between diverse intracellular components is often not known. Here, we addressed this question for the neuronal protein ADAP1, which catalyzes GTP hydrolysis in the small G protein ARF6 and binds to the motor protein KIF13B. Using in vitro reconstitutions from purified proteins, we were able to propose a model where the motor and the signaling lipid PIP3 act in concert to distribute, deposit, and activate ADAP1, which in turn regulates ARF6. This regulatory pathway offers a mechanism for how small GTPases are controlled in space and time to control dendrite branching, which is important for neuronal development. The differentiation of cells depends on a precise control of their internal organization, which is the result of a complex dynamic interplay between the cytoskeleton, molecular motors, signaling molecules, and membranes. For example, in the developing neuron, the protein ADAP1 (ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein [ArfGAP] with dual pleckstrin homology [PH] domains 1) has been suggested to control dendrite branching by regulating the small GTPase ARF6. Together with the motor protein KIF13B, ADAP1 is also thought to mediate delivery of the second messenger phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3) to the axon tip, thus contributing to PIP3 polarity. However, what defines the function of ADAP1 and how its different roles are coordinated are still not clear. Here, we studied ADAP1’s functions using in vitro reconstitutions. We found that KIF13B transports ADAP1 along microtubules, but that PIP3 as well as PI(3,4)P2 act as stop signals for this transport instead of being transported. We also demonstrate that these phosphoinositides activate ADAP1’s enzymatic activity to catalyze GTP hydrolysis by ARF6. Together, our results support a model for the cellular function of ADAP1, where KIF13B transports ADAP1 until it encounters high PIP3/PI(3,4)P2 concentrations in the plasma membrane. Here, ADAP1 disassociates from the motor to inactivate ARF6, promoting dendrite branching.
Utility of Ferritin, Procalcitonin, and C-reactive Protein in Severe Patients with 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease

Objectives It is of clinical significance to evaluate the disease severity and investigate possible biomarkers of 2019 Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In this study, we aim to describe the clinical characteristics of infection makers in severe and very severe patients with COVID-19. Methods This is a single center, observational analysis. We enrolled 48 in-hospital severe patients with COVID-19 admitted to the West District of Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College and analyzed infection biomarkers in 20 patients who had been tested for ferritin, PCT, CRP, etc. Results The median age was 59yrd (inter quartile range [IQR]:46-61) among severe COVID-19 group and 57yrd (IQR:45-71.5) among very severe group. We noted significantly increased CRP (1.48mg/L [IQR: 16.69-2.74] vs. 57.98mg/L [IQR: 38.335-77.565], P<0.05), PCT(0.05ng/ml [IQR: 0.03-0.06] vs. 0.21ng/ml [IQR: 0.11-0.42], P<0.05) and ferritin (291.13ng/ml [IQR: 102.1-648.42] vs. 1006.16ng/ml [IQR: 408.265-1988.25]). For blood count, significant increase was noticed in neutrophil percentage (67.6% [IQR: 61.8-76.4] vs. 86.7% [IQR: 82-92.35], P<0.01) and neutrophil count (3.75*10^9/L [IQR: 3.42-4.93] vs. 8.11*10^9/L [IQR: 5.675-8.905], P<0.05); and decrease was seen in lymphocyte percentage (22.7% [IQR: 17.4-27.4] vs. 8% [IQR: 4.85-13], P<0.05), lymphocyte count (1.62*10^9/L [IQR: 0.7-1.73] vs. 0.68*10^9/L [IQR: 0.385-1.04], P<0.05), and platelet count (214*10^9/L [IQR: 184-247] vs. 147*10^9/L [IQR: 126-202.5], P<0.05). Conclusions The serum levels of CRP, PCT and ferritin are markedly increased in very severe compared with severe COVID-19. Increased CRP, PCT and ferritin level might correlate to secondary bacterial infection and associated with poor clinical prognosis.
Palliative Radiotherapy During the Last Month of Life: Have COVID-19 Recommendations Led to Reduced Utilization?

Background/Aim: The study aimed to evaluate practice changes in the time period of the early wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective single institution study. We defined palliative radiotherapy (PRT) initiated before Saturday, March 14th as pre-COVID and PRT initiated later as during-COVID (through June 30th). Results: National COVID-19 recommendations led to a significant decrease in PRT with 10 or more fractions, while re-irradiation and radiotherapy during the final 30 days of life were equally common before and after these recommendations had been issued in March 2020. Conclusion: Rapid adoption of modified PRT regimens was feasible. However, the challenge of overtreatment in the final phase of the disease, due to inaccurate survival prediction, persisted.