Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of pectus excavatum on cardiac morphology and function according to the site of maximum compression: effect of physical exertion and respiratory cycle.

AIMS Previous studies have demonstrated diverse cardiac manifestations in patients with pectus excavatum (PEX), although mostly addressing morphological or physiological impact as separate findings. Using multimodality imaging, we evaluated the impact of PEX on cardiac morphology and function according to the site of maximum compression, and the effect of exertion and breathing. METHODS AND RESULTS All patients underwent chest computed tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and stress echocardiography (echo) in order to establish surgical candidacy. We evaluated diastolic function and trans-tricuspid gradient during stress (echo); and systolic function and respiratory-related septal wall motion abnormalities (CMR). Patients were classified according to the site of cardiac compression as type 0 (without cardiac compression); type 1 (right ventricle); and type 2 [right ventricle and atrioventricular (AV) groove]. Fifty-nine patients underwent multimodality imaging, with a mean age of 19.5 ± 5.9 years. Compared with a sex and age matched control group, peak exercise capacity was lower in patients with PEX (8.4 ± 2.0 METs vs. 15.1 ± 4.6 METs, P < 0.0001). At stress, significant differences were found between groups regarding left ventricular E/A (P = 0.004) and e/a ratio (P = 0.005), right ventricular E/A ratio (P = 0.03), and trans-tricuspid gradient (P = 0.001). At CMR, only 9 (15%) patients with PEX had normal septal motion, whereas 17 (29%) had septal flattening during inspiration. Septal motion abnormalities were significantly related to the cardiac compression classification (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrated that patients with PEX, particularly those with compression affecting the right ventricle and AV groove, manifest diverse cardiac abnormalities that are mostly related to exertion, inspiration, and diastolic function.
Drug consumption rooms: A systematic review of evaluation methodologies

ISSUES Drug consumptions rooms (DCR) and supervised injecting facilities (SIF) are expanding internationally. Previous reviews have not systematically addressed evaluation methodologies. APPROACH Results from systematic searches of scientific databases in English until June 2017 were coded for paper type, country and year of publication. For evaluation papers, study outcome, methodology/study design and main indicators of DCR/SIF 'exposure' were recorded. KEY FINDINGS Two hundred and nineteen eligible peer-reviewed papers were published since 1999: the majority from Canada (n = 117 papers), Europe (n = 36) and Australia (n = 32). Fifty-six papers reported evaluation outcomes. Ecological study designs (n = 10) were used to assess the impact on overdose, public nuisance and crime; modelling techniques (n = 6) estimated impact on blood-borne diseases, overdose deaths and costs. Papers using individual-level data included four prospective cohorts (n = 28), cross-sectional surveys (n = 7) and service records (n = 5). Individual-level data were used to assess safer injecting practice, uptake into health and social services and all the other above outcomes except for impact on crime and costs. Four different indicators of DCR/SIF attendance were used to measure service 'exposure'. IMPLICATIONS Research around DCRs/SIFs has used ecological, modelling, cross-sectional and cohort study designs. Further research could involve systematic inclusion of a control group of people who are eligible but do not access SIFs, validation of self-reported proportion of injections at SIFs or a stepped-wedge or a cluster trial comparing localities. CONCLUSIONS Methodologies appropriate for DCR/SIF evaluation have been established and can be readily replicated from the existing literature. Research on operational aspects, implementation and transferability is also warranted.
Training Residents on Understanding Trafficked Humans (TRUTH)

ABSTRACT Trafficked persons frequently seek healthcare, but many go unrecognized. Most residency programs provide little to no education on the topic. In this pilot study, our objective was to demonstrate that human trafficking education improves residents’ knowledge, confidence, and attitudes concerning care of trafficked persons. Residents took part in a 1-hour didactic training on human trafficking. Knowledge, attitudes, and confidence were assessed in a paired pre- and post-survey with multiple-choice questions to evaluate knowledge and Likert scale questions to determine self-reported attitudes and confidence. One-hundred-four resident physicians from eight programs completed the study. Following the intervention, mean knowledge scores increased from 1.50 out of 5 correct to 4.63 out of 5 correct (p < .01). Each tested attitude and skill variable also increased significantly between pre- and post- intervention scores (p < .05). Following the intervention, 96–98% of participants answered ‘agree’ with 4 of the 5 attitude questions (p < .05). Further, 72–88% of respondents answered favorably to questions on confidence (p < .05). Physicians receiving education on the identification of trafficked persons, trauma-informed care, and community resource management report increased knowledge of potential trafficking indicators and increased confidence in identifying and providing care to trafficked persons. Improving the ability of healthcare professionals to identify trafficked persons, provide them with appropriate healthcare, and refer them to appropriate community resources in a trauma-informed manner contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
The Ideal Distribution Model and Archaeological Settlement Patterning

ABSTRACT Human populations distribute themselves across landscapes in clearly patterned ways, but accurate and theoretically informed predictions and explanations of that patterning in the archaeological record can prove difficult. Recently, archaeologists have begun applying a unifying theoretical framework derived from population and behavioural ecology to understand human population distribution and movement: the ideal distribution model (IDM). The three variants of this IDM - the ideal free distribution, the ideal free distribution with an Allee effect, and the ideal despotic distribution - are capable of generating testable hypotheses concerning the colonisation of landscapes, the spatial distribution of populations, cooperation and competition, social hierarchy and inequality, and the impacts of subsistence on settlement patterns. Their success in addressing such wide-ranging research questions demonstrates that IDMs are not only helpful for analysing settlement patterns in relation to environmental factors, but for better understanding the social forces that impact population distribution, as well. There seem to be no geographic or temporal bounds to the utility of IDMs, and we look forward to the application of these models in ever more diverse settings.
Optimal cut‐off for hourly lactate reduction in ICU‐treated patients with septic shock

A decrease in lactate concentration over time during septic shock is associated with favourable outcomes. However, if this applies to hourly intervals during the initial time period in the ICU is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an early hourly reduction rate of lactate that is related to clinical outcome in septic shock patients treated in the ICU.
Toxicity of silver nanoparticles in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells: Implications for phenotype

Abstract Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) are one of the most studied nanoparticles due to their anti-bacterial, -fungal, -viral, -parasitic, and -inflammatory properties. This raises the need to evaluate the toxicity and biological effects of AgNP in the immune system in order to develop new safer biomedical products. In this study, an AgNP formulation currently approved for veterinary applications was applied to mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC), considered important antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, to evaluate cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and any significant influence on expression of cellular markers associated with BMDC phenotype and maturation status. The results showed that after 12 h of AgNP exposure, a significant decrease in BMDC viability occurred at the highest concentration tested (1.0 µg AgNP/ml) and at lower doses, the cells maintained membrane integrity and metabolic activity. DNA damage was not significant with any AgNP level aside from the 1.0 µg AgNP/ml level. Regarding phenotype, no differences in expression of CD40 (co-stimulatory molecule highly present in mature BMDC) or in CD273 (a marker for inhibitory T-cell response) were observed. The current results showed that the toxicity of this AgNP formulation was dose-related. The findings also suggest BMDC could maintain structural conservation of co-stimulatory/co-inhibitory surface molecules after 12 h of exposure to this AgNP. This work represents the first step in identifying the toxic effects of this AgNP formulation on dendritic cells.
International review of sexual behaviour assessment labs

Abstract This article provides a comparison and comprehensive analysis of varied approaches to the assessment of sexual interest and behaviours at different international sexual behaviour assessment labs. The assessment protocols are described for four sexual behaviour laboratories: the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre’s Sexual Behaviours Clinic in Canada; the Medical University of South Carolina’s Sexual Behaviours Clinic and Laboratory in the US; the Laboratory of Evolutionary Sexology and Psychopathology in the Czech Republic; and the Laboratory of Forensic Sexology in Russia. An overview of examinee demographics and types of cases assessed is provided for each lab. Assessment protocols, including psychometric measures and objective measures of sexual interest and arousal, such as penile plethysmography or eye-tracking, are also reviewed. The differences across labs may lead to interesting and productive cross-cultural investigations and studies about the efficacy of specific assessment methods.
A Personal History of Using Crystals and Crystallography to Understand Biology and Advanced Drug Discovery

Over the past 60 years, the use of crystals to define structures of complexes using X-ray analysis has contributed to the discovery of new medicines in a very significant way. This has been in understanding not only small-molecule inhibitors of proteins, such as enzymes, but also protein or peptide hormones or growth factors that bind to cell surface receptors. Experimental structures from crystallography have also been exploited in software to allow prediction of structures of important targets based on knowledge of homologues. Crystals and crystallography continue to contribute to drug design and provide a successful example of academia–industry collaboration.
Influencing factors when living with Parkinson's disease: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To identify the personal- and disease-related factors that are associated with living with Parkinson's disease. BACKGROUND Living with Parkinson's disease affects the physical, psychological, social and spiritual areas of the person. Health professionals need to know which factors influence the daily living with Parkinson's disease, in order to facilitate a positive living. DESIGN A multicentre cross-sectional study. METHODS A total of 324 patients with Parkinson's disease diagnoses were included in the study through a consecutive case sampling. Data were collected from January-June 2015, in specialised units of movement disorders of public and private and community centres, from Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador and Cuba. Nine measures were applied to evaluate personal-related factors (age, gender, psychosocial function, satisfaction with life, social support, home economical situation) and Parkinson's disease-related factors (duration of disease, motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms). The STROBE checklist was used to ensure quality reporting during the study (see File S1). Multiple linear regression analysis was carried out. RESULTS Results indicated that social support, followed by satisfaction with life and home economical situation are the only three factors that significantly influence in living with Parkinson's disease. The rest of the factors analysed did not present significant influence in the daily living with this neurodegenerative disease. CONCLUSION This study highlights the necessity to put more emphasis on the person and his/her daily living with the condition and less on symptoms and treatment. Health professionals need to develop person-centred interventions that also deal with other elements of the experience of living with a long-term condition like Parkinson's disease. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Interventions to foster positive living with Parkinson's disease in clinical practice should integrate strategies to tackle and prevent loneliness and interagency elements to increase community resources and systems of support.
Morin reduces inflammatory responses and alleviates lipid accumulation in hepatocytes

Morin (MO), a natural bioflavinoid, exists in many herbs. Previous studies have acclaimed MO's anti‐inflammatory, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antifibrotic, anticancer, and antihyperglycemic biological effects. This study aimed to assess the molecular mechanism of MO involved in the oleic acid (OA)‐induced inflammatory damage and lipid accumulation in HepG2 cell and tyloxapol (Ty)‐induced hyperlipidemia in mice. We found that MO can efficaciously mitigate reactive tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) level and triglyceride (TG) accumulation in OA‐induced HepG2 cell and in tyloxapol‐induced mice. Next, the study testified that MO apparently suppressed OA‐excited nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) and mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathways in HepG2 cell. In addition, MO distinctly upregulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α (PPARα) and decreased the expression of sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1c (SREBP‐1c) in OA‐induced HepG2 cell and in tyloxapol‐induced mice, both of which are dependent upon the phosphorylation of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC), adenosine 5′‐monophosphate (AMP)‐activated protein kinase (AMPK), and protein kinase B (AKT). In conclusion, these results suggest that MO has protective potential against hyperlipidemia and steatosis, and the potential mechanism may have a close relation with activation of PPARα and inhibition of SREBP‐1c.
Device infections in implantable cardioverter defibrillators versus permanent pacemakers: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Recent studies suggest that implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are associated with increased risk of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections when compared with permanent pacemakers (PPMs). However, there were controversies among studies. In this study we performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to explore the risk of device infection in ICD versus PPM.
Serotiny in Primula palinuri: How to Face the Dry Season on Mediterranean Cliffs

Primula palinuri Petagna is the only Mediterranean and maritime species in the genus Primula, is endemic to coastal cliffs of southern Italy, and is classified as endangered with a decreasing population trend in the IUCN Red List. For this species, the major bottleneck for long-term survival has been recognized to be recruitment failure. In this study, we investigated the seed release strategy of P. palinuri, by using field observations and laboratory experiments. We hypothesized that repetitive cycles of wet/dry conditions and external wax removal could be the environmental triggers of capsule dehiscence. Data showed that capsules treated with wet/dry cycles dehisced within 75 days, while none subjected to constant dry conditions dehisced. Once dehisced, capsules repetitively closed when made wet, and opened again upon drying. Seeds of P. palinuri can remain on plant up to 2 years, over which time capsules reclose when rained upon and reopen upon drying, highlighting the first reported occurrence of serotiny in a Primula species. Serotiny allows P. palinuri to face the dry season, by avoiding capsule dehiscence during the summer dry period and delaying seed release until the beginning of fall, when water availability in the soil is generally no longer a limiting factor.
Species Diversity and Seasonal Distribution of Hard Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Infesting Mammalian Hosts in Various Districts of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Hard ticks are among the most important blood sucking arthropods that transmit pathogens to humans and animals. This study was designed to determine prevalence, mapping, geographical distribution, and seasonal activity of hard tick species infesting the most common domestic and wild mammals in various districts of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, during the period January to December 2017. In total, 10,832 adult hard ticks were collected from the bodies of 8,435 animals belonging to 18 different mammalian species. The ticks were preserved in 70% alcohol and microscopy was used to identify species. Two genera, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, were identified, comprising 10 species of hard ticks, with Hyalomma comprising 68.3% and Rhipicephalus comprising 31.7% of species. The most common species on domestic mammalian hosts was Hyalomma dromedarii (Koch 1844) (39.9%) followed by Rhipicephalus turanicus (Pomerantsev, Matikashvili & Lotosky 1936) (34.9%), whereas on wild mammalian hosts Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille 1806) was by far the most prevalent species (83.0%). However, ticks were most abundant during May through July (36.0%) in the studied areas, and tick intensity and abundance differed among seasons. Our results provide information for human and animal health service managers, as well as governmental authorities, to gain a better understanding of hard ticks infesting mammalian hosts in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, which can help improve prevention and control of tick-borne diseases, especially during outbreaks.
Microbial and Parasitic Contamination of Fresh Raw Vegetable Samples and Detection of the BlaTEM and BlaCTX-M Genes from E. coli Isolates

A total of 100 fresh-raw vegetable samples were collected from the Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts of Nepal to evaluate microbial and parasitic contamination, presence of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and detect the blaTEM and blaCTX-M genes among the Escherichia coli isolates. This study revealed that the prevalence of Giardia cysts was highest (100%) and Hookworm and Entamoeba coli were lowest (1% each). Coliforms were isolated from every raw vegetable sample. A total of 178 bacterial isolates were isolated among which 57 isolates were identified as E. coli, out of which 33 were Multi-drug resistant (MDR) isolates. The high rate of resistance was found towards amoxicillin/clavulanate, tetracycline and cotrimoxazole. The 10 E. coli isolates tested positive in an ESBL screening, out of which 4 were confirmed as ESBL producers by a combined disc test. Out of these 4 confirmed ESBL E. coli, one was found to carry both the blaTEM gene and blaCTX-M genes by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique. One isolate has only the blaTEM gene, while other isolate harboured only blaCTX-M genes.
Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Circulating Microvesicles: Discovery, Evolution, and Evidence as a Novel Biomarker and the Probable Causative Agent for Sepsis.

Background The sepsis pathology remains an enormous medical problem globally because morbidity and mortality remain unacceptably high in septic patients despite intense research efforts. The economic and societal burden of sepsis makes it the most pressing patient care issue in the United States and worldwide. Sepsis is a dysregulated immune response normally initiated by an infection. The need for an early, accurate, and reliable biomarker test to detect the onset of sepsis and for a targeted sepsis therapy are widely recognized in the biomedical community. Content This report reviews the published findings relevant to microvesicle-associated inducible nitric oxide synthase (MV-A iNOS) as a novel plasma biomarker for the onset of sepsis including human clinical studies and animal studies. Plasma iNOS as a standalone test and as one of the components of a novel panel of biomarkers to stage the progression of sepsis are presented and discussed in comparison to other biomarkers and other proposed panels of biomarkers for sepsis. Summary The data strongly support the concept that extracellular plasma MV-A iNOS in circulating microvesicles is centrally involved in the initiation of sepsis, and a diagnostic test based upon plasma iNOS can serve as an early pre-symptomatic warning signal for the onset of sepsis. A novel panel of plasma biomarkers comprised of iNOS, pro-IL-18, pro-IL-33, and Reg-1α is proposed as a multianalyte pre-symptomatic method to stage the onset of sepsis for improved prompt data driven patient care.
The inflammatory cytokine TNF‐α regulates the biological behavior of rat nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem cells through the NF‐κB signaling pathway in vitro

Nucleus pulposus (NP) mesenchymal stem cells (NPMSCs) are a potential cell source for intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration; however, little is known about their response to tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), a critical inflammation factor contributing to accelerating IVD degeneration. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory effects of TNF‐α at high and low concentrations on the biological behaviors of healthy rat NPMSCs, including proliferation, migration, and NP differentiation. In this study, NPMSCs were treated with different concentration of TNF‐α (0‐200 ng/mL). Then we used annexin V/propidium iodide flow cytometry analysis to detect the apoptosis rate of NPMSCs. Cell Counting Kit‐8, Edu assay, and cell cycle test were used to examine the proliferation of NPMSCs. Migration ability of NPMSCs was detected by wound healing assay and transwell migration assay. Pellets method was used to induce NP differentiation of NPMSCs, and immunohistochemical staining, real‐time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot analysis were used to examine the NPC phenotypic genes and proteins. The cells were further treated with the nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) pathway inhibitor Bay 11‐7082 to determine the role of the NF‐κB pathway in the mechanism underlying the differentiation process. Results showed that treatment with a high concentration of TNF‐α (50‐200 ng/mL) could induce apoptosis of NPMSCs, whereas a relatively low TNF‐α concentration (0.1‐10 ng/mL) promoted the proliferation and migration of NPMSCs, but inhibited their differentiation toward NP cells. Moreover, we identified that the NF‐κB signaling pathway is activated during the TNF‐α‐inhibited differentiation of NPMSCs, and the NF‐κB signal inhibitor Bay 11‐7082 could partially eliminate the adverse effect of TNF‐α on the differentiation of NPMSCs. Therefore, our findings provide important insight into the dynamic biological behavior reactivity of NPMSCs to TNF‐α during IVD degeneration process, thus may help us understanding the underlying mechanism of IVD degeneration.