Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Blue Light and Photosensitizers on Cutibacterium acnes on Shoulder Periprosthetic Joint Infection Isolates

Introduction: Cutibacterium acnes is gaining recognition as a leading pathogen after orthopaedic shoulder procedures. Photodynamic therapy, a combination of light and a photosensitizer, has demonstrated antimicrobial activity against C. acnes in the treatment of acne vulgaris. We sought to evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy using blue light and photosensitizers on C. acnes isolates from shoulder prosthetic joint infections. Methods: C. acnes strains isolated from 19 patients with shoulder PJI were exposed to blue light alone (415 nm) or in combination with photosensitizers (fluorescein, riboflavin and demeclocycline). C. acnes strains were divided into 4 categories: Highly Sensitive (HS), Sensitive (S), Weakly Sensitive (WS), Resistant to blue light. Results: 13 of 19 C. acnes strains (68%) were S or HS to blue light alone. Of these 19 strains tested, 11 were tested with blue light and fluorescein or blue light plus riboflavin. Fluorescein (1 µg/mL) enhanced the effect of blue light in 6 of 11 strains (55%). Blue light plus riboflavin (10 µg/mL) resulted enhanced killing in 3 of 11 strains (27%), but produced a paradoxical photoprotective effect in 4 of 11 strains (36%), resulting in a net decrease compared to blue light alone. Demeclocycline, however, enhanced the effect of blue light in 16 of 17 strains (94 %). Conclusions: Blue light with the addition of photosensitizers killed C. acnes from periprosthetic shoulder infections in vitro, with demeclocycline having the most pronounced effect.
Epidemiologic, Clinical, and Laboratory Findings of the COVID-19 in the current pandemic: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world deeply, with more than 3,000,000 people infected and nearly 200,000 deaths. This review aimed to summarize the epidemiologic traits, clinical spectrum, CT results and laboratory findings of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We scoped for relevant literatures published during 1 st Dec 2019 to 23 rd Apr 2020 based on four databases using English and Chinese languages. We reviewed and analyzed the relevant clinic outcomes of COVID-19. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic was found to have a higher transmission rate compared to SARS and MERS and involved 4 stages of evolution. The basic reproduction number (R 0 ) is 3.32 (95% CI:3.24–3.39), the incubation period was 5.24 days (95% CI:3.97–6.50, 5 studies) on average, and the average time for symptoms onset varied by countries. Common clinical spectrums identified included fever (38.1–39.0°C), cough and fatigue, with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) being the most common complication reported. Body temperatures above 39.0 °C, dyspnea, and anorexia were more common symptoms in severe patients. Aged over 60 years old, having co-morbidities, and developing complications were the commonest high-risk factors associated with severe conditions. Leucopenia and lymphopenia were the most common signs of infection while liver and kidney damage were rare but may cause bad outcomes for patients. The bilateral, multifocal Ground-Glass Opacification (GGO) on peripheral, and the consolidative pulmonary opacity were the most frequent CT results and the tendency of mortality rates differed by region. Conclusions: We provided a bird’s-eye view of the COVID-19 during the current pandemic, which will help better understanding the key traits of the disease. The findings could be used for disease’s future research, control and prevention.
Performance of Methyl-5-Benzoyl-2-Benzimidazole Carbamate (Mebendazole) as Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in Dilute Sulphuric Acid

The inhibitive effect of mebendazole (MBZ) on the corrosion of low-carbon steel in H2SO4 was investigated by gravimetric and electrochemical techniques as well as examination of specimens in the scanning electron microscope with attached energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). From gravimetric analysis, the highest inhibition efficiency of about 96.6% was obtained for 1.0 g of inhibitor in H2SO4 solution at 24 h, while with longer exposure times of between 72 to 120 h, the efficiencies averaged between 92 and 95%. Tafel extrapolations from the polarization curves showed that 1.0 g MBZ gave a maximum inhibition efficiency of approximately 99% for the investigation conducted at 30°C, whereas 1.5 g of MBZ gave a maximum inhibition efficiency of about 85% at 60°C. Inhibition efficiency increased with increasing concentrations of MBZ and decreased at elevated temperatures. The inhibitive action was attributed to physical adsorption of MBZ species on the mild steel surface which followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. MBZ performed as a mixed-type inhibitor on mild steel in dilute H2SO4.
Serum microRNA-204 levels are associated with long-term cardiovascular disease risk based on the Framingham risk score in patients with type 2 diabetes: results from an observational study

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that microRNA-204 (miR-204) is involved in atherosclerosis and vascular calcification. However, the value of miR-204 as the predictive biomarker for cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the association between the circulating miR-204 level and ten-year CVD risk based on the Framingham risk score (FRS). Methods In this retrospective study, we enrolled 194 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without CVD in Beijing Anzhen Hospital between January 2015 and September 2016. We used the FRS to evaluate the risk of CVD for each patient. Circulating miR-204 levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Circulating miR-204 levels were significantly lower in the group of patients (0.49 ± 0.13) at high risk of CVD (FRS > 20%) than in the low (FRS < 10%) and intermediate (FRS: 10%–20%) risk groups (0.87 ± 0.19 and 0.75 ± 0.25, respectively; P < 0.001). FRS was negatively correlated with miR-204 levels (r = –0.421, P < 0.001). According to multivariate logistic analyses, reduced miR-204 level was independently associated with an increased risk of CVD after adjusting for conventional risk factors (OR = 0.876, 95% CI: 0.807–0.950, P = 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the circulating miR-204 level can predict the high risk of CVD with higher specificity than the traditional risk factor of high systolic blood pressure or the protective factor of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that patients with lower circulating miR-204 levels were at high risk for CVD. After adjustment for potential confounders, miR-204 was independently associated with CVD in patients with T2DM.
The Expressions and Mechanisms of Sarcomeric Proteins in Cancers

The sarcomeric proteins control the movement of cells in diverse species, whereas the deregulation can induce tumours in model organisms and occurs in human carcinomas. Sarcomeric proteins are recognized as oncogene and related to tumor cell metastasis. Recent insights into their expressions and functions have led to new cancer therapeutic opportunities. In this review, we appraise the evidence for the sarcomeric proteins as cancer genes and discuss cancer-relevant biological functions, potential mechanisms by which sarcomeric proteins activity is altered in cancer.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Thai Children with Thalassemia as Evaluated by PedsQL and EQ-5D-Y: A Single-Center Experience

Background Thalassemia remains a challenging chronic disease in Thailand, but national prenatal screening, along with better treatment and management, may have improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for pediatric patients. We aimed to measure the HRQoL of transfusion-dependent (TDT) and non-transfusion dependent (NTDT) of these pediatric patients at our institute. Methods We included all patients 2 – 18 years old, with TDT and NTDT, using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL) and the EuroQol Group's Five Dimensions for Youth (EQ-5D-Y) instruments. Patients and caregivers responded as appropriate for age. Results Mean PedsQL total summary scores (TSS) (SD) of child self-reports and parent proxy-reports were 81.00 (10.94) and 78.84 (16.72) from 150 participants. Mean EQ-5D-Y VAS (SD) for children was 89.27 (11.56) and 86.72 (10.62) for parent proxies. The most problematic EQ-5D-Y dimension was “having pain or discomfort”. These scores had significant correlations between the child and parental proxy perspectives, as well as between the PedsQL and EQ-5D-Y. An age of 8 – 12 years and oral chelation therapy predicted lower self-reported PedsQL TSS. Parental proxy-report predictors for reduced PedsQL TSS and EQ-5D-Y VAS were primary school education for children, parental proxy secondary school education, Universal Coverage insurance, and TDT. Conclusion HRQoL scores of our pediatric thalassemia patients had improved from the previous decade, and these findings may represent our better standard of care. Some sociodemographic and clinical characteristics may present negative impacts on HRQoL. More exploration is needed to understand predictors and further improve HRQoL, especially for TDT patients.
EVOLUTIONARY DIVERGENCES IN LEAF STRUCTURE AND CHEMISTRY, COMPARING RAINFALL AND SOIL NUTRIENT GRADIENTS

Leaf structural and chemical characteristics were compared in pairs of species that were phylogenetically independently contrasted along rainfall gradients (10 pairs) or soil nutrient gradients (9 pairs), using perennial plants in New South Wales, Australia. The objective was to test hypotheses regarding leaf attributes that should be successful in sustaining populations in vegetation at lower vs. higher rainfall or lower vs. higher soil nutrients, and especially to assess the proposition that lower rainfall and lower soil nutrients favor similar shifts in leaf attributes, and in this sense can be grouped together as sources of “stress. ” Some evolutionary divergences in leaf structure occurred repeatedly toward the lower end of both rainfall and soil nutrient gradients. These include narrower leaves, lower specific leaf area (SLA), thicker lamina, and denser leaf tissue. In other respects, the different resource gradients appeared to favor different leaf attributes. In 8 of 10 contrasts, plants of low-wat.
Molecular biology and genetics GeneNote: whole genome expression profiles in normal human tissues

A novel data set, GeneNote (Gene Normal Tissue Expression), was produced to portray complete gene expression profiles in healthy human tissues using the Affymetrix GeneChip HG-U95 set, which includes 62 839 probe-sets. The hybridization intensities of two replicates were processed and analyzed to yield the complete transcriptome for twelve human tissues. Abundant novel information on tissue specificity provides a baseline for past and future expression studies related to diseases. The data is posted in GeneNote (http://genecards.weizmann.ac.il/genenote/ ), a widely used compendium of human genes
The Pathogenesis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Evaluation and Prevention

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major health problem causing severe acute respiratory illness in humans. It has spread rapidly around the globe since its first identification in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The causative virus is called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the World Health Organization (WHO) named the new epidemic disease Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). The incidence of COVID-19 continues to increase with more than three million confirmed cases and over 244,000 deaths worldwide. There is currently no specific treatment or vaccine against COVID-19. Therefore, in the absence of pharmaceutical interventions, the implementation of precautions and hygienic measures will be essential to control and to minimize human transmission of the virus. In this review, we highlight the epidemiology, transmission, symptoms, and treatment of this disease, as well as future strategies to manage the spread of this fatal coronavirus.
A retrospective multivariate analysis

Awide range of therapeutic options are available for the treatment of Bowen disease. However, few studies have been conducted on wide excision using various resurfacing methods. The objectives of this study were: 1) to analyze statistically epidemiologic characteristics, demographics, and treatment modalities by anatomical sites; and 2) to determine the efficacy of wide excision with respect to recurrence.
Biologic Drug Survival in Psoriasis: A Systematic Review & Comparative Meta-Analysis

Drug survival studies have been utilized to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of biologics used in psoriasis. However, the increasing volume of drug survival data suffers from large variability due to regional differences in drug availability, patient selection and biologic reimbursement. The objective of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of biologic drug survival to determine comparative effectiveness of the biologics in a real-world setting. Studies reporting drug survival for biologic therapy in psoriasis were identified by a systematic literature search. Hazard ratio data for drug discontinuation were estimated directly from published Kaplan-Meier estimator curves at year 1, 2, and 5 of treatment and compared pairwise for the following biologics: ustekinumab, adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, secukinumab, and ixekizumab. This pooled hazard ratios were used to estimate 2- and 5-year overall drug survival rates. Ustekinumab had the longest persistence at 2 and 5 years among all biologics included in this meta-analysis. Adalimumab was superior to etanercept and infliximab at 5 years. Pooled 5-year drug survival rates for adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab were 46.3, 35.9, and 34.7%, respectively. Two- and five-year data were not available for anti-IL-17 drugs, but at 1-year ustekinumab outperformed secukinumab, the latter being equal to anti-TNFs. In conclusion, ustekinumab is characterized by longer drug survival than TNF inhibitors and IL-17 inhibitors. Estimated pooled 2- and 5-year drug survival rates may serve as a useful tool for patient communication and clinical decision-making.
Native parasitoids and recovery of Spathius agrili from areas of release against emerald ash borer in eastern Tennessee, USA

The parasitoid Spathius agrili Yang, introduced in the USA to suppress populations of the emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, has been recovered at a release site for the first time in eastern Tennessee after a single year of releases. Other native parasitoids, including Spathius floridanus Ashmead, undetermined species of Spathius (possibly Spathius elegans Matthews and Spathius parvulus Matthews) and Atanycolus cappaerti Marsh & Strazanac, also known to be associated with EAB, were recovered. These recoveries represent the first documentation of these four species, including the introduced S. agrili, associated with EAB in the southern USA. Implications for biological control efforts against EAB are discussed.
Smaller brained cliff swallows are more likely to die during harsh weather

The cognitive-buffer hypothesis proposes that more harsh and unpredictable environments favour animals with larger brains and resulting greater cognitive skills. Comparisons across taxa have supported the hypothesis, but it has rarely been tested within a species. We measured brain size, as inferred from head dimensions, for 1141 cliff swallow specimens collected in western Nebraska, 1982–2018. Cliff swallows starving to death during unusual late-spring cold snaps had significantly smaller brains than those dying from other causes, suggesting that brain size in this species can affect foraging success and that greater cognitive ability may confer advantages when conditions exceed normal environmental extremes. Brain size declined significantly with the size of the breeding colony from which a specimen came. Larger brains may be favoured in smaller colonies that represent more unpredictable and more challenging social environments where there is less public information on food sources and less collective vigilance against predators, even in relatively normal conditions. Our results provide intraspecific support for the cognitive-buffer hypothesis and emphasize the potential evolutionary impact of rare climatic events.
Science-based approach to using growth rate to assess coral performance and restoration outcomes

One response to the coral reef crisis has been human intervention to enhance selection on the fittest corals through cultivation. This requires genotypes to be identified for intervention, with a primary basis for this choice being growth: corals that quickly grow on contemporary reefs might be future winners. To test for temporal stability of growth as a predictor of future performance, genotypes of the coral Porites spp. were grown in common gardens in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Growth was measured every two to four months throughout 2018, and each period was used as a predictor of growth over the subsequent period. Area-normalized growth explained less than 29% of the variance in subsequent growth, but for biomass-normalized growth this increased to 45–60%, and was highest when summer growth was used to predict autumn growth. The capacity of initial growth to predict future performance is dependent on the units of measurement and the time of year in which it is measured. The final choice of traits to quantify performance must be informed through consideration of the species and the normalization that best capture the information inherent in the biological processes mediating variation in traits values.
Evolution of drug-resistant and virulent small colonies in phenotypically diverse populations of the human fungal pathogen Candida glabrata

Antimicrobial resistance frequently carries a fitness cost to a pathogen, measured as a reduction in growth rate compared to the sensitive wild-type, in the absence of antibiotics. Existing empirical evidence points to the following relationship between cost of resistance and virulence. If a resistant pathogen suffers a fitness cost in terms of reduced growth rate it commonly has lower virulence compared to the sensitive wild-type. If this cost is absent so is the reduction in virulence. Here we show, using experimental evolution of drug resistance in the fungal human pathogen Candida glabrata, that reduced growth rate of resistant strains need not result in reduced virulence. Phenotypically heterogeneous populations were evolved in parallel containing highly resistant sub-population small colony variants (SCVs) alongside sensitive sub-populations. Despite their low growth rate in the absence of an antifungal drug, the SCVs did not suffer a marked alteration in virulence compared with the wild-type ancestral strain, or their co-isolated sensitive strains. This contrasts with classical theory that assumes growth rate to positively correlate with virulence. Our work thus highlights the complexity of the relationship between resistance, basic life-history traits and virulence.
Seed Longevity of Rice Cultivars and Strategies for their Conservation in Genebanks

Abstract Changes in seed quality during ripening were studied in sixteen cultivars of rice, representing the three ecogeographic races ofOryza sativa, and one cultivar ofO. glaberrima, grown during one dry season (Nov. –May) 1992 –1993 at Los Ba nos, Philippines. Mass maturity (defined as the end of seed filling period) among the cultivars was attained between 18.5 and 21.6d after anthesis (DAA). The seed moisture content at mass maturity varied between 24 and 40%. Germination ability of seeds in the early stages of development varied significantly, but as mass maturity approached, germination increased to the maximum and no significant differences were found among cultivars. The seeds were stored hermetically at 35 °C with 15±0.2% moisture content and the resultant seed survival data were analysed by probit analysis. Potential longevity (quantified by the value of seed lot constantKiof the seed viability equation) was greatest between 33 and 37 DAA, i.e. about 2 weeks after mass maturity. The stage during development at which seeds achieve maximum potential longevity is described by the term storage maturity. Lowlandjaponicacultivars, large seeded accessions (seed mass ≥40mg) andO. glaberrimahad shorter storage longevity ( σ, standard deviation of the frequency of seed deaths in time=1.47 weeks) while cultivars with purple pericarp survived longer than other cultivars ( σ=2.33 weeks). The initial germination of thejaponicacultivars at storage maturity was high (99 –100%) and the estimates of maximum potential longevity (Ki) which ranged between 3.3 (Shuang cheng nuo) and 4.4 (Minehikare) were close to those of theindicacultivars. This research suggests that seed production environment between Nov. and May at Los Ba nos is benign for the temperatejaponicacultivars. The implications of these results on management of rice genetic resources are discussed.
Antiamnesic effect of the two novel κ‐opioid agonists, VA‐100 and VA‐101, in the mouse passive avoidance test

The effects of the administration of the two novel κ‐opioid agonists (VA‐100, VA‐101) on memory processes were evaluated with the mouse passive avoidance test. The administration of VA‐100 (50–100 mg kg–1 p.o.) and VA‐101 (100 mg kg–1 p.o.) administered 20 min before the training session prevented nor‐binaltorphimine (4.9 μg per mouse i.c.v.), scopolamine (1.5 mg kg–1 i.p.), mecamylamine (20 mg kg–1 i.p.), diphenhydramine (20 mg kg–1 i.p.), and baclofen (2 mg kg–1 i.p.) amnesia. At the highest effective doses, none of the drugs impaired motor coordination, as revealed by the rota‐rod test, nor modified spontaneous motility and inspection activity, as revealed by the hole board test. The antiamnesic effect induced by VA‐100 and VA‐101 was comparable to that exerted by the κ‐opioid agonist U‐50,488H, as well as that induced by the nootropic drug piracetam and the cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine. These results suggest that the activation of κ‐opioid receptors plays an important role in the prevention of memory impairment. On these bases, κ‐opioid receptor agonists could represent a useful symptomatic treatment for cognitive deficits. Drug Dev. Res. 54:12–18, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Exogenous testosterone increases the audience effect in healthy males: evidence for the social status hypothesis

Several studies have implicated testosterone in the modulation of altruistic behaviours instrumental to advancing social status. Independent studies have also shown that people tend to behave more altruistically when being watched (i.e. audience effect). To date, little is known about whether testosterone could modulate the ﻿audience effect. In the current study, we tested the effect of testosterone on altruistic behaviour using a donation task, wherein participants were asked to either accept or reject a monetary transfer to a charity organization accompanying a personal cost either in the presence or absence of an observer. We administered testosterone gel or placebo to healthy young men (n = 140) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, mixed design. Our results showed that participants were more likely to accept the monetary transfer to the charity when being observed compared to when they completed the task alone. More importantly, this audience effect was amplified among people receiving testosterone versus placebo. Our findings suggest that testosterone administration increases the ﻿audience effect and further buttress the social status hypothesis, according to which testosterone promotes status-seeking behaviour in a context-dependent manner.