Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for myocardial injury and death in patients with COVID-19: insights from a cohort study with chest computed tomography

Abstract Aims Whether pulmonary artery (PA) dimension and coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, as assessed by chest computed tomography (CT), are associated with myocardial injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not known. The aim of this study was to explore the risk factors for myocardial injury and death and to investigate whether myocardial injury has an independent association with all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19. Methods and Results This is a single-centre cohort study including consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 undergoing chest CT on admission. Myocardial injury was defined as high-sensitivity troponin I >20 ng/L on admission. A total of 332 patients with a median follow-up of 12 days were included. There were 68 (20.5%) deaths; 123 (37%) patients had myocardial injury. PA diameter was higher in patients with myocardial injury compared with patients without myocardial injury [29.0 (25th–75th percentile, 27–32) mm vs. 27.7 (25–30) mm, P < 0.001). PA diameter was independently associated with an increased risk of myocardial injury [adjusted odds ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.19, P = 0.01] and death [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% CI 1.02–1.17, P = 0.01]. Compared with patients without myocardial injury, patients with myocardial injury had a lower prevalence of a CAC score of zero (25% vs. 55%, P < 0.001); however, the CAC score did not emerge as a predictor of myocardial injury by multivariable logistic regression. Myocardial injury was independently associated with an increased risk of death by multivariable Cox regression (adjusted HR 2.25, 95% CI 1.27–3.96, P = 0.005). Older age, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, and lower PaO2/FiO2 ratio on admission were other independent predictors for both myocardial injury and death. Conclusions An increased PA diameter, as assessed by chest CT, is an independent risk factor for myocardial injury and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Myocardial injury is independently associated with an approximately two-fold increased risk of death.
The emerging spectrum of COVID-19 neurology: clinical, radiological and laboratory findings

Paterson, Brown et al. present a case series of 43 patients with neurological complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The neurological syndromes include encephalopathies, encephalitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis with haemorrhagic change, transverse myelitis, ischaemic stroke, and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Occurrence and Identification of Bovine Trypanosomosis in Genji District, Western Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2011 to assess the-occurrence of bovine trypanosomiasisand identify species of trypanosomes affecting cattle as well as to assess host related risk factors in Genji district, West Wollega zone, Oromia region, western Ethiopia. A total of 384 cattle blood samples were collected at random and examined using Giemsa stained thin blood smears for parasite detection and identification. Of the cattle investigated, 38 (9.89%) were found to be infected with trypanosomes. The most trypanosome species identified were T. brucei (3.90%) followed by T. congolense (3.12%) and T. vivax (2.86%). The observed difference in the prevalence among the various species of trypanosomes was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The observed difference in the prevalence among the various species of trypanosomes was not statistically significant (P 0.05) in prevalence. Even though the present study showed low prevalence of trypanosome infection in the study area, the impacts of the disease on cattle production should not be neglected. Therefore, prompt control strategy has to be designed and implemented in the area to minimize the distribution of tsetse as well as trypanosomiasis prevalence.
Comorbid Anxiety Increases Suicidal Risk in Bipolar Depression: Analysis of 9720 Adolescent Inpatients

Objective: To evaluate the risk of association between suicidal behaviors and comorbid anxiety disorders in adolescents with bipolar depression. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the nationwide inpatient sample (NIS) from the United States. This study included 9720 adolescent inpatients with bipolar depression and further grouped by co-diagnosis of anxiety disorders. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the odds ratio (OR) of suicidal behaviors due to comorbid anxiety after controlling demographic confounders and psychiatric comorbidities. Results: Out of total inpatients, 34.8% (n = 3385) had comorbid anxiety disorders with a predominance in females (70.3%) and White patients (67.7%). About 54.1% of inpatients with comorbid anxiety had suicidal behaviors versus 44.6% in the non-anxiety cohort (p < 0.001). Comorbid anxiety disorders were associated with 1.35 times higher odds (95% CI 1.23–1.47, p < 0.001) for suicidal behaviors. Conclusion: Suicidal behaviors are significantly prevalent in bipolar depression adolescents with comorbid anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are an independent risk factor in bipolar depression that increase the risk of suicidal behaviors by 35%. This necessitates careful assessment and management of comorbid anxiety disorders in bipolar youth to mitigate suicidality.
Perceived discrimination and subjective well-being among Middle Eastern migrants in Australia: The moderating role of perceived social support

Background: Middle Eastern (ME) migrants are vulnerable to developing mental health problems due to pre-migration and post-migration traumas and stresses. The evidence on the subjective well-being of ME migrants and its contributing factors is limited and inconclusive. Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the moderating role of perceived social support in the association between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being, after controlling for socio-demographic factors. Method(s): This cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Queensland, Australia. A total of 382 first-generation young adult ME migrants, aged between 20 to 39 years, completed a self-administered questionnaire. To analyse data, a series of three hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) analyses were conducted, one for each of the subjective well-being components (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, and satisfaction with life). The interaction between perceived social support and perceived discrimination for the prediction of subjective well-being components was further explored using simple slope analysis. Results: Gender was found to be a significant predictor of positive and negative affect. Education was found to predict satisfaction with life, but not positive and negative affect. Married migrants were found to have significantly higher life satisfaction, positive affect and lower negative affect. Perceived social support had a moderating role in the association between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being. Conclusion: Considering the buffering role of perceived social support against the adverse effects of perceived discrimination on subjective well-being, organizations and individuals working with ME migrants should acknowledge the significance of social support and improve their capacity to deliver effective and appropriate social support services to migrants experiencing discrimination.
EEG Findings in Coronavirus Disease

Purpose: Neurologic manifestations of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) such as encephalopathy and seizures have been described. To our knowledge, detailed EEG findings in COVID-19 have not yet been reported. This report adds to the scarce body of evidence. Methods: We identified eight COVID-19 positive patients who underwent EEG monitoring in our hospital system. Results: EEGs were most commonly ordered for an altered level of consciousness, a nonspecific neurologic manifestation. We observed generalized background slowing in all patients and generalized epileptiform discharges with triphasic morphology in three patients. Focal electrographic seizures were observed in one patient with a history of focal epilepsy and in another patient with no such history. Five of eight patients had a previous diagnosis of epilepsy, suggesting that pre-existing epilepsy can be a potential risk factor for COVID-19–associated neurological manifestations. Five of eight patients who underwent EEG experienced a fatal outcome of infection. Conclusions: Our findings underscore previous observations that neurologic manifestations are common in severe cases. COVID-19 patients with epilepsy may have an increased risk of neurological manifestations and abnormal EEG.
Influence of Diabetes on Implant Failure and Peri-Implant Diseases: A Retrospective Study

Diabetes is an important modifying factor of periodontitis, but its association with peri-implant diseases has not been fully explored and the existing literature reports controversial results. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the influence of diabetes on peri-implantitis and implant failure. Smoking status, history of periodontal disease, presence of diabetes, diabetes type, therapy and glycaemia levels were collected in a total of 204 subjects treated with 929 implants, with a mean follow-up time of 5.7 ± 3.82 years after loading. Odds ratio (OR) for diabetes as a direct cause of peri-implantitis and implant failure were calculated, adjusted for smoking status and history of periodontitis. Nineteen patients were diabetic and most of them presented a good control of the disease at the time of surgery. The overall patient-level prevalence of peri-implantitis was 11.3%. Among diabetic patients, one developed peri-implantitis, whereas one experienced multiple implant failures. The calculated ORs, adjusted for smoking status and periodontitis, were not statistically significant. The results revealed no association between diabetes and peri-implantitis or implant failure coherently with the existing scientific literature. The actual influence of hyperglycemia on implant failure is still uncertain and new studies with larger cohorts of patients are needed.
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy, Cesarean Delivery, and Severe Maternal Morbidity in an Urban Safety Net Population.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of severe maternal morbidity (SMM), yet mediation by cesarean delivery is largely unexplored. We investigated the association between HDP and SMM in a cohort of deliveries at a safety net institution in Atlanta, Georgia during 2016-2018. Using multivariable generalized linear models, we estimated adjusted risk differences (aRDs), adjusted risk ratios (aRRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between HDP and SMM. We examined interactions with cesarean delivery and used mediation analysis with four-way decomposition to estimate excess relative risks. Among 3,723 deliveries, the SMM rate for women with and without HDP was 124.4 per 1,000 and 52.0 per 1,000, respectively. The aRR for the total effect of HDP on SMM was 2.55 (95% CI: 2.15-3.39). About 55.2% (95% CI: 25.7-68.5) of excess relative risk was due to neither interaction nor mediation, 24.9% (95% CI: 15.4-50.0) was due to interaction between HDP and cesarean delivery, 9.6% (95% CI: 3.4-15.2) was due to mediation, and 10.3% (95% CI: 5.4-20.3) was due to mediation and interaction. HDP are a potentially modifiable risk factor for SMM; implementing evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of HDP is critical for reducing SMM risk.
The influence of atmospheric CO2 concentration on the protein, starch and mixing properties of wheat flour

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars Hartog and Rosella were grown at CO2 concentrations of 280 µL L-1 (representing the pre-industrial CO2 concentration), 350 µL L-1 (ambient) and 900 µL L-1 (an extreme projection of atmospheric CO2 concentration). The plants were grown in naturally lit glasshouses in 7 L pots containing soil to which basal nutrients had been added and the pH adjusted to 6.5. Hartog yielded 2.4 g of grain per plant when grown at 280 µL CO2 L-1. This yield was increased by 38% and 75% at CO2 concentrations of 350 µL L-1 and 900 µL L-1 respectively. These changes were due to increases in both grain number and individual grain weight as the level of CO2 was raised. The yield of Rosella was unaffected by altering the CO2 concentration. Increasing the CO2 concentration reduced grain protein concentration of cv. Hartog from 17.4% at 280 µL CO2 L-1 to 16.5% and 16% at CO2 concentrations of 350 µL L-1 and 900 µL L-1 respectively. The grain protein concentration of cv. Rosella was reduced from 10.7% to 10.2% by increasing the CO2 concentration from 280 µL L-1 to 350 µL L-1; however, an additional increase in the CO2 concentration to 900 µL L-1 had no effect on grain protein concentration. In Hartog flour, the highest proportion of polymeric protein in the flour (7.7%) occurred at 280 µL CO2 L-1. This was reduced to 6.3% at 350 µL CO2 L-1 but then increased again to 7.0% at 900 µL CO2 L-1. These changes in concentration of polymeric protein were correlated (r2=0.58) with changes in mixing properties. The mixing time required to produce optimum dough strength was greatest at 900 µL CO2 L-1 (181 s), then 141 s and 151 s at 350 µL CO2 L-1 and 280 µL CO2 L-1 respectively. These changes in mixing time could not be explained by changes in grain protein concentration. The proportion of ‘B’ starch granules (<10 m diameter) increased from 25% of total weight of starch at 280 L CO2 L-1 to 30% at CO2 concentrations 350 and 900 µL L-1. There were generally no effects of CO2 concentration on dough mixing properties or starch granule size distribution for Rosella.
Management of skin adverse reactions in oncology

Chemo and targeted anticancer therapies present significant skin adverse reactions, which impair the patients’ quality of life. Cutaneous toxicities lead to poor treatment adherence, drug cessation, and psychosocial distress. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge concerning the prevention and management of skin toxicity arising from these therapies. A systematic literature search on online databases was conducted. The categorization of the main preventive and treatment measures was performed according to the level of evidence. Management of skin adverse reactions of oncology treatments is very heterogeneous, which can be explained by the lack of sound evidence-based treatments. The most studied adverse effects are papulopustular eruption, xerosis, and hand–foot syndrome. Prevention of xerosis stands out as the strategy most supported by level II studies. With respect to treatment, the use of antibiotics in papulopustular eruption resulting from anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents is the most evidence-based approach. In general, the number of studies published in the literature classified with a level II of evidence (52%) is similar to the ones classified as level IV (33%), making clear the need of more randomized controlled trials regarding the effectiveness of preventive and treatment measures of skin adverse reactions of chemo and targeted anticancer therapies.
CC chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus

The CC chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) and its sole chemokine ligand, CCL20, are an intriguing pair that have been implicated in a growing number of inflammatory, autoimmune and malignant disease processes. Recent observations have also highlighted this chemokine axis in the regulation of humoral immune responses. Through this review article, we explore the emerging links of CCR6–CCL20 with an archetypal autoimmune disease of humoral dysregulation: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). CCR6 is expressed prominently on several immune cells involved in the pathogenesis of SLE, such as dendritic cells and T‐helper 17 cells. CCR6's expression is correlated with disease activity and serological markers of disease severity, suggesting a possible role in disease pathogenesis. However, there are numerous holes in our understanding of the functions of CCR6 and CCL20, and future studies are required to determine if there are any diagnostic, prognostic or monitoring roles for these important molecules.
Cellular heterogeneity landscape in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a highly malignant tumor originated from respiratory system. Although there have been many improvements in therapy until now, reducing the high mortality remains difficult. Understanding the cellular heterogeneity of LSCC could contribute to improve this problem. Single‐cell RNA sequencing was applied to dissect the cell composition and molecular characteristics of LSCC tissues. Immunohistochemistry staining of the LSCC tissues was performed to identify the spatial location of tumor cells. Survival analysis of marker genes was executed in The Cancer Genome Atlas to verify the correlation between each cell clusters and patients' prognosis. The LSCC tissue cells were finely grouped into various clusters, including tumor cells, immune cells, epithelial cells, fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Notably, in tumor cells, keratinocyte‐like cells were in the core of tumor while malignant proliferating cells were located at the tumor edge. The malignant proliferating cells were correlated with poor prognosis. In summary, this is the first study to delineate a landscape of the LSCC intratumor heterogeneity. Our work might help researchers have a better understanding for tumor progression.
Effects of pure and mixed plantations of Populus deltoides with Alnus glotinosa on growth and soil properties: A case study of Foman Region, Iran

Plantation and application of fast-growing species, such as Populus deltoides increasingly, are common in the northern part of Iran. Concerns about decline in soil fertility and long-term productivity of fast-growing plantations have promoted interest in using nitrogen-fixing trees in mixed species plantations. P. deltoidesand Alnus glutinosa were planted in five proportions (100P, 70P:30A, 50P:50A, 30P:70A, 100A) in Foman, Iran. After 13 years, the effects of species interactions on tree growth and nutrient concentration in live and senescent leaves and soil properties were assessed. Diameter at breast height and total height of individualPopulus trees were positively affected by the presence of Alnus. Nitrogen concentrations in fully expanded and senescent leaves of Populus were higher in mixed plantations than monoculture plantations. The results of nutrition and nutrient return and growth indicated that mixed plantations of these two species were more productive and sustainable than their monoculture plantations. Within the framework of this experiment, it appeared that production was maximized when these two species were grown together in the relative proportions of 30% Populus and 70% Alnus. Key words: Mixed plantation, Alnus, Populus, growth, soil.
Survival and Space Use of Fawn White-tailed Deer in Southern Michigan

ABSTRACT Many cervids exhibit similar behavior near and following parturition. For example, during their first 2 mo of life, fawn white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are relatively sedentary, may be at their highest risk for mortality and are not yet functional ruminants. Relatively few studies describe demographics or space use of fawn white-tailed deer ≤2 mo old despite the potential for mortality through this time period having a relatively large influence on deer population dynamics. Our objectives were to estimate survival, assess cause-specific mortality and describe space use (i.e., cover) of fawn white-tailed deer in an agro-forest ecosystem in south central Michigan. We captured (mid-May to mid-Jun.), radiomarked and monitored 34 fawns during 2004–2006 and pooled data for analyses. Two- and 6-mo survival estimates (Mayfield method) were 81% and 67%, respectively, and canids caused most mortalities during both time periods. Kernel home ranges (95%) during the first 2 mo averaged 40.9 ha (range = 2.7–166.8), with conifers and lowland deciduous forests selected in proportions higher than available on the study area.
The heterologous expression of Escherichia coli MutT enzyme is involved in the protection against oxidative stress in Leishmania braziliensis

BACKGROUND Oxidative stress is responsible for generating DNA lesions and the 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) is the most commonly lesion found in DNA damage. When this base is incorporated during DNA replication, it could generate double-strand DNA breaks and cellular death. MutT enzyme hydrolyzes the 8-oxoG from the nucleotide pool, preventing its incorporation during DNA replication. OBJECTIVES To investigate the importance of 8-oxoG in Leishmania infantum and L. braziliensis, in this study we analysed the impact of heterologous expression of Escherichia coli MutT (EcMutT) enzyme in drug-resistance phenotype and defense against oxidative stress. METHODS Comparative analysis of L. braziliensis and L. infantum H2O2 tolerance and cell cycle profile were performed. Lines of L. braziliensis and L. infantum expressing EcMutT were generated and evaluated using susceptibility tests to H2O2 and SbIII, cell cycle analysis, γH2A western blotting, and BrdU native detection assay. FINDINGS Comparative analysis of tolerance to oxidative stress generated by H2O2 showed that L. infantum is more tolerant to exogenous H2O2 than L. braziliensis. In addition, cell cycle analysis showed that L. infantum, after treatment with H2O2, remains in G1 phase, returning to its normal growth rate after 72 h. In contrast, after treatment with H2O2, L. braziliensis parasites continue to move to the next stages of the cell cycle. Expression of the E. coli MutT gene in L. braziliensis and L. infantum does not interfere in parasite growth or in susceptibility to SbIII. Interestingly, we observed that L. braziliensis EcMutT-expressing clones were more tolerant to H2O2 treatment, presented lower activation of γH2A, a biomarker of genotoxic stress, and lower replication stress than its parental non-transfected parasites. In contrast, the EcMutT is not involved in protection against oxidative stress generated by H2O2 in L. infantum. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that 8-oxoG clearance in L. braziliensis is important to avoid misincorporation during DNA replication after oxidative stress generated by H2O2.