Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Phytophthora species: Phytophthora colocasiae on Taro and Phytophthora Recovered from Streams in Eastern Tennessee

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is an important food crop to humans. Taro leaf blight, which is caused by Phytophthora colocasiae, can significantly impact production worldwide. Our objectives were to develop single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for P. colocasiae and characterize populations in Hawaii, USA (HI), Vietnam (VN), and Hainan Island, China (HIC). In total, 386 isolates were analyzed for mating type and multi-locus SNP profiles including 217 from HI, 98 from VN, and 71 from HIC. A total of 1152 single nucleotide variant (SNV) sites were identified via restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing of two field isolates. Genotyping with 12 SNV sites revealed a total of 41 unique genotypes with at least 10 markers informative in each country and estimated allele frequencies ranging from 6 to 45%. Isolates with identical multi-locus SNP profiles were considered clonal lineages, which varied from 2 to 196 isolates. Four clonal lineages were shared between countries. In addition, five SNP markers had a low incidence of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) during asexual laboratory growth. For HI and VN, >95% of the isolates were the A2 mating type. On HIC, A1, A2 and A0 (neuter) isolates occurred within single clonal lineages. The implications for the wide dispersal of clonal lineages
Cloning and sequencing of the gene encoding the outer surface protein A (OspA) of a European Borrelia burgdorferi isolate.

The gene encoding the outer surface protein A (1) of the pathogenic Borrelia burgdorferi strain ZS7 (isolated from a female tick of the Freiburg area;2) was obtained by sreening a pUEX expression library using the OspA specific monoclonal antibody LA-2 (3). We present here the nucleotide sequence of a DNA clone, 942 bp long, that contains an open reading frame coding for a protein of 273 amino-acids. The putative ATG initiation site at 121 is preceded by a strong Shine-Dalgarno sequence (nt 107-117). In comparism with the reported restriction map for the OspA gene no differences were observed (4).
Prostaglandin D2 receptor-mediated desensitization of the alpha isoform of the human thromboxane A2 receptor

Thromboxane (TX) A 2 and prostaglandin (PG) D 2 mediate opposing actions in platelets and in vascular and non-vascular smooth muscle. Here, we investigated the effects of stimulation of the PGD 2 receptor (DP) on signaling by the TXA 2 receptor (TP) expressed in human platelets and in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells over-expressing the individual TP α and TP β isoforms. In platelets, the selective DP agonist BW245C abolished TP-mediated mobilization of intracellular calcium ([Ca 2+ ] i ) and inhibited platelet aggregation in response to the TXA 2 mimetic U46619. DP-mediated desensitization of TP signaling in platelets was prevented by pre-treatment with the cAMP-dependent PKA inhibitor, H-89, but was unaffected by the PKC inhibitor GF 109203X. In HEK 293 cells signaling by TP α, but not TP β, was subject to DP mediated desensitization in a PKA dependent, PKC independent manner. U46619-induced signaling by TP ∆ 328 , a truncated variant of TP containing only those residues common to TP α and TP β , was insensitive to prior DP stimulation indicating that the carboxyl terminal tail of TP α contains the target site(s) for DP-mediated desensitization. Mutation of Ser 329 to Ala 329 within a consensus PKA site in TP α rendered the mutant TP α S329A insensitive to BW245C-mediated desensitization. Whole cell phosphorylation assays established that TP α , but not TP β or TP α S329A , was subject to DP-mediated phosphorylation and that TP α phosphorylation was blocked by the PKA inhibitor H-89. These data establish that TP α , but not TP β , is subject to DP mediated cross desensitization, which occurs through direct PKA mediated potential cross-talk between DP and the individual TP α and TP β isoforms, stably expressed in HEK 293 cells, comparing it to that which occurs in platelets. Our results established that signaling by TP α , but not TP β , was subject to BW245C mediated desensitization in a PKA dependent, PKC independent manner, through direct phosphorylation of TP α by PKA at Ser 329 within its unique C-tail. Thus, taken in the context of previous studies involving IP mediated regulation of TP signaling, these studies further support the notion that TP α , but not TP β, may be the TP isoform relevant to prostanoid regulation of vascular hemostasis.
Major Depression in Stroke Patients: A 3‐Year Longitudinal Study

Background and Purpose This prospective study was designed to examine the contributions of neurobiological, functional, and psychosocial factors to major depression after stroke. In addition, the prevalence and longitudinal course of major depression were studied. Methods Major depression, functional ability, and social network were assessed repeatedly for a period of 3 years in a population-based cohort of 80 patients with acute stroke (mean age, 73 years). Cerebral atrophy and brain lesion parameters were determined from computed tomographic scans performed acutely and after 3 years. Results The prevalence of major depression was 25% at the acute stage and approximately the same at 3 months (31%). It decreased to 16% at 12 months, was 19% at 2 years, and increased to 29% at 3 years. The most important predictors of immediate major depression were left anterior brain lesion, dysphasia, and living alone. Dependence in activities of daily living was the most important predictor at 3 months. From 12 months on, the patient's having few social contacts outside the immediate family contributed most to depression, and at 3 years cerebral atrophy also contributed. At 1 year, 60% of the patients with early depression (0 to 3 months) had recovered; those not recovered at this follow-up had a high risk of development of chronic depression. Conclusions The study has provided evidence of a differentiation of factors likely to be implicated in the development of depression after stroke based on the period of time since the stroke event.
A gendered analysis of health from the Iron Age to the end of the Romano-British period in Dorset, England (mid to late 8th century B.C. to the end of the 4th century A.D.)

This thesis focuses upon the osteological evidence for adult health in Dorset, England during the Iron Age and Romano-British period (N= 270). The study employed a standardised method of recording to collect data from 21 sites, which was analysed at the population level. The data was discussed using a combination of social archaeology and a medical ecology approach, which enabled the evidence for health and well being to be understood in terms of society and environment, and how these changed over time. The approach also permitted comparison to national and European health patterns, and sought to challenge existing interpretations of both periods. Iron Age health reflected the agrarian based economy of that period, in addition to social and environmental buffers and stressors, such as violence and the engendering of children. The Romano-British data demonstrated statistically significantly differences for many aspects of health, such as dental disease. The influence of environmental and sociocultural change was reflected in the life-ways of the region, with a decrease in the evidence for violence, and an increase in tuberculosis. In comparison to national data, the region displayed heterogeneity in many aspects of health through time, particularly the prevalence of trauma, as well as evidence for continuity, particularly for agrarian life-ways. However, overall, the consequences of Roman colonisation could be identified.
Effect of a thermal care bundle on the prevention, detection and treatment of perioperative inadvertent hypothermia

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To improve the prevention, detection and treatment of perioperative inadvertent hypothermia in adult surgical patients by implementing a Thermal Care Bundle. BACKGROUND Keeping patients normothermic perioperatively prevents adverse surgical outcomes. Hypothermia leads to serious complications including increased risk of surgical bleeding, surgical site infections and morbid cardiac events. The Thermal Care Bundle consists of three elements: (i) assess risk; (ii) record temperature; and (iii) actively warm. DESIGN A pre- and postimplementation study was conducted to determine the impact of the Thermal Care Bundle on the prevention, detection and treatment of perioperative inadvertent hypothermia. METHODS The Thermal Care Bundle was implemented using an adapted version of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement's Breakthrough Series Collaborative Model. Data were collected from auditing medical records. RESULTS Data from 729 patients (pre-implementation: n = 351; postimplementation: n = 378) at four sites were collected between December 2014-January 2016. Improvements were recorded in the percentage of patients with a risk assessment; at least one documented temperature recording per perioperative stage; and appropriate active warming. Despite this, the overall incidence of perioperative inadvertent hypothermia increased postimplementation. CONCLUSION The Thermal Care Bundle facilitated improved management of perioperative inadvertent hypothermia through increased risk assessment, temperature recording and active warming but did not impact on perioperative inadvertent hypothermia incidence. Increased temperature recording may have more accurately revealed the true extent of perioperative inadvertent hypothermia in this population. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE This study showed that a collaborative, context specific implementation method, such as the IHI Breakthrough Series Model, is effective at improving practices, which can improve thermal care.
Treatment of periprosthetic femoral fractures following total hip arthroplasty with femoral component revision.

BACKGROUND Revision total hip arthroplasty is indicated for most periprosthetic fractures that occur around the stem of the femoral implant. The purpose of the present study was to assess the results and complications of revision total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of periprosthetic femoral fractures. METHODS We evaluated 118 hips in 116 patients who underwent revision total hip arthroplasty because of an acute Vancouver type-B periprosthetic femoral fracture. The femoral implant used for the revision was a cemented stem in forty-two hips, a proximally porous-coated uncemented stem in twenty-eight, an extensively porous-coated stem in thirty, and an allograft-prosthesis composite or tumor prosthesis in eighteen. The mean duration of follow-up was 5.4 years. RESULTS Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the probability of survival was 90% at five years and 79.2% at ten years with revision or removal of the femoral implant for any reason as the end point. Sixteen femoral components were rerevised: ten were rerevised because of loosening; three, because of loosening in association with a fracture nonunion; two, because of recurrent dislocation; and one, because of a new periprosthetic fracture. Additionally, six femoral implants were resected because of deep infection (five) or prosthetic loosening (one). Radiographs of the ninety-six hips with a surviving implant showed that twenty-one had evidence of loosening of the femoral implant, four had a nonunion of the femoral fracture, and two had both a nonunion and loosening of the femoral implant. CONCLUSIONS Revision total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of a periprosthetic fracture around the stem of the femoral implant successfully restored function for most patients. The greatest long-term problems were prosthetic loosening and fracture nonunion. Better results were seen when an uncemented, extensively porous-coated stem was used.
Violence after discharge from forensic units in the safe pilot study: a prospective study with matched pair design

Objective This paper reports on a prospective naturalistic study of violent recidivism after discharge from forensic mental health. Main aims were to find predictors of violence and to test the feasibility of a matched pair design for this purpose. Methods Patients from the Safe pilot project (n=18) and a group of controls (n=18) were matched on 10 variables, such as diagnosis, seriousness of violence, setting after discharge, and risk management plans. All the Safe pilot patients had been through repeated measurement of dynamic risk factors of violence the year before discharge to develop efficient risk management plans for use after discharge. We wanted to test whether violent recidivism during follow-up would be lower and less serious in the Safe pilot group. Results We found no significant between-group difference concerning number of patients with violent recidivism. However, the Safe pilot patients had significantly lower rates of violence and fewer severe violent episodes. In the control group, there was a significant association between a high number of risk management plans and high rates of violence. There was a statistical trend for the opposite association in the Safe pilot group. Conclusion We discuss this in terms of a possible gap between the development and implementation of plans.
Usefulness Of Surrogate Markers Of Body Fat Distribution For Predicting Metabolic Syndrome In Middle-Aged And Older Korean Populations Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy

Background: Obesity markers, the lipid accumulation product (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) are useful for assessing the risk of obesity-related cardiovascular disease. However, no previous study has assessed the usefulness of these four indices as predictors of metabolic syndrome among middle-aged and older Korean populations. Purpose: To investigate the usefulness of LAP, VAI, TyG index, and WHtR as predictors of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older Korean populations. Methods: This study included 15,490 male and female adults aged 40 years or older who underwent a medical check-up in a general hospital located in a Korean metropolitan area between January 2015 and December 2016. The diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome suggested by the American Heart Association/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute were used. LAP, VAI, and TyG index were computed based on the suggested mathematical models. WHtR was computed by dividing waist circumference by height. The independent sample t -test, one-way analysis of variance, Scheffe test, chi-square test, Pearson's correla-tion analysis, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: LAP, VAI, TyG index, and WHtR were signi ﬁ cantly related to metabolic syndrome in both sexes. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed the following optimal cutoffs for LAP, VAI, TyG index, and WHtR: 33.97, 1.84, 8.81, and 0.51, respectively. After adjusting for latent confounding variables (age, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and waist circumference), LAP, VAI, TyG index, and WHtR were signi ﬁ cantly correlated with metabolic syndrome. Area under the curve (AUC) values based on ROC curves showed that LAP, VAI, TyG index, and WHtR were reliable predictors of metabolic syndrome. LAP had the greatest AUC, suggesting that it was a more useful predictor than the other markers (AUC=0.917, 95% con ﬁ dence interval: 0.913 – 0.922). Conclusion: LAP, VAI, TyG index, and WHtR are useful predictors of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older Koreans, but LAP had the greatest diagnostic accuracy. of the latest laboratory and clinical ﬁ ndings in the ﬁ elds of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity research. Original research, review, case reports, hypothesis formation, expert opinion and commentaries are all considered for publication. The manu- script management system is completely online and includes a very quick and fair peer-review system, which is all easy to use. Visit http://www.dovepress. com/testimonials.php to read real quotes from published authors. Diabetes, Metabolic
Preoperative Bilirubin Level Predicts Overall Survival and Tumor Recurrence After Resection for Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma Patients

Objective: Currently, the correlation between preoperative bilirubin level and overall survival (OS) remains poorly de ﬁ ned in respectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (CC). The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the outcomes of perihilar CC after resection and then to analyze factors in ﬂ uencing curative resection, tumor recurrence and OS. Methods: 115 patients with perihilar CC underwent surgical resection were retrospectively analyzed based on clinic characteristics, operative details, tumor recurrence and long-term survival data. Results: The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates after resection were 75.9%, 36.5%, 21.7%, whereas the corresponding tumor recurrence rates were 29.6%, 70.8%, 85.3%, respectively. Preoperative bilirubin level combined with liver resection, resection margin, vascular invasion and perineural invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage were found to be correlated with OS and tumor recurrence. Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative bilirubin level together with resection margin, perineural invasion, and TNM stage were independent predictors of OS and tumor recurrence. Furthermore, preoperative bilirubin level was related with R0 resection, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and postoperative liver function recovery. Conclusion: Preoperative bilirubin level may effectively re ﬂ ect the severity of perihilar CC and predict the OS and tumor recurrence after resection for perihilar CC patients.
Metastatic breast cancer cells induce altered microglial morphology and electrical excitability in vivo

Background: An emerging problem in the treatment of breast cancer is the increasing incidence of metastases to the brain. Metastatic brain tumours are incurable and can cause epileptic seizures and cognitive impairment, so better understanding of this niche, and the cellular mechanisms, is urgently required. Microglia are the resident brain macrophage population, becoming “activated” by neuronal injury, eliciting an inflammatory response. Microglia promote proliferation, angiogenesis and invasion in brain tumours and metastases. However, the mechanisms underlying microglial involvement appear complex and better models are required to improve understanding of function. Methods: Here, we sought to address this need by developing a model to study metastatic breast cancer cell-microglial interactions using intravital imaging combined with ex vivo electrophysiology. We implanted an optical window on the parietal bone to facilitate observation of cellular behaviour in situ in the outer cortex of heterozygous Cx3cr1 GFP/+ mice. Results: We detected GFP-expressing microglia in Cx3cr1 GFP/+ mice up to 350 µm below the window without significant loss of resolution. When DsRed-expressing metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were implanted in Matrigel under the optical window, significant accumulation of activated microglia around invading tumour cells could be observed. This inflammatory response resulted in significant cortical disorganisation and aberrant spontaneously-occurring local field potential spike events around the metastatic site. Conclusions: These data suggest that peritumoral microglial activation and accumulation may play a critical role in local tissue changes underpinning aberrant cortical activity, which offers a possible mechanism for the disrupted cognitive performance and seizures seen in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Our data demonstrate a remarkable change in microglial morphology in response to the presence of metastatic breast cancer cells. We observed accumulation of microglia to the lesion site, together with significant reduction in ramification, consistent with acquisition of an activated phenotype. To our knowledge, this is the first time that intravital brain imaging has been used to visualise the behaviour of microglia in the presence of metastatic breast cancer cells. The implantation site represents a leptomeningeal metastasis, which accounts for approximately 11-20 % of brain metastases, thus presenting a significant clinical burden (5). We also found significant infiltration of tumour cells into the outer cortical parenchyma and recruitment of microglia to the lesion, suggesting that the model may have broader utility for understanding tumour cell-microglial interactions in parenchymal brain metastases. The findings are consistent with other cortical implantation models, e.g. (35), suggesting that underlying mechanisms microglial are likely similar.
Suicidal ideation among school-attending adolescents in Dar es Salaam , Tanzania

Background: Suicidal ideation is an understudied risk factor for suicidal intent. The present study investigates the patterns and risk factors for suicidal ideation among a sample of school-attending adolescents in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: This study examined secondary data collected in 2006 through the Global School-Based Student Health Survey. The data were collected via two-stage cluster sampling representative of all secondary schools in Dar es Salaam. We compared adolescents who reported suicidal ideation (SI) and those who reported a plan to carry out a suicide attempt (SP), with those reporting neither ideation nor an attempt (controls) within the 12 months preceding the survey. Our analyses targeted demographic, behavioral, social, mental health and family factors. Results: A total of 2,176 students aged 11-16 years participated. Within the recall period, 7% (n=149) of participants had thought about suicide with 6.3% (n=136) having created a plan to carry out an attempt. Fifty percent of those reporting SP were female. We found that significant associations existed across all categories of psychological health, substance use and among those who reported being bullied. In the multivariate analysis adolescents reporting suicidal intent were more than twice as likely to report having been lonely (RRR=2.33; CI=1.36-4.01); more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms (RRR=2.26; CI=1.563.27) and have previously used an illicit substance (RRR=1.97; CI=1.12-3.48). We found an inverse association with age and suicidal planning (RRR=0.74; CI=0.62-0.90) as well as poverty and SP (RRR=0.53; CI=0.29-0.98) and an increased likelihood for adolescents reporting SP to be lonely (RRR=2.76; CI=1.55-4.90) and depressed (RRR=3.98; CI=2.71-5.86). Tobacco use (RRR=2.15; CI=1.22-3.78) and illicit substance use (RRR=1.99; CI=1.10-3.60) were associated with SP as was having parents who were knowledgeable of what adolescents did during their free time (RRR=2.15; CI=1.07-4.31). Respondents who reported having no friends were also more likely to report SP (RRR=3.68; CI=2.22-6.08). Conclusion: Our results suggest that, as in high-income settings, psychological factors, risky health behaviors such as substance use, and social and familial support impact suicidal ideation. This knowledge should be used to help inform further research as well as prevention and intervention strategies.