Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Productividad primaria en el Humedal Nacional Térraba-Sierpe, Costa Rica

Se determino la productividad primaria (PP) del fitoplancton en un amplio sector del Humedal Nacional Terraba Sierpe (HNTS) de Costa Rica, durante la estacion lluviosa del ano 2008 y en la estacion seca del ano 2009. Seis sitios se ubicaron en las areas norte y central del humedal, donde por lo general ocurre la mayor influencia del aporte de caudal del Rio Grande de Terraba. Se realizaron adicionalmente determinaciones de otros parametros ambientales, asociados con la productividad primaria, como profundidad de penetracion del disco de Secchi, la concentracion de solidos en suspension, la concentracion de clorofila a , la salinidad, la temperatura, la concentracion del oxigeno disuelto en el agua, la concentracion de nutrimentos inorganicos disueltos (amonio, nitrito, fosforo disuelto, silicato), la conductividad electrica especifica y se llevo a cabo un estudio basado en el analisis de componentes principales. La PP en el HNTS fue en general baja, con un valor maximo de 8.16gC/m 2 ·d de PPN, el cual se registro en la estacion seca, en marzo del 2009, en Isla Loros. Los sitios de mayor influencia del rio (Samu y El Caite en la estacion lluviosa), fueron los que tuvieron valores mas bajos, mientras que los sitios con mayor influencia marina fueron los que presentaron los valores mas altos de este estudio, cuyo promedio y desviacion estandar fue de 0.79±0.50gC/m 2 . d (n=12), y la mediana fue 0.80gC/m 2 . d. Esta diferencia se debe principalmente al elevado aporte de agua dulce y de solidos en suspension del Rio Grande de Terraba que limita el desarrollo del fitoplancton marino en el humedal. Es importante que se establezca y mantenga un programa de monitoreo de los parametros medidos en este estudio, con al menos dos muestreos por ano, uno en la epoca seca y otro en la epoca lluviosa, siguiendo el gradiente de salinidad desde el rio hasta el mar al menos en dos direcciones.
High rates of pulmonary artery occlusions in COVID‐19. A meta‐analysis

COVID‐19 patients are considered at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The real nature of pulmonary artery occlusions (PAO) in COVID‐19 has been questioned, suggesting that it is caused also by in situ thrombi, rather than only by emboli (PE) from peripheral thrombi.
Should robots have accents?

Accents are vocal features that immediately tell a listener whether a speaker comes from their same place, i.e. whether they share a social group. This in-groupness is important, as people tend to prefer interacting with others who belong to their same groups. Accents also evoke attitudinal responses based on their supposed prestigious status. These accent-based perceptions might affect interactions between humans and robots. Yet, very few studies so far have investigated the effect of accented robot speakers on users’ perceptions and behaviour, and none have collected users’ explicit preferences on robot accents. In this paper we present results from a survey of over 500 British speakers, who indicated what accent they would like a robot to have. The biggest proportion of participants wanted a robot to have a Standard Southern British English (SSBE) accent, followed by an Irish accent. Crucially, very few people wanted a robot with their same accent, or with a machine-like voice. These explicit preferences might not turn out to predict more successful interactions, also because of the unrealistic expectations that such human-like vocal features might generate in a user. Nonetheless, it seems that people have an idea of how their artificial companions should sound like, and this preference should be considered when designing them.
Targeting Jak-Stat Signaling in Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension.

In pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), progressive structural remodeling accounts for the pulmonary vasculopathy including the obliteration of the lung vasculature that causes an increase in vascular resistance and mean blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries ultimately leading to right heart failure mediated death. Deciphering the molecular details of aberrant signaling of pulmonary vascular cells in PAH is fundamental for the development of new therapeutic strategies. We aimed to identify kinases as new potential drug targets that are dysregulated in PAH by means of a peptide-based kinase activity assay. We performed a tyrosine kinase dependent phosphorylation assay using 144 selected microarrayed substrate peptides. The differential signature of phospho-peptides was used to predict alterations in tyrosine kinase activities in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) from IPAH patients compared to healthy/donor control cells. Thereby, we observed an over-activation and an increased expression of Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) in HPASMCs from IPAH patients as compared to controls. In vitro, IL-6 induced proliferation and migration of HPASMCs from healthy individuals as well as from IPAH patients were reduced in a dose-dependent manner by the FDA-approved Jak1 and Jak2 inhibitor ruxolitinib. In vivo, ruxolitinib therapy in two experimental models of pulmonary arterial hypertension dose-dependently attenuated the elevation in pulmonary arterial pressure, partially reduced right ventricular hypertrophy and almost completely restored cardiac index without signs of adverse events on cardiac function. Therefore, we propose that ruxolitinib may present a novel therapeutic option for PAH patients by reducing pulmonary vascular remodeling through effectively blocking Jak2-Stat3 mediated signaling pathways.
Autotaxin in ascites promotes peritoneal dissemination in pancreatic cancer

Peritoneal dissemination and malignant ascites in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients represent a major clinical issue. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a lipid mediator that modulates the progression of various cancers. Based on the increasing evidence showing that LPA is abundant in malignant ascites, we focused on autotaxin (ATX), which is a secreted enzyme that is important for the production of LPA. This study aimed to elucidate the importance of the ATX‐LPA axis in malignant ascites in PDAC and to determine whether ATX works as a molecular target for treating peritoneal dissemination. In a PDAC peritoneal dissemination mouse model, the amount of ATX was significantly higher in ascites than in serum. An in vitro study using two PDAC cell lines, AsPC‐1 and PANC‐1, showed that ATX‐LPA signaling promoted cancer cell migration via the activation of the downstream signaling, and this increased cell migration was suppressed by an ATX inhibitor, PF‐8380. An in vivo study showed that PF‐8380 suppressed peritoneal dissemination and decreased malignant ascites, and these results were validated by the biological analysis as well as the in vitro study. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the amount of ATX in ascites and the degree of disseminated cancer progression. These findings demonstrated that ATX in ascites works as a promotor of peritoneal dissemination, and the targeting of ATX must represent a useful and novel therapy for peritoneal dissemination of PDAC.
The cost-effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD

Background Chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling condition that generates considerable morbidity, mortality, and both medical and indirect social costs. Treatment options are limited. A novel therapy using 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has shown efficacy in six phase 2 trials. Its cost-effectiveness is unknown. Methods and findings To assess the cost-effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy (MAP) from the health care payer’s perspective, we constructed a decision-analytic Markov model to portray the costs and health benefits of treating patients with chronic, severe, or extreme, treatment-resistant PTSD with MAP. In six double-blind phase 2 trials, MAP consisted of a mean of 2.5 90-minute trauma-focused psychotherapy sessions before two 8-hour sessions with MDMA (mean dose of 125 mg), followed by a mean of 3.5 integration sessions for each active session. The control group received an inactive placebo or 25–40 mg. of MDMA, and otherwise followed the same regimen. Our model calculates net medical costs, mortality, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Efficacy was based on the pooled results of six randomized controlled phase 2 trials with 105 subjects; and a four-year follow-up of 19 subjects. Other inputs were based on published literature and on assumptions when data were unavailable. We modeled results over a 30-year analytic horizon and conducted extensive sensitivity analyses. Our model calculates expected medical costs, mortality, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Future costs and QALYs were discounted at 3% per year. For 1,000 individuals, MAP generates discounted net savings of $103.2 million over 30 years while accruing 5,553 discounted QALYs, compared to continued standard of care. MAP breaks even on cost at 3.1 years while delivering 918 QALYs. Making the conservative assumption that benefits cease after one year, MAP would accrue net costs of $7.6 million while generating 288 QALYS, or $26,427 per QALY gained. Conclusion MAP provided to patients with severe or extreme, chronic PTSD appears to be cost-saving while delivering substantial clinical benefit. Third-party payers are likely to save money within three years by covering this form of therapy.
Evaluation of the Antidiabetic and Insulin Releasing Effects of A. squamosa, Including Isolation and Characterization of Active Phytochemicals

Annona squamosa is generally referred to as a ‘custard apple’. Antidiabetic actions of hot water extract of Annona squamosa (HWAS) leaves together with isolation of active insulinotropic compounds were studied. Insulin release, membrane potential and intracellular Ca2+ were determined using BRIN-BD11 cells and isolated mouse islets. 3T3L1 adipocytes and in vitro models were used to determine cellular glucose uptake, insulin action, starch digestion, glucose diffusion, DPP-IV activity and glycation. Glucose intolerant high-fat fed rats were used for in vivo studies. Active compounds were isolated and characterized by HPLC, LCMS and NMR. HWAS stimulated insulin release from clonal β-cells and mouse islets. Using fluorescent indicator dyes and modulators of insulin secretion, effects could be attributed to depolarization of β-cells and influx of Ca2+. Secretion was stimulated by isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX), tolbutamide or 30 mM KCl, indicating additional non-KATP dependent pathways. Extract stimulated cellular glucose uptake and insulin action and inhibited starch digestion, protein glycation, DPP-IV enzyme activity and glucose diffusion. Oral HWAS improved glucose tolerance and plasma insulin in high-fat fed obese rats. Treatment for 9 days with HWAS (250 mg/5 mL/kg), partially normalised energy intake, body weight, pancreatic insulin content, and both islet size and beta cell mass. This was associated with improved oral glucose tolerance, increased plasma insulin and inhibition of plasma DPP-IV activity. Isolated insulinotropic compounds, including rutin (C27H30O16), recapitulated the positive actions of HWAS on beta cells and in vivo glucose tolerance and plasma insulin responses. Annona squamosa is attractive as a dietary adjunct in treatment of T2DM and as a source of potential antidiabetic agents including rutin.
Local and large-scale beta oscillatory dysfunction in males with mild traumatic brain injury.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is impossible to detect using standard neuroradiological assessment such as structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Injury does however disrupt the dynamic repertoire of neural activity indexed by neural oscillations. In particular, beta oscillations are reliable predictors of cognitive, perceptual and motor system functioning, as well as correlate highly with underlying myelin architecture and brain connectivity - all factors particularly susceptible to dysregulation after mTBI. METHODS We measured local and large-scale neural circuit function using MEG (magnetoencephalography) with a data-driven model fit approach using the Fitting Oscillations & One-Over F algorithm, in a group of young adult males with mTBI and a matched healthy control group. We quantified band-limited regional power and functional connectivity between brain regions. RESULTS We found reduced regional power and deficits in functional connectivity across brain areas, which pointed to the well-characterized thalamocortical dysconnectivity associated with mTBI. Furthermore, our results suggested beta functional connectivity data reached the best mTBI classification performance when compared with regional power and symptom severity (measured using SCAT2, or Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 2). CONCLUSIONS The current study revealed the relevance of beta oscillations as a window into neurophysiological dysfunction in mTBI, and also highlights the reliability of neural synchrony biomarkers in disorder classification.
Concerns and adjustments: How the Portuguese population met COVID-19

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruptive changes worldwide, with different implications across countries. The evolution of citizens’ concerns and behaviours over time is a central piece to support public policies. Objective To unveil perceptions and behaviours of the Portuguese population regarding social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for more informed public policies. Methods Online panel survey distributed in three waves between March 13th and May 6th 2020. Data collected from a non-representative sample of 7,448 respondents includes socio-demographic characteristics and self-reported measures on levels of concern and behaviours related to COVID-19. We performed descriptive analysis and probit regressions to understand relationships between the different variables. Results Most participants (85%) report being at least very concerned with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation reached a high level of adherence during the state of emergency. Around 36% of the sample anticipated consumption decisions, stockpiling ahead of the state of emergency declaration. Medical appointments suffered severe consequences, being re-rescheduled or cancelled. We find important variation in concerns with the economic impact across activity sectors. Conclusion We show that high level of concern and behaviour adaptation in our sample preceded the implementation of lockdown measures in Portugal around mid-March. One month later, a large share of individuals had suffered disruption in their routine health care and negative impacts in their financial status.
Effectiveness of ginger in reducing metabolic levels in people with diabetes: a randomized clinical trial*

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of ginge (Zingiber officinale) in reducing blood sugar and lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Method: a randomized and double-blind clinical trial conducted with people with type 2 diabetes in primary care facilities. The study included individuals aged between 20 and 80 years old, using oral antidiabetic drugs and with HbA1c levels between 6.0% and 10%. The participants were paired 1:1, allocated in two distinct groups, and randomized in blocks, based on their HbA1c levels. In the experimental group, the participants used 1.2g of ginger and, in the control group, 1.2g of placebo, daily for 90 days. The primary outcome was a reduction in fasting blood sugar and HbA1c, and the secondary outcome was a reduction in lipids and HOMA-IR. 103 individuals completed the study, 47 in the experimental group and 56 in the control group. Results: the participants in the experimental group showed a greater reduction in the blood glucose and total cholesterol values compared to the control group. Conclusion: the use of ginger can help in the treatment of people with diabetes, and data support the inclusion of this herbal drug in the clinical practice of nurses. RBR-2rt2wy
Guideline for diagnosis and management of hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) and hairy cell variant (HCL‐V)

Department of Haematology, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Abergavenny, Department of Cellular Pathology and All Wales Lymphoma Panel, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Cancer Sciences Unit, Cancer Research UK and NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres, University of Southampton, Department of Haematology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, and Department of Haematology, Royal Marsden NHS Trust, London, UK
Renal tumor growth rate in patients with previously normal CT scan: Analysis of the initial stage of growth.

OBJECTIVE Most of the studies regarding natural history of renal masses are based on active surveillance series and suggest that the renal masses have a slow growth rate. Nevertheless, only a few studies report the time between a normal computed tomography (CT) scan to the first detection of a tumor. We aimed to analyze the growth rate in newly diagnosed kidney tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed patients with enhancing renal masses that developed after a normal CT scan, which was performed at most 12 months earlier. Variables examined included patient age, gender, tumor size, volume, tumor linear growth rate (LGR). All cases were surgically treated. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare variables. A p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS We found 31 patients with 33 lesions. Male to female ratio was 1.58 (19/12). The average age was 59.2 years (standard deviation [SD]±12.1), and the mean tumor size was 4.27 cm (SD±4.3). Tumor LGR was 0.87 cm/month (range: 0.28-1.66) and presumed to be 10.4 cm at 1 year (range: 3.36-19.9). Tumor LGR for time detection at <6 month or ≥6 months were 1.1 cm/month and 0.68 cm/month (range: 0.27-1.08 and 0.88-1.76, respectively; p=0.0004), respectively. Tumor LGRs for low- and high-grade tumors were 0.89 cm/month and 0.83 cm/month (p=0.65), respectively. Median volume was 36.1 cm3 (range: 2.61-143.7), and for low and high grade the median volumes were 27.9 cm3 and 47.6 cm3, respectively (p=0.54). Malignant pathology was present in 93.9 % (31 of 33) of masses (lesions). CONCLUSION We found differences in tumor LGR in tumors detected before and after 6 months. We did not find any correlation between tumor growth rate and Fuhrman grade system, gender, histology, or age. We found the highest LGR published up to date.
Delineating role of NF‐κB and interacting cytokines during prostate cancer‐induced osteoclastogenesis

Prostate cancer (PCa) frequently metastasizes to the bone leading to devastating complications such as severe pain and fracture. However, the mechanisms by which PCa cells cause bone loss remain less understood. We investigated the role and mechanisms by which PCa cells induce osteoclastogenesis using cultured monocytic osteoclast precursors. Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with PCa cell lines: DU145, LNCaP, PC‐3, or their conditioned media led to the formation of distinct multinucleated, TRAP+ osteoclasts. This phenomenon was associated with the increased activation of transcription factor nuclear factor‐kB (NF‐κB). High transcript level of receptor activator of nuclear factor‐kB ligand (RANKL), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) were detected in PCa cells. TNF‐α and LT‐α augmented, whereas IL‐6 reduced the RANKL‐induced osteoclast formation in RAW264.7 cultures. Our results also demonstrated that PCa cells‐induced osteoclastogenesis involved the activation of the TRAF6–IKK–p65–NF‐κB signaling cascade. Together, our study demonstrates that PCa cells produce RANKL and several other pro‐inflammatory cytokines known to influence osteoclastogenesis, by targeting the NF‐κB signaling pathway.
Serum Metabonomic Research of the Anti-Hypertensive Effects of Ogaja on Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Our previous studies have shown that Ogaja Acanthopanax sessiliflorus has an important role in decreasing blood pressure, but its biochemical change characteristic has not been clarified completely at the metabolic level. Therefore, in this study, a combination method of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based metabonomics and multivariate statistical analyses was employed to explore the metabolic changes of serum samples from spontaneously hypertensive rats treated with Ogaja extracts. In the results of multivariate statistical analysis, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) groups treated with Ogaja were separated from the SHR group. The group of SHR treated with 200 mg/kg Ogaja was clustered with the positive control (captopril) group, and the 400 and 600 mg/kg Ogaja treatment SHR groups were clustered together. Quantified metabolites were statistically analyzed to find the metabolites showing the effects of Ogaja. Succinate and betaine had variable importance in projection (VIP) scores over 2.0. Succinate, which is related to renin release, and betaine, which is related to lowering blood pressure, increased dose-dependently.
A Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of 3D Printed Bioceramic Implants for the Reconstruction of Zygomatic Bone Defects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of patient-specific additive-manufactured CaOSiO2-P2O5-B2O3 glass-ceramic (BGS-7) implants for reconstructing zygomatic bone defects at a 6-month follow-up. A prospective, single-arm, single-center, clinical trial was performed on patients with obvious zygoma defects who needed and wanted reconstruction. The primary outcome variable was a bone fusion between the implant and the bone evaluated by computed tomography (CT) at 6 months post surgery. Secondary outcomes, including implant immobilization, satisfaction assessment, osteolysis, subsidence of the BGS-7 implant, and safety, were assessed. A total of eight patients were enrolled in the study. Two patients underwent simultaneous reconstruction of the left and right malar defects using a BGS-7 3D printed implant. Cone beam CT analysis showed that bone fusion at 6 months after surgery was 100%. We observed that the average fusion rate was 76.97%. Osteolysis around 3D printed BGS-7 implants was not observed. The mean distance displacement of all 10 implants was 0.4149 mm. Our study showed no adverse event in any of the cases. The visual analog scale score for satisfaction was 9. All patients who enrolled in this trial were aesthetically and functionally satisfied with the surgical results. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the safety and promising value of patient-specific 3D printed BGS-7 implants as a novel facial bone reconstruction method.
Effect of Psychological Inflexibility on Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Disturbance among Japanese Young Women with Chronic Pain

Background: Psychological inflexibility based on an acceptance and commitment therapy model is theoretically well-established as a process to exacerbate psychological distress, such as depressive symptoms and sleep disturbance. This study aimed to examine the associations of psychological inflexibility with depressive symptoms and sleep distribution. We hypothesized that psychological inflexibility would be associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and sleep disturbance in women with chronic pain. Methods: Female college students in Japan answered a questionnaire on pain status, treatment, and psychological inflexibility as measured by the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-Ⅱ before answering questionnaires on depressive symptoms and sleep disturbance eight months after. Results: Women with chronic pain (n = 320) reported more severe depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances compared to women without chronic pain (n = 90). Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that psychological inflexibility predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms and sleep disturbance, independent of the pain intensity, whether they consulted a doctor or used pain medication. Conclusion: Based on our findings self-management interventions aimed at reducing psychological inflexibility should be developed for individuals who are experiencing chronic pain.