Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A circuit analysis of habituation in Caenorhabditis elegans

The tap withdrawal response of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans supports several forms of behavioural plasticity, including habituation (Rankin, Beck, & Chiba, 1990). The relative simplicity of this organism, both in terms of its nervous system and its genetic tractability, suggest that it would be a fruitful model system within which to investigate the neural and molecular substrates of learning. This report examines the production of the tap withdrawal response and the plasticity exhibited by that response at the cellular/circuit level. The neural circuit that mediates the tap response was identified through a program of single-cell laser microsurgery. Further behavioural analyses determined some of the functional properties of the tap withdrawal circuit neurons, both in the production of the tap withdrawal response and in the generation of the plasticity that that response expresses. First, this work demonstrated that the response was not unitary, but rather was composed of two competing reflexive behaviours: forward locomotion in response to posterior mechanosensory input and backward locomotion in response to anterior mechanosensory input. An animal's response to given stimulus was determined by the relative degree to which each of these reflexes were recruited. Second, it was demonstrated that each constituent reflex habituated in the absence of the other, and that habituation of the intact response was a summation of these two processes. Third, a dynamic network simulation of the circuit was used to predict the sign or polarity of the synapses that constitute the circuit. Fourth, it was demonstrated that at least two independent interstimulus interval-dependent processes were recruited during habituation: One that affects habituation kinetics and one that affects recovery from habituation. Finally, an analysis of the effects of tap withdrawal response habituation on other non-mechanosensory withdrawal behaviours was used, in conjunction with ablation studies, to identify potential loci of change within the circuit that might underlie habituation. The implications both of the functional properties of tap withdrawal circuit elements during habituation and the restriction of potential sites of change are discussed.
Association between the TPMT*3C (rs1142345) Polymorphism and the Risk of Death in the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children from the Brazilian Amazon Region

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the leading cause of death from pediatric cancer worldwide. However, marked ethnic disparities are found in the treatment of childhood ALL with less effective results and higher mortality rates being obtained in populations with a high level of Native American ancestry. Genetic variations of the patient can affect resistance to ALL chemotherapy and potentially play an important role in this disparity. In the present study, we investigated the association of 16 genetic polymorphisms with the cell and metabolic pathways of the chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of ALL with the risk of death in treating childhood ALL in patients with a high contribution of Amerindian ancestry, coming from the Brazilian Amazon. The study included 121 patients with B-cell ALL treated with the BFM-2002 protocol. We are the first to identify the association between the TPMT gene rs1142345 polymorphism and the high risk of death in treating childhood ALL. Patients with the CC genotype had an approximately 25.5 times higher risk of dying during treatment of the disease than patients with other genotypes (p = 0.019). These results may help elucidate how the patient’s genetic characteristics contribute to the mortality disparity in populations with a high contribution of Native American ancestry. The rs1142345 variant of the TPMT gene could be used as a potential marker to early stratify patients at high risk of death in treating childhood ALL in the investigated population.
MOS1 Negatively Regulates Sugar Responses and Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis

Sugars, which are important signaling molecules, regulate diverse biological processes in plants. However, the convergent regulatory mechanisms governing these physiological activities have not been fully elucidated. MODIFIER OF snc1-1 (MOS1), a modulator of plant immunity, also regulates floral transition, cell cycle control, and other biological processes. However, there was no evidence of whether this protein was involved in sugar responses. In this study, we found that the loss-of-function mutant mos1-6 (mos1) was hypersensitive to sugar and was characterized by defective germination and shortened roots when grown on high-sugar medium. The expression of MOS1 was enhanced by sucrose. Hexokinase 1, an important gene involved in sugar signaling, was upregulated in the mos1 mutant compared to wild-type Col-0 in response to sugar. Furthermore, the mos1 mutant accumulated more anthocyanin than did wild-type Col-0 when grown on high-sugar concentration medium or under high light. MOS1 was found to regulate the expression of flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthetic genes in response to exogenous sucrose and high-light stress but with different underlying mechanisms, showing multiple functions in addition to immunity regulation in plant development. Our results suggest that the immune regulator MOS1 serves as a coordinator in the regulatory network, governing immunity and other physiological processes.
Brief Anti-Ageism Messaging Effects on Physical Activity Motivation Among Older Adults

When people have more negative perceptions about aging or attribute health decline to old age, they engage in less health promotion behavior. We tested whether an intervention of brief anti-ageism messages addressing views of aging could motivate engagement in physical activities at senior centers. Attendees aged 50 and older (n = 349; Mage = 72, SD = 9) at seven centers were randomly assigned to read one of three intervention messages (different approaches addressing views of aging) or to not read a message before rating their likelihood of attending a variety of center programs, including physical activities. Multilevel regression models indicated the intervention increased motivation to attend physical activities compared with the control group among participants aged 72 and older. The three anti-ageism messages were similarly effective suggesting some flexibility in framing. The results indicate anti-ageism messages may be a scalable, low-cost approach to promoting physical activity in older adults.
DEVELOPMENTAL FEATURES OF PORCINE HAEMAL NODES: A HISTOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Histological techniques were employed to provide detailed information on the histological features of haemal nodes in piglets and adult pig. Ten pigs were used for this study. The result demonstrated progressive changes in the structure of porcine haemal nodes. The capsule and trabeculae of piglet haemal nodes exhibited dense irregular connective tissues with reticular cells and smooth muscle cells. The cortex was more central while the medulla was peripheral with poorly defined boundaries. However, the sinusoids contained less densely packed erythrocytes. In adult pigs, haemal nodes demonstrated capsules composed of loose irregular connective tissue, fat cells, and mostly reticular cells while the trabeculae showed dense irregular connective tissues with reticular cells and smooth muscle cells. The atypical cortex and medulla of adult pig haemal nodes were distinct. The paracortex of adult pig haemal node showed high endothelial venules and the sinusoids contained densely packed erythrocytes. Afferent lymphatics, efferent lymphatics, blood vessels and veins were observed in the haemal nodes of piglets and adult pigs. Finally, the present study has provided essential information on the structural features of haemal nodes in piglets and adult pigs, revealing its atypical nature, and probable roles of blood storage, erythrophagocytosis and immune functions.
Evaluating Changes in del Nido Cardioplegia Practices in Adult Cardiac Surgery.

There has been a rapid adoption of the use of del Nido cardioplegia (DC) among adults undergoing cardiac surgery. We leveraged a multicenter database to evaluate differences over time in the choice and impact of cardioplegia type (DC vs. blood) among patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We evaluated 26,373 patients undergoing non-emergent coronary artery bypass and/or valve surgery between 2014-2015 (early period) and 2017-2018 (late period) at 31 centers. DC was compared with blood-based cardioplegia (BC: 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, 8:1, and variable ratio). We evaluated whether treatment choice differed across prespecified patient characteristics, procedure type, and perfusion practices by time period. We evaluated increased DC use with clinical outcomes (major morbidity and mortality, prolonged intubation, and renal failure), after adjusting for baseline characteristics, procedure type, center, and year. DC use increased from 19.6% in 2014-2015 to 41.5% in 2017-2018, p < . 001. Increased DC use occurred among coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve, and CABG + valve procedures, all p < . 001. Differences in median procedural duration increased over time (DC vs. BC): 1) bypass duration was 11.0 minutes shorter with DC in the early period and 27.0 minutes shorter in the late period, and 2) cross-clamp duration was 7.0 minutes shorter with DC in the early period and 17.0 minutes shorter in the late period, all p < . 001. There were no statistical differences in adjusted odds of major morbidity and mortality (odds ratio [OR]adj: 1.01), prolonged intubation (ORadj: .99), or renal failure (ORadj: .80) by DC use (p > .05). In this large multicenter experience, DC use increased over time and was associated with reduced bypass and ischemic time absent any significant differences in adjusted outcomes.
Solving Dynamic Multiobjective Problem via Autoencoding Evolutionary Search

Dynamic multiobjective optimization problem (DMOP) denotes the multiobjective optimization problem, which contains objectives that may vary over time. Due to the widespread applications of DMOP existed in reality, DMOP has attracted much research attention in the last decade. In this article, we propose to solve DMOPs via an autoencoding evolutionary search. In particular, for tracking the dynamic changes of a given DMOP, an autoencoder is derived to predict the moving of the Pareto-optimal solutions based on the nondominated solutions obtained before the dynamic occurs. This autoencoder can be easily integrated into the existing multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (EAs), for example, NSGA-II, MOEA/D, etc., for solving DMOP. In contrast to the existing approaches, the proposed prediction method holds a closed-form solution, which thus will not bring much computational burden in the iterative evolutionary search process. Furthermore, the proposed prediction of dynamic change is automatically learned from the nondominated solutions found along the dynamic optimization process, which could provide more accurate Pareto-optimal solution prediction. To investigate the performance of the proposed autoencoding evolutionary search for solving DMOP, comprehensive empirical studies have been conducted by comparing three state-of-the-art prediction-based dynamic multiobjective EAs. The results obtained on the commonly used DMOP benchmarks confirmed the efficacy of the proposed method.
Inflammation in Experimental Models of α‐Synucleinopathies

Neuroinflammation has long been associated with central nervous system pathology in α‐synucleinopathy disorders including Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy. In the past decade, research‐focused efforts in preclinical and experimental models have rallied around this idea, and considerable effort has been made to delineate critical neuroinflammatory processes. In this article, we discuss challenges in preclinical research, notably the use of animal models to recapitulate and dissect disease phenotypes as well as the need for more sensitive, reliable radiotracers to detect on‐target efficacy of immunomodulatory treatments in both human Parkinson's disease as well as preclinical models. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
The Combined Effect of Mediterranean Shrubland Pasture and the Dietary Administration of Sage By-Products on the Antioxidant Status of Segureña Ewes and Lambs

The objective of this study was to determine if the combined effect of ewe grazing and the incorporation of sage by-products in the lamb feed enhances the Segureña ewe and lamb antioxidant status. For that, the endogenous (related to blood antioxidant enzymes) and exogenous (plasma antioxidant activity) antioxidant systems of ewes and lambs were studied at the physiological stages of lactation, after weaning and at the end of the fattening period. Major results indicated that grazing improved the enzymatic antioxidant defense of ewes during the stressful period of lamb weaning, and also, the antioxidant status of the ewe plasma at both physiological stages: lactation and after lamb weaning. With regards to the lambs, ewe grazing stimulated the antioxidant enzymatic defense during lactation, but not the antioxidant capacity of the plasma. At the end of the fattening period, the inclusion of sage by-products in the lamb diet (10% w/w) enhanced both the enzymatic cascade and antioxidant capacity of the lamb plasma. The antioxidant capacity of the lamb meat was also studied and the benefits of sage were detected in samples from the deltoideus muscle. Thus, Mediterranean grazing stimulated the antioxidant defense in ewes, while the inclusion of sage by-products in the lamb diets enhanced the antioxidant status of both blood and meat.
Impulse oscillometry and spirometry measurements relative to personal best values at the time of acute exacerbations of cystic fibrosis in adults

Diagnosis of acute exacerbation (AE) of cystic fibrosis (CF) must be precise because both under‐ and over‐prescription of antibiotics may be detrimental. How lung function tests contribute to diagnose AE is unclear. We aimed to describe variation of spirometry and oscillometry measurements, at Stable state and at AE in adults with CF.
Perceptions of managers regarding prerequisites for the development of professional competence of newly graduated nurses: A qualitative study

ABSTRACT Aim and objectives To describe perceptions of managers regarding prerequisites for professional competence development of newly graduated nurses following a 1‐year residency programme. Background In general, managers are unsatisfied with the professional competence of newly graduated nurses. Therefore, they have been involved in residency programmes to support the nurses’ transition from being nursing students to professional nurses. However, perceptions of managers regarding the professional competence development of nurses have been sparingly studied. Design/Methods Qualitative, descriptive study with a data‐driven inductive approach with content analysis to obtain an understanding of the perceptions of nine managers through interviews. EQUATOR checklist COREQ is used (see File S1). Results Three themes emerged: (a) the nurses’ relationships with their teams and patients, (b) expectations regarding the development of practical skills and leadership skills and (c) prerequisites for continuing learning by supportive structures and a mutual responsibility between the manager and the nurse. Reflection was perceived by the managers as a cornerstone in the learning and development of professional competence. Learning theory was important, but learning practical clinical skills was essential for the nurses to develop competence and be able to perform their work, including being a leader of the team. Some structures discouraged continued learning in the development of professional competence, indicating a gap between the healthcare settings and the basic nursing programme. Conclusions There is a gap between the university and the healthcare settings in maintaining a structure for continued learning, which requires cooperation. This gap and tension can be a driving force for the learning process of competence development. Relationships with team members and patients are considered fundamental for developing professional competence. Relevance to clinical practice To overcome the gap between the university and the healthcare settings, the managers can facilitate nurses’ continued learning by creating structures for reflection.
Evaluation of retinal vascularization by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in rheumatoid arthritis, and its relationship with disease activity

Abstract Purpose To measure the retinal capillary density quantitatively with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls (HCs), and to evaluate the relationship between OCTA findings and RA disease activity. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 106 eyes of RA patients and 71 eyes of HCs were evaluated. RA patients were divided into inactive (DAS28 < 3.2) and active (DAS28 ≥ 3.2) subgroups. Retinal capillary plexus density (CPD) was obtained from the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and radial peripapillary capillary (RPC). Results In RA patients and HCs, the CPD (%) was 50.99 ± 3.30 and 52.08 ± 2.36 (p = .013) in the SCP, 55.65 ± 5.73 and 57.53 ± 4.60 (p = .019) in the DCP, and 49.98 ± 2.25 and 49.93 ± 2.25 (p = .947) in the RPC blood supply regions, respectively. In inactive and active RA patients, the CPD (%) was 51.01 ± 2.92 and 50.97 ± 3.73 (p = .947) in the SCP, 55.02 ± 5.70 and 56.40 ± 5.74 in the DCP (p = .229), and 50.34 ± 2.23 and 49.55 ± 2.22 (p = .079) in the RPC blood supply regions, respectively. DAS28 was negatively correlated with CPD in RPC blood supply region (Rho = –0.272, p = .006). Conclusion In RA, retinal CPD in the macula is lower than HCs. Although retinal CPD is not generally different in active and inactive RA patients, capillaries in the optic disc may be affected by disease activity.
Evaluation of therapeutic outcome of transepidermal administration of platelet‐rich plasma with microneedling in melasma

Dear Editor, Melasma is a common acquired, chronic hyperpigmentation most commonly occurring over face. Although benign in nature, it causes significant cosmetic deformity leading to great impact on quality of life and social as well as emotional well-being. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in pigmentary disorder is a novel idea based on the fact of inhibitory effect of growth factors such as transforming growth factor-beta 1 and epidermal growth factor on melanogenesis. Microneedling is a minimally invasive technique of delivering various therapeutic drugs into the skin by creating microchannels. Sufficient evidence of PRP in melasma is lacking which prompted us to undertake this study. After obtaining ethical approval and written consent, 30 consecutive patients of facial melasma were included. Detailed history, examination and routine investigations were carried out. The following patients were excluded from the study:
Increased Growth Differentiation Factor 15 in Patients with Hypoleptinemia-Associated Lipodystrophy

Objective. Similar to obesity, lipodystrophy (LD) causes adipose tissue dysfunction and severe metabolic complications. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) belongs to the transforming growth factor β superfamily and is dysregulated in metabolic disease including obesity and diabetes mellitus. Circulating levels in LD and the impact of leptin treatment have not been investigated so far. Material and Methods. GDF15 serum levels were quantified in 60 LD patients without human immunodeficiency virus infection and 60 controls matched for age, gender, and body mass index. The impact of metreleptin treatment on circulating GDF15 was assessed in a subgroup of patients. GDF15 mRNA expression was determined in metabolic tissues of leptin-deficient lipodystrophic aP2-nSREBP1c-Tg mice, obese ob/ob mice, and control C57Bl6 mice. Results. Median GDF15 serum concentrations were significantly higher in LD patients (819 ng/L) as compared to the control group (415 ng/L) (p < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, an independent and positive association remained between GDF15 on one hand and age, patient group, hemoglobin A1c, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein on the other hand. Moreover, there was an independent negative association between GFD15 and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Circulating GDF15 was not significantly affected by metreleptin treatment in LD patients. Gdf15 was upregulated in leptin-deficient lipodystrophic mice as compared to controls. Moreover, Gdf15 mRNA expression was downregulated by leptin treatment in lipodystrophic and obese animals. Conclusions. Serum concentrations of GDF15 are elevated in LD patients and independently associated with markers of metabolic dysfunction. Gdf15 expression is higher in lipodystrophic mice and downregulated by leptin treatment.
Bile acid diarrhoea: Current and potential methods of diagnosis

Chronic diarrhoea is common and mostly due to diarrhoea predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Diarrhoea predominant irritable bowel syndrome affects about 11% of the population; however, up to a third of these patients actually have bile acid diarrhoea. There are, therefore, more than one million sufferers of bile acid diarrhoea in the UK. Bile acid diarrhoea is caused by small bowel malabsorption of bile acids and the increased bile acids in the large intestine cause diarrhoea. Once diagnosed, the treatment of bile acid diarrhoea is simple and effective. Bile acid diarrhoea , however, is often not diagnosed because of a lack of easily available and reliable diagnostic methods. In the United Kingdom, the radiolabelled 23-seleno-25-homotaurocholic acid test is the gold-standard method of diagnosis. 23-seleno-25-homotaurocholic acid test, however, is expensive, inconvenient to the patient, involves radiation exposure and has limited availability. As such, a laboratory biomarker is desirable. This review briefly discusses the pathophysiology and management of bile acid diarrhoea and critically evaluates methods for its diagnosis, including serum 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, faecal bile acid measurement, serum fibroblast growth factor 19, urine-2-propanol, and the 14C-glycocholate breath and stool test.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living—A Good Tool to Prospectively Assess Disability after a Second Contralateral Hip Fracture?

The aim of this study was to determine the outcome for patients who sustain a second hip fracture compared with those who sustain a first fracture, and to define the optimal measure to evaluate functional outcome after second hip fracture. Methods: 343 patients with acute hip fractures who presented during a 12 month period were included in the study. Patients with a first (318 patients, 78.10 +/− 7.53 years) and second (25 patients, 78.96 +/− 6.02) hip fracture were compared regarding all baseline variables. Regression analysis was also performed to assess the independent relationship between the presence of a second hip fracture and observed outcome variables at discharge (physical disability, complications, length of stay, and mortality) and one-year after surgery (physical disability and mortality). Results: Disability when performing instrumentalized activities of daily living (IADL) at one-year follow-up is independently related to the presence of a second hip fracture. There were no other statistically significant relationships between the presence of a second hip fracture and other observed outcome variables. Conclusions: Patients with a second hip fracture showed worse functional outcome at one-year follow-up when measured with the IADL scale. No increased short-nor long-term mortality rates were found in patients with a secondary hip fracture. IADL is a good tool to assess disability after a second hip fracture and could be thus a more reliable outcome measure when investigating differences in functional recovery in patients with a second hip fracture compared to conventionally used ADL scales.