Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The immediate effects of kinesiology taping on cutaneous blood flow in healthy humans under resting conditions: A randomised controlled repeated-measures laboratory study

Background Kinesiology taping (KT) is used in musculoskeletal practice for preventive and rehabilitative purposes. It is claimed that KT improves blood flow in the microcirculation by creating skin convolutions and that this reduces swelling and facilitates healing of musculoskeletal injuries. There is a paucity of physiological studies evaluating the effect of KT on cutaneous blood microcirculation. Objectives The purpose of this parallel-group controlled laboratory repeated measures design study was to evaluate the effects of KT on cutaneous blood microcirculation in healthy human adults using a dual wavelength (infrared and visible-red) laser Doppler Imaging (LDI) system. KT was compared with rigid taping and no taping controls to isolate the effects associated with the elasticity of KT Methods Forty-five healthy male and female human adults were allocated to one of the three interventions using constrained randomisation following the pre-intervention measurement: (i) KT (ii) ST (standard taping) (iii) NT (no taping). Cutaneous blood perfusion was measured using LDI in the ventral surface of forearm at pre-intervention, during-intervention and post-intervention in a normothermic environment at resting conditions. Results Mixed ANOVA of both infrared and visible-red datasets revealed no statistically significant interaction between Intervention and Time. There was statistically significant main effect for Time but not Intervention. Conclusion KT does not increase cutaneous blood microcirculation in healthy human adults under resting physiological conditions in a normothermic environment. On the contrary, evidence suggests that taping, regardless of the elasticity in the tape, is associated with immediate reductions in cutaneous blood flow.
Mark-recapture experiments reveal foraging behavior and plant fidelity of native bees in plant nurseries.

Understanding the spatial and temporal foraging patterns of pollinators is essential to conserving these organisms in human-modified landscapes, such as agroecosystems (Cranmer et al. 2011). Particularly, understanding foraging fidelity (i.e., returns to a particular plant species or area) is crucial for providing supportive habitats. Numerous approaches have been used to discern the movement and foraging of individual bees (reviewed by Mola & Williams 2019), ranging from highly technological to more traditional methods like mark-release-recapture experiments. While mark-recapture experiments are often hampered by low recapture rates, density dependence, and logistical constraints (Mola and Williams 2019), they can help us understand short-term local movement patterns (Dorchin et al. 2013) and fidelity (Ogilvie and Thomson 2016) of highly mobile organisms like bees.
Prevalence of hearing loss in chronic kidney disease, stages 3-5 patients in a teaching hospital in Nigeria

Background: The kidney and the cochlear have several similarities. With early diagnosis and better management of chronic kidney disease patients, complications of this condition such as hearing loss abound. Methods: This cross sectional, hospital-based study was done on 118 adult chronic kidney disease patients who were in stages 3 to 5 over a one year period. Data was obtained using questionnaire and pure tone audiograms at first contact. Results: The patients comprised 80 males and 38 females whose ages ranged from 18-83 years (mean: 46.11+-16.58 years). Ninety-nine, sex and age matched healthy controls whose ages ranged from 18-92 years (mean: 45.6+-12.63 years) were also studied. The prevalence of hearing loss in CKD stages 3 to 5 was 58.5% as against 20.2% in the controls in the speech frequencies and 37.3% against 4.0% in the high frequencies respectively. Conclusion: The study demonstrated hearing loss to be an important association of chronic kidney disease, which needs to be given attention to when planning management of these patients.
The amount of liver fat predicts mortality and development of type 2 diabetes in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to evaluate whether conventional histological grading of steatosis and accurate quantification of fat content in liver biopsies using stereological point counting (SPC) can predict mortality and future development of T2DM in NAFLD patients.
Inequalities in cardiovascular risks among Swedish adolescents (ABIS): a prospective cohort study

Objectives To investigate if socioeconomic status (SES) is predictive of cardiovascular risk factors among Swedish adolescents. Identify the most important SES variable for the development of each cardiovascular risk factor. Investigate at what age SES inequality in overweight and obesity occurs. Design Longitudinal follow-up of a prospective birth cohort. Setting All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) study includes data from children born between October 1997 and October 1999 in five counties of south east Sweden. Participants A regional ABIS-study subsample from three major cities of the region n=298 adolescents aged 16–18 years, and prospective data from the whole ABIS cohort for overweight and obesity status at the ages 2, 5, 8 and 12 years (n=2998–7925). Outcome measures Blood pressure above the hypertension limit, overweight/obesity according to the International Obesity Task Force definition, low high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or borderline-high low-density lipoproteins according to National Cholesterol Education Program expert panel on cholesterol levels in children. Results For three out of four cardiovascular risk outcomes (elevated blood pressure, low HDL and overweight/obesity), there were increased risk in one or more of the low SES groups (p<0.05). The best predictor was parental occupational class (Swedish socioeconomic classification index) for elevated blood pressure (area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve 0.623), maternal educational level for overweight (area under the ROC curve 0.641) and blue-collar city of residence for low HDL (area under the ROC curve 0.641). SES-related differences in overweight/obesity were found at age 2, 5 and 12 and for obesity at age 2, 5, 8 and 12 years (all p<0.05). Conclusions Even in a welfare state like Sweden, SES inequalities in cardiovascular risks are evident already in childhood and adolescence. Intervention programmes to reduce cardiovascular risk based on social inequality should start early in life.
Fabrication and Evaluation of N-Channel GaN Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors Based on Regrown and Implantation Methods

We have demonstrated the enhancement-mode n-channel gallium nitride (GaN) metal-oxide field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) on homoepitaxial GaN substrates using the selective area regrowth and ion implantation techniques. Both types of MOSFETs perform normally off operations. The GaN-MOSFETs fabricated using the regrowth method perform superior characteristics over the other relative devices fabricated using the ion implantation technique. The electron mobility of 100 cm2/V·s, subthreshold of 500 mV/dec, and transconductance of 14 μs/mm are measured in GaN-MOSFETs based on the implantation technique. Meanwhile, the GaN-MOSFETs fabricated using the regrowth method perform the electron mobility, transconductance, and subthreshold of 120 cm2/V s, 18 μs/mm, and 300 mV/dec, respectively. Additionally, the MOSFETs with the regrown p-GaN gate body show the Ion/Ioff ratio of approximately 4 × 107, which is, to our knowledge, among the best results of GaN-MOSFETs to date. This research contributes a valuable information for the design and fabrication of power switching devices based on GaN.
Frailty in Older Adults With Multiple Myeloma: A Study of US Veterans.

PURPOSE Age-associated cumulative decline across physiologic systems results in a diminished resistance to stressors, including cancer and its treatment, creating a vulnerable state known as frailty. Frailty is associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes in patients with cancer. Identification of frailty in administrative data can allow for assessment of prognosis and facilitate control for confounding variables. The purpose of this study was to assess frailty from claims-based data using the accumulation of deficits approach in veterans with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS From the Veterans Administration Central Cancer Registry, we identified patients who were diagnosed with MM between 1999 and 2014. Using the accumulation of deficits approach, we calculated a Frailty Index (FI) using 31 health-associated deficits and categorized scores into five groups: nonfrail (FI, 0 to 0.1), prefrail (FI, 0.11 to 0.20), mild frailty (FI, 0.21 to 0.30), moderate frailty (FI, 0.31 to 0.40), and severe frailty (FI, > 0.4). We used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to assess association between FI score and mortality while adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS We calculated an FI for 3,807 veterans age 65 years or older. Among the cohort, 28.7% were classified as nonfrail, 41.3% prefrail, 21.6% mildly frail, 6.6% moderately frail, and 1.7% severely frail. Frailty was strongly associated with mortality independent of age, race, MM treatment, body mass index, or statin use. Higher FI score was associated with higher mortality with hazard ratios of 1.33 (95% CI, 1.21 to 1.47), 1.97 (95% CI, 1.70 to 2.20), 2.86 (95% CI, 2.45 to 3.34), and 3.22 (95% CI, 2.46 to 4.22) for prefrail, mildly frail, moderately frail, and severely frail, respectively. CONCLUSION Frailty status is a significant predictor of mortality in older veterans with MM. Assessment of frailty status using the readily available electronic medical records data in administrative data allows for assessment of prognosis.
Natural Magnesium-Enriched Deep-Sea Water Improves Insulin Resistance and the Lipid Profile of Prediabetic Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blinded Crossover Trial

Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that the antidiabetic effect of balanced deep-sea water (BDSW) works through the suppression of hyperglycemia and improvement of glucose tolerance. Based on these promising results, we conducted an eight week randomized, double-blinded crossover trial of the effects of BDSW in prediabetic adults. The subjects consumed 440 mL of BDSW (hardness 4000) per day, and maintained an otherwise normal lifestyle and diet throughout. Efficacy assessments were made by measuring fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), C-peptide, glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid metabolism indicators, and physical metrics, along with safety assessments. Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR values of the BDSW group were significantly lower than those of the placebo group after eight weeks of BDSW ingestion. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were also significantly decreased in the BDSW group after eight weeks of BDSW ingestion compared with the placebo group. There were no statistically and clinically meaningful changes in adverse events, physical examination, laboratory medicine examination, or vital signs of the BDSW intake group. These results suggested that the intake of BDSW in prediabetic adults can improve glucose metabolism and lipid profiles and is safe for human consumption.
Impairment in Baroreflex Sensitivity in Recent-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Without Progression Over 5 Years

Impaired baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) predicts cardiovascular mortality and is prevalent in long-term diabetes. We determined spontaneous BRS in patients with recent-onset diabetes and its temporal sequence over 5 years by recording beat-to-beat blood pressure and R-R intervals over 10 min. Four time domain and four frequency domain BRS indices were computed in participants from the German Diabetes Study baseline cohort with recent-onset type 1/type 2 diabetes (n = 206/381) and age-matched glucose-tolerant control subjects (control 1/control 2: n = 65/83) and subsets of consecutive participants with type 1/type 2 diabetes who reached the 5-year follow-up (n = 84/137). Insulin sensitivity (M-value) was determined using a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. After appropriate adjustment, three frequency domain BRS indices were reduced in type 2 diabetes compared with control 2 and were positively associated with the M-value and inversely associated with fasting glucose and HbA1c (P < 0.05), whereas BRS was preserved in type 1 diabetes. After 5 years, a decrease in one and four BRS indices was observed in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively (P < 0.05), which was explained by the physiologic age-dependent decline. Unlike patients with well-controlled recent-onset type 1 diabetes, those with type 2 diabetes show early baroreflex dysfunction, likely due to insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, albeit without progression over 5 years.
Diversity of Bacterial Biosynthetic Genes in Maritime Antarctica

Bacterial natural products (NPs) are still a major source of new drug leads. Polyketides (PKs) and non-ribosomal peptides (NRP) are two pharmaceutically important families of NPs and recent studies have revealed Antarctica to harbor endemic polyketide synthase (PKS) and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) genes, likely to be involved in the production of novel metabolites. Despite this, the diversity of secondary metabolites genes in Antarctica is still poorly explored. In this study, a computational bioprospection approach was employed to study the diversity and identity of PKS and NRPS genes to one of the most biodiverse areas in maritime Antarctica—Maxwell Bay. Amplicon sequencing of soil samples targeting ketosynthase (KS) and adenylation (AD) domains of PKS and NRPS genes, respectively, revealed abundant and unexplored chemical diversity in this peninsula. About 20% of AD domain sequences were only distantly related to characterized biosynthetic genes. Several PKS and NRPS genes were found to be closely associated to recently described metabolites including those from uncultured and candidate phyla. The combination of new approaches in computational biology and new culture-dependent and -independent strategies is thus critical for the recovery of the potential novel chemistry encoded in Antarctica microorganisms.
Cardiac myosin regulatory light chain kinase modulates cardiac contractility by phosphorylating both myosin regulatory light chain and troponin I

Heart muscle contractility and performance are controlled by posttranslational modifications of sarcomeric proteins. Although myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) phosphorylation has been studied extensively in vitro and in vivo, the precise role of cardiac myosin light chain kinase (cMLCK), the primary kinase acting upon RLC, in the regulation of cardiomyocyte contractility remains poorly understood. In this study, using recombinantly expressed and purified proteins, various analytical methods, in vitro and in situ kinase assays, and mechanical measurements in isolated ventricular trabeculae, we demonstrate that human cMLCK is not a dedicated kinase for RLC but can phosphorylate other sarcomeric proteins with well-characterized regulatory functions. We show that cMLCK specifically monophosphorylates Ser23 of human cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in isolation and in the trimeric troponin complex in vitro and in situ in the native environment of the muscle myofilament lattice. Moreover, we observed that human cMLCK phosphorylates rodent cTnI to a much smaller extent in vitro and in situ, suggesting species-specific adaptation of cMLCK. Although cMLCK treatment of ventricular trabeculae exchanged with rat or human troponin increased their cross-bridge kinetics, the increase in sensitivity of myofilaments to calcium was significantly blunted by human TnI, suggesting that human cTnI phosphorylation by cMLCK modifies the functional consequences of RLC phosphorylation. We propose that cMLCK-mediated phosphorylation of TnI is functionally significant and represents a critical signaling pathway that coordinates the regulatory states of thick and thin filaments in both physiological and potentially pathophysiological conditions of the heart.
The Anatomy and Physiology of Claustrum-Cortex Interactions.

The claustrum is one of the most widely connected regions of the forebrain, yet its function has remained obscure, largely due to the experimentally challenging nature of targeting this small, thin, and elongated brain area. However, recent advances in molecular techniques have enabled the anatomy and physiology of the claustrum to be studied with the spatiotemporal and cell type-specific precision required to eventually converge on what this area does. Here we review early anatomical and electrophysiological results from cats and primates, as well as recent work in the rodent, identifying the connectivity, cell types, and physiological circuit mechanisms underlying the communication between the claustrum and the cortex. The emerging picture is one in which the rodent claustrum is closely tied to frontal/limbic regions and plays a role in processes, such as attention, that are associated with these areas. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Neuroscience, Volume 43 is July 8, 2020. Please see http://www.annualreviews. org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Using practice effects for targeted trials or sub-group analysis in Alzheimer’s disease: How practice effects predict change over time

Objective To describe the presence of practice effects in persons with Alzheimer disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and to evaluate how practice effects affect cognitive progression and the outcome of clinical trials. Methods Using data from a meta-database consisting of 18 studies including participants from the Alzheimer disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) and the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) with ADAS-Cog11 as the primary outcome, we defined practice effects based on the improvement in the first two ADAS-Cog11 scores and then estimated the presence of practice effects and compared the cognitive progression between participants with and without practice effects. The robustness of practice effects was investigated using CDR SB, an outcome independent the definition itself. Furthermore, we evaluated how practice effects can affect sample size estimation. Results The overall percent of practice effects for AD participants was 39.0% and 53.3% for MCI participants. For AD studies, the mean change from baseline to 2 years was 12.8 points for the non-practice effects group vs 7.4 for the practice effects group; whereas for MCI studies, it was 4.1 for non-practice effects group vs 0.2 for the practice effects group. AD participants without practice effects progressed 0.9 points faster than those with practice effects over a period of 2 years in CDR-SB; whereas for MCI participants, the difference is 0.7 points. The sample sizes can be different by over 35% when estimated based on participants with/without practice effects. Conclusion Practice effects were prevalent and robust in persons with AD or MCI and affected the cognitive progression and sample size estimation. Planning of future AD or MCI clinical trials should account for practice effects to avoid underpower or considers target trials or stratification analysis based on practice effects.
Utilization of Health Facilities for Under-five Children with Diarrhea in Indonesia: Data Analysis of the IDHS 2017

According to the report issued by the Directorate General of Disease Control and Environmental Health, diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children under-five in Indonesia after pneumonia, with a proportion of 17.4 percent in postneonatal and 13.3 percent in infants. The proportion of children under-five with diarrhea those receiving treatment at a health facility has increased from 65 percent in the 2012 IDHS report to 80 percent in the 2017 IDHS report. The health system in Indonesia i s a combination of service providers by the government and private sector. This study aims to obtain the determinants of the use of health facilities for children under-five with diarrhea in Indonesia. This study is a further data analysis from IDHS 2017. This study was an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design. The sample in this study were children with diarrhea aged under-five years (0 59 months) who received treatment at the health facility within two weeks before the IDHS 2017 interview day, with a total sample of 1314 children under five. The data in this study were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. The results of this study indicate the use of previous health facilities (facilities where children are born) and the socioeconomic status of the mother is related to the utilization of health care facilities in children-under five with diarrhea. Children under-five with diarrhea those born in private health, the facility has a smaller chance (AOR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.26-0.60) to receive treatment at a government health facility during diarrhea, in other words, children under-five with diarrhea those born in private health care facilities have 2.5 times the chance to get treatment at private health care facilities compared to children under-five those born at home. Children under-five with diarrhea from mothers with the highest socioeconomic status have a smaller chance (AOR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.07-0.25) to get treatment at the government health facility, in other words, children under-five with diarrhea from mothers with the highest socioeconomic status has a 7.69 times chance of getting treatment at a private health facility compared to children under-five who came from mothers with the lowest socioeconomic status.
Dynamics of soil organic carbon and soil texture in Marine National Park, Gujarat

The soil carbon stock can surely be taken as one of the important parameter in deciding strategies for management of different soils falling under different physiographic region of the country. In this paper, a soil database of topsoil estimates of soil organic carbon and soil organic carbon stock for Marine National Park, Gujarat is highlighted. Along with soil organic carbon stock, its correlation with the texture of the soil is also established.
NEW DATA ON AGRICOLITE, BISMOCLITE, KOECHLINITE, AND THE BISMUTH ARSENATES Cr,rrronn FnoNonr,,

Agricolite is identical with eulytite. Rhagiteis identicalrvith atelestite. Arsenobismite from Tintic, Utah, is a valid species and a new locality atTazna", Bolivia, is noted. A new but un-named bismuth arsenate is briefly described and three localities are cited. Two new localities are cited {or both koechlinite and bismoclite. X-ray powder spacing data are tabulated for atelestite, arsenobismite. koechlinite. and for a new un-named bismuth arse-