Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Features, State and Context of Narcissism in Drug Misuse

Abstract Both clinical and street-based encounters with people who misuse drugs have led the authors to examine the relationship between misuse of drugs and narcissism. Widely accepted criteria for diagnosing Substance Use Disorder (SUD) suggest parallels between narcissistic traits (e.g. invulnerability to consequences and lack of empathy for others) and the characteristics of drug abusers. Because narcissism as a concept has a long and somewhat confusing history, we first reviewed its origins in the psychoanalytic tradition of psychiatry and its exegesis into current clinical concepts in order to arrive at a set of attributes that may be useful when applied to problems of drug abuse. This process required extensive review of the literature on narcissism and its interactions with the literature on drug abuse. This process led to an understanding that positive self-concept may exemplify a variety of socially beneficial narcissism, but that at the other end of narcissism’s continuum of traits may be found exploitative and non-empathetic traits. Furthermore, the negative traits of narcissism, as they may arise in adolescence along with drug use, can support an individual’s ongoing dependence on drugs, especially if narcissism and drug use persist into adulthood. Our investigation of narcissism and drug use revealed, through in-depth interviewing, that some drug users employ drugs and alcohol to feed their self-concepts of superiority over other people. Our findings suggest that treatment for drug abuse cannot proceed assuming that drug users have low self-concepts. Rather, their continued use of drugs may emanate from a narcissistic sense of superiority.
Genetic engineering of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) for enhanced α-tocopherols and abiotic stress tolerance.

Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) is a lipid-soluble essential vitamin recognized for improvement in degenerative health conditions, abating cancer risk, and coronary heart diseases in humans. While in plants, it acts as a free radical scavenger that protects cells against oxidative and photooxidative damages. The daily consumption of potato makes it a key target for biofortification with vitamins for eliminating vitamin deficiency in large populations. Vitamin E biosynthetic pathway genes have been overexpressed in plants via genetic engineering to enhance the α-tocopherol content. Major genes involved in the vitamin E biosynthetic in plants viz. the homogentisate-phytyltransferase (At-HPT) and γ-tocopherol-methyltransferase (At-γ-TMT), isolated from Arabidopsis were constitutively overexpressed in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). The molecular analyses of independent transgenic lines revealed a stable integration of both the genes in the plant genome. The transgenic potato exhibited significantly improved vitamin E contents up to 173 to 258% in comparison to the untransformed control plants. Transgenic tissues also exhibited increased cellular antioxidant enzymes, proline, osmolyte, and glutathione content which are directly correlated with the ability of the plant to withstand abiotic stresses imposed by salt (NaCl) and heavy metal (CdCl2 ). Therefore, the current strategy of increasing the vitamin E content in potato with enhanced tolerance to abiotic stresses might greatly aid efforts to engineer crops for human health benefits and greater yield under adverse environmental conditions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Correlative Study of Bone-Related Biochemicals and Endocrine Changes in Perimenopausal Women in Enugu, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Perimenopause is a physiological occurrence in women, and is characterized by endocrine and biochemical changes. During perimenopause phase, many derangements or abnormal health conditions start developing as a result of hormonal changes. These derangements in health conditions and biochemical changes lead to higher incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) occurrence with or without bone involvement. There is scarcity of information on MetS in Enugu, Southern Nigeria and there is no available data on the correlation of selected bone-related biochemicals with endocrine parameters and MetS in perimenopausal women from the region. MATERIAL AND METHODS We consecutively sampled 200 apparently healthy women, and categorized them into 120 perimenopausal women (age (x ̅)= 50years) and a second group of 80 women in premenopause (age (x ̅)= 35years). Measurement of anthropometric indices like blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference were taken. Fasting blood samples were collected for the estimation of endocrine parameters (estradiol (E₂), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH)) using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. The lipid profile, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), uric acid, inorganic phosphate, calcium and alkaline phosphatase levels were determined using standard biochemical methods. The evaluation of MetS was carried out in the women using the three different criteria: World Health Organization (WHO), National Cholesterol Education Program- Adult Treatment Panel 111 (NCEP-ATP 111) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF). For statistical analysis, Student's t-test, Pearson correlation and Chi-square were used to compare categorical and continuous variables. RESULTS Calcium was predominantly high in the three criteria (p<0.05). LH and FSH showed positive correlation with FPG while E₂ was negatively associated with FPG. Similarly LH showed positive association with inorganic phosphate while E₂ was negatively associated with alkaline phosphatase (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Perimenopausal women are at higher risk for developing osteoporosis than premenopausal women. This emphasizes the need for timely diagnosis of osteoporosis in perimenopausal women.
Development and lifespan of Culicoides obsoletus s.s. (Meigen) and other livestock‐associated species reared at different temperatures under laboratory conditions

Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) transmit arboviruses affecting wild and domestic ruminants such as bluetongue (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV). The sub‐adult development and lifespan of Culicoides obsoletus s.s. (Meigen), Culicoides circumscriptus Kieffer and Culicoides paolae Boorman were examined at three different temperatures under laboratory conditions. Insects were collected from field between spring and autumn 2015 in two livestock farms located in Majorca (Spain). Gravid females were held individually at 18, 25 or 30 °C. Low temperatures increased the adult lifespan, time to oviposit and rate of development, whereas high temperatures increased the number of eggs, successful pupation and adult emergence as well as the larvae growth rate. The results showed that C. obsoletus s.s. have optimum development at 18 °C, whereas the optimal rearing temperature for C. circumscriptus and C. paolae was under warmer conditions of 25–30 °C. Variations in temperature/humidity and assays with different materials and substrates for oviposition should be considered in future studies. Understanding the requirements of the different species of Culicoides optimizing the results should be of special interest for predicting environmental change effects on these species, in addition to determining the rearing conditions for candidate Culicoides vectors.
Does a Live Performance Impact Synchronization to Musical Rhythm in Cognitively Impaired Elderly?

BACKGROUND Music-based interventions appear to be efficient approaches to improve emotional, social, and cognitive functioning of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. OBJECTIVE Because benefits seem to increase with patient's motor involvement, we studied sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) abilities of patients with cognitive impairments (Alzheimer's disease, vascular and mixed dementia) and of patients with no evidence of cognitive impairments. More specifically, we compared the impact of a live performance by a musician to a video recording on SMS. METHODS SMS to a metronomic or a musical stimulus was assessed while patients watched a live musician or his pre-recorded video. RESULTS SMS to a metronome was better than to music but this effect was modulated by the social context. While SMS to a metronome was better when facing a video than a live performance, there was no impact of social context on SMS to music. No group differences of SMS were found. CONCLUSION The decrease in SMS to a metronome in a live performance may be due to social pressure. Such a pressure might be removed in pleasant social activities, like moving with music in a group, explaining the lack of effect on SMS to music. We found no performance differences in groups, suggesting relatively spared SMS in cognitively impaired patients. By showing that it is possible to encourage patients to synchronize with others, even when facing a video, our results indicate that SMS can be used as a relevant predictor in clinical trials and open up promising therapeutic options for isolated patients.
Determining nursing students' attitudes and empathic tendencies regarding aged discrimination.

PURPOSE This study aims determining nursing students' attitudes and empathic tendencies regarding aged discrimination METHODS: A descriptive or cross-sectional study was conducted, using the basic empathy scale, ageism attitude scale. FINDINGS The findings indicate that the students have a mid-level attitude with respect to ageism. Higher levels of empathic approach indicates a downward trend in positive and negative ageism in students and an upward trend in the attitude of restricting the life of older people. The difference between living with the elderly and class and empathy, between gender and elderly attitude is significant. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Nursing students' empathic tendencies affect attitudes towards the elderly.
Relationship between vasomotor symptoms and metabolic syndrome in Chinese middle-aged women

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to find the associations between vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Chinese middle-aged women in a cross-sectional study. Methods A total of 675 participants were recruited from an urban Chinese community. MetS was defined by the 2009 criteria of the Joint Interim Statement. VMS including hot flashes and sweats, blood pressure, weight, height, waist circumference (WC), serum glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), estradiol, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were collected. Results The presence of hot flashes was independently associated with the risk of MetS after adjusting for age, menopausal status, FSHlog, estradiollog, and physical activity (odds ratio: 1.98, 95% confidence interval: 1.21–3.24, p = 0.006). Both hot flashes and sweats were also independently associated with WC (for hot flashes, p = 0.016; and for sweats, p = 0.007) and triglycerides (for hot flashes, p = 0.041; and for sweats, p = 0.014) significantly. However, VMS were not significantly associated with blood pressure, glucose, HDL, and LDL. Conclusion Women with hot flashes had a higher risk of MetS. Both hot flashes and sweats were related to a higher amount of central fat indicated by WC and higher triglycerides, but were not related to blood pressure, glucose, and HDL in Chinese women.
Contrasting influences of inundation and land use on the rate of floodplain restoration

This study examined the assisted natural restoration of native vegetation in an Australian floodplain wetland where flows were reinstated and the river was reconnected to the floodplain, following cessation of agricultural cultivation. Extant vegetation was surveyed three times during an inundation event at plots with different land‐use histories. Restoration rate was more influenced by past land use than long‐term inundation frequency and success decreased with antecedent land‐use intensity. Prolonged land‐use history (>3 years cultivation) restricted restoration success. Sites with longer cultivation histories tended to have fewer aquatic species, more terrestrial species and exotic species. For example, amphibious responders with floating leaves were found only in reference plots and less frequently in farmed treatment plots. In this scenario, increased persistence of exotics and dryland species suggested alternative trajectories. Fields with a short land‐use history (1–3 years of clearing and cultivation) resembled undisturbed floodplain communities, consistent with a ‘field of dreams’ hypothesis. Although river–floodplain reconnections can restore wetlands, legacy effects of past land use may limit the pace and outcomes of restoration.
The Relationship between PTPN22 R620W Polymorphisms and the Susceptibility to Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases: An Updated Meta-analysis

ABSTRACT The protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22) R620W polymorphism has been related to susceptibility to autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) with inconsistent results. Therefore, this meta-analysis was designed to assess a more accurate association between the PTPN22 R620W polymorphism and AITD susceptibility. A systematic search of the EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, and WanFang databases was performed to determine relevant publications. Statistical analyses of the odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p values were performed using STATA software. Our meta-analysis included 18 separate studies comprised of 4,726 cases and 4,220 controls. In the allele and all genetic models, PTPN22 R620W polymorphism and Graves’ disease (GD) (allele model TvsC: OR = 1.573; 95% CI = 1.378–1.795; P < .001) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) (allele model TvsC: OR = 1.737; 95% CI = 1.230–2.454; P = .002) susceptibility was positively associated. A racial subgroup analysis showed that the T allele significantly increased AITD susceptibility in all genetic models involving Caucasians, but not in Asians. This meta-analysis showed that the PTPN22 R620W polymorphism is associated with the risk of GD and HT in the overall study population. In addition, the PTPN22 R620W polymorphism is associated with elevated AITD risk in Caucasians, but not in Asians.
‘It clarified a lot’: GP trainees as peer role players in a formative Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)

ABSTRACT Introduction The MRCGP Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) is a high stakes examination which a significant proportion of candidates fail on first sitting. To address this, deaneries have introduced candidate preparation, such as formative CSAs (f-CSA). One way to maximise the gains from a f-CSA is to use GP trainees as peer-role players (VRPs) instead of professional actors. Our aim was to explore trainee experiences of, and educational gains from, the VRP role. Method This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to explore 15 VRPs’ perceptions of peer roleplay. Questions were generated from the literature and from informal discussions with f-CSA organisers. Analysis was inductive and thematic. Results Analysis identified three main themes. Role play gave participants insight into the exam in terms of what to expect and how to approach the exam. They commented on learning the importance of communication skills and acknowledging the patient’s perspective. Finally, there were gains in terms of professional development, particularly in terms of observing good feedback. Discussion GP trainees who role played patients in a formative CSA reported increased confidence and educational gains from their experience. Whether these perceived gains will be transferred to their own CSA performance later in training remains to be seen.
Molecular pathogenesis and prognostication of "low‐grade'' and "high‐grade" endometrial stromal sarcoma

Endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS) are a heterogeneous group of rare mesenchymal cancers. Considerable knowledge has been gained in recent years about the molecular characteristics of these cancers, which helps to classify them in a more meaningful manner leading to improved diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment. According to this classification, ESS is now grouped as low‐ or high‐grade. ESS may have overlapping clinical presentation, morphology, and immunohistochemical profile. Their genetic characteristics allow subdivision of many of them depending on which pathogenetically important fusion genes they carry, but clearly much more needs to be unraveled in this regard. We here provide an overview of the molecular pathogenetic knowledge gained so far on low‐ and high‐grade ESS.
Trends in pre-military sexually transmitted infections and associated risk behaviours in Canadian Armed Forces recruits.

Background Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have historically been problematic for militaries. Recent reports indicating that rates of STIs among young male Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members are higher than civilians prompted a need to better understand CAF members' reported rates of STIs and their behavioural risk factors for STIs. This study examined the prevalence of self-reported pre-military sexual behaviours (i.e. number of sexual partners and frequency of condom use) and history of a STI diagnosis among CAF recruits attending basic military training using data collected from the Recruit Health Questionnaire. Methods Data came from 50,603 recruits who participated in the survey between 2003 and 2018 (84.9% male, 78.6% Non-Commissioned Member candidates, 64.9% aged between 17 and 24 years). Results Among sexually active recruits, the proportions who had more than one sexual partner in the previous year increased from 30.5% in 2003 (95% CI, 27.8-33.4) to 35.5% in 2018 (95% CI, 34.0-37.0). Of recruits who were not in an exclusive relationship at the time, the proportions who reported always using a condom decreased from 50.8% in 2003 (95% CI, 46.4-55.1) to 40.2% in 2018 (95% CI, 38.3-42.2). Overall, 5.5% (95% CI, 5.3-5.7) reported ever having received a STI diagnosis. Demographic differences by age and sex were also found. Conclusion These observations provide an indication of the baseline, pre-enlistment STI risk behaviours, and STI history among CAF recruits, and may provide insight into avenues for targeted interventions and health promotion programming, such as education and screening initiatives.
Hidden spatiotemporal symmetries and intermittency in turbulence

We consider general infinite-dimensional dynamical systems with the Galilean and spatiotemporal scaling symmetry groups. Introducing the equivalence relation with respect to temporal scalings and Galilean transformations, we define a representative set containing a single element within each equivalence class. Temporal scalings and Galilean transformations do not commute with the evolution operator (flow) and, hence, the equivalence relation is not invariant. Despite of that, we prove that a normalized flow with an invariant probability measure can be introduced on the representative set, such that symmetries are preserved in the statistical sense. We focus on hidden symmetries, which are broken in the original system but restored in the normalized system. The central motivation and application of this construction is the intermittency phenomenon in turbulence. We show that hidden symmetries yield power law scaling for structure functions, and derive formulas for their exponents in terms of normalized measures. The use of Galilean transformation in the equivalence relation leads to the quasi-Lagrangian description, making the developed theory applicable to the Euler and Navier–Stokes systems.
Synthesis of a pyrrolidine derivative of a carvotacetone and monoterpenes for anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and anti-cryptococcal properties

Abstract Monoterpene derivatives are of great biological relevance in the pharmaceutical industry. In the present study, pyrrolidine derivative of a carvotacetone, 3-O-benzylcarvotacetone (1), and selected monoterpenes (3-hydroxy-2-isopropyl-5-methyl-p-benzoquinone (3) and cis-piperitol (5)) were prepared to provide (R)-1-(4-(benzyloxy)-5-isopropyl-2-methylcyclohexa-1,3-dien-1-yl)-pyrrolidine (2), 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl acetate (4), cis-3-hydroxypiperitone (6) and carvacrol (7). Structure of 2 was determined based on NMR and HRMS spectral data. Compound 4 exhibited activity against fungi Cryptococcus neoformans with an IC50 value of < 0.8 µg/mL. In addition, this compound 4 had an IC50 value of 14.97 µg/mL against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Previous to the current study, both compound 6 and 7 had been reported to have anti-microbial and anti-fungal activities. Graphical Abstract
Are birds in agricultural habitats attracted to plant volatiles

Birds’ ability to fly allows them to track resource abundance and relocate themselves to areas with more resources. It has been a longstanding belief that they forage mainly through visual cues due to their relatively small olfactory bulbs. However, a growing body of results show that birds use olfaction for communication, when choosing nesting material and detecting predators. Insectivorous birds can during foraging use herbivore-induced plant volatiles to identify infected trees, and have a preference for olfactory cues over visual cues. Induced plant volatiles are released during herbivorous attack as an indirect defense, attracting predatory arthropods and birds which are natural enemies of the herbivores. Birds, however, act also as top predator, meaning they prey on intermediate predators, thus releasing pest from suppression by predatory arthropods. The possibility that these birds use herbivore-induced plant volatiles to localize predatory arthropods have not yet been investigated, which is the aim of this study. We tested the attraction of birds to a common volatile compound, methyl salicylate (MeSa), and evaluated the importance of visual and olfactory cues in a three-way choice experiment in crop fields. Birds could choose between MeSa, neutral odor and no odor in three experimental setups: visible food, invisible food and artificial prey. Overall visits to all setups showed a slight preference for MeSa, with no difference between visible or hidden food. There was however a preference for visual cues when MeSa was presented without any food, next to a dish with odorless artificial prey. We observed that only certain species approached the experiment, mainly corvids and thrushes, thus our conclusions are limited to these taxa. Our results suggest that olfaction might be important for birds foraging in farmland habitats and could also influence the role of birds as biological pest control agents.
From macro to micro: a combined bioluminescence‐fluorescence approach to monitor bacterial localization

Summary Bacterial bioluminescence is widely used to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of bacterial populations and gene expression in vivo at a population level but cannot easily be used to study bacterial activity at the level of individual cells. In this study, we describe the development of a new library of mini‐Tn7‐lux and lux::eyfp reporter constructs that provide a wide range of lux expression levels, and which combine the advantages of both bacterial bioluminescence and fluorescent proteins to bridge the gap between macro‐ and micro‐scale imaging techniques. We demonstrate that a dual bioluminescence‐fluorescence approach using the lux operon and eYFP can be used to monitor bacterial movement in plants both macro‐ and microscopically and demonstrate that Pseudomonas syringae pv phaseolicola can colonize the leaf vascular system and systemically infect leaves of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). We also show that bacterial bioluminescence can be used to study the impact of plant immune responses on bacterial multiplication, viability and spread within plant tissues. The constructs and approach described in this study can be used to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of bacterial colonization and to link population dynamics and cellular interactions in a wide range of biological contexts.