Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of culture and close others on the effectiveness of (self)-persuasion

Abstract Although self-persuasion was shown to be more effective than direct persuasion in changing attitudes and intentions, its effectiveness in different cultures remains unclear. Furthermore, research suggests that Eastern individuals tend to incorporate close others in the self to a larger extent than Western individuals. Combining both lines of research, the current studies examined whether thinking of a close other would influence the effectiveness of (self)-persuasion across cultures. Two parallel studies were conducted. U.S. participants (n study 1 = 195; n study 2 = 292) and Chinese participants (n study 1 = 187; n study 2 = 313) reported their initial attitudes and intentions toward five target behaviors prior to either think of a specific close other or not. Subsequently, they were randomly assigned to receive either a self-persuasion or a direct persuasion task. Specifically, the self-persuasion task led participants to generate own arguments or arguments that they think the close other would give; the direct persuasion task led participants to read given arguments or imagine that the arguments were from the close other. In the end, all participants reported their attitudes and intentions again after doing the persuasion tasks. The moderation effect of culture was only found in Study 1, such that direct persuasion worked more effectively in Chinese participants than self-persuasion, whereas the effectiveness of the two persuasive techniques did not differ in U.S. participants. In both studies, thinking of a close other was not found to influence the effectiveness of (self-)persuasion across cultures. Possible explanations and future research directions were discussed.
Biocatalytic synthesis of (S)-Practolol, a selective β-blocker

Abstract The present study describes an efficient chemoenzymatic synthesis of enantiopure (S)-Practolol, a selective β-adrenergic receptor blocker. Prior to the synthesis of the target, a synthetic protocol for (RS)-N-4-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropoxy)phenylacetamide, an essential precursor, was developed. Various commercial lipases were screened for the kinetic resolution of (RS)- N-4-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropoxy)phenylacetamide using toluene as solvent and vinyl acetate as an acyl donor. Among various lipases screened, Pseudomonas cepacia sol-gel AK showed the highest enantioselectivity (96% enantiomeric excess with 50% conversion), affording (S)-1-(4-acetamidophenoxy)-3-chloropropan-2-yl acetate. Optimization of the reaction parameters was carried out in order to find the best-suited conditions for the biocatalysis. Furthermore, the enantiopure intermediate was hydrolyzed and the resulting product was reacted with isopropylamine to afford (S)-Practolol. This biocatalytic procedure depicts a green technology for the synthesis of (S)-Practolol with better yield and enantiomeric excess.
Performing Group Difference Testing on Graph Structured Data From GANs: Analysis and Applications in Neuroimaging

Generative adversarial networks (GANs) have emerged as a powerful generative model in computer vision. Given their impressive abilities in generating highly realistic images, they are also being used in novel ways in applications in the life sciences. This raises an interesting question when GANs are used in scientific or biomedical studies. Consider the setting where we are restricted to only using the samples from a trained GAN for downstream group difference analysis (and do not have direct access to the real data). Will we obtain similar conclusions? In this work, we explore if “generated” data, i.e., sampled from such GANs can be used for performing statistical group difference tests in cases versus controls studies, common across many scientific disciplines. We provide a detailed analysis describing regimes where this may be feasible. We complement the technical results with an empirical study focused on the analysis of cortical thickness on brain mesh surfaces in an Alzheimer's disease dataset. To exploit the geometric nature of the data, we use simple ideas from spectral graph theory to show how adjustments to existing GANs can yield improvements. We also give a generalization error bound by extending recent results on Neural Network Distance. To our knowledge, our work offers the first analysis assessing whether the Null distribution in “healthy versus diseased subjects” type statistical testing using data generated from the GANs coincides with the one obtained from the same analysis with real data. The code is available at https://github.com/yyxiongzju/GLapGAN.
Comparison of the Efficacy of Topical Human Breast Milk versus Hydrocortisone 1% Lotion in the Clinical Improvement of Atopic Eczema in Infants: A Non-inferiority Trial

Increasing evidence from these published researches also support the anti-inflammatory property of HBM. A study done my Farahani et al. comparing the effect of human milk and topical hydrocortisone 1% on diaper dermatitis, showed that treatment with HBM was as effective as hydrocortisone 1% ointment in reducing severity scores in seven days [13]. This was attributed to milk components that directly exert an anti-inflammatory effect or indirectly create unfavorable environment conditions for bacterial growth by modifying the commensal flora the pH or bacterial substrates [13]. Lactation consultants have been advocates in promoting topical HBM application on sore nipples and infantile rash [13]. Mohammadzadeh et al. has shown that it is comparable to lanolin in improving sore nipples in breastfeeding women [10]. It was postulated that human milk being a source of two classes of major growth factors, transforming growth factors alpha (TGF-α) and beta (TGF-β) and the Insulin-like Growth Factors (IGF) may have roles in wound healing. TGF-α and TGF-β are involved in normal cell activities such as embryonic development, cell proliferation and tissue repair.
Recovery from COVID-19 in a B-cell-depleted multiple sclerosis patient

Approximately 200,000 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients worldwide receive B-cell-depleting immunotherapy with rituximab (anti-CD20), which eliminates the ability to generate an antibody response to new infections. As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)–specific antibodies might help viral clearance, these patients could be at risk of severe complications if infected. Here, we report on an MS patient who had received rituximab for ~3 years. The patient was examined 5 days before the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms and was admitted to the hospital 2 days after. She recovered 14 days after symptom onset despite having a 0% B lymphocyte count and not developing SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies.
Renoprotective effects of paramylon, a β-1,3-D-Glucan isolated from Euglena gracilis Z in a rodent model of chronic kidney disease

Paramylon is a novel β-glucan that is stored by Euglena gracilis Z, which is a unicellular photosynthesizing green alga with characteristics of both animals and plants. Recent studies have indicated that paramylon functions as an immunomodulator or a dietary fiber. Currently, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem, and there is no effective preventive treatment for CKD progression. However, paramylon may suppress the progression of CKD via the elimination of uremic toxins or modulation of gut microbiota, leading to the alleviation of inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of paramylon in CKD rat model. Eight-week-old male Wistar rats with a 5/6 nephrectomy were given either a normal diet or a diet containing 5% paramylon for 8 weeks. Proteinuria was measured intermittently. Serum and kidney tissues were harvested after sacrifice. We performed a renal molecular and histopathological investigation, serum metabolome analysis, and gut microbiome analysis. The results showed that paramylon attenuated renal function, glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial injury, and podocyte injury in the CKD rat model. Renal fibrosis, tubulointerstitial inflammatory cell infiltration, and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression levels tended to be suppressed with paramylon treatment. Further, paramylon inhibited the accumulation of uremic toxins, including tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle-related metabolites and modulated a part of CKD-related gut microbiota in the CKD rat model. In conclusion, we suggest that paramylon mainly inhibited the absorption of non-microbiota-derived uremic solutes, leading to protect renal injury via anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects. Paramylon may be a novel compound that can act against CKD progression.
IntEResting structures: formation and applications of organised smooth endoplasmic reticulum in plant cells.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle with remarkable plasticity, capable of rapidly changing its structure to accommodate different functions based on intra- and extracellular cues. One of the ER structures observed in plants is known as 'organised smooth endoplasmic reticulum' (OSER), consisting of symmetrically stacked ER membrane arrays. In plants, these structures were first described in certain specialised tissues, e.g. the sieve elements of the phloem, and more recently in transgenic plants overexpressing ER membrane resident proteins. To date, much of the investigation of OSER focused on yeast and animal cells but research into plant OSER has started to grow. In this update, we give a succinct overview of research into the OSER phenomenon in plant cells with case studies highlighting both native and synthetic occurrences of OSER. We also assess the primary driving forces that trigger the formation of OSER, collating evidence from the literature to compare two competing theories for the origin of OSER: that OSER formation is initiated by oligomerizing protein accumulation in the ER membrane or that OSER is the result of ER membrane proliferation. This has long been a source of controversy in the field and here we suggest a way to integrate arguments from both sides into a single unifying theory. Finally, we discuss the potential biotechnological uses of OSER as a tool for the nascent plant synthetic biology field with possible applications as a synthetic microdomain for metabolic engineering and as an extensive membrane surface for synthetic chemistry or protein accumulation.
Stem cell therapy for COVID‐19: Possibilities and challenges

Since its eruption in China, novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) has been reported in most of the countries and territories (>200) of the world with ∼18 million confirmed cases (as of August 3, 2020). In most of the countries, COVID‐19 upsurge is uncontrolled with a significant mortality rate. Currently, no treatment effective for COVID‐19 is available in the form of vaccines or antiviral drugs and patients are currently treated symptomatically. Although the majority of the patients develop mild symptoms and recover without mechanical ventilation for respiratory management, severe respiratory illness develops in a significant portion of affected patients and may result in death. While the scientific community is working to develop vaccines and drugs against the COVID‐19 pandemic, novel alternative therapies may reduce the mortality rate. Recent use of stem cells for critically ill COVID‐19 patients in a small group of patients in China and subsequent Emergency Use Authorization of stem cells by Food and Drug Administration to Global Institute of Stem Cell Therapy and Research and Athersys has created excitement among the medical community. As a result, several clinical trials have been registered using stem cells for COVID‐19 treatment that aim to use different cell sources, dosage, and importantly diverse targeted patient groups. In this brief review, the possibilities of stem cell use in COVID‐19 patients and relevant challenges in their use have been discussed.
A Plant-Derived Antigen–Antibody Complex Induces Anti-Cancer Immune Responses by Forming a Large Quaternary Structure

The antigen–antibody complex (AAC) has novel functions for immunomodulation, encouraging the application of diverse quaternary protein structures for vaccination. In this study, GA733 antigen and anti-GA733 antibody proteins were both co-expressed to obtain the AAC protein structures in a F1 plant obtained by crossing the plants expressing each protein. In F1 plant, the antigen and antibody assembled to form a large quaternary circular ACC structure (~30 nm). The large quaternary protein structures induced immune response to produce anticancer immunoglobulins G (IgGs) that are specific to the corresponding antigens in mouse. The serum containing the anticancer IgGs inhibited the human colorectal cancer cell growth in the xenograft nude mouse. Taken together, antigens and antibodies can be assembled to form AAC protein structures in plants. Plant crossing represents an alternative strategy for the formation of AAC vaccines that efficiently increases anticancer antibody production.
Epigenomic Dysregulation in Schizophrenia: In Search of Disease Etiology and Biomarkers

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder with a complex array of signs and symptoms that causes very significant disability in young people. While schizophrenia has a strong genetic component, with heritability around 80%, there is also a very significant range of environmental exposures and stressors that have been implicated in disease development and neuropathology, such as maternal immune infection, obstetric complications, childhood trauma and cannabis exposure. It is postulated that epigenetic factors, as well as regulatory non-coding RNAs, mediate the effects of these environmental stressors. In this review, we explore the most well-known epigenetic marks, including DNA methylation and histone modification, along with emerging RNA mediators of epigenomic state, including miRNAs and lncRNAs, and discuss their collective potential for involvement in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia implicated through the postmortem analysis of brain tissue. Given that peripheral tissues, such as blood, saliva, and olfactory epithelium have the same genetic composition and are exposed to many of the same environmental exposures, we also examine some studies supporting the application of peripheral tissues for epigenomic biomarker discovery in schizophrenia. Finally, we provide some perspective on how these biomarkers may be utilized to capture a signature of past events that informs future treatment.
Acute myocardial infarction and large coronary thrombosis in a patient with COVID‐19

This is a case report of a 60‐year‐old male, without any cardiovascular risk factor and no cardiac history admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). After 7 days, the blood tests showed a significant rise of inflammatory and procoagulant markers, along with a relevant elevation of high‐sensitivity Troponin I. Electrocardiogram and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) were consistent with a diagnosis of infero‐posterolateral acute myocardial infarction and the patient was transferred to the isolated Cath Lab for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The angiography showed an acute massive thrombosis of a dominant right coronary artery without clear evidence of atherosclerosis. Despite the optimal pharmacological therapies and different PCI techniques, the final TIMI flow was 0/1 and after 3 hr the clinical condition evolved in cardiac arrest for pulseless electric activity. Acute coronary syndrome–ST‐elevation myocardial infarction is a relevant complication of COVID‐19. Due to high levels of proinflammatory mediators, diffuse coronary thrombosis could occur even in patients without cardiac history or comorbidities. This clinical case suggests that coronary thrombosis in COVID‐19 patients may be unresponsive to optimal pharmacological (GP IIb–IIIa infusion) and mechanical treatment (PCI).
Intelligent Sensing in Multiagent-Based Wireless Sensor Network for Bridge Condition Monitoring System

This paper proposes the development of an autonomous system for dynamic response-based bridge condition assessment using wireless sensor network (WSN). The assessment identifies the bridge’s fundamental frequency and uses the information to determine the bridge rating. Due to the computational capability in wireless sensor nodes, it is of practical interest to implement in-network processing in bridge condition monitoring system, in which data processing is conducted within the sensor networks to prevent data flooding in WSN. One of the promising in-network processing approaches is the agent-based processing that leverages the concept of system autonomy. However, uncontrolled in-network processing consumes a lot of energy. Thus, setting all sensors to wake up or sleep deterministically is often not a feasible solution. What is needed is for the system to perform in-network processing only in the event when the bridge is traversed by a single heavy truck, whereas this event occurs randomly. Thus, the two-player game and reinforcement learning algorithm are utilized to control the process. Simulation results show that the proposed control algorithm is able to effectively determine when the process should be executed. A case study, testing the algorithm using real measurements taken from a bridge, and then comparing the test results with the results generated from finite element analysis is provided for validation purpose. Comparison of the proposed approach with earlier works, in terms of processing time and energy consumption, is also presented.
Gender Differences in Usage of Over-the-Counter Analgesics among Norwegian Adolescents

Introduction: Usage of over-the-counter (OTC) analgesic has increased among Norwegian adolescents since 2001. It has been noted that females tend to have a higher usage compared to males. In this paper we explore this gender difference. Data: Our dataset consists of 284,674 from Norwegian adolescents attending junior high school and high school between 2014 and 2017. Methods: The econometric approach consists of applying ordered logistic regressions with usage of OTC analgesics as the dependent variable and a dichotomous gender variable as the independent variable. Control variables include variables such as frequency of physical and mental health problems and other sociodemographic variables. Results: Gender, physical and mental health problems and various sociodemographic variables are found to have a significant effect on usage of OTC analgesics. Females are predicted to use significantly more analgesics. A large proportion of the gender difference evaporates when controlling for various other determinants. Conclusion: A considerable part of the observed gender difference in OTC analgesic usage can be traced back to differences in frequency and severity of physical and mental health problems. Part of the gender difference in usage, however remains unexplained.
Antibiotic use in patients with COVID-19: a ‘snapshot’ Infectious Diseases International Research Initiative (ID-IRI) survey

Abstract Background Antibiotics may be indicated in patients with COVID-19 due to suspected or confirmed bacterial superinfection. Objectives To investigate antibiotic prescribing practices in patients with COVID-19. Methods We performed an international web-based survey and investigated the pattern of antibiotic use as reported by physicians involved in treatment of COVID-19. SPSS Statistics version 25 was used for data analysis. Results The survey was completed by 166 participants from 23 countries and 82 different hospitals. Local guidelines for antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients were reported by 61.8% (n = 102) of participants and for 82.9% (n = 136) they did not differ from local community-acquired pneumonia guidelines. Clinical presentation was recognized as the most important reason for the start of antibiotics (mean score = 4.07 and SD = 1.095 on grading scale from 1 to 5). When antibiotics were started, most respondents rated as the highest the need for coverage of atypical pathogens (mean score = 2.8 and SD = 0.99), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (mean score = 2.67 and SD = 1.05 on bi-modal scale, with values 1 and 2 for disagreement and values 3 and 4 for agreement). In the patients on the ward, 29.1% of respondents chose not to prescribe any antibiotic. Combination of β-lactams and macrolides or fluoroquinolones was reported by 52.4% (n = 87) of respondents. In patients in the ICU, piperacillin/tazobactam was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic. The mean reported duration of antibiotic treatment was 7.12 (SD = 2.44) days. Conclusions The study revealed widespread broad-spectrum antibiotic use in patients with COVID-19. Implementation of antimicrobial stewardship principles is warranted to mitigate the negative consequences of antibiotic therapy.
Association between Social Trust and Metabolic Syndrome in a Previously Healthy Population—A Longitudinal Cohort Study in South Korea

Background: Social trust, assessed by the trustworthiness of one another in a community, is known to have beneficial effects on health outcomes. However, the impact of social trust on metabolic syndrome (MetS) is unclear. Methods: The study subjects were extracted from the Korean National Health Insurance Service, and social trust was obtained from the Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS). Previously healthy participants were followed up from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011, and again from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2013 for waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for newly developed MetS according to social trust quintiles. Stratified analyses were performed to determine the relationship between lifestyle behaviors and social trust. Results: Compared to the participants within the first quintile of social trust, those in the remaining quintiles had lower risks of developing MetS. The aOR with the 95% CI was 0.88 (0.79–0.98) in the 5th quintile group of social trust. Among the diagnostic criteria for MetS, waist circumference and HDL-C were statistically significant with aORs of 0.91 (0.84–0.99) and 0.88 (0.80–0.95) in the 5th quintile group. The stratified analyses showed protective effects of positive lifestyle behaviors. The aORs with 95% CIs were 0.85 (0.74–0.99) in never smokers, 0.82 (0.70–0.95) in non-drinkers and 0.87 (0.76–1.00) in the physically active in the highest level of social trust. Conclusions: Higher social trust was associated with a lower incidence of MetS. Therefore, building community with psychosocial support may be helpful in improving public health.