Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Apatinib induces apoptosis and autophagy via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways in neuroblastoma

The clinical outcome of neuroblastoma (NB) has significantly improved in the last 30 years for patients with localized disease; however, the overall survival (OS) for patients with metastasis remains poor. Apatinib, a selective inhibitor of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) tyrosine kinase, which was discovered to be highly associated with metastasis, has been reported to exert antitumor effects in numerous types of cancer. However, the effect of apatinib in NB remains relatively unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of apatinib in NB cells in vitro. The results revealed that apatinib inhibited cell viability and colony formation, whilst inducing cell cycle arrest and the apoptosis of NB cells. Additionally, apatinib inhibited the migration and invasion of NB cells, in addition to promoting the autophagy of NB cells. Western blotting demonstrated that the protein expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-AKT, p-mTOR and p-P70S6K, and downstream molecules associated with the cell cycle and apoptosis, such as cyclin D1 and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio of NB cells, were significantly decreased following treatment with apatinib. In addition, western blotting and immunofluorescence assays identified that the expression level of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3-II, which is expressed in autophagosomes, was upregulated following apatinib treatment. In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggested that apatinib may induce apoptosis and autophagy via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK signaling pathways in NB cells. Thus, apatinib may be a potential antitumor agent for the clinical treatment of NB.
Evaluation of the Effects of Schisandra chinensis on the Myocardium of Rats with Hyperthyroid Heart Disease by Using Velocity Vector Imaging Combined with the Estimation of p53 Expression and Calmodulin Activity

Schisandra chinensis (SC) is reported to improve myocardial ischemia. Velocity vector imaging (VVI) is a noninvasive technique for evaluating myocardial function in humans, while few reported on the application in animals. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the improved effects of SC on the myocardium of Sprague Dawley rats having hyperthyroid heart disease (HHD) using VVI technique. HHD models were established by injecting daily with subcutaneous levothyroxine (0.5 mg/kg). Then, the SC group was administered the aqueous extract of SC (2 g/kg) once daily, while the HHD and control (CON) groups were administered the same amount of distilled water daily. All the rats were provided the same amount of food and water daily, and the intervention was stopped after 28 days. The efficacy of SC in HHD rats was evaluated by ultrasound VVI. The serum total triiodothyronine level, total thyroxine level, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide expression, p53 expression, and calmodulin (CaM) activity were assessed by western blotting, Hematoxylin-Eosin and Masson staining, and electron microscopy. The results indicated that SC significantly improved the systolic velocity, diastolic velocity, strain, systolic strain rate, and diastolic strain rate of the heart by significantly reducing p53 expression and CaM activity (P < 0.05), improving myocardial fibrosis in HHD rats. Also, VVI can be a valuable tool for the evaluation of myocardial function in HHD rats.
Genetic variability of the Avian leukosis virus subgroup J gp85 gene in layer flocks in Lower Egypt

Aim: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of layer flock tumor disease in Lower Egypt during the period of 2018-2019 and to undertake molecular characterization and determine the genetic diversity of all identified viruses. Materials and Methods: Forty samples were collected from layer chicken located in six governorates of Lower Egypt during the period of 2018-2019. Samples were taken from tumors in different organs. Tumor tissues were identified by histopathological sectioning and then further confirmed by a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Finally, genetic evolution of Avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) gp85 gene was studied. Results: All the study samples were negative for Marek’s disease virus, reticuloendotheliosis virus, ALV (A,B,C and D) and 20 samples were positive for ALV-J in backyard in six governrates. Sequencing of ALV-J gp85 gene was performed for six representative samples (one from each governorate), and they were found to be genetically related to prototype virus HPRS-1003 (identity percentage: 91.2-91.8%), but they were from a different group that was similar to the AF88-USA strain (first detected in 2000) with specific mutations, and they differed from a strain that was previously isolated in Egypt in 2005, forming two different subgroups (I and II) that had mutations in the hr1domain (V128F, R136A) and hr2 domain (S197G, E202K). Conclusion: The ALV-J virus was the main cause of neoplastic disease in layer chickens from Lower Egypt in the period of 2018-2019. We found that the genetic evolution of ALV-J gp85 gene was related to prototype virus HPRS-1003 but in a different group with a specific mutation. Further studies are needed to evaluate the antigenicity and pathogenicity of recently detected ALV-J strains.
Prognosis of Syncope With Head Injury: a Tertiary Center Perspective

Aim: Head injury is the most common trauma occurring in syncope. We aimed to assess whether syncope as cause of head-trauma affects short-and long-term prognosis. Methods: From a database retrospective analysis of 97,014 individuals attending Emergency Department (ED), we selected data of patients with traumatic head injury including age, gender, injury mechanism, brain imaging, multiple traumas, bone fracture, intracranial bleeding, and mortality. Mean follow-up was 6.4 ± 1.8 years. Outcome data were obtained from a digital national population register. The study population included 3,470 ED head injury patients: 117 of them (50.0 ± 23.6 years, 42.7% men) reported syncope as cause of head trauma and 3,315 (32.2 ± 21.1 years, 68.5% men) without syncope preceding head trauma. Results: Thirty-day mortality was low and similar in traumatic head injury with or without syncope. One year and long-term all-cause mortality were both significantly higher in syncopal vs. non-syncopal traumatic head injury (11.1 vs. 2.8% and 32 vs. 10.2%, respectively; both p < 0.001). In adjusted logistic regression analysis, death between 121st-day and 1 year in patients with head-trauma was associated with male gender [odds ratio (OR): 6.48; 95% CI: 2.59–16.25], advancing age (per year) (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.07–1.11), Glasgow Coma Scale < 13 (OR: 6.18; 95% CI:1.68–22.8), bone fracture (OR 4.72; 95% CI 2.13–10.5), and syncope (OR 3.70; 95% CI: 1;48–9.31). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, syncope was one of the strongest independent predictors of long-term all-cause death (hazard ratio: 1.95; 95% CI 1.37–2.78). Conclusion: In patients with head trauma, history of syncope preceding injury does not increase 30-day all-cause mortality but portends increased 1 year and long-term mortality.
What explains socioeconomic inequalities in dental flossing? Cross-sectional results from the RaNCD cohort study

Summary Introduction The magnitude and underlying determinants of socioeconomic inequality in dental flossing are poorly understood in Iran. This study aimed to measure and decompose socioeconomic inequalities in dental flossing in Ravansar, Iran. Methods Data of 10,002 individuals aged 35-65 years who participated in the Ravansar Non- communicable Diseases (RaNCD) cohort study in Kermanshah province, western Iran, were analyzed. Based on an asset-based method, socioeconomic status (SES) was measured using principal component analysis (PCA). The concentration index and curve were employed to measure socioeconomic inequality in dental flossing. Decomposition analysis was used to estimate the contribution of each determinant to the overall inequality. Results Of 10,002 participants, 11.74% were found to practice dental floss. The normalized CI for dental flossing was 0.327 in the entire population, 0.323 in females and 0.329 in males, indicating that the use of dental floss is more concentrated among high-SES individuals. The decomposition analysis indicated that SES (50.58%) and level of education (44.90%) respectively contributed the most to this inequality. Place of residence (10.55%) and age group (2.7%) were the next main contributors, respectively. Conclusions We found a low prevalence of dental flossing among participants in RaNCD study. We also observed a relatively high degree of pro-rich inequality in dental flossing. The observed inequality was mainly explained by socioeconomic status, level of education and place of residence. Policy interventions should consider these factors to reduce inequalities in dental flossing.
The Influence of Reactive Oxygen Species in the Immune System and Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple roles have been indicated for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the immune system in recent years. ROS have been extensively studied due to their ability to damage DNA and other subcellular structures. Noticeably, they have been identified as a pivotal second messenger for T-cell receptor signaling and T-cell activation and participate in antigen cross-presentation and chemotaxis. As an agent with direct toxic effects on cells, ROS lead to the initiation of the autoimmune response. Moreover, ROS levels are regulated by antioxidant systems, which include enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. Enzymatic antioxidants include superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. Nonenzymatic antioxidants contain vitamins C, A, and E, glutathione, and thioredoxin. Particularly, cellular antioxidant systems have important functions in maintaining the redox system homeostasis. This review will discuss the significant roles of ROS generation and antioxidant systems under normal conditions, in the immune system, and pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.
Systematics of grouse and ptarmigan determined by nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome-B gene

-The delineation of species groups and determination of relationships among taxa within the Tetraoninae (grouse and ptarmigan) have relied heavily on anatomical and behavioral specializations associated with reproduction. As a result, the various classifications of tetraonines differ considerably with respect to the phylogenetic relationships depicted for the primary species groups. We used nucleotide sequence data derived from the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene to examine relationships among all New World taxa and the major Old World "superspecies" groups of grouse and ptarmigan. The cytochrome-b sequence data: (1) indicated an early divergence of the Bonasa species; (2) grouped Dendragapus obscurus with Tympanuchus and supported an association of these taxa with Lagopus and Tetrao; and (3) suggested that tetraonines underwent a period of rapid diversification in North America. The molecular phylogeny provides support for adaptive interpretations of morphological and behavioral variation among grouse and ptarmigan and indicates that the complex reproductive systems of tetraonines reflect homoplasy probably as a result of convergent evolution. We recommend that grouse and ptarmigan taxonomy incorporate genetic considerations and that classifications reflect common ancestry. Received 9 October 1995, accepted 5
Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty

Background: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has adopted the strategic goal of evolving its culture and governance to become more strategic, innovative, and diverse. Given the charge to increase diversity, a focus on assessing and increasing diversity at the faculty level may help this cause. However, an analysis of gender and racial diversity among orthopaedic faculty has not been performed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate faculty appointments for underrepresented minority (URM) and female orthopaedic surgeons. We also aim to draw comparisons between orthopaedic surgery and other specialties. Methods: Data on gender, race, and faculty rank (clinical instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor) of academic faculty for 18 specialties from 1997 to 2017 were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Faculty Roster. Assistant professors were designated as junior faculty, whereas associate professor and professor were considered senior faculty. URMs were defined using the AAMC definition—groups having lower representation than in the general population. Regression analysis was used to evaluate and compare the change over time and to compare the change across different specialties. Results: Over the 20-year study period, the number of female faculty increased (8.8% pts) but represents a lower proportion than other specialties (13.9% pts) (p = 0.029). Female orthopaedic senior faculty grew slower (7.3% pts) than other specialties (14.7% pts) (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the growth of URM faculty positions (2.0% pts) compared with all other specialties (2.4% pts) (p = 0.165). The proportion of orthopaedic URM senior faculty increased less (0.5% pts) than other specialties (2.5% pts) (p < 0.001), whereas more orthopaedic URM junior faculty were added than other specialties (2.2% pts) (p = 0.012). Conclusions: Although orthopaedic surgery has increased the representation of female and URM faculty members, it continues to lag behind other specialties. In addition, fewer female and URM orthopaedic faculty members obtained senior faculty status than other specialties. To address the differences seen in faculty diversity, a concerted effort should be made to recruit and promote more diverse faculty, given similar qualifications and capabilities. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level IV.
Knowledge of and Adherence to Anaemia Prevention Strategies among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Facilities in Juaboso District in Western-North Region, Ghana

Background Anaemia in pregnancy is a major problem in both developed and developing countries. The commonest source of anaemia is nutritional deficiency of iron with evidence suggesting that up to 90% of maternal anaemia may be due to inadequate consumption of dietary iron; however, there are other causes which include worm infestation, HIV infection, and genetic disorders. There are some implemented approaches in Ghana including education and awareness creation, nutritional supplements, and control and prevention of parasitic infections among others to prevent and control anaemia in pregnancy. This study assessed pregnant women adherence to Ghana's anaemia prevention strategies being implemented in the Juaboso District. Method A descriptive cross-sectional data on knowledge of and adherence to anaemia prevention strategies among pregnant women was collected. Pearson's chi-square and logistic regression models were used to assessed associations between predictor and outcome variables. A p value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Findings. About 13.5% of the pregnant women had high knowledge on anaemia, while 58.4% and 28.1% had moderate and low knowledge, respectively. Less than half (39.1%) of the women adhered to anaemia prevention strategies. There were significant associations between knowledge of anaemia and where pregnant woman resides in the district (AOR: 2.04, 95% CI: 2.16-9.83, p = 0.003), woman's educational (AOR: 10.43, 95% CI: 6.14-51.63, p = 0.002), and occupational status (AOR: 15.14, 95% CI: 13.57-18.43, p < 0.001). Again, there were significant associations between adherence to anaemia prevention strategies and the woman's ethnicity (AOR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.04-0.92, p = 0.001) and her knowledge of anaemia (AOR: 3.88, 95% CI: 1.32-7.93, p = 0.001). Conclusions Pregnant women's knowledge of anaemia and adherence to anaemia prevention strategies are not encouraging. However, anaemia in pregnancy and its consequences could be devastating to all stakeholders if actions are not taken to reduce the phenomenon. Therefore, we recommend that more education and sensitisation programs including good nutritional practices in the diet of pregnant women be promoted to increase awareness and adherence to anaemia prevention strategies among pregnant women in the Juaboso District.
Instrumentation Removal following Minimally Invasive Posterior Percutaneous Pedicle Screw-Rod Stabilization (PercStab) of Thoracolumbar Fractures Is Not Always Required

Background Percutaneous stabilization for spinal trauma confers less blood loss, reduces postoperative pain, and is less invasive than open stabilization and fusion. The current standard of care includes instrumentation removal. Objective 1. Reporting patient outcomes following minimally invasive posterior percutaneous pedicle screw-rod stabilization (PercStab). 2. Evaluating the results of instrumentation retention. Methods A prospective observational study of 32 consecutive patients receiving PercStab without direct decompression or fusion. Baseline data demographics were collected. Operative outcomes of interest were operative room (OR) time, blood loss, and length of hospital stay. Follow-up variables of interest included patient satisfaction, Numeric Rating Scales for Back and Leg (NRS-B/L) pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and return to work. Clinical outcome data (ODI and NRS-B/L) were collected at 3, 12, 24 months and continued at a 24-month interval up to a maximum of 8 years postoperatively. Results 81.25% of patients (n = 26) retained their instrumentation and reported minimal disability, mild pain, and satisfaction with their surgery and returned to work (mean = 6 months). Six patients required instrumentation removal due to prominence of the instrumentation or screw loosening, causing discomfort/pain. Instrumentation removal patients reported moderate back and leg pain until removal occurred; after removal, they reported minimal disability and mild pain. Neither instrumentation removal nor retention resulted in complications or further surgical intervention. Conclusions PercStab without instrumentation removal provided high patient satisfaction, mild pain, and minimal disability and relieved the patient from the burden of finances and resources allocation of a second surgery.
Low Systemic Inflammation Response Index Predicts Good Prognosis in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Carcinoma Patients Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

Background We investigated the prognostic significance of pretreatment systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) in locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods Present retrospective cohort analysis investigated consecutive 154 LAPC patients who received radical CRT. The SIRI was defined as: SIRI = neutrophil × monocyte/lymphocyte counts. Ideal SIRI cutoff(s) influencing overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) results were sought by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The primary endpoint was the interaction between the SIRI and OS results. Results The median follow-up, PFS, and OS durations were 14.3 (range: 2.9-74.6), 7.9 [%95 confidence interval (CI): 5.7-10.1), and 14.7 months (%95 CI: 11.4-18.0) for the entire cohort, respectively. ROC curve analyses determined the ideal SIRI cutoff that exhibiting a significant link with OS and PFS outcomes at the rounded 1.6 point (AUC: 74.3%; sensitivity: 73.8%; specificity: 70.1%). The SIRI <1.6 patients (N = 58) had significantly superior median PFS (13.8 versus 6.7 months; P < 0.001) and OS (28.6 versus 12.6 months; P < 0.001) lengths than SIRI ≥1.6 patients (N = 96), respectively. Although the N0 (versus N1; P < 0.05) and CA 19-9 ≤90 U/mL (versus >90 U/mL) appeared as the other significant associates of better OS and PFS in univariate analyses, yet the results of multivariate analyses confirmed the SIRI <1.6 as the independent indicator of superior OS and PFS (P < 0.001 for each). Conclusion Pretreatment SIRI is a novel independent prognosticator that may further enhance the conventional tumor-node-metastases staging system in a more precise prediction of the OS and PFS outcomes of LAPC patients after radical CRT.
Preparation and In Vitro Evaluation of Alginate Microparticles Containing Amphotericin B for the Treatment of Candida Infections

Invasive candidiasis (IC) remains as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Amphotericin B (AmB) is one of the most effective antifungal agents commonly used to treat this infection. However, it induces severe side effects such as nephrotoxicity, cardiac alterations, nausea, fever, and liver damage. The utilization of drug delivery systems has been explored to overcome these limitations. Several AmB lipid formulations have been developed and are currently available in the market. Although they have the ability to reduce the main side effects of free AmB, their high cost, necessity of repeated intravenous injections for successful treatment, and incidence of pulmonary toxicity have limited their use. In the last decades, alginate has gained significant interest in drug delivery applications as a cost-effective strategy to improve the safety and therapeutic effect of toxic drugs. In this work, the clinically relevant drug AmB was encapsulated into alginate microparticles using the emulsification/external gelation method. We hypothesize that this synthesis strategy may positively impact the antifungal efficacy of AmB-loaded MCPs toward Candida albicans cells while reducing the toxicity in human lung cells. To prove this hypothesis, the ability of the microplatform to disrupt the cellular membrane potential was tested and its antifungal effectiveness toward Candida albicans cells was evaluated using the cell counting and plate count methods. Moreover, the toxicity of the microplatform in human lung cells was evaluated using CellTiter 96® AQueous cell viability assay and qualitative diffusion analysis of acridine orange. Our results demonstrated that the platform developed in this work was able to induce antifungal toxicity against Candida albicans yeast cells at the same level of free AmB with minimal toxicity to lung cells, which is one of the main side effects induced by commercial drug delivery systems containing AmB. Overall, our data provides convincing evidence about the effectiveness of the alginate-based microplatform toward Candida albicans cells. In addition, this vehicle may not require several infusions for a successful treatment while reducing the pulmonary toxic effect induced by commercial lipid formulations.
Transpiration of Trees in a Tropical Rainforest

The tritium method was used to measure the transpiration of twenty trees in a tropical rainforest in the Amazon Territory of Venezuela. Transpiration rates ranged from 2-7 1 day-' for small understorey trees to 1180 1 day-' for large canopy trees. Transpiration rates were highly correlated (r = 0 96) with the sapwood area of trees. Transpiration rate, as a function of sapwood area, was independent of species and independent of soil type on which trees were growing.