Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Skin problems related to personal protective equipment among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic (online research)

Abstract Introduction Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious infectious disease that first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Health care workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of infection because the virus is highly contagious and can be transmitted by a variety of routes. Health care workers are required to use a variety of personal protective equipment (PPE) for prolonged hours and, as a result, they face varying degrees of cutaneous complications. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional online questionnaire survey to investigate skin problems caused by the use of PPE and personal hygiene measures. We developed a survey with 32 questions using Google forms and distributed it via WhatsApp and Facebook groups. Results A total of 1142 responses were obtained. Among the respondents, 88.1% reported adverse skin reactions due to PPE and personal hygiene measures. Female sex, working as a nurse, wearing PPE more than 6 h/day, and working more than 3 days/week increase the risk of PPE-related skin problems. Conclusion In this study, we highlighted skin problems related to PPE and found out risk factors for PPE-related skin problems.
IL28B, TLR7 SNPs, and cytomegalovirus infection are risk factors for advanced liver disease in chronic hepatitis C patients

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to study the association of IL28B, toll-like receptor (TLR) 7, cytomegalovirus and advanced liver disease. METHODS Four groups were included; control (n = 125, 25.9%), CHC (n = 114, 23.6%), liver cirrhosis (n = 120, 24.8%), and HCC (n = 124, 25.7%). RESULTS In CHC group, patients were mainly F1 (60%) followed by F2. IL28B genotype CC percentage was higher in control group than the CHC and cirrhosis groups. CT and TT genotypes were higher in the CHC and cirrhosis groups than control group. The C allele was higher in the control group than the CHC, cirrhosis and HCC groups and the opposite with the T allele. Control and CHC had same TLR7 alleles. Cirrhosis patients and HCC had lower TLR 7 A allele and higher G allele than the control group. Both cirrhosis and HCC groups had statistically significant higher percentage of the AG and GG genotypes than the control group. Patients with HCC had higher cytomegalovirus infection percentage than cirrhosis and CHC group (38.7% vs 20% vs 16.7%), respectively. CONCLUSION IL28B, TLR7 SNPs and cytomegalovirus infection are risk factors for advanced liver disease in hepatitis C patients.
Impacts of psychological resilience on self-efficacy and quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcers: a prospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND Patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) usually have a poor quality of life (QoL) and selfefficacy, which is affected by many risk factors. However, the role of psychological resilience in QoL and selfefficacy in DFU patients has remained unclear. METHODS This prospective cross-sectional study was performed in a single center from January 2018 to February 2020. A total of 98 DFU patients were enrolled in this study. Some demographic and clinical data were prospectively collected from participants. The psychological resilience of participants was assessed by Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC). Self-efficacy was also assessed using the diabetes management self-efficacy scale (DMSES) and QoL was assessed by the 36-item short-form (SF-36) health survey. Univariable and multivariable linear regression were used to analyze the risk factors of self-efficacy and QoL. Then, logistic regression was used to analyze the predictors of psychological resilience among the participants. RESULTS A CD-RISC score of more than 85 points was defined as high psychological resilience in this study; there were 28 participants diagnosed with high psychological resilience and 70 patients with low psychological resilience. Those with high psychological resilience had significantly higher selfefficacy, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health than those with low psychological resilience. According to multivariable linear regression, low psychological resilience and older age were identified as risk factors of self-efficacy. On the contrary, low psychological resilience, older age, lower perceived social support and higher level of glycated hemoglobin were identified as risk factors of QoL. Finally, males had lower psychological resilience than females and those receiving more social support had higher psychological resilience than participants receiving less social support. CONCLUSIONS Some risk factors of QoL and self-efficacy were identified in this study and these results may provide some evidence for the improvement of QoL and self-efficacy in DFU patients. Being female and receiving higher social support were shown to have potential for improving psychological resilience in DFU patients.
Cytidine Deaminase APOBEC3A Regulates PD-L1 Expression in Cancer Cells in a JNK/c-JUN-Dependent Manner

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) promotes tumor immune evasion by engaging the PD-1 receptor and inhibiting T-cell activity. While the regulation of PD-L1 expression is not fully understood, its expression is associated with tumor mutational burden and response to immune checkpoint therapy. Here, we report that Apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3A (APOBEC3A) is an important regulator of PD-L1 expression. Using an APOBEC3A inducible expression system as well as siRNA against endogenous APOBEC3A, we found that APOBEC3A regulates PD-L1 mRNA and protein levels as well as PD-L1 cell surface expression in cancer. Mechanistically, APOBEC3A-induced PD-L1 expression was dependent on APOBEC3A catalytic activity as catalytically dead APOBEC3A mutant (E72A) failed to induce PD-L1 expression. Furthermore, APOBEC3A-induced PD-L1 expression was dependent on replication-associated DNA damage and JNK/c-JUN signaling but not interferon signaling. In addition, we confirmed the relevance of these finding in patient tumors as APOBEC3A expression and mutational signature correlated with PD-L1 expression in multiple patient cancer types. These data provide a novel link between APOBEC3A, its DNA mutagenic activity and PD-L1-mediated antitumoral immunity. This work nominates APOBEC3A as a mechanism of immune evasion and a potential biomarker for the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade. Implications: APOBEC3A catalytic activity induces replication-associated DNA damage to promote PD-L1 expression implying that APOBEC3A-driven mutagenesis represents both a mechanism of tumor immune evasion and a therapeutically targetable vulnerability in cancer cells.
The Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) pathotype is comprised of multiple distinct, independent genotypes

ABSTRACT Avian Pathogenic E. coli (APEC) is the causative agent of avian colibacillosis, resulting in economic losses to the poultry industry through morbidity, mortality and carcass condemnation, and impacts the welfare of poultry. Colibacillosis remains a complex disease to manage, hampered by diagnostic and classification strategies for E. coli that are inadequate for defining APEC. However, increased accessibility of whole genome sequencing (WGS) technology has enabled phylogenetic approaches to be applied to the classification of E. coli and genomic characterization of the most common APEC serotypes associated with colibacillosis O1, O2 and O78. These approaches have demonstrated that the O78 serotype is representative of two distinct APEC lineages, ST-23 in phylogroup C and ST-117 in phylogroup G. The O1 and O2 serotypes belong to a third lineage comprised of three sub-populations in phylogroup B2; ST-95, ST-140 and ST-428/ST-429. The frequency with which these genotypes are associated with colibacillosis implicates them as the predominant APEC populations and distinct from those causing incidental or opportunistic infections. The fact that these are disparate clusters from multiple phylogroups suggests that these lineages may have become adapted to the poultry niche independently. WGS studies have highlighted the limitations of traditional APEC classification and can now provide a path towards a robust and more meaningful definition of the APEC pathotype. Future studies should focus on characterizing individual APEC populations in detail and using this information to develop improved diagnostics and interventions.
A survey on acute kidney injury in severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients without chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND Research has shown that acute kidney injury (AKI) has a noticeable incidence in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients with prior renal insufficiency are particularly susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), due to their immune dysfunction. However, most patients with COVID-19 do not have a history of kidney dysfunction, and few studies have focused on the incidence of AKI among COVID-19 patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this study, we aimed to investigate the occurrence of AKI in severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients, with a particular focus on those without a CKD history. METHODS A single-center retrospective study of 96 patients with COVID-19 in China between February 7 and March 3, 2020 was conducted. All patients were diagnosed by nucleic acid test (NAT) for SARS-CoV-2. Enrolled patients were divided into the severely or critically ill group according to the defined criteria. Patients' epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics, along with their treatment information, were collected from the medical history system. The occurrence of AKI was compared between the severe and critical patients, and between patients with or without a history of CKD. The diagnostic criteria for AKI included an increase in the serum creatinine level to ≥1.5-fold the level at baseline within 7 days according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. Renal outcomes were defined as AKI or non-AKI. RESULTS Four patients (4.2%) developed AKI, all of whom were in the critically ill group, and 3 (75%) of whom died. Out of the 90 severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients without CKD, 3 (3.3%) patients developed AKI; out of the 6 patients with CKD, 1 (16.7%) patient developed AKI. Age, disease severity, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 were correlated with AKI onset in severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients, while lymphocyte count and estimated glomerular filtration rate at admission were inversely related to the development of AKI. CONCLUSIONS Only 3.3% of severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients without CKD in our research cohort developed AKI. Critically ill patients may be more susceptible to AKI than severely ill patients.
What is good grief support? Exploring the actors and actions in social support after traumatic grief

Social support seems to enhance wellbeing and health in many populations. Conversely, poor social support and loneliness are a social determinant of poor health outcomes and can adversely affect physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Social support is especially important in traumatic grief. However, the ways in which grieving individuals interpret and define social support is not well understood, and little is known about what specific behaviours are perceived as helpful. Using qualitative description and content analysis, this study assessed bereaved individuals’ satisfaction of social support in traumatic grief, using four categories of social support as a framework. Findings suggest inadequate satisfaction from professional, familial, and community support. Pets emerged with the most satisfactory ratings. Further, findings suggest that emotional support is the most desired type of support following traumatic loss. Implications for supporting bereaved individuals within and beyond the context of the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.
Slounase, a Batroxobin Containing Activated Factor X Effectively Enhances Hemostatic Clot Formation and Reducing Bleeding in Hypocoagulant Conditions in Mice

Uncontrolled bleeding associated with trauma and surgery is the leading cause of preventable death. Batroxobin, a snake venom-derived thrombin-like serine protease, has been shown to clot fibrinogen by cleaving fibrinopeptide A in a manner distinctly different from thrombin, even in the presence of heparin. The biochemical properties of batroxobin and its effect on coagulation have been well characterized in vitro. However, the efficacy of batroxobin on hemostatic clot formation in vivo is not well studied due to the lack of reliable in vivo hemostasis models. Here, we studied the efficacy of batroxobin and slounase, a batroxobin containing activated factor X, on hemostatic clot composition and bleeding using intravital microcopy laser ablation hemostasis models in micro and macro vessels and liver puncture hemostasis models in normal and heparin-induced hypocoagulant mice. We found that prophylactic treatment in wild-type mice with batroxobin, slounase and activated factor X significantly enhanced platelet-rich fibrin clot formation following vascular injury. In heparin-treated mice, batroxobin treatment resulted in detectable fibrin formation and a modest increase in hemostatic clot size, while activated factor X had no effect. In contrast, slounase treatment significantly enhanced both platelet recruitment and fibrin formation, forming a stable clot and shortening bleeding time and blood loss in wild-type and heparin-treated hypocoagulant mice. Our data demonstrate that, while batroxobin enhances fibrin formation, slounase was able to enhance hemostasis in normal mice and restore hemostasis in hypocoagulant conditions via the enhancement of fibrin formation and platelet activation, indicating that slounase is more effective in controlling hemorrhage.
Outcome measures in forensic mental health services: A systematic review of instruments and qualitative evidence synthesis

Abstract Background Outcome measurement in forensic mental health services can support service improvement, research, and patient progress evaluation. This systematic review aims to identify instruments available for use as outcome measures in this field and assess the evidence for the most common instruments, specific to the forensic context, which cover multiple outcome domains. Methods Studies were identified by searching seven online databases. Additional searches were then performed for 10 selected instruments to identify additional information on their psychometric properties. Instrument manuals and gray literature was reviewed for information about instrument development and content validity. The quality of evidence for psychometric properties was summarized for each instrument based on the COnsensus-based Standards for health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) approach. Results A total of 435 different instruments or variants were identified. Psychometric information on the 10 selected instruments was extracted from 103 studies. All 10 instruments had a clinician reported component with only two having patient reported scales. Half of the instruments were primarily focused on risk. No instrument demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in all eight COSMIN categories assessed. Only one instrument, the Camberwell Assessment of Need: Forensic Version, had adequate evidence for its development and content validity. The most evidence was for construct validity, while none was identified for construct stability between groups. Conclusions Despite the large number of instruments potentially available, evidence for their use as outcome measures in forensic mental health services is limited. Future research and instrument development should involve patients and carers to ensure adequate content validity.
Interaction generalisation and demographic feedbacks drive the resilience of plant-insect networks to extinctions.

Understanding the processes driving ecological resilience, i.e. the extent to which systems retain their structure while absorbing perturbations, is a central challenge for theoretical and applied ecologists. Plant-insect assemblages are well-suited for the study of ecological resilience as they are species-rich and encompass a variety of ecological interactions that correspond to essential ecosystem functions. Mechanisms affecting community response to perturbations depend on both the natural history and structure of ecological interactions. Natural history attributes of interspecific interactions, e.g. whether they are mutualistic or antagonistic, may affect ecological resilience by controlling the demographic feedbacks driving ecological dynamics at the community level. Interaction generalisation may also affect resilience, by defining opportunities for interaction rewiring, the extent to which species are able to switch interactions in fluctuating environments. These natural history attributes may also interact with network structure to affect ecological resilience. Using adaptive network models, we investigated the resilience of plant-pollinator and plant-herbivore networks to species loss. We specifically investigated how fundamental natural history differences between these systems, namely the demographic consequences of the interaction and their level of generalisation - mediating rewiring opportunities - affect the resilience of dynamic ecological networks to extinctions. We also create a general benchmark for the effect of network structure on resilience simulating extinctions on theoretical networks with controlled structures. When network structure was static, pollination networks were less resilient than herbivory networks; this is related to their high levels of nestedness and the reciprocally positive feedbacks that define mutualisms, which made coextinction cascades more likely and longer in plant-pollinator assemblages. When considering interaction rewiring, the high generalisation and the structure of pollination networks boosted their resilience to extinctions, which approached those of herbivory networks. Simulation results using theoretical networks suggested that the empirical structure of herbivory networks may protect them from collapse. Understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes driving interaction rewiring is key to understanding the resilience of plant-insect assemblages. Accounting for rewiring requires ecologists to combine natural history with network models that incorporate feedbacks between species abundances, traits and interactions. This combination will elucidate how perturbations propagate at community-level, reshaping biodiversity structure and ecosystem functions.
Stronger impulse capture and impaired inhibition of prepotent action in children with ADHD performing a Simon task: An electromyographic study.

OBJECTIVE A deficit in interference control is commonly reported in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This has mainly been interpreted as a difficulty in inhibiting inappropriate responses. However, it could be due to at least two distinct and independent processes, which are often confounded: The activation or suppression of impulsive responses. The aim of the present study was to separate the contribution of these two processes. METHOD We compared performance of 26 children with ADHD to that of 26 nonADHD children using a novel approach based on electromyographic activity (EMG) analysis. EMG allows two distinct indices to be computed: Incorrect activation rate, which is an index of the intensity of impulse capture and correction rate, which provides a direct measure of the ability to suppress automatic responses. RESULTS Children with ADHD were slower, committed more errors, and had a larger interference effect than nonADHD children. Moreover, we observed a greater incorrect activation rate and a lower correction rate in the ADHD group. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that the difficulties in interference control found in children with ADHD are explained by both impaired inhibitory processes and a greater propensity to activate automatic responses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
M3258 Is a Selective Inhibitor of the Immunoproteasome Subunit LMP7 (β5i) Delivering Efficacy in Multiple Myeloma Models

Large multifunctional peptidase 7 (LMP7/β5i/PSMB8) is a proteolytic subunit of the immunoproteasome, which is predominantly expressed in normal and malignant hematolymphoid cells, including multiple myeloma, and contributes to the degradation of ubiquitinated proteins. Described herein for the first time is the preclinical profile of M3258; an orally bioavailable, potent, reversible and highly selective LMP7 inhibitor. M3258 demonstrated strong antitumor efficacy in multiple myeloma xenograft models, including a novel model of the human bone niche of multiple myeloma. M3258 treatment led to a significant and prolonged suppression of tumor LMP7 activity and ubiquitinated protein turnover and the induction of apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, M3258 showed superior antitumor efficacy in selected multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma xenograft models compared with the approved nonselective proteasome inhibitors bortezomib and ixazomib. The differentiated preclinical profile of M3258 supported the initiation of a phase I study in patients with multiple myeloma (NCT04075721).
A novel three-dimensionally printed model to assess biofilm removal by ultrasonically activated irrigation.

AIM To apply an innovative three-dimensionally printed tooth model to investigate the efficacy of three ultrasonically activated irrigation (UAI) systems in removing multispecies biofilms from dentine samples. METHODOLOGY Three-dimensionally printed teeth with a curved root canal were fabricated with a standardized slot in the apical third of the root to achieve precision fit of human root dentine specimens. Multispecies biofilms including Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mitis and Campylobacter rectus were developed in the root canal for 21 days. The canals were allocated to be irrigated with 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) using a syringe-and-needle or ultrasonically activated NaOCl with a stainless-steel file (Irrisafe), a conventional nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) file (CK) or a blue heat-treated Ni-Ti file (Endosonic blue). Infected root canals irrigated with distilled water served as controls. Bacterial reduction was determined by colony-forming unit (CFU) counting (n = 20), while biofilms were analyzed using confocal laser scanning microscopy (n = 7) and field emission scanning electron microscopy. For CFU counting, the independent two-sample t-test (Welch's t-test) was examined to compare overall bacterial reduction among groups. For CLSM analysis, the data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Scheffé post hoc test. The P-values < 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS All groups in which NaOCl was ultrasonically activated had significantly lower CFU values than the syringe-and-needle irrigation and control groups (P < 0.05). Ultrasonic activation with the stainless-steel file and blue heat-treated Ni-Ti file significantly reduced the biofilm volume compared to other groups (P < 0.05). Overall, UAI with the blue heat-treated file resulted in the highest antibacterial and biofilm removal efficacy. CONCLUSIONS UAI with different inserts had differential antibiofilm effects. The blue heat-treated Ni-Ti ultrasonic insert resulted in the greatest antibacterial and biofilm removal from dentine in this standardized root canal model.