Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The immunomodulatory activity of secnidazole-nitazoxanide in a murine cryptosporidiosis model.

Introduction. Cryptosporidium parvum causes intestinal parasitic infections affecting both immunosuppressed and immunocompetent individuals.Gap statement. Given the absence of effective treatments for cryptosporidiosis, especially in immunodeficient patients, the present study was designed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of secnidazole (SEC) and its combination with nitazoxanide (NTZ) in comparison to single NTZ treatment in relation to the immune status of a murine model of C. parvum infection.Methodology. The infected groups were administered NTZ, SEC or NTZ-SEC for three or five successive doses. At days 10 and 12 post-infection (p.i.), the mice were sacrificed, and the efficacy of the applied drugs was evaluated by comparing the histopathological alterations in ileum and measuring the T helper Th1 (interferon gamma; IFN-γ), Th2 [interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10] and Th17 (IL-17) cytokine profiles in serum.Results. The NTZ-SEC combination recorded the maximal reduction of C. parvum oocyst shedding, endogenous stages count and intestinal histopathology, regardless of the immune status of the infected mice. The efficacy of NTZ-SEC was dependent on the period of administration, as the 5 day-based treatment protocol was also more effective than the 3 day-based one in terms of immunocompetence and immunosuppression. The present treatment schedule induced an immunomodulatory effect from SEC that developed a protective immune response against C. parvum infection with reduced production of serum IL-17, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10.Conclusions. Application of NTZ-SEC combined therapy may be useful in treatment of C. parvum, especially in cases involving immunosuppression.
Correlates of Medical Mistrust Among Minority Women at Risk for HIV and Their Networks

Background Medical mistrust is a barrier to engaging in HIV prevention and treatment, including testing and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Research often focuses on how race and experiences of discrimination relate to medical mistrust, overlooking the role that other characteristics may play (e.g., history of physical abuse, diagnosis of mental illness). Furthermore, studies are often restricted to samples of men who have sex with men and findings may not generalize to other at-risk groups. Aims The current study explores a range of demographic, cognitive, behavioral, and social network correlates of medical mistrust. Method This study employed an egocentric network design among a racially diverse sample of at-risk women and women in their social networks (n = 165). Results Results from multivariable linear regressions stratified by race (Black vs. others) indicate that medical mistrust is associated with both individual-level and network-level characteristics. Across both groups, age and experiences of racial discrimination were associated with higher medical mistrust. Having a regular sex partner and having a higher proportion of network members who are family was significantly associated with medical mistrust among non-Black women. Discussion Individual-level and network-level variables were significantly associated with medical mistrust. Therefore, interventions that attempt to mitigate medical mistrust as a barrier to HIV prevention and treatment should consider how mistrust may be related to characteristics of individuals and broader contexts. Conclusion Health interventions may benefit from conceiving of medical mistrust as a complex, rational response to cumulative discriminatory life experiences and a reflection of the networks within which individuals are embedded.
Vaginal pessary treatment in women with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse: a long-term prospective study

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the 5-year pessary continuation rate and identify clinical risk factors associated with discontinuation in patients with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Methods: In this prospective observational study, 312 women with symptomatic POP received pessary treatment between November 2013 and July 2015 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China, a tertiary referral center. Patients were initially fitted with a ring pessary with support. Those who failed were fitted with a Gellhorn pessary. A successful pessary fitting was defined as a patient who was fitted and continued to use the pessary 2 weeks later. Patients with successful pessary fitting were followed for 5 years. Data analysis was performed with t tests, nonparametric tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. Results: In total, 265 patients (84.9%) had successful pessary fitting. After 5 years, 180 of 239 patients continued pessary use (75.3% continuation rate), with 26 lost to follow-up. The discontinuation rates decreased over time, from 8.7% at 1 year to 2.7% at 5 years. Total vaginal length < 7.5 cm (TVL, OR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-5.7, P = 0.007), improvement in Urinary Impact Questionnaire-7 scores < 50% at 3 months (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.2, P = 0.025), and incapability of self-care (OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.3-5.1, P = 0.008) were potential discontinuation risk factors. Conclusion: Three-quarters of patients with symptomatic POP had successful pessary treatment at 5-year follow-up. TVL < 7.5 cm, poor urinary symptom relief at 3 months, and incapability of self-care were potential discontinuation risk factors.
Transmission of Antimicrobial-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clonal Complex 9 between Pigs and Humans, United States

Transmission of livestock-associated Staphylococcus aureus clonal complex 9 (LA-SA CC9) between pigs raised on industrial hog operations (IHOs) and humans in the United States is poorly understood. We analyzed whole-genome sequences from 32 international S. aureus CC9 isolates and 49 LA-SA CC9 isolates from IHO pigs and humans who work on or live near IHOs in 10 pig-producing counties in North Carolina, USA. Bioinformatic analysis of sequence data from the 81 isolates demonstrated 3 major LA-SA CC9 clades. North Carolina isolates all fell within a single clade (C3). High-resolution phylogenetic analysis of C3 revealed 2 subclades of intermingled IHO pig and human isolates differing by 0–34 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Our findings suggest that LA-SA CC9 from pigs and humans share a common source and provide evidence of transmission of antimicrobial-resistant LA-SA CC9 between IHO pigs and humans who work on or live near IHOs in North Carolina.
Mutant Zp1 impedes incorporation of ZP3 and ZP4 in the zona pellucida, resulting in zona absence and female infertility in rats†

Abstract The zona pellucida (ZP) plays vital roles in reproductive processes including oogenesis, fertilization, and preimplantation development. Both human and rat ZP consist of four glycoproteins, called ZP1, ZP2, ZP3, and ZP4. Our previous research reported a novel Zp1 mutation in cases of human infertility, associated with an abnormal phenotype involving the absence of the ZP. Here, we developed a homologous rat strain to investigate the pathogenic effect. The ovaries of homozygous (Zp1MT/MT) females possessed both growing and fully grown oocytes; the oocytes completely lacked a ZP, but ZP1 was detectable inside the cytoplasm. Only 1–2 eggs were recovered from oviducts of superovulated Zp1MT/MT females, while an average of 21 eggs were recovered from superovulated Zp1WT/WT per female. The eggs of Zp1MT/MT females were not surrounded by a ZP and lost their fertilization capacity in vitro. Zp1MT/MT females mated with wild-type males failed to become pregnant. Studies in 293T cells showed that mutant Zp1 resulted in a truncated ZP1 protein, which might be intracellularly sequestered and interacted with wild-type ZP3 or ZP4. Our results suggest that the Zp1 point mutation led to infertility and loss of the ZP in oocytes in rats. Summary sentence Zp1 mutation can lead to congenital deficiencies and ZP loss, which leads to human infertility. The interaction between truncated ZP1 and ZP3 or ZP4 is gained, which affects their normal transport and secretion, suggesting that normal ZP1 is crucial for the structure of the ZP and for fertility.
Ecological Momentary Assessment Using Smartphones in Patients With Depression: Feasibility Study

Background Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a promising tool in the management of psychiatric disorders and particularly depression. It allows for a real-time evaluation of symptoms and an earlier detection of relapse or treatment efficacy. The generalization of the smartphone in the modern world offers a new, large-scale support for EMA. Objective The main objective of this study was twofold: (1) to assess patients’ compliance with an EMA smartphone app defined by the number of EMAs completed, and (2) to estimate the external validity of the EMA using a correlation between self-esteem/guilt/mood variables and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) score. Methods Eleven patients at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France, were monitored for 28 days by means of a smartphone app. Every patient enrolled in the study had two types of assessment: (1) three outpatient consultations with a psychiatrist at three different time points (days 1, 15, and 28), and (2) real-time data collection using an EMA smartphone app with a single, fixed notification per day at 3 pm for 28 days. The results of the real-time data collected were reviewed during the three outpatient consultations by a psychiatrist using a dashboard that aggregated all of the patients’ data into a user-friendly format. Results Of the 11 patients in the study, 6 patients attended the 3 outpatient consultations with the psychiatrist and completed the HDRS at each consultation. We found a positive correlation between the HDRS score and the variables of self-esteem, guilt, and mood (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.57). Seven patients completed the daily EMAs for 28 days or longer, with an average response rate to the EMAs of 62.5% (175/280). Furthermore, we observed a positive correlation between the number of responses to EMAs and the duration of follow-up (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.63). Conclusions This preliminary study with a prolonged follow-up demonstrates significant patient compliance with the smartphone app. In addition, the self-assessments performed by patients seemed faithful to the standardized measurements performed by the psychiatrist. The results also suggest that for some patients it is more convenient to use the smartphone app than to attend outpatient consultations.
Morus nigra L. extract prolongs survival of rats with hepatocellular carcinoma

Morus nigra is a rich source of anthocyanins, phytochemicals that have anticancer effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of M. nigra extract (MNE) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)‐induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Male Sprague–Dawley rats were assigned into four groups (n = 10): control, DEN, and DEN +100 or 400 mg/kg of MNE. After 4 months, the DEN group showed a significant mortality rate, hepatic lipid peroxidation, dysplastic nodules in the cirrhotic liver, and an increase of blood bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Also, the body weight gain, blood albumin and glucose, liver antioxidant capacity (thiol groups), and some hematological parameters (RBC, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and platelet) were significantly decreased in the DEN group. MNE significantly increased survival, reduced the size of HCC nodules, improved liver oxidant/antioxidant status, and prevented the above‐mentioned changes in the blood (except ALP, glucose, and platelet). Quantitative real‐time PCR showed that MNE decreased the expression of Wnt4 and β‐catenin, while had no significant effect on PI3K, Akt, and PTEN expression. The MNE did not exhibit antiproliferative activity against HepG2 liver cancer cells. In conclusion, MNE exhibits a hepatoprotective effect through inhibiting oxidative stress and Wnt4/β‐catenin pathway and therefore prolongs the survival of rats with HCC.
Comparative Study of Chemical and Mechanical Surface Treatment Effects on The Shear Bond Strength of Polyether-Ether-Ketone to Veneering Resin.

PURPOSE To assess the shear bond strength of composite resin to polyether ether ketone (PEEK) after mechanical and chemical surface treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 48 PEEK discs were fabricated and divided equally into four surface treatment groups (n = 12 each): (1) airborne particle abrasion with 50-μm alumina particles at 2 MPa pressure for 10 seconds; (2) 98% sulfuric acid etching for 1 minute; (3) airborne particle abrasion and sulfuric acid etching; and (4) no surface treatment. Specimens were conditioned, then Gradia composite veneer (GC) was applied to the PEEK surfaces and polymerized. Bond strength was measured with shear bond test using a universal testing machine. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc tests were applied for statistical analysis. RESULTS The mean shear bond strength values of the sulfuric acid-etched group were higher than that of the airborne particle abrasion + acid etching, airborne particle abrasion, and control groups (P < .05). Mean shear bond strength values for the airborne particle abrasion + acid etching samples were higher than for the control and airborne particle abrasion groups (P < .05). CONCLUSION There was no significant difference between the samples treated with airborne particle abrasion and the control group.
Flavonolignans from silymarin do not intercalate into DNA: Rebuttal of data published in the paper J. Mol. Recognit. e2812 (2019)

In this letter, we present our concerns about the publication Pawar SK, Jaldappagari S. Intercalation of a flavonoid, silibinin into DNA base pairs: Experimental and theoretical approach. J. Mol. Recog. 2019; e2812. Doi: 10.1002/jmr.2812, which deals with the interaction of the natural product silybin with DNA. In our opinion, the conclusions presented by Pawar et al. are not supported by the data and here we are detailing our concerns. The paper in question deals with the interaction of an important and widely used nutraceutical compound silybin (sometimes also called silibinin) with DNA, and the topic is investigated using both experimental and in silico approaches. We found several serious errors in this paper, which we analyze hereunder. The conclusions disprove the data from various clinical trials showing safe use of silymarin even at high doses of several grams/day administered for weeks. Specifically, the data seem to directly contradict a previous work, which— using the same or very similar methods—has not found any interaction between silybin and DNA. The misleading conclusions of this paper— if valid—would have serious safety, legal, and economic consequences due to widespread production, marketing, and use of silybin as nutraceutical and drug components.
Long-term opiate use and risk of cardiovascular mortality: results from the Golestan Cohort Study.

AIMS Tens of millions of people worldwide use opiates but little is known about their potential role in causing cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to study the association of long-term opiate use with cardiovascular mortality and whether this association is independent of the known risk factors. METHODS AND RESULTS In the population-based Golestan Cohort Study-50 045 Iranian participants, 40-75 years, 58% women-we used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HRs, 95% CIs) for the association of opiate use (at least once a week for a period of 6 months) with cardiovascular mortality, adjusting for potential confounders-i.e. age, sex, education, wealth, residential place, marital status, ethnicity, and tobacco and alcohol use. To show independent association, the models were further adjusted for hypertension, diabetes, waist and hip circumferences, physical activity, fruit/vegetable intake, aspirin and statin use, and history of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. In total, 8487 participants (72.2% men) were opiate users for a median (IQR) of 10 (4-20) years. During 548 940 person-years-median of 11.3 years, >99% success follow-up-3079 cardiovascular deaths occurred, with substantially higher rates in opiate users than non-users (1005 vs. 478 deaths/100 000 person-years). Opiate use was associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, with adjusted HR (95% CI) of 1.63 (1.49-1.79). Overall 10.9% of cardiovascular deaths were attributable to opiate use. The association was independent of the traditional cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSION Long-term opiate use was associated with an increased cardiovascular mortality independent of the traditional risk factors. Further research, particularly on mechanisms of action, is recommended.
LncRNA MIR22HG is downregulated in adenomyosis and upregulates miR‐2861 through demethylation to inhibit endometrial cell proliferation

Endometrial cell proliferation plays a critical role in adenomyosis. It has been reported that MIR22HG and miR‐2861 play similar roles in regulating endometrial cell proliferation, indicating their involvement in adenomyosis. This study aimed to investigate the potential involvement of MIR22HG and miR‐2861 in adenomyosis.
Silver nanoparticles: Correlating particle size and ionic Ag release with cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and inflammatory responses in human cell lines

The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), their many sources for human exposure, and the ability of AgNPs to enter organisms and induce general toxicological responses have raised concerns regarding their public health and environmental safety. To elucidate the differential toxic effects of polyvinylpyrrolidone-capped AgNPs with different primary particle sizes (i.e. 5, 50, and 75 nm), we performed a battery of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assays and examined the inflammatory responses in two human cell lines (i.e. HepG2 and A549). Concentration-dependent decreases in cell proliferation and mitochondrial membrane potential and increases in cytokine (i.e. interleukin-6 and interleukin-8) excretion indicated disruption of mitochondrial function and inflammation as the main mediating factors of AgNPs-induced cytotoxicity. An incremental increase in genotoxicity with decreasing AgNPs diameter was noted in HepG2 cells, which was associated with S and G2/M accumulation and transcriptional activation of the GADD45α promoter as reflected by luciferase activity. Dose-related genetic damage, as indicated by Olive tail moment and micronucleus formation, was also observed in A549 cells, but these effects as well as the AgNPs-induced cytotoxicity were more associated with ionic Ag release from nanoparticles (NPs). In summary, the present study addressed different toxicity mechanisms of AgNPs, depending on the cell model, toxicological endpoint, particle size, and degree of Ag+ release from NPs. The results suggest that the GADD45α promoter-driven luciferase reporter cell system provided a rapid screening tool for the identification of genotoxic properties of NPs across a range of different sizes and concentrations.
A Radioreceptor Assay for Follicle-Stimulating Hormone1

A highly specific and sensitive radioreceptor assay for FSH has been developed, using partially purified plasma membranes from bovine testes. Highly purified hFSH was radioiodinated by the lactoperoxidase method. The limit of detection of purified hFSH was 1 ng/ml on the basis of 2× standard deviation of the zero value. The assay was applicable for measurements of FSH in serum; however, the sensitivity decreased slightly to 2.5 ng/ml. The precision of the assay was less than ± 10% within-assays and ±15% between-assays as expressed by the coefficient of variation. The assay was highly specific for FSH of various species. Slight inhibition of uptake of 125I-hFSH was observed with LH and TSH; but no competition was seen with 10,000 ng/ml of insulin, prolactin, hGH, hCG, and subunits of LH. Purified hFSH (LER-1575C) was measured to be 200× the potency of the reference FSH/LH (LER-907); and purfied ovine FSH (LER-1491) and rat FSH (FSH-I-1) were estimated to be 35× and 71× that of oFSH-S-1 (NIH), respectively.
Assessment of kidney disease knowledge among chronic kidney disease patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND The persistent global increase in chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence highlights the importance of providing patients with sufficient knowledge to allow them to self-manage their disease. OBJECTIVES To gain insights into non-dialysis CKD patients' knowledge of their disease, and assess associations between knowledge and sample characteristics. DESIGN A descriptive cross-sectional design was undertaken. PARTICIPANTS A convenience sample of 203 stages 3-5 CKD patients was recruited. MEASUREMENTS The Kidney Disease Knowledge Survey (KiKs) was used. RESULTS This study revealed that the mean age of the patients was 47.34 years. 50.2% were male and most (75.9%) were married. The mean score of knowledge (measured using KiKs) relating to kidney disease was 17.87 ± 3.212. The lowest scores were related to knowledge of effects of proteinuria (13.3%), meanings of "glomerular filtration rate" (29.6%) and "targeted blood pressure" (31.5%). Although more than 60% of participants knew about some kidney functions, they misunderstood others, including those related to glucose control (23.6%) and blood pressure (54.7%). Patients displayed knowledge scores >70% for five other areas, including disease stage and time since diagnosis. Almost all participants did not know that chronic kidney disease (CKD) could be asymptomatic. The results showed that late-stage CKD (Stages 4 and 5) and longer time since diagnosis of CKD were independently associated with a higher score of knowledge (r = 0.18, p = 0.017; r = 0.41, p < 0.001; r = 0.26, p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study provided initial insights on CKD-related knowledge among patients with Stage 3-5 CKD in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Many gaps in knowledge were identified, especially those relating to blood pressure. More studies are required to fully understand the extent of the knowledge deficit in the wider population; however, these findings will allow nurses to address significant gaps.
High-pressure hydrogen storage in zeolite-templated carbon

High-pressure hydrogen storage in zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC) was investigated at room temperature (30 °C). Several types of ZTCs with different surface areas and a nitrogen-doped ZTC were prepared. Their hydrogen storage performance at room temperature was examined and the results were compared with those of commercial activated carbons. At pressures below 10 MPa, the hydrogen uptake capacity was simply proportional to specific surface areas of the carbons, and both ZTCs and activated carbon showed almost the same heat of adsorption (6∼8 kJ mol−1). On the other hand, at pressures above 10 MPa, uniform micropores with a diameter of 1.2 nm in ZTCs played a more important role in capacity increase than the specific surface area. As a result, the ZTC with the largest surface area (3370 m2 g−1) exhibited hydrogen uptake as high as 2.2 wt % at 34 MPa. This value is much larger than that of the activated carbon, and such a difference in the capacity between ZTC and activated carbon cannot be explained by the.