Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Locus coeruleus in memory formation and Alzheimer's disease

Catecholamine neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC) in the dorsal pontine tegmentum innervate the entire neuroaxis, with signaling actions implicated in the regulation of attention, arousal, sleep–wake cycle, learning, memory, anxiety, pain, mood, and brain metabolism. The co‐release of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) from LC terminals in the hippocampus plays a role in all stages of hippocampal‐memory processing. This catecholaminergic regulation modulates the encoding, consolidation, retrieval, and reversal of hippocampus‐based memory. LC neurons in awake animals have two distinct firing modes: tonic firing (explorative) and phasic firing (exploitative). These two firing modes exert different modulatory effects on post‐synaptic dendritic spines. In the hippocampus, the firing modes regulate long‐term potentiation (LTP) and long‐term depression, which differentially regulate the mRNA expression and transcription of plasticity‐related proteins (PRPs). These proteins aid in structural alterations of dendritic spines, that is, structural long‐term potentiation (sLTP), via expansion and structural long‐term depression (sLTD) via contraction of post‐synaptic dendritic spines. Given the LC's role in all phases of memory processing, the degeneration of 50% of the LC neuron population occurring in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a clinically relevant aspect of disease pathology. The loss of catecholaminergic regulation contributes to dysfunction in memory processes along with impaired functions associated with attention and task completion. The multifaceted role of the LC in memory and general task performance and the close correlation of LC degeneration with neurodegenerative disease progression together implicate it as a target for new clinical assessment tools.
A Preliminary Investigation of the Underlying Mechanism Associating Daily Sleep Continuity Disturbance and Prescription Opioid Use Among Individuals With Sickle Cell Disease.

BACKGROUND There are emerging data indicating that sleep disturbance may be linked with an increase in opioid use. The majority of sickle cell disease (SCD) patients experience sleep disturbances, which can elevate pain severity and pain catastrophizing, both of which are important predictors of opioid consumption. PURPOSE We conducted a preliminary investigation on the association between previous night sleep disturbance and short-acting opioid use, as well as the potential mediating roles of pain severity and pain catastrophizing. Because sex is associated with sleep disturbance, pain-related experiences, and opioid use, we also explored the potential moderating role of sex. METHODS Participants were 45 SCD patients who were prescribed opioids. For 3 months, sleep diaries were collected immediately upon participants' awakening. Daily pain severity, pain catastrophizing, and prescription opioid use measures were collected before bedtime. RESULTS Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that wake time after sleep onset (WASO) during the previous night (Time 1) predicted greater short-acting opioid use during the next day (Time 2). Pain severity and pain catastrophizing measured during the next day (Time 2) also mediated the association between the two. Sex moderation analysis showed that the positive association between WASO and pain severity was largely driven by women. CONCLUSION These findings provide some preliminary evidence as to the mechanism linking sleep continuity disturbance and opioid requirement in SCD patients. Future studies should replicate and extend these findings with clearer temporal information and employing more refined measures of sleep continuity and prescription opioid use in a larger sample.
Cross-Sectional Analysis of Spatial Working Memory Development in Children with Histories of Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.

BACKGROUND In children with prenatal alcohol exposure, spatial working memory is affected and brain regions important for spatial working memory performance exhibit atypical neurodevelopment. We therefore hypothesized that children with prenatal alcohol exposure may also have atypical development of spatial working memory ability. METHOD We examined the relation between spatial working memory and age using a cross-sectional developmental trajectory approach in youth with and without histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. The CANTAB Spatial Working Memory subtest was administered to children 5.0-16.9 years old. RESULTS While the controls and children with prenatal alcohol exposure showed similar performance at younger ages, larger group differences were observed in older children. This effect was replicated in a separate sample. CONCLUSIONS The atypical brain development that has previously been reported in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure may have clinically relevant implications for cognitive development; however, longitudinal cognitive analyses are needed.
Association between childhood parental rearing, sexual partnerships, social support and posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) among young HIV-positive MSM

ABSTRACT We aimed to assess the effect of childhood parental rearing on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among young HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as the mediation effect of social support on this association. A convenient sampling method and questionnaire-based survey were used to recruit eligible participants from the Wuhan Medical Treatment Center from 20 December 2018 to 28 February 2019. Bivariate analyses were used to investigate the correlations between PTSD and childhood parental rearing, the number of sexual partners and social support. Mediation analyses were used to investigate the mediation of social support. Totally, 142 eligible MSM participated in our study, with prevalence of PTSD being 33.10%. It was found that maternal warmth (M1) and maternal favoring (M5) were positively correlated with social support. Paternal rejection (F5) was positively correlated with PTSD. The effects of M1 and M5 on PTSD were completely mediated by social support. The effects of paternal favoring (F4) and M5 on PTSD were completely mediated by subjective social support, and the effects of F5 and M1 were completely mediated by social support utility. Social support was an important mediator between parental rearing and PTSD.
Quantitative Assessment of Bone Marrow Edema in Adolescent Athletes with Lumbar Spondylolysis Using Contrast Ratio on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Study Design Prospective cohort study. Purpose To quantitatively evaluate bone marrow edema (BME) in the pedicle on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for adolescent athlete patients with spondylolysis. Overview of Literature Spondylolysis, a stress fracture of the pars interarticularis, is a common occurrence in adolescent athletes with low back pain. T2-weighed fat-saturated MRI is reportedly useful for the detection of BME in the pedicle in the early stage of spondylolysis; however, to our knowledge, the quantitative assessment of BME in spondylolysis has not been reported. Methods Adolescent athletes with spondylolysis, including those with symptoms of low back pain, were enrolled. The sporting activity of the patients was restricted, and a hard brace was attached to the spine. The BME range of interest was taken on T2-weighed fat-saturated MRI, and the signal intensity (SI) of the BME (SIedema) was measured. The contrast ratio (CR) between the SI of the BME and SI of the spinal cord (SIcord) was calculated per the following formulae: CRedema=(SIedema−SIcord)/(SIedema+SIcord). The CR of the normal pedicle was measured as a control per the following formulae: CRcontrol=(SIcontrol−SIcord)/(SIcontrol+SIcord). Results The study enrolled 32 men and one woman; the mean patient age was 15.2 years (range, 12–18 years). The average CR of the edema and normal pedicle at the first visit was 0.506 (range, 0.097–0.804) and 0.137 (range, −0.741 to 0.572), respectively. The CR of the edema was significantly higher as compared to that of the normal pedicle (p<0.01). MRI that was performed 1 month after the first visit showed that the CR of the edema had decreased to 0.204 (range, −0.152 to 0.517). The CR of the edema 1 month thereafter was significantly lower than that at the first visit (p<0.01). Conclusions Quantitative assessment of BME using CR on MRI is useful in the evaluation of the healing process of spondylolysis.
THE ROLE OF AGGREGATE SURFACE CHEMISTRY IN BITUMEN EMULSION-AGGREGATE INTERACTIONS

Road-making bitumen products are typically applied in conjunction with a mineral aggregate. The bitumen acts as a binder and the aggregate provides mechanical strength. One way of applying the bitumen phase is as a bitumen-water emulsion that must break in a controlled manner upon laying. The efficiency with which the bitumen emulsion breaks is strongly influenced by the surface characteristics of the aggregate substrate. The current study employs colloid and surface chemistry techniques to investigate the properties of the mineral aggregates commonly used in roadmaking processes, for example slurry surfacing and sprayed sealing. A selection of mineral aggregates, ranging from those found to be too reactive to obtain a satisfactory slurry surfacing mixture to unreactive (those that have been successfully used in slurry surfacing) have been studied. Typical slurry surfacing characterisation techniques, such as the cohesion and mixing tests (determination of break and cure), have been performed on slurry surfacing mixtures using the range of aggregates. The results have been interpreted in terms of the surface characteristics of the aggregates. (a)
The Compensatory Role of Self-Monitoring in Performance Appraisal

This field study examines how self-monitoring, leader-member exchange, and objective performance interactively influence performance appraisals. The results suggest that self-monitoring influences ratings beyond an employee’s observable performance and the relationship quality with the supervisor. High self-monitors with low objective performance levels receive higher ratings than low self-monitors with low objective performance. High self-monitors in low quality relationships with their supervisor received higher ratings relative to their objective performance, while low-self-monitors in low-quality relationships received lower ratings than their objective performance levels.
Effects of cocoa-rich chocolate on cognitive performance in postmenopausal women. A randomised clinical trial

ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of adding 10 g of cocoa-rich chocolate (99%) to the habitual diet on cognitive performance in postmenopausal women. Methods Following a randomised controlled parallel clinical trial, a total of 140 postmenopausal women aged 50–64 were recruited. The intervention group (n = 73) consumed daily 10 g of chocolate (99% cocoa) in addition to their usual food intake for 6 months, whereas the control group (n = 67) did not receive any intervention. Attention and executive functions, verbal memory, working memory, phonological fluency, category fluency and clinical variables were assessed at baseline and 6 months. Results Trail Making Test B execution time showed a decreased of −12.08 s (95% CI: −23.99, −0.18; p = 0.047) in the intervention group compared to the control group, after adjusting for age, educational level, time elapsed from the beginning of menopause and daily energy consumption (Cohen’s d = −0.343). Attention, immediate or delayed verbal memory, phonological or category fluency, and working memory remained unchanged. Conclusions The consumption of cocoa-rich (99%) chocolate in addition to the habitual diet could be related to a slight improvement in cognitive performance regarding cognitive flexibility and processing speed in postmenopausal women, with no changes in the rest of the cognitive performance variables evaluated.Trial registration: This clinical trial has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03492983.
Disorders of sleep and wakefulness in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): a systematic review

Abstract Disorders of sleep and wakefulness are common among neurodegenerative diseases. While amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) predominately manifests as motor symptoms, there is emerging evidence that disruptions to sleep and wakefulness also occur. This systematic review aims to report the most common disorders of sleep and wakefulness in ALS. We conducted a qualitative systematic review as per PRISMA guidelines and searched literature assessing the association between disorders of sleep and wakefulness with ALS using the PubMed and Medline database. Overall, 50–63% of patients with ALS have poor sleep quality as reported using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Questionnaire (PSQI). A higher proportion of ALS patients are categorized as poor sleepers, however there is conflicting evidence as to whether patients with ALS are more likely to exhibit excessive daytime sleepiness. Of the studies that utilized polysomnography, all reported various degrees of impairment to sleep microstructure and architecture among ALS patients. In future, longitudinal clinical studies will be essential for establishing the significance of impaired sleep in ALS. Future studies are also needed to establish whether the self-reported measures of poor sleep and impairment to sleep architecture occurs as a direct consequence of the disease, whether they are an early manifestation of the disease, and/or if they contribute to the neurodegenerative process.
Levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, IL-37 cytokines in patients with active vitiligo

Abstract Objectives Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, and its pathogenesis involves changes in cytokine levels in the affected patients. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-17 from pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-37 in a recently detected anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of our study was to determine serum TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, IL-37 levels in patients with vitiligo to understand their possible roles in the disease etiology and to compare the results with the healthy controls. Methods The study included 48 generalized vitiligo patients who were diagnosed with vitiligo, had an increase in the lesions within the last 3 months, and did not receive any systemic or topical treatment during this period; furthermore, 18 healthy controls were included. Results Patient group: n = 48, mean age = 30.48 ± 9.86 years; control group: n = 18, mean age = 28.27 ± 9.66 years. Individuals in the patient group had significantly higher serum levels of IL-37(t = 3.90, p < .001), IL-6 (t = 3.39, p < .05), IL-17 (t = 2.08, p < .05), and TNF-α (t = 4.69 p < .001) than in the control group. Conclusion The high levels of (pro-anti) inflammatory cytokines in vitiligo patients draw attention to the importance of cytokines in the pathogenesis of the disease.
IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF ANTI-CANCER PROPERTY OF FOUR EDIBLE MUSHROOMS IN COMPARISON WITH GANODERMA LUCIDUM : THE KING OF MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

Preliminary trials on the anti-cancer activities of mushroom extracts of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst. , Pleurotus florida (Mont.), Pleurotus djamor (Fr.) Boedjn, Hypsizygus ulmarius (Bull.:Fr.)Redhead and Calocybe gambosa (Fr.) Singh were conducted by direct microscopic studies and MTT assay. G. lucidum, commonly referred as Lingzhi, is well-known for its pharmacological benefits including immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidative, radicalscavenging and anti-aging effects. The white oyster mushroom, P. florida is a commonly available edible mushroom having excellent flavour and taste. H. ulmarius is an edible mushroom, also known as elm oyster mushroom or blue oyster mushroom. C.gambosa is a tropical milky mushroom cultivating in India which possess free radical scavenging property and thereby enhancing antioxidant capacity. The results revealed that percentage viability of cervical cancer cell lines decreased with increase in concentration of mushroom extracts. G. lucidum extract exhibited maximum cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines even at lower concentration (200 μg ml-1) followed by C. gambosa. The commercial cultivation as well as clinical studies of these medicinally important mushrooms must be undertaken in large scale.
Coronary Optical Coherence Tomography and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Determine Underlying Causes of MINOCA in Women.

Background: Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) occurs in 6-15% of MI and disproportionately affects women. Scientific statements recommend multi-modality imaging in MINOCA to define the underlying cause. We performed coronary optical coherence tomography (OCT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to assess mechanisms of MINOCA. Methods: In this prospective, multicenter, international, observational study, we enrolled women with a clinical diagnosis of MI. If invasive coronary angiography revealed <50% stenosis in all major arteries, multi-vessel OCT was performed, followed by CMR (cine imaging, late gadolinium enhancement, and T2-weighted imaging and/or T1 mapping). Angiography, OCT, and CMR were evaluated at blinded, independent core laboratories. Culprit lesions identified by OCT were classified as definite or possible. The CMR core laboratory identified ischemia-related and non-ischemic myocardial injury. Imaging results were combined to determine the mechanism of MINOCA, when possible. Results: Among 301 women enrolled at 16 sites, 170 were diagnosed with MINOCA, of whom 145 had adequate OCT image quality for analysis; 116 of these underwent CMR. A definite or possible culprit lesion was identified by OCT in 46.2% (67/145) of participants, most commonly plaque rupture, intra-plaque cavity or layered plaque. CMR was abnormal in 74.1% (86/116) of participants. An ischemic pattern of CMR abnormalities (infarction or myocardial edema in a coronary territory) was present in 53.4% of participants undergoing CMR (62/116). A non-ischemic pattern of CMR abnormalities (myocarditis, takotsubo syndrome or non-ischemic cardiomyopathy) was present in 20.7% (24/116). A cause of MINOCA was identified in 84.5% of the women with multi-modality imaging (98/116), higher than with OCT alone (p<0.001) or CMR alone (p=0.001). An ischemic etiology was identified in 63.8% of women with MINOCA (74/116), a non-ischemic etiology was identified in 20.7% (24/116), and no mechanism was identified in 15.5% (18/116). Conclusions: Multi-modality imaging with coronary OCT and CMR identified potential mechanisms in 84.5% of women with a diagnosis of MINOCA, three-quarters of which were ischemic and one-quarter of which were non-ischemic, alternate diagnoses to MI. Identification of the etiology of MINOCA is feasible and has the potential to guide medical therapy for secondary prevention. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov Unique Identifier: NCT02905357.
Analysis of Platforms and Functions of Mobile-Based Personal Health Record Systems

Objectives Little is known about the platforms and functionalities of mobile-based personal health record (PHR) applications. The objective of this study was to investigate these two features of PHR systems. Methods The unit of analysis was general hospitals with more than 100 beds. This study was based on a PHR survey conducted from May 1 to June 30, 2020 and the National Health Insurance administrative data as of March 31, 2020. The study considered the platform, Android and iPhone operation system (iOS), and types of functionalities of PHR systems. Among the 316 target hospitals, 103 hospitals had adopted PHR systems. A logistic regression analysis was used. Results This study found that 103 hospitals had adopted mobile-based PHR systems for their patients. Sixty-four hospitals (62.1%) were adopting both Android and iOS, but 36 (35.0%) and 3 (2.9%) hospitals were adopting Android only or iOS only, respectively. The PHR systems of hospitals adopting both platforms were more likely to have functions for viewing prescriptions, clinical diagnostic test results, and upcoming appointment status compared to those adopting a single platform (p < 0.001). The number of beds (odds ratio [OR] = 1.004; confidence interval [CI], 1.001–1.007; p = 0.0029) and the number of computed tomography systems (CTs) per 100 beds (OR = 6.350; CI, 1.006–40.084; p = 0.0493) were significantly associated with the adoption of both platforms. Conclusions More than 60% of hospitals had adopted both Android and iOS platforms for their patients in Korea. Hospitals adopting both platforms had additional functionalities and significant association with the number of beds and CTs.
Quality of life assessment in paediatric cochlear implant recipients in South India: Parental assessment and correlation with rehabilitation scores using a bilingual quality of life assessment questionnaire

Objectives: To assess the quality of life (QoL) of prelingually deaf paediatric population after Cochlear implantation (CI), using a bilingual questionnaire and to correlate with rehabilitation scores; to validate the questionnaire and recommend its use in future studies. Methods: This was a questionnaire based cross-sectional study. Parents of 151 paediatric prelingual CI recipients filled the questionnaire using a 5-point rating scale, with a score of 1–5. These scores were correlated with the CAP and SIR scores. Results and discussion: There was a positive correlation of QoL score with rehabilitation outcomes (r = 0.4638 and P ≤ 0.00001 for CAP; r = 0.3563 and P ≤ 0.00001 for SIR scores). The maximum scores (≥4.0) were given by parents for integration into educational system (4.86), response to environmental sounds (4.12) and overall parental satisfaction about child’s performance (4.09). Minimum scores were given for ability to speak in sentences (2.9) and response to verbal sounds at a distance (3.23). Conclusion: The QoL of these children as assessed by the institutional questionnaire have correlated with the rehabilitation outcomes. These QoL results have a positive impact in counselling for early CI as well as for rehabilitation.
Odontoblast processes of the mouse incisor are plates oriented in the direction of growth

Abstract Odontoblast processes are thin cytoplasmic projections that extend from the cell body at the periphery of the pulp toward the dentin‐enamel junction. The odontoblast processes function in the secretion, assembly and mineralization of dentin during development, participate in mechanosensation, and aid in dentin repair in mature teeth. Because they are small and densely arranged, their three‐dimensional organization is not well documented. To gain further insight into how odontoblast processes contribute to odontogenesis, we used serial section electron microscopy and three‐dimensional reconstructions to examine these processes in the predentin region of mouse molars and incisors. In molars, the odontoblast processes are tubular with a diameter of ~1.8 μm. The odontoblast processes near the incisor tip are similarly shaped, but those midway between the tip and apex are shaped like plates. The plates are radially aligned and longitudinally oriented with respect to the growth axis of the incisor. The thickness of the plates is approximately the same as the diameter of molar odontoblast processes. The plates have an irregular edge; the average ratio of width (midway in the predentin) to thickness is 2.3 on the labial side and 3.6 on the lingual side. The plate geometry seems likely to be related to the continuous growth of the incisor and may provide a clue as to the mechanisms by which the odontoblast processes are involved in tooth development.