Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How do family members of individuals with spinal cord and acquired brain injuries make sense of their experiences: A qualitative study of meaning making processes

This study explores the processes that promote coping with abruptive life changes, often experienced as life before and after injury. The consept of meaning making, was used as theoretical framework for analysisthr. Family members of individuals with spinal cord and acquired brain injury participated in two focus groups three to twenty years post-injury. Data was analysed using thematic analyses. Two main themes were identified: drawing upon different coping strategies and balancing family needs against personal autonomy. Making sense of an altered situation was by keeping a positive outlook, making comparisons to worst cases, engagement in activities and making room for own needs. Thus, the study illistrates that life can continue in a good manner after adversities, but requires flexibility and adjustments.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for the treatment of psychosis: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Background: Psychosis is a public health concern. There is increasing evidence suggesting trauma can play a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of psychosis. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective treatment for trauma and could be a vital addition to the treatment of psychosis. Objective: To explore the evidence for EMDR as a treatment for psychosis, focussing on the safety, effectiveness and acceptability of this intervention for this population. Methods: Four databases (Cochrane, EMBASE, MEDLINE PsychINFO), and the Francine Shapiro Library were systematically searched, along with grey literature and reference lists of relevant papers. No date limits were applied as this is an area of emerging evidence. Studies were screened for eligibility based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The included studies were quality assessed and data was extracted from the individual studies, and synthesized using a narrative synthesis approach. Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria (1 RCT, 2 Pilot studies, 2 Case series and 1 Case report). Across the studies EMDR was associated with reductions in delusional and negative symptoms, mental health service and medication use. Evidence for reductions in auditory hallucinations and paranoid thinking was mixed. No adverse events were reported, although initial increases in psychotic symptoms were observed in two studies. Average dropout rates across the studies were comparable to other trauma-focused treatments for PTSD. The acceptability of EMDR was not adequately measured or reported. Conclusion: EMDR appears a safe and feasible intervention for people with psychosis. The evidence is currently insufficient to determine the effectiveness and acceptability of the intervention for this population. Larger confirmative trials are required to form more robust conclusions.
State Anxiety Is Related to Cortisol Response During Cognitive Testing for Older Adults

Cognitive testing situations can be stressful for both younger and older adults, but threats of cognitive evaluation may be particularly salient among anxious older individuals as they tend to be more concerned than younger adults about their cognitive abilities and age-related cognitive decline. We examined age-related differences in the effect of anxiety on cortisol responses during cognitive testing in a sample of 27 younger (M = 19.8) and 29 older (M = 71.2) adults. Older adults with higher anxiety also had higher during-task cortisol (suggesting higher reactivity to testing) than older adults with lower anxiety and young adults. There was no effect of anxiety on cortisol for younger adults. Simultaneously examining subjective (state anxiety) and physiological (cortisol response) indicators of threat during cognitive testing appears to be especially important for older adults with higher state anxiety. The results are important for understanding cortisol reactivity, particularly in older adults. Researchers who administer cognitive tests to older adults and clinicians who work with older adults with cognitive concerns and/or anxiety may want to consider how they present their material.
A metal-free blue chromophore derived from plant pigments

The red pigments of beets are used to produce BeetBlue, a biocompatible blue dye. Blue natural pigments are rare, especially among plants. However, flowering species that evolved to attract Hymenoptera pollinators are colored by blue anthocyanin-metal complexes. Plants lacking anthocyanins are pigmented by betalains but are unable to produce blue hues. By extending the π-system of betalains, we designed a photostable and metal-free blue dye named BeetBlue that did not show toxicity to human hepatic and retinal pigment epithelial cells and does not affect zebrafish embryonal development. This chiral dye can be conveniently synthesized from betalamic acid obtained from hydrolyzed red beetroot juice or by enzymatic oxidation of l-dopa. BeetBlue is blue in the solid form and in solution of acidified polar molecular solvents, including water. Its capacity to dye natural matrices makes BeetBlue the prototype of a new class of low-cost bioinspired chromophores suitable for a myriad of applications requiring a blue hue.
Experiences of Older Persons in Seeking Care at a Private Hospital in Urban India

Objective: The study aims to describe the experiences of older persons in seeking health care in a private hospital in urban India. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 older persons admitted in or visiting a private hospital in Hyderabad city in India between the period November 2017 and April 2018. The data were analyzed using Content Analysis. Results: Dimensions related to payment mechanisms, quality of health care staff, and hospital quality were reported to be important for the older persons. Payment mechanisms were related to discounts, insurance support, and reducing out-of-pocket expenditure. Quality of care was related to optimizing hospital operational processes like discharge time, standard of treatment, and trustworthiness of the medical staff. Discussion: Payment mechanism can be made friendly for the older persons. Quality of hospital including its staff can be enhanced by developing geriatric-specific competencies which can help them to understand and treat complex health problems specific for the older population.
Valued Activities Among Individuals With and Without Functional Impairments: Findings from the National Health and Aging Trends study (NHATS)

ABSTRACT Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), we examined baseline activity and functional status. Respondents were classified as High (n = 1,662), Moderate (n = 1,973), or Low (n = 989) Function and rated importance of and actual participation in four activities. Transportation and health were also examined. Individuals classified as low function were less likely to engage in valued activities and more likely to report that poor health and transportation limited participation, compared to individuals with no or moderate functional impairments. Data suggest the importance of developing interventions which bridge the gap between activity preferences and participation for older adults with functional limitations.
Unravelling the proteomic landscape of extracellular vesicles in prostate cancer by density-based fractionation of urine

ABSTRACT Extracellular vesicles (EV) are increasingly being recognized as important vehicles of intercellular communication and promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cancer. Despite this enormous clinical potential, the plethora of methods to separate EV from biofluids, providing material of highly variable purity, and lacking knowledge regarding methodological repeatability pose a barrier to clinical translation. Urine is considered an ideal proximal fluid for the study of EV in urological cancers due to its direct contact with the urogenital system. We demonstrate that density-based fractionation of urine by bottom-up Optiprep density gradient centrifugation separates EV and soluble proteins with high specificity and repeatability. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of urinary EV (uEV) in men with benign and malignant prostate disease allowed us to significantly expand the known human uEV proteome with high specificity and identifies a unique biological profile in prostate cancer not uncovered by the analysis of soluble proteins. In addition, profiling the proteome of EV separated from prostate tumour conditioned medium and matched uEV confirms the specificity of the identified uEV proteome for prostate cancer. Finally, a comparative proteomic analysis with uEV from patients with bladder and renal cancer provided additional evidence of the selective enrichment of protein signatures in uEV reflecting their respective cancer tissues of origin. In conclusion, this study identifies hundreds of previously undetected proteins in uEV of prostate cancer patients and provides a powerful toolbox to map uEV content and contaminants ultimately allowing biomarker discovery in urological cancers.
A tripartite ssDNA mycovirus from a plant pathogenic fungus is infectious as cloned DNA and purified virions

A multipartite DNA virus was isolated from a plant pathogenic fungus, which is infectious as cloned DNA and purified virions. Here, we describe a tripartite circular single-stranded (ss) DNA mycovirus, named Fusarium graminearum gemytripvirus 1 (FgGMTV1). The genome of FgGMTV1 comprises three circular ssDNA segments (DNA-A, DNA-B, and DNA-C). Sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses showed that FgGMTV1 is nested within the family Genomoviridae. We also constructed the first infectious DNA clones of a DNA mycovirus. Our results show that DNA-A and DNA-B are mutually interdependent for their replication and are associated with severely reduced colony growth and hypovirulence. DNA-C relies on DNA-A and DNA-B for replication and is necessary for the recovery of abnormal fungal phenotypes. DNA-C also enhances the accumulation of viral DNA in infected fungi and permits stable colonization and easy transmission via conidia. This is the first multipartite DNA virus isolated from a fungus. Our phylogenetic analyses also suggest that the multipartite genome of FgGMTV1 may have evolved from a monopartite genome of an ancient genomovirus.
Aqueous Phase Separation of Responsive Copolymers for Sustainable and Mechanically Stable Membranes

Membranes are often used in environmentally friendly applications and as a sustainable alternative to conventional processes. Unfortunately, the vast majority of polymeric membranes are produced via an unsustainable and environmentally unfriendly process that requires large amounts of harsh reprotoxic chemicals such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and dimethylformamide. In this work, we investigate an aqueous phase separation (APS) system that uses weak polyelectrolytes, whose charge is dependent on the pH (weak polyelectrolytes), to produce membranes. Specifically the copolymer polystyrene-alt-maleic acid (PSaMA) is used. PSaMA contains responsive monomers, required for APS, and also unresponsive hydrophobic monomers that provide mechanical stability to the resultant membranes. This work demonstrates that by controlling the precipitation of PSaMA, it is possible to prepare a wide range of membranes; from microfiltration membranes capable of treating oily waste water to dense nanofiltration-type membranes with excellent micropollutant retentions and high mechanical stability. While similar materials in prior work could only withstand 4 bar, the membranes presented here demonstrate stable operation up to 20 bar. The only solvents used in this APS system are water and the green solvent acetic acid, thus making our APS process significantly more sustainable and environmentally friendly as compared to the conventional membrane fabrication methods.
Exosome-based delivery of super-repressor IκBα relieves sepsis-associated organ damage and mortality

Next generation exosome-based therapy can protect against systemic inflammation and sepsis-induced death. As extracellular vesicles that play an active role in intercellular communication by transferring cellular materials to recipient cells, exosomes offer great potential as a natural therapeutic drug delivery vehicle. The inflammatory responses in various disease models can be attenuated through introduction of super-repressor IκB (srIκB), which is the dominant active form of IκBα and can inhibit translocation of nuclear factor κB into the nucleus. An optogenetically engineered exosome system (EXPLOR) that we previously developed was implemented for loading a large amount of srIκB into exosomes. We showed that intraperitoneal injection of purified srIκB-loaded exosomes (Exo-srIκBs) attenuates mortality and systemic inflammation in septic mouse models. In a biodistribution study, Exo-srIκBs were observed mainly in the neutrophils, and in monocytes to a lesser extent, in the spleens and livers of mice. Moreover, we found that Exo-srIκB alleviates inflammatory responses in monocytic THP-1 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
Recognizing hotspots in Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD by text and audio mining

ABSTRACT Background: Identifying and addressing hotspots is a key element of imaginal exposure in Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD (BEPP). Research shows that treatment effectiveness is associated with focusing on these hotspots and that hotspot frequency and characteristics may serve as indicators for treatment success. Objective: This study aims to develop a model to automatically recognize hotspots based on text and speech features, which might be an efficient way to track patient progress and predict treatment efficacy. Method: A multimodal supervised classification model was developed based on analog tape recordings and transcripts of imaginal exposure sessions of 10 successful and 10 non-successful treatment completers. Data mining and machine learning techniques were used to extract and select text (e.g. words and word combinations) and speech (e.g. speech rate, pauses between words) features that distinguish between ‘hotspot’ (N = 37) and ‘non-hotspot’ (N = 45) phases during exposure sessions. Results: The developed model resulted in a high training performance (mean F 1-score of 0.76) but a low testing performance (mean F 1-score = 0.52). This shows that the selected text and speech features could clearly distinguish between hotspots and non-hotspots in the current data set, but will probably not recognize hotspots from new input data very well. Conclusions: In order to improve the recognition of new hotspots, the described methodology should be applied to a larger, higher quality (digitally recorded) data set. As such this study should be seen mainly as a proof of concept, demonstrating the possible application and contribution of automatic text and audio analysis to therapy process research in PTSD and mental health research in general.
Targeting the scaffolding role of LSD1 (KDM1A) poises acute myeloid leukemia cells for retinoic acid–induced differentiation

The study addresses the mechanism through which inhibition of LSD1 sensitizes AML cells to retinoic acid–induced differentiation. The histone demethylase LSD1 is deregulated in several tumors, including leukemias, providing the rationale for the clinical use of LSD1 inhibitors. In acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), pharmacological doses of retinoic acid (RA) induce differentiation of APL cells, triggering degradation of the PML-RAR oncogene. APL cells are resistant to LSD1 inhibition or knockout, but targeting LSD1 sensitizes them to physiological doses of RA without altering of PML-RAR levels, and extends survival of leukemic mice upon RA treatment. The combination of RA with LSD1 inhibition (or knockout) is also effective in other non-APL, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Nonenzymatic activities of LSD1 are essential to block differentiation, while RA with targeting of LSD1 releases a differentiation gene expression program, not strictly dependent on changes in histone H3K4 methylation. Integration of proteomic/epigenomic/mutational studies showed that LSD1 inhibitors alter the recruitment of LSD1-containing complexes to chromatin, inhibiting the interaction between LSD1 and the transcription factor GFI1.
Optimising outcomes for patients with early inflammatory arthritis

Background: Early and effective treatment of inflammatory arthritis (IA) is essential to preserve patients’ functional ability and prevent joint damage. Recent strategies for optimising care have included implementing treatment to target management and utilising ultrasound to guide treatment decisions. The 2010 ACR/EULAR rheumatoid arthritis (RA) classification criteria were also recently developed with the aim of facilitating the study of early IA. Aims: To determine the phenotype, management and outcomes of patients with early IA, defined using the 2010 RA criteria, in clinical practice. Specific objectives were to risk stratify patients according to future disease severity, determine their response to treatment and assess the potential utility of ultrasound within a treatment to target strategy. Methods: An audit and a prospective longitudinal observational study were conducted in patients attending the Leeds Early Arthritis Clinic. Patients were classified as undifferentiated arthritis (UA) or RA according to the 2010 RA criteria at baseline. Logistic regression methods were used to identify baseline predictors of outcome and treatment response. Results: Ultrasound detectable synovitis at baseline was independently associated with a higher rate of methotrexate use, persistence of IA and development of new ultrasound erosions at one year in patients with UA and RA, as well as progression from UA to RA in the subset of patients with UA at baseline. A lack of concordance was observed between clinical and ultrasound determined remission in RA patients receiving treatment-to-target management. In this sub-group, objective baseline measures of disease were predictive of imaging remission in comparison to the predominantly subjective parameters, which were predictive of clinical remission. Conclusions: This verifies the value of ultrasound as a prognostic tool in the risk stratification of patients with early IA, over and above the clinical application of the 2010 RA criteria and clinical assessments. It supports future research in the use of ultrasound within a treatment to target strategy.
The Effect Of Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery On Lung Function In Patients With Chronic Sinusitis And Nasal Polyps Without Asthma

Objectives: The aim of this study was to look into how functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for CRSwNP without asthma affects lung function. The investigators aimed to determine any correlation between Lund-Kennedy scores, Lund-Mackay scores and pulmonary function. Methods: All participants underwent nasal endoscopic examination and CT scanning paranasally. Lund-Kennedy endoscopy and Lund-Mackay CT scores were calculated and compared with postoperative findings. Statistical analysis was performed to compare preoperative and postoperative spirometry findings to assess efficacy of surgery on pulmonary function. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the Lund-Mackay scores for primary FESS and revision. Nevertheless, Lund-Kennedy scores did show evidence of greater statistical significance when comparing revision FESS and primary FESS (p=0.04) With respect to both primary and revision FESS patients there was no statistical significance between the preoperative values of FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FVC, and FEF25-75 and the same parameters measured one month postoperatively (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our results reveal that FVC improves following FESS in cases of CRSwNP that are not also asthmatic. No relationship was demonstrable between how severe the disease is and how the lung functions. Further research that looks at FESS in asymptomatic cases of airway obstruction over more prolonged follow-up needs to be undertaken.
Modeling the Interactions between Discrete and Continuous Causal Factors in Bayesian Networks

The theory of causal independence is frequently used to facilitate the assessment of the probabilistic parameters of discrete probability distributions of complex Bayesian networks. Although it is possible to include continuous parameters in Bayesian networks as well, such parameters could not, so far, be modeled by means of causal‐independence theory, as a theory of continuous causal independence was not available. In this paper, such a theory is developed and generalized such that it allows merging continuous with discrete parameters based on the characteristics of the problem at hand. This new theory is based on the discovered relationship between the theory of causal independence and convolution in probability theory, discussed in detail for the first time in this paper. Furthermore, the new theory is used as a basis to develop a relational theory of probabilistic interactions. It is also illustrated how this new theory can be used in connection with special probability distributions.
General Video Game Playing as a Benchmark for Human-Competitive AI

Text-based conversational Turing test benchmarks for artiﬁcial intelligence have signiﬁcant limitations: It is possible to do well by only faking intelligence, thereby subverting the test’s intent. An ideal replacement test would facilitate and focus AI research, be easy to implement and automate, and ensure that human-competitive performance implied a powerful and general AI. The idea in this paper is that general video game playing is one such promising candidate for an improved human-level AI benchmark. To pass such a test, a computer program must succeed in efﬁciently completing an unannounced and diverse suite of video games, inter-acting with the game only through simulated versions of the same information streams available to a human player; the test is easy to automate but difﬁcult to exploit, and can stress nearly all aspects of human intelligence through strategic sampling of the vast library of existing video games. In this way, general video game playing may provide the basis for a simple but effective benchmark competition for human-level AI.