Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ocular-Component-Specific miRNA Expression in a Murine Model of Lens-Induced Myopia

To identify tissues and molecules involved in refractive myopic shift and axial length elongation in a murine lens-induced myopia model, we performed a comprehensive analysis of microRNA (miRNA) expression. Three weeks after negative 30 diopter lens fixation on three-week-old C57BL/6J mice, total RNA was extracted from individual ocular components including cornea, iris, lens, retina, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/choroid, and sclera tissue. The miRNA expression analysis was pooled from three samples and carried out using Agilent Mouse miRNA Microarray (8 × 60 K) miRBase21.0. The expression ratio was calculated, and differentially expressed miRNAs were extracted, using GeneSpring GX 14.5. Myopic induction showed a significant myopic refractive change, axial elongation, and choroidal thinning. Through the comprehensive miRNA analysis, several upregulated miRNAs (56 in cornea tissue, 13 in iris tissue, 6 in lens tissue, 0 in retina tissue, 29 in RPE/choroid tissue, and 30 in sclera tissue) and downregulated miRNAs (7 in cornea tissue, 28 in iris tissue, 17 in lens tissue, 9 in retina tissue, 7 in RPE/choroid tissue, and 40 in sclera tissue) were observed. Overlapping expression changes in miRNAs were also found in different ocular components. Some of this miRNA dysregulation may be functionally involved in refractive myopia shift and axial length elongation.
An Inexpensive Staining Alternative for Gelatin Zymography Gels

Zymography is a widely used electrophoretic method to determine proteolytic activities in samples from various sources. The method is based on copolymerizing a suitable protein substrate within a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel. Following electrophoretic separation of the protease containing samples and a suitable incubation period, degradation of the substrate can be visualized through staining with Coomassie blue. Sites of proteolysis become visible as white bands on a dark blue background. However, this staining protocol requires considerable amounts of ethanol and acetic acid to remove unbound dye molecules. In this report, we describe a new staining protocol using Ponceau S which offers substantial advantages in terms of assay usability and cost reduction, especially when performing large quantities of zymograms or in resource-limited settings. Fast and reproducible staining of zymograms with our protocol is demonstrated, and reliable quantitation of proteolytic activity in comparison to the standard Coomassie staining procedure is shown.
Adapting family-based treatment for paediatric obesity: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

OBJECTIVE This pilot study aimed to refine and test an adaption of family-based treatment (FBT) for eating disorders that addressed the distinct clinical needs of adolescents with overweight or obesity in the absence of eating disorder pathology. Our hypothesis was that FBT for paediatric obesity (FBT-PO) would be feasible to implement and superior to a nutrition education counselling (NEC) condition delivered to both parents and patients, thereby controlling for key information dissemination across groups while manipulating active therapeutic content and strategy. METHOD Seventy-seven adolescents were randomized to FBT-PO or NEC across two sites. RESULTS Results supported our core prediction, in that weight status among adolescent study participants receiving FBT-PO remained stable while increasing among participants randomized to NEC. Attrition was high in both conditions. CONCLUSIONS FBT-PO, while not seeming to yield a marked decrease in body mass index z-score, may arrest an otherwise-occurring weight-gain trajectory for these adolescents. This efficacy finding is consistent with the overall PO literature supporting parental involvement in the treatment of PO. Future research efforts should address retention in FBT-PO.
Effect of lifestyle, medication and ethnicity on cardiometabolic risk in the year following the first episode of psychosis: prospective cohort study

Background The first episode of psychosis is a critical period in the emergence of cardiometabolic risk. Aims We set out to explore the influence of individual and lifestyle factors on cardiometabolic outcomes in early psychosis. Method This was a prospective cohort study of 293 UK adults presenting with first-episode psychosis investigating the influence of sociodemographics, lifestyle (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, nutrition, smoking, alcohol, substance use) and medication on cardiometabolic outcomes over the following 12 months. Results Rates of obesity and glucose dysregulation rose from 17.8% and 12%, respectively, at baseline to 23.7% and 23.7% at 1 year. Little change was seen over time in the 76.8% tobacco smoking rate or the quarter who were sedentary for over 10 h daily. We found no association between lifestyle at baseline or type of antipsychotic medication prescribed with either baseline or 1-year cardiometabolic outcomes. Median haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) rose by 3.3 mmol/mol in participants from Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups, with little change observed in their White counterparts. At 12 months, one-third of those with BME heritage exceeded the threshold for prediabetes (HbA1c >39 mmol/mol). Conclusions Unhealthy lifestyle choices are prevalent in early psychosis and cardiometabolic risk worsens over the next year, creating an important window for prevention. We found no evidence, however, that preventative strategies should be preferentially directed based on lifestyle habits. Further work is needed to determine whether clinical strategies should allow for differential patterns of emergence of cardiometabolic risk in people of different ethnicities.
Cloned pig fetuses exhibit fatty acid deficiency from impaired placental transport

Cloned pig fetuses produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer show a high incidence of erroneous development in the uteri of surrogate mothers. The mechanisms underlying the abnormal intrauterine development of cloned pig fetuses are poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the potential causes of the aberrant development of cloned pig fetuses. The levels of numerous fatty acids in allantoic ﬂuid and muscle tissue were lower in cloned pig fetuses than in artificial insemination‐generated pig fetuses, thereby suggesting that cloned pig fetuses underwent fatty acid deficiency. Cloned pig fetuses also displayed trophoblast hypoplasia and a reduced expression of placental fatty acid transport protein 4 (FATP4), which is the predominant FATP family member expressed in porcine placentas. This result suggested that the placental fatty acid transport functions were impaired in cloned pig fetuses, possibly causing fatty acid deficiency in cloned pig fetuses. The present study provides useful information in elucidating the mechanisms underlying the abnormal development of cloned pig fetuses.
A systemic review of maternal wellbeing and its relationship with maternal fetal attachment and early postpartum bonding

Background An emerging body of literature suggests there is a relationship between a pregnant woman’s psychological wellbeing and the development of maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) and early postpartum bonding. The nature of this relationship is not well understood because of the limited theoretical framework surrounding the construct of MFA and variations in study methods and data collection points. In this systematic review, we synthesize the published literature to determine the nature of the relationship from the antenatal to early postnatal period and to provide recommendations for future research and clinical practice. Method Using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) approach, four electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed empirical studies, published in English. Articles were considered for inclusion if data was collected on at least one domain of maternal wellbeing/mental health and MFA during pregnancy or MFA during pregnancy and the mother-infant relationship during the early postpartum period (up to 12 weeks). No date parameters were applied to the search strategy. The review was registered with PROPSERO (registration number: CRD42018096174). Results 25 studies examining maternal mental health and MFA/postpartum bonding were selected for inclusion in this review. Key findings identified from the review were: a need to validate existing mental health measures or develop new measures specific for use in antenatal populations; inconsistencies in data collection points throughout pregnancy and postpartum; a lack of consensus about the construct of MFA and the way it is assessed; and a continued focus on postpartum outcomes. Conclusion Scientific gaps remain in our understanding of the relationship between maternal mental health and both MFA and postpartum bonding which limit our theoretical understanding of the MFA construct. Recommendations for future research are to employ prospective longitudinal designs that span the full pregnancy and postpartum period, and for consistency in the terminology and methodology used when considering MFA. A re-focus of research attention on the theory behind MFA will allow a richer and more holistic account of the emerging relationship between mother and baby.
Mental health and drug use severity: the role of substance P, neuropeptide Y, self-reported childhood history of trauma, parental bonding and current resiliency

Abstract Background Many risk factors lead to opioid use and drug-related problems. One of the challenges to understand behavioural factors, drug problems and psychopathology is to identify biological markers that are suitable for research on broad substance abuse and dependence involving human participants. Aims The study has examined the relationships between the self-reported childhood history of trauma, parental bonding, psychopathology, impulsivity, current resiliency, two neuropeptides, possible markers of behaviour and emotion regulation, and severity of drug-related problems. Methods One hundred and sixty-seven individuals with a history of opioid use completed questionnaires. Serum neuropeptide Y (NPY) and substance P (SP) levels were analysed. Moderating and mediating relationships between variables were examined using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results Antisocial features, depression, impulsivity, SP, NPY, emotional neglect and resilience are associated with severity of drug-related problems. SP is associated with antisocial personality traits. Conclusions The novelty of this study is the proposed possible link between biochemical markers, antisocial features and behavioural and emotional regulation. Serum NPY and SP levels have a potential to be used as a biomarker in opioid users before and in the treatment process to account for interactions between biological vulnerabilities and childhood risk factors in predicting behavioural adjustment and more severe drug-related problems.
Acute Aspirin Plus Cilostazol Dual Therapy for Noncardioembolic Stroke Patients Within 48 Hours of Symptom Onset

Background The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of antiplatelet (aspirin plus cilostazol) dual therapy for patients with noncardioembolic stroke within 48 hours of symptom onset. Methods and Results The ADS (Acute Aspirin Plus Cilostazol Dual Therapy for Non‐Cardiogenic Stroke Patients Within 48 Hours of Symptom Onset ) study is an investigator‐initiated, prospective, multicenter (34 hospitals in Japan), randomized, open‐label, and aspirin‐controlled trial. Acute stroke patients with noncardioembolic stroke within 48 hours of onset were studied. The subjects were randomly allocated to combination therapy with aspirin 81 to 200 mg plus cilostazol 200 mg (dual group) and single therapy with aspirin 81 to 200 mg (aspirin group) for 14 days. After the 14 days, all patients took the cilostazol 200 mg for 3 months. A primary efficacy outcome was defined as any one of the following occurring (neurological deterioration, symptomatic stroke recurrence, or transient ischemic attack) within 14 days. A primary safety outcome included intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Between May 2011 and June 2017, 1201 patients (796 [66%] men; median age, 69 [61–77] years) randomized 1:1 to either the dual group or the aspirin group were analyzed. Initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 2 (1–4) in both groups (P=0.830). A primary efficacy outcome was observed in 11% in the dual group and 11% in the aspirin group (P=0.853). A primary safety outcome occurred in 2 (0.3%) in the dual group and in 1 (0.2%) in the aspirin group (P=0.624). Conclusions Dual antiplatelet therapy using cilostazol and aspirin was safe but did not reduce the rate of short‐term neurological worsening. Clinical Trial Registration URL: umin.ac. jp/ctr/index/htm. Unique identifier: UMIN000004950.
A performance comparison of the 20 and 30 meter six-minute walk tests among middle aged and older adults

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the performance of the Six-Minute Walk Test on 20-meter (6MWT20) and 30-meter (6MWT30) tracks and to test the validity and reliability of the 6MWT20 in middle-aged and older adults. Method: The subjects underwent lung function assessment and performed the 6MWT30 and 6MWT20. Student´s t-tests or Wilcoxon tests were used to compare the variables. The Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the validity of the 6MWT20 and the reliability of the 6MWT20. The 6MWT30 was tested by the two-way mixed model of the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC 3,1). Results: Twenty-five subjects (age: 60 ± 10 years) walked, on average, 11.0 ± 21.9 m more in the 6MWT30 than in the 6MWT20 (p < .05). The walking distance, the number of steps, the energy expenditure and the movement intensity between the 6MWT20 and 6MWT30 was correlated (r = 0.95; r = 0.81; r = 0.91; r = 0.67; respectively, p < .001). The walking distances showed high reliability and were similar between test and re-test in the 6MWT30 (544 ± 72.1 vs. 551 ± 70.5; p < .05; ICC = 0.97) and in the 6MWT20 (533 ± 73.1 vs. 532 ± 59.1; p < .05; ICC = 0.87). Conclusion: The 6MWT20 performance is lower than the 6MWT30 However, this difference is not clinically relevant. Additionally, the 6MWT20 is a valid and reproducible test to assess the functional capacity of middle-aged and older adults.
Identification of microRNA biomarkers in atrial fibrillation

Abstract Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is recognized as the most prevalent arrhythmia, and its subsequently serious complications of heart failure and thromboembolism always raise the social attention. To date, the molecular pathogenesis of AF has largely remained unclear. Publications of contemporary studies have evaluated individual miRNAs expression signatures for AF, and findings of different studies are inconsistent and not all miRNAs reported are actually important in the pathogenesis of AF. Methods: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases will be comprehensively searched (up to April 30, 2019) for studies identifying miRNA expression profiling in subjects with and without AF. Log10 odds ratios (logORs) and associated 95% confidence interval (95%CI) will be calculated using random-effects models. Subgroup analysis will be performed according to miRNA detecting methods, species, sample types, and ethnicities. Sensitivity analysis will be conducted to detect the robustness of the findings. The methodological quality of studies will be independently assessed using criteria adopted from the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis will be performed to identify the potential target genes in AF and the corresponding pathways of dysregulated miRNAs. Two reviewers will independently screen potential studies and extract data in a structured eligibility items, with any disagreements being resolved by consensus. Results: The present systematic review will identify potential biomarkers by pooling all differentially expressed miRNAs in AF studies, as well as to predict miRNA-target interactions and to identify the potential biometric functions using bioinformatics analysis. Conclusions: This systematic review and bioinformatics analysis will identify several miRNAs as potential biomarkers for AF, and explore the biological pathways regulated by the eligible miRNAs. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019127594
Debiasing Training Improves Decision Making in the Field

The primary objection to debiasing-training interventions is a lack of evidence that they improve decision making in field settings, where reminders of bias are absent. We gave graduate students in three professional programs (N = 290) a one-shot training intervention that reduces confirmation bias in laboratory experiments. Natural variance in the training schedule assigned participants to receive training before or after solving an unannounced business case modeled on the decision to launch the Space Shuttle Challenger. We used case solutions to surreptitiously measure participants’ susceptibility to confirmation bias. Trained participants were 19% less likely to choose the inferior hypothesis-confirming solution than untrained participants. Analysis of case write-ups suggests that a reduction in confirmatory hypothesis testing accounts for their improved decision making in the case. The results provide promising evidence that debiasing-training effects transfer to field settings and can improve decision making in professional and private life.
Association of Adherence to The Mediterranean Diet with Urinary Factors Favoring Renal Lithiasis: Cross-Sectional Study of Overweight Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome

Our purpose was to study the relationship of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) with urinary factors that favor the formation of renal calcium and uric acid stones in overweight and obese participants who had metabolic syndrome. This cross-sectional study examined 267 participants. A well-known MedDiet score (range 0–9) was calculated for each patient, and patients were then categorized has having low (≤3), medium (4–5), or high (≥6) adherence to the MedDiet. Baseline characteristics and urinary parameters were also analyzed. High calcium salt urinary crystallization risk (CaUCR) and high uric acid urinary crystallization risk (UrUCR) were calculated from urinary parameters using pre-defined criteria. More than half of patients with MedDiet scores ≤3 had high UrUCR (55.4%) and high CaUCR (53.8%). In contrast, fewer patients with high adherence (≥6) to the MedDiet had high UrUCR (41.2%) and high CaUCR (29.4%). Relative to those with low adherence, individuals with high adherence had a prevalence ratio (PR) of 0.77 for a high UrUCR (95% CI: 0.46–1.12; p for trend: 0.069) and a PR of 0.51 for a high CaUCR (95% CI: 0.26–0.87; p for trend: 0.012) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, type 2 diabetes, and total energy intake. Our findings indicate that greater adherence to the MedDiet was associated with a reduced CaUCR and a reduced UrUCR. This suggests that adequate dietary management using the MedDiet patterns may prevent or reduce the incidence and recurrence of calcium salt and uric acid renal stones.
A Process-Centered Approach to the Description of Clinical Pathways—Forms and Determinants

The aim of the study is to indicate the need for variability in the presentation of clinical pathways, in various phases of their implementation, and to define the forms of presentation of clinical pathways required by physicians in both the Hospital Information Systems (HIS) and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Systems, as well as the determinants of the selection of the forms of description, in relation to the performed medical actions. The results of the study are a significant lead-in towards further research on the required form of the user interface in systems supporting dynamic business process management (dynamic BPM). The research is a pilot of a survey study, conducted to ascertain the usefulness and feasibility of the adopted methodology, for a wider project on the determinants of the form of description of clinical pathways. An exploratory pilot survey, in a large multi-specialization hospital in Poland, was conducted. The survey sample consisted of 28 purposely selected heads of all hospital departments, and the medical team of the pediatric ward. Descriptive analysis was carried out on the data collected. The results of the study have unambiguously supported the claim that physicians require the form of presentation of clinical pathways to change, depending on the particular phase of the diagnostic–therapeutic process, as well as establishing the main determinants thereof. This pilot study is one of the first attempts to establish the factors determining the choice of clinical pathway presentation in HIS/EMR systems. While not conclusively decisive in terms of the forms of presentation or the determinants of their choice, it indicates the directions of further research, both from the point of view of ergonomics and the usability of HIS/EMR systems, as well as the management of medical knowledge, as part of the dynamic management of clinical pathways.
Real‐world effects of long‐term rifaximin treatment for Japanese patients with hepatic encephalopathy

Rifaximin (RFX) improves hepatic encephalopathy (HE). However, information on long‐term treatment with RFX is limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of long‐term treatment with RFX on HE and liver function. Moreover, we investigated factors associated with the recurrence of HE under RFX treatment.
The role of dispersal, selection, and timing of sampling on the false discovery rate of loci under selection during geographic range expansion.

Identifying adaptive loci is important to understand the evolutionary potential of species undergoing range expansion. However, in expanding populations, spatial demographic processes such as allele surfing can create spatial patterns of neutral genetic variation that appear similar to those generated through adaptive processes. As a result, the false discovery rate of adaptive loci may be inflated in landscape genomic analyses. Here, we take a simulation modelling approach to investigate how range expansion affects our ability to correctly distinguish between neutral and adaptive genetic variation, using the mountain pine beetle outbreak system as a motivating example. We simulated the demographic and population genetic dynamics of populations undergoing range expansion using an individual-based genetic model CDMetaPOP. We investigated how the false discovery rate of adaptive loci is affected by: 1) dispersal capacity; 2) timing of sampling; and 3) the strength of selection on an adaptive reference locus. We found that a combination of weak dispersal, weak selection, and early sampling presents the greatest risk of misidentifying loci under selection. Expanding populations present unique challenges to the reliable identification of adaptive loci. We demonstrate that there is a need for further methodological development to account for directional demographic processes in landscape genomics.