Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of the Urban Environment on Oxidative Stress in Early Life: Insights from a Cross-fostering Experiment

Abstract As urban areas expand rapidly worldwide, wildlife is exposed to a wide range of novel environmental stressors, such as increased air pollution and artificial light at night. Birds in highly polluted and/or urbanized habitats have been found to have increased antioxidant protection, which is likely important to avoid accumulation of oxidative damage, which can have negative fitness consequences. Yet, the current knowledge about the ontogeny of antioxidant protection in urban areas is limited; i.e., is the capacity to up-regulate the antioxidant defences already established during pre-natal development, or does it manifest itself during post-natal development? We cross-fostered great tit (Parus major) nestlings within and between urban and rural habitats, to determine if oxidative stress (measured as non-enzymatic total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and plasma lipid peroxidation) is affected by habitat of origin and/or by habitat of rearing. The results demonstrate that being reared in the urban environment triggers an increase in SOD (an intracellular, enzymatic antioxidant) independent of natal habitat. Oxidative damage increased with hatching date in urban-reared nestlings, but there was little seasonal change in rural-reared nestlings. Total antioxidant capacity was neither affected by habitat of rearing or habitat of origin, but we observed a decline with hatching date in both rearing habitats. Taken together, our results support the growing evidence that the urban environment induces a direct plastic adjustment in antioxidant protection, but that up-regulation is not sufficient to avoid increased oxidative damage in late-hatched broods. Future studies should explore the underlying causes for this effect in late-hatched broods and whether it has any negative long-term implications, both at the individual- and the population level.
Orthostatic hypotension and symptomatic subclinical orthostatic hypotension increase risk of cognitive impairment: an integrated evidence review and analysis of a large older adult hypertensive cohort

Aims Systematically reviewing the literature found orthostatic hypotension (OH) to be associated with an increased risk of incident dementia but limited data were available in those at highest risk, the hypertensive oldest-old. Our aim was to analyse the relationship between OH and incident cognitive decline or dementia in this group and to synthesize the evidence base overall. Method and results Participants aged ≥80 years, with hypertension, were from the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET) cohort. Orthostatic hypotension was defined as a fall of ≥15 mmHg in systolic and or ≥7 mmHg in diastolic pressure after 2 min standing from a sitting position. Subclinical orthostatic hypotension with symptoms (SOH) was defined as a fall <OH but with unsteadiness, light-headedness, or faintness in the week before blood pressure measurement. Proportional hazard regression was used to examine the relationship between baseline OH, SOH, and cognitive outcomes. There were 3121 in the analytical sample, 538 with OH. Orthostatic hypotension was associated with increased risk of cognitive decline (906 events), hazard ratio (HR) 1.36 (95% confidence interval 1.14-1.59). For incident dementia (241 events), HR 1.34 (0.98-1.84). When competing risk of cardiovascular events were taken into account results were HR 1.39 (1.19-1.62) and HR 1.34 (1.05-1.73), respectively. Subclinical orthostatic hypotension was associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline HR 1.56 (1.12-2.17) and dementia HR 1.79 (1.00-3.20). Combining the results from the HYVET cohort in a meta-analysis with the existing published literature in this area found a 21% (9-35%) increased risk of dementia with OH. Conclusion Orthostatic hypotension indicates an increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline. SOH may also be considered a risk factor, at least in older hypertensive adults. Questions remain regarding the mechanisms and whether interventions to reduce impact of OH could protect cognition.
Phosphorus uptake commences at the earliest stages of seedling development in rice

Seed phosphorus (P) reserves are essential for seedling development; however, we hypothesise that the quantity of P in seeds will lose importance in cultivars that rapidly acquire it via their roots. Our objective in this study was therefore to investigate the onset of seedling P uptake in rice (Oryza sativa). This was addressed through 33P-labelled supply and through measuring P depletion in combination with the detection of P transporter activity in the root tissue of three rice cultivars during early development. 33P supplied to roots 4 d after germination (DAG) was detected in shoots 2 d later, indicating that P was taken up and translocated to shoots during early seedling development. Measurements of P depletion from the growth medium indicated that uptake occurred even at 2 DAG when roots were only 3 cm long. By day 3, P depletion was rapid and P transporter activity was detected in roots, regardless of the levels of seed P reserves present. We conclude that P uptake commences at the earliest stages of seedling development in rice, that the amount taken up will be limited by root size, and that genotypes with more rapid root development should more rapidly complement seed-P reserves by root uptake.
Identification of Two Novel Mutations in KDM3A Regulatory Gene in Iranian Infertile Males

Background: KDM3A is a key epigenetic regulator expressed in the testis and is required for packaging and condensation of sperm chromatin. To this point, the association of the KDM3A gene with infertility has not been studied in human. The aim of this study was to screen any new mutation in KDM3A gene to explore more details of human male infertility. Methods: In this work, 150 infertile men (oligozoospermia and azoospermia) and 150 normal healthy fathers were studied. Polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and sequencing were used to screen any mutation in exons 12, 22, and 24 of KDM3A. Results: The infertile men showed various SSCP patterns for the exons 12 and 24, but not for exon 22. A transversion point mutation in exon 12 and a single nucleotide deletion in exon 24 were detected using sequencing analysis. The transversion mutation was located in the preceding exon of lysine-specific demethylase1 and Jumonji (Jmj)-C domain and the later one (deletion) in the cupin-like motif of KDM3A protein. Neither Y chromosome microdeletions nor partial azoospermia factor deletion was found in these patients. Conclusion: The mutations found in infertile men with otherwise unexplained severe spermatogenic failure could be considered as the origin of their abnormalities.
The microtubule-associated protein HURP recruits the centrosomal protein TACC3 to regulate K-fiber formation and support chromosome congression

Kinetochore fibers (K-fibers) are microtubule bundles attached to chromosomes. Efficient K-fiber formation is required for chromosome congression, crucial for faithful chromosome segregation in cells. However, the mechanisms underlying K-fiber formation before chromosome biorientation remain unclear. Depletion of hepatoma up-regulated protein (HURP), a RanGTP-dependent microtubule-associated protein localized on K-fibers, has been shown to result in low-efficiency K-fiber formation. Therefore, here we sought to identify critical interaction partners of HURP that may modulate this function. Using co-immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, we determined that HURP interacts directly with the centrosomal protein transforming acidic coiled coil–containing protein 3 (TACC3), a centrosomal protein, both in vivo and in vitro through the HURP1–625 region. We found that HURP is important for TACC3 function during kinetochore microtubule assembly at the chromosome region in prometaphase. Moreover, HURP regulates stable lateral kinetochore attachment and chromosome congression in early mitosis by modulation of TACC3. These findings provide new insight into the coordinated regulation of K-fiber formation and chromosome congression in prometaphase by microtubule-associated proteins.
Anticosti Island: a hot spot for Neospondylis upiformis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in eastern Canada?

Abstract Background During an inventory of insect diversity on Anticosti Island in 1993, we caught unprecedented numbers of Neospondylis upiformis (Mannerheim), a longhorned beetle rarely observed in eastern North America. All specimens were caught using 12-funnel Lindgren traps baited with 95% ethanol and α-pinene. This longhorned beetle was captured again in 2007 on Anticosti with the same traps. Other than that, seven specimens of N. upiformis were caught elsewhere in Quebec between 1993 and 2015. Only 14 specimens were found in the 45 most important insect collections of the province, the most recent specimen dating back to 1964. New information At least 90% of the captures came from old-growth balsam fir stands of the south-central part of the island. Seasonal flight activity ranged from early June to late July, but adult captures peaked in early July. Results suggest that Anticosti Island might be a hot spot for N. upiformis in eastern North America, particularly in its south-central part where old-growth balsam fir forests still exist.
Cryptic species diversity in polypores: the Skeletocutis nivea species complex

Abstract We propose a taxonomic revision of the two closely related white-rot polypore species, Skeletocutis nivea (Jungh.) Jean Keller and S. ochroalba Niemelä (Incrustoporiaceae, Basidiomycota), based on phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor EF-1α sequences. We show that prevailing morphological species concepts of S. nivea and S. ochroalba are non-monophyletic and we delineate new species boundaries based on phylogenetic inference. We recognise eleven species within the prevailing species concept of S. nivea (S. calida sp. nov., S. coprosmae comb. nov., S. futilis sp. nov., S. impervia sp. nov., S. ipuletii sp. nov., S. lepida sp. nov., S. nemoralis sp. nov., S. nivea sensu typi, S. semipileata comb. nov., S. unguina sp. nov. and S. yuchengii sp. nov.) and assign new sequenced epitypes for S. nivea and S. semipileata. The traditional concept of S. ochroalba comprises two independent lineages embedded within the S. nivea species complex. The Eurasian conifer-dwelling species S. cummata sp. nov. is recognised as separate from the North American S. ochroalba sensu stricto. Despite comprehensive microscopic examination, the majority of the recognised species are left without stable diagnostic character combinations that would enable species identification based solely on morphology and ecology.
Resource Utilization and Costs in Adolescents Treated for Cancer in Pediatric vs Adult Institutions

BACKGROUND Adolescents with cancer can receive care in pediatric or adult institutions. Survival often differs by locus, but little is known about relative health care utilization and costs. We estimated these in a population-based cohort of adolescents. METHODS All Ontario adolescents (15.0-17.9 years) diagnosed with cancer between 1995 and 2010 were identified from provincial cancer registries. We compared health care resource utilization (hospitalizations, emergency department visits, same-day surgeries, outpatient chemotherapy, radiation, diagnostic/laboratory tests, physician services, home care) and costs (2012 Canadian dollars) during four discrete care phases-prediagnosis (60 days), initial (360 days), continuing (variable), and terminal (360 days)-between adolescents treated in pediatric vs adult institutions, for the whole cohort and within seven diagnostic categories. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Of 1356 eligible adolescents, 691 and 665 were treated in adult and pediatric institutions, respectively. Hospitalization rates were higher in pediatric institutions during prediagnosis (14.9% vs 6.9%, P < .001), initial (95.1% vs 73.3%, P < .001), and continuing phases (43.2% vs 34.4%, P = .002), but similar (96.1% vs 96.3%, P = .93) during the terminal phase. Average length of stay was higher at pediatric institutions within most diagnoses and phases. For all diagnoses, median initial phase costs were higher in pediatric than adult institutions (eg, leukemia: $153 926 vs $102 418 per 360 days, P < .001; lymphoma: $65 025 vs $19 846, P < .001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The costs of caring for adolescents with the same malignancy are considerably higher in pediatric than adult institutions during most phases. Resource utilization, particularly hospitalization, drives much of the cost difference, making these data applicable to other jurisdictions.
Feeling Old, Body and soul: The effect of aging Body reminders on age identity.

Objectives Although changes in body functioning and appearance signal the aging process to ourselves and others, studies give limited attention to the effect of bodily experiences of aging on age identity. Our study examines the effect on age identity of three categories of aging body reminders: everyday body problems, body repairs, and body aids. Methods Hierarchical linear models are run using five waves of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011-2015). Models predict the effect on age identity of change in the count of everyday body problems (e.g., pain), body repairs (i.e., surgeries and medications), and body aids (e.g., hearing aids). Results Increases in everyday body problems and body repairs (in particular, medications) predict older identities, with the strongest average effect found for everyday body problems. These results are observed in models controlling on health, suggesting that body reminders exert independent effects. Discussion Our study reveals a realm of aging experiences - i.e., bodily experiences - that influence age identity. Avenues for further research include examinations of other aging body reminders, as well as variation across individuals.
Influence of omega‐3 incorporation in sperm preservation medium on physical and kinematic properties of chilled and cryopreserved ram spermatozoa

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the efficiency of supplementing sperm preservation medium with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on improving liquid-chilled storage and cryopreservation capacity of ram spermatozoa. Ejaculates (n = 100) were collected from five adult rams, Ovis aries, by an artificial vagina twice weekly throughout the period February-April, 2017. After initial evaluation, ejaculates of each collection session from the same males were pooled, diluted (1:10) with Tris-citric acid egg yolk extender, and were further split into five aliquots using a split-sample technique. The first aliquot served as control (omega-free), whereas the other four portions were supplemented with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 mM omega-3, respectively (T0 ). Thereafter, the diluted specimens were stored at 4°C for 48 hr, during which sperm physical and morphometric properties were evaluated along with oxidative stress indices (T24 , T48 ). Omega-3 levels that efficiently mitigated the detrimental effects of chilled preservation, and maintained preservation aptitude of spermatozoa were further investigated for sperm cryosurvival against control (untreated). Post-thaw physical and kinematic properties of spermatozoa, in all groups, were objectively evaluated by a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. The results showed that, at 48 hr of chilled storage, supplementing preservation medium with 0.4 mM omega-3 was positively correlated (p < 0.01) with each of progressive motility, live sperm, intact acrosome and intact cell membrane (r = 0.83, 0.85, 0.85, 0.89, respectively). Furthermore, a positive correlation (p < 0.01) was observed between inclusion of omega-3 in cryopreservation medium and each of post-thaw total sperm motility, progressive motility, live sperm, normal sperm, intact acrosome, intact cell membrane, VCL, VSL, VAP, ALH and STR (r = 0.76, 0.84, 0.79, 0.90, 0.89, 0.91, 0.61, 0.73, 0.65, 0.78 and 0.60, respectively). These results accentuate efficiency of supplementing the diluent with omega-3 fatty acids on improving chilled and cryopreservation aptitude of ram spermatozoa.
The clinical implications of computerised fluid dynamic modelling in rhinology.

BACKGROUND The nose is a dynamic organ and is the first point of contact between inhaled air and mucosal surfaces. Within the nasal cavity, there are changes of air flow and pressure occurring during the respiratory cycle, as well as exchanges of heat and humidity, and important immune responses to inhaled antigens and allergens. METHODOLOGY This review is a summary for rhinologists covering what is known about airflow within the nose and sinuses and the impact of pathology and treatments on the physical environment of the nasal cavity. The review will concentrate largely on the significant contribution that computational fluid dynamics has had on this field. RESULTS The complex anatomical structure of the nasal cavity provides an aerodynamic environment that guides the airflow throughout the nasal cavities. However, anatomical or inflammatory changes can modify the air flow, heat and humidity exchanges, with negative consequences on nasal physiology. Restoration of normal airflow is a key goal to achieve success in the treatment of nasal diseases. CONCLUSIONS Computational fluid dynamics is a method of analysis originating from engineering which has been adapted for rhinology. Although still an expensive and laborious technique, it may become a viable diagnostic tool in the future for studying nasal physiology.
A functional micro-electrode mapping of ventral thalamus in essential tremor

Using microelectrode recordings in patients with essential tremor undergoing DBS surgery, Pedrosa et al. demonstrate that the ventrolateral thalamus shows maximum tremor-related activity and the highest coherence with electromyographic activity in the contralateral arm. Efferent pockets of activity outnumber afferent, and the phase relationship between these components modulates tremor amplitude.
Changes in sleep duration and the risk of incident dementia in the elderly Japanese: the Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study

Abstract Study Objectives To examine the association between changes in sleep duration and the risk of incident dementia in the elderly. Methods In 2006, we conducted a cohort study of 7422 disability-free Japanese individuals aged ≥65 years who lived in Ohsaki City, Japan. In both 1994 and 2006, the individual amount of sleep obtained was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Based on sleep duration at these two time points, participants were categorized into five groups according to the change in sleep duration. Data on incident dementia were retrieved from the public Long-term Care Insurance database, and the subjects were followed up for 5.7 years (between April 2007 and November 2012). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for incident dementia. Results During 36338 person-years of follow up, 688 cases of incident dementia were documented. Compared with subjects who had no change in sleep duration, the multivariate HRs (95% CIs) of incident dementia were 1.31 (1.07 to 1.60) for those whose sleep duration increased by 1 hr, and 2.01 (1.51 to 2.69) for an increase of ≥2 hr. Conclusions Increased sleep duration is associated with a significantly higher risk of incident dementia in the elderly. Future studies using well-validated measurements are needed to confirm the association between sleep and dementia.
Fli-1 Governs Pericyte Dysfunction in a Murine Model of Sepsis

Background Pericytes are vascular mural cells and are embedded in the basement membrane of the microvasculature. Recent studies suggest a role for pericytes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microvascular dysfunction and mortality, but the mechanisms of pericyte loss in sepsis are largely unknown. Methods By using a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced murine model of sepsis, we observed that CLP led to lung and renal pericyte loss and reduced lung pericyte density and pericyte/endothelial cell (EC) coverage. Results Up-regulated Friend leukemia virus integration 1 (Fli-1) messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein levels were found in lung pericytes from CLP mice in vivo and in LPS-stimulated lung pericytes in vitro. Knockout of Fli-1 in Foxd1-derived pericytes prevented CLP-induced pericyte loss, vascular leak, and improved survival. Disrupted Fli-1 expression by small interfering RNA inhibited LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in cultured lung pericytes. Furthermore, CLP-induced pericyte pyroptosis was mitigated in pericyte Fli-1 knockout mice. Conclusions Our findings suggest that Fli-1 is a potential therapeutic target in sepsis.
Scholarly Influence of the Conference and Labs of the Evaluation Forum eHealth Initiative: Review and Bibliometric Study of the 2012 to 2017 Outcomes

Background The eHealth initiative of the Conference and Labs of the Evaluation Forum (CLEF) has aimed since 2012 to provide researchers working on health text analytics with annual workshops, shared development challenges and tasks, benchmark datasets, and software for processing and evaluation. In 2012, it ran as a scientific workshop with the aim of establishing an evaluation lab, and since 2013, this annual workshop has been supplemented with 3 or more preceding labs each year. An evaluation lab is an activity where the participating individuals or teams’ goal is to solve the same problem, typically using the same dataset in a given time frame. The overall purpose of this initiative is to support patients, their next of kin, clinical staff, health scientists, and health care policy makers in accessing, understanding, using, and authoring health information in a multilingual setting. In the CLEF eHealth 2013 to 2017 installations, the aim was to address patient-centric text processing. From 2015, the scope was also extended to aid both patients’ understanding and clinicians’ authoring of various types of medical content. CLEF eHealth 2017 introduced a new pilot task on technology-assisted reviews (TARs) in empirical medicine in order to support health scientists and health care policymakers’ information access. Objectives This original research paper reports on the outcomes of the first 6 installations of CLEF eHealth from 2012 to 2017. The focus is on measuring and analyzing the scholarly influence by reviewing CLEF eHealth papers and their citations. Methods A review and bibliometric study of the CLEF eHealth proceedings, working notes, and author-declared paper extensions were conducted. Citation content analysis was used for the publications and their citations collected from Google Scholar. Results As many as 718 teams registered their interest in the tasks, leading to 130 teams submitting to the 15 tasks. A total of 184 papers using CLEF eHealth data generated 1299 citations, yielding a total scholarly citation influence of almost 963,000 citations for the 741 coauthors, and included authors from 33 countries across the world. Eight tasks produced statistically significant improvements (2, 3, and 3 times with P<.001, P=.009, and P=.04, respectively) in processing quality by at least 1 out of the top 3 methods. Conclusions These substantial participation numbers, large citation counts, and significant performance improvements encourage continuing to develop these technologies to address patient needs. Consequently, data and tools have been opened for future research and development, and the CLEF eHealth initiative continues to run new challenges.