Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Binge-Like Exposure to Ethanol Enhances Morphine's Anti-nociception in B6 Mice

Elevation of the blood ethanol concentration (BEC) to > 80 mg/dL (17.4 mM) after binge drinking enhances inflammation in brain and neuroimmune signaling pathways. Morphine abuse is frequently linked to excessive drinking. Morphine exerts its actions mainly via the seven transmembrane G-protein-coupled mu opioid receptors (MORs). Opioid use disorders (OUDs) include combination of opioids with alcohol, leading to opioid overdose-related deaths. We hypothesized that binge drinking potentiates onset and progression of OUD. Using C57BL/6J (B6) mice, we first characterized time-dependent inflammatory gene expression change as molecular markers using qRT-PCR within 24 h after binge-like exposure to high-dose, high-concentration ethanol (EtOH). The mice were given one injection of EtOH (5 g/kg, 42% v/v, i.g.) and sacrificed at 2.5 h, 5 h, 7.5 h, or 24 h later. Inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 were elevated in both the striatum (STr) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the mice. We then investigated the expression profile of MOR in the STr at 2 min, 5 h, or 24 h after the first EtOH injection and at 24 h and 48 h after the third injection. This binge-like exposure to EtOH upregulated MOR expression in the STr and NAc, an effect that could enhance morphine's anti-nociception. Therefore, we examined the impact of binge-like exposure to EtOH on morphine's anti-nociception at the behavioral level. The mice were treated with or without 3-d binge-like exposure to EtOH, and the anti-nociceptive changes were evaluated using the hot-plate test 24 h after the final (3rd) EtOH injection with or without a cumulative subcutaneous dose (0, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg) of morphine at intervals of 30 min. The response curve of the mice given EtOH was shifted to the left, showing enhanced latency to response to morphine up to 3 mg/kg. Furthermore, co-treatment with the MOR antagonist naltrexone blocked morphine's anti-nociception in animals given either EtOH or saline. This confirms that MOR is involved in binge-like exposure to EtOH-induced changes in morphine's anti-nociception. Our results suggest that EtOH enhanced latency to analgesic response to morphine, and such effect might initiate the onset and progression of OUDs.
Styles of Leadership, Fears of Compassion, and Competing to Avoid Inferiority

There is general agreement that styles of leadership evolved from mammalian group living strategies that form social ranks. In both non-human primates and humans, different styles of hierarchical dominant-subordinate and leader-follower behavior can be observed. These can be described in terms of dimensions of antisocial (relatively self-focused, aggressive and threat-based) and prosocial (relatively empathic, caring, and supportive) interpersonal styles. The aim of this study was to explore how a set of established self-report questionnaires might relate to these two dimensions. Two hundred and nineteen students completed questionnaires assessing ruthless self-advancement, coalition building, and dominant leadership styles, as well as hypercompetitiveness, narcissism, striving to avoid inferiority, compassion focused and ego focused goals, fears of compassion, social safeness and attachment (in)security. A principal component analysis supported an antisocial leadership style factor which comprised of ruthless self-advancement, narcissism and hypercompetitiveness. This was significantly correlated with fears of compassion, ego focused goals, insecure striving (striving to avoid inferiority), fears of losing out, fears of being overlooked, fears of being rejected, and avoidant relating in close relationships. It was significantly negatively correlated with compassionate goals. As the results did not reveal a clear factor solution for a prosocial leadership style, we chose to use the coalition building leadership style variable. This showed the opposite pattern, being significantly negatively correlated with narcissism, hypercompetitiveness, fears of compassion, fears of active rejection, and avoidance in close relationships. It was significantly positively correlated with secure striving, compassionate goals, and social safeness. We also found that fears of compassion for others was a partial mediator of the relationship between insecure striving with antisocial leadership style. Moreover, lower fears of compassion for the self emerged as a key mediator for the relationship between non-avoidant attachment with coalition building leadership style and, secure non-striving with coalition building leadership style. While the motive to accumulate social power, resources and dominance may be linked to antisocial forms of leadership, the intensity of the drive may also be linked to unaddressed threats and fears of rejection and fears of compassion. Efforts to promote more ethical, moral and prosocial forms of leadership may falter if such fears are left unaddressed.
Lipid Profile Changes During the Development of Artemia franciscana, From Cysts to the First Two Naupliar Stages

The brine shrimp Artemia is an interesting experimental system for studies of developmental processes. Hatching of dormant cysts gives rise to shrimp larvae called nauplii, characterized by numerous naupliar stages representing the first forms of brine shrimp life cycle. Here combined Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time-of-Flight/Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) analyses have been performed to gain information on the lipid profiles of cysts and two naupliar stages. Lipid bands isolated after preparative TLC of the lipid extracts have been analyzed to detect various species of each lipid class; in addition Post-Source Decay (PSD) analyses allowed the identification of phospholipid chains. We compared the relative abundance of various polar and neutral lipid species in the lipid extracts, proving for the first time that during the development of nauplii there is an increase of cardiolipin (CL) and lysophospholipid levels; in parallel, the amount of phosphatidylcholine (PC) decreases. In addition, as regards neutral lipids, we found an increase of diacylglycerols (DAGs) in correspondence of the decrease of triacylglycerols (TAGs). Data reflect the fact that naupliar stages, being an active form of life, are more metabolically active and offer a platform to develop further studies on the importance of lipid metabolic pathways and bioactive lipids during the development.
Where Children Live: Examining Whether Neighborhood Crime and Poverty Is Associated With Overweight and Obesity Among Low-Income Preschool-Aged Primary Care Patients

Introduction: Low-income and racial/ethnic minority preschoolers (aged 2–5 years) are disproportionately affected by obesity and its associated health consequences. Individual-level factors (e.g., diet) and environmental factors (e.g., neighborhood conditions) contribute to these disparities. However, there is limited research examining the role of neighborhood factors on obesity risk specifically among high-risk preschoolers. The objectives of this study are to describe the geographic distribution of preschool patients receiving care at two primary care pediatrics clinics affiliated with an academic medical center, and explore whether exposure to neighborhood crime and poverty is associated with obesity risk among this population. Methods: Cross-sectional multilevel study linking clinical administrative data on patient visits between 2007 and 2012 with data from the American Community Survey and the Baltimore City Police Department. Home addresses of 2–5 year-old patients were geocoded to their neighborhood (i.e., census block group) of residence. We used logistic regression to examine the cross-sectional relationship between obesity and overweight and neighborhood-level factors. All analyses were adjusted for age and gender, and stratified by race/ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, and White). Results: The majority of preschool patients lived in moderate or high crime (84%) or high poverty (54%) neighborhoods. A significantly higher proportion of Black preschoolers lived in high poverty neighborhoods compared to White preschoolers (61% vs. 38%, p < 0.001). Among this clinic-based sample of preschoolers, living in high crime or high poverty neighborhoods was not associated with a clinically significant increased odds of overweight or obesity. Conclusions: This study examines the association between neighborhood factors and obesity and overweight among a clinic-based population of low-income racial/ethnic minority preschoolers. The neighborhoods where preschoolers in this sample lived, on average had higher crime counts and poverty than the citywide average for Baltimore. Our findings also suggest that Black preschoolers are exposed to higher levels of neighborhood poverty compared to Whites. While no meaningful association between these neighborhood factors and odds of obesity or overweight was found in this cross-sectional analysis, our findings suggest avenues for future studies informative to the development of clinic-based obesity management interventions aimed at effectively addressing neighborhood contributors to early childhood obesity disparities.
Psychological resilience correlates with EEG source-space brain network flexibility

Objective We aimed at identifying the potential relationship between the dynamical properties of the human functional network at rest and one of the most prominent traits of personality, namely resilience. Approach To tackle this issue, we used resting-state EEG data recorded from 45 healthy subjects. Resilience was quantified using the 10-items Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Using a sliding windows approach, brain networks in each EEG frequency band (delta, theta, alpha and beta) were constructed using the EEG source-space connectivity method. Brain networks dynamics were evaluated using the network flexibility, linked with the tendency of a given node to change its modular affiliation over time. Main Results The results revealed a negative correlation between the psychological resilience and the brain network flexibility for a limited number of brain regions within the delta, alpha and beta bands. Significance This study provides evidence that network flexibility, a metric of dynamic functional networks, is strongly correlated with psychological resilience as assessed from personality testing. Beyond this proof-of-principle that reliable EEG-based quantities representative of personality traits can be identified, this motivates further investigation regarding the full spectrum of personality aspects and their relationship with functional networks.
The Great Recession and Public Education

We examine the impact of the Great Recession on public education finance and employment. Five major themes emerge from our work. First, nearly 300,000 school employees lost their jobs. Second, schools that were heavily dependent financially on state governments were particularly vulnerable to the recession. Third, local revenues from the property tax actually increased during the recession, primarily because millage rates rose in response to declining property values. Fourth, inequality in school spending rose sharply during the Great Recession. We argue, however, that we need to be very cautious about this result. School spending inequality has risen steadily since 2000; the trend in inequality we see in the 2008–13 period is very similar to the trend we see in the 2000–08 period. Fifth, the federal government's efforts to shield education from some of the worst effects of the recession achieved their major goal.
De nouveaux descripteurs de Fourier géométriques pour l'analyse d'images couleur

Cet article s'appuie sur deux developpements recents de methodes bien referencees : – Une transformee de Fourier pour les images couleur construite dans le cadre des algebres geometriques [1]. – Des descripteurs de Fourier dits generalises definis a partir des representations du groupe des deplacements du plan [15]. Le but est de proposer de nouveaux descripteurs de Fourier couleur parametres par un bivecteur qui joue le role de plan d'analyse dans un espace colorimetrique. Nous discutons de la pertinence de ces descripteurs sur les bases COIL-100 et color FERET en les comparant entre autres a l'approche marginale utilisee dans [15]. En particulier, nous etudions l'influence du choix du plan d'analyse et en proposons une interpretation. Les descripteurs construits se revelent etre plus compacts et de complexite algorithmique moindre pour des meilleures performances de classification.
C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction in Rats with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Lipopolysaccharide induces rapid deterioration of cardiac function in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension. It was desired to investigate if this cardiac dysfunction could be treated by C-type natriuretic peptide. Rat pulmonary arterial hypertension was induced by intraperitoneal injection of monocrotaline. Hemodynamics and cardiac function were measured by pressure-volume (P-V) catheter before and after the rats were treated with lipopolysaccharide and C-type natriuretic peptide. Cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis. After the rats were injected with low-dose lipopolysaccharide, they experienced left ventricle systolic function deterioration. Administration of C-type natriuretic peptide improved hemodynamics and left ventricle systolic function. cGMP level was elevated after C-type natriuretic peptide treatment. C-type natriuretic peptide could ameliorate lipopolysaccharide-induced cardiac dysfunction and restore hemodynamic deterioration in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Self Assessment of Dental students’ Perception of Learning Environment in Croatia, India and Nepal

Aim The aim of this study was to assess dental students' perception of different learning environment in India, Nepal and Croatia. Methods The study was conducted during a period of academic year 2016/17. A total of 849 dental students participated in the study. There were 188 respondents from Croatia, 373 from India, and 288 from Nepal. Non-responders were not followed up. The Dental Student Learning Environment Survey (DSLES) was used which consisted of 55 items subdivided into seven scales. The scales measured the following perceptions: Flexibility, ‘Student-to-Student Interactions, Emotional Climate, Supportiveness, Meaningful Experience, Organization and Breadth of Interest. Statistical analysis of the data utilised the Kolmogorov Smirnov test. The Kruskal-Wallis “non-parametric ANOVA” was also used to test the differences between the countries. A post hoc analysis was performed using Ranks tables and the Median test. Results The response rate was 26.9%. Significant differences between the countries were found for all DSLES variables (Kruskal-Wallis, p<0.01). The Median test also showed significant differences between the countries for all DSLES variables (p<0.01). The scales with the highest mean values were ‘Student-to-student interactions’ in India and Nepal, and the ‘Emotional Climate’ in Croatia. Conclusions Students in Croatia rated their school only with grades excellent and good, while their colleagues in India and Nepal were more critical. Despite the different settings in three countries, ‘Flexibility’ was identified as the area of weakness in all three educational systems.
Intralesional Injection of the Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine into Resistant Palmoplantar Warts: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Common resistant-to-therapy warts pose a challenge to both clinicians and patients. Among many destructive and immunotherapeutic options, no single, fully effective treatment has been suggested yet. Many investigations, including those using intralesional antigen administrations, have demonstrated that cellular immunity plays a major role in the clearance of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the intralesional injection of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine into resistant-to- treatment palmoplantar warts and its complications. Methods: In this single-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, 60 cases with resistant-to-therapy palmoplantar warts referring to the Dermatology Clinic of Bou-Ali Sina Hospital of Sari between June 2015 and 2016 were randomly assigned to 2 equal groups: the MMR Group received intralesional MMR and the Placebo Group was given saline injection. The injections were administered at 2-week intervals until complete clearance was achieved or for a maximum of 5 injections (<5 injections at 2-week intervals). The study protocol was registered in the Iranian Registry of Randomised Clinical Trials (ID: IRCT2016101027636N3), and the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS, version 17.0. The χ2 test and the F-test were used as appropriate, and a P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Complete clearance was observed in 65.2% (14⁄23) of the patients presenting with resistant-to-therapy palmoplantar warts in the MMR Group and 23.85% (5/21) in the Placebo Group (P=0.021). Recurrence was not observed in any of the completely cured patients at 6 months’ follow-up. Conclusion: Intralesional immunotherapy with the MMR vaccine may result in a desirable therapeutic response and can be used as an effective and safe treatment option for palmoplantar warts, particularly persistent ones. Trial Registration Number: IRCT2016101027636N3
Correlation between high-resolution computed tomography lung nodule characteristics and EGFR mutation in lung adenocarcinomas

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of EGFR mutation on the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) features in lung adenocarcinoma. Patients and methods A total of 121 patients were diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma from January 2014 to December 2016. The correlation of indexes (gender, age, tumor diameter, and EGFR mutation) was analyzed based on the HRCT characteristics of lung adenocarcinoma. Results There were 73 cases of EGFR mutation and 48 cases of wild-type EGFR. One hundred and three cases had pleural indentation that was significant in patients with EGFR mutation than those with wild-type EGFR (P=0.038). Forty-two out of 121 cases exhibited the bronchus cutoff sign. Patients with EGFR mutation were likely to develop the bronchus cutoff sign (P=0.017). Sixty-one out of 121 cases exhibited the lobulation sign, which was significant in patients with EGFR mutation than those with wild-type EGFR (P<0.001). A significant correlation was found between lobulation sign and tumor diameter (P=0.024). Forty-eight out of 121 and 23 out of 121 cases showed the vessel and vacuole signs, respectively. However, patients with EGFR mutation did not exert a significant correlation on either of these signs (P=0.555 and P=0.372, respectively). A statistical significance was not observed in indexes such as age, gender, and tumor diameter on pleural indentation, bronchus cutoff sign, vessel sign, and vacuole sign (P>0.05). Age and gender did not vary significantly in the lobulation sign (P>0.05). Conclusion HRCT characteristics such as pleural indentation, bronchus cutoff sign, and lobulation sign in lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR mutation were significantly greater than those with wild-type EGFR; however, further study is essential in determining the predictive ability of computed tomography (CT) for EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinoma.
Genetic analysis of subsequent second primary malignant neoplasms in long-term pancreatic cancer survivors suggests new potential hereditary genetic alterations

Background The principal aim of this report was to study second primary malignant neoplasms (SMNs) in long-term survivors of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with regard to the germline genetic background. Patients and methods A total of 118 PDAC patients after a curative-intent surgery who were treated between 2006 and 2011 were analyzed. Of the 22 patients surviving for >5 years, six went on to develop SMNs. A genetic analysis of 219 hereditary cancer-predisposition and candidate genes was performed by targeted next-generation sequencing in germline DNA from 20 of these patients. Results Of all the radically resected PDAC patients, six patients went on to subsequently develop SMNs, which accounted for 27% of the long-term survivors. The median time to diagnosis of SMNs, which included two cases of rectal cancer, and one case each of prostate cancer, malignant melanoma, breast cancer, and urinary bladder cancer, was 52.5 months. At the time of analysis, none of these patients had died as a result of PDAC progression. We identified four carriers of germline pathogenic mutations in 20 analyzed long-term survivors. One carrier of the CHEK2 mutation was found among four analyzed patients who developed SMNs. Of the remaining 16 long-term PDAC survivors, 3 patients (19%) carried germline mutation(s) in the MLH1+ ATM, CHEK2, and RAD51D gene, respectively. Conclusion This retrospective analysis indicates that SMNs in PDAC survivors are an important clinical problem and may be more common than has been acknowledged to be the case. In patients with good performance status, surgical therapy should be considered, as the SMNs often have a favorable prognosis.
Trigeminal-mediated headshaking in horses: prevalence, impact, and management strategies

Trigeminal-mediated headshaking is a little-understood neuropathic facial pain condition of the horse. The condition may affect around 1% of the equine population to a degree of severity sufficient to require veterinary attention. As a pain condition, this represents a significant welfare issue. Horses are usually more severely affected at exercise which can leave them unable to perform, or even dangerous to ride and handle. With little known about the condition and variable response to treatments, severely affected horses are often euthanized. This review article considers the literature on trigeminal-mediated headshaking, focusing on what is known, and indeed not known, about the prevalence of the condition and its impact. The current published management options are considered, along with their challenges and limitations.