Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alcohol affects the outcome after head trauma

Traumatic brain injury can be a catastrophe for an individual and a huge economic burden for a society. Such injuries are common especially among young men and as many as half of the patients are under the influence of alcohol at the time of injury. Traumatic brain injuries can also frequently cause epileptic seizures. On the other hand, epileptic seizures are often caused by alcohol. A significant reduction in the tax on alcohol in Finland in 2004 led to a 10% increase in its consumption at the population level and a considerable increase in mortality rate among patients with alcoholic liver diseases. The risk of subsequent epileptic seizures and traumatic brain injuries among intoxicated head trauma subjects has not been evaluated before. The present cohort consists of all subjects who were admitted to the emergency room at Oulu University Hospital in 1999 on account of head trauma. These subjects were then followed-up for 10 years, which enabled the effect of the tax reduction on the long-term outcome to be observed. The effect of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the index head trauma on the onset of a new epileptic seizure problem and further traumatic brain injuries was investigated. The mortality rate among head trauma subjects with harmful drinking increased significantly after the reduction in the alcohol tax, and the subjects with recorded alcohol-related seizure problems experienced an increased risk of death after the price reduction. Head trauma under the influence of alcohol predicted both new-onset seizure problems and traumatic brain injury during the follow-up. The results are in accordance with the previous observations of a rapid increase in mortality among heavy drinkers following a sharp reduction in alcohol prices. Inebriated head trauma subjects have an increased risk of subsequent traumatic brain injury and epileptic seizure.
Phylogenetic analysis of open reading frame of 11 gene segments of novel human‐bovine reassortant RVA G6P[1] strain in Pakistan

Multiple Rotavirus A (RVA) strains are linked with gastrointestinal infections in children that fall in age bracket of 0 to 60 months. However, the problem is augmented with emergence of unique strains that reassort with RVA strains of animal origin. The study describes the sequence analysis of a rare G6P[1] rotavirus strain isolated from a less than 1 year old child, during rotavirus surveillance in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan in 2010. Extracted RNA from fecal specimen was subjected to high throughput RT‐PCR for structural and nonstructural gene segments. The complete rotavirus genome of one isolate RVA/Human‐wt/PAK/PAK99/2010/G6P[1] was sequenced for phylogenetic analysis to elucidate the evolutionary linkages and origin. Full genome examination of novel strain RVA/Human‐wt/PAK/PAK99/2010/G6P[1] revealed the unique genotype assemblage: G6‐P[1]‐I2‐R2‐C2‐M2‐A3‐N2‐T6‐E2‐H1. The evolutionary analyses of VP7, VP4, NSP1 and NSP3 gene segments revealed that PAK99 clustered with bovine, or cattle‐like rotavirus strains from other closely related species, in the genotypes G6, P[1], A3 and T6 respectively. Gene segments VP6, VP1, VP2, VP3, NSP2 and NSP4 all possessed the DS‐1‐like bovine genotype 2 and bovine (‐like) RVA strains instead of RVA strains having human origin. However, the NSP5 gene was found to cluster closely with contemporary human Wa‐like rotavirus strains of H1 genotype. This is the first report on bovine‐human (Wa‐like reassortant) genotype constellation of G6P[1] strain from a human case in Pakistan (and the second description worldwide). Our results emphasize the significance of incessant monitoring of circulating RVA strains in humans and animals for better understanding of RV evolution.
Effectiveness of the e-NurSus Children Intervention in the Training of Nursing Students

The paediatric population is the most vulnerable to exposure to environmental risk factors. Institutions of higher education have to equip nursing students with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills to respond to this using blended learning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of e-NurSus Children intervention on student nurses’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills. A quasi-experimental study of time series was designed using pre and post educational intervention evaluation in 2018. The participants were nursing students (N = 267) from Spain (n = 110) and the United Kingdom (n = 157). Three instruments were used: the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey, the Children’s Environmental Health Knowledge Questionnaire, and the Children’s Environmental Health Skills Questionnaire. The attitudes (15.81%), knowledge (39.02%), and skills (29.98%) of nursing students improved following the e-NurSus Children intervention. It is necessary to include topics on children’s environmental health in nurse education as students are aware of this issue but do not have the knowledge or skills required to manage problems or illness caused by the environment. The e-NurSus Children intervention is an effective tool to address this educational gap.
Metabolic Risk Factors as Differential Predictors of Profiles of Neurocognitive Impairment Among Older HIV+ and HIV- Adults: An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE Neurocognitive performance among older persons, including those living with HIV (people living with HIV [PLWH]), exhibits significant heterogeneity, suggesting subpopulations with differing profiles of neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Metabolic factors are associated with NCI, but their relationships to cluster-derived NCI profiles are unknown. METHOD Participants (144 PLWH and 102 HIV uninfected) aged 50+ years completed a neuropsychological battery assessing seven cognitive domains. Latent class analysis (LCA) identified NCI profiles separately by HIV serostatus and in a combined sample. Obtained classes were examined against the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and diagnoses of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Multinomial regression identified metabolic predictors of classification. RESULTS LCA identified three latent classes in each participant sample: Class1Multidomain NCI (high probability of impairment across multiple domains), Class 2Learning & Recall NCI (high probability of impairment in learning and recall), and Class 3NC Unimpaired (low probability of NCI across all domains). Severity of NCI implied by classes corresponded with MoCA scores and HAND diagnoses. In analyses on the combined sample, compared to HIV-uninfected individuals, PLWH were more likely to be in Class1Multidomain NCI. Among PLWH, those with dyslipidemia and hypertension had greater odds of classification in Class 1Multidomain NCI while those with central obesity had higher odds of classification in Class 2Learning & Recall NCI; metabolic syndrome approached significance as a differential predictor. Regardless of HIV status, individuals with diabetes were more likely to be in Class 1Multidomain NCI. CONCLUSIONS Metabolic risk factors confer heightened risk of NCI in HIV infection. Interventions to reduce metabolic risk may improve neurocognitive outcomes among PLWH.
Production and Application of Multicistronic Constructs for Various Human Disease Therapies

The development of multicistronic vectors has opened up new opportunities to address the fundamental issues of molecular and cellular biology related to the need for the simultaneous delivery and joint expression of several genes. To date, the examples of the successful use of multicistronic vectors have been described for the development of new methods of treatment of various human diseases, including cardiovascular, oncological, metabolic, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative disorders. The safety and effectiveness of the joint delivery of therapeutic genes in multicistronic vectors based on the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) and self-cleaving 2A peptides have been shown in both in vitro and in vivo experiments as well as in clinical trials. Co-expression of several genes in one vector has also been used to create animal models of various inherited diseases which are caused by mutations in several genes. Multicistronic vectors provide expression of all mutant genes, which allows the most complete mimicking disease pathogenesis. This review comprehensively discusses multicistronic vectors based on IRES nucleotide sequence and self-cleaving 2A peptides, including its features and possible application for the treatment and modeling of various human diseases.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Radioresistant Bacterial Strain, Deinococcus grandis ATCC 43672

Deinococcus grandis is a radioresistant bacterial species isolated from freshwater fish. In this article, we report the complete genome sequence of D. grandis strain ATCC 43672. This sequence is useful for comparative genomics to understand the traits of Deinococcus species and can be used as a reference in experimental genetics. ABSTRACT Deinococcus grandis is a radioresistant bacterial species isolated from freshwater fish. In this article, we report the complete genome sequence of D. grandis strain ATCC 43672. This sequence is useful for comparative genomics to understand the traits of Deinococcus species and can be used as a reference in experimental genetics.
Genome-wide analysis of the Chinese sturgeon sox gene family: identification, characterisation and expression profiles of different tissues.

The sox family is assumed to be responsible for a number of developmental systems. Genome sequencing technology makes it possible to scan sox genes and conduct characteristic analyses of different species. In fish, full characterisation of sox genes at the genome-wide level has been reported for pufferfish Takifugu rubripes, medaka Oryzias latipes, tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. However, no systematic investigation of the sox family in sturgeons (Acipenseridae) has been reported to date. This study conducted genome-wide identification of the sox genes in the Chinese sturgeon Acipenser sinensis and profiled their tissue distribution between male and female individuals. In total, 19 sox genes were identified, including soxb1, b2, c, d, e, f and h, in the Chinese sturgeon. Genomic structure analysis indicated relatively conserved exon-intron structures in each sox group and phylogenetic analysis supported the previous classification of the sox family. Most of the sox genes showed a tissue-specific expression pattern, indicating the possible involvement of Chinese sturgeon sox genes at different developmental processes such as cardiac and gonadal development. This study provides a comprehensive resource of Chinese sturgeon sox genes and enables a better understanding of the evolution and function of the sox family. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
New species of Septoria associated with leaf spot diseases in Iran

ABSTRACT Species of Septoria are commonly associated with leaf spot diseases of a broad range of plant hosts worldwide. During our investigation of fungi associated with leaf spot diseases in northern and northwestern Iran, several Septoria isolates were recovered from symptomatic leaves on different herbaceous and woody plants in the Asteraceae, Betulaceae, and Salicaceae families. These isolates were studied by applying a polyphasic approach including morphological and cultural data and a multigene phylogeny using a combined data set of partial sequences of the 28S nuc rRNA gene (large subunit [28S]), internal transcribed spacer regions and intervening 5.8S nuc rRNA gene (ITS) of the nuc rDNA operon, actin (actA), translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1), calmodulin (cmdA), β-tubulin (tub2), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2). Four novel species are proposed, namely, Septoria eclipticola on Eclipta prostrata, Septoria firouraghina on Cirsium arvense, Septoria guilanensis on Populus deltoides, and Septoria taleshana on Alnus subcordata. All species are illustrated, and their morphology and phylogenetic relationships with other Septoria species are discussed.
Enabling self-identity revisioning through portraiture, for people living with life threatening and chronic illnesses: paint me this way!

Arguably life threatening and chronic illness is not just an attack on the body, it is an attack on a person s sense of self-identity, shattering the means by which a person experiences the world, and by which they also are experienced, contributing to a person s sense of powerlessness and distress. People living with a life threatening or chronic illness, often describe the impact of their diagnosis, treatment and illness as having changed their sense of self-identity beyond all recognition. Seven participants, purposefully selected from those attending a weekly day-hospice session in Wiltshire, took part in the study. This qualitative, practice-based research project challenges the power dynamics in art therapy and attempts to equalise the relationship between researcher and participant through the development of a collaborative intersubjective relationship, within which the participants are recognised as experts on their lived experience, and in a series of negotiations , co-design their own portraits directing how they wish to be portrayed. Through this process the participants become patient/researchers (PRs) and the artist/therapist/researcher (ATR), by creating the portraits, also becomes a reflexive participant . This project utilises an in-depth multiple case-study design and multiple creative data generation methods as well as a phenomenological approach to data analysis. This project reverses the terms of engagement within art therapy and uses the art therapist s artistic practice or third hand to create portraits for patients. (This is based upon the assumption that most art therapy theories terms of engagement include patients producing art within the therapeutic encounter, however some psychodynamic and psychoanalytic art therapists may use client art generation selectively or not at all). This raises important questions around who makes the artwork in art therapy interventions . The use of portraiture as a third hand intervention enables the art therapist to develop a sense of positive focussed attention and mirroring and attunement through the art object, enabling the addition of coherence through aesthetic resonance and the holding of dualities through metaphor and symbolism. The results of this study demonstrate the power of portraiture as an intersubjective way of knowing, being and relating, enabling the revisioning of identities disrupted by illness, characterised by increases in participants creative capacity to adapt to illness and feelings of home-like-being-in-the-world, developing a stronger, more coherent lived experience of self-identity, effecting closure to difficult life experiences, and improving their overall quality of life.
Is Health Literacy of Dialyzed Patients Related to Their Adherence to Dietary and Fluid Intake Recommendations?

Non-adherence to dietary and fluid intake recommendations (NADFIR) is an important factor for the effective treatment of dialyzed patients and may be hindered by low health literacy (HL). Therefore, we assessed whether low HL of dialyzed patients is associated with their NADFIR. We performed a multicentric cross-sectional study in 20 dialysis clinics in Slovakia (n = 452; response rate: 70.1%; mean age = 63.6 years; males: 60.7%). We assessed the association between nine domains of HL and non-adherence (high serum potassium, high serum phosphate, relative overhydration, and self-reported NADFIR) using general linear models adjusted for age and gender. Moreover, we assessed the moderation by socioeconomic status (SES). We found higher NADFIR among patients with less sufficient information for health management (high serum phosphate level; odds ratio (OR): 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63–0.94), with a lower ability to actively manage their health (self-reported diet non-adherence; OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.62–0.89), and those less able to actively engage with healthcare providers (overhydrated; OR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.65–0.94). Moreover, SES modified this relation. Low HL affects the adherence of dialyzed patients. This shows a need to support patients with low HL and to train healthcare providers to work with these patients, taking into account their SES.
The Musculoskeletal Health Benefits of Tennis

Background: The prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions is increasing, and although current guidelines for physical activity attempt to combat this, many fail to achieve the recommended targets. The present study sought to investigate whether regular tennis participation is more effective at enhancing MSK function than meeting the current international physical activity guidelines. Hypothesis: Tennis players will display significantly enhanced MSK function when compared with age-matched healthy active nonplayers. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: Ninety participants (age range, 18-65 years) took part in this study; there were 43 tennis players (18 men, 25 women) and 47 nonplayers (26 men, 21 women). MSK function was assessed by cluster analysis of 3 factors: (1) electromyographic fatigability of prime movers during handgrip, knee extension, and knee flexion; (2) isometric strength in the aforementioned movements; and (3) body composition measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Maximal oxygen uptake was also assessed to characterize cardiorespiratory fitness. Results: Tennis players displayed significantly greater upper body MSK function than nonplayers when cluster scores of body fat percentage, handgrip strength, and flexor carpi radialis fatigue were compared by analysis of covariance, using age as a covariate (tennis players, 0.33 ± 1.93 vs nonplayers, −0.26 ± 1.66; P < 0.05). Similarly, tennis players also demonstrated greater lower extremity function in a cluster of body fat percentage, knee extension strength, and rectus femoris fatigue (tennis players, 0.17 ± 1.76 vs nonplayers, −0.16 ± 1.70; P < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study offers support for improved MSK functionality in tennis players when compared with age-matched healthy active nonplayers. This may be due to the hybrid high-intensity interval training nature of tennis. Clinical Relevance: The findings suggest tennis is an excellent activity mode to promote MSK health and should therefore be more frequently recommended as a viable alternative to existing physical activity guidelines.
Validation and reproducibility of the Glittre activities of daily living test for individuals with Parkinson's disease.

AIM To investigate the validity and reproducibility of the Glittre Activities of Daily Living (Glittre-ADL) test for individuals with Parkinson's disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Thirty individuals with Parkinson's disease and 19 healthy individuals (control group) were evaluated. Parkinson's disease group was evaluated by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and underwent the Glittre-ADL test, six-minute walk test (6MWT) and ten-meter walk test (10mWT). Control group performed the Glittre-ADL test. For the intraobserver analysis, two Glittre-ADL tests were performed. For the interobserver analysis, the Glittre-ADL test was repeated on a different day by a second examiner. RESULTS The Glittre-ADL test was significantly correlated with UPDRS Section II, Section III, and total score. The Glittre-ADL test was inversely correlated with the 6MWT and positively correlated with the 10mWT. The time required to perform the Glittre-ADL test was shorter on the retest in the intraobserver analysis and in the interobserver analysis. The mean difference between the first and second tests, the standard error of measurement and minimum detectable change in minutes were 0.40, 0.08 and 0.24, respectively, for intraobserver, and 0.40, 0.22 and 0.62, for interobserver. CONCLUSION The Glittre-ADL test is valid and reproducible to evaluate functional capacity in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
Critical Assessment of the DFT + U Approach for the Prediction of Vanadium Dioxide Properties

In a previous study (Stahl and Bredow, Chem. Phys. Lett. 2018, 695, 28–33), we have studied structural, energetic, and electronic properties of two vanadium dioxide VO2 polymorphs with modified global and range‐separated hybrid functionals. Since hybrid methods are computationally demanding, we evaluate the computationally more efficient DFT + U method in the present study. We assessed the widely used Dudarev PBE + U approach with a literature value of the effective Hubbard parameter Ueff = 3.4 eV. We compared the PBE + U results for the two VO2 polymorphs with our previous results, a self‐consistent hybrid functional sc‐PBE0, and the meta‐GGA functional SCAN. It was found that the PBE + U method yields a strongly distorted monoclinic phase and does not reproduce the metal‐to‐insulator transition of VO2 correctly, even with modified values of Ueff. On the other hand, sc‐PBE0 and SCAN describe the relative stability and the electronic structure of both polymorphs correctly and also provide reasonable lattice parameters. The functional SCAN yields the optimal balance between computational efficiency and accuracy. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Computational Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Newly Identified Peptide, Peptide Lv, Promotes Pathological Angiogenesis

Background We recently discovered a small endogenous peptide, peptide Lv, with the ability to activate vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and its downstream signaling. As vascular endothelial growth factor through vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 contributes to normal development, vasodilation, angiogenesis, and pathogenesis of various diseases, we investigated the role of peptide Lv in vasodilation and developmental and pathological angiogenesis in this study. Methods and Results The endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and 3‐dimensional sprouting assays were used to test the abilities of peptide Lv in angiogenesis in vitro. The chick chorioallantoic membranes and early postnatal mice were used to examine its impact on developmental angiogenesis. The oxygen‐induced retinopathy and laser‐induced choroidal neovascularization mouse models were used for in vivo pathological angiogenesis. The isolated porcine retinal and coronary arterioles were used for vasodilation assays. Peptide Lv elicited angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Peptide Lv and vascular endothelial growth factor acted synergistically in promoting endothelial cell proliferation. Peptide Lv–elicited vasodilation was not completely dependent on nitric oxide, indicating that peptide Lv had vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2/nitric oxide–independent targets. An antibody against peptide Lv, anti‐Lv, dampened vascular endothelial growth factor–elicited endothelial proliferation and laser‐induced vascular leakage and choroidal neovascularization. While the pathological angiogenesis in mouse eyes with oxygen‐induced retinopathy was enhanced by exogenous peptide Lv, anti‐Lv dampened this process. Furthermore, deletion of peptide Lv in mice significantly decreased pathological neovascularization compared with their wild‐type littermates. Conclusions These results demonstrate that peptide Lv plays a significant role in pathological angiogenesis but may be less critical during development. Peptide Lv is involved in pathological angiogenesis through vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2–dependent and –independent pathways. As anti‐Lv dampened the pathological angiogenesis in the eye, anti‐Lv may have a therapeutic potential to treat pathological angiogenesis.