Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Systematic Review of Genomic Associations with Blood Pressure and Hypertension in Populations with African-Ancestry

Background: Despite hypertension being highly prevalent in individuals with African-ancestry, they are under-represented in large genome-wide association studies. Inclusion of African participants is essential to better understand genetic associations with blood pressure-related traits in Africans. This systematic review critically evaluates existing studies with African-ancestry participants and identifies knowledge gaps. Methods: We followed the PRISMA protocol, HuGE Review handbook to identify literature on original research, in English, on genetic association studies for blood pressure-related traits (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse and mean-arterial pressure, and hypertension) in populations with African-ancestry (January 2007 to April 2020). A narrative synthesis of the evidence was conducted. Results: Twelve studies with African-ancestry participants met the eligibility criteria, within which 10 studies met the additional genetic association data criteria (i.e., reporting only on African-ancestry participants). Across the five blood pressure-related traits, 26 genome-wide significantly associated SNPs were identified, with six SNPs linked to more than one trait, illustrating pleiotropic effects. Among the SNP associations, 12 had not previously been described in non-African studies. Discussion: The limited number of relevant studies highlights the dearth of genomic association studies on participants with African-ancestry, especially those located within Africa. Variations in study methodology, participant inclusion, adjustment for covariates (e.g., antihypertensive medication) and relatively small sample sizes make comparisons challenging, and have resulted in fewer significant associations, compared to large European studies. Regional variation in the prevalence and associated risk factors of hypertension across Africa makes a compelling argument to develop African cohorts to facilitate large genomic studies, using African-centric arrays. Data harmonisation and comparable study designs, such as described in the H3Africa CHAIR initiative, provide a good example toward achieving this goal. Other relevant information: SS and J-TB were funded by the South African National Research Foundation. MR is a South African Research Chair in Genomics and Bioinformatics of African populations hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand, funded by the Department of Science and Innovation, and administered by the NRF. This review was registered at PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42020179221) and OSF (registration DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/QT2HA).
A Novel Copper-Binding Peptide That Self-Assembles Into a Transparent Antibacterial and Antiviral Coating

The health, economy, and quality of life all over the world are greatly affected by bacterial infections and viral outbreaks. Bacterial cells and viruses, such as influenza, can spread through contaminated surfaces and fomites. Therefore, a possible way to fight these pathogens is to utilize antibacterial and antiviral coatings, which reduce their numbers on contaminated surfaces. Here, we present a novel short peptide that can self-assemble, adhere to various surfaces, and bind different metal ions such as copper, which provides the surface with antibacterial and antiviral properties. For these functions, the peptide incorporates the amino acid 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), which provides the peptide with adhesive capabilities; a diphenylalanine motif that induces the self-assembly of the peptide; the metal-binding hexahistidine sequence. Our results demonstrate that the coating, which releases monovalent cuprous ions and hydrogen peroxide, provides the surfaces with significant antibacterial and antiviral properties. Additionally, the coating remains transparent, which is favorable for many objects and especially for display screens.
Correlation Between Microbial Diversity and Volatile Flavor Compounds of Suan zuo rou, a Fermented Meat Product From Guizhou, China

Suan zuo rou (SZR), a traditional fermented meat from Guizhou province, China, is loved by local people for its unique flavor and nutritional value. However, the microbial communities and related flavor characteristics of SZR from different regions of Guizhou are unclear. We studied the correlation between the microbial communities and the physicochemical properties and volatile flavor compounds (VFCs) of 15 SZR samples from three regions in Guizhou province. The microbial community structure of SZR was determined by high-throughput sequencing and VFCs were identified by headspace-solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results indicated that the microbial communities of SZR varied among the regions, as evidenced by the relative abundance of Weissella, Staphylococcus, Brochothrix, Kazachstania, and Debaryomces. There were also significant differences in pH, water activity, NaCl, and total volatile basic nitrogen (P < 0.05). Based on orthogonal projections to latent structures and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, we showed that Wickerhamomyces, Kazachstania, Lactobacillus, Weissella, Brochothrix, Debaryomyces, Staphylococcus, Pediococcus, Pichia, Candida, and Leuconostoc were highly correlated with 48 VFCs (| ρ| > 0.8, P < 0.05). Redundancy analysis showed that most of the dominant bacteria were positively related to water activity, whereas Lactobacillus was positively related with pH, and negatively related with total volatile basic nitrogen.
The effects of education given by nurses on rational drug use and health literacy of patients receiving hypertension treatment

Context: Health literacy and rational drug use are associated with controlling high blood pressure. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of education given by nurses on rational drug use and health literacy of patients receiving hypertension treatment. Settings and Design: The type of study is a randomized controlled experimental study. This study was carried out at the family health center. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients with hypertension were assigned to the intervention (50 patients) and control (50 patients) groups using the simple sampling method. Data were collected twice with 3 months intervals with the patient identification form, the Rational Drug Use Scale (RDUS), and the Adult Health Literacy Scale (AHLS). Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed by SPSS 22. Independent samples t-, Mann–Whitney U-, Paired samples t-, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and Chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis of within-group and between groups. Results: The mean age of the intervention group was 55.38 ± 7.07 years and 68.0% were female. The mean age of the control group was 55.12 ± 6.88 years and 64.0% were female. Intervention group was found a total score of AHLS (13.28 ± 4.10) and a total score of RDUS (50.70 ± 7.82). The scores were statistically significant. After the training given to the intervention group, there was a decrease in blood pressure. Conclusions: It was concluded that the training given by the nurse positively increased the rational drug use and health literacy in patients with hypertension. Necessary training should be given to patients by nurses. These trainings will benefit patients.
Pregaming on Alcohol Products among Male College Students in Puducherry-Mixed-Methods Study

Background: There are some risky practices such as preloading or pregaming which exist among college students. When students pregame, compared with drinking episodes when they do not, they consume a greater number of drinks and have higher blood alcohol concentrations. Objectives: (1) To explore the perceptions about pregaming among male college students in Puducherry. (2) To study the prevalence of pregaming among current alcohol users. Materials and Methods: A sequential exploratory mixed-method study (Qualitative-Focus Group Discussion [FGD] to explore pregaming followed by Quantitative-self-administered questionnaire [survey]) was conducted among 450 male engineering college students by simple random sampling. Results: The prevalence of pregaming among current alcohol users was 66.7%. Among all occasions, the students were involved in pregaming mostly on birthdays 92.5% and marriages 92.5% followed by college cultural events 90%. All of the students 100% wanted to pregame for anticipated alcohol cost problems, 100% pregamed for fun and 87.5% easy conversations with the opposite sex and majority 66.6% had the intention to quit pregaming among current users. Conclusion: The prevalence of pregaming is high among current users however, the majority of them had the intention to quit this behavior. Counselors and health care professionals working in alcohol de-addiction centers should specifically question pregaming and its associated symptoms. Tailor-made interventions should be promoted to target the concept of pregaming-related consequences of alcohol addiction.
Long-Term Clinical Impact of Intravascular Ultrasound Guidance in Stenting for Left Main Coronary Artery Disease

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Compared with angiographic guidance, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with better clinical outcomes. However, its very long-term clinical effect is still unclear in patients undergoing PCI for unprotected left main coronary artery disease. Methods: To compare 10-year outcomes of IVUS-guided versus angiography-guided PCI for left main coronary artery disease, we evaluated 975 patients who underwent unprotected left main coronary artery PCI between January 2000 and June 2006 from the MAIN-COMPARE (The Revascularization for Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery Stenosis: Comparison of Percutaneous Coronary Angioplasty Versus Surgical Revascularization) registry. The 10-year rates of clinical outcomes (death; the composite of death, Q-wave myocardial infarction [MI], or stroke; and target-vessel revascularization) were compared between IVUS guidance and angiography guidance. Adjusted analyses were performed with the use of inverse-probability-treatment-weighting and propensity score matching. Results: Among the 975 patients, 756 (77.5%) had IVUS guidance. The observed 10-year incidence rate of death (16.4% versus 31.0%, P<0.001) and composite of death, Q-wave MI, or stroke (19.2% versus 32.9%, P<0.001) was significantly lower in the IVUS-guided than in the angiography-guided group. The 10-year incidence rate of target-vessel revascularization was similar between the 2 groups (21.8% versus 18.3%, P=0.41). After adjusting for potential confounders with inverse-probability-treatment-weighting, IVUS was associated with lower incidence of mortality (hazard ratio, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.55–1.03]; P=0.07) and composite of death, Q-wave MI, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.59–1.06]; P=0.11). In 208 propensity score–matched pairs, IVUS was also associated with lower incidence of death (hazard ratio, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.53–1.02]; P=0.07) and composite outcome of death, Q-wave MI, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.52–0.97]; P=0.03). The benefit of IVUS-guided PCI was consistent in the various subsets of clinical and anatomic characteristics. Conclusions: In patients undergoing PCI for unprotected left main coronary artery disease, IVUS-guided PCI compared with angiography-guided PCI was associated with lower long-term (10-year) risks of morality and composite of death, Q-wave MI, or stroke. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials. gov; Unique identifier: NCT02791412.
Extent, Pattern and Correlates of Depression in Urban Geriatric Subjects: Findings from Community Based Study

Background: Depression decreases an individual's quality of life and increases dependence on others. The declining physical potential familiar infrastructure and loss of peer may cause anxiety, stress, depression, etc., in geriatric population. Objectives: The objectives of this study were as follows: (A) to assess the extent and pattern of depression in study subjects and (B) to find out the correlates of depression in subjects. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 616 geriatric subjects selected by multistage sampling procedure from urban Varanasi, India. A predesigned, pretested proforma was used for collecting socioeconomic information. Depression status was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale. For analysis of data, SPSS version 22.0 was used. Chi-square and logistic regression were used for inferential purpose. Results: The overall prevalence of depression in geriatric subjects was 29.7%; 15.7% of subjects were not satisfied with life and 30% often felt helpless. The adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for depression was 4.54 (2.99–6.09) in subjects >70 years, 4.00 (2.45–6.54) for widowed, 1.95 (1.13–3.35) for widowers, 4.95 (2.02–12.07) for lower, and 3.17 (1.79–5.64) for upper-lower socioeconomic status. Conclusion: Nearly one-third of urban geriatric subjects had depression which was significantly enhanced by advancing age, loss of partner, and socioeconomic adversities.
Fractionation of Regenerated Silk Fibroin and Characterization of the Fractions

The molecular weight (MW) of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) decreases during degumming and dissolving processes. Although MW and the MW distribution generally affect polymer material processability and properties, few reports have described studies examining the influences of MW and the distribution on silk fibroin (SF) material. To prepare different MW SF fractions, the appropriate conditions for fractionation of RSF by ammonium sulfate (AS) precipitation process were investigated. The MW and the distribution of each fraction were found using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). After films of the fractionated SFs formed, the secondary structure, surface properties, and cell proliferation of films were evaluated. Nanofiber nonwoven mats and 3D porous sponges were fabricated using the fractionated SF aqueous solution. Then, their structures and mechanical properties were analyzed. The results showed AS precipitation using a dialysis membrane at low temperature to be a suitable fractionation method for RSF. Moreover, MW affects the nanofiber and sponge morphology and mechanical properties, although no influence of MW was observed on the secondary structure or crystallinity of the fabricated materials.
Quantification of the Impact of Partition Coefficient Prediction Methods on PBPK Model Output Using a Standardized Tissue Composition

Kiersten Utsey1,2, Madeleine S Gastonguay1,3, Sean Russell1,4, Reed Freling1,5, Matthew M Riggs1, Ahmed Elmokadem1 1Metrum Research Group, Tariffville, CT, USA; 2University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; 3University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; 4University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; 5Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA This article has not been copyedited and formatted. The final version may differ from this version. DMD Fast Forward. Published on July 14, 2020 as DOI: 10.1124/dmd.120. 090498
J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol., 45, 203–212 (1999)

human vagina (Redondo-López et al., 1990) and are routinely found as part of a well-defined “normal” or “indigenous” microflora in the female reproductive tract, first described by Rogosa and Sharpe (1963). More recently, Lachlack et al. (1996) reported the Lactobacillus acidophilus complex, isolated from the vaginal flora in 150 human samples. Furthermore, Reid et al. (1996) identified Lactobacillus species from the vagina of 100 healthy women. There is no consensus on which Lactobacillus species are the main ones in the human vagina, but there is agreement on their number, which is about 10–10 CFU/g of fluid (Redondo-López et al., 1990). The vagina has been increasingly recognized as an ecosystem of which the natural flora helps to avoid the invasion of pathogens. The function of lactobacilli is to maintain an environment that restricts the growth of pathogenic microorganisms (Redondo-López et al., 1990). The female reproductive tract is susceptible to a variety of viral and bacterial infections, including those caused by human papilloma and human herpes simplex viruses, Chlamydia trachomatis, GAM complex, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and protozoa such as Trichomonas vaginalis (Rush et al., 1995). Many studies have shown a correlation between the disruption of the normal genital microflora, especially of the Lactobacillus species, and an increase in genital and bladder infections (Redondo-López et al., 1990). These observations have led to scientific research on the strains and properties of vaginal lactobacilli, which might be responsible for the maintenance of a noninfectious ecosystem. It has been suggested that these properties and some antagonistic mechanisms may include competitive interference in pathogen adhesion (Chan et al., 1985), capability to aggregate with other bacteria (Boris et al., 1998), and production of bacteriocin-like (Jack et al., 1995) or antibiotic-like substances, hydrogen peroxide (Klebanoff et al., 1991), or biosurfactants (Velraeds et al., 1996). Competition Surface characteristics of lactobacilli isolated from human vagina
Inhibition of Gsk3b in cartilage induces osteoarthritic features through activation of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway

yDepartment of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands zDepartment of Orthopaedics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands xDepartment of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands kDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands {Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands #MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Department of Tissue Regeneration, Enschede, Netherlands
An Effective Model to Measure Gamification Implementation to Improve Customers’ Interest in Using E-Commerce Systems under the Pandemics

The rapid growth of the Information System Technology in recent year reflecting on online business especially e-Commerce marketplace. Study case in Indonesia, has 238 million population as the fourth largest developing country in the world with total internet users around 28.07 million people transacted to meet their needs through e-commerce. As a result of a pandemic, various e-Commerce services have implemented several strategies to compete and survive in pandemic situation considering that several countries in Southeast Asia are experiencing decreasing economic growth. one of the strategies by implemented the gamification concept which is expected to change human behavior by increasing motivation, engagement and loyalty. Therefore, this study aims to determine what dimensions affect the use of the e-Commerce application from the results of measuring the success of its implementation especially the gamification concept. The proposed model in this research combines Information System Success Model with adding advertising and trust construct. It tested by structural equation model - partial least square using SmartPLS software. It conducts using online questionnaire with a total of 469 Shopee user respondent who have transacted or non-transactions by distributing google form questionnaires online through social media in the Indonesia capital city. The model is compatible for predicting the intention to use the e-Commerce system in Indonesia. The result shows the dimension for intention to use e-Commerce system are system quality, advertising quality, and service quality. The findings also indicate intention to use which will affect use dimension are influenced by system quality and service quality in this study have a major impact that can affect the use of the e-Commerce system so that it can compete with other e-Commerce by paying attention to it. This study provides theoretical findings to encourage business strategies in the field of e-Commerce, especially during a pandemic and enhance the measuring information system success using modified Information System Success Model that has never been
Assessing the Impact of Tweets in Flood Events

Social sensing can provide useful information to help detect, manage and solve problems related to people’s lifes and physical surroundings. Because of the huge amount of content generated on social media, the problem of social sensing is the varying quality of data, so it is necessary to filter out the irrelevant content returned by search requests. The goal of our research is to develop a knowledge-based system that is able to analyse tweets in Spanish to select the most salient posts with respect to a given problem (e.g. flood events). The main contribution of this article is to describe a measure that computes the salience of tweets by integrating the text-oriented perception of the problem with the network-oriented impact of the message. The system was tested with the natural disaster of a DANA that struck Spain in September 2019.
Tiny ImageNet Challenge

An ensemble of three convolutional network architectures was used to classify 10,000 images from the Tiny ImageNet challenge into 200 distinct classes. A test error rate of 0.506 was achieved. The top single model in the ensemble achieves an error rate of 0.524. The top-performing architecture was a keras implementation of the VGG-16 architecture. To avoid overﬁtting to the training data, the data was augmented through image rotation, cropping, and color jitter. Additionally, dropout and regularization (L1 and L2) were utilized. Network performance was further analyzed by visualization of the ﬁlters, computation of saliency maps, and determining the per-class distribution of the model validation accuracy.
Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on Thymol, Carvacrol, Phytochemical Accumulation, and Expression of Key Genes Involved in Thymol/Carvacrol Biosynthetic Pathway in Some Iranian Thyme Species

Thyme species are a good source of thymol and carvacrol, which play a key role in controlling diseases. For the first time, the expression patterns of γ-terpinene synthase (TPS2), CYP71D178, and CYP71D180 genes and the amount of phenolics compounds were evaluated in T. migricus and T. daenensis after different methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments. The highest thymol and carvacrol contents were observed in T. migricus (86.27%) and T. daenensis (17.87%) at MeJA 100 µM, which was consistent with the expression patterns of the three investigated genes. All species treated showed high total phenolic and flavonoid content compared to control plants for which the highest amounts were observed in T. vulgaris treated with 100 µM and 10 µM MeJA. Furthermore, in the 100 µM MeJA treatment, the relative expression of TPS2 and CYP71D178 in T. migricus increased 7.47 and 9.86-fold compared with the control, respectively. The highest level of CYP71D180 transcripts (5.15-fold) was also observed for T. daenensis treated. This finding highlights the notion that thymol was known as the dominant component of the essential oil rather than carvacrol in diffident thyme species. This implies that MeJA at different concentrations influenced metabolic pathways and induced expression changes, resulting in a rise in essential oil levels.