Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Altered Bioenergetics of Blood Cell Sub-Populations in Acute Pancreatitis Patients

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a debilitating, sometimes fatal disease, marked by local injury and systemic inflammation. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a central feature of pancreatic damage in AP, however, its involvement in circulating blood cell subtypes is unknown. This study compared mitochondrial bioenergetics in circulating leukocytes from AP patients and healthy volunteers: 15 patients with mild to severe AP were compared to 10 healthy controls. Monocytes, lymphocytes and neutrophils were isolated using magnetic activated cell sorting and mitochondrial bioenergetics profiles of the cell populations determined using a Seahorse XF24 flux analyser. Rates of oxygen consumption (OCR) and extracellular acidification (ECAR) under conditions of electron transport chain (ETC) inhibition (“stress” test) informed respiratory and glycolytic parameters, respectively. Phorbol ester stimulation was used to trigger the oxidative burst. Basal OCR in all blood cell subtypes was similar in AP patients and controls. However, maximal respiration and spare respiratory capacity of AP patient lymphocytes were decreased, indicating impairment of functional capacity. A diminished oxidative burst occurred in neutrophils from AP patients, compared to controls, whereas this was enhanced in both monocytes and lymphocytes. The data demonstrate important early alterations of bioenergetics in blood cell sub-populations from AP patients, which imply functional alterations linked to clinical disease progression.
A Dietary Pattern with High Sugar Content Is Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in the Pomak Population

The present study describes the geographically isolated Pomak population and its particular dietary patterns in relationship to cardiovascular risk factors. We collected a population-based cohort in a cross-sectional study, with detailed anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and lifestyle parameter information. Dietary patterns were derived through principal component analysis based on a validated food-frequency questionnaire, administered to 1702 adult inhabitants of the Pomak villages on the Rhodope mountain range in Greece. A total of 69.9% of the participants were female with a population mean age of 44.9 years; 67% of the population were overweight or obese with a significantly different prevalence for obesity between men and women (17.5% vs. 37.5%, respectively, p < 0.001). Smoking was more prevalent in men (45.8% vs. 2.2%, p < 0.001), as 97.3% of women had never smoked. Four dietary patterns emerged as characteristic of the population, and were termed “high in sugars”, “quick choices”, “balanced”, and “homemade”. Higher adherence to the “high in sugars” dietary pattern was associated with increased glucose levels (p < 0.001) and increased risk of hypertension (OR (95% CI) 2.61 (1.55, 4.39), p < 0.001) and nominally associated with high blood glucose levels (OR (95% CI) 1.85 (1.11, 3.08), p = 0.018), compared to lower adherence. Overall, we characterize the dietary patterns of the Pomak population and describe associations with cardiovascular risk factors.
Temperature-Mediated Competition Between the Invasive Larger Grain Borer (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and the Cosmopolitan Maize Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract Interspecific competition between agricultural pests may affect the species that can establish, and may also affect food production. Prostephanus truncatus (Horn), the larger grain borer, is endemic to Central America, but invaded Africa with disastrous consequences for maize production. Its main competitor is Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, the maize weevil, which is cosmopolitan. These insects co-occur in many regions of the world and both are threats to maize. However, the impact of competition between these two species is not well-understood, nor is its effect on grain quality or potential to limit P. truncatus invasion in new areas. The aims of our study were to evaluate the outcome of interspecific competition between P. truncatus and S. zeamais at four different temperatures on a fixed quantity of grain, and determine effects on progeny production, grain damage, and mold growth. We found that coexistence may be possible at a range of 25–30°C, but mixed colonies experienced a direct competitive cost compared to single-species colonies. Prostephanus truncatus performed better at warmer temperatures, while S. zeamais favored cooler temperatures. The majority of grain damage was the result of P. truncatus activity as opposed to S. zeamais. Finally, mold growth was greater where both species were present, and species of mold that produce aflatoxin were identified. Although there are an increasing number of areas where both of these species occur, our results suggest P. truncatus will be capable of destroying much more maize in a shorter period compared to S. zeamais at temperatures greater than 25°C.
O-GlcNAc Transferase Regulates Angiogenesis in Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is considered a vasculopathy characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular resistance due to vasoconstriction and/or lung remodeling such as plexiform lesions, the hallmark of the PAH, as well as cell proliferation and vascular and angiogenic dysfunction. The serine/threonine hydroxyl-linked N-Acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) has been shown to drive pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation in IPAH. OGT is a cellular nutrient sensor that is essential in maintaining proper cell function through the regulation of cell signaling, proliferation, and metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the role of OGT and O-GlcNAc in vascular and angiogenic dysfunction in IPAH. Primary isolated human control and IPAH patient PASMCs and pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs) were grown in the presence or absence of OGT inhibitors and subjected to biochemical assessments in monolayer cultures and tube formation assays, in vitro vascular sprouting 3D spheroid co-culture models, and de novo vascularization models in NODSCID mice. We showed that knockdown of OGT resulted in reduced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in IPAH primary isolated vascular cells. In addition, specificity protein 1 (SP1), a known stimulator of VEGF expression, was shown to have higher O-GlcNAc levels in IPAH compared to control at physiological (5 mM) and high (25 mM) glucose concentrations, and knockdown resulted in decreased VEGF protein levels. Furthermore, human IPAH PAECs demonstrated a significantly higher degree of capillary tube-like structures and increased length compared to control PAECs. Addition of an OGT inhibitor, OSMI-1, significantly reduced the number of tube-like structures and tube length similar to control levels. Assessment of vascular sprouting from an in vitro 3D spheroid co-culture model using IPAH and control PAEC/PASMCs and an in vivo vascularization model using control and PAEC-embedded collagen implants demonstrated higher vascularization in IPAH compared to control. Blocking OGT activity in these experiments, however, altered the vascular sprouting and de novo vascularization in IPAH similar to control levels when compared to controls. Our findings in this report are the first to describe a role for the OGT/O-GlcNAc axis in modulating VEGF expression and vascularization in IPAH. These findings provide greater insight into the potential role that altered glucose uptake and metabolism may have on the angiogenic process and the development of plexiform lesions. Therefore, we believe that the OGT/O-GlcNAc axis may be a potential therapeutic target for treating the angiogenic dysregulation that is present in IPAH.
Long-term Survival of 10,116 Korean Live Liver Donors

Objective: To evaluate the long-term mortality of Korean live liver donors using data from a national donor registry by comparing it with the mortality of the general population. Summary of Background Data: Although live liver donors generally have a healthy status, their long-term mortality has not been properly addressed in a large donor registry. Methods: Data of 10,116 live liver donors were drawn from a mandated national registry of Korean live liver donors between 2000 and 2015. Matched controls were selected from the Korean National Health Insurance System-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC). Median (range) follow-up of liver donors was 5.7 (0–15.9) years. Donors were 1:3 individually matched to controls by sex and 5-year age group; potential controls were from the whole NHIS-NSC (Control 1) or from NHIS-NSC after excluding people with contraindications to be organ donors (Control 2) (donor, n = 7538; Control 1, n = 28,248; Control 2, n = 28,248). Results: Fifty-three deaths occurred after donation. Ten-year cumulative mortality of live liver donors was 0.9%. The most common cause of death was suicide (n = 19) followed by cancer (n = 9) and traffic accident (n = 7). In the matched control analysis, overall risk of death was significantly lower in donors than in Control 1 (P < 0.001), but higher than in Control 2 (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Liver donors have increased long-term mortality risk compared to similar healthy controls without contraindications to be organ donors. Therefore, long-term follow-up, including psychosocial support, is needed for live liver donors.
Emotional interference during conflict resolution depends on task context

ABSTRACT Evidence is currently mixed regarding the way in which cognitive conflict modulates the effect of emotion on task performance. The present study aimed to address methodological differences across previous studies and investigate the conditions under which interference from emotional stimuli can either be elicited or eliminated under high cognitive conflict. Four behavioural experiments were conducted with a university sample using a gender-discrimination stimulus-response compatibility task. In line with our previous findings, Experiment 1 found that when emotion and cognitive conflict conditions were blocked, emotional faces increased reaction time interference during response compatible trials (low conflict) but not response incompatible trials (high conflict). However, when conflict and emotion conditions were randomised in different configurations across Experiments 2 (all trials randomised), 3 (emotion blocked, compatibility randomised) and 4 (compatibility blocked, emotion randomised), emotion interfered with task performance across both high and low conflict trials. These results suggest that predictability of both compatibility and emotion is required in order to obtain reduced emotional interference under high cognitive conflict. Consistent with prior reports, a top–down anticipatory control mechanism seems to be engaged in the presence of negative emotion when there are incompatible stimulus-response mappings.
Using Reflective Teaching Program to Explore Health-Promoting Behaviors in Nursing Students

ABSTRACT Background The attitudes of nurses toward health promotion affect patients. However, current classroom teaching does not provide nursing students with actual experiences. An experiential and reflective teaching design will help nursing students practice actual health behaviors and record their feelings. This will help nursing students better understand the difficulties and feelings experienced by nurses when encouraging patients to make behavioral changes in clinical settings. Purpose This study aimed to explore the experiences and factors affecting health-promoting learning with reflective teaching in nursing students. Methods This explorative study integrated the “reflective assessment, engagement, and action-reflection” strategy of reflective teaching into the standard health-promotion teaching curriculum to understand the experiences of nursing students when executing health-promoting behaviors. Fifty-seven second-year nursing students from a university in northern Taiwan participated in this course, which was conducted between September 2017 and January 2018. The data were collected from the contents of the reflective journals written by the nursing students and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The three health-promoting behaviors performed by most of the students were regular exercise, balanced and healthy diet, and adequate daily water intake. The feelings experienced by the nursing students during the execution of health-promoting behaviors included easier said than done, compromise and adjustment, and continuation of health behaviors. Accommodation, peer encouragement, and support were important, facilitating factors of health-promoting behaviors in this study. Conclusions/Implications for Practice The results of this study may serve as a reference for nursing lecturers when employing reflective teaching in the classroom. Reflective teaching designs for actual experiences help nursing students experience the crucial factors and benefits of executing health-promoting behaviors.
Mean Platelet Volume Does Not Predict Restenosis After Carotid Artery Stenting in Whites

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background and Purpose— Mean platelet volume (MPV) indicates platelet activity possibly affecting patient’s risk for progressive atherosclerotic disease. A recent study identified elevated MPV as a predictor of in-stent restenosis (ISR) after carotid artery stenting (CAS) in a Chinese population. However, the role of MPV on the development of ISR following CAS in whites is yet unknown. Methods— We retrospectively identified all consecutive patients who underwent CAS for atherosclerotic disease at our center from 2005 to 2017. All patients were followed clinically and by duplex sonography at 1, 3, and 6 months and annually after CAS. ISR was defined as ≥50% stenosis (NASCET [North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial] criteria) in the treated vessel. MPV was assessed before CAS, at last follow-up and at the time of ISR detection. Results— Of 392 patients with CAS (mean age 68.5±9.5 years, 26.8% women, 42.3% symptomatic stenosis), 54 had ISR after a mean follow-up time of 32 months. Baseline MPV was not different in ISR compared with non-ISR patients (10.7 versus 10.6 fL, P=0.316). MPV levels did also not change from baseline to ISR detection (P=0.310) and were not associated with recurrent stroke or vascular events (P>0.5). Multivariable analysis identified active smoking as the sole risk factor for carotid ISR (odds ratio, 2.53 [95% CI, 1.21–5.29]). Conclusions— We did not identify MPV as a risk factor for ISR after CAS in whites. Smoking cessation is an important target to avoid this complication.
Providing a Method for Object Detection Using a Combination Category

The object detection systems in an image, refers to systems that will find an object in an image completely mechanized and automated. These systems are often searching a particular object (which is known) in a raw image. These systems are often involved in two separate categories: (a) image processing, and (b) pattern recognition. The first issue involves the extraction of meaningful and valuable features. While the second issue involved finding a suitable learning model, so that it separates the object data from nonobject data in a favorable and acceptable way. In this study, we have reviewed by three-step method of learning objects and using a multi-layered combination model for detection and using heuristic algorithms association rules for feature selection step and finally using a combination category method similar to the intensification of the final step there. And by reviewing various evaluation models, we measured the quality of our models. In this study, we showed that using a majority vote model is the best way to detect an object.
Overview of the Track on Author Profiling and Deception Detection in Arabic

This overview presents the Author Proﬁling and Deception Detection in Arabic (APDA) shared task at PAN@FIRE 2019. Two have been the main aims of this years task: i) to proﬁle the age, gender and native language of a Twitter user; ii) to determine whether an Arabic text is deceptive or not in two diﬀerent genres: Twitter and news headlines. For this purpose we have created three corpora in Arabic. Altogether, the approaches of 13 participants are evaluated.
Rapamycin protects against hepatic injury in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by enhancing autophagy

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increases the risk of liver disease and greatly accelerates the progression of the disease. The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD) in diabetic patients is almost twice as high as that in healthy individuals. Unfortunately, effective therapies for hepatic injury caused by T2DM remain to be identified. A previous study reported that deletion of the autophagy-related Atg 5 or Atg 7 gene worsened hepatic injury. However, the association between liver injury and autophagy remains unclear. We used a streptozotocin (STZ)induced diabetic rat model to investigate whether increased autophagy could alleviate liver injury caused by T2DM. Adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into one of four groups, namely, the normal control group (NC), diabetes mellitus group (DM), rapamycin-treated DM group (RAP), and hydroxychloroquine-treated DM group (HYD). We found that increased autophagy induced by RAP in diabetic rats could suppress hepatic injury caused by T2DM. RAP treatment also increased the body weight, decreased the blood glucose level, and alleviated some of the pathological changes associated with liver injury in diabetic rats. By contrast, decreased autophagy induced by HYD worsened liver injury. In conclusion, RAP-induced autophagy protected the liver in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Increasing autophagy through a pharmacological agent in diabetic subjects with hepatic injury may represent a feasible therapeutic approach.
New Mexico Geological Society

—New, detailed geologic maps of Precambrian and Paleozoic bedrock, Tertiary basin fill, Quaternary surficial deposits, and the faults that cut them all, provide important controls on the geometry and kinematics of tectonism in the Taos area, from Laramide shortening to modern rifting. The three major fault systems that intersect in the Taos area are much more complex than previously described. The north-striking, 8-km-wide, strike-slip Picuris-Pecos fault system cuts deposits younger than about 5 Ma. The Picuris-Pecos fault is truncated by the Embudo fault, a major sinistral, antithetic rift transfer zone between the San Luis and Española rift basins. The Embudo fault is a complex system of left-oblique, north-down, strike-slip fault strands that is over 2 km wide. Pliocene basalt offset by the Embudo fault southwest of Pilar suggests a post-3-Ma minimum throw rate of 35 m/m.y. and a minimum average net slip rate of 130 m/m.y. The northeastern terminus of the Embudo fault is at the Rio Grande del Rancho drainage, where the east-striking Embudo fault system swings northward and smoothly merges with the dominantly dip-slip Cañon section of the rift-bounding Sangre de Cristo fault. The transition zone from the Embudo fault to the Sangre de Cristo fault is coincident with the Picuris-Pecos fault system and the Miranda graben. The Picuris-Pecos fault projects northward across the Taos embayment and aligns with the Questa section of the Sangre de Cristo fault. In the San Luis Basin directly north of the Embudo fault, is the buried, north-trending, 13-km-wide, 5000-m-deep Taos graben. We speculate that this graben may be the sinistrally displaced equivalent of the Miranda and Rio Grande del Rancho grabens. Our mapping also yields information on the timing of tectonism in the southeastern San Luis Basin. Substantial strike-slip faulting occurred in the Taos area at least until 18 million years ago, well past the 27 Ma onset of extension in the San Luis Basin. During early extension, prior to development of the Embudo fault, the Picuris-Pecos fault system, and its now-buried northward extension, may have represented the eastern rift margin. The transition from Laramide shortening to rift extension is indistinct, and at least some Laramide transverse faults probably evolved into rift normal faults in a transtensional(? ) setting. The change to pure extension may have coincided with a middle Miocene change in crustal extensional strain rate, and may have also triggered the initial development of the modern Embudo fault.
Efficacy of rituximab combined with lenalidomide in patients with recurrent follicular lymphoma

Objective: To study the short-term and long-term efficacy of rituximab combined with lenalidomide in patients with recurrent follicular lymphoma (FL). Methods: A total of 60 recurrent FL patients were recruited and randomly assigned to the control group (n=30) and an observation group (n=30). The control group received rituximab combined with CHOP chemotherapy regimen, while the observation group received lenalidomide. The overall response rate (ORR) and incidences of adverse events were compared between the two groups after 6 cycles of chemotherapy, and with a follow-up time of 3 years; the 1-, 2-, and 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall PFS, as well as the 1-, 2-, 3-year survival and overall survival were compared between the two groups. Results: The ORR of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05), and the incidences of adverse events showed no significant differences between two groups (all P>0.05); the 2and 3-year PFS and survival, as well as the overall PFS and survival were all significantly higher in the observation than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The combined therapy of rituximab and lenalidomide for patients with recurrent FL improves ORR, and also effectively controls the progression of disease, prolongs the survival period of patients, and offers good safety. This therapy can be a new option of treatment for recurrent FL.
Control and Data Acquisition Using TANGO and SARDANA at the Nanomax Beamline at MAX IV

The MAX IV synchrotron radiation facility in Lund, Sweden, received its first external commissioning users in November 2016 at the Nanomax hard X-ray beamline. All components of the beamline, including the motorisation, vacuum and diagnostic elements, were integrated into the TANGO-based control system, which through the SARDANA layer also managed the collection of diffraction and fluorescence data from oneand two-dimensional detector channels. Hardware-synchronised continuous scanning (“fly-scanning”) of the sample, mounted on a piezo stage, was achieved using a system built around a standard pulse generator and acquisition board controlled by a dedicated TANGO device. SARDANA macros were used to configure and execute the continuous scanning, and position data from the piezo controller were buffered in synchronization with triggers sent to the detectors, with all data subsequently written to HDF5 files. After successful initial operation, the system is currently being revised and expanded for the users expected in 2018.