Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Curcumin inhibits proliferation, migration and neointimal formation of vascular smooth muscle via activating miR-22

Abstract Context Curcumin has antitumor, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative properties. Objective To investigate the role of miR-22 during curcumin-induced changes in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and neointima formation in balloon-injured rat abdominal aorta. Materials and methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised to the sham-operated (n = 10), operated control (injured, n = 10), and curcumin treatment (n = 10) groups. miR-22 expression was determined by real-time PCR. SP1 was assessed by western blot and real-time PCR. Rat aortic smooth muscle A7r5 cells were used to determine VSMC proliferation and migration, which were measured by the MTS, EdU staining, Transwell, and wound healing assays. Results miR-22 levels declined following arterial balloon injury in vivo (48% at 3d, p < 0.05) and serum stimulation in vitro (45% at 24 h, p < 0.01). Functional studies revealed that miR-22 negatively regulated the proliferation and migration of VSMCs by directly targeting the SP1 transcription factor in VSMCs. Curcumin increased the expression of miR-22 (81%, p < 0.05) and decreased the protein expression of SP1 in VSMCs (25%, p < 0.05). miR-22 inhibition was found to attenuate the effects of curcumin on VSMC functions. Curcumin increased miR-22 (46%, p < 0.01), decreased the SP1 protein (19%, p < 0.05), and inhibited vascular neointimal area (48%, p < 0.01) in vivo. Discussion The miR-22/SP1 pathway is involved in the protective role of curcumin during arterial balloon injury, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Conclusion miR-22 is involved in the inhibitory effects of curcumin on VSMCs’ proliferation, migration and neointima hyperplasia after arterial balloon injury in rats. Curcumin could be used to prevent neointimal hyperplasia after angioplasty.
Brine shrimp cytotoxic activities of Hippophae rhamnoides Linn leaves extracts

extract. Results: The mortality of aqueous extract was 46.7%, methanol extract was 46.7%, ethanolic extract was 50.0%, ethyl acetate was 26.7%, acetone extract was 33.3%, chloroform extract was 40.0% and n-hexane extract was 33.3%. The lowest LD50 was found in methanol extracts (1 199.97 µg/mL). Brine shrimp cytotoxicity of tested extracts of H. rhamnoides showed that mortality rate was concentration dependent. Conclusions: It is concluded that bioactive components are present in all leaves extracts of H. rhamnoides, which could be accounted for its pharmacological effects. Thus, the results support the uses of this plant species in traditional medicine.
Functionalized PFN-X (X = Cl, Br, I) for Balanced Charge Carriers of Highly Efficient Blue Light-Emitting Diodes.

All inorganic perovskite nanocrystals (PeNCs), CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, or I) have been considered as one of the prospective emissive material for display applications which showed superior photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and high color purity with narrow spectral line width. Recently, high performance green and red perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) were introduced, however the efficiency of blue emitting PeLEDs still lagged owing to PeNCs' deep HOMO energy level, ~ 6.0 eV which is in discord with adjacent organic interlayer. In this work, we demonstrated an interfacial engineering strategy with conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs), functionalized PFN with halide anions between hole injection layer and PeNCs. By introducing PFN-X (X = Cl, Br, I), they exhibit well-balanced charge carriers and resultant effective radiative recombination in PeNCs layer with reduced hole injection barrier and electron blocking behavior. Among them, in particular, the PFN-Cl applicated PeLEDs display a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 1.34% at 470 nm electroluminescence emission with enhanced spectral operating stability.
Sedentariness and Physical Activity during School Recess Are Associated with VO2Peak

Recess time (RT) is a main component of school-based activities, and could contribute up to 40% of the physical activity (PA) recommended in the health guidelines. The main goal was to analyze the association between accelerometer-measured PA and sedentary time during RT with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). A total of 146 children and adolescents, aged 8–19 years, were recruited from six schools. PA levels were measured with GT3X accelerometers over 7 days. CRF was measured using a portable breath-by-breath gas analyzer. A general linear model (GML) was conducted to analyze the association between PA intensities and CRF during RT. Additionally, a logistic binary regression was used to evaluate the risk of unhealthy CRF among different categories of PA and sedentary time. Participants classified as healthy showed higher PA levels during RT than those classed as unhealthy. GML analysis showed that sedentary time during RT was significantly associated with VO2Peak. Finally, compared to individuals accumulate less than 15-min of ST during recess, individuals who were sedentary for more than 15 min during RT presented 43.78 times of having unhealthy CRF (95% CI 3.873–494.824). Our data suggest an association between recess sedentary time and unhealthy CRF. Thus, school-aged children and adolescents must be empowered to perform PA during RT to prevent the deleterious effects of sedentary time on CRF.
Left Ventricular Geometry and Replacement Fibrosis Detected by cMRI Are Associated with Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

To investigate the relationship between left ventricular (LV) long-axis strain (LAS) and LV sphericity index (LVSI) and outcomes in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) and myocardial replacement fibrosis confirmed by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), we conducted a prospective study on 178 patients (48 ± 14.4 years; 25.2% women) with first NIDCM diagnosis. The evaluation protocol included ECG monitoring, echocardiography and cMRI. LAS and LVSI were cMRI-determined. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were defined as a composite outcome including heart failure (HF), ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and sudden cardiac death (SCD). After a median follow-up of 17 months, patients with LGE+ had increased risk of MACEs. Kaplan-Meier curves showed significantly higher rate of MACEs in patients with LGE+ (p < 0.001), increased LVSI (p < 0.01) and decreased LAS (p < 0.001). In Cox analysis, LAS (HR = 1.32, 95%CI (1.54–9.14), p = 0.001), LVSI [HR = 1.17, 95%CI (1.45–7.19), p < 0.01] and LGE+ (HR = 1.77, 95%CI (2.79–12.51), p < 0.0001) were independent predictors for MACEs. In a 4-point risk scoring system based on LV ejection fraction (LVEF) < 30%, LGE+, LAS > −7.8% and LVSI > 0.48%, patients with 3 and 4 points had a significantly higher risk for MACEs. LAS and LVSI are independent predictors of MACEs and provide incremental value beyond LVEF and LGE+ in patients with NIDCM and myocardial fibrosis.
Abnormalities on Perfusion CT and Intervention for Intracranial Hypertension in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

The role of invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) remain unclear. Perfusion computed tomography (CTP) provides crucial information about the cerebral perfusion status in these patients. We hypothesised that CTP abnormalities would be associated with the severity of intracranial hypertension (ICH). To investigate this hypothesis, twenty-eight patients with STBI and ICP monitors were investigated with CTP within 48 h from admission. Treating teams were blind to these results. Patients were divided into five groups based on increasing intervention required to control ICH and were compared. Group I required no intervention above routine sedation, group II required a single first tier intervention, group III required multiple different first-tier interventions, group IV required second-tier medical therapy and group V required second-tier surgical therapy. Analysis of the results showed demographics and injury severity did not differ among groups. In group I no patients showed CTP abnormality, while patients in all other groups had abnormal CTP (p = 0.003). Severe ischaemia observed on CTP was associated with increasing intervention for ICH. This study, although limited by small sample size, suggests that CTP abnormalities are associated with the need to intervene for ICH. Larger scale assessment of our results is warranted to potentially avoid unnecessary invasive procedures in head injury patients.
The Phytochemical Indicaxanthin Synergistically Enhances Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis in HeLa Cells via Oxidative Stress-Dependent p53/p21waf1 Axis

Combining phytochemicals with chemotherapics is an emerging strategy to treat cancer to overcome drug toxicity and resistance with natural compounds. We assessed the effects of indicaxanthin (Ind), a pigment obtained from Opuntia ficus-indica (L. Mill) fruit, combined with cisplatin (CDDP) against cervical cancer cells (HeLa). Measured cell viability via Trypan blue assay; cell morphology via fluorescence microscopy; apoptosis, cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cell redox balance via flow-cytometry; expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins via western blot. Cell viability assays and Chou-Talalay plot demonstrated that the combination of CDDP and Ind had synergistic cytotoxic effects. Combined treatment had significant effects (p < 0.05) on phosphatidylserine externalization, cell morphological changes, cell cycle arrest, fall in MMP, ROS production and GSH decay compared with the individual treatment groups. Bax, cytochrome c, p53 and p21waf1 were over-expressed, while Bcl-2 was downregulated. Pre-treatment with N-acetyl-l-cysteine abolished the observed synergistic effects. We also demonstrated potentiation of CDDP anticancer activity by nutritionally relevant concentrations of Ind. Oxidative stress-dependent mitochondrial cell death is the basis of the chemosensitizing effect of Ind combined with CDDP against HeLa cancer cells. ROS act as upstream signaling molecules to initiate apoptosis via p53/p21waf1 axis. Ind can be a phytochemical of interest in combo-therapy.
Public knowledge of the influence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors on dementia: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objectives This systematic review examined whether the general public are aware of the influence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) on dementia. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, five electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Scopus) were searched for studies published from 2009–2019, using the key terms “knowledge,” “modifiable cardiovascular risk factors,” and “dementia. ” Standardized critical appraisal instruments were used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Results Of the 1,533 articles that were screened, 26 were included in this review. Modifiable CVRFs of dementia included behavioral factors (physical inactivity, poor dietary practices, high alcohol consumption, and heavy smoking) and medical conditions (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity). Although the association between CVRFs and dementia was identified (pooled prevalence is 24–50%), overall knowledge about this relationship in the general public was low. Sociodemographic variables, such as higher education, better economic status, and prior contact with a person with dementia, positively influenced dementia risk knowledge. Ethnic minorities showed good awareness of dementia risk from cardiovascular-related conditions. Conclusion Despite dementia is considered as a public health priority by World Health Organization, knowledge of the modifiable CVRFs and dementia is low in the general population. Public health policymakers should develop appropriate educational programs and interventions to equip the communities and vulnerable groups with this understanding so that they can be prepared to reduce dementia risk.
The sunflower among the North American Indians.

THE origin of cultivated plants has long challenged the imagination of both botanists and anthropologists. The problems relating to the tracingof such origins have been subject torenewed interest and scientific inquiry in recent years. The cultivated sunflower thus far has received relatively little attention in such studies, but it is of particular interest because it is one of the few crop plants to have been domesticated in temperate North America and it is one of the few plants whose wild progenitor still exists. The common sunflower, Helianthus annuus L. , comprises three varieties: H. annuus var. lenticularis (Dougl.) Ckll. , the "wild" sunflower; H. annuus var. annuus, the "weed" or "ruderal" sunflower; and H. annuus var. macrocarpus (D.C.) Ckll. , the giant sunflower which is cultivated for its edible seeds. The first of these, the wild entity, which is widespread in western North America, is a branched sunflower with small heads and few rays. The weed sunflower is also branched but with larger heads and more numerous rays than in the wild variety. Its distribution is primarily confined to the middle western United States. The cultivated sunflower is generally unbranched bearing a single massive head with numerous rays. Its distribution is practically world wide today but it does not persist outside of cultivation. In his now classic Origin of Cultivated Plants de Candolle (1884) pointed out that the methods for discovering the origin of cultivated species were to be derived from botany, archaeology and paleontology, history, and philology. Some of the botanical evidence bearing on the origin of the cultivated sunflower is to be considered in another paper (Heiser, 1951) and the archaeological evidence is to be treated by Mr. Volney
Synthesis and coating of nanosilver by vanillic acid and its effects on Dunaliella salina Teod.

A B S T R A C T Plant phenolics have high reducing capacity which can be exploited in the synthesis of nanomaterials. In the present study, phytoreductant vanillic acid is used to produce and coat silver nanoparticles. The effects of Ag nanoparticles on the unicellular green algae D. Salina were then investigated. Under optimum pH and temperature, silver ions were reduced to silver metal by vanillic acid. The absorption spectra of the silver nanoparticles showed a maximum band of 410 nm, which is characteristic of the surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed a narrow distribution size with an average of 52 nm. High concentrations of Ag nanoparticles reduced growth, total carotenoids, chlorophyll content, phenolics and antioxidant activity of the algae. Based on these results, phytoreductant vanillic acid can be used for synthesis and coating of nanosilver. Due to the projected increase in quantities and types of nanomaterials which leads to their elevated release into the environment and also because of the toxicity of nanomaterials, an urgent need to evaluate the impacts of nano-sized particles on the environment and living organisms is felt.
Effect of post-labeling delay on regional cerebral blood flow in arterial spin-labeling MR imaging

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract Background: Investigating the effect of post-labeling delay (PLD) on regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in adults and optimizing the PLD for arterial spin-labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are important. Methods: Pseudo-continuous ASL imaging with a three PLDs protocol was performed in 90 healthy adult volunteers from January 2018 to February 2019. Healthy subjects were divided into youth group (mean age, 30.63 years; age range, 20–44 years), middle-aged group (mean age, 52.16 years; age range 45–59 years) and elderly group (mean age, 66.07 years; age range, 60–77 years). After preprocessing, analyses of variance (ANOVA) and volume-of-interest (VOI) were conducted to compare the CBF in each brain region. According to the trends of CBF changing with PLD and the results of ANOVA, we optimized the PLD for ASL imaging in different brain regions and age groups. Results: The CBF values of 87 VOIs [global gray matter (global GM) and other 86 VOIs] for each subject were obtained. Young people had less statistically significant VOIs than middle-aged and elderly people [Numbers of VOIs which had statistical significance (P < .05) in the analysis of ANOVA: 42 (youth group), 79 (middle-aged group), and 71 (elderly group)]. In youth group, the deep GM, occipital lobe and temporal lobe were more affected by PLDs than limbic system, frontal lobe and parietal lobe [VOIs with statistical significance (P < .05)/total VOIs: 8/8 (deep GM) > 8/12 (occipital lobe) > (8/14) (temporal lobe) > 5/12 (limbic system) > 11/28 (frontal lobe) > (2/12) parietal lobe]. In middle-aged group, the limbic system, deep GM and temporal lobe were more affected by PLDs than parietal lobe, frontal lobe and occipital lobe [VOIs with statistical significance (P < 0.05)/total VOIs: 12/12 (limbic system) = 8/8 (deep GM) > (13/14) (temporal lobe) > (11/12) parietal lobe > 25/28 (frontal lobe) > 9/12 (occipital lobe)]. In elderly group, the temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and frontal lobe were more affected by PLDs than occipital lobe, limbic system, and deep GM [VOIs with statistical significance (P < .05)/total VOIs: 14/14 (temporal lobe) > 12/12 (parietal lobe) > 22/28 (frontal lobe) > 9/12 (occipital lobe) > 8/12 (limbic system) > 5/8 (deep GM)]. The optimal PLD for most VOIs in youth group was 1525 ms. However, for middle-aged and elderly group, the optimal PLD for most VOIs was 2525 ms. Conclusion: Young people are less affected by PLDs than middle-aged and elderly people. The middle-aged people are most affected by PLDs. In addition, the spatial distributions of PLD effect were different among the three age groups. Optimizing the PLD for ASL imaging according to age and brain regions can obtain more accurate and reliable CBF values.
Effects of Environmental and Spatial Heterogeneity on Tree Community Assembly in Baotianman National Nature Reserve, Henan, China

ABSTRACT The debate on species coexistence mechanisms never stops. The niche theory, neutral theory, and negative density dependence mechanism has been attracting considerable attention in recent years, but an integrated research on species coexistence mechanisms has rarely been conducted. In this study, a previous investigation at a plot in Henan Province was used as a basis to analyze the spatial structure of the community with principal coordinates of neighbor matrices (PCNM). Variance partitioning was used to analyze the effects of topography, soil, spatial, and stand density on species distribution. Results show that the community structure in the broad, medium, and fine scales generally showed a highly significant spatial structure. Topography, soil, spatial variables, and stand density explained 3.4, 11.7, 12.1 and 19.49% of species distribution, respectively. The aforementioned results suggest that spatial factor was an important factor that affects community structure. Species distribution was evidently influenced by environmental spatial heterogeneity. It had a very important function for density-dependent effects acting on species distribution. Niche theory, neutral theory, and negative density dependence mechanisms affected community building in different degrees.
Teacher–Student Interaction and Chinese Students’ Mathematics Learning Outcomes: The Mediation of Mathematics Achievement Emotions

This study aimed to investigate secondary students’ mathematics achievement emotions and their mediating effects on the relationships between classroom environmental characteristics, namely, teacher–student interactional styles (i.e., teacher leadership and student freedom styles), and students’ mathematics learning outcomes in mainland China. A sample of 1423 Grade 7 to 9 junior secondary students responded to a questionnaire that comprised three sets of scales for assessing students’ perceived teacher–student interactional styles, mathematics achievement emotions, and cognitive and affective learning outcomes. The results indicated that students’ mathematics learning outcomes were positively associated with both teacher leadership and student freedom styles. Moreover, students’ mathematics achievement emotions mediated the relationships between these two interactional styles and their mathematics learning outcomes. These results highlight the importance of mathematics achievement emotions in student learning, and provide implications for the improvement of mathematics classroom environments.
Tumor-Suppressive miR-192-5p Has Prognostic Value in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by fast tumor progression and diagnosis at advanced, inoperable stages. Previous studies could demonstrate an involvement of miR-192-5p in epigenetic regulation of visceral carcinomas. Due to contradictory results, however, the clinical utility of miR-192-5p in PDAC has yet to be determined. MiR-192-5p expression was analyzed by RT-qRT-PCR in human PDAC and benign tissue (n = 78), blood serum (n = 81) and serum exosomes (n = 74), as well as in PDAC cell lines (n = 5), chemoresistant cell clones (n = 2), and pancreatic duct cell line H6c7. Analysis of EMT-associated (epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition) proteins was performed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. MiR-192-5p was deregulated in PDAC as compared to healthy controls (HCs), with downregulation in macrodissected tissue (p < 0.001) and upregulation in blood serum of PDAC UICC (Union for International Cancer Control) stage IV (p = 0.016) and serum exosomes of PDAC UICC stages II to IV (p < 0.001). MiR-192-5p expression in tumor tissue was significantly lower as compared to corresponding peritumoral tissue (PDAC UICC stage II: p < 0.001; PDAC UICC stage III: p = 0.024), while EMT markers ZEB1 and ZEB2 were more frequently expressed in tumor tissue as compared to peritumoral tissue, HCs, and chronic pancreatitis. Tissue-derived (AUC of 0.86; p < 0.0001) and exosomal (AUC of 0.83; p = 0.0004) miR-192-5p could differentiate between PDAC and HCs with good accuracy. Furthermore, high expression of miR-192-5p in PDAC tissue of curatively resected PDAC patients correlated with prolonged overall and recurrence-free survival in multivariate analysis. In vitro, miR-192-5p was downregulated in gemcitabine-resistant cell clones of AsPC-1 (p = 0.029). Transient transfection of MIA PaCa-2 cells with miR-192-5p mimic resulted in downregulation of ZEB2. MiR-192-5p seems to possess a tumor-suppressive role and high potential as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in PDAC.