Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of Serum Melatonin and Oxidative Stress in Childhood Atopic Dermatitis: A Prospective Study

Background: Many factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) and recently the role of oxidative damage has been postulated. Objectives: To study the levels of oxidants and antioxidants including melatonin in the blood of children with AD and their association with the severity of AD. Methods: Thirty patients with atopic dermatitis, aged 6 months to 12 years, and equal number of age and sex-matched controls were included. Clinical characteristics and baseline severity assessment using SCORAD (scoring atopic dermatitis) severity index were noted. Blood superoxide dismutase, blood glutathione peroxidase, serum malondialdehyde, and serum melatonin levels were measured in cases and controls and results were compared. Results: The serum levels of malondialdehyde and melatonin were significantly higher among the cases compared to controls. The blood levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were higher in cases but the difference with controls was not statistically significant. There was no significant correlation between these markers and the severity of the disease. Conclusions: Oxidative stress was increased in cases of childhood AD compared to the control group in this study. No correlation between oxidative stress and the severity of the disease was found. Larger studies are warranted.
Comparative evaluation of efficacy of subepithelial connective tissue graft versus platelet-rich fibrin membrane in surgical reconstruction of interdental papillae using Han and Takie technique: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has emerged as one of the promising regenerative materials in the field of periodontics. Hence, this study evaluated the efficacy of subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) and PRF in surgical reconstruction of interdental papillae using Han and Takei technique. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 sites with Class I and Class II interdental papilla defects were assigned to two groups (Group 1 – Han and Takie technique + SCTG and Group 2 – Han and Takie technique + PRF). Parameters such as papillary height (PH), distance from the contact point to the tip of papillae (CPTP), papilla presence index (PPI), pocket probing depth (PPD), relative clinical attachment level (RCAL), plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and distance from contact point to alveolar crest (CP-BC) were measured at baseline and after 3 months. The significance of difference within and between the groups was evaluated with paired and unpaired t-tests. Results: The mean PI, GI, PPD, RCAL, PPI, and CPTP distance decreased significantly, whereas the mean PH increased significantly in Group 1 as well as in Group 2. After 3 months, mean reduction in CPTP distance and mean gain in PH were statistically significant in Group 1 as compared to Group 2. However, there was no significant difference in mean CPBC distance between baseline and 3 months in Group 1 as well as in Group 2. Conclusion: Both the techniques were effective in the treatment of papillary recession defects; however, more significant clinical papillary enhancement was achieved after the surgical reconstruction with SCTG.
Assessment and reliability of suspect flags in automated hematology analyzers for diagnosing white blood cell and platelet disorders

Background: The automated hematology analyzers have replaced the traditional manual methods for assessing hematological parameters. Most of the automated hematology analyzers are programmed to identify abnormalities in the form of “suspect flags. ” Aims: The aim of the study was to correlate white blood cell (WBC) and platelet (PLT) flag messages provided by automated analyzers with their respective peripheral blood smear (PBS) findings. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken on 100 patients who showed WBC and PLT suspect flags and/or abnormal peripheral smears. The flag messages were analyzed with their respective PBS findings. Pearson's Chi-square test was used for the statistical analysis. Results: Analyzer and PBS showed WBC defects (n = 46, 32), PLT defects (n = 39, 54), and combined defects (n = 36, 43) respectively. WBC defects included leukocytosis (n = 27, 22), leukopenia (n = 20, 18), immature granulocytes (n = 10, 3), left shift (n = 3, 2), myeloblast blast (n = 2, 1), and eosinophilia (n = 4, 4) on analyzer and PBS. Correlation between the WBC suspect flags and their peripheral smears was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.006). PLT defects included thrombocytopenia (n = 22, 30), thrombocytosis (n = 13, 17), giant PLTs (n = 10, 15), PLT clumps (n = 8, 12), and PLT debris (n = 2, 5) on analyzer and PBS. Correlation between the PLT characteristics in analyzers and in peripheral smears was statistically significant (P = 0.042). Conclusion: Suspect flags should be used as a screening tool to pick up pathological samples. These should then be followed up with a PBS examination for definitive diagnosis.
Conceptual issues in mood disorder: An update

The concept of mood disorders dates back to eternity. This long history of the emotions and their disorders has a fascinating journey. As with any history concerned with disease concepts, the conceptual history of mood disorders must be scrutinized through close attention to nosological texts in tracing how categories were created how they evolved over the time. This article covers the evolution of the concept of mood disorders and its journey from the Hippocratic era to the Kraepelin's dichotomization between dementia praecox (schizophrenia) and manic-depressive insanity (bipolar and unipolar disorders) and its culmination into the contemporary classifications of mood disorders. It also addresses the problem of boundaries between the different mood disorders in terms of their conceptualization and classification. The shortcomings of the classificatory systems and the current progress in the nosology have also been discussed.
Linking canopy‐scale mesophyll conductance and phloem sugar δ13C using empirical and modelling approaches

Summary Interpreting phloem carbohydrate or xylem tissue carbon isotopic composition as measures of water‐use efficiency or past tree productivity requires in‐depth knowledge of the factors altering the isotopic composition within the pathway from ambient air to phloem contents and tree ring. One of least understood of these factors is mesophyll conductance (g m). We formulated a dynamic model describing the leaf photosynthetic pathway including seven alternative g m descriptions and a simple transport of sugars from foliage down the trunk. We parameterised the model for a boreal Scots pine stand and compared simulated g m responses with weather variations. We further compared the simulated δ13C of new photosynthates among the different g m descriptions and against measured phloem sugar δ13C. Simulated g m estimates of the seven descriptions varied according to weather conditions, resulting in varying estimates of phloem δ13C during cold/moist and warm/dry periods. The model succeeded in predicting a drought response and a postdrought release in phloem sugar δ13C indicating suitability of the model for inverse prediction of leaf processes from phloem isotopic composition. We suggest short‐interval phloem sampling during and after extreme weather conditions to distinguish between mesophyll conductance drivers for future model development.
Selection in the Finnhorse, a native all‐around horse breed

Abstract Selection by breeders modifies the morphology, behaviour and performance of domesticated species. Here, we examined signs of selection in Finnhorse, the only native horse breed in Finland. We first searched divergent genomic regions between Finnhorses and other breeds, as well as between different breeding sections of the Finnhorse with data from Illumina Equine SNP70 BeadChip, and then studied several of the detected regions in more detail. We found altogether 35 common outlier SNPs between Finnhorses and other breeds using two different selection tests. Many of the SNPs were located close to genes affecting coat colour, performance, size, sugar metabolism, immune response and olfaction. We selected genes affecting coat colour (KIT, MITF, PMEL), performance (MSTN) and locomotion (DMRT3) for a more detailed examination. In addition, we looked for, and found, associations with height at withers and SNPs located close to gene LCORL. Among the four breeding sections of Finnhorses (harness trotters, riding horses, draught horses and pony‐sized horses), a single SNP located close to the DMRT3 gene was significantly differentiated and only between harness trotters and pony‐sized horses.
Development and validation of a nomogram with an epigenetic signature for predicting survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Epigenetic factors play crucial roles in carcinogenesis by modifying chromatin architecture. Here, we established an epigenetic biosignature-based model for examining survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). We retrieved gene-expression profiles and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus and clustered the data into training (n = 490) and Validation (n = 226) datasets, respectively. To establish an epigenetic model, we identified prognostic epigenetic regulation-related genes by LASSO and Cox regression analyses, and established a novel 11-gene signature, including EPC1, GADD45A, HCFC2, RCOR1, SMARCAL1, TLE2, TRIM28, and ZNF516, for predicting LUAD overall survival (OS). The biosignature performed optimally in both the training and validation sets according to receiver operating characteristic and calibration plots. Moreover, the biosignature classified patients into high- and low-risk clusters with distinct survival times, with Cox regression analysis revealing the biosignature as an independent LUAD prognostic index. Furthermore, the generated nomogram integrating the prognostic gene biosignature and clinical indices predicted LUAD OS with high efficiency and outperformed tumor-node-metastasis staging in LUAD survival prediction. These results demonstrated the efficacy of the epigenetic signature prognostic nomogram for reliably predicting LUAD OS and its potential application for informing clinical decision making and individualized treatment.
Cell‐Free Bilayered Porous Scaffolds for Osteochondral Regeneration Fabricated by Continuous 3D‐Printing Using Nascent Physical Hydrogel as Ink

Cartilage is difficult to self‐repair and it is more challenging to repair an osteochondral defects concerning both cartilage and subchondral bone. Herein, it is hypothesized that a bilayered porous scaffold composed of a biomimetic gelatin hydrogel may, despite no external seeding cells, induce osteochondral regeneration in vivo after being implanted into mammal joints. This idea is confirmed based on the successful continuous 3D‐printing of the bilayered scaffolds combined with the sol‐gel transition of the aqueous solution of a gelatin derivative (physical gelation) and photocrosslinking of the gelatin methacryloyl (gelMA) macromonomers (chemical gelation). At the direct printing step, a nascent physical hydrogel is extruded, taking advantage of non‐Newtonian and thermoresponsive rheological properties of this 3D‐printing ink. In particular, a series of crosslinked gelMA (GelMA) and GelMA‐hydroxyapatite bilayered hydrogel scaffolds are fabricated to evaluate the influence of the spacing of 3D‐printed filaments on osteochondral regeneration in a rabbit model. The moderately spaced scaffolds output excellent regeneration of cartilage with cartilaginous lacunae and formation of subchondral bone. Thus, tricky rheological behaviors of soft matter can be employed to improve 3D‐printing, and the bilayered hybrid scaffold resulting from the continuous 3D‐printing is promising as a biomaterial to regenerate articular cartilage.
Transcriptome profiling reveals an integrated mRNA–lncRNA signature with predictive value for long-term survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

For patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), survival at 24 months is a milestone for long-term survival. The purpose of this study was to develop a multigene risk score (MGRS) to refine the International Prognostic Index (IPI) model to identify patients with DLBCL at high risk of death within 24 months. Using a robust statistical strategy, we built a MGRS incorporating nine mRNAs and two lncRNAs. Stratification and multivariable Cox regression analysis confirmed the MGRS as an independent risk factor. A nomogram based on IPI+MGRS model was constructed and its calibration plot showed close agreement between predicted 2-year survival rate and observed rate. The 2-year AUC was bigger with the IPI+MGRS model (ΔAUC=0.162; 95%CI 0.1295–0.1903) than with the IPI model, and the IPI+MGRS model more accurately predicted the prognostic risk of DLBCL. The 2-year survival decision curve revealed the IPI+MGRS model was more useful clinically than the IPI model. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the MGRS correlated with cell cycle, DNA replication and repair. The results were validated using an independent external dataset. In conclusion, we successfully developed an integrated mRNA–lncRNA signature to refine the IPI model for predicting long-term survival of patients with DLBCL.
NEAT1 regulates microtubule stabilization via FZD3/GSK3β/P-tau pathway in SH-SY5Y cells and APP/PS1 mice

Nuclear paraspeckles assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) is a well-known long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) with various functions in different physiological and pathological processes. Notably, aberrant NEAT1 expression is implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the molecular mechanism of NEAT1 in AD remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated that NEAT1 regulated microtubules (MTs) polymerization via FZD3/GSK3β/p-tau pathway. Downregulation of NEAT1 inhibited Frizzled Class Receptor 3 (FZD3) transcription activity by suppressing H3K27 acetylation (H3K27Ac) at the FZD3 promoter. Our data also demonstrated that P300, an important histone acetyltransferases (HAT), recruited by NEAT1 to bind to FZD3 promoter and mediated its transcription via regulating histone acetylation. In addition, according to immunofluorescence staining of MTs, metformin, a medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, rescued the reduced length of neurites detected in NEAT1 silencing cells. We suspected that metformin may play a neuroprotective role in early AD by increasing NEAT1 expression and through FZD3/GSK3β/p-tau pathway. Collectively, NEAT1 regulates microtubule stabilization via FZD3/GSK3β/P-tau pathway and influences FZD3 transcription activity in the epigenetic way.
Virtual Reality in Pain Rehabilitation for Youth With Chronic Pain: Pilot Feasibility Study

Background In the field of pain, virtual reality (VR) technology has been increasingly common in the context of procedural pain management. As an interactive technology tool, VR has the potential to be extended beyond acute pain management to chronic pain rehabilitation with a focus on increasing engagement with painful or avoided movements. Objective We outline the development and initial implementation of a VR program in pain rehabilitation intervention to enhance function in youth with chronic pain. Methods We present the development, acceptability, feasibility, and utility of an innovative VR program (Fruity Feet) for pediatric pain rehabilitation to facilitate increased upper and lower extremity engagement. The development team was an interdisciplinary group of pediatric experts, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, pain psychologists, anesthesiologists, pain researchers, and a VR software developer. We used a 4-phase iterative development process that engaged clinicians, parents, and patients via interviews and standardized questionnaires. Results This study included 17 pediatric patients (13 female, 4 male) enrolled in an intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) program, with mean age of 13.24 (range 7-17) years, completing a total of 63 VR sessions. Overall reports of presence were high (mean 28.98; max 40; SD 4.02), suggestive of a high level of immersion. Among those with multisession data (n=8), reports of pain (P<.001), fear (P=.003), avoidance (P=.004), and functional limitations (P=.01) significantly decreased. Qualitative analysis revealed (1) a positive experience with VR (eg, enjoyed VR, would like to utilize the VR program again, felt VR was a helpful tool); (2) feeling distracted from pain while engaged in VR; (3) greater perceived mobility; and (4) fewer clinician-observed pain behaviors during VR. Movement data support the targeted impact of the Fruity Feet compared to other available VR programs. Conclusions The iterative development process yielded a highly engaging and feasible VR program based on qualitative feedback, questionnaires, and movement data. We discuss next steps for the refinement, implementation, and assessment of impact of VR on chronic pain rehabilitation. VR holds great promise as a tool to facilitate therapeutic gains in chronic pain rehabilitation in a manner that is highly reinforcing and fun.
The East–Freeman Automatic Vent: An interesting footnote in the history of mechanical ventilation

An example of the East–Freeman Automatic Vent from Oxford was found in the early anaesthesia equipment collection at St George Hospital, Sydney. It weighs less than 200 g and is representative of a group of miniature ventilators that were described in the 1960s, including the Minivent from South Africa and the Microvent from Canada. All relied on a pressure-operated inflating valve that was described in 1966 by Mitchell and Epstein from Oxford. The ventilators were compact, portable and were powered by the gas supply from the anaesthesia machine or other driving source that distended a reservoir bag. The main problem was that they could stick in the inspiratory phase. This led to pressure in the lungs rising towards the driving pressure. There was a risk of barotrauma to the patient if the system was not promptly disconnected. While theyhad provided an alternative to hand bagging, they were superseded, as more sophisticated and safer ventilators became widely available.
Dose-finding design and benchmark for a right censored endpoint

ABSTRACT Dose-finding trials aim to determine a safe dose to be tested in larger trials for efficacy. In oncology, designs generally assume conventional monotonic increasing dose-toxicity relationships, mostly with binary outcomes (e.g., dose-limiting toxicity or not), measured in the first cycle of therapy or for a fixed number of cycles. However, with new anti-cancer agents such as molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapies, late-onset toxicities have become more frequent. Designs with prolonged observation windows and censored endpoints analyzed using survival models, appear particularly suited to these settings. Moreover, in this setting, the observation of the late-onset toxicity endpoint could be precluded by trial discontinuation due to death, progression, patient withdrawal, or physician discretion, defining a competing event to toxicity. We propose extensions of the Continual Reassessment Method (CRM) dose-finding design using survival working models for right-censored endpoints and for handling treatment discontinuation in the toxicity observation window, namely the Survival-CRM (Surv-CRM) and the informative survival-CRM (iSurv-CRM). We also developed a benchmark approach for its evaluation. In a simulation study, we compared the performance of the Surv-CRM and iSurv-CRM, to those of the Time-to-event (TITE)-CRM and the nonparametric benchmark. The performance of the proposed methods was consistent with the complexity of scenarios as assessed by the nonparametric benchmark. Without treatment discontinuations, the Surv-CRM provides proportions of correct dose selection close to those of the TITE-CRM with fewer observed toxicities and patients assigned to overtoxic dose levels. In the presence of treatment discontinuation, the iSurv-CRM outperforms the TITE-CRM in identifying the correct dose level.
Mechanistic insights into Candida biofilm eradication potential of eucalyptol

Candida‐associated fungal infections are prevalent in hospitalized and immune‐compromised patients. Their biofilm architecture and high rate of antifungal resistance make treatment challenging. Eucalyptol (EPTL), a monoterpene majorly present in the essential oil of eucalyptus is well known for curing respiratory infections. Hence, the present study investigated the anti‐biofilm efficacy of EPTL against the laboratory strains and clinical isolates of Candida to delineate its mode of action.
Fine‐scale empirical data on niche divergence and homeolog expression patterns in an allopolyploid and its diploid progenitor species

Summary Polyploidization is pervasive in plants, but little is known about the niche divergence of wild allopolyploids (species that harbor polyploid genomes originating from different diploid species) relative to their diploid progenitor species and the gene expression patterns that may underlie such ecological divergence. We conducted a fine‐scale empirical study on habitat and gene expression of an allopolyploid and its diploid progenitors. We quantified soil properties and light availability of habitats of an allotetraploid Cardamine flexuosa and its diploid progenitors Cardamine amara and Cardamine hirsuta in two seasons. We analyzed expression patterns of genes and homeologs (homeologous gene copies in allopolyploids) using RNA sequencing. We detected niche divergence between the allopolyploid and its diploid progenitors along water availability gradient at a fine scale: the diploids in opposite extremes and the allopolyploid in a broader range between diploids, with limited overlap with diploids at both ends. Most of the genes whose homeolog expression ratio changed among habitats in C. flexuosa varied spatially and temporally. These findings provide empirical evidence for niche divergence between an allopolyploid and its diploid progenitor species at a fine scale and suggest that divergent expression patterns of homeologs in an allopolyploid may underlie its persistence in diverse habitats.
Dynamika ilościowa AOB w procesie biologicznego oczyszczania odcieków składowiskowych w warunkach beztlenowych

Skladowanie odpadow, nawet na obiektach prawidlowo zaprojektowanych i eksploa� towanych moze stwarzac wiele zagrozen dla środowiska. Jednym z najpowazniejszych jest powstawanie w obrebie skladowiska odciekow, charakteryzujących sie miedzy innymi du� zymi stezeniami azotu amonowego oraz znaczną zawartością trudno rozkladalnych związ� kow organicznych. Podstawową metodą unieszkodliwiania odciekow skladowiskowych jest ich oczyszczanie w reaktorach biologicznych. U podstaw tego procesu lezy biochemiczny rozklad azotu amonowego przez mikroorganizmy wykazujące ekspresje genu monooksyge� nazy amoniaku, a jednym ze sposobow zwiekszenia jego efektywności jest stosowanie roz� nych typow nośnikow stwarzających tym mikroorganizmom optymalne warunki zycia. Od� cieki wykorzystane w badaniach pochodzily ze skladowiska odpadow komunalnych w Kozodrzy (woj. podkarpackie). Badania prowadzono w trzech sekwencyjnych reaktorach biologicznych o pojemności 2 l (SBR 1�3), w warunkach be ztlenowych, w temperaturze 42°C i przy stalym czasie zatrzymania wynoszącym 6 d. SBR 1 pracowal tylko z osadem czynnym zawieszonym, natomiast SBR 2 i 3 zostaly wyposazone w wypelnienia z PCV o roznej średni� cy porow (odpowiednio 2÷3 oraz 4÷5 mm). W pobranych z reaktorow probkach osadu ba� : : � + ).