Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An electrophoretic study of representatives of subgenus Diploxylon of Pinus

Relationships among 14 taxa in subgenus Diploxylon of Pinus from Mexico and the United States were analyzed using 15 isozyme loci obtained from both frozen and fresh needle tissue. The phenogram obtained from cluster analysis of genetic distance values and phylogenetic trees implementing the distance Wagner procedure were in general agreement with classifications based on morphological features. Pinus leiophylla is genetically distinct from other species. Two groupings, one comprising P. oocarpa and P. pringlei and another comprising P. lawsonii and P. teocote, correspond to sections Serotinus and Teocote (sensu Martinez), respectively. Classification of the remaining eight taxa has varied, ranging from their placement in three, two, or only one section. Isozyme analysis resulted in a group that included P. cooperi, P. douglasiana, P. durangensis, P. michoacana, and P. montezumae, which suggests genetic affinity between Sections Pseudostrobus and Montezumae (sensu Martinez). This result corresponds more c.
Characterizing Microbiota from Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients

Objective: To compare the oral microbiota of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) with that of healthy subjects (HS). Methods: Supragingival and subgingival biofilm samples were collected from the mesial-buccal tooth surfaces of SS patients (n = 57) and age- and sex-matched HS (n = 53). Unstimulated saliva and 8 oral tissue samples were taken using a buccal brush. Caries and periodontal measures were recorded. All supragingival samples and a subgroup of 24 SS and 28 HS subgingival samples, as well as 32 SS and 11 HS saliva and oral tissue samples, were analyzed for their content of 41 bacterial species using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. Mean levels (×105 ± SEM) and percentage of DNA probe counts of each species were determined for each sample site and averaged within subjects in the 2 clinical groups. Kruskal-Wallis tests, adjusting for multiple comparisons and cluster analysis, were used for soft tissue and microbial analysis, and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare caries and periodontal measures. Results: Mean (×105 ± SEM) total DNA probe counts in supragingival samples were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the SS (13.3 ± .7) compared to the HS (44.1 ± 6.8) group. In supragingival samples, Veillonella parvula, Fusobacterium nucleatum ss vincenti, and Propionibacterium acnes were markedly elevated in the SS compared to the HS group in both mean (×105 ± SEM) and mean (± SEM) percentage DNA probe counts (P < 0.001). In subgingival samples of SS, V. parvula was significantly different compared to HS (P < 0.05). SS was characterized by high levels of purple and low levels of orange and red complexes. Cluster analysis of oral tissues and saliva demonstrated that the mean microbial profiles for SS patients and the HS group clustered separately. Active root caries (P < 0.003) and attachment loss were significantly higher (P < 0.029) in the SS group compared to the HS group. Conclusion: These findings indicate that saliva is a major controlling factor of intraoral biofilm. V. parvula may be a unique microbial biomarker for Sjögren’s syndrome. Knowledge Transfer Statement The microbiome characterized for Sjögren’s syndrome in salivary hypofunction is shown to be under stress and reduced. Veillonella parvula can be a possible identification of a biomarker for Sjögren’s syndrome.
Cooperation amongst insurers on enhancing quality of care: precondition or substitute for competition?

Abstract In health care systems based upon managed competition, insurers are expected to negotiate with providers about price and quality of care. The Dutch experience, however, shows that quality plays a limited role in insurer–provider negotiations. It has been suggested that this is partly due to a lack of cooperation among insurers. This raises the question whether cooperation amongst insurers is a precondition or a substitute for quality-based competition. To answer this question, we mapped insurers' cooperating activities to enhance quality of care using a six-stage continuum. The first three stages (defining, designing and measuring quality indicators) may enhance competition, whereas the next three stages (setting benchmarks, steering patients and selective contracting) may reduce it. We investigated which types of insurer cooperation currently take place in the Netherlands. Additionally, we organized focus groups among insurers, providers and other stakeholders to examine their perceptions on insurer cooperation. We find that all stakeholders see advantages of cooperation amongst insurers in the first stages of the continuum and sometimes cooperate in this domain. Cooperation in the next stages is almost absent and more controversial because without adequate quality information, it is difficult to assess whether the benefits outweigh the cost associated with reduced competition.
Isolated Soy Protein Promotes Mammary Tumor Development Induced by the Type I Insulin-like Growth Factor Receptor in Transgenic Mice

Abstract Studies suggest consuming soy may protect women from breast cancer. In this study, lifetime exposure to 20%, 5% and 1% ISP in MTB-IGFIR mice (mammary-specific expression of IGF-IR) were evaluated to determine whether ISP could protect against mammary tumorigenesis. MTB-IGFIR mice fed ISP diets displayed increased mammary tumor incidence and reduced tumor latency compared to mice fed 20% casein. To evaluate whether a diet containing a less refined form of soy could protect against mammary tumor development MTB-IGFIR mice were fed Teklad 2018 (contains soybean meal). MTB-IGFIR mice fed the Teklad 2018 diet were completely protected against mammary tumor development. To determine whether dietary ISP was sufficient to induce mammary tumorigenesis, MTB-IGFIR mice were fed Teklad 2018ISP (soybean meal of Teklad 2018 was replaced with an equivalent amount of ISP). Only two of 10 MTB-IGFIR mice fed Teklad 2018ISP developed mammary tumors. This study demonstrates the complex interaction between soy and other dietary components in modifying mammary tumor development.
“No turning back” Psycho‐oncology in the time of COVID‐19: Insights from a survey of UK professionals

Key points To gain insight on UK professionals' experiences and views of the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on psycho‐oncology activity, the British Psychosocial Oncology Society (BPOS) conducted an online survey of members and UK colleagues Qualitative data from 94 respondents were analysed thematically. Key themes were summarised using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) framework Professionals reported severe disruptions in delivering clinical and supportive care to people affected by cancer and associated research activity. There were major concerns that the full impact of the pandemic is yet to be realised. In both care and research settings, the pandemic has also been an impetus for positive changes in working practices, technology adoption, reducing process barriers and fostering collaborations which has to potential to be sustained. To mitigate ongoing challenges, is it vital that cancer organisations work together to adapt and promote psycho‐oncology activity to maximise benefit for patients and professionals in the longer‐term.
Sleep disturbance predicts future health status after stroke.

STUDY OBJECTIVES We evaluated factors associated with the presence of sleep disturbance in patients with stroke and whether sleep disturbance predicted change in other patient-reported domains of health over time. METHODS Observational cohort study of 2,190 patients with stroke seen in a cerebrovascular clinic February 17, 2015 to July 5, 2017 who completed patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at ≥1 visit, including the PHQ-9 depression screen, NeuroQoL cognitive function and PROMIS sleep disturbance, fatigue, anxiety, social role satisfaction, physical function, and pain interference. Separate multivariable models were constructed with PROMIS sleep disturbance as the dependent variable. Covariates included clinical and demographic variables, the PHQ-9 scored on the PROMIS metric, and one of the six other PROMs. Among the 476 patients with ≥2 visits, linear regression models were constructed to determine the association of baseline sleep disturbance with follow-up PROMs after adjustment for the corresponding baseline PROMIS/NeuroQol scores, depression score, and clinical variables. RESULTS Younger age and all PROM scores were associated with sleep disturbance; depression had the greatest association among PROMs (beta estimate 0.53 95% CI 0.49, 0.57), physical function had the least (-0.06 95%CI -0.11, -0.01). Baseline PROMIS sleep disturbance score was associated with worse adjusted follow-up scores for depression, fatigue, social role satisfaction, and physical function. CONCLUSIONS Younger age and all eight PROMs were associated with sleep disturbance in patients with stroke. The degree of sleep disturbance predicted future patient-reported outcomes for multiple domains of health. Further study is warranted to determine if interventions shown to improve sleep symptoms will also improve other outcomes.
Mechanical loading influences the lumbar intervertebral disc. A cross‐sectional study in 308 athletes and 71 controls

There is evidence in animal populations that loading and exercise can positively impact the intervertebral disc (IVD). However, there is a paucity of information in humans. We examined the lumbar IVDs in 308 young athletes across six sporting groups (baseball, swimming, basketball, kendo, soccer, and running; mean age 19 years) and 71 nonathletic controls. IVD status was quantified via the ratio of IVD to vertebral body height (IVD hypertrophy) and ratio of signal intensity in the nucleus to that in the annulus signal (IVD nucleus hydration) on sagittal T2‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging. P values were adjusted via the false discovery rate method to mitigate false positives. In examining the whole collective, compared to referents, there was evidence of IVD hypertrophy in basketball (P ≤ .029), swimming (P ≤ .010), soccer (P = .036), and baseball (P = .011) with greater IVD nucleus hydration in soccer (P = .007). After matching participants based on back‐pain status and body height, basketball players showed evidence of IVD hypertrophy (P ≤ .043) and soccer players greater IVD nucleus hydration (P = .001) than referents. Greater career duration and training volume correlated with less (ie, worse) IVD nucleus hydration, but explained less than 1% of the variance in this parameter. In this young collective, increasing age was associated with increased IVD height. The findings suggest that basketball and soccer may be associated with beneficial adaptations in the IVDs in young athletes. In line with evidence on other tissues, such as muscle and bone, the current study adds to evidence that specific loading types may beneficially modulate lumbar IVD properties.
The protective effect of vitexinin septic encephalopathy by reducing leukocyte-endothelial adhesion and inflammatory response.

BACKGROUND Despite advances in therapeutic strategies and critical care management, septic encephalopathy (SE) is still a leading cause of infection-associated death in intensive care units (ICUs). Vitexin, a flavonoids compound, exerts and anti-inflammatory effect through inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines and signaling pathways. This study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effects of vitexin in SE and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS An SE-inducedC57BL/6 mouse model was established via cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Western blotting was performed to evaluate the protein expression levels of Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1), fractalkine (CX3CL1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin, NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Flow cytometry was used to detect the expressions ofCD11a/CD18, CD11b/CD18, ICAM-1, and adherent leukocyte. The expression of ICAM-1 was detected by immunohistochemistry. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to evaluate the expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10. RESULTS In this study, we found that vitexin significantly downregulated the expression of brain endothelial chemokines CXCL1 and CX3CL1 in CLP mice, exerting a potential anti-inflammatory against SE. Our data also showed that vitexin alleviated SE primarily by relying on reducing leukocyte-endothelial adhesion via the mediation of adhesion molecules. Moreover, vitexin suppressed the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and NF-κB p65, in the CLP mice, while the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was elevated. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our study demonstrated the protective effect vitexin exerts in SE by reducing leukocyte-endothelial adhesion and inflammatory response. These findings offer a molecular basis for the potential application of vitexin in the treatment of SE and other inflammatory-mediated and immunemediated disorders.
Bisphenol A‐induced mechanistic impairment of decidualization

Decidualization is a crucial precedent to embryo implantation, as its impairment is a major contributor to female infertility and pregnancy complications. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms involved in the impairment of decidualization has been a subject of interest in the field of reproductive medicine. Evidence from several experimental settings show that exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine‐disrupting chemical, affects the expression of several molecules that are involved in decidualization. Both low and high doses of BPA impair decidualization through the dysregulation of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors. Exposure to low doses of BPA leads to decreased levels and activities of several antioxidant enzymes, increased activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and increased production of nitric oxide (NO) via the upregulation of ER and PR. Consequently, oxidative stress is induced and decidualization becomes impaired. On the other hand, exposure to high doses of BPA downregulates ER and PR and impairs decidualization through two distinct pathways. One is through the upregulation of early growth response‐1 (EGR1) via increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinases 1 and 2; and the other is through a reduced serum glucocorticoid‐induced kinase‐1 (SGK1)‐mediated downregulation of epithelial sodium channel‐α and the induction of oxidative stress. Thus, regardless of the dose, BPA can impair decidualization to trigger infertility and pregnancy complications. This warrants the need to adopt lifestyles that will decrease the tendency of getting exposed to BPA.
The efficacy of ischemic conditioning in the prevention of gastroesophageal anastomotic complications: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND The blood supply to the gastric conduit is thought to be the most crucial factor affecting the healing of the gastroesophageal anastomosis. By selective ligation or embolization of gastric vessels, ischemic conditioning (IC) could promote the hypertrophy and neovascularization of the remaining gastric vessels. So that it could help the stomach adapt to the decline of blood supply before esophagectomy. However, the safety and efficacy of the technique still needs to be proved. Several new studies on this topic have been published recently. We conduct this meta-analysis to update the evidence on this topic. METHODS A logistic searching strategy was designed to find out related publications on four medical databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, and Cochrane Central Register of controlled trials). The included studies were confirmed by reading the title, abstract, or full text. Based on these included studies, the comparison of postoperative outcomes between patients who received IC and those did not was made. After that, the safety and efficacy of IC were assessed. RESULTS Fourteen studies were enrolled in the meta-analysis. The pooled analysis showed IC reduced the incidence of anastomotic leakage significantly. And both the embolization and laparoscopic ligation approach were effective. The subgroup analysis indicated the interval between IC and esophagectomy should be over two weeks before the IC worked. The IC also could decrease the anastomotic stricture rate dominantly. What's more, the IC didn't increase the mortality. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis proved that ischemic conditioning is a safe intervention that could reduce anastomotic complications effectively. Future randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to provide high-level evidence on this topic.
Genome-Wide Screening of Aedes aegypti (Culicidae: Diptera) Populations From Northwestern Argentina: Active and Passive Dispersal Shape Genetic Structure

Abstract Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of arboviruses of great impact on human health. Our goal was to assess the spatial genetic structure of Ae. aegypti at the regional and local levels in Northwestern Argentina, an area with high prevalence of dengue fever. We analyzed 59 Ae. aegypti individuals collected from six locations in Northwestern Argentina using nuclear genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) generated with double digest Restriction-site Associated DNA Sequencing. We also performed an entomological survey in 70 households in the cities of Orán and Tartagal. An analysis at the regional level indicated that the populations of Ae. aegypti in Northwestern Argentina are spatially structured and present a significant IBD pattern. Our results suggest that passive transport of eggs/immature stages, in both northward and southward directions, plays an important role in structuring Ae. aegypti populations at a regional scale and also as a source for the introduction of novel genetic variants through migration events into established populations. At a local level, we found neither spatial genetic structure nor significant isolation by distance (IBD) in Tartagal, indicating high gene flow within the city and active dispersal. In contrast, samples from Orán formed two clusters with a significant IBD pattern, although weaker than that at a regional level. Both populations showed signs of recent bottleneck events, probably coincident with past eradication campaigns.The entomological survey revealed a high prevalence of Ae. aegypti in both cities, although significantly higher inTartagal. Graphical Abstract
HYDROXYSTEROID (17β) DEHYDROGENASE 12 IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE METABOLIC HOMEOSTASIS IN ADULT MICE.

Hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 12 (HSD17B12) is suggested to be involved in the elongation of very long chain fatty acids. Previously, we have shown a pivotal role for the enzyme during mouse development. In the present study we generated a conditional Hsd17b12 knockout (HSD17B12cKO) mouse model by breeding mice homozygous for a floxed Hsd17b12 allele with mice expressing the tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase at the ROSA26 locus. Gene inactivation was induced by administering tamoxifen to adult mice. The gene inactivation led to a 20% loss of body weight within six days, associated with drastic reduction in both white (83% males, 75% females) and brown (65% males, 60% females) fat, likely due to markedly reduced food and water intake. Furthermore, the knockout mice showed sickness behavior and signs of liver toxicity, specifically microvesicular hepatic steatosis and increased serum alanine aminotransferase (4.6-fold in males, 7.7-fold in females). The hepatic changes were more pronounced in females than males. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-17 and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor were increased in the HSD17B12cKO mice indicating inflammatory response. Serum lipidomics study showed an increase in the amount of dihydroceramides, despite the dramatic overall loss of lipids. In line with the proposed role for HSD17B12 in the fatty acid elongation, we observed accumulation of ceramides, dihydroceramides, hexosylceramides and lactosylceramides with shorter than 18-carbon fatty acid side chains in the serum. The results indicate that HSD17B12 is essential for proper lipid homeostasis, and HSD17B12 deficiency rapidly results in fatal systemic inflammation and lipolysis in adult mice.
Quantitative Detection of 125IdU-Induced DNA Double-Strand Breaks with γ-H2AX Antibody

Abstract Sedelnikova, O. A. , Rogakou, E. P., Panyutin, I. G. and Bonner, W. M. Quantitative Detection of 125IdU-Induced DNA Double-Strand Breaks with γ-H2AX Antibody. Radiat. Res. 158, 486–492 (2002). When mammalian cells are exposed to ionizing radiation and other agents that introduce DSBs into DNA, histone H2AX molecules in megabase chromatin regions adjacent to the breaks become phosphorylated within minutes on a specific serine residue. An antibody to this phosphoserine motif of human H2AX (γ-H2AX) demonstrates that γ-H2AX molecules appear in discrete nuclear foci. To establish the quantitative relationship between the number of these foci and the number of DSBs, we took advantage of the ability of 125I, when incorporated into DNA, to generate one DNA DSB per radioactive disintegration. SF-268 and HT-1080 cell cultures were grown in the presence of 125IdU and processed immunocytochemically to determine the number of γ-H2AX foci. The numbers of 125IdU disintegrations per cell were measured by exposing the same immunocytochemically processed samples to a radiation-sensitive screen with known standards. Under appropriate conditions, the data yielded a direct correlation between the number of 125I decays and the number of foci per cell, consistent with the assumptions that each 125I decay yields a DNA DSB and each DNA DSB yields a visible γ-H2AX focus. Based on these findings, we conclude that γ-H2AX antibody may form the basis of a sensitive quantitative method for the detection of DNA DSBs in eukaryotic cells.