Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Depression and anxiety in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Depression and anxiety cause severe loss of quality of life for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The causes and factors that contribute to these psychological manifestations in lupus are difficult to disentangle. This study compared clinical, psychological, and demographic factors between lupus patients, depressed patients, and rheumatoid arthritis patients to discover lupus-specific contributors to depression. Lupus-specific manifestations of depression were also investigated. Physiological, clinical, and psychosocial data were collected from 77 patients. ELISA was used to measure cytokine levels. Univariate and Multivariate analyses were used to compare the patient populations and identify correlations between key physical and psychological indicators. The prevalence of depression in the SLE cohort was 6 times greater than the healthy control subjects. Pain, IL-6, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index values were all significantly higher in SLE patients compared with the healthy control group (P < .001, P = .038, and P = .005, respectively). Anxiety levels were significantly higher in SLE patients compared to healthy and RA control patients (P = .020 and .011, respectively). Serum IL-10 concentrations, relationship assessment scale, and fatigue severity scale values were found to be correlated with depression among the SLE patients (P = .036, P = .007, and P = .001, respectively). Relationship assessment and fatigue severity scale scores were found to be the best indicators of depression for the SLE patients (P = .042 and .028, respectively). Fatigue Severity, relationship satisfaction, and IL-10 concentrations are indicators of depression in lupus patients. Despite also suffering from the pain and disability that accompanies chronic autoimmune disease, the rheumatoid arthritis patients had less anxiety and better relationship scores.
Preoperative Mapping of the Supplementary Motor Area in Patients with Brain Tumor Using Resting-State fMRI with Seed-Based Analysis

Sixty-six patients with brain tumors were evaluated with resting-state fMRI using seed-based analysis of hand and orofacial motor regions. Rates of supplementary motor area localization were compared with those in healthy controls and with localization results by task-based fMRI. Localization of the supplementary motor area using hand motor seed regions was more effective than seeding using orofacial motor regions for both patients with brain tumor and controls. Bilateral hand motor seeding was superior to unilateral hand motor seeding in patients with brain tumor for either side. The authors conclude that in addition to task-based fMRI, seed-based analysis of resting-state fMRI represents an equally effective method for supplementary motor area localization in patients with brain tumors, with the best results obtained with bilateral hand motor region seeding. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The supplementary motor area can be a critical region in the preoperative planning of patients undergoing brain tumor resection because it plays a role in both language and motor function. While primary motor regions have been successfully identified using resting-state fMRI, there is variability in the literature regarding the identification of the supplementary motor area for preoperative planning. The purpose of our study was to compare resting-state fMRI to task-based fMRI for localization of the supplementary motor area in a large cohort of patients with brain tumors presenting for preoperative brain mapping. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients with brain tumors were evaluated with resting-state fMRI using seed-based analysis of hand and orofacial motor regions. Rates of supplementary motor area localization were compared with those in healthy controls and with localization results by task-based fMRI. RESULTS: Localization of the supplementary motor area using hand motor seed regions was more effective than seeding using orofacial motor regions for both patients with brain tumor (95.5% versus 34.8%, P < .001) and controls (95.2% versus 45.2%, P < .001). Bilateral hand motor seeding was superior to unilateral hand motor seeding in patients with brain tumor for either side (95.5% versus 75.8%/75.8% for right/left, P < .001). No difference was found in the ability to identify the supplementary motor area between patients with brain tumors and controls. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to task-based fMRI, seed-based analysis of resting-state fMRI represents an equally effective method for supplementary motor area localization in patients with brain tumors, with the best results obtained with bilateral hand motor region seeding.
Gain‐of‐function variants of FtsA form diverse oligomeric structures on lipids and enhance FtsZ protofilament bundling

Escherichia coli requires FtsZ, FtsA and ZipA proteins for early stages of cell division, the latter two tethering FtsZ polymers to the cytoplasmic membrane. Hypermorphic mutants of FtsA such as FtsA* (R286W) map to the FtsA self‐interaction interface and can bypass the need for ZipA. Purified FtsA forms closed minirings on lipid monolayers that antagonize bundling of FtsZ protofilaments, whereas FtsA* forms smaller oligomeric arcs that enable bundling. Here, we examined three additional FtsA*‐like mutant proteins for their ability to form oligomers on lipid monolayers and bundle FtsZ. Surprisingly, all three formed distinct structures ranging from mostly arcs (T249M), a mixture of minirings, arcs and straight filaments (Y139D) or short straight double filaments (G50E). All three could form filament sheets at higher concentrations with added ATP. Despite forming these diverse structures, all three mutant proteins acted like FtsA* to enable FtsZ protofilament bundling on lipid monolayers. Synthesis of the FtsA*‐like proteins in vivo suppressed the toxic effects of a bundling‐defective FtsZ, exacerbated effects of a hyper‐bundled FtsZ, and rescued some thermosensitive cell division alleles. Together, the data suggest that conversion of FtsA minirings into any type of non‐miniring oligomer can promote progression of cytokinesis through FtsZ bundling and other mechanisms.
Palliative care and end-of-life health care utilization in elderly patients with pancreatic cancer.

Background Palliative care has been associated with improved survival and quality of life, with lower rate of end-of-life health care utilization and cost. We examined trends in palliative care utilization in older pancreatic cancer patients. Methods Pancreatic cancer patients with and without palliative care consults were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database between 2000 and 2009. Trend of palliative care use was studied. Emergency room/intensive care unit (ICU) utilization and costs in the last 30 days of life were compared between both groups using propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis. Results Of the 54,130 patients, 3,166 (5.8%) received palliative care and 70% received it in the last 30 days of life. The proportion of patients receiving palliative care increased from 1.4% in 2000 to 7.4% in 2009 (P<0.001). Patients with palliative care were more likely to be older, Asian and women. In the unmatched and PSM population, the average visits to the ER in the last 30 days of life were significantly higher for patients who received palliative care, and had a significantly higher cost of care. Similarly, ICU length of stay in the last 30 days of life was higher in patients who did not receive palliative care in both PSM and unmatched patients. Cost of care and number of ICU admissions were not different between palliative and non-palliative care groups in PSM and unmatched patients. Conclusions In this study of Medicare patients with pancreatic cancer, palliative care use has increased between 2000 and 2009. Palliative care was largely offered close to the end of life and was not associated with reduced health care utilization or cost.
Computational Complexity of Games and Puzzles

In this thesis, we survey techniques and results from the study of Complexity Theory and Games. We then apply these techniques to obtain new results for previously unstudied games. Our contributions in the games Hexiom, Cut the Rope, and Back to Bed may be helpful in further studies by exploiting structure common to several games. We also highlight some interesting paths for further study related to uncertainty that have yet to receive thorough study given their prevalence in today's games.
Clinical efficiency and safety of Hsp90 inhibitor Novobiocin in avian tibial dyschondroplasia

Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is a bone defect of broilers and other poultry birds that disturbs growth plate and it causes lameness. Previously we evaluated differential expression of multiple genes involved in growth plate angiogenesis and reported the safety and efficacious of medicinal plant root extracted for controlling TD. In this study, clinical and protective effect of an antibiotic Novobiocin (Hsp90 inhibitor) and expression of Hsp90 and proteoglycan aggrecan was examined. The chicks were divided into three groups; Control, thiram-induced TD, and Novobiocin injected TD. After the induction of TD, the Novobiocin was administered through intraperitoneal route to TD-affected birds until the end of the experiment. The expressions and localization of Hsp90 were evaluated by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot, respectively. Morphological, histological examinations, and serum biomarker levels were evaluated to assess specificity and protective effects of Novobiocin. The results showed that TD causing retarded growth, enlarged growth plate, distended chondrocytes, irregular columns of cells, decreased antioxidant capacity, reduced protein levels of proteoglycan aggrecan, and upregulated in Hsp90 expression (p < 0.05) in dyschondroplastic birds as compared with control. Novobiocin treatment restored growth plate morphology, reducing width, stimulated chondrocyte differentiation, sprouting blood vessels, corrected oxidative imbalance, decreased Hsp90 expressions and increased aggrecan level. Novobiocin treatment controlled lameness and improved growth in broiler chicken induced by thiram. In conclusion, the accumulation of the cartilage and up-regulated Hsp90 are associated with TD pathogenesis and irregular chondrocyte morphology in TD is along with reduced aggrecan levels in the growth plate. Our results indicate that Novobiocin treatment has potential to reduce TD by controlling the expression of Hsp90 in addition to improve growth and hepatic toxicity in broiler chicken.
Persistence of Escherichia coli in the soil of an organic mixed crop‐livestock farm that integrates sheep grazing within vegetable fields

Mixed crop‐livestock farms (MCLF) integrate livestock and crops using their animals to graze crop residues and/or cover crops. MCLF are considered sustainable because grazing and the manure deposited by livestock enhance soil fertility and recycles farm nutrients. However, livestock manure may introduce enteric foodborne pathogens to the soil, which could contaminate fresh produce. Organic farmers in the United States follow the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards, which require 90 or 120 days between incorporating raw manure into the soil and harvest. Although not specifically addressed in NOP, organic farmers using grazing within production fields may also use this standard. The objectives of this study were to generate preharvest data to assess the die‐off of generic Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the soil, after cover crops were grazed by sheep; and assess the genetic relatedness of generic E. coli isolates between soil and sheep faecal samples. We conducted a repeated observational study to evaluate the persistence of generic E. coli, as an indicator of faecal contamination and surrogate for STEC, in the soil of two fields (A and B) on an organic MCLF. Results showed a 3.70 log10 reduction in mean generic E. coli concentration MPN in the soil of field A from the highest of 3.70 log10 MPN/g on 48 day postsheep grazing (DPS) to −0.70 log10 MPN/g on 139 DPS. Field B showed a 3.51 log10 reduction in mean generic E. coli concentration in the soil from the highest mean of 3.51 log10 MPN/g on 14 DPS to the lowest mean −0.35 log10 MPN/g on 112 DPS. STEC prevalence in the sheep flock was 4.17% (1/24). Closely related generic E. coli strains were found between soil and faecal samples. Developing research‐based waiting periods between grazing and harvest is important to inform best practices for farmers and food safety regulators.
Lung function in the late postoperative phase and influencing factors in patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy.

Background Lung function in the late postoperative phase after pulmonary lobectomy is insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to appraise lung function in the late postoperative phase according to vital capacity (VC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in patients who underwent pulmonary lobectomy. Methods Pre- and postoperative VC and FEV1 were reviewed in 112 patients who underwent pulmonary lobectomy. Postoperative lung volume was assessed >1 year after surgery. Postoperative decreases in VC and FEV1 were compared with preoperative predicted values among patients who underwent resection of specific lobe. Determinants effecting a decrease in lung function were also investigated. Results A mean postoperative decreased VC of 10.5%±1.8% was recorded in patients who underwent right upper lobectomy (RU), 7.2%±1.5% for right middle lobectomy (RM), 14.3%±2.3% for right lower lobectomy (RL), 16.6%±3.0% for left upper lobectomy (LU), and 14.7%±2.5% for left lower lobectomy (LL). Corresponding FEV1 values were 14.8%±1.8% for RU, 11.9%±4.0% for RM, 14.9%±2.3% for RL, 17.9%±2.9% for LU, and 15.1%±2.4% for LL. The actual decreasing rate of VC was overestimated in patients who underwent RU, RL, LU, and LL. In contrast, FEV1 was overestimated only in patients who underwent RL and LL. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibited significantly better preservation of FEV1. Conclusions Patients scheduled for RL and LL, or those with COPD, appeared to exhibit preserved lung function in the late postoperative phase after pulmonary lobectomy.
The Piezo1 cation channel mediates uterine artery shear stress mechanotransduction and vasodilation during rat pregnancy.

During mammalian pregnancy, the uterine circulation must undergo substantial vasodilation and growth to maintain sufficient uteroplacental perfusion. Although we and others have shown that nitric oxide (NO) is a key mediator of these processes, the mechanisms that augment uterine artery NO signaling during gestation have not been identified. We hypothesized that Piezo1, a recently discovered cation channel, may be involved in the process of shear stress mechanotransduction, as other studies have shown that it is both mechanosensitive and linked to NO production. Surprisingly, there are no studies on Piezo1 in the uterine circulation. Our aims in the present study were to determine whether this novel channel is 1) present in uterine arteries, 2) regulated by gestation, 3) functionally relevant (able to elicit rises in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and vasodilation), and 4) linked to NO. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that Piezo1 is present in uterine arteries, primarily but not exclusively in endothelial cells. Western blot analysis showed that its protein expression was elevated during gestation. In pressurized main uterine arteries, pharmacological activation of Piezo1 by Yoda1 produced near maximal vasodilation and was associated with significant increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration in endothelial cell sheets. Shear stress induced by intraluminal flow produced reversible vasodilations that were inhibited >50% by GsMTx-4, a Piezo1 inhibitor, and by Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester/ Nω-nitro-l-arginine, inhibitors of NO synthase. These findings are the first to implicate a functional role for Piezo1 in the uterine circulation as a mechanosensor of endothelial shear stress. Moreover, our data demonstrate that Piezo1 activation leads to vasodilation via NO and indicate that its molecular expression is upregulated during pregnancy. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to highlight Piezo1 in the uterine circulation. As a potentially important endothelial mechanosensor of shear stress, Piezo1 may be linked to mechanisms that support increased uteroplacental perfusion during pregnancy. Listen to this article's corresponding podcast at https://ajpheart.podbean. com/e/piezo1-mechanotransduction-in-the-uterine-circulation/ .
FTO-Dependent N6-Methyladenosine Regulates Cardiac Function During Remodeling and Repair

Background: Despite its functional importance in various fundamental bioprocesses, studies of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in the heart are lacking. Here, we show that the FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated protein), an m6A demethylase, plays a critical role in cardiac contractile function during homeostasis, remodeling, and regeneration. Methods: We used clinical human samples, preclinical pig and mouse models, and primary cardiomyocyte cell cultures to study the functional role of m6A and FTO in the heart and in cardiomyocytes. We modulated expression of FTO by using adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (in vivo), adenovirus (both in vivo and in vitro), and small interfering RNAs (in vitro) to study its function in regulating cardiomyocyte m6A, calcium dynamics and contractility, and cardiac function postischemia. We performed methylated (m6A) RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing to map transcriptome-wide m6A, and methylated (m6A) RNA immunoprecipitation quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays to map and validate m6A in individual transcripts, in healthy and failing hearts, and in myocytes. Results: We discovered that FTO has decreased expression in failing mammalian hearts and hypoxic cardiomyocytes, thereby increasing m6A in RNA and decreasing cardiomyocyte contractile function. Improving expression of FTO in failing mouse hearts attenuated the ischemia-induced increase in m6A and decrease in cardiac contractile function. This is performed by the demethylation activity of FTO, which selectively demethylates cardiac contractile transcripts, thus preventing their degradation and improving their protein expression under ischemia. In addition, we demonstrate that FTO overexpression in mouse models of myocardial infarction decreased fibrosis and enhanced angiogenesis. Conclusions: Collectively, our study demonstrates the functional importance of the FTO-dependent cardiac m6A methylome in cardiac contraction during heart failure and provides a novel mechanistic insight into the therapeutic mechanisms of FTO.
Controlled Release of DEET Loaded on Fibrous Mats from Electrospun PMDA/Cyclodextrin Polymer

Electrospun beta-cyclodextrin (βCD)-based polymers can combine a high surface-to-volume ratio and a high loading/controlled-release-system potential. In this work, pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA)/βCD-based nanosponge microfibers were used to study the capability to host a common insect repellent (N,N-diethyl-3-toluamide (DEET)) and to monitor its release over time. Fibrous samples characterized by an average fibrous diameter of 2.8 ± 0.8 µm were obtained and subsequently loaded with DEET, starting from a 10 g/L diethyl ether (DEET) solution. The loading capacity of the system was assessed via HPLC/UV–Vis analysis and resulted in 130 mg/g. The releasing behavior was followed by leaving fibrous DEET-loaded nanosponge samples in air at room temperature for a period of between 24 h and 2 weeks. The releasing rate and the amount were calculated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and the release of the repellent was found to last for over 2 weeks. Eventually, both the chemical composition and sample morphology were proven to play a key role for the high sample loading capacity, determining the microfibers’ capability to be applied as an effective controlled-release system.
Transplantation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells Overexpressing miR-126-3p Improves Heart Function in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND In a previous study, a low level of miR-126-3p in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was linked to the outcome of ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) patients. However, it remains unclear whether transplantation with miR-126-3p-overexpressing EPCs (MO-EPCs) can improve the cardiac function of ICM animal models. Methods and Results: miR-126-3p overexpression by lentiviral vector significantly increased migration and tube-like structures of EPCs from ICM patients. MO-EPCs or non-modified EPCs (NM-EPCs) were transplanted into nude rats with ICM induced by coronary artery ligation. MO-EPC transplantation increased capillary density and EPC survival rate in myocardial tissues of nude rats. Cytokines were also assessed by antibody array and real-time RT-PCR. G-CSF, VEGF-A, IL-3, IL-10, IGF-1, angiogenin, HGF, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were upregulated, and IL-8, MCP-1, MCP-2, TNF-α, TNF-β and MIP-1β were downregulated after miR-126-3p overexpression in EPCs. The same results were obtained in infarction tissues of nude rats after MO-EPC transplantation. Eight weeks after MO-EPC transplantation, left ventricular function improved significantly with clearly decreased infarction size, increased anterior wall thickness, and inhibition of inflammation compared with the results for NM-EPC transplantation. However, MO-EPC transplantation showed no increase in survival time of nude rats with ICM during 8 weeks of observation. CONCLUSIONS miR-126-3p can restore the biology of EPCs from ICM patients. Moreover, MO-EPC transplantation improves cardiac function effectively, representing a promising future treatment for ICM.
Possible Role of Envelope Components in the Extreme Copper Resistance of the Biomining Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans resists extremely high concentrations of copper. Strain ATCC 53993 is much more resistant to the metal compared with strain ATCC 23270, possibly due to the presence of a genomic island in the former one. The global response of strain ATCC 53993 to copper was analyzed using iTRAQ (isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation) quantitative proteomics. Sixty-seven proteins changed their levels of synthesis in the presence of the metal. On addition of CusCBA efflux system proteins, increased levels of other envelope proteins, such as a putative periplasmic glucan biosynthesis protein (MdoG) involved in the osmoregulated synthesis of glucans and a putative antigen O polymerase (Wzy), were seen in the presence of copper. The expression of A. ferrooxidans mdoG or wzy genes in a copper sensitive Escherichia coli conferred it a higher metal resistance, suggesting the possible role of these components in copper resistance of A. ferrooxidans. Transcriptional levels of genes wzy, rfaE and wzz also increased in strain ATCC 23270 grown in the presence of copper, but not in strain ATCC 53993. Additionally, in the absence of this metal, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) amounts were 3-fold higher in A. ferrooxidans ATCC 53993 compared with strain 23270. Nevertheless, both strains grown in the presence of copper contained similar LPS quantities, suggesting that strain 23270 synthesizes higher amounts of LPS to resist the metal. On the other hand, several porins diminished their levels in the presence of copper. The data presented here point to an essential role for several envelope components in the extreme copper resistance by this industrially important acidophilic bacterium.