Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hashtag Health: College Health on Social Media and Students’ Motivations to Follow, Interact, and Share Their Social Media Content

Social media are advocated as a prime channel through which to reach college students with health-related information. However, how well are colleges and universities utilizing social media as it was intended—a means to be truly social and not just promotional? Social media can only be effective if students actually follow, interact, and share the content being produced. The following study completed a census of student health center Facebook accounts in the United States as well as investigated students’ motivations to follow, interact with, and share health-related content. Facebook pages were found for about 20% of student health centers, and about two thirds posted content within the past 14 days. However, their median number of “likes” was between 191 and 496 despite being in existence for an average of 6 years. Additionally, the majority of these centers’ most recent posts were promotional, instead of trying to socially engage with their followers. Students indicated that they would be likely to follow, interact, or share social media content from college health accounts if they were incentivized to do so, if they thought the content could be relevant to them, or if they simply knew that the account existed. Unless more attention is given to growing their followings, resources used by student health organizations to consistently post content might be better placed elsewhere. Recommendations for increasing engagement with students are discussed.
The yolk syncytial layer regulates myocardial migration by influencing extracellular matrix assembly in zebrafish

The roles of extra-embryonic tissues in early vertebrate body patterning have been extensively studied, yet we know little about their function during later developmental events. Here, we analyze the function of the zebrafish extra-embryonic yolk syncytial layer (YSL) specific transcription factor, Mtx1, and find that it plays an essential role in myocardial migration. Downregulating the function of Mtx1 in the YSL leads to cardia bifida, a phenotype in which the myocardial cells fail to migrate to the midline. Mtx1 in the extra-embryonic YSL appears to regulate the embryonic expression of fibronectin, a gene previously implicated in myocardial migration. We further show dosage-sensitive genetic interactions between mtx1 and fibronectin. Based on these data, we propose that the extra-embryonic YSL regulates myocardial migration, at least in part by influencing fibronectin expression and subsequent assembly of the extracellular matrix in embryonic tissues.
Modeling blood diseases with human induced pluripotent stem cells

ABSTRACT Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are derived from somatic cells through a reprogramming process, which converts them to a pluripotent state, akin to that of embryonic stem cells. Over the past decade, iPSC models have found increasing applications in the study of human diseases, with blood disorders featuring prominently. Here, we discuss methodological aspects pertaining to iPSC generation, hematopoietic differentiation and gene editing, and provide an overview of uses of iPSCs in modeling the cell and gene therapy of inherited genetic blood disorders, as well as their more recent use as models of myeloid malignancies. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of iPSCs compared to model organisms and other cellular systems commonly used in hematology research. Summary: This Review discusses the applications of human iPSCs as preclinical models of cell and gene therapy for inherited monogenic blood disorders, as well as their more recent use as models of myeloid malignancies.
Assessing practice of student nurses: methods, preparation of assessors and student views.

AIMS To describe the methods of measuring progress in achieving competence of preregistration nursing and midwifery students used by institutions of higher and further education in Scotland and to describe the philosophy and approaches to competence assessment in each institution. BACKGROUND Institutions of higher and further education in Scotland operate a variety of schemes to assess the clinical practice of student nurses. These are based on different philosophies and practices and this raises the question of which are valid and reliable. METHODS All institutions in Scotland providing validated Diploma of Higher Education programmes for preregistration nursing and midwifery participated in this study. Data were collected by postal questionnaire, review of programme documentation and supplemented with interviews with key stakeholders. The directors of the 13 programmes (seven nursing and six midwifery programmes) were surveyed and also 12 group interviews with students (six nursing and six midwifery student groups) from seven institutions. Students from all four branches were represented and 72 students (36 nurses and 36 midwives) were interviewed. RESULTS Four key findings were identified and related to competence assessment methods, preparation of practice assessors, consequences of failure to meet expected level of outcome and students' views. CONCLUSIONS There has been a change in theoretical frameworks of assessment instruments used since the 1992 programmes commenced and only a limited number of approaches to clinical assessment are used in Scotland. Students' views suggested that they had little confidence in methods of clinical competence assessment and there was no formal validity and reliability testing within institutions. A lack of consistency in the training of student assessors in the clinical areas was identified. Some of these issues may be resolved with the development of a national instrument for competence assessment.
Original low birth weight deteriorates the hindgut epithelial barrier function in pigs at the growing stage

The deteriorative effect of low birth weight (LBW) on the mucosal permeability of the small intestine in piglets has been widely confirmed. However, whether the hindgut epithelial barrier function in LBW pigs is deteriorated during the growing stage is still unclear. Our study investigated differences in the hindgut epithelial barrier function between LBW and normal birth weight pigs during the growing stage (d 90). Our data demonstrated that the hindgut epithelium of LBW pigs has a high histopathological score, accompanied by decreased antioxidant capacity and increased apoptosis rate, as well as elevated expression and activity of caspase‐3. In addition, the number of intestinal goblet cells and gene expression of mucin 2 were significantly down‐regulated in LBW pigs. The expression of tight junction proteins (ZO‐1 and occludin) was markedly inhibited by the LBW. The mRNA abundance of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐8 was significantly increased in the hindgut mucosa of LBW pigs. Furthermore, our data revealed that LBW altered the intestinal microbial community in the hindgut mucosa of pigs. Collectively, these finding add to our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for hindgut epithelial barrier dysfunction in LBW pigs during the growing stage and facilitate the development of nutritional intervention strategies. —Tao, S. , Bai, Y. , Li, T. , Li, N. , Wang, J. Original low birth weight deteriorates the hindgut epithelial barrier function in pigs at the growing stage. FASEB J. 33, 9897–9912 (2019). www.fasebj. org
Polyphenolic profile, antibacterial activity and brine shrimp toxicity of leaf extracts from six Tunisian spontaneous species

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the polyphenolic profile and biological properties of leaves acetonic extracts from six Tunisian spontaneous plants of Marrubium vulgare L. , Rhus tripartita (Ucria) D.C., Hernaria fontanesii J. Gay subsp. fontanesii, Ziziphus lotus L. , Plantago ovata Forsk. , Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. Bioassay-guided and HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS procedures demonstrated that R. tripartita contained the highest amount of phenolic compounds (1475.1 µg/g), followed by Z. lotus (1087.8 µg/g) and P. ovata (1027.6 µg/g). Interestingly, in R. tripartita myricetin‐3-O-galactoside turned out to be the most abundant one. The plant extracts showed antimicrobial efficacy against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis including methicillin resistant strains; no activity was detected against Gram-negative bacteria. R. tripartita revealed the best MIC and MBC values and caused significant decrease of S. aureus biofilm. Both R. tripartita and Z. lotus did not display any toxicity against Artemia salina Leach (LC50 > 1000 μg/mL). Graphical Abstract
Hand Hygiene Habits of Ghanaian Youths in Accra

The human palm has been identified as one of the richest habitats for human microbial accommodation making hand hygiene essential to primary prevention of infection. Since the hand is in constant contact with fomites which have been proven to be mostly contaminated, building hand hygiene habits is essential for the prevention of infection. This research was conducted to assess the hand hygiene habits of Ghanaian youths in Accra. This study used a survey as a quantitative method of research. The findings of the study revealed that out of the 254 participants who fully answered the questionnaire, 22% had the habit of washing their hands after outings while only 51.6% had the habit of washing their hands after using the bathroom. However, about 60% of the participants said they sometimes ate with their hands while 28.9% had the habit of eating with the hand very often, a situation that put them at risk of infection from their hands since some participants had poor handwashing habits; prompting the need for continuous education on hand hygiene.
A systematic genetic analysis and visualization of phenotypic heterogeneity among orofacial cleft GWAS signals

Phenotypic heterogeneity is a hallmark of complex traits, and genetic studies of such traits may focus on them as a single diagnostic entity or by analyzing specific components. For example, in orofacial clefting (OFC), three subtypes—cleft lip (CL), cleft lip and palate (CLP), and cleft palate (CP) have been studied separately and in combination. To further dissect the genetic architecture of OFCs and how a given associated locus may be contributing to distinct subtypes of a trait we developed a framework for quantifying and interpreting evidence of subtype‐specific or shared genetic effects in complex traits. We applied this technique to create a “cleft map” of the association of 30 genetic loci with three OFC subtypes. In addition to new associations, we found loci with subtype‐specific effects (e.g., GRHL3 [CP], WNT5A [CLP]), as well as loci associated with two or all three subtypes. We cross‐referenced these results with mouse craniofacial gene expression datasets, which identified additional promising candidate genes. However, we found no strong correlation between OFC subtypes and expression patterns. In aggregate, the cleft map revealed that neither subtype‐specific nor shared genetic effects operate in isolation in OFC architecture. Our approach can be easily applied to any complex trait with distinct phenotypic subgroups.
Efficient Oil/Water Separation Membrane Derived from Super-Flexible and Superhydrophilic Core–Shell Organic/Inorganic Nanofibrous Architectures

To address the worldwide oil and water separation issue, a novel approach was inspired by natural phenomena to synthesize superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic organic/inorganic nanofibrous membranes via a scale up fabrication approach. The synthesized membranes possess a delicate organic core of PVDF-HFP and an inorganic shell of a CuO nanosheet structure, which endows super-flexible properties owing to the merits of PVDF-HFP backbones, and superhydrophilic functions contributed by the extremely rough surface of a CuO nanosheet anchored on flexible PVDF-HFP. Such an organic core and inorganic shell architecture not only functionalizes membrane performance in terms of antifouling, high flux, and low energy consumption, but also extends the lifespan by enhancing its mechanical strength and alkaline resistance to broaden its applicability. The resultant membrane exhibits good oil/water separation efficiency higher than 99.7%, as well as excellent anti-fouling properties for various oil/water mixtures. Considering the intrinsic structural innovation and its integrated advantages, this core–shell nanofibrous membrane is believed to be promising for oil/water separation, and this facile approach is also easy for scaled up manufacturing of functional organic/inorganic nanofibrous membranes with insightful benefits for industrial wastewater treatment, sensors, energy production, and many other related areas.
In vitro and in vivo Staining Characteristics of Small, Fluorescent, Aβ42‐Binding D‐Enantiomeric Peptides in Transgenic AD Mouse Models

Plaque visualisation: We identified three different D‐enantiomeric peptides that bind to Alzheimer's amyloid β (Aβ1‐42). As there is currently no definitive pre‐mortem diagnosis for Alzheimer's disease, we investigated the peptides' suitability as molecular probes for in vivo imaging in transgenic mouse models.
Reporter Cell Assessment of TLR4-Induced NF-κB Responses to Cell-Free Hemoglobin and the Influence of Biliverdin

Hemoglobin (Hb) released during red blood cell lysis can initiate TLR4-dependent signaling and trigger NF-κB activation in surrounding cells. Observations of chronic bleeding in various cancers leads us to hypothesize that Hb and Hb degradation products released from lysed RBC near cancer nests might modulate local TLR4-positive cells. We addressed the hypothesis in vitro by measuring Hb- and biliverdin (Bv)-induced NF-κB signaling in an engineered human TLR4 reporter cell model (HEK-BlueTM hTLR4). Therein, TLR4 stimulation was assessed by measuring NF-κB-dependent secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP). hTLR4 reporter cells incubated with 8 ηM lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or 20-40 μM fungal mannoprotein (FM) produced significant amounts of SEAP. hTLR4 reporter cells also produced SEAP in response to human, but not porcine or bovine, Hb. HEK-Blue Null2TM reporter cells lacking TLR4 did not respond to LPS, FM, or Hb. Bv was non-stimulatory in reporter cells. When Bv was added to Hb-stimulated reporter cells, SEAP production was reduced by 95%, but when Bv was applied during LPS and FM stimulation, SEAP production was reduced by 33% and 27%, respectively. In conclusion, Hb initiated NF-κB signaling that was dependent upon TLR4 expression and that Bv can act as a TLR4 antagonist. Moreover, this study suggests that hemorrhage and extravascular hemolysis could provide competitive Hb and Bv signaling to nearby cells expressing TLR4, and that this process could modulate NF-κB signaling in TLR4-positive cancer cells and cancer-infiltrating leukocytes.
Clinical and Antitumor Immune Responses in Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma Patients after Intranodal Injections of IFNα-Dendritic Cells and Rituximab: a Phase I Clinical Trial

Purpose: This study was aimed at evaluating the feasibility, safety, immunologic and clinical responses in patients with follicular lymphoma treated with monocyte-derived dendritic cells generated in the presence of IFNα and GM-CSF (IFN-DC) in combination with low doses of rituximab. Patients and Methods: Firstly, we analyzed in vitro and in vivo the immunologic properties of IFN-DC against follicular lymphoma. Thus, we performed a phase I trial in 8 patients with refractory and relapsed follicular lymphoma based on sequential intranodal injections of low-dose of rituximab and unloaded IFN-DC and report the safety, clinical, and immunologic results of the enrolled patients. Results: Preclinical studies indicated that IFN-DC can synergize with rituximab leading to increased cytotoxicity and T-cell tumor infiltration. The clinical evaluation showed that the combined treatment was totally safe. The overall response rate was 50%, PET-negative complete response rate 37%, and remission is still ongoing in 2/4 of responding patients (median follow-up 26 months, range 11–47). Notably, following the combined therapy all patients showed induction/enhancement of T-cell responses by CD107 degranulation or IFNγ ELISPOT assay against patient-specific tumor IGHV sequences. Conclusions: These results represent the proof-of-principle on the effectiveness of unloaded IFN-DC in inducing durable clinical responses and promoting induction of tumor-specific peripheral T cells, thus suggesting the occurrence of an effective endogenous antitumor vaccination. The overall findings indicate that some unique properties of IFN-DC can be successfully exploited to induce/enhance antitumor responses, thus representing a valuable antitumor strategy for novel and more effective combination therapies in patients with cancer.
Quality of life in patients who undergo conventional or robotic-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy

Abstract Background: Hysterectomy for benign gynecologic diseases, especially dysfunctional uterine bleeding, is one of the most common gynecologic interventions. The uterus can be removed using abdominal, vaginal, laparoscopic, or robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy. In a robotic-assisted procedure, the surgeon directs the robot while seated at a console in the operating room. This differs from laparoscopic hysterectomy because a “robot” performs the operation, while the surgeon watches a monitor. This systematic review will compare quality of life (QOL) in patients who undergo total robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications and those who undergo conventional laparoscopic surgery. Methods: We will perform a systematic review according to the Cochrane Methodology for randomized controlled trials. The review will include studies reporting use of QOL metrics to assess patients who undergo total hysterectomy for benign indications using robotic-assisted technique or conventional laparoscopic surgery. QOL will be the primary outcome and will be measured using validated instruments. An overall search strategy will be developed and adapted for Embase, MEDLINE, LILACS, and CENTRAL databases. Two reviewers will independently select the eligible studies, assess the risk of bias, and extract the data from included studies. Similar outcomes measured in at least 2 trials will be plotted in the meta-analysis using Review Manager 5.3. The quality of evidence will be determined using the GRADE approach. Results: This systematic review is designed to provide high quality evidence on QOL in patients undergoing total hysterectomy for benign indications using either robotic-assisted or conventional laparoscopic surgery. Conclusion: It is expected that high-quality evidence on QOL can be used to guide decision-making by institutions and clinicians to improve health care; the evidence can also be used in future studies. PROSPERO registration number: PROSPERO CRD 42019129913
Early Life Stress and High FKBP5 Interact to Increase Anxiety-Like Symptoms through Altered AKT Signaling in the Dorsal Hippocampus

Clinical studies show a significant association of childhood adversities and FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) polymorphisms on increasing the susceptibility for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the mechanisms by which early life stress (ELS) influences FKBP5 actions have not been fully elucidated. We hypothesized that interactions between ELS and high FKBP5 induce phenotypic changes that correspond to underlying molecular changes in the brain. To test this, we exposed newborn mice overexpressing human FKBP5 in the forebrain, rTgFKBP5, to ELS using a maternal separation. Two months after ELS, we observed that ELS increased anxiety levels, specifically in mice overexpressing FKBP5, an effect that was more pronounced in females. Biochemically, Protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation was reduced in the dorsal hippocampus in rTgFKBP5 mice, which demonstrates that significant molecular changes occur as a result of ELS when FKBP5 levels are altered. Taken together, our results have a significant impact on our understanding mechanisms underlying the gene x environment interaction showing that anxiety and AKT signaling in the hippocampus were affected by the combination of ELS and FKBP5. An increased knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions may help determine if FKBP5 could be an effective target for the treatment of anxiety and other mood-related illnesses.
How does a single session group intervention improve sexual function in ovarian cancer survivors? A secondary analysis of effects of self-efficacy, knowledge and emotional distress

ABSTRACT Although sexual dysfunction after ovarian cancer (OC) treatment is a common side effect, intervention for this issue remains largely unaddressed in the literature. To address this gap, we recently developed and tested a theory-driven psychosexual intervention that successfully improved sexual function in OC survivors. This study is a secondary analysis to determine whether the intervention effects were consistent with our theoretical model. We expected that improved self-efficacy, sexual knowledge and emotional distress would relate to improved sexual function, and that effects of sexual knowledge and self-efficacy on sexual function would be mediated by emotional distress. 46 OC survivors completed study measures prior to and two-months following the intervention. Results indicated that self-efficacy, sexual knowledge, and emotional distress improved significantly post-intervention. While self-efficacy and emotional distress were both directly associated with sexual function; contrary to expectation, change in knowledge was not. Results also demonstrated that the relationship between self-efficacy and sexual function was not mediated by emotional distress. Clinical implications underscore the importance of promoting self-efficacy and decreasing emotional distress in the context of sexual rehabilitation treatment for OC survivors. Next steps include refining the intervention based on these findings and testing in a larger, randomized trial of gynecological cancer survivors.
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy evidence for the development of topological asymmetry between hemispheric brain networks from childhood to adulthood

Abstract. Cerebral asymmetry is considered an important marker of the successful development of the human brain. Recent studies have demonstrated topological asymmetries between structurally hemispheric networks in the human brain. However, it remains largely unknown whether and how the functionally topological asymmetries evolve from childhood to adulthood, a critical period that constitutes the primary peak of human brain and cognitive development. Here, we adopted resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy imaging data to construct hemispheric functional networks and then applied graph theory analysis to quantify the topological characteristics of the hemispheric networks. We found that the adult group exhibited consistent leftward hemispheric asymmetries in both global and local network efficiency, and the degree of leftward asymmetry in local network efficiency was significantly increased with development from childhood to adulthood. At the nodal level, the degree of leftward asymmetry in nodal efficiency, mainly involving the frontal, parietal–occipital junction, and occipital regions, increased with development. These developmental patterns of topological asymmetries suggest that the protracted maturation of functional segregation in the left hemisphere could underlie language development from childhood to adulthood and provide insight into the development of human brain functional networks.