Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Systolic Blood Pressure and Cognition in the Elderly: The Northern Manhattan Study.

BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests that hypertension is a risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia. The relationship between blood pressure and cognition in a racially and ethnically diverse population remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To study association of blood pressure with cognition cross-sectionally and longitudinally in the elderly. METHODS Participants are stroke-free individuals from the racially and ethnically diverse Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS) (n = 1215). General linear models are constructed to examine blood pressure in relation to cognition cross-sectionally and longitudinally at a five-year follow-up. RESULTS We found a cross-sectional association of systolic blood pressure (SBP) with word fluency/semantic memory, executive function, and processing speed/visual motor integration (VMI) function. This association was independent of demographics, vascular risk factors, white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). The cross-sectional association of SBP with processing speed/VMI and executive function was attenuated after adjusting anti-hypertension medications in the models. Baseline SBP was associated with the change of processing speed/VMI function after adjusting vascular risk factors, WMHV, and cIMT at a 5-year follow-up. This longitudinal association was not found after adjusting anti-hypertension medications in the models. Further analyses revealed that individuals with category SBP from < 120 mmHg to≥140 mmHg had a linear decline in processing speed/VMI function at a 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSION We show that SBP is negatively associated with cognition cross-sectionally and longitudinally in the elderly. Anti-hypertension treatment eliminates the negative association of SBP with processing speed/VMI function longitudinally. Our findings support the treatment of stage 1 systolic hypertension in the elderly.
Treadmill Running Improves Spatial Learning Memory Through Inactivation of Nuclear Factor Kappa B/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathway in Amyloid-β-Induced Alzheimer Disease Rats

Purpose Exercise is known to reduce proinflammatory cytokines production and apoptosis. We investigated the effect of treadmill running on spatial learning memory in terms of activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in Alzheimer disease (AD) rats. We also evaluated the effect of treadmill running on proinflammatory cytokine production and apoptosis. Methods Using the stereotaxic frame, amyloid-β (Aβ) was injected into the lateral ventricle of the brain. The rats belong to treadmill running groups were forced to run on a motorized treadmill for 30 minutes per a day during 4 weeks, starting 3 days after Aβ injection. Morris water maze task was done for the determination of spatial learning memory. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, immunohistochemistry for cleaved caspase-3, and western blot for NF-κB, inhibitory protein of NF-κB (IκB), MAPK signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β were done. Results Induction of AD increased proinflammatory cytokine secretion by activating the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway. These changes induced apoptosis in the hippocampus and reduced spatial learning memory. In contrast, treadmill running inactivated the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway and suppressed proinflammatory cytokine production. These changes inhibited apoptosis and improved spatial learning memory. Conclusions Current results showed that treadmill running promoted spatial learning memory through suppressing proinflammatory cytokine production and apoptosis via inactivation of NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway. Treadmill exercise can be considered an effective intervention for symptom relieve of AD.
Relationship between Texture of Kamaboko and Its Mechanical Properties

The unique elastic texture of kamaboko, which is known as “ashi”, is one of the most important factors to evaluate quality of kamaboko. Since ashi can bejudged only by mechanical factors such as firmness, toughness, shortness, chewyness etc., no objective measurement for evaluating ashi has yet been established. In this study, we examined the relationship between an organoleptic evaluation and rheological measurements of kamaboko.
Peer Victimization, Resilience and Mental Well-Being Among Left-Behind Children: Dose Gender Make a Difference?

This study explores how resilience mediates the association between peer victimization and mental well-being among left-behind children in the Chinese cultural context, and how gender groups differ in certain path. Data are collected from a random sample of 471 left-behind children from the City of Huai’an in mainland China. Results of this study shows that peer victimization is not only significantly and directly related, but also indirectly associated with children mental well-being through the intermediary mechanism of resilience. The theoretical model is applicable to both male and female left-behind children with no gender difference. The findings provide empirical support for the proposed theoretical framework that resilience plays a crucial mediator in the relationship between peer victimization and children mental well-being. Empirical evidence also shows that interventions focused on anti-bullying and cultivating resilience may be effective to improve children mental well-being.
Neurotrophic Treatment Initiated During Early Postnatal Development Prevents the Alzheimer-Like Behavior and Synaptic Dysfunction

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by impairments in synaptic plasticity and cognitive performance. Cognitive dysfunction and loss of neuronal plasticity are known to begin decades before the clinical diagnosis of the disease. The important influence of congenital genetic mutations on the early development of AD provides a novel opportunity to initiate treatment during early development to prevent the Alzheimer-like behavior and synaptic dysfunction. Objective: To explore strategies for early intervention to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: In the present study, we investigated the effect of treatment during early development with a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) derived peptidergic compound, P021 (Ac-DGGLAG-NH2) on cognitive function and synaptic plasticity in 3xTg-AD transgenic mouse model of AD. 3xTg-AD and genetic background-matched wild type female mice were treated from birth to postnatal day 120 with P021 in diet or as a control with vehicle diet, and cognitive function and molecular markers of neuroplasticity were evaluated. Results: P021 treatment during early development prevented cognitive impairment and increased expressions of pCREB and BDNF that activated downstream various signaling cascades such as PLC/PKC, MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt, and ameliorated synaptic protein deficit in 4-month-old 3xTg-AD mice. Conclusion: These findings indicate that treatment with the neurotrophic peptide mimetic such as P021 during early development can be an effective therapeutic strategy to rescue synaptic deficit and cognitive impairment in familial AD and related tauopathies.
Thyroarytenoid Muscle Gene Expression in a Rat Model of Early‐Onset Parkinson's Disease

Voice disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) are early‐onset, manifest in the preclinical stages of the disease, and negatively impact quality of life. The complete loss of function in the PTEN‐induced kinase 1 gene (Pink1) causes a genetic form of early‐onset, autosomal recessive PD. Modeled after the human inherited mutation, the Pink1−/− rat demonstrates significant cranial sensorimotor dysfunction including declines in ultrasonic vocalizations. However, the underlying genetics of the vocal fold thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle that may contribute to vocal deficits has not been studied. The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed genes in the TA muscle of 8‐month‐old male Pink1−/− rats compared to wildtype controls.
Psychedelics and health behaviour change

Healthful behaviours such as maintaining a balanced diet, being physically active and refraining from smoking have major impacts on the risk of developing cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other serious conditions. The burden of the so-called ‘lifestyle diseases’—in personal suffering, premature mortality and public health costs—is considerable. Consequently, interventions designed to promote healthy behaviours are increasingly being studied, e.g., using psychobiological models of behavioural regulation and change. In this article, we explore the notion that psychedelic substances such as psilocybin could be used to assist in promoting positive lifestyle change conducive to good overall health. Psilocybin has a low toxicity, is non-addictive and has been shown to predict favourable changes in patients with depression, anxiety and other conditions marked by rigid behavioural patterns, including substance (mis)use. While it is still early days for modern psychedelic science, research is advancing fast and results are promising. Here we describe psychedelics’ proposed mechanisms of action and research findings pertinent to health behaviour change science, hoping to generate discussion and new research hypotheses linking the two areas. Therapeutic models including psychedelic experiences and common behaviour change methods (e.g., Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Motivational Interviewing) are already being tested for addiction and eating disorders. We believe this research may soon be extended to help promote improved diet, exercise, nature exposure and also mindfulness or stress reduction practices, all of which can contribute to physical and psychological health and well-being.
Relationship between sacral shape variation and phylogeny in Old World monkeys

The sacrum, an essential skeletal element in the trunk, articulates with the ilium and lumbar and caudal vertebrae. While there are known morphological differences between hominoids and cercopithecoids (Old World monkeys), sacral morphological variations among cercopithecoids have rarely been studied outside of research on tail length variation. Increased knowledge regarding sacral variations in extant primates, however, could help in understanding and reconstructing their evolutionary development. Therefore, this study aimed to explore phylogenetic sacral shape variations among cercopithecoids. Geometric morphometric analyses were performed on 221 sacra from 39 different cercopithecoid species. Clear shape differences were observed among Colobinae, Cercopithecini, and Papionini, particularly in the spinous processes and sacral lateral mass. These parts function as muscle attachment points or skeletal joints, and variations in them seemed to reflect their required functions. However, the significance of the relationship between shape and function was not so great as to explain all the observed variation. According to recent genetic/developmental biological studies, shape variations may also be caused by the pleiotropic effects of some genes, such as posterior Hox genes. Therefore, while skeletal morphology has previously been considered to be directly connected to skeletal function, this study's results suggest that other factors influencing sacral shape require further research.
Sequence-dependent inhibition of cGAS and TLR9 DNA sensing by 2′-O-methyl gapmer oligonucleotides

Abstract Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics have the capacity to engage with nucleic acid immune sensors to activate or block their response, but a detailed understanding of these immunomodulatory effects is currently lacking. We recently showed that 2′-O-methyl (2′OMe) gapmer antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) exhibited sequence-dependent inhibition of sensing by the RNA sensor Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) 7. Here we discovered that 2′OMe ASOs can also display sequence-dependent inhibitory effects on two major sensors of DNA, namely cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) and TLR9. Through a screen of 80 2′OMe ASOs and sequence mutants, we characterized key features within the 20-mer ASOs regulating cGAS and TLR9 inhibition, and identified a highly potent cGAS inhibitor. Importantly, we show that the features of ASOs inhibiting TLR9 differ from those inhibiting cGAS, with only a few sequences inhibiting both pathways. Together with our previous studies, our work reveals a complex pattern of immunomodulation where 95% of the ASOs tested inhibited at least one of TLR7, TLR9 or cGAS by ≥30%, which may confound interpretation of their in vivo functions. Our studies constitute the broadest analysis of the immunomodulatory effect of 2′OMe ASOs on nucleic acid sensing to date and will support refinement of their therapeutic development.
Integrating elements of teddy bear therapy into cognitive behavioral therapy for a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A case study.

PROBLEM Childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can chronically affect functioning across a multitude of areas. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is well-evidenced as an effective treatment option, however, there is less research on how CBT for OCD can best be adapted to meet the specific needs of younger children. Integrating CBT with forms of therapy that incorporate play and externalization may be particularly appropriate for this age group. However, more research is needed detailing how this could be carried out in clinical settings. METHODS This study meets this need by describing the treatment of an 8-year-old boy with OCD. An evidence-based CBT approach was used integrated with teddy-bear therapy (TBT). This study employs a single-case A-B design to explore the acceptability and benefits of using an integrated CBT/TBT treatment approach. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS A reduction in ritualistic behavior and anxiety was seen following treatment, with qualitative feedback from the client and his family showing the inclusion of TBT to be experienced as acceptable and useful. All therapy goals were met by the end of treatment, though the parental scores on the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale indicated ongoing clinically significant OCD symptoms. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
Psychological Burden among Community-dwelling Older Adults with and without a History of a Recent Covid-19 Infection

ABSTRACT Objectives The outbreak of Covid-19’s psychological burden to recovered vs. non-infected older individuals has not been compared yet. We aimed to perform a comparative analysis of psychological symptoms in community-dwelling older adults with and without a history of a Covid-19 infection. Methods In this study, we utilized a geriatric care unit’s outpatient registry to prospectively enroll older adults with and without a history of Covid-19. An interviewer administered generalized anxiety disorder-2 (GAD-2), patient health questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), six-item cognitive impairment (6-CIT), and post-traumatic stress disorder-5 (PTSD-5) tests over the phone. Correlation and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations. Results The study included 120 older subjects, 46 (38.3%) reported past Covid-19 infection. Anxiety and depression were both significantly more prevalent among subjects without a history of Covid-19. Having no history of Covid-19, female gender, and psychoactive medication use showed independent associations with the risk of depression symptoms among all subjects, and female gender was additionally associated with anxiety symptoms. Conclusions This study showed that the risk of depression symptoms was higher in a sample of older adults who were not infected with Covid-19 compared to those recovering from the disease. Clinical implications The impact of “fear of transmission” on the mental health of the elderly may be a significant issue to deal with. Older women are more prone to mental health risks by Covid-19.
Strong light-molecule coupling : routes to new hybrid materials

Over the past 15 years, light-matter strong coupling involving organic materials has been of increasing interest due to the very large energy splitting such systems exhibit between the two hybrid light-matter states, also known as the polaritonic states typically denoted P+ and P-. The large energy splitting, so-called Rabi splitting, is the result of the high transition dipole moments of the molecules and the small mode volumes of micro-metallic Fabry-Perot (FP) cavities or surface plasmons used in these studies. Rabi-splittings -1 eV have been observed, often representing a significant fraction of the electronic transition energy in which case the system is said to be in the ultra-strong coupling regime. ln this regime the physical chemistry of molecules or the properties of materials of the coupied system should be modified. lndeed, it has already been shown to affect the relaxation pathways in the coupled system, the rates of photochemical reactions, thework-function and conductivity of organic-semiconductors in the dark, among other things. A recent thermodynamic study demonstrated that the ground state energy can also be shifted in theultra-strong coupling regime. Moreover, the strong coupling is not limited to electronic transitions, but also can be used to perturb the ground-state vibrations of molecules in the infrared region. Ali these results suggest that light-molecule strong coupling has much potential for material and molecular science and therefore merits further study.
Structural dissimilarity of partners' immune genes increases sperm viability in women's reproductive tract

Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes appear to mediate pre‐ and post‐copulatory mate choice towards HLA‐dissimilar (‘compatible’) partners. However, since genetically distinct alleles often have similar immunogenic properties, genetic dissimilarity is not necessarily an accurate predictor of the functional compatibility of HLA alleles and, hence, may not reflect partners' true compatibility. Furthermore, it has remained unclear whether other genes of the immune system could also play a role in male–female compatibility. We studied whether the immunoglobulin binding regions (eplets) of HLA molecules and the immunoglobulin structural dissimilarity of the partners affect their gamete‐level compatibility. We exposed sperm of multiple men to follicular fluid or cervical mucus of multiple women and tested whether sperm viability in these reproductive secretions was influenced by HLA eplet and immunoglobulin structural dissimilarity between partners. We found that eplet dissimilarity positively affects sperm viability in follicular fluid, whereas immunoglobulin dissimilarity enhanced sperm viability in cervical mucus. Together, these findings indicate that structural characteristics of both HLA alleles and immunoglobulins may facilitate cryptic female choice towards immunologically compatible partners. Our results, thus, indicate that partners' genetic compatibility may have wider immunological basis than traditionally has been assumed. Relative contribution of different immunogenetic factors to overall compatibility of the reproductive partners needs to be clarified in future studies.
Role of liver support systems in the management of post hepatectomy liver failure: A systematic review of the literature

Backgrounds/Aims Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is a serious complication following liver resection, with limited treatment options, and is associated with high mortality. There is a need to evaluate the role of systems that support the function of the liver after PHLF. Aims The aim of this study was to review the literature and summarize the role of liver support systems (LSS) in the management of PHLF. Publications of interest were identified using systematically designed searches. Following screening, data from the relevant publications was extracted, and pooled where possible. Findings Systematic review identified nine studies, which used either Plasma Exchange (PE) or Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) as LSS after PHLF. Across all studies, the pooled 90-day mortality rate was 38% (95% CI: 9-70%). However, there was substantial heterogeneity, likely since studies used a variety of definitions for PHLF, and had different selection criteria for patient eligibility for LSS treatment. Conclusions The current evidence is insufficient to recommend LSS for the routine management of severe PHLF, with the current literature consisting of only a limited number of studies. There is a definite need for larger, multicenter, prospective studies, evaluating the conventional and newer modalities of support systems, with a view to improve the outcomes in this group of patients.
Kinematic pelvic tilt during gait alters functional cup position in total hip arthroplasty

Static pelvic tilt impacts functional cup position in total hip arthroplasty (THA). In the current study we investigated the effect of kinematic pelvic changes on cup position. In the course of a prospective controlled trial postoperative 3D‐computed tomography (CT) and gait analysis before and 6 and 12 months after THA were obtained in 60 patients. Kinematic pelvic motion during gait was measured using Anybody Modeling System. By fusion with 3D‐CT, the impact of kinematic pelvic tilt alterations on cup anteversion and inclination was calculated. Furthermore, risk factors correlating with high pelvic mobility were evaluated. During gait a high pelvic range of motion up to 15.6° exceeding 5° in 61.7% (37/60) of patients before THA was found. After surgery, the pelvis tilted posteriorly by a mean of 4.0 ± 6.6° (p < .001). The pelvic anteflexion led to a mean decrease of −1.9 ± 2.2° (p < .001) for cup inclination and −15.1 ± 6.1° (p < .001) for anteversion in relation to the anterior pelvic plane (APP). Kinematic pelvic changes resulted in a further change up to 2.3° for inclination and up to 12.3° for anteversion. In relation to the preoperative situation differences in postoperative cup position ranged from −4.4 to 4.6° for inclination and from −7.8 to 17.9° for anteversion, respectively. Female sex (p < .001) and normal body weight (p < .001) correlated with high alterations in pelvic tilt. Kinematic pelvic changes highly impact cup anteversion in THA. Surgeons using the APP as reference should aim for a higher anteversion of about 15° due to the functional anteflexion of the pelvis during gait.
Optimal sample size for calibrating DNA methylation age estimators

Age is a fundamental parameter in wildlife management as it is used to determine the risk of extinction, manage invasive species, and regulate sustainable harvest. In a broad variety of vertebrates species, age can be determined by measuring DNA methylation. Animals with known ages are initially required during development, calibration, and validation of these epigenetic clocks. However, wild animals with known ages are frequently difficult to obtain. Here, we perform Monte‐Carlo simulations to determine the optimal sample size required to create an accurate calibration model for age estimation by elastic net regression modelling of cytosine‐phosphate‐guanine methylation data. Our results suggest a minimum calibration population size of 70, but ideally 134 individuals or more for accurate and precise models. We also provide estimates to the extent a model can be extrapolated beyond a distribution of ages that was used during calibration. The findings can assist researchers to better design age estimation models and decide if their model is adequate for determining key population attributes.
Experiences of quality of life in people with Multiple Sclerosis who are in a wheelchair

The study includes health‐related quality of life for people in Norway with multiple sclerosis who live at home and are in a wheelchair (N = 6). The purpose is to show how they experience living with a chronic disease such as MS and how they perceive their own situation. How they value their own health and what leads to positive consequences is central to this study.