Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Assessment of Surgical Ergonomics in Otolaryngology

Objectives Objective evaluation of the ergonomic risk of common otolaryngology procedures and assessment of work-related musculoskeletal pain and injury. Study Design Cross-sectional intraoperative assessment and survey. Setting Department of Otolaryngology at a tertiary children’s hospital. Subjects and Methods Sixteen otolaryngology attendings, fellows, and residents participated in a blinded study. Intraoperative ergonomics was assessed for tonsillectomies, adenoidectomies, and tympanostomy tube insertions using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Follow-up surveys were sent to all participating surgeons to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and formal ergonomic training. Results Zero percent (N = 0/275) of intraoperative observations were found to have a negligible level of ergonomic risk, with 47% low risk, 37% high risk, and 16% very high risk. Tympanostomy tube insertions conferred less risk than tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, while the use of headlamp or loupes conferred increased risk. Eighty percent of respondents reported having musculoskeletal pain and 40% reported experiencing pain while operating within the past year. The most common area of pain was the cervical spine. No surgeons reported formal ergonomic training. Conclusions Our study demonstrates an unacceptable level of ergonomic risk for common procedures in otolaryngology. Furthermore, most participants reported experiencing musculoskeletal pain despite the duration of examined procedures being relatively short. The high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain and the lack of ergonomic training in our cohort highlight the need for increased awareness of ergonomics as well as the development of formal ergonomic curricula.
Can Aromatherapy Make People Feel Better Throughout Exercise?

We analyzed participants’ feelings and arousal before, during, and after exercise as per whether they receive aromatherapy. Twenty university students who regularly took part in health exercises were selected through purposive sampling. Changes in feelings were measured through a 2D circumplex model and an in-depth interview. The effects on exercisers who received aromatherapy were more positive than for those who did not receive any treatment. Specifically, it induced positive feelings during exercise, reduced fatigue during exercise, and improved participants’ feelings during the recovery period. Aroma has a key influence on exercisers’ feelings, and it can positively influence exercise satisfaction and persistence.
The effect of a structured patient education intervention on the quality of life for coronary artery bypass grafting patients: A prospective randomised controlled study

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of structured patient education on the quality of life for coronary artery bypass grafting patients. The research included 80 patients (40 control, 40 experimental) who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery at the cardiovascular surgery ward of a university hospital in Western Turkey and met the criteria to be included in the sample. The following documents were used to collect data: Patient Information Form, Knowledge Level Form and SF36 Quality of Life Scale. It was determined that the structured planned patient education for coronary artery bypass grafting patients effectively improved the patients’ knowledge level and quality of life.
Cytotaxonomy of some species and of interspecific hybrids of Pennisetum (Poaceae, Poales)

Cytotaxonomic studies were carried out on 26 accessions of Pennisetum spp. originating from the Active Germplasm Bank of Embrapa Gado de Leite-Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.This study presents cytogenetics and reproductive morphological data for each one of these accessions, which allowed groupings and suggest botanical identifications to be established. The metaphases of the accessions characterized as P. purpureum confirmed the presence of 2n = 28 chromosomes that have already been described for this species. For the hybrids between P. purpureum and P. glaucum and for the hexaploids, resulting from the chromosome duplication of these hybrids, 2n = 21 and 2n = 42 chromosomes were confirmed, respectively. The wild accession identified as P. setosum showed metaphases with 2n = 54 chromosomes, while those characterized as P. nervosum had cells with 2n = 36 chromosomes. The wild accession 15 was different from the others for the morphological characters, with 2n = 36 chromosomes, and was classified as P. orientale. Two statistical procedures were used (canonical variables and cluster analysis on the basis of the Mahalanobis distance), and the results confirmed the conclusions obtained from the cytogenetic and morphologic analysis.
Computational Chemogenomics Drug Repositioning Strategy Enables the Discovery of Epirubicin as a New Repurposed Hit for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax

Widespread resistance against antimalarial drugs thwarts current efforts for controlling the disease and urges the discovery of new effective treatments. Drug repositioning is increasingly becoming an attractive strategy since it can reduce costs, risks, and time-to-market. Herein, we have used this strategy to identify novel antimalarial hits. We used a comparative in silico chemogenomics approach to select Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax proteins as potential drug targets and analyzed them using a computer-assisted drug repositioning pipeline to identify approved drugs with potential antimalarial activity. ABSTRACT Widespread resistance against antimalarial drugs thwarts current efforts for controlling the disease and urges the discovery of new effective treatments. Drug repositioning is increasingly becoming an attractive strategy since it can reduce costs, risks, and time-to-market. Herein, we have used this strategy to identify novel antimalarial hits. We used a comparative in silico chemogenomics approach to select Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax proteins as potential drug targets and analyzed them using a computer-assisted drug repositioning pipeline to identify approved drugs with potential antimalarial activity. Among the seven drugs identified as promising antimalarial candidates, the anthracycline epirubicin was selected for further experimental validation. Epirubicin was shown to be potent in vitro against sensitive and multidrug-resistant P. falciparum strains and P. vivax field isolates in the nanomolar range, as well as being effective against an in vivo murine model of Plasmodium yoelii. Transmission-blocking activity was observed for epirubicin in vitro and in vivo. Finally, using yeast-based haploinsufficiency chemical genomic profiling, we aimed to get insights into the mechanism of action of epirubicin. Beyond the target predicted in silico (a DNA gyrase in the apicoplast), functional assays suggested a GlcNac-1-P-transferase (GPT) enzyme as a potential target. Docking calculations predicted the binding mode of epirubicin with DNA gyrase and GPT proteins. Epirubicin is originally an antitumoral agent and presents associated toxicity. However, its antiplasmodial activity against not only P. falciparum but also P. vivax in different stages of the parasite life cycle supports the use of this drug as a scaffold for hit-to-lead optimization in malaria drug discovery.
Understanding the mechanisms of silica nanoparticles for nanomedicine

Abstract As a consequence of recent progression in biomedicine and nanotechnology, nanomedicine has emerged rapidly as a new discipline with extensive application of nanomaterials in biology, medicine, and pharmacology. Among the various nanomaterials, silica nanoparticles (SNPs) are particularly promising in nanomedicine applications due to their large specific surface area, adjustable pore size, facile surface modification, and excellent biocompatibility. This paper reviews the synthesis of SNPs and their recent usage in drug delivery, biomedical imaging, photodynamic and photothermal therapy, and other applications. In addition, the possible adverse effects of SNPs in nanomedicine applications are reviewed from reported in vitro and in vivo studies. Finally, the potential opportunities and challenges for the future use of SNPs are discussed. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Morphological and functional assessment of the uterus: “one-stop shop imaging” using a compressed-sensing accelerated, free-breathing T1-VIBE sequence

Background The combination of motion-insensitive, high-temporal, and spatial resolution imaging with evaluation of quantitative perfusion has the potential to increase the diagnostic capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the female pelvis. Purpose To compare a free-breathing compressed-sensing VIBE (fbVIBE) with flexible temporal resolution (range = 4.6–13.8 s) with breath-hold VIBE (bhVIBE) and to evaluate the potential value of quantifying uterine perfusion. Material and Methods A total of 70 datasets from 60 patients (bhVIBE: n = 30; fbVIBE: n = 40) were evaluated by two radiologists. Only temporally resolved reconstruction (fbVIBE) was performed on 30 of the fbVIBE datasets. For a subset (n = 10) of the fbVIBE acquisitions, a time- and motion-resolved reconstruction (mrVIBE) was evaluated. Image quality (IQ), artifacts, diagnostic confidence (DC), and delineation of uterine structures (DoS) were graded on Likert scales (IQ/DC/DoS: 1 (non-diagnostic) to 5 (perfect); artifacts: 1 (no artifacts) to 5 (severe artifacts)). A Tofts model was applied for perfusion analysis. Ktrans was obtained in the myometrium (Mm), junctional zone (Jz), and cervix (Cx). Results The median IQ/DoS/DC scores of fbVIBE (4/5/5 κ >0.7–0.9) and bhVIBE (4/4/4; κ = 0.5–0.7; P > 0.05) were high, but Artifacts were graded low (fbVIBE/bhVIBE: 2/2; κ = 0.6/0.5; P > 0.05). Artifacts were only slightly improved by the additional motion-resolved reconstruction (fbVIBE/mrVIBE: 2/1.5; P = 0.08); fbVIBE was preferred in most cases (7/10). Significant differences of Ktrans values were found between Cx, Jz, and Mm (0.12/0.21/0.19; P < 0.05). Conclusion The fbVIBE sequence allows functional and morphological assessment of the uterus at comparable IQ to bhVIBE.
Modeling natural environmental gradients improves the accuracy and precision of diatom-based indicators

Abstract Diatom-based indicators can contribute significantly to comprehensive assessments of stream biological conditions. We used modeling to develop, evaluate, and compare 2 types of diatom-based indicators for Idaho streams: an observed/expected (O/E) ratio of taxon loss derived from a model similar to the River InVertebrate Prediction And Classification System (RIVPACS) and a multimetric index (MMI). Modeling the effects of natural environmental gradients on assemblage composition is a key component of RIVPACS, but modeling has seldom been used for MMI development. Diatom assemblage structure varied substantially among reference-site samples, but neither ecoregion nor bioregion accounted for a significant portion of that variation. Therefore, we used Classification and Regression Trees (CART) to model the variation of individual metrics with natural gradients. For both CART and RIVPACS modeling, we restricted predictors to natural variables unaffected by or resistant to human disturbances. On average, 46% of the total variance in 32 metrics could be explained by CART models, but the predictor variables differed among the metrics and often showed evidence of interacting with one another. The use of CART residuals (i.e., metric values adjusted for the effect of natural environmental gradients) affected whether or how strongly many metrics discriminated between reference and test sites. We used cluster analysis to examine redundancies among candidate metrics and then selected the metric with the highest discrimination efficiency from each cluster. This step was applied to both unadjusted and adjusted metrics and led to inclusion of 7 metrics in MMIs. Adjusted MMIs were more precise than unadjusted ones (coefficient of variation ∼50% lower). Adjusted and unadjusted MMIs rated similar proportions of the test sites as being in nonreference condition but disagreed on the assessment of many individual test sites. Use of unadjusted MMIs probably resulted in higher rates of both Type I and Type II errors than use of adjusted metrics, a logical consequence of the inability of unadjusted metrics to distinguish the confounding effects of natural environmental factors from those associated with human-caused stress. The RIVPACS-type model for diatom assemblages performed similarly to models developed for invertebrate assemblages. The O/E ratio was as precise as the adjusted MMI, but rated a lower proportion of test sites as being in nonreference condition, implying that taxon loss was less severe than changes in overall diatom assemblage structure. As previously demonstrated for O/E measures, modeling appears to be an effective means of developing more accurate and precise MMIs. Furthermore, modeling enabled us to develop a single MMI for use throughout an environmentally heterogeneous region.
Changes in bivalve functional and assemblage ecology in response to environmental change in the Caribbean Neogene

Abstract We documented changes in the relative abundance of bivalve genera and functional groups in the southwest Caribbean over the past 11 Myr to determine their response to oceanographic changes associated with the closure of the Central American Seaway ca. 3.5 Ma. Quantitative bulk samples from 29 localities yielded 106,000 specimens in 145 genera. All genera were assigned to functional groups based on diet, relationship to the substrate, and mobility. Ordinations of assemblages based on quantitative data for functional groups demonstrated strong shifts in community structure, with a stark contrast between assemblages older than 5 Ma and those younger than 3.5 Ma. These changes are primarily due to an increase in the abundance of attached epifaunal bivalves (e.g., Chama, Arcopsis, and Barbatia) and a decrease in infaunal bivalves (e.g., Varicorbula and Caryocorbula). Taxa associated with seagrasses, including deposit-feeding and chemosymbiotic bivalves (e.g., Lucina), also increased in relative abundance compared to suspension feeders. The composition of bivalve assemblages is correlated with the carbonate content of sediments and the percentage of skeletal biomass that is coral. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that increases in the extent of coral reefs and Thalassia communities were important drivers of biologic turnover in Neogene Caribbean benthic communities.
Reproductive toxicity assessment of Olusosun municipal landfill leachate in Mus musculus using abnormal sperm morphology and dominant lethal mutation assays

Mixture of xenobiotics in Olusosun landfill leachates (OSL) induced somatic and germ cell genotoxicity in eukaryotic cells. However, whether the DNA-damaged germ cells can increase reproductive failure, embryotoxicity and/or teratogenicity during fertilization remained unclear. The study herein investigated reproductive toxicity and embryotoxic effects of OSL in mice using abnormal sperm morphology and dominant lethal mutation assays. Six mice per group were exposed to 0.5 mL of 5, 10, 25, and 50% OSL (v/v, leachate/distilled water) for 5 consecutive days. Similar treatment was giving to distilled water and cyclophosphamide (20 mg/kg body weight), as negative and positive control groups, respectively. At 35 day post-treatment, the mice were sacrificed and examined for cauda epididymal abnormal sperm morphology, testicular weight change and histopathological lesions. Male mice were mated to untreated nulliparous females (1 treated male per 2 untreated females) until vaginal plugs were observed. Pregnant females were sacrificed on 14th day post-mating and uterine content examined for number of implants per female, resorptions, and live and dead fetuses. OSL significantly increased teratozoospermia by 31.02% with amorphous sperm head having the highest frequency and sperm with two heads, the least. Histology of the testes revealed congestion of the interstitial blood vessels, spermatid retention and disorganization of the germinal epithelium from the basal compartment. OSL insignificantly increased absolute and relative testes weights but reduced body weight of exposed mice. There was insignificant induction of dominant lethal mutation, although low fertility was observed in the treated mice. The analyzed physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals/metalloids in OSL were higher than permissible limits. The metals, physico-chemical parameters and other unanalyzed substances in OSL induced abnormal sperm morphology, altered testes pathology, but did not significantly induce dominant lethal mutation in mice. Constituents of OSL are toxic to the male reproductive organs in mice and suggests harmful impact on public health. Indiscriminate disposal of solid wastes in the environment should be prevented.
ISSN 2249-9709 Original Article SELENIUM AMELIORATES OXIDATIVE DAMAGE AND TOXICITY INDUCED BY DELTAMETHRIN IN HEPG2 CELLS

Deltamethrin, the synthetic pyrethoid and its metabolites is reported to have serious impacts on human health including neuro, nephro and hepatotoxicity. The present study discusses the effect of Deltamethrin in human hepatocytes and the ameliorative effect of selenium on reversing pesticide toxicity. HepG2 cells exposed with Deltamethrin confirmed toxicity in a dose dependent manner with IC values of approximately 265mM. Membrane damage and loss of cytosolic integrity was evident from LDH leakage and NRU assay. Selenium was selected as the ameliorating agent owing to its association with hepatic enzymes which have considerable role in xenobiotic metabolism and anti oxidant status of the cell. Sodium selenite was toxic only at higher concentration with little or no morphological changes when determined by MTT assay. The role of Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was confirmed by DCFDA staining. Addition of selenium considerably increased the glutathione reserves which reduced oxidative damage produced by DMT which can be accounted as the major mechanism of hepato protection offered by Sodium selenite.
The FDA-Approved Drug Nelfinavir Inhibits Lytic Cell-Free but Not Cell-Associated Nonlytic Transmission of Human Adenovirus

Adenoviruses (AdVs) are prevalent and give rise to chronic and recurrent disease. Human AdV (HAdV) species B and C, such as HAdV-C2, -C5, and -B14, cause respiratory disease and constitute a health threat for immunocompromised individuals. HAdV-Cs are well known for lysing cells owing to the E3 CR1-β-encoded adenovirus death protein (ADP). We previously reported a high-throughput image-based screening framework and identified an inhibitor of HAdV-C2 multiround infection, nelfinavir mesylate. ABSTRACT Adenoviruses (AdVs) are prevalent and give rise to chronic and recurrent disease. Human AdV (HAdV) species B and C, such as HAdV-C2, -C5, and -B14, cause respiratory disease and constitute a health threat for immunocompromised individuals. HAdV-Cs are well known for lysing cells owing to the E3 CR1-β-encoded adenovirus death protein (ADP). We previously reported a high-throughput image-based screening framework and identified an inhibitor of HAdV-C2 multiround infection, nelfinavir mesylate. Nelfinavir is the active ingredient of Viracept, an FDA-approved inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) aspartyl protease that is used to treat AIDS. It is not effective against single-round HAdV infections. Here, we show that nelfinavir inhibits lytic cell-free transmission of HAdV, indicated by the suppression of comet-shaped infection foci in cell culture. Comet-shaped foci occur upon convection-based transmission of cell-free viral particles from an infected cell to neighboring uninfected cells. HAdV lacking ADP was insensitive to nelfinavir but gave rise to comet-shaped foci, indicating that ADP enhances but is not required for cell lysis. This was supported by the notion that HAdV-B14 and -B14p1 lacking ADP were highly sensitive to nelfinavir, although HAdV-A31, -B3, -B7, -B11, -B16, -B21, -D8, -D30, and -D37 were less sensitive. Conspicuously, nelfinavir uncovered slow-growing round HAdV-C2 foci, independent of neutralizing antibodies in the medium, indicative of nonlytic cell-to-cell transmission. Our study demonstrates the repurposing potential of nelfinavir with postexposure efficacy against different HAdVs and describes an alternative nonlytic cell-to-cell transmission mode of HAdV.
Synthesis of Iron(II)–N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes: Paving the Way for a New Class of Antibiotics

The synthesis and structural modulation of five pro-ligand salts was achieved using alternative sustainable synthetic strategies, the use of microwaves being the method of choice, with an 81% yield and an E factor of 43 for 3d. After complexation with Fe3(CO)12 by direct reaction with the appropriate pro-ligands at 130 °C, a set of iron(II) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes were isolated and fully characterized (via 1H and 13C NMR and IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis). The antibacterial activities of the iron(II)-NHC complexes were tested against standard World Health Organization priority bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. The results showed a significant effect of the Fe(II)-NHC side-chain on the antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Among all compounds, the most lipophilic iron complex, 3b, was found to be the most active one, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 8 µg/mL. Pioneering mechanistic studies suggested an alternative mechanism of action (OH· formation), which opens the way for the development of a new class of antibiotics.
Lactobacillus gasseri JM1 with potential probiotic characteristics alleviates inflammatory response by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in vitro.

Lactobacillus gasseri JM1, a novel strain isolated from infant feces, exhibited common probiotic properties such as high acid tolerance, bile salt tolerance, and adhesion to epithelial Caco-2 cells, suggesting its ability to survive in the gastrointestinal tract and confer potential probiotic action on the host. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of L. gasseri JM1 and explore the underlying signaling pathways in vitro. The results showed that pretreatment with L. gasseri JM1 alleviated lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response, as evidenced by downregulation of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α) and upregulation of antiinflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, transforming growth factor-β3, and IFN-γ). A high level of gene expression was noted for toll-like receptor 2 and NOD2. Meanwhile, transcriptomic sequencing obtained 84 differentially expressed genes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway was activated by L. gasseri JM1 in Caco-2 cells. Inhibitor of PI3K/Akt played various roles in the release of cytokines, indicating that the pathway was involved in protecting the host against lipopolysaccharide stress. Moreover, whole-genome sequencing revealed fundamental genetic properties of L. gasseri JM1 and provided clues for probiotic characteristics. In summary, the strain could exert immunomodulatory effects via the toll-like receptor 2 and NOD2-mediated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and be regarded as a potential probiotic.