Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Children as messengers of health knowledge? Impact of health promotion and water infrastructure in schools on facial cleanliness and trachoma in the community.

BACKGROUND Health promotion is essential to the SAFE strategy for trachoma elimination. Schools are a valuable venue for health promotion. However, there is little literature about the impact of health education and water infrastructure in schools on facial cleanliness and trachoma in the community. Our study aimed to describe the current state of school health promotion in Kongwa, Tanzania, and to examine the transferability of health messages from schools to the community at large. METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS A cross-sectional survey was carried out in all 92 villages in Kongwa district, which included 85 primary schools. Data were collected on health messages and water infrastructure in the schools. A random sample of 3084 children aged 0-5 were examined for facial cleanliness in all villages. In 50 villages, a random sample of 50 children aged 1-9 per village were examined for follicular trachoma (TF). Thirty-seven (44.6%) schools had educational materials on face-washing. Fifty (60.2%) schools had a washing station. The presence of a health teacher was correlated with having posters on face washing in classrooms. The presence of face-washing materials was correlated with the availability of washing stations. Neither teachers mentioning face-washing in health curricula nor educational materials in classrooms were associated with clean faces or trachoma in the community. Having a washing station in the school was associated with lower community rates of trachoma. CONCLUSIONS Primary school health messages and materials on trachoma were not associated with clean faces or lower rates of trachoma in the community. The target audience for primary school health promotion is likely the students themselves, without immediate rippling effects in the community. A long-term perspective should be considered during the implementation of health promotion in schools. The goal of school health promotion should be training the next generation of parents and community health leaders in combatting trachoma.
Studies on curing and thermal behavior of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A and benzoxazine mixtures

This article describes the synthesis and characterization of benzoxazine monomers prepared by reacting the mixture of amine (aniline [A], 3-chloroaniline [C], o-toluidine [T]) and phenol (bisphenol-A [B], phenol [P]) with formaldehyde [F]. The benzoxazine monomers prepared by reacting B and F with A, C, and T have been designated as BAF, BCF, and BTF, respectively. Structural characterization of benzoxazines was done using FTIR, 1H NMR, and elemental analysis. The curing behavior of benzoxazine monomers was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry in the presence of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA). In all the samples, the molar ratio of benzoxazine monomer:DGEBA, was varied as 1 :0, 3 : 1, 1 : 1, and 1 :3. The peak exotherm temperature (Tp) was lowest in all the samples having molar ratio of 3 : 1 benzoxazine:DGEBA and highest in samples having molar ratio of 1 : 3. The heat of polymerization (ΔH) was found to be maximum during curing of mixture of DGEBA and benzoxazine monomer prepared from phenol, aniline and formaldehyde (PAF). Thermal stability of benzoxazines:DGEBA mixture cured isothermally was evaluated by recording thermogravimetric traces in nitrogen atmosphere. The char yield was highest for a mixture having benzoxazine : DGEBA in the ratio of 3 : 1. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007
Comprehensive Study of Atorvastatin Nanostructured Lipid Carriers through Multivariate Conceptualization and Optimization

The aim of the current study is to establish a comprehensive experimental design for the screening and optimization of Atorvastatin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (AT-NLCs). Initially, combined D-optimal screening design was applied to find the most significant factors affecting AT-NLCs properties. The studied variables included mixtures of solid and liquid lipids, the solid/liquid lipid ratio, surfactant type and concentration, homogenization speed as well as sonication time. Then, the variables homogenization speed (A), the ratio of solid lipid/liquid lipid (B), and concentration of the surfactant (C) were optimized using a central composite design. Particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency were chosen as dependent responses. The optimized AT-NLCs demonstrated a nanometric size (83.80 ± 1.13 nm), Polydispersity Index (0.38 ± 0.02), surface charge (−29.65 ± 0.65 mV), and high drug incorporation (93.1 ± 0.04%). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed no chemical interaction between Atorvastatin and the lipid mixture. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis of the AT-NLCs suggested the transformation of Atorvastatin crystal into an amorphous state. Administration of the optimized AT-NLCs led to a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in serum levels of rats’ total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins. This change was histologically validated by reducing the relevant steatosis of the liver.
Polycythemia Vera and Essential Thrombocythemia Patients Exhibit Unique Serum Metabolic Profiles Compared to Healthy Individuals and Secondary Thrombocytosis Patients

Simple Summary Current diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), including polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET), is controversial due to limitations associated with the lack of reproducibility, subjectivity and the presence of common somatic mutations in the driver genes. Metabolomics represents a powerful approach to identify altered metabolites that can differentiate between disease status at the time of diagnosis. The objective of this study was to characterize the serum metabolic profile of MPNs patients (PV and ET) and compare it with healthy controls (HC) and secondary thrombocytosis (ST) patients. The analysis revealed metabolites following similar trends between PV and ET patients, as well as unique significant differences in the serum metabolite levels of MNPs patients compared to HC and ST patients. These results could contribute to better differentiate patients with these diseases from HC and ST patients. Abstract Most common myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) include polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET). Accurate diagnosis of these disorders remains a clinical challenge due to the lack of specific clinical or molecular features in some patients enabling their discrimination. Metabolomics has been shown to be a powerful tool for the discrimination between different hematological diseases through the analysis of patients’ serum metabolic profiles. In this pilot study, the potential of NMR-based metabolomics to characterize the serum metabolic profile of MPNs patients (PV, ET), as well as its comparison with the metabolic profile of healthy controls (HC) and secondary thrombocytosis (ST) patients, was assessed. The metabolic profile of PV and ET patients, compared with HC, exhibited higher levels of lysine and decreased levels of acetoacetic acid, glutamate, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), scyllo-inositol and 3-hydroxyisobutyrate. Furthermore, ET patients, compared with HC and ST patients, were characterized by decreased levels of formate, N-acetyl signals from glycoproteins (NAC) and phenylalanine, while the serum profile of PV patients, compared with HC, showed increased concentrations of lactate, isoleucine, creatine and glucose, as well as lower levels of choline-containing metabolites. The overall analysis revealed significant metabolic alterations mainly associated with energy metabolism, the TCA cycle, along with amino acid and lipid metabolism. These results underscore the potential of metabolomics for identifying metabolic alterations in the serum of MPNs patients that could contribute to improving the clinical management of these diseases.
Analysis of Burnout and Psychosocial Factors in Grassroot Football Referees

The aim of this paper is to analyze the interrelationships between the burnout and different psychosocial variables to which the grassroots football referee is exposed, in particular, associated with the influence of the environment and the level of verbal and physical aggression. To this end, a questionnaire was developed, consisting of items from the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and various self-constructed items designed to find out these psychosocial variables. First, a study of the structure of the form was carried out. Second, a structural equation model was designed in order to test the causal relationship between the variables under consideration. The results obtained point to the validity of the proposed theoretical model. It is recommended to initiate training programs for this group aimed at strengthening personal coping and social support strategies, which can help minimize the evolution of this syndrome.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Some Isoxazole Derivatives of Thiophene

A series of new chalcones were synthesized by the reaction of 2-acetyl thiophene and substituted bezaldehydes. Then the chalcones were made to undergo cyclization reaction with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in ethanol to afford the synthesis of isoxazole derivatives of thiophene. The synthesized compounds were purified and their structures were elucidated with the help of IR and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The compounds were screened for antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion method. The result suggested that the four compounds were moderately to highly active.
An Autopsy Case of Primary Biliary Cholangitis with Histological Submassive Hepatic Necrosis Caused by Acute Hepatitis E Virus Infection

A 59-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with cirrhotic primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) 5 years earlier was admitted for severe jaundice (total bilirubin: 30.1 mg/dL). We suspected that her cirrhotic PBC had deteriorated acutely for some reason. Her general condition deteriorated quickly, and she passed away on day 18 of admission. Hepatitis E virus (HEV)-IgA antibodies were positive, and Genotype 3b HEV involvement was confirmed from a blood sample taken on admission. Histopathological findings revealed cirrhosis and submassive loss and necrosis of hepatocytes. Clinicians should consider the possibility of acute HEV infection as a trigger for acute PBC exacerbation.
Electromyographic evaluation of selected muscles during active hip extension in men treated McKenzie method.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate objective results of short-term treatment with the use of electromyography and to determine changes in muscle recruitment during the prone hip extension test in individuals with chronic low back pain who underwent the McKenzie treatment. METHODS The studied group consisted of 17 male office workers aged 33-55 who underwent two experimental sessions comprising of 3 measurements and the McKenzie method of mechanical diagnosis and therapy. Electromyographic examination of selected muscles was performed during the test in order to assess changes in their activity before and after the McKenzie method and the Visual Analogue Scale was used to assess the level of pain. RESULTS There was a tendency towards significance at the beginning of activation between the first and second test for the left erector spinae muscle ( p = 0.0684). In 18% of patients, the onset activation time decreased, which is indicative of correct direction of changes. No statistically significant changes were observed in the remaining muscles. Statistical significance ( p = 0.0131) was observed between the first and third test for the left erector spinae muscle. A decrease in the onset activation time was observed in 75% of the subjects. Effectiveness increased by as much as 57%. The level of pain decreased in the third test compared to the first one ( p = 0.0240). However, the change in pain sensations between the first and second test was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS The study showed objective changes in the activation sequence of selected muscles and subjective changes in pain following short term McKenzie therapy.
Wittig reactions of chromone-3-carboxaldehydes with benzylidenetriphenyl phosphoranes: a new synthesis of 3-styrylchromones

An efficient route to 3-styrylchromones has been developed and applied to syntheses of several new derivatives. Wittig reactions of chromone-3-carboxaldehydes with some benzylic ylides gave a diastereomeric mixture of (E) and (Z)-3-styrylchromones that are separable by thin layer chromatography. The (Z)-isomers were the most abundant diastereomers independent of having electron-withdrawing or electron-donating substituents on the phenyl ring. Stereochemistry of the obtained diastereomers was established using NOESY experiments.
Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Analysis in Parallel Process Latent Growth Curve Modeling in Intervention Studies.

BACKGROUND Intervention studies are used widely in nursing research to explore the efficacy of intervention programs for changing targeted health outcomes. However, the analyses of such studies have focused predominantly on their main intervention effects; most studies ignore the mechanisms underlying how the intervention programs work partly due to lack of application details of the longitudinal mediation analyses techniques. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to illustrate an application of parallel process latent growth curve modeling (PP-LGCM) to examine longitudinal moderated mediation effects. METHODS Longitudinal data from an online bone health intervention study were used to demonstrate the step-by-step application of PP-LGCM with Mplus statistical software. RESULTS With modification indices, we were able to achieve adequate model fit for PP-LGCM in our data. The mediation effects of self-efficacy on the intervention effects on exercise were nonsignificant for the entire sample. However, the conditional indirect effect showed the mediation effects were moderated by age group. DISCUSSION PP-LGCM provides an efficient way to analyze and explain the underlying mechanisms for the intervention effects in a trial, especially when the intervention program is guided by a theory.
Reliability of ActiGraph GT3X+ placement location in the estimation of energy expenditure during moderate and high-intensity physical activities in young and older adults

ABSTRACT WHO defines physical activity (PA) as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure (EE). The purpose of this study was to compare the EE estimations by ActiGraph GT3X+ with a gold standard measurement, the portable gas analyser in a set of 3 different PAs. This cross-sectional study involved 56 participants, age range (years, [min, max]: young people [20, 33], older adults [65, 83]). Participants completed a single session of three experimental PAs including biking, treadmill walking, and treadmill running. Each participant wore five GT3X+ triaxial accelerometers and a portable gas analyser used as the gold standard measurement. The GT3X+ were placed on the wrists, the waist (centred at the pelvis), and the ankles. ActiGraph GT3X+ and MetaMax3B records were investigated through intraclass correlation coefficient. Magnitude of measurement error was estimated using Effect Size. The GT3X+ wrist and GT3X+ waist underestimated EE regardless of the PA type. The GT3X+ ankles strongly overestimated EE during biking (mean bias = 489 ± 392%) and walking (mean bias = 106 ± 58%), while it underestimated EE during running (mean bias = −47 ± 27%). The ActiGraph GT3X+ does not provide accurate EE estimates across a range of placement locations during moderate and high-intensity PA.
Carbon flux and forest dynamics: Increased deadwood decomposition in tropical rainforest tree‐fall canopy gaps

Tree mortality rates are increasing within tropical rainforests as a result of global environmental change. When trees die, gaps are created in forest canopies and carbon is transferred from the living to deadwood pools. However, little is known about the effect of tree‐fall canopy gaps on the activity of decomposer communities and the rate of deadwood decay in forests. This means that the accuracy of regional and global carbon budgets is uncertain, especially given ongoing changes to the structure of rainforest ecosystems. Therefore, to determine the effect of canopy openings on wood decay rates and regional carbon flux, we carried out the first assessment of deadwood mass loss within canopy gaps in old‐growth rainforest. We used replicated canopy gaps paired with closed canopy sites in combination with macroinvertebrate accessible and inaccessible woodblocks to experimentally partition the relative contribution of microbes vs. termites to decomposition within contrasting understorey conditions. We show that over a 12 month period, wood mass loss increased by 63% in canopy gaps compared with closed canopy sites and that this increase was driven by termites. Using LiDAR data to quantify the proportion of canopy openings in the study region, we modelled the effect of observed changes in decomposition within gaps on regional carbon flux. Overall, we estimate that this accelerated decomposition increases regional wood decay rate by up to 18.2%, corresponding to a flux increase of 0.27 Mg C ha−1 year−1 that is not currently accounted for in regional carbon budgets. These results provide the first insights into how small‐scale disturbances in rainforests can generate hotspots for decomposer activity and carbon fluxes. In doing so, we show that including canopy gap dynamics and their impacts on wood decomposition in forest ecosystems can help improve the predictive accuracy of the carbon cycle in land surface models.
Molecular docking and molecular dynamic studies: screening of phytochemicals against EGFR, HER2, estrogen and NF-KB receptors for their potential use in breast cancer

Abstract Breast cancer (BC) is a second common malignancy in female globally. Hence, identification of novel therapeutic agents is extremely important. Molecular docking and MD simulation are the important tools in the process of drug discovery for searching the potential hits. The structure-based drug designing technique also reveals the information about ligands behavior in computational environment. Docking tools help in visualization and analysis of protein–ligand complex at atomic level. Molecular dynamics shows the stability of the molecules in the receptor cavity in the simulated environment. In this research work, we have screened potent phytochemicals against the BC. We docked the phytochemicals and examined the binding affinities of ligands towards the EGFR, HER2, estrogen and NF-κB receptors. Pristimerin, ixocarpalactone A, viscosalactone B and zhankuic acid A have shown higher binding affinities and energies towards targeted receptors among the screened phytochemicals. MD simulation study shows stability of docked complex for pristimerin and HER2 receptor. These phytochemicals can be repurposed for their anticancer activity. This in-silico work provides a strong ground for further investigation of their anticancer activity. Graphical Abstract Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Identification of Variants (rs11571707, rs144848, and rs11571769) in the BRCA2 Gene Associated with Hereditary Breast Cancer in Indigenous Populations of the Brazilian Amazon

Estimates show that 5–10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary, caused by genetic variants in autosomal dominant genes; of these, 16% are due to germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The comprehension of the mutation profile of these genes in the Brazilian population, particularly in Amazonian Amerindian groups, is scarce. We investigated fifteen polymorphisms in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in Amazonian Amerindians and compared the results with the findings of global populations publicly available in the 1000 Genomes Project database. Our study shows that three variants (rs11571769, rs144848, and rs11571707) of the BRCA2 gene, commonly associated with hereditary breast cancer, had a significantly higher allele frequency in the Amazonian Amerindian individuals in comparison with the African, American, European, and Asian groups analyzed. These data outline the singular genetic profiles of the indigenous population from the Brazilian Amazon region. The knowledge about BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants is critical to establish public policies for hereditary breast cancer screening in Amerindian groups and populations admixed with them, such as the Brazilian population.
Menstrual Cycle Phases Influence on Cardiorespiratory Response to Exercise in Endurance-Trained Females

The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of sex hormone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle on cardiorespiratory response to high-intensity interval exercise in athletes. Twenty-one eumenorrheic endurance-trained females performed an interval running protocol in three menstrual cycle phases: early-follicular phase (EFP), late-follicular phase (LFP) and mid-luteal phase (MLP). It consisted of 8 × 3-min bouts at 85% of their maximal aerobic speed with 90-s recovery at 30% of their maximal aerobic speed. To verify menstrual cycle phase, we applied a three-step method: calendar-based counting, urinary luteinizing hormone measurement and serum hormone analysis. Mixed-linear model for repeated measures showed menstrual cycle impact on ventilatory (EFP: 78.61 ± 11.09; LFP: 76.45 ± 11.37; MLP: 78.59 ± 13.43) and heart rate (EFP: 167.29 ± 11.44; LFP: 169.89 ± 10.62; MLP: 169.89 ± 11.35) response to high-intensity interval exercise (F2.59 = 4.300; p = 0.018 and F2.61 = 4.648; p = 0.013, respectively). Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, breathing frequency, energy expenditure, relative perceived exertion and perceived readiness were unaltered by menstrual cycle phase. Most of the cardiorespiratory variables measured appear to be impassive by menstrual cycle phases throughout a high-intensity interval exercise in endurance-trained athletes. It seems that sex hormone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle are not high enough to disrupt tissues’ adjustments caused by the high-intensity exercise. Nevertheless, HR based training programs should consider menstrual cycle phase.
Application of 5-Methylcytosine DNA Glycosylase to the Quantitative Analysis of DNA Methylation

In higher eukaryotes DNA methylation is a prominent epigenetic mark important for chromatin structure and gene expression. Thus, profiling DNA methylation is important for predicting gene expressions associated with specific traits or diseases. DNA methylation is achieved by DNA methyltransferases and can be actively removed by specific enzymes in a replication-independent manner. DEMETER (DME) is a bifunctional 5-methylcytosine (5mC) DNA glycosylase responsible for active DNA demethylation that excises 5mC from DNA and cleaves a sugar-phosphate bond generating a single strand break (SSB). In this study, DME was used to analyze DNA methylation levels at specific epialleles accompanied with gain or loss of DNA methylation. DME treatment on genomic DNA generates SSBs in a nonsequence-specific fashion proportional to 5mC density, and thus DNA methylation levels can be easily measured when combined with the quantitative PCR (qPCR) method. The DME-qPCR analysis was applied to measure DNA methylation levels at the FWA gene in late-flowering Arabidopsis mutants and the CNR gene during fruit ripening in tomato. Differentially methylated epialleles were successfully distinguished corresponding to their expression levels and phenotypes. DME-qPCR is proven a simple yet effective method for quantitative DNA methylation analysis, providing advantages over current techniques based on methylation-sensitive restriction digestion.