Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and antidiabetic activities of three curcuminoids isolated from Curcuma longa L.

Abstract Antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antidiabetic activities of three curcuminoids isolated from the Curcuma longa were simultaneously tested and compared in this study. The highest antioxidant power was detected for curcumin with the applied methods. The drug potentials of curcuminoids for Alzheimer’s disease were controlled. Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) showed substantial inhibitory activity. The activity of demethoxycurcumin (DMC) followed BDMC, whereas curcumin showed very little acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity. Antidiabetic activity of curcuminoids was evaluated by their α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. All curcuminoids show activities with decreasing order as BDMC > curcumin > DMC. The significant activities of BDMC compared to its isomers and examination of chemical structures of isomers might be a starting point in designing new drugs for Alzheimer’s and Diabetes Mellitus.
Expanding instrumented gait testing in the community setting: A portable, depth-sensing camera captures joint motion in older adults

Background Currently, it is not feasible to obtain laboratory-based measures of joint motion in large numbers of older adults. We assessed the utility of a portable depth-sensing camera for quantifying hip and knee joint motion of older adults during mobility testing in the community. Methods Participants were 52 older adults enrolled in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a community-based cohort study of aging. In a subset, we compared dynamic hip and knee flexion/extension obtained via the depth-sensing camera with that obtained concurrently using a laboratory-based optoelectronic motion capture system. Then we recorded participants’ annual instrumented gait assessment in the community setting with the depth-sensing camera and examined the inter-relationships of hip and knee range of motion (ROM) with mobility metrics derived from a wearable sensor and other mobility-related health measures. Results In the community, we successfully acquired joint motion from 49/52 participants using the depth-sensing camera. Hip and knee ROMs were related to diverse sensor-derived metrics of mobility performance (hip: Pearson’s r = 0.31 to 0.58; knee: Pearson’s r = 0.29 to 0.51), as well as daily physical activity, conventional motor measures, self-report hip and knee pain and dysfunction, mobility disability, and falls. Conclusions The depth-sensing camera’s high rate of successful data acquisition and correlations of its hip and knee ROMs with other mobility measures suggest that this device can provide a cost-efficient means of quantifying joint motion in large numbers of community-dwelling older adults who span the health spectrum.
Ecology and Evolution of Plant Microbiomes.

Microorganisms colonizing plant surfaces and internal tissues provide a number of life-support functions for their host. Despite increasing recognition of the vast functional capabilities of the plant microbiome, our understanding of the ecology and evolution of the taxonomically hyperdiverse microbial communities is limited. Here, we review current knowledge of plant genotypic and phenotypic traits as well as allogenic and autogenic factors that shape microbiome composition and functions. We give specific emphasis to the impact of plant domestication on microbiome assembly and how insights into microbiomes of wild plant relatives and native habitats can contribute to reinstate or enrich for microorganisms with beneficial effects on plant growth, development, and health. Finally, we introduce new concepts and perspectives in plant microbiome research, in particular how community ecology theory can provide a mechanistic framework to unravel the interplay of distinct ecological processes-i.e., selection, dispersal, drift, diversification-that structure the plant microbiome. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology Volume 73 is September 9, 2019. Please see http://www.annualreviews. org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Tsukamurella strandjordae sp. nov., a Proposed New Species Causing Sepsis

ABSTRACT We have isolated a gram-positive, weakly acid-alcohol-fast, irregular rod-shaped bacterium from cultures of blood from a 5-year-old girl with acute myelogenous leukemia. This isolate was compared with 14 other strains including reference strains of Tsukamurellaspecies by a polyphasic approach based on physiological and biochemical properties, whole-cell short-chain fatty acid and mycolic acid analyses, DNA-DNA hybridization, and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. This isolate represents a new taxon within the genusTsukamurella for which we propose the nameTsukamurella strandjordae sp. nov. Our study also revealed that Tsukamurella paurometabola ATCC 25938 represents a misnamed Tsukamurella inchonensis isolate and confirms thatTsukamurella wratislaviensis belongs to the genusRhodococcus.
Accuracy and Repeatability of the Polar® RS800sd to Evaluate Stride Rate and Running Speed

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and the repeatability of a new running computer system (RS800sd, Polar, Kempele, Finland) which included the measurement of running speed (RS) and stride rate (SR). Eight well-trained triathletes participated in this study. First, they completed an incremental continuous maximum test on a treadmill (from 12 km x h (-1) to 18 km x h (-1)) at 0% grade. Then the subjects took part in a second test to determine RS800sd intra-reproducibility to evaluate running speed. They ran twice during 5 min at a pace corresponding to their maximal lactate steady-state. During these two tests, RS and SR were recorded by the RS800sd system, by an optical sensor system (for RS) and a force-sensitive device (for SR). No difference was found between the RS800sd system and the reference systems both for RS (ICC=0.95) and SR (ICC=0.69). Moreover RS measures were statistically repeatable. This study provided evidence for the validity of the RS800sd system for measuring the kinematic characteristics of running (speed and frequency). Further investigations are needed to replicate these findings at lower running speeds, notably during walking to assess its capacity to evaluate physical activity in natural conditions.
Hensen's node

Summary: With the 125th anniversary of the original description of Hensen's node in the rabbit coming up and with current research focused on the function of this pivotal embryonic structure, this article proposes a simplified use of terms for the gastrulation organizer in amniote embryos and reemphasizes the achievements of Victor Hensen (1835–1924) in embryology. A partial translation of Hensen's paper (originally published in German) is accompanied by a short historical introduction that concentrates on the framework of embryological research at Hensen's time and on the subsequent reception of his classic paper. genesis 29:96–103, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Increased expression of human type IIa secretory phospholipase A2 antigen in arthritic synovium

OBJECTIVE To determine the localisation and level of expression of human type IIa secretory phospholipase A2(sPLA2) in the synovium of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), and non-arthritic (NA) patients and to examine the relation between sPLA2 and histological features of inflammation. METHODS Immunoperoxidase staining using the anti-sPLA2 monoclonal antibody 9C1 was performed on frozen sections of knee synovium of 10 RA, 10 OA, and 10 NA patients. sPLA2 positive cells were scored on a scale of 0–3 in 10 fields of a representative tissue section from each case. Double labelling imunofluorescence confocal microscopy with antibodies to CD14 or CD45 and 9C1 was used to determine cell type specificity. Inflammation was assessed by semiquantitative scoring of lining layer thickness and mononuclear cell infiltrates (MC) and a cumulative inflammation score, generated by summing the two parameters. Scores in each group were compared using non-parametric statistical analysis. RESULTS sPLA2 was localised to endothelium (EC), vascular smooth muscle (VSM), and mast cells (M) in all tissue sections. In RA and OA sections, staining was seen in both macrophage-like and fibroblast-like cells in the synovial lining layer (LL) and subsynovial lining layer (SLL). Perineural cells stained positively. Subintimal lymphoid aggregates (LA) were negative in all sections. The RA group showed significantly greater staining in extravascular synovial tissue (median 3.6, range 1.5–6.0) than the OA (median 1.95, range 0–5.3) or NA (median 0, range 0–5.9) groups (p<0.05). LL staining was significantly higher in RA than both OA and NA sections (p<0.05). The OA group showed a trend to higher staining scores than the NA group that did not reach significance. There was a significant correlation between the sPLA2 staining score and inflammation score within the RA patient group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The synovium is a site of increased expression of sPLA2 antigen in both RA and OA relative to NA. Its presence in both fibroblast and macrophage-like cells in the LL and SLL of synovial tissue in RA and OA, but not NA, indicates that the enzyme is specifically induced in these regions in both conditions with expression in the LL being particularly characteristic of RA. The widespread expression of sPLA2 in synovium suggests it is likely to play a significant part in synovial pathology
The Function and Diversity of Plastid Protein Import Pathways: A Multilane GTPase Highway into Plastids

The photosynthetic chloroplast is the hallmark organelle of green plants. During the endosymbiotic evolution of chloroplasts, the vast majority of genes from the original cyanobacterial endosymbiont were transferred to the host cell nucleus. Chloroplast biogenesis therefore requires the import of nucleus‐encoded proteins from their site of synthesis in the cytosol. The majority of proteins are imported by the activity of Toc and Tic complexes located within the chloroplast envelope. In addition to chloroplasts, plants have evolved additional, non‐photosynthetic plastid types that are essential components of all cells. Recent studies indicate that the biogenesis of various plastid types relies on distinct but homologous Toc–Tic import pathways that have specialized in the import of specific classes of substrates. These different import pathways appear to be necessary to balance the essential physiological role of plastids in cellular metabolism with the demands of cellular differentiation and plant development.
ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT IMPAIRMENTS TO CEREBRAL VASCULAR REACTIVITY WITH TYPE II DIABETES MELLITUS IN THE GOTO-KAKIZAKI RAT.

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent pathology associated with elevated cerebrovascular disease risk. We determined wall mechanics and vascular reactivity in ex vivo middle cerebral arteries (MCA) from male Goto-Kakizaki rats (GK; (~17 week-old) versus control Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), to test the hypothesis that diabetic environment in GK, in the absence of obesity and other co-morbidities, leads to endothelial dysfunction and impaired vascular tone regulation. Dilation of MCA following challenge with acetylcholine and hypoxia was blunted in MCA from GK vs. WKY, due to lower nitric oxide bioavailability and altered arachidonic acid metabolism, while myogenic activation and constrictor responses to serotonin were unchanged. MCA wall distensibility and cross-sectional area were not different between GK and WKY, suggesting that wall mechanics were unchanged at this age; supported by the determination that MCA dilation to sodium nitroprusside was also intact. Using ex vivo aortic rings as a bioassay, altered vascular reactivity determined in MCA was paralleled by relaxation responses in artery segments from GK, while measurements of vasoactive metabolite production indicated a loss of NO and PGI2 bioavailability and an increased TxA2 production with both methacholine challenge and hypoxia. These results suggest that endothelium-dependent dilator reactivity of MCA in GK is impaired with T2DM and that this impairment is associated with the genesis of a pro-oxidant/pro-inflammatory condition with diabetes mellitus. The restriction of vascular impairments to endothelial function only, at this age and development, provide insight into the severity of multi-morbid conditions of which T2DM is only one constituent.
Help seeking increases stress among caregivers of partners with young-onset dementia

Commentary on: Kobiske KR, Bekhet AK, Garnier-Villarreal M, et al . Pre-death grief, resourcefulness, and perceived stress among caregivers of partners with young-onset dementia. West J Nurs Res 2018:193945918806689. Young-onset dementia (YOD) is the development of dementia before the age of 65.1 The carers of partners with YOD face a dynamic situation of continual, multiple and diverse loss. The loss of loved ones, as dementia progressively affects their partners and loss of identity and personal freedom are threats to working life and companionship. Many are of working age and lack social …
Hippocampal involvement in nonpathological déjà vu: Subfield vulnerability rather than temporal lobe epilepsy equivalent

Introduction : Morphological correlates of nonpathological déjà vu (DV) have been identified recently within the human brain. Significantly reduced gray matter volume (GMV) within a set of cortical CA2- 3 followed by subiculum and CA4- DG. Our study on the other hand measured relative decrease considering volume of the particular subfield and found the maximal relative decrease in ipsilateral CA4 followed by CA3 and GC- DG. Sparing of the HATA, fissure and fimbria subfields has not yet been observed in the literature considering the fact, that these subfields were not recognized.
Dying Arteriovenous Fistulas - All Is Not Lost Yet!

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to see the efficacy of different surgical procedures performed for the salvage of failing arteriovenous fistulas. Study design: Prospective observational study. Study was conducted at Department of Vascular surgery, CMH Rawalpindi from 1st August 2017 to 31st December 2018. METHODS Those surgical procedures were included which were done for the AVFs that failed to mature due to stealing veins or developed complications like thrombosis, hematoma, pseudo or true aneurysm, steal syndrome, stenosis and venous hypertension. The procedures like stealing vein ligation, hematoma evacuation, thrombectomies, redo-anastomosis, pseudo aneurysm excision, aneurysmorrhaphies, excision of stenotic segment, RUDI for steal syndrome and central veno venous bypasses for central vein occlusion were assessed for their efficacy. RESULTS Sixty-two patients were included. 21 stealing veins were ligated, 15 for fistula maturation and 6 for venous hypertension. Twelve out of these 15 non-maturing AVFs, matured after ligation of stealing vein (80%). In case of reverse vein ligation for venous hypertension all the 6 patients showed reduction in their limb swelling (100%). Nine thrombectomies were performed, 7 were successful (78%). Nine patients presented with stenosis. In 3 patients with stenosis near the anastomotic site, a proximal AVF was formed. In 2 patients the stenotic segment was excised and end to end anastomosis was done. In 1 patient an interposing vein graft was used. In 3 patients, the flow was redirected to basilic vein. All the patients had patent AVF on follow up (100%). In 8 non-infected pseudo aneurysms, excision and end to end anastomosis was done in 3, aneurysmorrhaphies in 2 and revision of the anastomosis in 3 cases. Seven out of 8 (87.5%) had good patency on follow up. In 7 patients with true aneurysm and 3 with bleeding from needle prick site sinus, aneurysmorrhaphies were performed. Two wound site hematomas were evacuated. Two patients presented with severe limb swelling due to central venous occlusion for whom a veno venous cross over bypass was done with good results. In 1 patient with steal syndrome, RUDI was done with acceptable results. CONCLUSIONS Failing arteriovenous fistula can be salvaged by a variety of techniques provided that it is picked up in time.
Suppression of neuropathic pain by selective silencing of DRG ectopia using non-blocking concentrations of lidocaine.

Neuropathic pain is frequently driven by ectopic impulse discharge (ectopia) generated in injured peripheral afferent neurons. Observations in the spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model in rats suggest that cell bodies in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) contribute three times more to the ectopic barrage than the site of nerve injury (neuroma). The DRG is therefore a prime interventional target for pain control. Since DRG ectopia is selectively suppressed with lidocaine at concentrations too low to block axonal impulse propagation, we asked whether targeted delivery of dilute lidocaine to the L5 DRG can relieve L5 SNL-induced tactile allodynia without blocking normal sensation or motor function. Results showed that intraforaminal injection of 10 µL bolus doses of 0.2% lidocaine suppressed allodynia transiently, while sustained infusion over 2 weeks using osmotic minipumps suppressed it for nearly 2 weeks. Bolus injections of morphine or fentanyl were ineffective. Lidocaine applied to the cut spinal nerve end or the L4 DRG did not affect allodynia suggesting that discharge originating in the neuroma and in neighboring "uninjured" afferents makes at best a minor contribution. Spike electrogenesis in the DRG is apparently the primary driver of tactile allodynia in the SNL model of neuropathic pain and it can be controlled selectively by superfusing the relevant DRG(s) with non-blocking concentrations of lidocaine. This approach has potential clinical application in conditions such as postherpetic neuralgia and phantom limb pain in which one or only a few identifiable ganglia are implicated as pain drivers.
The risks of central nervous system relapse and leukoencephalopathy in patients receiving marrow transplants for acute leukemia.

The records of 415 patients who received allogeneic marrow transplants for acute leukemia were reviewed to assess the risk of central nervous system (CNS) relapse and leukoencephalopathy after marrow transplantation. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of the probability of CNS relapse posttransplant were 13% for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 2% for patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANL). Previous CNS disease was significantly correlated with an increased risk of CNS relapse in patients transplanted for ALL but not for ANL. In contrast, bone marrow involvement with leukemia at the time of transplant was associated with an increased risk of CNS relapse in patients with ANL but not in patients with ALL. Seventy-one patients with ALL did not receive posttransplant intrathecal methotrexate (IT-MTX) and 127 did. The probability of CNS relapse in these two groups was 38% and 7%, respectively (P less than .02). This protective benefit from IT-MTX was present in patients both with and without a history of CNS involvement or marrow involvement at the time of transplant. In patients with ANL, 116 patients did not receive posttransplant IT-MTX and 101 patients did, but no protection from CNS relapse was observed from IT-MTX irrespective of a patient's previous CNS history or marrow status at the time of transplant. Leukoencephalopathy was seen exclusively in patients who had received radiation and/or intrathecal chemotherapy to the CNS before preparation for marrow transplantation and posttransplant IT-MTX. In such patients the risk of leukoencephalopathy was 7%. From our data, it appears that posttransplant IT-MTX is a significant benefit for ALL patients in preventing CNS relapse after marrow transplantation. A similar benefit from posttransplant IT-MTX for ANL patients cannot be established from this study. In both groups, increasing total CNS therapy was associated with an increasing risk of leukoencephalopathy.
Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in patients with chronic kidney disease: protocol for a systematic review

Introduction Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a fat-soluble vitamin-like quinone that exerts antioxidative functions and is also an important factor in mitochondrial metabolism. Plasma concentrations of CoQ10 are depressed in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). CoQ10 supplement can reduce adverse cardiovascular events, improve mitochondrial function and decrease oxidative stress in patients with non-dialysis CKD and dialysis CKD. We performed this study as a systematic review to comprehensively assess the effect of CoQ10 supplement on patients with CKD. Methods and analysis The present systematic review protocol is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols guidelines. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases will be searched without language restrictions in December 2018. Two reviewers will independently screen the references in two stages: screening of the title/abstract and then of the full-text, to identify references meeting the inclusion criteria. A descriptive overview and tabular and/or graphical summaries will be generated, and directed content analysis will be carried out on the extracted data. Ethics and dissemination This systematic review will evaluate the efficacy and safety of CoQ10 in patients with CKD. Ethical approval is not required for this study. The results of this systematic review will be presented in relevant conferences and published in a peer-review journal. PROSPERO registration number CRD42019120201
Determination of Corneal Biomechanical Behavior in-vivo for Healthy Eyes Using CorVis ST Tonometry: Stress-Strain Index

Purpose: This study aims to introduce and clinically validate a new algorithm that can determine the biomechanical properties of the human cornea in vivo. Methods: A parametric study was conducted involving representative finite element models of human ocular globes with wide ranges of geometries and material biomechanical behavior. The models were subjected to different levels of intraocular pressure (IOP) and the action of external air puff produced by a non-contact tonometer. Predictions of dynamic corneal response under air pressure were analyzed to develop an algorithm that can predict the cornea's material behavior. The algorithm was assessed using clinical data obtained from 480 healthy participants where its predictions of material behavior were tested against variations in central corneal thickness (CCT), IOP and age, and compared against those obtained in earlier studies on ex-vivo human ocular tissue. Results: The algorithm produced a material stiffness parameter (Stress-Strain Index or SSI) that showed no significant correlation with both CCT (p > 0.05) and IOP (p > 0.05), but was significantly correlated with age (p < 0.01). The stiffness estimates and their variation with age were also significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with stiffness estimates obtained earlier in studies on ex-vivo human tissue. Conclusions: The study introduced and validated a new method for estimating the in vivo biomechanical behavior of healthy corneal tissue. The method can aid optimization of procedures that interfere mechanically with the cornea such as refractive surgeries and introduction of corneal implants.