Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cost-effectiveness of the dual prevention pill for contraception and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis

Introduction Women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experience the world's highest rates of both HIV infection and unintended pregnancy. The Dual Prevention Pill (DPP) is a novel multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) that co-formulates HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and combined hormonal oral contraception into a single daily pill. As a dual indication product, the DPP may be preferred by women facing these overlapping health risks. However, most SSA countries face severe healthcare resource constraints. Research is needed to assess whether, in what populations, and in what use cases the DPP would be cost-effective. Methods We augmented an agent-based SSA HIV model with maternal health parameters including unintended pregnancy, abortion, and maternal mortality. Based on a previous market analysis, we assumed a primary DPP user population of current oral contraceptive users ages 25–49, and alternative user populations in different risk groups (age 15–24, sex workers, HIV-serodiscordant couples) and baseline product use profiles (unmet need for contraception, oral PrEP use, condom use). In three geographies (western Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa), we estimated HIV infections averted, pregnancies averted, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) averted, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) over a 30-year time horizon, assuming equivalent adherence to the DPP as to oral contraceptives, higher adherence, or lower adherence. Results The DPP is likely to be a cost-effective alternative to oral PrEP among users in need of contraception. Among women not already using PrEP, the DPP is likely to be cost-saving in sex workers and serodiscordant couples. The DPP is unlikely to be cost-effective in oral contraceptive users in the general population. Switching from oral contraception to the DPP could be net harmful in some settings and populations if it were to substantially reduces adherence to oral contraception. Results were robust to a range of time horizons or discount rates. Conclusion The DPP has the potential to be cost-effective and cost-saving in populations at substantial HIV risk. Outcomes are sensitive to adherence, implying that effective counseling and decision-making tools for users considering the DPP will be essential. More research is needed to understand real-life adherence patterns and ensure health benefits achieved from contraception alone are not lost.
Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels

This study aimed to examine students' experiences with yoga interventions in school. The findings revealed that practicing yoga made young people more aware of their need to relax and positively impacted their mental health and wellbeing. We explored the emphasis on relaxation among our study participants and how relaxation is related to other aspects, such as their experience of stress and sleep habits. This article is based on qualitative data gathered from teenagers in Norway who participated in the Norwegian part of the European research project “Hippocampus: Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing among Young People through Yoga. ” The project introduced yoga to young people in schools with an emphasis on those who were disadvantaged, including those with mental health issues and other challenges related to their background. Data were collected from nine individual, semi-structured interviews and 133 logs collected in the spring of 2019.1 The major themes identified through the interviews and log material included becoming more relaxed and aware of the need to unwind. Thus, the focus on relaxation is based on the importance of the participants assigned to this theme. The study results suggest that yoga enhanced the students' awareness and skills and empowered them to make healthier lifestyle choices.2 We viewed the importance of relaxation from a salutogenic perspective, focusing on the factors that contribute to good health in contrast to a pathogenic perspective, where curing diseases is the goal.
Impact of campus living conditions on Chinese medical school students’ mental health during the COVID-19 campus lockdown: the chain mediating role of cognitive reappraisal and expression suppression

Objective To investigate the effect of changes in campus living conditions related to the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on medical school students’ mental health status, to explore the mediating role of emotion regulation strategies, and to provide effective suggestions for promoting medical school students’ mental health. Methods A self-report questionnaire, an emotion regulation questionnaire (ERQ), and psychological questionnaires for emergent events of public health (PQEEPH) were used to interview 998 medical school students who experienced campus lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results The mean total PQEEPH score was 3.66 ± 3.06. The degrees of inconvenience in daily life and change in routine and expression suppression as an emotion regulation strategy were significantly positively correlated with all PQEEPH dimensions. Cognitive reappraisal was significantly negatively associated with depression, neurosis, obsessive–compulsive anxiety, and hypochondriasis (ps < 0.05). Cognitive reappraisal and expression suppression demonstrated a chain mediating role between the degree of inconvenience in life and mental health and between the degree of change in routine and mental health (F = 32.883, 41.051, ps < 0.05). Conclusion Campus lockdown management significantly impacts medical school students’ mental health. Extensive use of cognitive reappraisal and expression suppression can reduce students’ adverse psychological reactions during campus lockdowns to an extent.
Effects of herpes zoster vaccination and antiviral treatment on the risk of stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Evidence suggests that there is an increased risk of stroke after herpes zoster (HZ). However, reports on the effects of HZ vaccination (HZV) and antiviral treatment on stroke risk are inconsistent. Thus, we examined these associations in a meta-analysis. Methods To identify relevant studies, we searched three databases for articles published up to January 2023. Random-effect models were examined to determine overall pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results This review included 12 observational studies (six on HZV and seven on antiviral treatment). When comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated patients, vaccination was found to be associated with a lower risk of stroke (OR, 0.78; 95% CI 0.68–0.9; P = 0.001). A meta-analysis of self-controlled case series (SCCS) revealed evidence of a reduced OR in individuals who received the vaccine (OR, 1.14; 95% CI 0.94–1.37; P = 0.181) compared with unvaccinated individuals (OR, 1.36; 95% CI 1.15–1.61; P < 0.001). Compared with untreated patients, antiviral therapy was not associated with a reduced risk of stroke (OR, 1.13; 95% CI 0.94–1.36; P = 0.201). The meta-analysis of the SCCS showed no evidence of a reduced OR in individuals who received antiviral therapy (OR, 1.33; 95% CI 1.17–1.51; P < 0.001) compared to untreated individuals (OR, 1.45; 95% CI 1.25–1.69; P < 0.001). Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests that the HZV, but not antiviral treatment, decreases the odds of developing stroke.
Glycemia and associated factors in a pediatric population in Mexico

Aims In this study, we evaluated the association of sociodemographic, lifestyle and cardiometabolic factors with blood glucose levels in children and adolescents in Mexico. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study of 642 children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years from different educational centers located in municipalities of the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, was carried out. Pearson χ2 and Spearman correlation tests and multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate the associations of the variables with glycemia. Results The prevalence of prediabetes was 8.0% in both sexes. Male participants were more likely to develop hyperglycemia than female participants (OR 2.7, 95% CI: 1.5–5.0). The variables associated with glucose levels were male sex, high socioeconomic status, inadequate diet, high blood pressure, and increased total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, which also explained up to 15.6% (p < 0.05) of the variability in glucose concentrations. Conclusion The detection of sociodemographic, lifestyle and cardiometabolic factors in children and adolescents will contribute to the implementation of prevention strategies for cardiometabolic diseases, among which prediabetes is common.
Percutaneous balloon compression of trigeminal ganglion under conscious sedation local anesthesia for the treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia—A prospective cohort study

Introduction Trigeminal neuralgia is a debilitating condition that can significantly impair the quality of life of affected individuals. Percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) has been established as an effective treatment for this condition. However, the use of general anesthesia during the procedure poses challenges to achieving the desired degree of nerve damage without causing excessive numbness. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of performing PBC under conscious sedation of local anesthesia. Methods We improved the surgical procedure for PBC by administering intraganglionic lidocaine 0.2% with fine needle aspiration to achieve conscious sedation. This allowed the operator to determine the degree of nerve damage in real time through the tactile test. We conducted a clinical observation of 87 patients who underwent PBC under conscious sedation of local anesthesia. We evaluated the intraoperative blood pressure and heart rate changes, postoperative facial pain relief, and occurrence of complications such as severe facial numbness, irreversible keratitis, vision loss, and masticatory muscle weakness. Results All 87 patients achieved immediate relief of facial pain after undergoing PBC under conscious sedation of local anesthesia. The intraoperative blood pressure and heart rate changes were <20% of the baseline value. No patient experienced severe facial numbness or developed irreversible keratitis, vision loss, or masticatory muscle weakness. Discussion Our findings suggest that PBC under wide-awake local anesthesia is a safe and effective treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. The use of conscious sedation of local anesthesia during the procedure allows the operator to achieve the desired degree of nerve damage without causing excessive numbness. This can lead to long-term pain relief and improved quality of life for patients with trigeminal neuralgia.
Dynamic causal modeling reveals increased cerebellar- periaqueductal gray communication during fear extinction

Introduction The extinction of fear memories is an important component in regulating defensive behaviors, contributing toward adaptive processes essential for survival. The cerebellar medial nucleus (MCN) has bidirectional connections with the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and is implicated in the regulation of multiple aspects of fear, such as conditioned fear learning and the expression of defensive motor outputs. However, it is unclear how communication between the MCN and vlPAG changes during conditioned fear extinction. Methods We use dynamic causal models (DCMs) to infer effective connectivity between the MCN and vlPAG during auditory cue-conditioned fear retrieval and extinction in the rat. DCMs determine causal relationships between neuronal sources by using neurobiologically motivated models to reproduce the dynamics of post-synaptic potentials generated by synaptic connections within and between brain regions. Auditory event related potentials (ERPs) during the conditioned tone offset were recorded simultaneously from MCN and vlPAG and then modeled to identify changes in the strength of the synaptic inputs between these brain areas and the relationship to freezing behavior across extinction trials. The DCMs were structured to model evoked responses to best represent conditioned tone offset ERPs and were adapted to represent PAG and cerebellar circuitry. Results With the use of Parametric Empirical Bayesian (PEB) analysis we found that the strength of the information flow, mediated through enhanced synaptic efficacy from MCN to vlPAG was inversely related to freezing during extinction, i.e., communication from MCN to vlPAG increased with extinction. Discussion The results are consistent with the cerebellum contributing to predictive processes that underpin fear extinction.
Mobilizing participatory approaches to introduce transdisciplinary research elements when exploring the interface of commodity crop production and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa

The production of commodity crops such as oil palm, sugarcane, cotton or cocoa has important ramifications for sustainability at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Food security is among the most heavily debated impacts of commodity crop production, especially in developing regions characterized by high rates of malnutrition and food insecurity such as Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Studies have identified diverse pathways through which commodity crop production can have positive or negative impacts on the different pillars of food security. This Methodology paper outlines how different participatory approaches can be mobilized to introduce transdisciplinarity research elements when exploring the adoption and impacts of commodity crop production, especially in developing regions such as SSA. It draws from the lessons learned during the design and implementation of five research projects that explored the food security outcomes of commodity crop production in different countries of SSA. Collectively these research projects mobilized very diverse participatory approaches such as expert interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), participatory mapping, mediated modeling, and participatory scenario analysis. Beyond being instrumental for data collection, these participatory approaches served multiple other research functions. In particular they helped (a) identify research priorities, knowledge gaps, and underlying phenomena, (b) formalize impact mechanisms and develop methodology, and (c) interpret data and validate findings. Furthermore, they contributed to the credibility and relevance of the research, and to a lesser extent to the legitimacy and effectiveness, all of which are considered important principles of transdisciplinary research. Through these diverse contributions they were instrumental in integrating valuable insights from stakeholders holding very complementary expertise in commodity crop value chains at different scales. In this sense they can act as valuable entry points to introduce transdisciplinary research elements in projects exploring the interface of food security and commodity crop value chains (or food systems more broadly), especially in contexts that truly transdisciplinary research is not feasible or desirable.
Bioinformatics analysis reveals the landscape of immune cell infiltration and novel immune-related biomarkers in moyamoya disease

Objective: This study aimed to identify immune infiltration characteristics and new immunological diagnostic biomarkers in the cerebrovascular tissue of moyamoya disease (MMD) using bioinformatics analysis. Methods: GSE189993 and GSE141022 were downloaded from the GEO database. Differentially expressed gene and PPI analysis were performed. After performing WGCNA, the most significant module associated with MMD was obtained. Next, functional pathways according to GSEA, GO, and KEGG were enriched for the aforementioned core genes obtained from PPI and WGCNA. Additionally, immune infiltration, using the CIBERSORT deconvolution algorithm, immune-related biomarkers, and the relationship between these genes, was further explored. Finally, diagnostic accuracy was verified with ROC curves in the validation dataset GSE157628. Results: A total of 348 DEGs were screened, including 89 downregulated and 259 upregulated genes. The thistlel module was detected as the most significant module associated with MMD. Functional analysis of the core genes was chiefly involved in the immune response, immune system process, protein tyrosine kinase activity, secretory granule, and so on. Among 13 immune-related overlapping genes, 4 genes (BTK, FGR, PTPN11, and SYK) were identified as potential diagnostic biomarkers, where PTPN11 showed the highest specificity and sensitivity. Meanwhile, a higher proportion of eosinophils, not T cells or B cells, was demonstrated in the specific immune infiltration landscape of MMD. Conclusion: Immune activities and immune cells were actively involved in the progression of MMD. BTK, FGR, PTPN11, and SYK were identified as potential immune diagnostic biomarkers. These immune-related genes and cells may provide novel insights for immunotherapy in the future.
Genome-wide identification of NF-Y gene family in maize (Zea mays L.) and the positive role of ZmNF-YC12 in drought resistance and recovery ability

Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) genes play important roles in many biological processes, such as leaf growth, nitrogen nutrition, and drought resistance. However, the biological functions of these transcription factor family members have not been systematically analyzed in maize. In the present study, a total of 52 ZmNF-Y genes were identified and classified into three groups in the maize genome. An analysis of the evolutionary relationship, gene structure, and conserved motifs of these genes supports the evolutionary conservation of NF-Y family genes in maize. The tissue expression profiles based on RNA-seq data showed that all genes apart from ZmNF-Y16, ZmNF-YC15, and ZmNF-YC17 were expressed in different maize tissues. A weighted correlation network analysis was conducted and a gene co expression network method was used to analyze the transcriptome sequencing results; six core genes responding to drought and rewatering were identified. A real time fluorescence quantitative analysis showed that these six genes responded to high temperature, drought, high salt, and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, and subsequent restoration to normal levels. ZmNF-YC12 was highly induced by drought and rewatering treatments. The ZmNF-YC12 protein was localized in the nucleus, and the Gal4-LexA/UAS system and a transactivation analysis demonstrated that ZmNF-YC12 in maize (Zea mays L.) is a transcriptional activator that regulates drought resistance and recovery ability. Silencing ZmNF-YC12 reduced net photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase) system activation, and soluble protein and proline contents; it increased the malondialdehyde content, the relative water content, and the water loss rate, which weakened drought resistance and the recoverability of maize. These results provide insights into understanding the evolution of ZmNF-Y family genes in maize and their potential roles in genetic improvement. Our work provides a foundation for subsequent functional studies of the NF-Y gene family and provides deep insights into the role of the ZmNF-YC12 regulatory network in controlling drought resistance and the recoverability of maize.
Transcriptome-wide selection and validation of a solid set of reference genes for gene expression studies in the cephalopod mollusk Octopus vulgaris

Octopus vulgaris is a cephalopod mollusk and an active marine predator that has been at the center of a number of studies focused on the understanding of neural and biological plasticity. Studies on the machinery involved in e.g., learning and memory, regeneration, and neuromodulation are required to shed light on the conserved and/or unique mechanisms that these animals have evolved. Analysis of gene expression is one of the most essential means to expand our understanding of biological machinery, and the selection of an appropriate set of reference genes is the prerequisite for the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Here we selected 77 candidate reference genes (RGs) from a pool of stable and relatively high-expressed transcripts identified from the full-length transcriptome of O. vulgaris, and we evaluated their expression stabilities in different tissues through geNorm, NormFinder, Bestkeeper, Delta-CT method, and RefFinder. Although various algorithms provided different assemblages of the most stable reference genes for the different kinds of tissues tested here, a comprehensive ranking revealed RGs specific to the nervous system (Ov-RNF7 and Ov-RIOK2) and Ov-EIF2A and Ov-CUL1 across all considered tissues. Furthermore, we validated RGs by assessing the expression profiles of nine target genes (Ov-Naa15, Ov-Ltv1, Ov-CG9286, Ov-EIF3M, Ov-NOB1, Ov-CSDE1, Ov-Abi2, Ov-Homer2, and Ov-Snx20) in different areas of the octopus nervous system (gastric ganglion, as control). Our study allowed us to identify the most extensive set of stable reference genes currently available for the nervous system and appendages of adult O. vulgaris.
Capsular warning syndrome and its clinical awareness and therapeutic approach: two case reports and a systematic review of the literature

Introduction Capsular warning syndrome (CWS) is characterized by recurrent stereotyped episodes of unilateral transient motor and/or sensory symptoms affecting the face and upper and lower limbs, without cortical signs in 24 h and with a high risk of developing stroke. Among the possible underlying mechanisms, small perforating artery disease is the most common. The aim was to assess the most common risk factors, the therapeutic alternatives, and the different outcomes in patients with CWS, along with the presentation of two cases treated in our Emergency Department. Methods Stroke Code, launched at our institution in January 2017, was triggered 400 times, and by December 2022, 312 patients were admitted as having an acute ischemic stroke. Among them, two of them fulfilled the criteria of CWS. A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to seek demography and therapeutic approaches in CWS. Results Of 312 cases, two with acute ischemic stroke exhibited CWS. The first patient had six events of right hemiparesis with recovery in 10–30 min; after MRI and digital subtraction angiography (DSA), he received apixaban and clopidogrel; however, a day after admission, he developed ischemic infarction with partial recovery. The second patient presented five transient events of right hemiparesis. After MRI and DSA with an intra-arterial infusion of nimodipine, oral aspirin, and ticagrelor, he presented another event-developing stroke and was discharged with partial recovery. A systematic review found 190 cases of CWS in 39 articles from 1993 to 2022. Most were male subjects (66.4%), and hypertension (60%), smoking (36%), diabetes (18%), and dyslipidemia (55%) were the most common risk factors. Over 50% of the cases were secondary to small perforating artery disease. The most commonly used treatments were dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT), recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, and anticoagulant therapy (ACT), where the combination of DAT plus ACT was linked to the most positive functional outcomes (82.6%). Conclusion Our cases fit with the description of patients with partial recovery and risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, and smoking) in male patients. There is a lack of evidence regarding the best treatment option; dual antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulation therapy are strong contenders for a favorable result.