Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrocardiography changes and their significance during treatment of patients with intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism

Background: Electrocardiography (ECG) signs, typical or acute pulmonary embolism, and their changes can be used for the prediction of clinical and haemodynamic outcomes. Purpose: To study the predictive value of the resolution of admission ECG signs in higher risk pulmonary embolism patients for 30-day survival and for the decrease in right ventricular systolic pressure. Methods: We analysed the 12-lead ECGs at admission and daily for the first 5 days after hospitalisation in 110 intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a single tertiary centre. The predictive value of the resolution of four ECG signs were analysed for 30-day survival and for the changes in right ventricular systolic pressure during hospitalisation: S-wave in the first standard lead, right bundle branch block pattern, S-wave in the aVL lead and negative T-waves in precordial leads. Results: ECG recordings showed the existence of S-wave in the I lead in 71 (64.5%), S-wave in the aVL in 77 (70%), right bundle branch block pattern in 30 (27.3%) and negative T-waves in 66 (60%) patients. All-cause 30-day in-hospital mortality was 13.6%. Among the ECG signs, only the presence of right bundle branch block at admission was significantly associated with 30-day all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR) adjusted for age, gender and right ventricular systolic pressure at admission was 7.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1–27.9; P=0.002). The resolution of three ECG signs during the first 5 days of hospitalisation, S-wave in the I lead (HR 26.4, 95% CI 3.1–226.6; P=0.003), S-wave in the aVL (HR 21.5, 95% CI 2.6–175.3; P=0.004) and right bundle branch block configuration (HR 5.2, 95% CI 1.3–20.8; P=0.020) were associated with 30-day survival. The intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism patients with S-wave resolution in lead aVL had 0.0% and 7.1% 30-day all-cause mortality, respectively. The patients with resolution of the S-wave in the first lead and in aVL as well as right bundle branch block had more pronounced changes in right ventricular systolic pressure at discharge (27±13 vs. 13±15 mmHg; P=0.011 for S-wave in I lead resolution, 27±12 vs. 15±17 mmHg; P=0.004 for S-wave in aVL resolution and 23±14 vs. 9±14 mmHg; P=0.040 for right bundle branch block resolution) than patients without resolution. Conclusion: Resolution of S-waves and right bundle branch block in ECG correlates with lower all-cause 30-day mortality in intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism patients. Resolution of S-waves in the first lead and in aVL and right bundle branch block correlates with a decrease of right ventricular systolic pressure.
Immune Responses to Avian Influenza Viruses

Avian influenza A viruses (IAVs) naturally infect different avian species, and aquatic birds are their natural reservoir. Sporadically, avian IAVs can be transmitted to humans, and some, such as H5N1 and H7N9 viruses, cause severe disease in humans. Antigenically novel avian influenza viruses that infect and cause disease in humans pose a potential pandemic threat if they are able to spread efficiently from person to person. The immune response of the host is crucial in determining disease pathogenesis and is the basis for the development of control strategies. In this review, we examine the innate and adaptive immune responses to avian influenza viruses and their role in disease and recovery. Furthermore, we discuss the progress in developing vaccines against avian IAVs and summarize obstacles in designing universal and pandemic influenza vaccines.
Cardiac contractility modulation improves long‐term survival and hospitalizations in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) improves symptoms and exercise tolerance and reduces heart failure (HF) hospitalizations over 6‐month follow‐up in patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV symptoms, QRS < 130 ms and 25% ≤ left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 45% (FIX‐HF‐5C study). The current prospective registry study (CCM‐REG) aimed to assess the longer‐term impact of CCM on hospitalizations and mortality in real‐world experience in this same population.
A comprehensive catalog of LncRNAs expressed in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract Several studies have demonstrated that LncRNAs can play major roles in cancer development. The creation of a catalog of LncRNAs expressed in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is thus of particular importance. However, this task is challenging as LncRNA expression is highly restricted in time and space manner and thus may greatly differ between samples. We performed a systematic transcript discovery in RNA-Seq data obtained from T-ALL primary cells and cell lines. This led to the identification of 2560 novel LncRNAs. After the integration of these transcripts into a large compendium of LncRNAs (n = 30478) containing both known LncRNAs and those previously described in T-ALLs, we then performed a systematic genomic and epigenetic characterization of these transcript models demonstrating that these novel LncRNAs share properties with known LncRNAs. Finally, we provide evidence that these novel transcripts could be enriched in LncRNAs with potential oncogenic effects and identified a subset of LncRNAs coregulated with T-ALL oncogenes. Overall, our study represents a comprehensive resource of LncRNAs expressed in T-ALL and might provide new cues on the role of lncRNAs in this type of leukemia.
Cortico-Muscular Coherence Modulated by High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in People With Chronic Stroke

High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) is a potential neuromodulation apparatus for stroke rehabilitation. However, its modulatory effects in stroke subjects is still not well understood. In this paper, the offline modulatory effects of HD-tDCS on the ipsilesional primary motor cortex were investigated by performing wrist isometric contraction tasks before and after HD-tDCS in eleven unilateral chronic stroke subjects using a synchronized HD-tDCS and electroencephalogram/electromyography measurement system. This paper is a randomized, single blinded, and sham-controlled crossover study. Each subject randomly received three HD-tDCS (anode, cathode, and sham) with at least one-week washout period. Online feedback-guided medium-level wrist isometric contraction tasks were conducted for the affected upper limbs before stimulation and 10, 30, and 50 min after the end of 10-min 1-mA HD-tDCS. The characteristics of corticomuscular coherence (CMC), cortical oscillation power spectral density, and power spectral entropy were analyzed during tasks and compared across all sessions and stimulation conditions. Anode HD-tDCS induced significant CMC changes in stroke subjects, while cathode and sham stimulation did not induce significant CMC changes. The largest neuromodulation effects were observed at 10 min immediately after anodal HD-tDCS.
Leucemia linfoblástica aguda : a propósito de un caso clínico

Realizamos un estudio bibliografico de la incidencia, etiologia, presentacion y diagnostico de las leucemias linfoblasticas agudas a proposito de un caso diagnosticado en nuestro hospital en un perro Pastor aleman macho de dos anos de edad.
Detection and Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells in Patients with Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive skin cancer with increasing incidence and high mortality rates. MCC has recently become the subject of immune checkpoint therapy, but reliable biomarkers for estimating prognosis, risk stratification, and prediction of response are missing. METHODS Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were detected in peripheral blood from patients with MCC by use of the CellSearch® system. Moreover, CTCs of selected cases were characterized for Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), chromosomal aberrations, and programed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) production. RESULTS Fifty-one patients were tested at first blood draw (baseline), and 16 patients had 2 or 3 consecutive measurements to detect CTCs. At baseline, ≥1 CTC (range, 1-790), >1, or ≥5 CTCs/7.5 mL were detected in 21 (41%), 17 (33%), and 6 (12%) patients, respectively. After a median follow-up of 21.1 months for 50 patients, detection of CTCs correlated with overall survival (≥1, P = 0.030; >1, P < 0.020; and ≥5 CTCs/7.5 mL, P < 0.0001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, the detection of ≥5 CTCs/7.5 mL adjusted to age and sex compared to that of <5 was associated with a reduced overall survival (P = 0.001, hazard ratio = 17.8; 95% CI, 4.0-93.0). MCPyV DNA and genomic aberrations frequently found in MCC tissues could also be detected in single CTCs. Analyzed CTCs were PD-L1 negative or only weakly positive. CONCLUSIONS The presence of CTCs is a prognostic factor of impaired clinical outcome, with the potential to monitor the progression of the disease in real time. Molecular characterization of CTCs might provide new insights into the biology of MCC.
Combined effect of type and capture area of counting chamber and diluent on Holstein bull sperm kinematics

The evaluation of sperm motion is crucial for processing of seminal doses for artificial insemination. Here, the combined effect of the type and capture area of three counting chambers, together with the type of diluent employed, on sperm motility was analysed. Ejaculates from thirteen Holstein bulls were used for sperm kinematic analysis with the ISAS®v1 CASA‐Mot system, using two capillary‐loaded counting chambers (Leja® and Cell‐Vu®) and one drop displacement chamber (Makler®). Nine fixed positions were analysed per chamber type, considering central and lateral and three longitudinal fields. Independent of the diluent used, differences were found between the three chambers. Independent of the extender, no differences in x‐axis were observed with Cell‐Vu®, while using Leja®, some parameters showed lower values in the centre than in lateral areas. In both counting chambers, the lowest values were observed in the distal area. Results obtained with the two diluents were highly different with a very low correlation between them. In conclusion, the capture area inside the chambers leads to significant changes in sperm kinematic parameters and different dilution media introduce considerable differences in the motility patterns. It is necessary to optimise sampling methods and specific set‐ups to be used with CASA‐Mot technology.
Pathways to disease from natural variations in human cytoplasmic tRNAs

Perfectly accurate translation of mRNA into protein is not a prerequisite for life. Resulting from errors in protein synthesis, mistranslation occurs in all cells, including human cells. The human genome encodes >600 tRNA genes, providing both the raw material for genetic variation and a buffer to ensure that resulting translation errors occur at tolerable levels. On the basis of data from the 1000 Genomes Project, we highlight the unanticipated prevalence of mistranslating tRNA variants in the human population and review studies on synthetic and natural tRNA mutations that cause mistranslation or de-regulate protein synthesis. Although mitochondrial tRNA variants are well known to drive human diseases, including developmental disorders, few studies have revealed a role for human cytoplasmic tRNA mutants in disease. In the context of the unexpectedly large number of tRNA variants in the human population, the emerging literature suggests that human diseases may be affected by natural tRNA variants that cause mistranslation or de-regulate tRNA expression and nucleotide modification. This review highlights examples relevant to genetic disorders, cancer, and neurodegeneration in which cytoplasmic tRNA variants directly cause or exacerbate disease and disease-linked phenotypes in cells, animal models, and humans. In the near future, tRNAs may be recognized as useful genetic markers to predict the onset or severity of human disease.
Therapeutic Inhibition of Myc in Cancer. Structural Bases and Computer-Aided Drug Discovery Approaches

Myc (avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog) represents one of the most sought after drug targets in cancer. Myc transcription factor is an essential regulator of cell growth, but in most cancers it is overexpressed and associated with treatment-resistance and lethal outcomes. Over 40 years of research and drug development efforts did not yield a clinically useful Myc inhibitor. Drugging the “undruggable” is problematic, as Myc inactivation may negatively impact its physiological functions. Moreover, Myc is a disordered protein that lacks effective binding pockets on its surface. It is well established that the Myc function is dependent on dimerization with its obligate partner, Max (Myc associated factor X), which together form a functional DNA-binding domain to activate genomic targets. Herein, we provide an overview of the knowledge accumulated to date on Myc regulation and function, its critical role in cancer, and summarize various strategies that are employed to tackle Myc-driven malignant transformation. We focus on important structure-function relationships of Myc with its interactome, elaborating structural determinants of Myc-Max dimer formation and DNA recognition exploited for therapeutic inhibition. Chronological development of small-molecule Myc-Max prototype inhibitors and corresponding binding sites are comprehensively reviewed and particular emphasis is placed on modern computational drug design methods. On the outlook, technological advancements may soon provide the so long-awaited Myc-Max clinical candidate.
Small GTPases in megakaryocyte and platelet biology

Abstract Review series that provides a state-of-the-art overview of the role of small GTPases in megakaryocyte and platelet biology. While the focus of the reviews is on recent advances in the area of basic science, the clinical relevance of alterations in small GTPase signaling for platelet count and function is also discussed.
Shameless comedy: investigating shame as an exposure effect of contemporary sexist and feminist rape jokes

Abstract This article adds to the conversation of controversial feminist humour by moving away from debates as to whether rape jokes can be funny or feminist and instead examining how they may impact feminist women and female sexual assault survivors. Beginning with a brief discussion of shame’s characteristics and uses, this work investigates various critical status difference factors including the kind of rape joke (sexist or feminist), the gender of the comedian, the composition of the audience, the social setting, and the level of trust, to determine how rape jokes create or alieve shame in female feminist audience members. By studying contemporary rape jokes from comedians including Daniel Tosh, Dave Chappelle, Jim Jefferies, Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer, and Heather Jordan Ross, through an affective lens, this research shows that whereas sexist rape jokes told by male comedians to a mostly male audience may force women to experience shame (whether intentionally or unintentionally), feminist rape jokes told by female comedians are more likely to eliminate or prevent shame.
Design and Synthesis of C-19 Isosteviol Derivatives as Potent and Highly Selective Antiproliferative Agents

Six series of novel isosteviol derivatives; modified in the C-19 position; were synthesized; and their antiproliferative activity was evaluated against three human cancer cell lines (HCT-116; BEL-7402; HepG2) and the human L02 normal cell line in vitro. Most of the derivatives tested here exhibited improved antiproliferative activity with high selectivity when compared with the parent compound isosteviol and the positive control drug 5-fluorouracil. Among these derivatives; compound 5d exhibited the most potent antiproliferative activity and commendable selectivity between cancer and normal cells. In addition; compound 5d inhibited the colony formation of HCT-116 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Further studies revealed that compound 5d arrested the HCT-116 cell cycle in the S phase; and western blot analysis demonstrated the mechanism may be correlated with a change in the expression of cyclin A; cyclin B1; and cyclin E1. Furthermore; the results of a docking study that involved placing compound 5d into the CDK2/cyclin A binding site revealed that its mode of action was possibly as a CDK2/cyclin A inhibitor.
Feeding behaviour and pre-prandial status affect post-prandial plasma energy metabolites and insulin kinetics in growing pigs fed diets differing in fibre concentration.

Variations in feeding behaviour between animals result from individual variations in their metabolism as affected by diet composition. The study aimed to link the within-day dynamics of voluntary feed intake and those of blood metabolites and insulin in growing pigs havingad libitumaccess to feed and receiving diets differing in dietary fibre levels and aleurone supplementation. A total of forty pigs (body weight: 35 kg) had access to diets providedad libitum, which differed by fibre content (13 or 18 % neutral-detergent fibre) and aleurone supplementation (0, 2 or 4 g/kg). Feeding behaviour was individually recorded for 1 week. The kinetic of plasma metabolites and insulin was followed for 1 h after a voluntary test meal. Dietary fibre level did not affect the daily feed intake but increased meal size and meal duration. Aleurone supplementation (4 g/kg) decreased the daily feed intake and number of meals. Dietary fibre level only decreased insulin concentration measured 15 min after meal beginning. Aleurone supplementation (4 g/kg) decreased glycaemia in the first hour after the meal and insulinaemia 15 min after the meal. Free access to feed led to high variability in pre-prandial metabolites and insulin concentrations, resulting in different test meal size irrespective of diet composition. Animals were then spread over different profiles combining feeding behaviour and fasted status to explain different profiles of regulation of feed intake. Plasma metabolites and insulin kinetics were affected by diet composition but also by animal characteristics. Individual variability should be considered when diet composition is used to modulate feeding behaviour.
Organic polymer-based monolithic capillary columns and their applications in food analysis.

In recent years, the use of organic polymer monolithic capillary columns in separation science has gained popularity due to the fact that they are easy to fabricate and do not require retaining frits. These materials have been applied in different fields including foods, proteomics, and pharmaceuticals. The interest in food analysis still needs to develop in order to increase the sensitivity towards micro/nano-scale food applications for food samples of < 5 μg (e.g., foodomics). In this regard, polymer monolithic capillary columns offer great separation capability in the food analytical separation science. We review the most important applications in food analysis using polymer monolithic capillary columns. In addition, several examples of the use of capillary separation methods combined with mass spectrometry detection in food analysis are summarized.
Intracameral lidocaine as supplement to classic topical anesthesia for relieving ocular pain in cataract surgery.

AIM To evaluate safety, efficacy, and patient adherence of intracameral lidocaine as supplement of classic topical anesthetic drops in cataract surgery. METHODS A prospective and controlled trial including a large cohort of 1650 individuals suffering with bilateral cataract not complicated, in program by phacoemulsification surgery, were randomly assigned to 2 different groups for the type of anesthesia received, 0.4% oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (INN) drops, and INN drops associated to intracameral 1% lidocaine hydrochloride monohydrate. At the end of surgery, tables were assigned to each patient indicating the degree of pain (0-3) felt during the operation. RESULTS Thirty-two percent of patients in group 1 declared to have not felt any pain against the 77% of patients in group 2. Fifty-nine percent of patients in group 1 complained about only a slight discomfort against 20% of group 2 patients. Only a small percentage of patients in group 1 (5%) admitted severe pain, while no patient in group 2 admitted severe pain. Four patients of group 2 reported an episode of transient amaurosis, lasting several hours after surgery. CONCLUSION Intracameral administration of lidocaine is a simple and secure method able to increase the analgesia during the cataract surgery, eliminating the discomfort and increasing also the cooperation of the patients during the steps of manipulation.
Financial toxicity in cancer care: Prevalence, causes, consequences, and reduction strategies

Financial toxicity is the adverse impact of a cancer diagnosis on a patient’s financial well‐being resulting from direct or indirect costs. Potential consequences of financial toxicity include material loss, psychological distress, and/or maladaptive coping strategies. This review will summarize the prevalence, causes, and consequences of financial toxicity, with an emphasis on strategies to anticipate and reduce its burden. Improvement will require multilevel, coordinated efforts between stakeholders including patients, providers, health systems, payers, manufacturers, and policymakers.
Optimal Filtering of Nerve Signals*

Recording from multiple electrodes at different sites along a peripheral nerve permits the application of powerful filtering methods to extract the activity of populations of fibres within the nerve which differ in temporal or spectral characteristics. The design of optimal line~tr filters is initially treated as a general problem in the calculus of variations in which the signals from one population of nerve fibres are extracted so as to minimize those from a second population of nerve fibres or from other sources (noise). A particularly important application arises when the signals at two electrodes are related by weighting functions. In the simplest example the weighting function represents the time delay for nerve impulses to conduct from one electrode to the other, but explicit results are also derivable when there are a range of conduction delays with probabilities distributed according to well-known functions such as the sinc 2 function.
Structure and transformation of bacteriophage A511 baseplate and tail upon infection of Listeria cells

Contractile injection systems (bacteriophage tails, type VI secretions system, R‐type pyocins, etc.) utilize a rigid tube/contractile sheath assembly for breaching the envelope of bacterial and eukaryotic cells. Among contractile injection systems, bacteriophages that infect Gram‐positive bacteria represent the least understood members. Here, we describe the structure of Listeria bacteriophage A511 tail in its pre‐ and post‐host attachment states (extended and contracted, respectively) using cryo‐electron microscopy, cryo‐electron tomography, and X‐ray crystallography. We show that the structure of the tube‐baseplate complex of A511 is similar to that of phage T4, but the A511 baseplate is decorated with different receptor‐binding proteins, which undergo a large structural transformation upon host attachment and switch the symmetry of the baseplate‐tail fiber assembly from threefold to sixfold. For the first time under native conditions, we show that contraction of the phage tail sheath assembly starts at the baseplate and propagates through the sheath in a domino‐like motion.