Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hybrid Nanogels: Stealth and Biocompatible Structures for Drug Delivery Applications

Considering nanogels, we have focused our attention on hybrid nanosystems for drug delivery and biomedical purposes. The distinctive strength of these structures is the capability to join the properties of nanosystems with the polymeric structures, where versatility is strongly demanded for biomedical applications. Alongside with the therapeutic effect, a non-secondary requirement of the nanosystem is indeed its biocompatibility. The importance to fulfill this aim is not only driven by the priority to reduce, as much as possible, the inflammatory or the immune response of the organism, but also by the need to improve circulation lifetime, biodistribution, and bioavailability of the carried drugs. In this framework, we have therefore gathered the hybrid nanogels specifically designed to increase their biocompatibility, evade the recognition by the immune system, and overcome the self-defense mechanisms present in the bloodstream of the host organism. The works have been essentially organized according to the hybrid morphologies and to the strategies adopted to fulfill these aims: Nanogels combined with nanoparticles or with liposomes, and involving polyethylene glycol chains or zwitterionic polymers.
Undirected single-source shortest paths with positive integer weights in linear time

The single-source shortest paths problem (SSSP) is one of the classic problems in algorithmic graph theory: given a positively weighted graph G with a source vertex s, find the shortest path from s to all other vertices in the graph. Since 1959, all theoretical developments in SSSP for general directed and undirected graphs have been based on Dijkstra's algorithm, visiting the vertices in order of increasing distance from s. Thus, any implementation of Dijkstra's algorithm sorts the vertices according to their distances from s. However, we do not know how to sort in linear time. Here, a deterministic linear time and linear space algorithm is presented for the undirected single source shortest paths problem with positive integer weights. The algorithm avoids the sorting bottleneck by building a hierarchical bucketing structure, identifying vertex pairs that may be visited in any order.
Coping Versus Mastery Modeling Intervention to Enhance Self-efficacy for Exercise in Patients with COPD

Abstract The literature suggests self-efficacy is a determinant of physical activity and management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The purpose of this study was to (1) test the effects of two vicarious experience interventions, coping versus mastery modeling, on self-efficacy in COPD patients performing a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), and (2) determine the type of self-efficacy most strongly related to physical activity in COPD patients. After a baseline assessment of self-efficacy (task, coping for exercise, coping for breathing, scheduling, and walking) and potential moderators, 120 COPD patients watched a mastery model or coping model CPET video, or received usual care verbal instructions. Then, self-efficacy was assessed, followed by a CPET, and another assessment of self-efficacy. Fitbits tracked participants’ step count the week following contact. Repeated measures MANOVAs assessed the intervention effects and multiple regressions assessed the contribution of self-efficacy subtypes to step count. All self-efficacy subtypes improved in the mastery and coping conditions, although greater improvement of self-efficacy for coping with exercise barriers was observed in the coping condition. Self-efficacy did not improve in the control condition and no moderators were identified. Self-efficacy for coping with exercise barriers was the self-efficacy subtype most strongly related to step count. This research suggests modeling is a useful intervention technique to enhance self-efficacy in COPD patients, although coping models may be more beneficial than mastery models for enhancing capability beliefs during complex tasks. Future interventions in COPD patients should target self-efficacy for coping with exercise barriers.
Vibrio cholerae FeoB contains a dual nucleotide-specific NTPase domain essential for ferrous iron uptake

Significance Many bacteria encode ferrous iron transporters to obtain essential iron. The ferrous iron transporter FeoB has a GTPase domain that closely resembles eukaryotic G proteins; however, the role of the GTPase and mechanistic details of Feo iron transport are unclear. In this report, we show that Vibrio cholerae FeoB possesses ATP, as well as GTP, hydrolysis activity. The ATPase activity was sufficient for functional ferrous iron transport. The demonstration of simultaneous ATPase and GTPase activities of FeoB provides important insights into both iron transport and the complexity of bacterial G proteins. The Feo ferrous iron transporter is widely distributed among bacteria and archaea, but its mechanism of transport has not been fully elucidated. In Vibrio cholerae, the transport system requires three proteins: the small cytosolic proteins FeoA and FeoC and a large cytoplasmic-membrane–associated protein FeoB, which has an N-terminal G-protein domain. We show that, in contrast to Escherichia coli FeoB, which is solely a GTPase, the V. cholerae and Helicobacter pylori FeoB proteins have both GTPase and ATPase activity. In V. cholerae, mutation of the G4 motif, responsible for hydrogen bonding with the guanine base, abolished the GTPase activity but not ATPase activity. The ATPase activity of the G4 motif mutants was sufficient for Feo function in the absence of GTPase. We show that the serine and asparagine residues in the G5 motif likely play a role in the ATPase activity, and substitution of these residues with those found in the corresponding positions in E. coli FeoB resulted in similar nucleotide hydrolysis activity in the E. coli protein. These results add significantly to our understanding of the NTPase domain of FeoB and its role in Feo function.
Resistant Palmoplantar Lesions in Patients of Psoriasis: Evaluation of the Causes and Comparison of the Frequency of Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity in Patients without Palm and Sole Lesions

Objective: To examine the reasons for resistance to treatment in cases of palmoplantar psoriasis, and also to compare the frequency of delayed-type hypersensitivity to common sensitizers with those cases of psoriasis without palmoplantar involvement. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and three patients with resistant palmoplantar psoriasis were examined for a possible drug reaction, fungal infection or contact allergy. Patch testing was done for another 100 patients with psoriasis vulgaris without palm and sole involvement. χ2, Fischer's exact test, Mann-Whitney U test and logistical regression analysis were done using SPSS 15.0. Results: Of the 103 patients with resistant palmoplantar lesions, 26 (25.24%) had a positive patch test to at least one of the tested allergens, 6 (5.8%) had psoriasiform spongiotic dermatitis on biopsy, 5 (4.8%) reported exacerbation after starting biologic therapy and 3 (2.9%) were potassium hydroxide positive in the sole lesions. In comparison, of the 100 patients with no palm or sole lesions, 11 (11%) had a positive patch test to at least one of the allergens. There was a direct relationship between the increase in the prevalence of dermatitis and the duration of psoriasis. There was no correlation between the clinical type of psoriasis and patch-test positivity. Conclusion: Secondary fungal infection, allergic contact dermatitis to topical agents or common allergens, or at times an unusual reaction to the antipsoriatic therapeutic agents sometimes led to treatment failure in patients with psoriasis vulgaris with palmoplantar lesions. Also, psoriasis patients with palm and sole lesions tended to have higher rates of contact hypersensitivity than patients without lesions on their palms and soles.
Neuromuscular Changes with Aging and Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia was originally conceptualized as the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass. Over the ensuing decades, the conceptual definition of sarcopenia has changed to represent a condition in older adults that is characterized by declining muscle mass and function, with “function” most commonly conceived as muscle weakness and/or impaired physical performance (e.g., slow gait speed). Findings over the past 15-years, however, have demonstrated that changes in grip and leg extensor strength are not primarily due to muscle atrophy per se, and that to a large extent, are reflective of declines in the integrity of the nervous system. This article briefly summarizes findings relating to the complex neuromuscular mechanisms that contribute to reductions in muscle function associated with advancing age, and the implications of these findings on the development of effective therapies.
Association between preferred chewing side and dynamic occlusal parameters

Objectives Evaluation of dynamic occlusal parameters can help dentists to understand the association of occlusion with the preferred chewing side (PCS) and enable optimal restoration of masticatory efficiency. This study evaluated the association between PCS and dynamic occlusal parameters. Methods One hundred participants (50 each, right and left PCS) were included in this study. PCS was determined by the visual spot-checking method, and occlusal analysis was conducted by T Scan. Occlusal parameters evaluated included initial contact, center of force, tooth contact area, occlusal interferences, and occlusal time. Data were assessed by chi-squared test and eta correlation coefficient. Results Initial contact towards the PCS was observed in 68% and 70% of right and left unilateral chewers, respectively. Likewise, center of force towards the PCS was present in 72% and 66% of right and left unilateral chewers, respectively. A larger area of tooth contact was predominant towards the PCS in 70% and 72% of right and left unilateral chewers, respectively. Chi-squared analysis showed a strong positive correlation between PCS and occlusal parameters at maximum intercuspation. Eta correlation coefficients between PCS and occlusal interferences, as well as centric and eccentric occlusion, revealed negligible associations. Conclusion Dynamic occlusal parameters may be associated with PCS.
HIV-associated lymphoma: A 5-year clinicopathologic study from India

Context: Relative risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in people living with HIV is 60–200 times that of normal population. This is the largest series from India on lymphomas arising in HIV-infected individuals including workup for Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8). Aims: This study aims to ascertain the distribution and detailed clinicopathologic features of lymphoma arising in HIV-infected persons in India. Settings and Design: The study was done during the period of 2007–2011 in the pathology department of a tertiary care center in South India. Subjects and Methods: All cases diagnosed as lymphoma in the department of pathology during the study period were identified, and patients with HIV positive by serology were included in the study. Clinical details were obtained from electronic records, slides were reviewed and tissue blocks retrieved, and immunohistochemistry for HHV-8 and in situ hybridization for EBV-encoded RNA was done. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics were done using SPSS software. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to do survival analysis. Results: Of 3346 patients diagnosed with lymphoma, 73 (2%) were diagnosed to be positive for HIV. About 87.6% of the cases were NHL, of which diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the most common and plasmablastic lymphoma was the second common subtype. Survival was uniformly poor in 36% of the cases where follow-up was available. Conclusions: The striking differences from world literature included higher frequency of plasmablastic lymphomas, lack of primary central nervous system lymphomas, and low association with HHV8.
Memristive Imitation of Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity

In this paper, a memristive artificial neural circuit imitating the excitatory chemical synaptic transmission of biological synapse is designed. The proposed memristor-based neural circuit exhibits synaptic plasticity, one of the important neurochemical foundations for learning and memory, which is demonstrated via the efficient imitation of short-term facilitation and long-term potentiation. Moreover, the memristive artificial circuit also mimics the distinct biological attributes of strong stimulation and deficient synthesis of neurotransmitters. The proposed artificial neural model is designed in SPICE, and the biological functionalities are demonstrated via various simulations. The simulation results obtained with the proposed artificial synapse are similar to the biological features of chemical synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity.
Cancer Outcomes in DCIS Patients Without Locoregional Treatment.

Background The vast majority of women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) undergo treatment. Therefore, the risks of invasive progression and competing death in the absence of locoregional therapy are uncertain. Methods We performed survival analyses of patient-level data from DCIS patients who did not receive definitive surgery or radiation therapy as recorded in the US National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (1992-2014). Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate the net risk of subsequent ipsilateral invasive cancer. The cumulative incidences of ipsilateral invasive cancer, contralateral breast cancer, and death were estimated using competing risk methods. Results A total of 1286 DCIS patients who did not undergo locoregional therapy were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 60 years (inter-quartile range = 51-74 years), with median follow-up of 5.5 years (inter-quartile range = 2.3-10.6 years). Among patients with tumor grade I/II (n = 547), the 10-year net risk of ipsilateral invasive breast cancer was 12.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.6% to 17.1%) compared with 17.6% (95% CI = 12.1% to 25.2%) among patients with tumor grade III (n = 244) and 10.1% (95% CI = 7.4% to 13.8%) among patients with unknown grade (n = 495). Among all patients, the 10-year cumulative incidences of ipsilateral invasive cancer, contralateral breast cancer, and all-cause mortality were 10.5% (95% CI = 8.5% to 12.4%), 3.9% (95% CI = 2.6% to 5.2%), and 24.1% (95% CI = 21.2% to 26.9%), respectively. Conclusion Despite limited data, our findings suggest that DCIS patients without locoregional treatment have a limited risk of invasive progression. Although the cohort is not representative of the general population of patients diagnosed with DCIS, the findings suggest that there may be overtreatment, especially among older patients and patients with elevated comorbidities.
Sepsis and septic shock: current approaches to management

Sepsis, defined as life‐threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host response to infection, is recognised by the World Health Organization as a global health priority. Each year, 5000 of the 18 000 adults with sepsis treated in Australian intensive care units die, with survivors suffering long‐term physical, cognitive and psychological dysfunction, which is poorly recognised and frequently untreated. There are currently no effective pharmacological treatments for sepsis, making early recognition, resuscitation and immediate treatment with appropriate antibiotics the key to reducing the burden of resulting disease. The majority of sepsis, around 70–80%, is community acquired making emergency departments and primary care key targets to improve recognition and early management. Case fatality rates for sepsis are decreasing in many countries with the reduction attributed to national or regional screening and quality improvement programmes focused on early identification and immediate treatment. The optimum approach to treating established sepsis has been informed by high‐quality, multicentre investigator initiated randomised trials with much of the valuable data coming from National Health and Medical Research Council‐funded trials run from Australia. While early recognition and improved management of the acute episode are important steps in reducing death and disability from sepsis, a substantial reduction in the burden of sepsis‐related disease requires action across the entire healthcare system. In this narrative review, we provide a summary of current knowledge on epidemiology of sepsis and septic shock and recommendations on the optimum approach to the management of these conditions in adults.
Transcriptome Analysis of Male and Female Mature Gonads of Silver Sillago (Sillago sihama)

Silver sillago (Sillago sihama) is an emerging commercial marine aquaculture species in China. To date, fundamental information on S. sihama, such as genomic information, is lacking, and no data are available on the gonad transcriptome of S. sihama. Here, the first gonadal transcriptomes of S. sihama have been constructed and genes potentially involved in gonadal development and reproduction identified. Illumina sequencing generated 60.18 million clean reads for the testis and 59.10 million for the ovary. All reads were assembled into 74,038 unigenes with a mean length of 1,004 bp and N50 value of 2,190 bp. Among all the predictable unigenes, a total of 34,104 unigenes (46%) were searched against multiple databases, including 33,244 unigenes annotated in the RefSeq Non- Redundant database at NCBI, and 28,924 in Swiss-Prot. By comparing the ovary and testis, 35,367 unigenes were identified as being differentially expressed between males and females, of which 29,127 were upregulated in the testis and 6,240 were upregulated in the ovary. Numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs) known to be involved in gonadal development and gametogenesis were identified, including amh, dmrt1, gsdf, cyp19a1a, gnrhr, and zps. Using gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, the top 20 KEGG pathways with highest number of DEGs were found to be involved in regulating gonadal development and gametogenesis in S. sihama. Moreover, 22,666 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified in 14,577 SSR-containing sequences. The findings provide a valuable dataset for future functional analyses of sex-associated genes and molecular marker assisted selection in S. sihama.
The role of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of occult scaphoid fractures

Abstract Background: Ultrasonography is widely utilized by emergency physicians and radiologists to diagnose various orthopaedic diseases, including fractures. We aim to derive a definitive estimate of the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in clinically suspected scaphoid fractures. Methods: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of included diagnostic cohort studies that discussed the use of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of occult scaphoid fractures. We searched the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence database using the Healthcare Databases Advanced Search tool. In addition, we utilized the PubMed database to search the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica database, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health and Allied and Complimentary Medicine databases. Studies were included if they discuss the role of ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis of scaphoid fractures based on cortical interruption, radio-carpal effusion and scapho-trapezium-trapezoid effusion. Quality assessment was performed using the methodological index for non-randomized studies scoring system. Results: 6 non-randomized control studies met the inclusion criteria. Collectively, these included 236 patients with a mean age ranging from 18 to 41.2 years. The quality of these articles ranged between moderate and high based on the methodological index for non-randomized studies score. The mean sensitivity was 88.95% (standard deviation 10.03) and mean specificity was 89.50% (standard deviation 12.21). Conclusion: The current literature reveals high sensitivity and specificity in the use of ultrasonography in scaphoid fracture diagnosis. However, multiple factors including technical differences in ultrasound machines and probes, small sample sizes and variability of subsequent confirmatory tests have created a challenge in determining the ultimate reliability of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of occult scaphoid fractures. Considering these factors and limitations, large-sample and high-quality clinical trials are needed to adequately assess its reliability for this purpose. One stop clinics, in the authors’ opinion, would be an ideal setting for its introduction as well as for future trials.
Focus on Cdc42 in Breast Cancer: New Insights, Target Therapy Development and Non-Coding RNAs

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumors in females. Although the conventional treatment has demonstrated a certain effect, some limitations still exist. The Rho guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Cdc42 (Cell division control protein 42 homolog) is often upregulated by some cell surface receptors and oncogenes in breast cancer. Cdc42 switches from inactive guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-bound to active GTP-bound though guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs), results in activation of signaling cascades that regulate various cellular processes such as cytoskeletal changes, proliferation and polarity establishment. Targeting Cdc42 also provides a strategy for precise breast cancer therapy. In addition, Cdc42 is a potential target for several types of non-coding RNAs including microRNAs and lncRNAs. These non-coding RNAs is extensively involved in Cdc42-induced tumor processes, while many of them are aberrantly expressed. Here, we focus on the role of Cdc42 in cell morphogenesis, proliferation, motility, angiogenesis and survival, introduce the Cdc42-targeted non-coding RNAs, as well as present current development of effective Cdc42-targeted inhibitors in breast cancer.
Predicting stability of classes in an object-oriented system

The stability of a class in object-oriented system is one software quality characteristic that is important to assess at the early development stages. However, a direct measure of this software quality characteristic is not possible. Nonetheless, it can be predicted based on other measurable software attributes such as cohesion, coupling, and complexity. Many metrics have been proposed to assess these software attributes and for this purpose, prediction models have been widely used. However, in almost all cases, these models were not efficient when used to predict the quality characteristics (stability or other) of new unseen software as their prediction accuracy decreases significantly. In this paper, we present a heuristic approach that relies on the adaptation and recombination of already built predictive models to new unseen software.The predictive models are all rule-based models and the approach is tested on the stability of classes in an object-oriented software system. We compare our results to the machine learning algorithm C4.5, and we show that our approach out-beats it.