Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Hyperoxia on Outcome of Patients Treated with Noninvasive Respiratory Support

Objective Oxygen therapy is one of the most common treatment modalities for hypoxemic patients, but target goals for normoxemia are not clearly defined. Therefore, iatrogenic hyperoxia is a very common situation. The results from the recent clinical researches about hyperoxia indicate that hyperoxia can be related to worse outcomes than expected in some critically ill patients. According to our literature knowledge, there are not any reports researching the effect of hyperoxia on clinical course of patients who are not treated with invasive mechanical ventilation. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of hyperoxia on mortality, and length of stay and also possible side effects of hyperoxia on the patients who are treated with oxygen by noninvasive devices. Materials and Methods One hundred and eighty-seven patients who met inclusion criteria, treated in Dokuz Eylul University Medical Intensive Care Unit between January 1, 2016, and October 31, 2018, were examined retrospectively. These patients' demographic data, oxygen saturation (SpO2) values for the first 24 hours, APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II) scores, whether they needed intubation, if they did how many days they got ventilated, length of stay in intensive care unit and hospital, maximum PaO2 values of the first day, oxygen treatment method of the first 24 hours, and the rates of mortality were recorded. Results Hyperoxemia was determined in 62 of 187 patients who were not treated with invasive mechanic ventilation in the first 24 hours of admission. Upon further investigation of the relation between comorbid situations and hyperoxia, hyperoxia frequency in patients with COPD was detected to be statistically low (16% vs. 35%, p < 0.008). Hospital mortality was significantly high (51.6% vs. 35.2%, p < 0.04) in patients with hyperoxia. When the types of oxygen support therapies were investigated, hyperoxia frequency was found higher in patients treated with supplemental oxygen (nasal cannula, oronasal mask, high flow oxygen therapy) than patients treated with NIMV (44.2% vs. 25.5%, p < 0.008). After exclusion of 56 patients who were intubated and treated with invasive mechanical ventilation after the first 24 hours, hyperoxemia was determined in 46 of 131 patients. Mortality in patients with hyperoxemia who were not treated with invasive mechanical ventilation during hospital stay was statistically higher when compared to normoxemic patients (41.3% vs 15.3%, p < 0.001). Conclusion We report that hyperoxemia increases the hospital mortality in patients treated with noninvasive respiratory support. At the same time, we determined that hyperoxemia frequency was lower in COPD patients and the ones treated with NIMV. Conservative oxygen therapy strategy can be suggested to decrease the hyperoxia prevalence and mortality rates.
Machine Learning–Based Predictive Farmland Optimization and Crop Monitoring System

E-agriculture is the integration of technology and digital mechanisms into agricultural processes for more efficient output. This study provided a machine learning–aided mobile system for farmland optimization, using various inputs such as location, crop type, soil type, soil pH, and spacing. Random forest algorithm and BigML were employed to analyze and classify datasets containing crop features that generated subclasses based on random crop feature parameters. The subclasses were further grouped into three main classes to match the crops using data from the companion crops. The study concluded that the approach aided decision making and also assisted in the design of a mobile application using Appery.io. This Appery.io then took in some user input parameters, thereby offering various optimization sets. It was also deduced that the system led to users' optimization of information when implemented on their farmlands.
Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Multiple Sclerosis: Consequences for Therapy Development

CNS inflammation is a major driver of MS pathology. Differential immune responses, including the adaptive and the innate immune system, are observed at various stages of MS and drive disease development and progression. Next to these immune-mediated mechanisms, other mediators contribute to MS pathology. These include immune-independent cell death of oligodendrocytes and neurons as well as oxidative stress-induced tissue damage. In particular, the complex influence of oxidative stress on inflammation and vice versa makes therapeutic interference complex. All approved MS therapeutics work by modulating the autoimmune response. However, despite substantial developments in the treatment of the relapsing-remitting form of MS, approved therapies for the progressive forms of MS as well as for MS-associated concomitants are limited and much needed. Here, we summarize the contribution of inflammation and oxidative stress to MS pathology and discuss consequences for MS therapy development.
Septin 9 Methylation in Nasopharyngeal Swabs: A Potential Minimally Invasive Biomarker for the Early Detection of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is highly prevalent in Southeast Asia, and an unfavorable outcome is usually attributed to advanced stage NPC. Current methods for the early diagnosis of NPC have limitations in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic ability of Septin 9 methylation for NPC. A quantitative methylation-sensitive PCR (qMS-PCR) assay was developed to measure the methylation status and levels of Septin 9 in nasopharyngeal tissues and paired swabs from patients with NPC, chronic nasopharyngitis, and healthy donors. Methylated Septin 9 was detected in 92% (23/25) of NPC tissues and 25% (4/16) of nasopharyngitis controls (p < 0.05). High-frequency hypermethylation with decreased mRNA expression of Septin 9 in NPC was also identified. Further, Septin 9 methylation was identified in 90.5% (19/21) of NPC biopsies and 71.4% (15/21) of paired swabs, indicating a good concordance between the two sample types. In addition, methylated Septin 9 was found in 16 (72.7%) nasal swabs from 22 NPC patients, 2 of 19 (10.5%) nasopharyngitis, but not in any of the healthy controls (p < 0.01). The methylation score in nasal swabs of the NPC group was also significantly higher than that of non-NPC controls (p < 0.001). Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.882 of Septin 9 methylation tests to discriminate NPC from non-NPC subjects. Our study demonstrated that frequent methylation of Septin 9 was present in NPC. Its detection in nasopharyngeal swabs may provide a minimally invasive and informative method for identifying early NPC cases.
Effects of precommercial thinning on the forest value chain in northwestern New Brunswick: Part 3 – Incidence of root and butt decay

The Green River precommercial thinning (PCT) trials were established between 1959 and 1961 in naturally regenerating balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.)-dominated stands an average of eight years after overstory removal. Three nominal spacings of 4 ft (1.2 m), 6 ft (1.8 m) and 8 ft (2.4 m) were compared to an unthinned control in six replicate blocks. In the fall of 2008, following completion of the ninth sequential evaluation of the study’s 48 permanent sample plots, three of the six replicates were clearcut harvested; butt rot data were collected immediately afterwards. To date, forest management research and goals have focused on the benefits of PCT, such as increased tree size and merchantable volume, shorter rotation ages, and better stem form and uniformity. Comparatively little attention has been placed on negative aspects of PCT, such as the incidence and development of root and butt rots, and their impact on fibre yields and wood product values. Results from the Green River study provide evidence that PCT may increase the incidence of butt rot in balsam fir, with incidence proportional to thinning intensity (p < 0.01). We also observed incidence and volume of butt rot to increase with stem diameter (p ≤ 0.05). The experiment suggests that factors such as stand age at time of thinning, and age at the time of harvest are important considerations when it comes to mitigating the impacts of butt rot through forest management.
Intravenous Arginine Administration Downregulates NLRP3 Inflammasome Activity and Attenuates Acute Kidney Injury in Mice with Polymicrobial Sepsis

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major complication of sepsis. Nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes that mediate septic AKI. L-arginine (Arg) is a conditionally essential amino acid in catabolic conditions and a substrate for nitric oxide (NO) production; however, its use in sepsis is controversial. This study investigated the effect of intravenous Arg supplementation on modulating NLRP3 inflammasome activity in relation to septic AKI. Mice were divided into normal control (NC), sham, sepsis saline (SS), and sepsis Arg (SA) groups. In order to investigate the role of NO, L-N6-(1-iminoethyl)-lysine hydrochloride (L-NIL), an inducible NO synthase inhibitor, was administered to the sepsis groups. Sepsis was induced using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The SS and SA groups received saline or Arg via tail vein 1 h after CLP. Mice were sacrificed at 6, 12, and 24 h after sepsis. The results showed that compared to the NC group, septic mice had higher plasma kidney function parameters and lower Arg levels. Also, renal NLRP3 inflammasome protein expression and tubular injury score increased. After Arg treatment, plasma Arg and NO levels increased, kidney function improved, and expressions of renal NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins were downregulated. Changes in plasma NO and renal NLRP3 inflammasome-related protein expression were abrogated when L-NIL was given to the Arg sepsis groups. Arg plus L-NIL administration also attenuated kidney injury after CLP. The findings suggest that intravenous Arg supplementation immediately after sepsis restores plasma Arg levels and is beneficial for attenuating septic AKI, partly via NO-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition.
Farmers' perceptions of aspects of maize production systems and pests in semi-arid eastern Kenya: Factors influencing occurrence and control of stemborers

A farmer survey was conducted in six agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in semi-arid eastern Kenya to verify the socio-economic importance of maize, identify its pests and farmers' perceptions of the relative importance of the pests. We also determined some agronomic practices that may influence stemborer infestation and identified the stemborer control methods used. Pests reported included chafer grubs, stemborers, termites, 'red ants', yellow-necked spur fowls, squirrels, monkeys, porcupines, rats, wild pigs and storage insect pests. Their relative importance in each AEZ is discussed. The squirrel was the most widely distributed and important vertebrate pest of maize in the study AEZs. Stemborers infested maize in all the zones, and ranked first among insect pests in the Upper Midland zone 4 (UM4), Lower Midland zone 3 (LM3) and LM4, and second in LM5, but were unimportant in UM2. Agronomic practices that may influence stemborer infestation in maize, including cropping system, sowing time, fertilizer/manure use, stover storage usage and disposal and maize varieties are discussed. Most farmers preferred local to improved maize varieties, and maize was mostly grown as an intercrop. This emphasizes the need for more research effort to identify pests and develop pest management technologies in local maize varieties, contrary to the current research agenda which has focussed on improved varieties. Pest management technologies developed also should be compatible with intercropping before dissemination to farmers. Farmers use insecticides, wood ash, soil, saw dust, chilli pepper powder, dry cell powder and mexican marigold ( Tagetes minuta ) to control stemborers.
The articulation of cultural processes and Late Quaternary environmental changes in Cisjordan.

La dynamique des adaptations des hommes qui ont pris place au cours de l'Epipaleolithique et du Neolithique ancien a l'ouest du Rift dans la partie sud du Levant est decrite brievement et evaluee par rapport aux fluctuations climatiques. Si l'on prend en compte les travaux recents sur l'environnement et les revisions importantes du cadre chronologique des diagrammes polliniques du Houleh, une correlation s'etablit, apparemment bonne, entre l'evolution culturelle et celle de l'environnement. Est souligne le role joue par la nature variable des changements de l'environnement et la multitude des zones ecologiques en dissociant les tendances a long terme, les changements climatiques brusques et les fluctuations moyennes annuelles previsibles. La nature et la flexibilite des reponses des communautes humaines a ces changements dependent des combinaisons specifiques de facteurs technologiques, sociaux, ideologiques et psychologiques. Des niches favorables alternativement s'etendent ou se reduisent. A certaines periodes, en Cisjordanie, l'adaptation des hommes aux milieux s'opere differemment dans la region mediterraneenne et dans les regions steppe/desert. A d'autres epoques, ces niches incluent des regions adjacentes telles que la TransJordanie et la partie nord du Corridor Levantin. Un nombre de ces crises, la plupart liees aux changements de l'environnement, sont decrites; c'est dans ce cadre et dans des societes dans l'ensemble tres conservatrices que doit etre considere le passage de la cueillette a la domestication des plantes et des animaux.
Sex Differences in the Outcomes of Elderly Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background The impact of sex on the outcome of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been suggested, but little is known about its impact on elderly patients with ACS. Methods This study analyzed the impact of sex on in-hospital and 1-year outcomes of elderly (≥75 years of age) patients with ACS hospitalized in our department between January 2013 and December 2017. Results A total of 711 patients were included: 273 (38.4%) women and 438 (61.6%) men. Their age ranged from 75 to 94 years, similar between women and men. Women had more comorbidities (hypertension (79.5% vs. 72.8%, p=0.050), diabetes mellitus (35.2% vs. 26.5%, p=0.014), and hyperuricemia (39.9% vs. 32.4%, p=0.042)) and had a higher prevalence of non-ST-segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) (79.5% vs. 71.2%, p=0.014) than men. The prevalence of current smoking (56.5% vs. 5.4%, p < 0.001), creatinine levels (124.4 ± 98.6 vs. 89.9 ± 54.1, p < 0.001), and revascularization rate (39.7% vs. 30.0%, p=0.022) were higher, and troponin TnT and NT-proBNP tended to be higher in men than in women. The in-hospital mortality rate was similar (3.5% vs. 4.4%, p=0.693), but the 1-year mortality rate was lower in women than in men (14.7% vs. 21.7%, p=0.020). The multivariable analysis showed that female sex was a protective factor for 1-year mortality in all patients (OR = 0.565, 95% CI 0.351–0.908, p=0.018) and in patients with STEMI (OR = 0.416, 95% CI 0.184–0.940, p=0.035) after adjustment. Conclusions Among the elderly patients with ACS, the 1-year mortality rate was lower in women than in men, which could be associated with comorbidities and ACS type.
White spruce growth to age 44 in a provenance test at the Petawawa Research Forest

Twenty-five provenances of white spruce were planted in 1963 in 144-tree plots and three replications as part of a provenance test series for eastern Canada. The experiment was well maintained and thinned to 50% of its original stocking in 1986 (age 26 years from seed). Measurements at age 44 were subjected to analyses of variance and correlation and compared with height and survival at age 15. The results demonstrated that at age 15, identification of the best provenances is ineffective because of changes in rank and the late expression of survival differences. At age 44, significant differences among provenances were observed for survival, mean height, diameter, basal area, and volume. The greatest volume was produced by a provenance from Cushing in the Ottawa Valley in Quebec, 287 m3 per ha, which was 11% greater than the volume of the local provenance, Chalk River, Ontario. When ranked on the basis of survival and volume, the best eight provenances included five from Quebec, and one each from New Bruns.
Superoxide dismutasc activity in lite skin of fish

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the skin of fish was observed to be higher in the dark than in the light parts. SOD activities in both parts were confirmed by visualisation of SOD activity on polyacrylamide gels. We suggest that the distribution of higher SOD in the dark parts of the skin might be related to melanization and to regulate of reactive oxygen species.
Transcriptional Analysis Reveals Key Genes in the Pathogenesis of Nifedipine-Induced Gingival Overgrowth

Background Nifedipine-induced gingival overgrowth (NGO) is a multifactorial pathogenesis with increased extracellular matrix including collagen and glycans, inflammatory cytokines, and phenotype changes of fibroblasts. However, the molecular etiology of NGO is not well understood. The objective of this study is to investigate the key genes in the pathogenesis of NGO. Methods In this study, we examined the proliferation and migration abilities of fibroblasts derived from patients with chronic periodontitis, nifedipine nonresponder gingival overgrowth, gingival overgrowth caused by nifedipine, and healthy normal gingiva. We conducted RNA-Seq on these four groups of fibroblasts and analysed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Results Fibroblasts derived from NGO patients had higher proliferation and migration abilities than those of the other groups. Protein-protein interaction network analysis indicated that TGFB2, ITGA8, ITGA11, FGF5, PLA2G4D, PLA2G2F, PTGS1, CSF1, LPAR1, CCL3, and NKX3-1 are involved in the development of NGO. These factors are related to the arachidonic acid metabolism and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. Conclusion Transcriptional gene expression analysis identified a number of DEGs that might be functionally related to gingival overgrowth induced by nifedipine. Our study provides important information on the molecular mechanism underlying nifedipine-induced gingival overgrowth.
Crecimiento vegetativo, producción y calidad de las fibras en plantas de algodonero sometidas a estrés mineral

espanolEl potasio asi como el nitrogeno constituyen los elementos necesarios para el crecimiento, desarrollo y produccion del cultivo del algodon. Ademas, estos elementos estan directamente relacionados con la formacion de las fibras y cuando se proporcionan en forma adecuada, garantizan la calidad de las mismas. Con el objetivo de evaluar la influencia del potasio sobre parametros biometricos, produccion y calidad de la fibra del algodon, fueron cultivadas en invernadero plantas del cultivar Delpa opal, con fertilizacion potasica alterada, simulando deficiencia (subdosis) y dos niveles de sobredosis. Durante las diferentes fases fenolo- gicas del cultivo fueron analizadas variables biometricas incluyendo la produccion de fibras y sus parametros cualitativos. Los tratamientos de subdosis de potasio y las sobredosis aplicadas alteraron todos los parametros evaluados, demostrando la importancia de la fertilizacion potasica sobre los mismos. EnglishPotassium, like nitrogen, it constitutes an essential element for growth, development and production of cotton crops. Moreover, these elements are directly related to fiber formation and when provided in suitable doses, influences its quality. The aim of the experiments was to evaluate the influence of potassium on biometric parameters, yield and quality of cotton fibers. For this purpose, plants of the cultivar Delta opal were grown in a greenhouse with altered potassium fertilization, simulating K deficiency and two overdoses. During the different phenological stages, biometric variables were analyzed including the production of fibers and their qualitative parameters. The sub-dose and the overdoses treatments of K, changed all the evaluated parameters, demonstrating the importance of potassium fertilizer on them.
Paternal Resistance Training Induced Modifications in the Left Ventricle Proteome Independent of Offspring Diet

Ancestral obesogenic exposure is able to trigger harmful effects in the offspring left ventricle (LV) which could lead to cardiovascular diseases. However, the impact of the father's lifestyle on the offspring LV is largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of paternal resistance training (RT) on the offspring left ventricle (LV) proteome exposed to control or high-fat (HF) diet. Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: sedentary fathers and trained fathers (8 weeks, 3 times per week with weights secured to the animals' tails). The offspring were obtained by mating with sedentary females. Upon weaning, male offspring were divided into 4 groups (5 animals per group): offspring from sedentary fathers, exposed to control diet (SFO-C); offspring from trained fathers, exposed to control diet (TFO-C); offspring from sedentary fathers, exposed to high-fat diet (SFO-HF); and offspring from trained fathers, exposed to high-fat diet (TFO-HF). The LC-MS/MS analysis revealed 537 regulated proteins among groups. Offspring exposure to HF diet caused reduction in the abundance levels of proteins related to cell component organization, metabolic processes, and transport. Proteins related to antioxidant activity, transport, and transcription regulation were increased in TFO-C and TFO-HF as compared with the SFO-C and SFO-HF groups. Paternal RT demonstrated to be an important intervention capable of inducing significant effects on the LV proteome regardless of offspring diet due to the increase of proteins involved into LV homeostasis maintenance. This study contributes to a better understanding of the molecular aspects involved in transgenerational inheritance.
Molecular phylogeny of the entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Cordyceps (Ascomycota: Clavicipitaceae) and its evolutionary implications

Abstract Cordyceps is an endoparasite ascomycetous genus containing approximately 450 species with a diversity of insect hosts, traditionally included in the family Clavicipitaceae of Ascomycota. Establishing the relationships among species with a varied range of morphologies and hosts is of importance to our understanding of the phylogeny and co‐evolution of parasites and hosts in entomopathogenic ascomycetes. To this end, we used a combination of molecular index and morphological characters from 40 representative species to carry out comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analyses. Based on the phylogenetic tree, we used the program DISCRETE for inferring the rates of evolution and finding ancestral states of morphological character. The phylogenetic analyses revealed two important points. (i) Types of perithecia attached to stroma reflected an evolutionary trend in Cordyceps. The vertically immersed perithecia form was the ancestral state, superficial and obliquely immersed perithecia were derived characters, obliquely immersed was irreversible. Species with obliquely immersed perithecia were in a closely related group and were the derived group. (ii) A strong correlation between fungal relatedness and the microhabitat supported the hypothesis that the host jumps through commingling in soil microhabitats. Based on the results of these analyses, host switching explains the diversity of entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Cordyceps.