Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anxiety and apprehension in visual working memory performance: no change to capacity, but poorer distractor filtering

ABSTRACT Background and objectives: Individual differences in acute and chronic anxiety have been linked to changes in working memory ability, though evidence for differences in specifically visual working memory performance has been inconsistent. The present study examined the role of both trait anxiety and induced feelings of apprehension on visual working memory performance. Design: 2 (Noise) x 2 (Distraction) within-person design with anxiety as a between-person factor. Methods: Forty-six participants recruited via online advertisement completed a change detection task, memorizing the orientations of rectangular bars presented either alone or among additional distractors, comparing this to a subsequent test display. Trait anxiety levels were measured by self-report questionnaire. To induce apprehension, participants completed some experimental blocks where loud aversive white noise could be presented at low probability. Results: Results of ANOVA and ANCOVA models showed that neither trait anxiety nor apprehension affected memory performance when only relevant objects were shown. However, memory performance was impaired when distractor objects were presented, and this effect was exacerbated under apprehension particularly for high trait anxious individuals. Conclusions: Results suggest that induced apprehension and trait anxiety have little influence on visual working memory capacity, instead primarily disrupting distractor filtering efficiency.
Ecological and individual data both indicate that influenza inhibits rhinovirus infection

We read the article “Virus–virus interactions impact the population dynamics of influenza and the common cold” by Nickbakhsh et al. (1) with great interest. The authors analyzed a large Scottish dataset consisting of virology results from patients with acute respiratory illnesses and used mathematical models to identify a negative interaction between influenza and rhinovirus (RV) infection. Furthermore, they performed epidemiologic simulations demonstrating that influenza-mediated induction of a refractory period could account for the significant reduction in RV illness prevalence. In fact, we demonstrated that influenza can induce a refractory period using individual-level data obtained from a cohort of children that … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: kloepfer{at}iu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Sleep disturbance and cognitive functioning among firefighters

Firefighters are at risk for chronic sleep disruption due to their rotating 24-hour on and 48-hour off work schedule and hazardous work conditions. Forty-five firefighters were assessed to determine the impact of their shift schedule on sleep duration, sleep quality, processing speed, sustained attention, vigilance, and mental health. Assessments were conducted at the start and end of shift. Firefighters endorsed sleeping 5 hours 21 minutes at work, and the results suggest that even minimal sleep disruption affected cognitive functioning (e.g. processing speed, visual-motor coordination, and reaction time), increasing the likelihood of poor work performance or injury.
The Role of postoperative external beam radiotherapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma: A Systematic review and meta‐analysis

The indications for external beam radiotherapy (RT) in differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC) are still undefined. The objective of this study was to synthesize current evidence defining the role of postoperative RT in patients with DTC. A systematic review and meta‐analysis were done. Included studies compared oncologic outcomes and toxicity of RT vs no RT in patients with DTC. Nine studies were included, two prospective and seven retrospective cohorts. RT improved 5‐year locoregional recurrence‐free survival but not overall survival and distant metastasis failure‐free survival. The locoregional control benefit was seen in patients at increased risk for recurrence, including those with advanced age, locoregionally advanced disease, gross or microscopic residual tumor, and structural invasion. Serious RT‐related acute and late toxicities were rare. Available evidence suggests that postoperative RT can improve locoregional control in high‐risk DTC with acceptable toxicity. Further prospective studies are warranted.
The Role of Scientific Evidence in Natural Health Product Consumer Decision Making in Osteoarthritis

Objectives: To use the means-end chain (MEC) decision-making approach to compare two groups of participants using natural health products (NHPs) with and without scientific evidence support. Methods: The laddering technique was used to interview 25 participants with osteoarthritis. Hierarchical value maps were generated to depict the decision-making processes. Semistructured questions probed the role of scientific evidence in the decision-making process and content analysis identified thematic similarities and differences between the two groups. Results: The dominant decision-making chain between participants in the two scientific evidence categories was similar. Scientific evidence is an important decision-making factor but not as important as the advice from health care providers, friends and family. Conclusions: The MEC-approach and its associated laddering methodology helped us understand how people make decisions about NHPs. There were essentially no differences in how consumers in our two groups incorporated scientific evidence into their choice of NHPs for OA.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Identification of region-specific astrocyte subtypes at single cell resolution

Astrocytes, a major cell type found throughout the central nervous system, have general roles in the modulation of synapse formation and synaptic transmission, blood – brain barrier formation, and regulation of blood ﬂ ow, as well as metabolic support of other brain resident cells. Crucially, emerging evidence shows speci ﬁ c adaptations and astrocyte-encoded functions in regions, such as the spinal cord and cerebellum. To investigate the true extent of astrocyte molecular diversity across forebrain regions, we used single-cell RNA sequencing. Our analysis identi ﬁ es ﬁ ve transcriptomically distinct astrocyte subtypes in adult mouse cortex and hippocampus. Validation of our data in situ reveals distinct spatial positioning of de ﬁ ned subtypes, re ﬂ ecting the distribution of morphologically and physiologically distinct astrocyte populations. Our ﬁ ndings are evidence for specialized astrocyte subtypes between and within brain regions. The data are available through an online database (https://holt-sc. glialab.org/), providing a resource on which to base explorations of local astrocyte diversity and function in the brain.
How ligand binding affects the dynamical transition temperature in proteins.

The biochemical functions of proteins are activated at the protein glass transition temperature, which has been proposed to be dependent upon protein-water interactions. However, at the molecular level it is unclear how ligand binding to well-defined binding sites can influence this transition temperature. We thus report molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the ε subunit from thermophilic Bacillus PS3 in the ATP-free and ligand-bound states over a range of temperatures from 20 to 300 K, to study the influence of ligand association upon the transition temperature. We also measure the protein mean square displacement (MSD) in each state, which is well established as a means to quantify this dynamical temperature dependence. We find that the transition temperature is largely unaffected by ligand association, but the MSD beyond the transition temperature increases more rapidly in the ATP-free state. Our data suggests that ligands can effectively "shield" a binding site from solvent, and hence stabilize protein domains with increasing temperature.
Exploration of risk factors for ceftriaxone resistance in invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella infections in western Kenya

Multidrug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) infection has emerged as a prominent cause of invasive infections in Africa. We investigated the prevalence of ceftriaxone-resistant invasive NTS infections, conducted exploratory analysis of risk factors for resistance, and described antimicrobial use in western Kenya. We conducted a secondary analysis of existing laboratory, epidemiology, and clinical data from three independent projects, a malaria vaccine trial, a central nervous system (CNS) study, and the International Emerging Infections Program morbidity surveillance (surveillance program) during 2009–2014. We calculated odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ceftriaxone-resistant NTS infections compared with ceftriaxone-susceptible infections. We surveyed hospitals, pharmacies, and animal drug retailers about the availability and use of antimicrobials. In total, 286 invasive NTS infections were identified in the three projects; 43 NTS isolates were ceftriaxone-resistant. The absolute prevalence of ceftriaxone resistance varied among these methodologically diverse projects, with 18% (16/90) of isolates resistant to ceftriaxone in the vaccine trial, 89% (16/18) in the CNS study, and 6% (11/178) in the surveillance program. Invasive ceftriaxone-resistant infections increased over time. Most ceftriaxone-resistant isolates were co-resistant to multiple other antimicrobials. Having an HIV-positive mother (OR = 3.7; CI = 1.2–11.4) and taking trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for the current illness (OR = 9.6, CI = 1.2–78.9) were significantly associated with acquiring ceftriaxone-resistant invasive NTS infection. Ceftriaxone and other antibiotics were widely prescribed; multiple issues related to prescription practices and misuse were identified. In summary, ceftriaxone-resistant invasive NTS infection is increasing and limiting treatment options for serious infections. Efforts are ongoing to address the urgent need for improved microbiologic diagnostic capacity and an antimicrobial surveillance system in Kenya.
Nitidine Chloride Is a Potential Alternative Therapy for Glioma Through Inducing Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Alleviating Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Background: Malignant glioma is a lethal brain tumor that is highly resistant to standard therapy. Our research aims to explore the suppressive effects of nitidine chloride (NC) on gliomas and the mechanisms involved, showing that it is a potential agent for integrative therapy of gliomas. Methods: After glioma cells were treated with NC, several experiments were performed to evaluate NC’s antitumor effects. CCK-8 assay was used to detect viability. Transwell and 3-dimensional spheroid invasion assays were used to evaluate motility of glioma in vitro, and the sphere-formation assay showed NC’s influence on glioma stem cells. Apoptosis and intracellular reactive oxygen species were measured by means of flow cytometry. Subcellular structures were observed through transmission electron microscopy. Western blot analysis reflected expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker proteins. An orthotopic xenograft model was established to investigate the tumor suppressive effects in vivo. Results: Nitidine chloride inhibited glioma cell migration and invasion in vitro, downregulated the EMT proteins, and suppressed sphere formation of glioma stem cells. Furthermore, NC induced persistent ER stress that contributed to apoptosis and reactive oxygen species production. The xenograft model showed that NC effectively restricted glioma growth and invasion in vivo. Furthermore, we confirmed the signaling pathways that ER stress downregulates C/EBPβ and slug, as well as inhibition of the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin axis caused by NC, in U-87 MG. Conclusion: We demonstrated that NC inhibits gliomas in vitro and in vivo by activating ER stress and downregulating EMT, which provides a basis for glioma therapy.
Illness uncertainty, coping, and quality of life among patients with prostate cancer

Illness uncertainty is a significant source of psychological distress that affects cancer patients' quality of life (QOL). Mishel's uncertainty in illness theory (UIT) proposes that illness uncertainty influences an individual's use of coping strategies, and directly and indirectly influences their QOL. This study tested the relationships depicted in the adapted UIT in cancer patients.
RETrace: simultaneous retrospective lineage tracing and methylation profiling of single cells

Retrospective lineage tracing harnesses naturally occurring mutations in cells to elucidate single cell development. Common single-cell phylogenetic fate mapping methods have utilized highly mutable microsatellite loci found within the human genome. Such methods were limited by the introduction of in vitro noise through polymerase slippage inherent in DNA amplification, which we characterized to be approximately 10–100× higher than the in vivo replication mutation rate. Here, we present RETrace, a method for simultaneously capturing both microsatellites and methylation-informative cytosines to characterize both lineage and cell type, respectively, from the same single cell. An important unique feature of RETrace was the introduction of linear amplification of microsatellites in order to reduce in vitro amplification noise. We further coupled microsatellite capture with single-cell reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (scRRBS), to measure the CpG methylation status on the same cell for cell type inference. When compared to existing retrospective lineage tracing methods, RETrace achieved higher accuracy (88% triplet accuracy from an ex vivo HCT116 tree) at a higher cell division resolution (lowering the required number of cell division difference between single cells by approximately 100 divisions). Simultaneously, RETrace demonstrated the ability to capture on average 150,000 unique CpGs per single cell in order to accurately determine cell type. We further formulated additional developments that would allow high-resolution mapping on microsatellite-stable cells or tissues with RETrace. Overall, we present RETrace as a foundation for multi-omics lineage mapping and cell typing of single cells.
Steps toward a Universal Influenza Vaccine: Research Models and Comparison of Current Approaches

The ability of influenza virus to adapt to various species and evade natural immunity makes the ubiquitous pathogen particularly difficult to eradicate. Annual reformulation of influenza vaccines is costly and time-consuming and has varying efficacy against influenza virus strains. Therefore, worldwide efforts aim to develop a universal influenza vaccine to prevent potential healthcare emergencies such as pandemic influenza threats, such as the 1918 Spanish Flu and pandemic Swine Flu of 2009. Efficacy of a universal influenza vaccine must overcome current challenges with subtype diversity, antigenic drift, and adequately protect against emerging reassortants from both environmental and agricultural sources. Furthermore, the manufacturing and production of vaccines largely influence the effectiveness of a vaccine and technological advancements may soon rival current vaccine strategies. This review discusses the evolution and diversity of influenza viruses, how viral glycoprotein hemagglutinin plays a dominant role in influenza surveillance and assessment of protection and compares the methodologies of current and upcoming vaccine options. While the obstacles remain daunting, growing knowledge of influenza evolution and immunity may lead to more viable candidates that protect against broader varieties of influenza viruses and help prevent future international health crises. A
DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analysis of bagrid catfish in China based on mitochondrial COI gene

Abstract The family Bagridae is a collection of species widely distributed in Africa and Asia with a high diversity of morphology. The species identification and phylogenetic relationship in this family have been confused and controversial. In order to explore the effectiveness of DNA barcoding in species identification of Bagridae, sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene of 20 species in four genera of Bagridae were used to analyse barcoding gap and to reconstruct phylogenetic relationship. Both the barcoding gap and the phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the COI gene-based DNA barcoding is an effective molecular technique for most species recognition of Chinese Bagridae. However, the rapid speciation and incomplete lineage sorting may affect the accuracy of DNA barcoding in species identification in certain species, and adding additional genes, such as nuclear gene, may help to achieve accurate identification of these species. The phylogenetic tree showed that the monophyly of genera Pelteobagrus, Leiocassis and Pseudobagrus did not exist, which supports that the species of genera Pelteobagrus, Pseudobagrus and Leiocassis distributed in China should be revised into one genus.
Signal Intensity of Lumbar Disc Herniations: Correlation With Age of Herniation for Extrusion, Protrusion, and Sequestration

ABSTRACT Background There is presently insufficient data on small groups of patients, without focus on time since herniation occurred and without establishing a valid method of measurement for signal intensity (SI) of a lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in a standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SI could be reported in relation to SI of nucleus pulposus of herniated intervertebral disc, nucleus pulposus of a healthy “control” intervertebral disc, cerebral spinal fluid, or anterior anulus fibrosus. It is not known which signal intensity ratio (SIR) shows the highest correlation with time since onset of pain and how SIR of different Combined Task Forces (CTF)-types of herniation develop over time. Methods Out of 1053 patients, we enrolled 151 patients to a retrospective single-center analysis of standard MRIs of consecutive patients treated for LDH from February 2008 to December 2017 with confirmed (surgery, injection, or electrophysiologic testing) radicular pain by LDH and known exact date of onset of pain. We excluded patients < 18 or > 70 years, with chronical pain syndrome, spinal deformity, and history of prior spinal surgery on the affected spinal level. Because data did not show normal distribution, we assessed correlation by Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Correlation (R) and coefficient of correlation (CC) are reported. Results SI of LDH referenced by SI of nucleus pulposus of the affected intervertebral disc and CTF type “extrusion” showed the highest correlations with time since onset of pain (R: −0.893; CC: 79.7), followed by CTF-type “sequestration” (R: −0.356; CC: 12.7). Conclusions SIR of extrusion referenced by nucleus pulposus of the affected intervertebral disc does show a high correlation with days since onset of herniation and may be applied to monitor changes of SI of LDH after herniation in standard MRIs of the lumbar spine.
A Comparison of Intranasal Dexmedetomidine and Dexmedetomidine-Ketamine Combination Sedation for Transthoracic Echocardiography in Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES To compare the effects of intranasal dexmedetomidine (DEX) and DEX-ketamine (KET) on hemodynamics and sedation quality in children with congenital heart disease. DESIGN A randomized controlled, double-blind, prospective trial. SETTING A tertiary care teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS The study comprised 60 children undergoing transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly allocated into the DEX group (group D [n = 30]) or the DEX-KET group (group D-K [n = 30]). Group D received 2 μg/kg of intranasal DEX; group D-K received 2 μg/kg of DEX and 1 mg/kg of KET intranasally. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The primary outcome was the change in hemodynamics, measured using mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR). Secondary outcomes were onset time, wake-up time, and discharge time. No differences were found in mean arterial pressure or heart rate. The onset time was significantly shorter in group D-K than in group D (9.6 ± 2.9 minutes v 14.3 ± 3.4 minutes; p = 0.031). The wake-up time was longer in group D-K than in group D (52 ± 14.7 minutes v 39.6 ± 12.1 minutes; p = 0.017). The discharge time was longer in group D-K than in group D (61.33 ± 11.59 minutes v 48.17 ± 8.86 minutes; p < 0.001). No differences in hemodynamics were found between the 2 groups. Intranasal DEX was found to be as effective for TTE sedation as intranasal DEX-KET, with longer onset time and shorter recovery and discharge times. CONCLUSION No differences in hemodynamics were found between the 2 groups. Intranasal DEX was found to be as effective for TTE sedation as is intranasal DEX-KET, with longer onset time and shorter recovery and discharge times.
Characterization and assembly of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa aspartate transcarbamoylase-pseudo dihydroorotase complex

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a virulent pathogen that has become more threatening with the emergence of multidrug resistance. The aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) of this organism is a dodecamer comprised of six 37 kDa catalytic chains and six 45 kDa chains homologous to dihydroorotase (pDHO). The pDHO chain is inactive but is necessary for ATCase activity. A stoichiometric mixture of the subunits associates into a dodecamer with full ATCase activity. Unlike other known ATCases, the P. aeruginosa catalytic chain does not spontaneously assemble into a trimer. Chemical-crosslinking and size-exclusion chromatography showed that P. aeruginosa ATCase is monomeric which accounts for its lack of catalytic activity since the active site is a composite comprised of residues from adjacent monomers in the trimer. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that the ATCase chain adopts a structure that contains secondary structure elements although neither the ATCase nor the pDHO subunits are very stable as determined by a thermal shift assay. Formation of the complex increases the melting temperature by about 30°C. The ATCase is strongly inhibited by all nucleotide di- and triphosphates and exhibits extreme cooperativity. Previous studies suggested that the regulatory site is located in an 11-residue extension of the amino end of the catalytic chain. However, deletion of the extensions did not affect catalytic activity, nucleotide inhibition or the assembly of the dodecamer. Nucleotides destabilized the dodecamer which probably accounts for the inhibition and apparent cooperativity of the substrate saturation curves. Contrary to previous interpretations, these results suggest that P. aeruginosa ATCase is not allosterically regulated by nucleotides.