Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Potential biomedical reuse of vegetative residuals from mycorrhized grapevines subjected to warming

ABSTRACT Grapevine leaves are widely discarded in open fields despite their known antioxidant properties. We tested the cytotoxicity of leaf extracts from three clones (CL-260, CL-1048, CL-8) of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo against four human cancer cell lines: colon, HT-29; breast, MCF-7; lung HTB-54; and lymphoblastic leukemia, CCRF-CEM. Grapevines were cultivated at either ambient (24/14 °C) or elevated (28/18 °C) day/night temperatures, and inoculated (+M) or not (-M) with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Cytotoxicity was analysed by MTT assays. Elevated air temperatures enhanced the cytotoxicity of leaf extracts from CL-260 against HT-29, CCRF-CEM and HTB-54 and that from CL-8 against MCF-7. Mycorrhization improved the cytotoxicity of leaf extracts from CL-1048 against HT-29, CCRF-CEM, HTB-54 and MCF-7. The cytotoxic activities of CL-260 against HTB-54 and CL-1048 against HT-29 were correlated, respectively, with total phenols and total antioxidant capacity. We conclude that the predicted increase in air temperature for the future climate and the mycorrhizal association of grapevines may enhance the cytotoxicity of leaves, which strengthens the potential application of these agricultural residuals for biomedicine. However, the clonal diversity in the response to AMF and air temperature highlights the importance of choosing the most adequate clone for a concrete environmental scenario.
Effects of a Low Dose of Caffeine Alone or as Part of a Green Coffee Extract, in a Rat Dietary Model of Lean Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease without Inflammation

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a highly prevalent condition without specific pharmacological treatment, characterized in the initial stages by hepatic steatosis. It was suggested that lipid infiltration in the liver might be reduced by caffeine through anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and fatty acid metabolism-related mechanisms. We investigated the effects of caffeine (CAF) and green coffee extract (GCE) on hepatic lipids in lean female rats with steatosis. For three months, female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a standard diet or a cocoa butter-based high-fat diet plus 10% liquid fructose. In the last month, the high-fat diet was supplemented or not with CAF or a GCE, providing 5 mg/kg of CAF. Plasma lipid levels and the hepatic expression of molecules involved in lipid metabolism were determined. Lipidomic analysis was performed in liver samples. The diet caused hepatic steatosis without obesity, inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, or hepatic insulin resistance. Neither CAF nor GCE alleviated hepatic steatosis, but GCE-treated rats showed lower hepatic triglyceride levels compared to the CAF group. The GCE effects could be related to reductions of hepatic (i) mTOR phosphorylation, leading to higher nuclear lipin-1 levels and limiting lipogenic gene expression; (ii) diacylglycerol levels; (iii) hexosylceramide/ceramide ratios; and (iv) very-low-density lipoprotein receptor expression. In conclusion, a low dose of CAF did not reduce hepatic steatosis in lean female rats, but the same dose provided as a green coffee extract led to lower liver triglyceride levels.
Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical and Health Science Students in the United Arab Emirates toward Genomic Medicine and Pharmacogenomics: A Cross-Sectional Study

Medical and health science students represent future health professionals, and their perceptions are essential to increasing awareness on genomic medicine and pharmacogenomics. Lack of education is one of the significant barriers that may affect health professional’s ability to interpret and communicate pharmacogenomics information and results to their clients. Our aim was to assess medical and health science students’ knowledge, attitudes and perception for a better genomic medicine and pharmacogenomics practice in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated questionnaire distributed electronically to students recruited using random and snowball sampling methods. A total of 510 students consented and completed the questionnaire between December 2018 and October 2019. The mean knowledge score (SD) for students was 5.4 (±2.7). There were significant differences in the levels of knowledge by the year of study of bachelor’s degree students, the completion status of training or education in pharmacogenomics (PGX) or pharmacogenetics and the completion of an internship or study abroad program (p-values < 0.05. The top two barriers that students identified in the implementation of genomic medicine and pharmacogenomics were lack of training or education (59.7%) and lack of clinical guidelines (58.7%). Concerns regarding confidentiality and discrimination were stated. The majority of medical and health science students had positive attitudes but only had a fair level of knowledge. Stakeholders in the UAE must strive to acquaint their students with up-to-date knowledge of genomic medicine and pharmacogenomics.
Living situation of family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE To describe the living situation of family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury. DESIGN Cross-sectional questionnaire. SUBJECTS Primary family caregivers of persons with chronic spinal cord injury in Switzerland. METHODS Cross-sectional study of family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury. For comparison, the study population was matched to family caregivers of persons dealing with long-term health conditions in the general population, using a propensity-score based algorithm. RESULTS A total of 717 family caregivers participated in the survey (35% response rate). Participants were mostly female (72%), mean age 57 years, and had spent approximately 13 years caring for their relative. A mean of 21 h/week was spent providing care and assistance. The vast majority of family caregivers reported coping well with their situation. However, support from public services was deemed inadequate. Compared with family caregivers in the general population, family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury performed more caring tasks and reported a slightly lower quality of life. CONCLUSION Family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury are self-reliant to cope with their situation, but report discontent with public support services. The healthcare system could provide alternative support measures, such as direct financial compensation.
Low-Cost Road-Surface Classification System Based on Self-Organizing Maps

Expanding the performance and autonomous-decision capability of driver-assistance systems is critical in today’s automotive engineering industry to help drivers and reduce accident incidence. It is essential to provide vehicles with the necessary perception systems, but without creating a prohibitively expensive product. In this area, the continuous and precise estimation of a road surface on which a vehicle moves is vital for many systems. This paper proposes a low-cost approach to solve this issue. The developed algorithm resorts to analysis of vibrations generated by the tyre-rolling movement to classify road surfaces, which allows for optimizing vehicular-safety-system performance. The signal is analyzed by means of machine-learning techniques, and the classification and estimation of the surface are carried out with the use of a self-organizing-map (SOM) algorithm. Real recordings of the vibration produced by tyre rolling on six different types of surface were used to generate the model. The efficiency of the proposed model (88.54%) and its speed of execution were compared with those of other classifiers in order to evaluate its performance.
Post flywheel squat vs. flywheel deadlift potentiation of lower limb isokinetic peak torques in male athletes

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) of isokinetic quadriceps and hamstrings torque after flywheel (FW)-squat vs. FW-deadlift in comparison to a control condition. Fifteen male athletes were enrolled in this randomised, crossover study. Each protocol consisted of 3 sets of 6 repetitions, with an inertial load of 0.029 kg.m2. Isokinetic quadriceps (knee extension) and hamstrings (knee flexion) concentric peak torque (60º/s) and hamstring eccentric peak torque (−60º/s) were measured 5 min after experimental or control conditions. A significant condition (PAPE) effect was reported (f = 4.067, p = 0.008) for isokinetic hamstrings eccentric peak torque following FW-squat and FW-deadlift, but no significant differences were found for quadriceps and hamstrings concentric peak torques. The significant difference averaged 14 Nm between FW-squat vs. control (95% CI: 2, 28; d = 0.75, moderate; p = 0.033), and 13 Nm between FW-deadlift vs. control (95% CI: 1, 25; d = 0.68, moderate; p = 0.038). This study reported that both FW-squat and FW-deadlift exercises are equivalently capable of generating PAPE of isokinetic hamstrings eccentric torque. Practitioners may use these findings to inform strength and power development during complex training sessions consisting of flywheel-based exercises prior to a sport-specific task.
Determinants of Autism among Children in Makkah Al-Mukarramah City, Saudi Arabia : A Case-Control Study

Aim of Study: To identify risk factors associated with autism among autistic children in Makkah AlMukarramah City. Subjects and Methods: Following a case-control study design, 100 autistic children 3-12 years old were selected from four rehabilitation centres in addition to 100 age-matched non-autistic children (control group) who were recruited from nearby kindergarten centers and primary schools. Based on relevant review of literature, an Arabic language questionnaire was designed by the researcher. Results: There were significantly more male autistic children than non-autistic children (71% and 52%, respectively, p=0.006), with a female:male ratio of about 1:3. However, autistic and non-autistic children did not differ significantly according to their age groups, nationality or birth order. Most autistic children (74%) were diagnosed at the age of 4-8 years. The mean age at diagnosis was 6.1±2.4 years. The mean age of mothers of autistic children at their birth was significantly older than that of mothers of non-autistic children (35.1±5.9 years and 35.1±5.9 years, respectively, p=0.015), while mean age of fathers of autistic children at their birth was significantly older than that of fathers of non-autistic children (42.6±7.7 years and 39.7±8.8 years, respectively, p=0.016). Mothers of autistic children have been significantly more exposed to smoke than those of non-autistic children (15% and 6%, respectively, p=0.038). Autistic and non-autistic children did not differ significantly according to their family, prenatal and postnatal characteristics. Conclusions: Most autistic children become diagnosed at 4-8 years old. The female:male ratio among autistic children is about 1:3. Advanced parental age is a significant risk factor for autism among their children. Exposure of mothers to smoke is a risk factor for autism among their children. Recommendations: Screening of children, especially boys, for autism during their visits to the well-baby clinics and at school entry. Avoidance of exposure of pregnant mothers and children to smoke. Provision of health education to parents about autism and the importance of avoiding pregnancy at advanced parent ages.
The Cognitive Underpinnings of Irony Interpretation by Children

Verbal irony is when a speaker's communicative intent is not the literal meaning of the statement and is commonly used as banter or to soften criticism. The main aim of this thesis is to investigate the cognitive underpinnings of irony interpretation in children. To date, the main focus of the developmental irony literature was on the role of mentalising, which is often defined as the ability to understand that others may have different beliefs, knowledge or desires. There are some good theoretical reasons that other cognitive skills, such as Executive Functions, might be crucial for irony interpretation too. For instance, it is theoretically plausible that one of the main components of EF, cognitive flexibility, might play an important role as the addressee of the ironic comment must switch between decoding the actual (literal) and the intended (ironic) meaning. Yet, only a handful of research looked at other than mentalising cognitive skills underpinning irony interpretation. To attempt to explore what cognitive factors underpin irony interpretation, N = 233 children (6- to 12-year-olds) were tested with newly developed irony measures across two correlational (Experiment 1 and 2) and one experimental study (Experiment 3). Over all the empirical studies, there was evidence for the role of mentalising - particularly in the experimental study - but it was not clear which particular aspect of mentalising was required. Moreover, there was conflicting evidence regarding the role of cognitive flexibility; in the correlational studies cognitive flexibility was found to be an independent predictor or irony whereas in the experimental study the effect of cognitive flexibility was not found. In the final chapter a suggestion is made that using more sensitive online measures, such as eye-tracking, and moving towards experimental as opposed to correlational measures might enable the detection of the role of cognitive flexibility on the irony interpretation
Out, Out--the Role of Messaging in Countering Domestic Violent Extremism

Countering the radical Islamist narrative remains a high-profile priority of the United States in its ongoing efforts to counter domestic violent extremism. Since mid-2014, government officials have condemned the United States as unable to muster a satisfactory “counter-narrative,” and emphasize the potentially devastating consequences of failure. Experts inside and outside the government describe the Islamic State as masters of the internet capable of reaching into the United States and turning its people into hate-filled, violently inspired terrorists at will. The idea that the United States must aggressively work to counter these messages domestically remains a given; but should it? The focus of this thesis is to examine current U.S. efforts in counter-messaging to determine why the United States believes it is failing, and what, if any, evidence supports the idea that a counter-narrative or counter-messaging should be part of domestic countering violent extremism (CVE) programs. Review of official documents found little basis to assess U.S. programs, as no meaningful published strategy, objectives, or performance data exist for current efforts. Moreover, the foundational assumptions underlying current programs suggest malalignment between what U.S. officials desire a counter-messaging effort to accomplish and what is realistically achievable. Based on these findings, it is recommended that domestic CVE programs eliminate countermessaging from their portfolio.
GENETIC VARIANCE, CORRELATION AND HERITABILITY FOR GRAIN YIELD IN A MEDIUM-MATURING YELLOW-ENDOSPERM MAIZE POPULATION

Information on the magnitude of additive relative to non-additive variance of a trait in a population helps in deciding the appropriate breeding strategies for improving such trait. Two hundred and fifty-five full-sib families derived from IARTZI-Y Pop DT STR C0 using North Carolina Design I were evaluated at three environments in 2017 to determine the magnitude of additive variance relative to other components of variance in the population, and to assess relationship between grain yield and other agronomic traits. A 17 A— 15 alpha-lattice design with two replications was used in each trial after sub-dividing the males into 17 sets, each containing 15 full-sib families. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance using appropriate software at P < 0.05. Males-within-set and females in male-within-set mean squares were significant (P < 0.01) for measured traits. Non-additive variances were larger than additive variances for grain yield and anthesis-silking interval but not for other traits, indicating the predominance of non-additive gene action for inheritance of grain yield in the population. The heritability estimates ranged between 1% for grain yield and 94% for ear height. Grain yield had significant positive genotypic correlations with days to mid-silk (rg = 0.75**) and number of ears per plant (rg = 0.26) but negative with husk cover (rg = -14*), anthesis-silking interval (rg = -0.11*), and ear aspect (rg = -22**). Recurrent selection schemes would be effective for improving yield-related traits while grain yield could be improved through hybrid development or by indirect selection through secondary traits.
Genetically engineered macrophages persist in solid tumors and locally deliver therapeutic proteins to activate immune responses

Background Though currently approved immunotherapies, including chimeric antigen receptor T cells and checkpoint blockade antibodies, have been successfully used to treat hematological and some solid tumor cancers, many solid tumors remain resistant to these modes of treatment. In solid tumors, the development of effective antitumor immune responses is hampered by restricted immune cell infiltration and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). An immunotherapy that infiltrates and persists in the solid TME, while providing local, stable levels of therapeutic to activate or reinvigorate antitumor immunity could overcome these challenges faced by current immunotherapies. Methods Using lentivirus-driven engineering, we programmed human and murine macrophages to express therapeutic payloads, including Interleukin (IL)-12. In vitro coculture studies were used to evaluate the effect of genetically engineered macrophages (GEMs) secreting IL-12 on T cells and on the GEMs themselves. The effects of IL-12 GEMs on gene expression profiles within the TME and tumor burden were evaluated in syngeneic mouse models of glioblastoma and melanoma and in human tumor slices isolated from patients with advanced gastrointestinal malignancies. Results Here, we present a cellular immunotherapy platform using lentivirus-driven genetic engineering of human and mouse macrophages to constitutively express proteins, including secreted cytokines and full-length checkpoint antibodies, as well as cytoplasmic and surface proteins that overcomes these barriers. GEMs traffic to, persist in, and express lentiviral payloads in xenograft mouse models of glioblastoma, and express a non-signaling truncated CD19 surface protein for elimination. IL-12-secreting GEMs activated T cells and induced interferon-gamma (IFNγ) in vitro and slowed tumor growth resulting in extended survival in vivo. In a syngeneic glioblastoma model, IFNγ signaling cascades were also observed in mice treated with mouse bone-marrow-derived GEMs secreting murine IL-12. These findings were reproduced in ex vivo tumor slices comprised of intact MEs. In this setting, IL-12 GEMs induced tumor cell death, chemokines and IFNγ-stimulated genes and proteins. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that GEMs can precisely deliver titratable doses of therapeutic proteins to the TME to improve safety, tissue penetrance, targeted delivery and pharmacokinetics.
Risks of adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes among women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in southwestern Uganda

Introduction Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of global perinatal (fetal and neonatal) and maternal morbidity and mortality. We sought to describe HDP and determine the magnitude and risk factors for adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes among women with HDP in southwestern Uganda. Methods We prospectively enrolled pregnant women admitted for delivery and diagnosed with HDP at a tertiary referral hospital in southwestern Uganda from January 2019 to November 2019, excluding women with pre-existing hypertension. The participants were observed and adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes were documented. We used multivariable logistic regression models to determine independent risk factors associated with adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes. Results A total of 103 pregnant women with a new-onset HDP were enrolled. Almost all women, 93.2% (n = 96) had either pre-eclampsia with severe features or eclampsia. The majority, 58% (n = 60) of the participants had an adverse perinatal outcome (36.9% admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU), 20.3% stillbirths, and 1.1% neonatal deaths). Fewer participants, 19.4% (n = 20) had an adverse maternal outcome HELLP syndrome (7.8%), ICU admission (3%), and postpartum hemorrhage (3%). In adjusted analyses, gestational age of < 34 weeks at delivery and birth weight <2.5kg were independent risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes while referral from another health facility and eclampsia were independent risk factors for adverse maternal outcomes. Conclusion Among women with HDP at our institution, majority had preeclampsia with severe symptoms or eclampsia and an unacceptably high rate of adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes; over a fifth of the mothers experiencing stillbirth. This calls for improved antenatal surveillance of women with HDP and in particular improved neonatal and maternal critical care expertise at delivering facilities. Earlier detection and referral, as well as improvement in initial management at lower level health units and on arrival at the referral site is imperative.
Functional neuroanatomy of language without speech: An ALE meta‐analysis of sign language

Sign language (SL) conveys linguistic information using gestures instead of sounds. Here, we apply a meta‐analytic estimation approach to neuroimaging studies (N = 23; subjects = 316) and ask whether SL comprehension in deaf signers relies on the same primarily left‐hemispheric cortical network implicated in spoken and written language (SWL) comprehension in hearing speakers. We show that: (a) SL recruits bilateral fronto‐temporo‐occipital regions with strong left‐lateralization in the posterior inferior frontal gyrus known as Broca's area, mirroring functional asymmetries observed for SWL. (b) Within this SL network, Broca's area constitutes a hub which attributes abstract linguistic information to gestures. (c) SL‐specific voxels in Broca's area are also crucially involved in SWL, as confirmed by meta‐analytic connectivity modeling using an independent large‐scale neuroimaging database. This strongly suggests that the human brain evolved a lateralized language network with a supramodal hub in Broca's area which computes linguistic information independent of speech.