Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design, Preparation, and Characterization of Dioscin Nanosuspensions and Evaluation of Their Protective Effect against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

The purpose of this study was to prepare a dioscin nanosuspension (Dio-NS) that has a better distance and high solubility for oral administration and to evaluate its hepatoprotective effects. Optimal primary manufacture parameters, including shear time, shear speed, emulation temperature, pressure, and cycles of homogenization, were determined by single-factor experiments. The concentrations of dioscin, SDS, and soybean lecithin were optimized using the central composite design-response surface method, and their effects on the mean particle size (MPS) and particle size distribution of Dio-NS were investigated. Characterization of the Dio-NS formulations included examinations of the surface morphology and physical status of dioscin in Dio-NS, the stability of Dio-NS at different temperatures, in vitro solubility, and liver protective effect in vivo. Under optimal conditions, Dio-NS had an MPS of 106.72 nm, polydispersity index of 0.221, and zeta potential of −34.27 mV. Furthermore, the proportion of dioscin in Dio-NS was approximately 21.26%. The observation of particles with a spherical shape and the disappearance of crystalline peaks indicated that the physical and chemical properties of Dio-NS were altered. Furthermore, we observed that the dissolution of Dio-NS was superior to that of a physical mixture and Dio-GZF. Moreover, Dio-NS was demonstrated to have a protective effect against CCl4-induced acute liver damage in mice that was equivalent to that of silymarin (a positive control drug) at the same dose. The good hepatoprotective effect of our Dio-NS preparation can provide a theoretical basis for investigating its absorption mechanisms in the body.
Evaluation of Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure by a Formula and Its Role in the Pathogenesis of Glaucoma

Purpose To investigate potential associations between intraocular pressure (IOP) and cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and healthy subjects. Methods Forty-three subjects were recruited. Weight and height were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI), along with blood pressure, heart rate, visual acuity, and IOP. Biometrics exam, corneal pachymetry, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and macular thickness were assessed. The visual field exam was performed on all patients, and both pattern standard deviation (PSD) and mean deviation (MD) were considered. CSFP was estimated indirectly by using the mathematical formula CSFP = 0.44 × BMI + 0.16 × diastolic pressure − 0.18 × age − 1.91, based on the previous scientific studies. The TLCPD was calculated as follows: IOP−CSFP. Results A significant (p < 0.05) difference was found between the two groups for several parameters. Specifically, the CSFP was lower in patients with POAG than in healthy subjects (8.14 ± 4.52 and 7.43 ± 2.06, p < 0.001, respectively). Anamnestic TLCPD was found to be significantly (p < 0.001) higher in patients with POAG compared to healthy subjects. A significant (p < 0.05) correlation was found between anamnestic TLCPD and MD (r = −0.31), inferior RNFL thickness (r = −0.29), superior RNFL thickness (r = −0.27), IOP (r = 0.22), and CSFP (r = −0.46). Conclusion The CSFP was lower in glaucomatous patients compared to healthy subjects, whereas the TLCPD was higher in glaucomatous patients compared to healthy subjects, even though this difference was not statistically significant. A higher TLCPD may damage the RNFL, resulting in functional visual field impairment.
Coronary Angiography Characteristics of Symptomatic Patients with Prior Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: A Descriptive Study

Objectives The target of this study was to explore the coronary angiography characteristics for symptomatic patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Methods Between 2009 and 2017, 993 patients who had undergone CABG but subsequently suffered recurrent symptoms in Beijing Anzhen Hospital were selected for this study and divided into either medical therapy (MT) group (n = 351) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) group (n = 642) based on the treatment. Clinical data were analyzed between two groups. Results Patients in the MT group were older and more likely to have chronic lung disease (6.6% vs 3.4%, P=0.026) while patients in the PCI group were more likely to have prior MI (8.8% vs 17.0%, P < 0.001). In the MT group, 54.4% of patients had newly developed lesions both in the graft and native coronary artery while 58.1% in the PCI group (P=0.003), and in the MT group, 80.6% had type C coronary artery disease while 60.1% in the PCI group (P < 0.001). Patients in the MT group presented higher proportion of diffuse lesions (49.3% vs 15.0%, P < 0.001) in native coronary arteries. Conclusion Patients receiving MT (35.3%) likely had occluded grafts and type C coronary artery disease featuring as diffuse lesions.
An Inflammatory Story: Antibodies in Tuberculosis Comorbidities

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) resides in a quarter of the world's population and is the causative agent for tuberculosis (TB), the most common infectious reason of death in humans today. Although cellular immunity has been firmly established in the control of Mtb, there is growing evidence that antibodies may also modulate the infection. More specifically, certain antibody features are associated with inflammation and are divergent in different states of human infection and disease. Importantly, TB impacts not just the healthy but also those with chronic conditions. While HIV represents the quintessential comorbid condition for TB, recent epidemiological evidence shows that additional chronic conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease are rising. In fact, the prevalence of diabetes as a comorbid TB condition is now higher than that of HIV. These chronic diseases are themselves independently associated with pro-inflammatory immune states that encompass antibody profiles. This review discusses isotypes, subclasses, post-translational modifications and Fc-mediated functions of antibodies in TB infection and in the comorbid chronic conditions of HIV, diabetes, and kidney diseases. We propose that inflammatory antibody profiles, which are a marker of active TB, may be an important biomarker for detection of TB disease progression within comorbid individuals. We highlight the need for future studies to determine which inflammatory antibody profiles are the consequences of comorbidities and which may potentially contribute to TB reactivation.
SmoPSI: Analysis and Prediction of Small Molecule Binding Sites Based on Protein Sequence Information

The analysis and prediction of small molecule binding sites is very important for drug discovery and drug design. The traditional experimental methods for detecting small molecule binding sites are usually expensive and time consuming, and the tools for single species small molecule research are equally inefficient. In recent years, some algorithms for predicting binding sites of protein-small molecules have been developed based on the geometric and sequence characteristics of proteins. In this paper, we have proposed SmoPSI, a classification model based on the XGBoost algorithm for predicting the binding sites of small molecules, using protein sequence information. The model achieved better results with an AUC of 0.918 and an ACC of 0.913. The experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves high performances and outperforms many existing predictors. In addition, we also analyzed the binding residues and nonbinding residues and finally found the PSSM; hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, charge, and hydrogen bonding have obviously different effects on the binding-site predictions.
Fabrication and In Vitro Evaluation of 3D Printed Porous Polyetherimide Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

For bone tissue engineering, the porous scaffold should provide a biocompatible environment for cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation and match the mechanical properties of native bone tissue. In this work, we fabricated porous polyetherimide (PEI) scaffolds using a three-dimensional (3D) printing system, and the pore size was set as 800 μm. The morphology of 3D PEI scaffolds was characterized by the scanning electron microscope. To investigate the mechanical properties of the 3D PEI scaffold, the compressive mechanical test was performed via an electronic universal testing system. For the in vitro cell experiment, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were cultured on the surface of the 3D PEI scaffold and PEI slice, and cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, and cell proliferation were detected to verify their biocompatibility. Besides, the alkaline phosphatase staining and Alizarin Red staining were performed on the BMSCs of different samples to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation. Through these studies, we found that the 3D PEI scaffold showed an interconnected porous structure, which was consistent with the design. The elastic modulus of the 3D PEI scaffold (941.33 ± 65.26 MPa) falls in the range of modulus for the native cancellous bone. Moreover, the cell proliferation and morphology on the 3D PEI scaffold were better than those on the PEI slice, which revealed that the porous scaffold has good biocompatibility and that no toxic substances were produced during the progress of high-temperature 3D printing. The osteogenic differentiation level of the 3D PEI scaffold and PEI slice was equal and ordinary. All of these results suggest the 3D printed PEI scaffold would be a potential strategy for bone tissue engineering.
Hemorrhagic Shock Sensitized the Diaphragm to Ventilator-Induced Dysfunction through the Activation of IL-6/JAK/STAT Signaling-Mediated Autophagy in Rats

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a major life support technique for the management of trauma-associated hemorrhagic shock (HS). Ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction (VIDD), one of the most common complications of MV, has been well demonstrated in animal and human studies. However, few data are available concerning the effects of MV on diaphragm function in HS victims. In the present study, we found diaphragm muscle atrophy and weakness in HS but not in healthy animals after 4 hours of MV. The inhibition of autophagy resulted in reduced muscle fiber atrophy and improved forces. In addition, we observed diaphragmatic interleukin- (IL-) 6 overexpression and activation of its downstream signaling JAK/STAT in HS animals after MV, and either the neutralization of IL-6 or the inhibition of the JAK/STAT pathway attenuated autophagy, diaphragm atrophy, and weakness. Importantly, treatment with nonselective antioxidant exerted no protective effects against VIDD in HS animals. In addition, in vitro study showed that exogenous IL-6 was able to induce activation of JAK/STAT signaling and to increase autophagy in C2C12 cells. Moreover, the inhibition of JAK/STAT signaling abolished IL-6-induced cell autophagy. Together, our results suggested that HS sensitized the diaphragm to ventilator-induced atrophy and weakness through the activation of IL-6/JAK/STAT signaling-mediated autophagy in rats.
(Sigma-Delta) Codes

In this paper we introduce the notion of cyclic ($f(t),\sigma,\delta$)-codes for $f(t)\in \Ore$. These codes generalize the $\theta$-codes as introduced by D. Boucher, F. Ulmer, W. Geiselmann \cite{BGU}. We construct generic and control matrices for these codes. As a particular case the ($\si,\de$)-$W$-code associated to a Wedderburn polynomial are defined and we show that their control matrices are given by generalized Vandermonde matrices. All the Wedderburn polynomials of $\mathbb F_q[t;\theta]$ are described and their control matrices are presented. A key role will be played by the pseudo-linear transformations.
Investigating computer-based formative assessments in a medical terminology course

Research has been conducted on the effectiveness of formative assessments and on effectively teaching medical terminology; however, research had not been conducted on the use of formative assessments in a medical terminology course. A quantitative study was performed which captured data from a pretest, self-assessment, four module exams, and a final exam for 48 students to explore the effectiveness of formative assessments in an online medical terminology course. The students enrolled in the course were randomly divided into two groups and assigned a self-assessment for one of two modules of course content. Data indicate that the inclusion of self-assessment opportunities did not influence summative exam scores. However, there may have been a positive relationship between completing the self-assessment multiple times and the final exam score.
Ridge correlation structure in high-multiplicity pp collisions with CMS

Results on two-particle angular correlations are presented in proton–proton collisions at center of mass energies of 7 TeV, over a broad range of pseudorapidity and azimuthal angle. In very high-multiplicity events at 7 TeV, a pronounced structure emerges in the two-dimensional correlation function for particle pairs with intermediate pT of 1–3 GeV/c, in the kinematic region 2.0 < |Δη| < 4.8 and small Δ. This structure, which has not been observed in pp collisions before, is similar to what is known as the 'ridge' in heavy-ion collisions. It is not predicted by commonly used proton–proton Monte Carlo models and is not seen in lower multiplicity pp collisions. Updated studies of this new effect as a function of particle transverse momentum, rapidity and event characteristics are shown.
Observer weighting of level and timing cues in bilateral cochlear implant users

The contribution of binaural level and timing cues available from each pulse in brief electrical pulse trains was determined in a lateralization task using an observer weighting paradigm. Four bilateral cochlear implant users were tested with randomized interaural time delays (ITDs) or, in a separate experimental condition, interaural level differences (ILDs) applied to each pulse at 100, 300, and 600pulses∕s. To examine the effect of cue randomization, weights were also determined for stimuli with a common ITD applied to all postonset pulses. Listeners were further tested for the ability to restart binaural ITD sensitivity at a rate that produced onset dominance by reducing a single interpulse interval in the stimulus. Results showed that the onset always exerted a strong influence. At 100pulses∕s, postonset ITDs and ILDs also contributed strongly. At 300 and 600pulses∕s, contributions from postonset pulses remained substantial for ILDs but were much reduced for ITDs, particularly at 600pulses∕s. Weights.
Leczenie nadciśnienia tętniczego u osób w podeszłym wieku Treatment of high blood pressure in the elderly

Adres do korespondencji: Prof. Sverre E. Kjeldsen Dept of Cardiology, Ullevaal University Hospital N-0407 Oslo, Norway e-mail: s.e. kjeldsen@medisin.uio. no pomocą mankietu, które jest fałszywie wysokie [5, 6]. Wyniki pomiarów ciśnienia tętniczego są znacznie bardziej zmienne u osób w podeszłym wieku i z tego względu na początku należy je przeprowadzać dużo częściej niż u chorych w populacji ogólnej. Pomiar powinno się wykonywać zarówno w pozycji siedzącej, jak i na stojąco, ponieważ u pacjentów z ciśnieniem skurczowym przekraczającym 160 mm Hg dość często (w ok. 30% przypadków) występuje obniżenie wartości ciśnienia nawet o ponad 20 mm Hg. W takiej sytuacji o sposobie terapii powinna decydować wartość ciśnienia tętniczego mierzonego na stojąco. Niepokojące objawy niepożądane, takie jak zaburzenia równowagi i zawroty głowy, mogą świadczyć o zbyt intensywnym leczeniu. Częstość klinicznie istotnych przypadków wtórnego nadciśnienia tętniczego jest niewielka (prawdopodobnie mieści się w zakresie 1–5%).
Psychische Gesundheit und Substanzkonsum Jugendlicher im Zeitverlauf

Zusammenfassung Der Beitrag stellt Entwicklungstrends der Ergebnisse des „Communities That Care“ Kinder- und Jugendsurveys der Jahre 2013–2017 in Niedersachsen vor. Im Fokus stehen der Substanzkonsum sowie die psychosoziale Gesundheit der Jugendlichen in Form von depressiven Symptomen und Opferwerdung von Mobbing und Partnergewalt. Die Ergebnisse sprechen für ein stabiles, zu Teilen auch gesundheitsbewussteres Verhalten über die Zeit. Mädchen zeigen einen Trend hinsichtlich schlechterer psychischer Gesundheit.
Neues zu überhaupt und sowieso

Abstract This article investigates the use of überhaupt and sowieso in German and Dutch. These two words are frequently classified as particles, if only because of their pragmatic functions. The frequent use of particles is considered a specific trait common to German and Dutch, and the description of their semantics and pragmatics is notoriously difficult. It is unclear whether both particles have the same meaning in Dutch (where they are loanwords) and German, whether they can fulfil the same syntactic functions and to what extent the (semantic and pragmatic) functions of überhaupt und sowieso overlap. There has already been linguistic research on überhaupt and sowieso by Fisseni (2009) using the world-wide web and by Bruijnen and Sudhoff (2013) using the EUROPARL corpus. In the present study we critically evaluated the corpus study, integrating information on original utterance language and discussing the adequacy of this corpus. Moreover, we conducted an experimental survey collecting subjective-intuitive judgements in three dimensions, thus gathering more data on sparse and informal constructions. By using these complementary methods, we obtain a more nuanced picture of the use of überhaupt and sowieso in both languages: On the one hand, the data show where the use of both words is more similar and on the other hand, differences between the languages can also be discerned.
Lighting design and study of colorimetric aspects in a day care centre for people with Alzheimer’s disease

In this paper the Authors have studied the natural and artificial lighting of a new day care centre for people with Alzheimer’s disease within the S. Chiara health structure in Volterra (Italy). The day care centre has been designed as a research laboratory for the investigation of the light and colour effects on a group of guests at the disease intermediate stage.
GEMINI Spectroscopy of the Ultracompact Binary Candidate V407 Vulpeculae

We present time-resolved spectroscopy of the optical counterpart to the proposed ultracompact binary system V407 Vul (=RX J1914.4+2456). Our Gemini spectra resolve the 9.48 minute periodicity that has previously been reported for this source. We find that the optical counterpart is dominated by a reddened late-type spectrum of type G9 V and contains solely unresolved absorption features. No radial velocity signatures exceeding 10 km s-1 could be detected on periods from minutes to hours. Using interstellar extinction estimates, we derive a distance to the G9 star of 1.1-3.5 kpc. In addition to this stellar spectrum, we detect a blue component that modulates solely on the 9.48 minute period and peaks ~0.15 in phase ahead of the X-ray peak. This blue component, which contributes up to 40% of the light, shows no evidence for emission-line features that are the usual hallmarks of an interacting binary. Good-seeing images obtained with the Magellan Telescopes indicate that the variable and the G star are aligned to better than 0. ″1. Despite the low probability of a chance alignment of a field star along the line of sight, the G9 light cannot be directly associated with the 9.48 minute variable that powers the luminous (~1035 ergs s-1) and highly variable X-ray source. The outlook for the detection of conclusive radial velocity measurements will remain challenging due to the extinction along the line of sight in conjunction with the contaminating effect of the G9 V star.
Knowledge, Skills and Practices of Transient Ischemic Attack Intervention amongst General Practitioners in Karachi, Pakistan

BACKGROUND: The role of a general practitioner (GP) in the early recognition, assessment and management of transient ischemic attack (TIA) is vital to prevent subsequent stroke. The aim of this study was to determine the GPs knowledge of TIA recognition, assessment, and management. METHODS: The study comprised a questionnaire survey of 228 GPs in all 19 towns of Karachi, Pakistan. The questionnaire consists of demographic details and case scenarios based questions which had three responses (yes, no, do not know). Case scenarios were based on the typical neurological cases seen in general practice. The sections covered risk stratification, investigations, and management of TIA. Questionnaire were provided and briefed to GPs by two-trained research assistants. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0). Data were expressed in frequencies for all questionnaire responses and calculated for all variables in numbers and percentage. Cross tabulation was performed to determine, if there was a relationship between subgroups. Chi-square test was used for comparative analysis. RESULTS: All 228 GPs responded to the survey. Most of the GPs responded correctly to the stratification of risk of TIA, and early risk of subsequent stroke. Majority of the GPs correctly responded to the investigations and the management of TIA. Difficulty in accessing neurological consultation was not identified as a barrier (74%). CONCLUSION: This study concludes that, GPs can recognize TIA reasonably which is a major contribution to the assessment and management of TIA in the community. This is due to the continuous medical education and training in dealing with the specialized groups of patients.
Do You Really Mean What You Say? Doorstep Concerns and Data Quality in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

Using paradata and health data from the National Health Interview Survey, we explore the associations between respondent mentions of “too busy,” “not interested,” and “privacy concerns” at first contact and item nonresponse and the amount of time devoted to the survey task. Mentions of “not interested” were consistently associated with less time spent in key sections of the interview, while mentions of all three concerns were generally associated with higher levels of item nonresponse. Preliminary results also suggest that mentions of multiple concerns at first contact foretell more quality problems than mentions of single concerns.
The Design of Forecasting System Used for Prediction of Electro-Motion Spare Parts Demands as an Improving Tool for an Enterprise Management

Abstract This article describes the design of a simple forecasting system and its practical application to predict the sporadic needs for a spare part. The article shows new approach already implemented in the special servicing and production company in Slovakia and its results during a short period of performance after its implementation. Such a proposed model can be a part of the purchase planning of spare parts within the company’s logistics system. In some companies, the material flow of spare parts is dominant element in terms of logistics costs. Their management is therefore important for cost optimization, customer satisfaction and market sustainability in a competitive environment. The article, in its introductory part, provides an overview of similar practical solutions within the research of this topic, but many models are designed to be applied in a global market environment and predict the amount of spare parts needed in different industries. However, these models are difficult to use for the needs of a small enterprise, because the main problem lies in the time of a spare part demand rather than its quantity. If there is a need for a specific spare part, which costs several hundred or thousands of euros, but the consumption is only a few pieces per year or more than a year, the time prediction of required spare parts is therefore crucial.