Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of emotional distress on functional outcomes in acute stroke patients

Objective: To investigate the effect of emotional distress on functional outcomes in acute stroke patients. Materials and Methods: The study included 91 patients (51 females and 40 males) who were followed up with a diagnosis of acute stroke in the Neurology Department of Suleyman Demirel University Training and Research Hospital. The treatment programs of patients progressed in accordance with the functional level. Demographic data of age, gender, and educational level of the patients were recorded. The outcomes were evaluated with application of the patient distress scale (PDS), the functional ındependence measure (FIM), and the physiotherapy functional mobility profile (PFMP) before starting the rehabilitation program and on discharge from the clinic. The Montebello Rehabilitation Factor Score (MRFS) was used to evaluate the rehabilitation outcomes. Results: Mean age of the cases was 68.08 ± 12.66 years. The difference points were calculated for the total scores of the result measurements as Δ PDS 3.72 ± 7.18, ΔFIM 8.74 ± 15.15, and Δ PFMP 4.96 ± 8.82. The MRFS effect points were determined as 0.19 ± 0.31, and the MRFS performance points as 0.03 ± 0.07. A statistically significant negative correlation was determined between Δ FIM, ΔPFMP, MRFS effect points, MRFS performance points, and Δ PDS points (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that acute stroke patients with a good emotional state had better functional outcomes. It can be concluded that evaluating the emotional state and existing problems while planning of rehabilitation programs will make a positive contribution to both the functional and emotional states of acute stroke patients.
High-mobility group nucleosomal binding domain 2 protects against microcephaly by maintaining global chromatin accessibility during corticogenesis

The surface area of the human cerebral cortex undergoes dramatic expansion during late fetal development, leading to cortical folding, an evolutionary feature not present in rodents. Microcephaly is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by an abnormally small brain, and many gene mutations have been found to be associated with primary microcephaly. However, mouse models generated by ablating primary microcephaly-associated genes often fail to recapitulate the severe loss of cortical surface area observed in individuals with this pathology. Here, we show that a mouse model with deficient expression of high-mobility group nucleosomal binding domain 2 (HMGN2) manifests microcephaly with reduced cortical surface area and almost normal radial corticogenesis, with a pattern of incomplete penetrance. We revealed that altered cleavage plane and mitotic delay of ventricular radial glia may explain the rising ratio of intermediate progenitor cells to radial glia and the displacement of neural progenitor cells in microcephalic mutant mice. These led to decreased self-renewal of the radial glia and reduction in lateral expansion. Furthermore, we found that HMGN2 protected corticogenesis by maintaining global chromatin accessibility mainly at promoter regions, thereby ensuring the correct regulation of the transcriptome. Our findings underscore the importance of the regulation of chromatin structure in cortical development and highlight a mouse model with critical insights into the etiology of microcephaly.
Chemical Discrimination of Astragalus mongholicus and Astragalus membranaceus Based on Metabolomics Using UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS Approach

Astragalus mongholicus (MG) and Astragalus membranaceus (MJ), both generally known as Huangqi in China, are two perennial herbals widely used in variety diseases. However, there were still some differences in the chemical ingredients between MG and MJ. In this paper, metabolomics combined with the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was employed to contrastively analyze the chemical constituents between MG and MJ. As a result, principal component analysis showed that MG and MJ were separated clearly. A total of 53 chemical markers were successfully identified for the discrimination of MG and MJ. Of them, the contents of 36 components including Astragaloside I~III, Astragaloside IV, Agroastragaloside I, etc. in MJ were significantly higher than those in MG. On the contrary, the contents of 17 other components including coumaric acid, formononetin, sophoricoside, etc. in MG were obviously higher than those in MJ. The results showed that the distinctive constituents in MG and MJ were remarkable, and MJ may own stronger pharmacological activities than MG. In a word, MG and MJ may be treated as two different herbs. This paper demonstrated that metabolomics was a vitally credible technology to rapidly screen the characteristic chemical composition of traditional Chinese medicine.
Hormonal Regulation of Glucocorticoid Inactivation and Reactivation in αT3-1 and LβT2 Gonadotroph Cells

The regulation of reproductive function by glucocorticoids occurs at all levels of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis. Within the pituitary, glucocorticoids have been shown to directly alter gene expression in gonadotrophs, indicating that these cell types are sensitive to regulation by the glucocorticoid receptor. Whilst the major glucocorticoid metabolising enzymes, 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD; HSD11B1 and HSD11B2), have been described in human pituitary adenomas, the activity of these enzymes within different pituitary cell types has not been reported. Radiometric conversion assays were performed in αT3-1, LβT2 (gonadotrophs), AtT-20 (corticotrophs) and GH3 (somatolactotrophs) anterior pituitary cell lines, using tritiated cortisol, corticosterone, cortisone or 11-dehydrocorticosterone as substrates. The net oxidation of cortisol/corticosterone and net reduction of cortisone/11-dehydrocorticosterone were significantly higher in the two gonadotroph cells lines compared with the AtT-20 and GH3 cells after 4 h. Whilst these enzyme activities remained the same in αT3-1 and LβT2 cells over a 24 h period, there was a significant increase in glucocorticoid metabolism in both AtT-20 and GH3 cells over this same period, suggesting cell-type specific activity of the 11βHSD enzyme(s). Stimulation of both gonadotroph cell lines with either 100 nM GnRH or PACAP (known physiological regulators of gonadotrophs) resulted in significantly increased 11β-dehydrogenase (11βDH) and 11-ketosteroid reductase (11KSR) activities, over both 4 and 24 h. These data reveal that gonadotroph 11βHSD enzyme activity can act to regulate local glucocorticoid availability to mediate the influence of the HPA axis on gonadotroph function.
Anti-Osteoporotic Effects of Combined Extract of Lycii Radicis Cortex and Achyranthes japonica in Osteoblast and Osteoclast Cells and Ovariectomized Mice

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone density and quality with high risk of bone fracture. Here, we investigated anti-osteoporotic effects of natural plants (Lycii Radicis Cortex (LRC) and Achyranthes japonica (AJ)) in osteoblast and osteoclast cells in vitro and ovariectomized mice in vivo. Combined LRC and AJ enhanced osteoblast differentiation and mineralized bone-forming osteoblasts by the up-regulation of bone metabolic markers (Alpl, Runx2 and Bglap) in the osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1. However, LRC and AJ inhibited osteoclast differentiation of monocytes isolated from mouse bone marrow. In vivo experiments showed that treatment of LRC+AJ extract prevented OVX-induced trabecular bone loss and osteoclastogenesis in an osteoporotic animal model. These results suggest that LRC+AJ extract may be a good therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of osteoporotic bone loss.
Temporal and Genotypic Associations of Sporadic Norovirus Gastroenteritis and Reported Norovirus Outbreaks in Middle Tennessee, 2012-2016.

BACKGROUND In the United States, surveillance of norovirus gastroenteritis is largely restricted to outbreaks, limiting our knowledge of the contribution of sporadic illness to the overall impact on reported outbreaks. Understanding norovirus transmission dynamics is vital for improving preventive measures, including norovirus vaccine development. METHODS We analyzed seasonal patterns and genotypic distribution between sporadic pediatric norovirus cases and reported norovirus outbreaks in middle Tennessee. Sporadic cases were ascertained via the New Vaccine Surveillance Network in a single county, while reported norovirus outbreaks from seven middle Tennessee counties were included in the study. We investigated the predictive value of sporadic cases on outbreaks using a two-state discrete Markov model. RESULTS Between December 2012 and June 2016, there were 755 pediatric sporadic norovirus cases and 45 reported outbreaks. Almost half (42.2%) of outbreaks occurred in long-term care facilities. Most sporadic cases (74.9%) and reported outbreaks (86.8%) occurred between November and April. Peak sporadic norovirus activity was often contemporaneous with outbreak occurrence. Among both sporadic cases and outbreaks, GII genogroup noroviruses were most prevalent (90.1% and 83.3%) with GII.4 being the dominant genotype (39.0% and 52.8%). The predictive model suggested that the 3-day moving average of sporadic cases was positively associated with the probability of an outbreak occurring. CONCLUSIONS Despite the demographic differences between the surveillance populations, the seasonal and genotypic associations between sporadic cases and outbreaks are suggestive of contemporaneous community transmission. Public health agencies may use this knowledge to expand surveillance and identify target populations for interventions, including future vaccines.
Synthesis and evaluation of in vivo anti‐hypothermic effect of all stereoisomers of the thyrotropin‐releasing hormone mimetic: Rovatirelin Hydrate

We discovered the orally active thyrotropin‐releasing hormone (TRH) mimetic: (4S,5S)‐5‐methyl‐N‐{(2S)‐1‐[(2R)‐2‐methylpyrrolidin‐1‐yl]‐1‐oxo‐3‐(1,3‐thiazol‐4‐yl)propan‐2‐yl}‐2‐oxo‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐4‐carboxamide 1 (rovatirelin). The central nervous system (CNS) effect of rovatirelin after intravenous (iv) administration is 100‐fold higher than that of TRH. As 1 has four asymmetric carbons in its molecule, there are 16 stereoisomers. We synthesized and evaluated the anti‐hypothermic effect of all stereoisomers of 1, which has the (4S),(5S),(2S),(2R) configuration from the N‐terminus to the C‐terminus, in order to clarify the structure−activity relationship (SAR) of stereoisomers. The (4R),(5R),(2R),(2S)‐isomer 16 did not show any anti‐hypothermic effect. Only the (4S),(5S),(2S),(2S)‐isomer 10, which has the (2S)‐2‐methylpyrrolidine moiety at the C‐terminus showed the anti‐hypothermic effect similar to 1. Stereoisomers, which have the (5R) configuration of the oxazolidinone at the N‐terminus and the (2R) configuration at the middle‐part, showed a much lower anti‐hypothermic effect than that of 1. On the other hand, stereoisomers, which have the (4R) configuration of the oxazolidinone at the N‐terminus or the (2S) configuration of the C‐terminus, have little influence on the anti‐hypothermic effect.
The Burden of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Screening Issue and Future Perspectives

In recent decades, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common liver disease in the Western world, and the occurrence of its complications, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has rapidly increased. Obesity and diabetes are considered not only the main triggers for the development of the disease, but also two independent risk factors for HCC. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (such as PNPLA3, TM6SF2 and MBOAT7) are related to the susceptibility to the development of HCC and its progression. Therefore, an appropriate follow-up of these patients is needed for the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC. To date, international guidelines recommend the use of ultrasonography with or without alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in patients with advanced fibrosis. Furthermore, the use of non-invasive tools could represent a strategy to implement surveillance performance. In this review, we analyzed the main risk factors of NAFLD-related HCC, the validated screening methods and the future perspectives.
N-Glycosylation of mollusk hemocyanins contributes to their structural stability and immunomodulatory properties in mammals

Hemocyanins are widely used as carriers, adjuvants, and nonspecific immunostimulants in cancer because they promote Th1 immunity in mammals. Hemocyanins also interact with glycan-recognizing innate immune receptors on antigen-presenting cells, such as the C-type lectin immune receptors mannose receptor (MR), macrophage galactose lectin (MGL), and the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), stimulating proinflammatory cytokine secretion. However, the role of N-linked oligosaccharides on the structural and immunological properties of hemocyanin is unclear. Mollusk hemocyanins, such as Concholepas concholepas (CCH), Fissurella latimarginata (FLH), and Megathura crenulata (KLH), are oligomeric glycoproteins with complex dodecameric quaternary structures and heterogeneous glycosylation patterns, primarily consisting of mannose-rich N-glycans. Here, we report that enzyme-catalyzed N-deglycosylation of CCH, FLH, and KLH disrupts their quaternary structure and impairs their immunogenic effects. Biochemical analyses revealed that the deglycosylation does not change hemocyanin secondary structure but alters their refolding mechanism and dodecameric structure. Immunochemical analyses indicated decreased binding of N-deglycosylated hemocyanins to the MR and MGL receptors and TLR4 and reduced endocytosis concomitant with an impaired production of tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukins 6 and 12 (IL-6 and IL-12p40, respectively) in macrophages. Evaluating the function of N-deglycosylated hemocyanins in the humoral immune response and their nonspecific antitumor effects in the B16F10 melanoma model, we found that compared with native hemocyanins N-deglycosylated hemocyanins elicited reduced antibody titers, as well as partially diminished antitumor effects and altered carrier activities. In conclusion, the glycan content of hemocyanins is, among other structural characteristics, critically required for their immunological activities and should be considered in biomedical applications.
Advanced imaging for detection and differentiation of colorectal neoplasia: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline – Update 2019

Main Recommendations 1 ESGE suggests that high definition endoscopy, and dye or virtual chromoendoscopy, as well as add-on devices, can be used in average risk patients to increase the endoscopist’s adenoma detection rate. However, their routine use must be balanced against costs and practical considerations. Weak recommendation, high quality evidence. 2 ESGE recommends the routine use of high definition systems in individuals with Lynch syndrome. Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. 3 ESGE recommends the routine use, with targeted biopsies, of dye-based pancolonic chromoendoscopy or virtual chromoendoscopy for neoplasia surveillance in patients with long-standing colitis. Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 4 ESGE suggests that virtual chromoendoscopy and dye-based chromoendoscopy can be used, under strictly controlled conditions, for real-time optical diagnosis of diminutive (≤ 5 mm) colorectal polyps and can replace histopathological diagnosis. The optical diagnosis has to be reported using validated scales, must be adequately photodocumented, and can be performed only by experienced endoscopists who are adequately trained, as defined in the ESGE curriculum, and audited. Weak recommendation, high quality evidence. 5 ESGE recommends the use of high definition white-light endoscopy in combination with (virtual) chromoendoscopy to predict the presence and depth of any submucosal invasion in nonpedunculated colorectal polyps prior to any treatment. Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 6 ESGE recommends the use of virtual or dye-based chromoendoscopy in addition to white-light endoscopy for the detection of residual neoplasia at a piecemeal polypectomy scar site. Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 7 ESGE suggests the possible incorporation of computer-aided diagnosis (detection and characterization of lesions) to colonoscopy, if acceptable and reproducible accuracy for colorectal neoplasia is demonstrated in high quality multicenter in vivo clinical studies. Possible significant risks with implementation, specifically endoscopist deskilling and over-reliance on artificial intelligence, unrepresentative training datasets, and hacking, need to be considered. Weak recommendation, low quality evidence.
Time to onset of progression after imatinib interruption and outcome of patients with advanced GIST: Results of the BFR14 prospective French Sarcoma Group randomized phase III trial.

10033 Background: We previously demonstrated that IM must not be interrupted after 1 and 3 years (yr) in responding patients (pts) and has to be given continuously until disease progression (PD) or intolerance. The impact of the IM-free interval and pattern of GIST mutations on the subsequent outcome of patients remains unknown. Methods: Fifty-seven responding pts to IM (400mg/d) were randomized in the interruption arms of the BFR14 randomized phase III trial. IM was reintroduced in case of PD (same dose). The median PFS after IM rechallenge was analyzed according to the duration of treatment interruption (>6 months (m), 6 to 12 m, >12 m) and the patterns of GIST mutations. Results: As of January 2010, 434 pts were included in this trial. Thirty-two and 25 pts were randomized in the interruption arm after 1 and 3 yrs of IM 400mg/day respectively. The outcomes of pts were similar in the two cohorts of pts: 69% and 69% of patients relapsed one year after treatment stopped, median time to progression of 7 mo.
A comparative study of single-dose preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis versus routine long-term postoperative prophylaxis in elective general surgical cases

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a major contributor to increased mortality and health-care cost globally, which can be reduced by appropriate antibiotic prophylactic use. The proper duration of antimicrobial use for the prevention of postoperative surgical infection has been a subject of controversy. No data currently exist about comparative study of single-dose preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis versus routine long-term postoperative prophylaxis in elective general surgical cases in India. We, therefore, examined risk factors, use, and efficacy of single-dose prophylactic antibiotic for SSI among patients in elective general surgical cases. Objective: To study the effect of antimicrobial prophylaxis to know its effect on reducing postoperative wound infection. Materials and Methods: This study is a randomized prospective and comparative study of a single-dose cefotaxime sodium Intra-Venous (I.V.) 1 g (40 mg/kg Body Weight (B.W.)) (versus long-term (5 days) postoperative in elective general surgical cases. A total of 200 patients were included in this study and were divided into Group A and Group B. Group A contains patients with 1 g of cefotaxime sodium intravenously, that is, single dose was given 1 h before induction of anesthesia and Group B contains patients who were given first dose at 1 h before induction of anesthesia, and subsequent doses were given at an interval of 12 h after surgery for 5 days, that is, multiple dose. Result: The rate of wound infection in Group A was 10% and Group B was 9%. There was no statistical significance. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism causing wound infections. Conclusion: In conclusion, single preoperative dose of cefotaxime sodium is cost-effective, and is as effective as multipledose prophylaxis, and a reliable method of prophylaxis in elective general surgical cases.
Chimpanzees help others with what they want; Children help them with what they need.

Humans, including young children, are strongly motivated to help others, even paying a cost to do so. Humans' nearest primate relatives, great apes, are likewise motivated to help others, raising the question of whether the motivations of humans and apes are the same. Here we compared the underlying motivation to help of human children and chimpanzees. Both species understood the situation and helped a conspecific in a straightforward situation. However, when they knew that what the other was requesting would not actually help her, only the children gave her not what she wanted but what she needed. These results suggest that both chimpanzees and human children help others but the underlying motivation for why they help differs. In comparison to chimpanzees, young children help in a paternalistic manner. The evolutionary hypothesis is that uniquely human socio-ecologies based on interdependent cooperation gave rise to uniquely human prosocial motivations to help others paternalistically.
Pressure-Driven Micro-Casting for Electrode Fabrication and Its Applications in Wear Grain Detections

The microelectrode is an essential and vital part in microsensors that are largely used in industrial, chemical, and biological applications. To obtain desired microelectrodes in great quality, it is also of great necessity and significance to develop a robust method to fabricate the microelectrode pattern. This work developed a four-terminal differential microelectrode that aims at recognizing microparticles in fluids. This microelectrode pair consisted of a high height–width ratio microelectrode array fabricated using a pre-designed microelectrode pattern (a micro-scale channel) and melted liquid metal. The surface treatment of microelectrodes was also investigated to reveal its impacts on the continuality of melting metal and the quality of the fabricated microelectrode patterns. To evaluate the performance of micro-casting fabricated electrodes, a microfluidic device was packaged using a microelectrode layer and a flow layer. Then impedance cytometer experiments were performed using sample fluids with polymer particles in two different sizes in diameter (5 μm and 10 μm). In addition, engine oil was tested on the microelectrodes as complex samples. The number of abrasive particles in the engine oil can be collected from the developed microfluidic device for further analysis.