Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ion release and recharge from a fissure sealant containing amorphous calcium phosphate

To assess- the release of calcium and phosphate ions from a fissure sealant containing amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), and to determine the re-release capacity of these ions when charged with a solution containing casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP). Nine blocks of ACP resin-based sealant were prepared and immersed in three solutions at different pH (4.0, 5.5, 7.0), and calcium and phosphate ion release was measured with ion chromatography at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after immersion. Sixty days after immersion, each block was charged with CPP-ACP solution in three 7-day cycles to investigate the re-release of these ions, which was measured on days 1, 3, and 7. No difference was observed in initial calcium ion release at pH 4.0 and pH 5.5. At both values, ion release was significantly higher than at pH 7.0 (p<0.001). Initial phosphate release was significantly different among the three pH values (p<0.001). After re-charging the specimens, calcium ion re-release was greater than phosphate ion release. Initial ion release from ACP resin-based sealant was greatest at the lowest pH. Ion release decreased with time. As the number of recharge cycles increased, ion re-release also improved. Phosphate ion re-release required more recharge cycles than calcium ion re-release.
[The changes of left ventricular longitudinal systolic function depending on hypertension and its control: analysis in a population].

Aim To evaluate changes in left ventricular (LV) systolic function by LV myocardial global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global strain rate (GSR) in patients with arterial hypertension (AH) and based on the effectiveness of blood pressure (BP) control in a Russian population sample of individuals older than 55 years.Materials and methods This cross-sectional study was a population-based cohort study (HAPIEE, Novosibirsk). LV myocardial GLS and GSR were studied by echocardiography in a random sample (n=1004, 55-84 years). Statistical analysis was performed with multivariate models of logistic regression.Results AH prevalence in the study sample was 78.4 %. Mean GLS was 19.1 % (SD, 4.07), which was less for men than for women (p=0.001). Mean GSR was 0.86 s-1 (SD, 0.19) and was not different between men and women. In individuals with AH, the GLS absolute value was lower than in normotensive people (18.8 %; SD, 4.04 vs. 20.2 %; SD, 4.03, p˂0.001); these differences remained irrespective of the age, gender, body weight index (BWI) (p=0.027), and LV mass index (p=0.05). When people with AH were divided into groups, the lowest GLS absolute values were observed among "ineffectively treated" or not receiving any therapy individuals (p<0.001 vs. normotensive group). AH 1.6 times increased the risk of LV GLS decrease. In individuals with AH, the GSR absolute value was lower than in normotensive people (- 0.85 s-1 (SD, 0.19) vs.- 0.92 s-1 (SD, 0.18), p<0.001); this difference remained in multivariate models. The lowest GSR absolute values were observed in the "ineffectively treated" group irrespective of the gender, age, and BWI (p=0.036 vs. normotensive group). AH doubled the risk of LV GSR decrease, which could be partially explained by the contribution of BWI and myocardial mass index.Conclusion In this population sample, LV GLS and GSR were independently associated with AH. The lowest GLS and GSR values were observed for ineffectively treated" individuals with AH, which may reflect an early decline of LV systolic function with inadequate control of AH.
Final Technical Report: DE-FG03-01ER63099/DE-FG02-01ER63099

Organic material contributes {approx}20-50% to the total fine aerosol mass at continental mid-latitudes (Saxena and Hildemann, 1996; Murphy et al., 1998; Peterson and Tyler, 2002; Putaud et al., 2004) and as much as 90% in tropical forested areas (Andreae and Crutzen, 1997; Artaxo et al., 2002). Significant amounts of carbonaceous aerosols are also observed in the free troposphere (Heald et al., 2005). A substantial fraction of the organic component of atmospheric particles consists of water-soluble, possibly multifunctional compounds (Saxena and Hildemann, 1996; Kavouras et al., 1998). It is critical that we understand how organic aerosols and their precursors are transformed in the atmosphere and the dependence of the transformation on the chemical and thermodynamic conditions of the ambient environment: (1) to accurately forecast how changing emissions will impact atmospheric organic aerosol concentrations and properties on the regional to global scale, and (2) to relate atmospheric measurements to sources. A large (but as yet unquantified) fraction of organic aerosol is formed in the atmosphere by precursor gases. In addition, both primary and secondary organic aerosol interact with other gas and aerosol species in the atmosphere so that their properties (i.e., size, hygroscopicity, light absorption and scattering sphere efficiency) can change significantlymore » with time and distance from their source. Organic aerosols (OA) are composed of complex mixtures of different organic species from less-polar organics (n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fatty alcohols, fatty acids, etc.) to highly polar organics such as dicarboxylic acids and multi-functional organic acids. Studies employing FTIR spectroscopy and NEXAFS have demonstrated the presence of different functional groups such as ketonic and carboxylic groups. Humic-like substances (HULIS) have been identified in aerosols. Field observation and laboratory smog chamber studies have demonstrated that oxidative reactions of biogenic and anthropogenic precursors in the gas phase produce low molecular weight organic acids such as oxalic and other dicarboxylic acids, dicarbonyls and multi-functional organics. Oxidation reactions in the particle phase may also produce oxygenated species, including aldehydes, organic acids, and large molecules such as HULIS. Despite this progress, a significant fraction of atmospheric OA still remains poorly characterized. « less
Sleeve Technique Combined With Aortic Valve Replacement: A Simpler Alternative to the Bentall Procedure

Aortic root disease can be treated with different surgical techniques. The surgical approach of choice depends on patients’ comorbidities and aortic valve conditions. We describe an operation combining a Sleeve aortic rootplasty with an aortic valve replacement, as an alternative to the classical Bentall procedure. The patient, a 63-year-old man, was admitted to our institution in April 2019 with severe aortic regurgitation, left ventricle dysfunction (ejection fraction = 44%), and aortic root ectasia (476 mm). Since a sparing aortic valve procedure was judged not feasible because of the thickness and retraction of the leaflets, we decided to perform a procedure through a sleeve operation to treat the aortic ectasia and a standard bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement to treat the aortic regurgitation. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged on the sixth postoperative day with aspirin as sole antiplatelet treatment. This procedure may be considered an alternative to the Bentall operation. In fact, it may also offer complete treatment for the aortic root disease, avoiding coronary complications due to coronary ostia manipulation and reimplantation.
Risk Factors for Cement Leakage in Percutaneous Vertebroplasty for Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures: An Analysis of 1456 Vertebrae Augmented by Low-Viscosity Bone Cement.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study. OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors for cement leakage in percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) using low-viscosity bone cement for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Cement leakage is the most common complication for PVP and its risk factors have been discussed. However, data in previous series was heterogeneous. Additionally, relative smaller patient sample or more types of cement leakage classified in those studies made the results conflicting. METHODS A total of 1090 patients who underwent PVP with low-viscosity bone cement for OVCFs in 1456 levels between January 2016 and June 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Parameters potentially affecting the occurrence of cement leakage were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Cement leakage was assessed using postoperative computed tomography scanning, and classified into two types (cortical leakage and venous leakage) considering the mechanism. RESULTS The incidence of cortical and venous leakage were 20.3% (295/1456) and 56.2% (819/1456), respectively. Cortical disruption, basivertebral foramen were the strongest risk factors for cortical leakage (P = 0.000), venous leakage (P = 0.000), respectively. Greater cement volume is one risk factor for both cortical leakage and venous leakage. The intravertebral cleft, solid type of cement distribution were significant risk factors for cortical leakage, and they both were protective factors for venous leakage. For cortical leakage, older age and trauma were another two risk factors. For venous leakage, female was another one risk factor, and higher grade of fracture severity is the strongest protective factor. CONCLUSION Both cortical leakage and venous leakage are prevalent. Adequate known of risk factors could help balance the incidence of two type leakage in unique vertebra and reduce the incidence of leakage in general in PVP for OVCFs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Using Participatory Mapping to Diagnose Upstream Determinants of Health and Prescribe Downstream Policy-Based Interventions

Participatory mapping is a powerful methodology for working with community residents to examine social and environmental determinants of public health disparities. However, this empowering methodology has only been applied sparingly in public health research and practice, with limited examples in the literature. To address this literature gap, we 1) review participatory mapping approaches that may be applied to exploring place-based factors that affect community health, and 2) present a mixed-methods participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) examination of neighborhood assets (eg, streetlights) and challenges (eg, spaces of crime and violence) related to access to public parks in South Los Angeles, California. By taking a participatory, fine-grained spatial approach to examining public park access with input from 40 South Los Angeles adolescent and adult residents, our community-engaged PGIS approach identified tobacco shops as previously unrecognized community institutions that are associated with increased neighborhood crime and violence. Our investigation revealed unique challenges in community-level public park access that would likely have been overlooked by conventional spatial epidemiology and social science methods, such as surveys and questionnaires. Furthermore, our granular community-informed approach supported resident and stakeholder advocacy efforts toward reducing the proliferation of tobacco shops through community organizing and policy change initiatives. We thus contend that it would benefit public health research and practice to further integrate empowering, grassroots-based participatory mapping approaches toward informing advocacy efforts and policies that promote health and well-being in disadvantaged communities.
Mathematical modeling of hepatitis C RNA replication, exosome secretion and virus release

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes acute hepatitis C and can lead to life-threatening complications if it becomes chronic. The HCV genome is a single plus strand of RNA. Its intracellular replication is a spatiotemporally coordinated process of RNA translation upon cell infection, RNA synthesis within a replication compartment, and virus particle production. While HCV is mainly transmitted via mature infectious virus particles, it has also been suggested that HCV-infected cells can secrete HCV RNA carrying exosomes that can infect cells in a receptor independent manner. In order to gain insight into these two routes of transmission, we developed a series of intracellular HCV replication models that include HCV RNA secretion and/or virus assembly and release. Fitting our models to in vitro data, in which cells were infected with HCV, suggests that initially most secreted HCV RNA derives from intracellular cytosolic plus-strand RNA, but subsequently secreted HCV RNA derives equally from the cytoplasm and the replication compartments. Furthermore, our model fits to the data suggest that the rate of virus assembly and release is limited by host cell resources. Including the effects of direct acting antivirals in our models, we found that in spite of decreasing intracellular HCV RNA and extracellular virus concentration, low level HCV RNA secretion may continue as long as intracellular RNA is available. This may possibly explain the presence of detectable levels of plasma HCV RNA at the end of treatment even in patients that ultimately attain a sustained virologic response.
The antiSMASH database version 3: increased taxonomic coverage and new query features for modular enzymes

Abstract Microorganisms produce natural products that are frequently used in the development of antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer drugs, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. In recent years, genome mining has evolved into a prominent method to access this potential. antiSMASH is one of the most popular tools for this task. Here, we present version 3 of the antiSMASH database, providing a means to access and query precomputed antiSMASH-5.2-detected biosynthetic gene clusters from representative, publicly available, high-quality microbial genomes via an interactive graphical user interface. In version 3, the database contains 147 517 high quality BGC regions from 388 archaeal, 25 236 bacterial and 177 fungal genomes and is available at https://antismash-db.secondarymetabolites. org/.
Who Benefits from the Fixed Copayment of Medical and Pharmaceutical Expenditure among the Korean Elderly?

The Korean National Health Insurance system imposes a 30% coinsurance for outpatient medical care and prescription drugs; however, at the age of 65, the coinsurance model changes to a copayment model that offers lower fees for the elderly. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the influence of the copayment model for outpatient visits and prescription drugs on healthcare utilization among the Korean elderly. We compared total outpatient visits, total prescriptions, and out-of-pocket expenses between a case group with copayment reduction (65 years or older) and a control group without any reduction (64 years or younger). We obtained secondary data collected from seven waves of the Korea Health Panel Survey (2010–2016). Outpatient visits increased exclusively in the case group among those with lower income. After adjusting for covariates, the results of the difference-in-differences analysis showed that, compared to the control group, there was a significant increase in outpatient visits among individuals with lower income in the case group. Our study shows that cost sharing changes affect Korean patients with different income levels in different ways.
Hypothesis-driven quantitative fluorescence microscopy – the importance of reverse-thinking in experimental design

ABSTRACT One of the challenges in modern fluorescence microscopy is to reconcile the conventional utilization of microscopes as exploratory instruments with their emerging and rapidly expanding role as a quantitative tools. The contribution of microscopy to observational biology will remain enormous owing to the improvements in acquisition speed, imaging depth, resolution and biocompatibility of modern imaging instruments. However, the use of fluorescence microscopy to facilitate the quantitative measurements necessary to challenge hypotheses is a relatively recent concept, made possible by advanced optics, functional imaging probes and rapidly increasing computational power. We argue here that to fully leverage the rapidly evolving application of microscopes in hypothesis-driven biology, we not only need to ensure that images are acquired quantitatively but must also re-evaluate how microscopy-based experiments are designed. In this Opinion, we present a reverse logic that guides the design of quantitative fluorescence microscopy experiments. This unique approach starts from identifying the results that would quantitatively inform the hypothesis and map the process backward to microscope selection. This ensures that the quantitative aspects of testing the hypothesis remain the central focus of the entire experimental design. Summary: A guide on how to appropriately design hypothesis-driven, quantitative fluorescence microscopy experiments using a reverse logic.
Hydrogel-mediated local delivery of dexamethasone reduces neuroinflammation after traumatic brain injury

Excessive and prolonged neuroinflammation leads to neuronal cell death and limits functional recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dexamethasone (DX) is a steroidal anti-inflammatory agent that is known to attenuate early expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with activated microglia/macrophages. In this study, we investigated the effect of dexamethasone-conjugated hyaluronic acid (HA-DXM) incorporated in a hydrolytically degradable, photo-cross-linkable poly (ethylene) glycol-bis-(acryloyloxy acetate) (PEG-bis-AA) hydrogel on the inflammatory response, apoptosis, and functional recovery in a controlled cortical impact (CCI) rat TBI model. In vitro, DX release from PEG-bis-AA/HA-DXM hydrogel was slow in phosphate-buffered saline without enzymes, but significantly increased in the presence of hyauronidase/esterase enzymes. TBI was generated by a CCI device armed with a 3 mm tip (3.5 m s−1, depth: 2 mm) and treated immediately with PEG-bis-AA/HA-DXM hydrogel. PEG-bis-AA/HA hydrogel without DX was used for comparison and untreated TBI group was used as a control. Significant reductions in cavity size, inflammatory response, and apoptosis were observed in animals treated with PEG-bis-AA/HA-DXM compared to those receiving PEG-bis-AA/HA and untreated. Animals receiving the PEG-bis-AA/HA-DXM hydrogel also exhibited higher neuronal cell survival and improved motor functional recovery compared to the other two groups.
In vitro assessment of triterpenoids NVX-207 and betulinyl-bis-sulfamate as a topical treatment for equine skin cancer

Equine sarcoid (ES) is the most prevalent skin tumor in equids worldwide. Additionally, aging grey horses frequently suffer from equine malignant melanoma (EMM). Current local therapies targeting these skin tumors remain challenging. Therefore, more feasible topical treatment options should be considered. In order to develop a topical therapy against ES and EMM, betulinyl-bis-sulfamate and NVX-207, derivatives of the naturally occurring betulin and betulinic acid, respectively, were evaluated for their antiproliferative (crystal violet staining assay), cytotoxic (MTS assay) and apoptotic (AnnexinV staining, cell cycle investigations) effects on primary ES cells, EMM cells and equine dermal fibroblasts in vitro. The more potent derivative was assessed for its in vitro penetration and permeation on isolated equine skin within 30 min and 24 h using Franz-type diffusion cells and HPLC analysis. Betulinyl-bis-sulfamate and NVX-207 inhibited the proliferation and metabolism in ES cells, EMM cells and fibroblasts significantly (p < 0.001) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. NVX-207 had superior anticancer effects compared to betulinyl-bis-sulfamate. Both compounds led to the externalization of phosphatidylserines on the cell membrane and DNA fragmentation, demonstrating that the effective mode of action was apoptosis. After 48 h of treatment with NVX-207, the number of necrotic cells was less than 2% in all cell types. Detected amounts of NVX-207 in the different skin layers exceeded the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations calculated by far. Even though data obtained in vitro are auspicious, the results are not unconditionally applicable to the clinical situation. Consequently, in vivo studies are required to address the antitumoral effects of topically applied NVX-207 in ES and EMM patients.
Genomes OnLine Database (GOLD) v.8: overview and updates

The Genomes OnLine Database (GOLD) (https://gold.jgi.doe.gov/) is a manually curated, daily updated collection of genome projects and their metadata accumulated from around the world. The current version of the database includes over 1.17 million entries organized broadly into Studies (45 770), Organisms (387 382) or Biosamples (101 207), Sequencing Projects (355 364) and Analysis Projects (283 481). These four levels contain over 600 metadata fields, which includes 76 controlled vocabulary (CV) tables containing 3873 terms. GOLD provides an interactive web user interface for browsing and searching by a wide range of project and metadata fields. Users can enter details about their own projects in GOLD, which acts as a gatekeeper to ensure that metadata is accurately documented before submitting sequence information to the Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) system for analysis. In order to maintain a reference dataset for use by members of the scientific community, GOLD also imports projects from public repositories such as GenBank and SRA. The current status of the database, along with recent updates and improvements are described in this manuscript.
Genetic Characterization and Pathogenicity Analysis of Recently Isolated Fowl Adenovirus 8b in Korea

SUMMARY. A Korean field strain of fowl adenovirus (FAdV) 8b was isolated from chickens showing high mortality. Isolated FAdV-8b strains with the hexon and fiber genes were genetically analyzed. The Korean FAdV-8b (K194/19) strain isolated in 2019 showed higher sequence identity with the FAdV-8b strain isolated in China but lower sequence identity with the Korean FAdV-8b (K187/08) strain isolated in 2008. The K194/19 strain formed a distinct subcluster within the FAdV-8b cluster in a phylogenetic tree based on hexon and fiber genes. FAdV can infect day-old chicks through vertical transmission, and so blood samples were obtained from 54-, 60-, and 63-wk-old parent chickens. FAdV-specific antibody levels were investigated with ELISA and virus neutralization (VN) tests with the K194/19 and K187/08 strains as antigens. In VN tests, all sera neutralized the K187/08 strain. However, the K194/19 strain was neutralized by sera collected from 60- and 63-wk-old chickens but not sera obtained from 54-wk-old chickens, indicating natural infection. Finally, to determine the pathogenicity of the K194/19 strain, 1-day-old and 4-wk-old specific-pathogen-free birds were infected with the K194/19 and K187/08 strains. No significant difference in pathogenicity was observed between the two strains. Although the K194/19 strain showed similar pathogenicity with the K187/08 strain, differences in nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the hexon and fiber genes may determine the evasion ability of the K187/08 neutralizing antibody, indicating the need for development of a novel FAdV vaccine.