Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of chronic exposure to flour dust on pulmonary functions

Purpose. This study aimed to examine the effect of chronic exposure to flour dust on the pulmonary symptoms and pulmonary indices of mill workers. Methods. The cohort study was conducted on 67 mill workers and 53 controls from 2014 to 2016. Demographic information was collected through interviews and pulmonary indices; flour dust exposure was measured by spirometry, and NIOSH 0500 and NIOSH 0600 methods. Results. The incidences of pulmonary symptoms, including cough, sputum, dyspnea, wheezing and bronchitis, were significantly more in the case group than the control group. At the beginning of the study, there was no significant difference between the case and control groups regarding the pulmonary indices of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), peak expiratory flow and FEV1/FVC; however, after 2 years of exposure to flour dust, the pulmonary indices significantly decreased in the case group and showed a restrictive pattern. Based on the linear regression model, the most important predictor variables of FVC and FEV1 were age, body mass index, smoking and level of exposure to respirable flour dust. Conclusions: There is a strong correlation between chronic exposure to flour dust and the incidence of pulmonary complications and reduced pulmonary functions.
Endotoxin Exposure: Predictors and Prevalence of Associated Asthma Outcomes in the United States.

RATIONALE Inhaled endotoxin induces airway inflammation and is an established risk factor for asthma. The 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey included measures of endotoxin and allergens in homes as well as specific IgE to inhalant allergens. OBJECTIVES To understand the relationships between endotoxin exposure, asthma outcomes, and sensitization status for 15 aeroallergens in a nationally representative sample. METHODS Participants were administered questionnaires in their homes. Reservoir dust was vacuum sampled to generate composite bedding and bedroom floor samples. We analyzed 7,450 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dust and quality assurance samples for their endotoxin content using extreme quality assurance measures. Data for 6,963 subjects were available, making this the largest study of endotoxin exposure to date. Log-transformed endotoxin concentrations were analyzed using logistic models and forward stepwise linear regression. Analyses were weighted to provide national prevalence estimates and unbiased variances. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Endotoxin exposure was significantly associated with wheeze in the past 12 months, wheeze during exercise, doctor and/or emergency room visits for wheeze, and use of prescription medications for wheeze. Models adjusted for age, sex, race and/or ethnicity, and poverty-to-income ratio and stratified by allergy status showed that these relationships were not dependent upon sensitization status but were worsened among those living in poverty. Significant predictors of higher endotoxin exposures were lower family income; Hispanic ethnicity; participant age; dog(s), cat(s), cockroaches, and/or smoker(s) in the home; and carpeted floors. CONCLUSIONS In this U.S. nationwide representative sample, higher endotoxin exposure was significantly associated with measures of wheeze, with no observed protective effect regardless of sensitization status.
Glutamatergic Approaches to the Treatment of Cognitive and Behavioural Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

The glutamatergic system has long been recognised for its role in learning and memory and recent studies indicate an early loss of glutamatergic synapses in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Efforts to produce drugs which address changes in the glutamatergic system in AD are well advanced (e.g. memantine and drugs in development such as ampakines). Much less is known about the possible role of glutamate in non-cognitive behavioural changes; however, recent data from clinical trials suggest that memantine reduces agitation and aggressive behaviour in AD patients. In this context, it is important to help identify new treatment approaches to replace the use of antipsychotics in this vulnerable population.
NLRC5 deficiency has a moderate impact on immunodominant CD8+ T‐cell responses during rotavirus infection of adult mice

The NOD‐like receptor (NLR) family plays an important role in innate immunity. Class II transactivator and NOD‐like receptor caspase activation and recruitment domain CARD containing 5 (NLRC5) are unusual members of the NLR family that instead of recognizing pathogen‐associated or damage‐associated molecular patterns, form enhanceosomes with adaptor molecules and modulate major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and MHC class I expression, respectively. While NLRC5 has been shown to play a role during intracellular pathogen infection and tumor cell immune evasion, its role in regulating antigen‐specific CD8+ T‐cell responses at the intestinal mucosa has not been investigated. Here, we take advantage of the rotavirus model in adult mice to dissect the impact of NLRC5 on CD8+ T‐cell responses to this viral infection at the gut mucosa. We show that while Nlrc5−/− mice exhibited normal proportions of T‐cell subpopulations in the intraepithelial and lamina propria compartments, these mice had decreased baseline MHC class I expression on various immune cells in the lamina propria. Upon rotavirus infection, Nlrc5 deficiency resulted in impaired H2‐Kb‐restricted antigen‐specific CD8+ T‐cell responses, which were recapitulated in mice deficient for Nlrc5 within the dendritic cell compartment. The impaired CD8+ T‐cell response in Nlrc5−/− mice was not significant enough to impact viral titers, suggesting compensation in Nlrc5−/− mice, perhaps as a result of higher numbers of activated B cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes and normal rotavirus‐specific immunoglobulin A responses. Collectively, our results demonstrate a minor role for NLRC5 in modulating H2‐Kb‐restricted antigen‐specific CD8+ T‐cell responses in the small intestine during rotavirus infection in adult mice.
Four‐dimensional functional cortical maps of visual and auditory language: Intracranial recording

The strength of presurgical language mapping using electrocorticography (ECoG) is its outstanding signal fidelity and temporal resolution, but the weakness includes limited spatial sampling at an individual patient level. By averaging naming‐related high‐gamma activity at nonepileptic regions across a large number of patients, we provided the functional cortical atlases animating the neural dynamics supporting visual‐object and auditory‐description naming at the whole brain level.
Evolutionary Patterns of Non-Coding RNA in Cardiovascular Biology

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) affect the heart and the vascular system with a high prevalence and place a huge burden on society as well as the healthcare system. These complex diseases are often the result of multiple genetic and environmental risk factors and pose a great challenge to understanding their etiology and consequences. With the advent of next generation sequencing, many non-coding RNA transcripts, especially long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), have been linked to the pathogenesis of CVD. Despite increasing evidence, the proper functional characterization of most of these molecules is still lacking. The exploration of conservation of sequences across related species has been used to functionally annotate protein coding genes. In contrast, the rapid evolutionary turnover and weak sequence conservation of lncRNAs make it difficult to characterize functional homologs for these sequences. Recent studies have tried to explore other dimensions of interspecies conservation to elucidate the functional role of these novel transcripts. In this review, we summarize various methodologies adopted to explore the evolutionary conservation of cardiovascular non-coding RNAs at sequence, secondary structure, syntenic, and expression level.
Spectroscopic and molecular docking investigation of polynucleotides and DNA binding affinity to Nile blue dye

ABSTRACT We used UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometry and molecular docking calculations to investigate intermolecular interaction between the cationic dye, Nile blue (NB), and synthetic polynucleotides, poly(A-T), poly(G-C) and calf thymus DNA (Ct-DNA) at physiological pH. Strong hypsochromic absorbance and fluorescence quenching were observed that showed strong binding of NB to these polynucleotides and DNA. The binding affinity values derived from maximum absorption of the spectra of NB bound to various polynucleotides and Ct-DNA concentrations suggests that NB exhibits greater binding affinity to poly(G-C) than to poly(A-T). The thermodynamic parameters suggested that hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces might play a major role in the binding of NB to DNA. The molecular docking results suggested that NB was an intercalator of the stacked base pairs of Ct-DNA.
Cross-validation of rainfall characteristics estimated from the TRMM PR, a combined PR-TMI algorithm and a C-POL ground-radar during the passage of tropical cyclone and non-tropical cyclone events over Darwin, Australia.

This study cross-validates the radar reflectivity Z, the rainfall drop size distribution parameter (median volume diameter, Do ) and the rainfall rate R estimated from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite Precipitation Radar (PR), a combined PR and TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) algorithm (COM) and a C-band dual-polarised ground-radar (GR) for TRMM overpasses during the passage of tropical cyclone (TC) and non-TC events over Darwin, Australia. Two overpass events during the passage of TC Carlos and eleven non-TC overpass events are used in this study and the GR is taken as the reference. It is shown that the correspondence is dependent on the precipitation type whereby events with more (less) stratiform rainfall usually have a positive (negative) bias in the reflectivity and the rainfall rate whereas in the Do the bias is generally positive but small (large). The COM reflectivity estimates are similar to the PR but it has a smaller bias in the Do for most of the greater stratiform events. This suggests that combining the TMI with the PR adjusts the Do towards the "correct" direction if the GR is taken as the reference. Moreover, the association between the TRMM estimates and the GR for the two TC events, which are highly stratiform in nature, is similar to that observed for the highly stratiform non-TC events (there is no significant difference) but it differs largely from that observed for the majority of the highly convective non-TC events.
Optimum Wavelengths in the Near Infrared for Imaging Photoplethysmography

Objective: The purpose of this contribution is to determine the ideal near infrared wavelength bands for monochromatic and dual-band remote heartbeat detection using imaging photoplethysmography (iPPG) of the forehead. Methods: Experimental data of 38 healthy volunteers has been recorded and analyzed. For the data acquisition, a fast hyperspectral imager has been used. A new combination approach has been implemented that computes the quotient of the bands and, therefore, reduces motion artifacts. Results: With this dual-band method excellent results (1.67 beats per minute mean deviation from electrocardiogram measurements for 73 recordings) have been obtained using a simple algorithm to analyze images at 799 and 861 nm. Conclusion: It can be concluded that excellent imaging photoplethysmography measurements can be performed at low cost using conventional silicon-based image sensors with invisible light in the near infrared region. Significance: This approach is a contribution to the development of non-contact heart rate measurement systems that can be used for medical diagnosis or other applications.
Investigation of the utility of Curcuma caesia in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy

Curcuma caesia has shown positive results in treating number of diseases, but till date no work was reported on its activity in diabetic neuropathy. So, the present review aims at exploring several hypothesis which can be proposed to explain further its utility in diabetic neuropathy by its antioxidant property, anti‐inflammatory, CNS depressant effect, antibacterial and antifungal property. For finding the accurate and exact detail, a thorough review of all the available research and review article was done. A number of book chapters and encyclopaedias were taken into consideration to find out the origin, botany and genetics. The databases were searched using different keywords like antioxidant, inflammation, turmeric, diabetic neuropathy.
Predicting Outcome From PICU Care: What Have We Learned in 30 Years?

Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited Pediatric Critical Care Medicine www.pccmjournal. org 189 Copyright © 2019 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies Anthony D. Slonim, MD, DrPH, FCCM Renown Health Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Critical Care University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada
Power of the Positive: Childhood Assets and Future Cardiometabolic Health

In this issue of Pediatrics , Qureshi et al1 provide a much-needed focus on positive psychological assets in childhood (rather than the more well-documented focus on childhood adversity)2 and the relationship with subsequent cardiometabolic health. The examination of protective and resilience-enhancing factors is a largely unmet research priority,2,3 and each of the 4 domains examined reveal empirical potential for investment. For example, the literature demonstrating the role of early-childhood executive function (or self-regulation) in obesity risk is substantial.4,5 However, a well-designed randomized controlled trial targeting self-regulation in preschoolers was not effective at obesity prevention,6 which highlights the need to both document associations and to rigorously study methods to enhance these assets. Prosocial behaviors and their relationship with cardiometabolic disease has been less well documented, although these behaviors are broadly protective of mental health and academic outcomes.7 Associated factors, such as positive relationships, have been shown to be protective of the risk for being overweight in Mexican-origin adult women with histories of abuse,8 which suggests both of these asset domains are worthy of deeper investigation for their … Address correspondence to Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th St, Second Floor, San Francisco, CA 94158. E-mail: kirsten.bibbins-domingo{at}ucsf.edu
Autophagy Intertwines with Different Diseases—Recent Strategies for Therapeutic Approaches

Autophagy is a regular and substantial “clear-out process” that occurs within the cell and that gets rid of debris that accumulates in membrane-enclosed vacuoles by using enzyme-rich lysosomes, which are filled with acids that degrade the contents of the vacuoles. This machinery is well-connected with many prevalent diseases, including cancer, HIV, and Parkinson’s disease. Considering that autophagy is well-known for its significant connections with a number of well-known fatal diseases, a thorough knowledge of the current findings in the field is essential in developing therapies to control the progression rate of diseases. Thus, this review summarizes the critical events comprising autophagy in the cellular system and the significance of its key molecules in manifesting this pathway in various diseases for down- or upregulation. We collectively reviewed the role of autophagy in various diseases, mainly neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, and renal disorders. Here, some collective reports on autophagy showed that this process might serve as a dual performer: either protector or contributor to certain diseases. The aim of this review is to help researchers to understand the role of autophagy-regulating genes encoding functional open reading frames (ORFs) and its connection with diseases, which will eventually drive better understanding of both the progression and suppression of different diseases at various stages. This review also focuses on certain novel therapeutic strategies which have been published in the recent years based on targeting autophagy key proteins and its interconnecting signaling cascades.
Extraction of antidepressant drugs in biological samples using alkanol-based nano structured supramolecular solvent microextraction followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric analysis.

In the present study, a supramolecular solvent was formed from reverse micelle aggregates of octanol. The proposed supramolecular solvent was used for rapid extraction of some antidepressants drugs including amitriptyline, imipramine, desipramine, maprotiline, sertraline, and doxepin from biological samples. Alkanol-based supramolecular solvents have a unique array of physicochemical properties, making them a very attractive alternative to replace organic solvents in analytical extractions. The parameters affecting the extraction of target analytes (i.e., the volume of tetrahydrofuran and octanol as the major components comprising the supramolecular solvent, chain length of alkanols, sample solution pH, salt addition, and ultrasonic time) were investigated and optimized by factor by factor optimization method. Under the optimum conditions, preconcentration factors of 470, 490, 460, 385, 370, and 430 were obtained for amitriptyline, doxepin, imipramine, desipramine, maprotiline, and sertraline, respectively. The linear ranges and coefficients of determination (R2 ) were obtained in the range of 0.01-100 μg/L and 0.9974-0.9991, respectively. Also the limits of detection (S/N = 3) of 0.003-0.03 μg/L, and precisions (n = 5) of 4.9-8.9% were calculated. Finally, the method was successfully applied for the extraction of antidepressant drugs in biological samples, and relative recoveries in the range of 91-102% were obtained.
Influence of the Amount of Myocardium Subtended by a Stenosis on Fractional Flow Reserve

Background—Fractional flow reserve (FFR) specifically relates to the severity of a stenosis to the mass of tissue to be perfused. Accordingly, the larger the territory to be perfused, the greater the flow and the pressure gradient induced by maximal hyperemia. Although this notion may be considered intuitive, its unequivocal demonstration is still lacking. The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of the amount of myocardium subtended to an intermediate stenosis on FFR, especially in relation to quantitative coronary angiography. Methods and Results—The severity of each lesion was assessed by FFR and 2-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography. The amount of jeopardized myocardium was evaluated using 3 validated scores specifically adapted to this aim: the Duke Jeopardy Score (DJS), the Myocardial Jeopardy Index (MJI), and the Alberta Provincial Project for Outcome Assessment in Coronary Heart Disease (APPROACH) Lesion Score (ALS). The presence of a concomitant collateralized chronic total occlusion was also reported. A total of 213 intermediate coronary stenoses in 184 patients were enrolled. FFR values were correlated to minimal lumen diameter (r=0.34; P<0.0001) and diameter stenosis (r=−0.28; P<0.0001). FFR was inversely correlated with DJS, MJI, and ALS (r=−0.28, P<0.0001; r=−0.40, P<0.0001; and r=−0.34, P<0.0001). Lesions localized on proximal left anterior descending were related to significantly lower FFR values and to a higher rate of a positive FFR compared with those in distal left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary arteries (0.80±0.09 versus 0.84±0.08 versus 0.88±0.09 versus 0.91±0.04; P<0.0001). The presence of a collateralized chronic total occlusion was associated with significantly lower FFR values (0.80±0.07 versus 0.85±0.09; P<0.005). At multivariate analysis MJI, minimal lumen diameter, and presence of a collateralized chronic total occlusion were confirmed as significant predictors of FFR. Conclusions—A larger amount of perfused myocardium subtended by a stenosis is associated with a higher probability that an angiographically intermediate coronary stenosis is functionally significant.
Perfusion CT: noninvasive surrogate marker for stratification of pancreatic cancer response to concurrent chemo- and radiation therapy.

PURPOSE To prospectively determine whether perfusion computed tomography (CT) parameters, such as volume transfer constant (K(trans)) between blood plasma and extracellular extravascular space (EES) and blood volume calculated from dynamic CT data, can be used to predict response of pancreatic cancer to concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy (CCRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective study was institutional review board approved, and written informed consent was obtained. Thirty patients with pancreatic cancer underwent perfusion CT with 64-detector row CT before gemcitabine-based CCRT. Two perfusion parameters (K(trans) and blood volume) measured before treatment were compared between patients who responded to treatment and those who did not, as determined with World Health Organization criteria from first and second posttherapeutic follow-up CT examinations, which were performed at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed with the two-sample t test. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the best cutoff value of perfusion parameters for differentiation of responders from nonresponders. RESULTS Twenty of 30 patients examined at 3-month follow-up responded to therapy. Their pretreatment K(trans) value was significantly higher than that of nonresponders (50.8 mL/100 mL/min +/- 30.5 [standard deviation] vs 19.0 mL/100 mL/min +/- 10.8, P = .001). The best cutoff value for differentiating between responders and nonresponders was 31.8 mL/100 mL/min, which yielded 75.0% sensitivity and 90.0% specificity. Ten of 18 patients examined at 6-month follow-up responded to therapy. Their pretreatment K(trans) value was significantly higher than that of nonresponders (58.6 mL/100 mL/min +/- 43.2 vs 19.8 mL/100 mL/min +/- 10.9, P = .002). Responders also had higher blood volume values, but this difference was not significant. CONCLUSION Tumors with a high pretreatment K(trans) value tended to respond better to CCRT than did tumors with a low pretreatment K(trans) value. Perfusion CT may be used to predict tumor response to CCRT in patients with pancreatic cancer. This might aid in development of a tailored approach to therapy in these patients.
Impaired activation of the innate immune response to bacterial challenge in Tourette syndrome

Abstract Objectives. Infections resulting in immune activation have been proposed to play an etiological role in a subgroup of patients with Tourette syndrome (TS). Methods. In order to further characterize the interaction between pathogens and the innate immune system the toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 on CD14 + monocytes and soluble CD14 (sCD14) levels were analyzed in the serum of 33 Tourette patients and 31 healthy controls. Moreover, collected blood samples were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mimicking a bacterial infection. TLR4 was analysed by flow cytometry, sCD14 was analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. Patients had a lower receptor expression of TLR4 after stimulation with LPS (P = 0.045) and higher levels of sCD14 (unstimulated P = 0.014, after LPS P = 0.045). The increase in TLR4 expression after stimulation with LPS was significantly higher in the control group (P = 0.041). Conclusions. Higher levels of sCD14, lower levels of TLR4 expression after stimulation and a diminished up-regulation of TLR4 expression after LPS stimulation in patients might represent an impaired activation of the innate immune response in TS, especially in regard to bacterial infection. The impaired response to pathogens could eventually lead to a higher susceptibility for infections. Recurring infections and a chronic inflammation could trigger and maintain the symptoms of TS.