Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Feasibility and Acceptability of an Abbreviated, Four-Week Mindfulness Program for Chronic Pain Management.

OBJECTIVE The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program is effective at improving chronic pain outcomes, but the time demand hinders participation. This preliminary study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effects of providing an abbreviated mindfulness program for patients with chronic pain. DESIGN A single-arm, mixed-methods, pre-post intervention study. SETTING An outpatient rehabilitation clinic at an academic medical center. SUBJECTS Participants were N = 23 adults with chronic pain who were new to mindfulness practice. METHODS Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction was adapted to shorten the program to four weekly 90-minute sessions and to focus content on pain management. Three cohorts of six to nine participants completed baseline and post-treatment measures of 1) patient-reported outcomes, including pain intensity, pain interference, physical functioning, depressive/anxiety symptoms, positive affect and well-being, and sleep disturbance; 2) pain medication dosages; 3) psychosocial variables including pain acceptance, pain catastrophizing, and perceived stress; 4) dispositional mindfulness, as well as postintervention structured interviews about their experiences. RESULTS Acceptable rates of retention and attendance and high ratings of satisfaction indicated that the intervention was feasible and acceptable. In interviews, participants found the program acceptable and beneficial and provided suggestions to improve it. From pre- to post-treatment, significant improvements were reported in all measures except physical functioning and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS In adults with chronic pain, a four-week mindfulness program is feasible and acceptable, addresses the barrier of a lengthy program, and may improve quality of life and psychological functioning. An appropriately powered randomized controlled trial with a comparison group is needed to assess the intervention's effectiveness.
Nutritional Quality Characteristics of Different Wild and Underutilized Fruits of Terai Region, Uttarakhand (India)

ABSTRACT The present study was carried out to analyze the nutritional potential of 25 of the most commonly consumed wild and underutilized fruits in the Terai region of Uttarakhand, India. The result of the different fruits analyzed revealed the richness of different phytochemicals among them. The protein content was found to be higher in Solanum nigrum, Broussonetia papyrifera, and Aegle marmelos, while Terminalia bellerica, Ficus racemosa, and Artocarpus heterophyllus were rich in lipid content. The reducing sugars ranged from 1.1–68.2% and non-reducing sugars varied from 0–6.4%. Vitamin analysis revealed higher ascorbic acid content in Emblica officinalis and Pithecellobium dulce, high riboflavin content in Broussonetia papyrifera and Ficus palmata, and high thiamine content in Artocarpus lakoocha and Solanum nigrum. The phenolic content varied from 32.9–2662.4 mg/100 g, the flavonoids between 1.2–93.8 mg/100 g, and carotenoids ranged between 0–85.7 mg/100 g. These wild fruits proved to be a good source of nutrients. Moreover, these fruit species act as a pool of genetic resources for crop improvement by breeding experiments. It can be suggested to commercialize these fruit species for enhancing the socioeconomic status of weaker section of society.
Comparative Effectiveness of Two Nonsurgical Treatments to Reduce Oral Health Disparities From Untreated Tooth Decay in Older Adults: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Trial

Background The majority of dental caries lesions in older adults are at the gumline, at the edges of failed fillings and crowns, and in the surfaces of roots after gum recession. These lesions are difficult to restore with conventional surgical treatments using a dental drill and restorations often fail. Clinical guidelines are general and apply treatments that were designed for younger individuals in the dental care of older adults. Objective This study will compare the effectiveness of 2 evidence-based nonsurgical strategies to manage dental caries lesions in adults aged 62 or older: (1) biannual topical application of silver diamine fluoride versus (2) atraumatic restorative treatment + biannual fluoride varnish. Methods A cluster randomized clinical trial is being conducted in 22 publicly subsidized and other low-income housing facilities/sites (Arm 1: 11 sites, 275 participants; Arm 2: 11 sites, 275 participants). At baseline, participants will be screened for caries lesions. Those with nonurgent lesions will be treated according to the treatment arm to which the housing site was randomly assigned. The primary outcomes are caries lesion arrest, tooth sensitivity, and tooth pain at 52 weeks after treatment. Analytic methods for the primary aim include a generalized estimating equation approach to determine noninferiority of silver diamine fluoride relative to atraumatic restorative treatment + fluoride varnish treatment. Results The trial was funded in April 2019. Enrollment began in September 2019 and results are expected in June 2023. Conclusions This study will inform the standard of care for treating caries lesions in older adults. If effective, either of these interventions has broad applicability in clinical and community-based settings. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03916926; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03916926 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/17840
The Genetic Landscape of Transcriptional Networks in a Combined Haploid/Diploid Plant System

Heritable variation in gene expression is a source of evolutionary change and our understanding of the genetic basis of expression variation remains incomplete. Here, we dissected the genetic basis of transcriptional variation in a wild, outbreeding gymnosperm (Picea glauca) according to linked and unlinked genetic variants, their allele-specific (cis) and allele non-specific (trans) effects, and their phenotypic additivity. We used a novel plant system that is based on the analysis of segregating alleles of a single self-fertilized plant in haploid and diploid seed tissues. We measured transcript abundance and identified transcribed SNPs in 66 seeds with RNA-seq. Linked and unlinked genetic effects that influenced expression levels were abundant in the haploid megagametophyte tissue, influencing 48% and 38% of analyzed genes, respectively. Analysis of these effects in diploid embryos revealed that while distant effects were acting in trans consistent with their hypothesized diffusible nature, local effects were associated with a complex mix of cis, trans and compensatory effects. Most cis effects were additive irrespective of their effect sizes, consistent with a hypothesis that they represent rate-limiting factors in transcript accumulation. We show that trans effects fulfilled a key prediction of Wright s physiological theory, in which variants with small effects tend to be additive and those with large effects tend to be dominant/recessive. Our haploid/diploid approach allows a comprehensive genetic dissection of expression variation and can be applied to a large number of wild plant species.
Genotyping complex structural variation at the malaria‐associated human glycophorin locus using a PCR‐based strategy

Structural variation in the human genome can affect risk of disease. An example is a complex structural variant of the human glycophorin gene cluster, called DUP4, which is associated with a clinically significant level of protection against severe malaria. The human glycophorin gene cluster harbours at least 23 distinct structural variants, and accurate genotyping of this complex structural variation remains a challenge. Here, we use a polymerase chain reaction‐based strategy to genotype structural variation at the human glycophorin gene cluster, including the alleles responsible for the U– blood group. We validate our approach, based on a triplex paralogue ratio test, on publically available samples from the 1000 Genomes project. We then genotype 574 individuals from a longitudinal birth cohort (Tori‐Bossito cohort) using small amounts of DNA at low cost. Our approach readily identifies known deletions and duplications, and can potentially identify novel variants for further analysis. It will allow exploration of genetic variation at the glycophorin locus, and investigation of its relationship with malaria, in large sample sets at minimal cost, using standard molecular biology equipment.
Role of proteoglycans on skin ageing: a review

This work analyses the role of proteoglycans on skin ageing, influenced by the presence of glycosylated proteins, which exercise diverse functions on the skin. They are essential components that restore the cells, providing hydration, maintaining hydration of the extracellular matrix, preventing the formation of wrinkles thanks to their ability to combine to other molecules such as collagen or hyaluronic acid and favouring the smoothness of the skin texture. The use of these proteins is a very recent and promising topic, since their application may revolutionize skin ageing therapies. Of the existing proteoglycans, decorin, versican and perlecan are of special note, playing a fundamental role on skin.
Including Social and Behavioral Determinants in Predictive Models: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

In an era of accelerated health information technology capability, health care organizations increasingly use digital data to predict outcomes such as emergency department use, hospitalizations, and health care costs. This trend occurs alongside a growing recognition that social and behavioral determinants of health (SBDH) influence health and medical care use. Consequently, health providers and insurers are starting to incorporate new SBDH data sources into a wide range of health care prediction models, although existing models that use SBDH variables have not been shown to improve health care predictions more than models that use exclusively clinical variables. In this viewpoint, we review the rationale behind the push to integrate SBDH data into health care predictive models and explore the technical, strategic, and ethical challenges faced as this process unfolds across the United States. We also offer several recommendations to overcome these challenges to reach the promise of SBDH predictive analytics to improve health and reduce health care disparities.
Improving the digestibility of cereal fractions of wheat, maize, rice by a carbohydrase complex rich in xylanases and arabinofuranosidases: An in vitro digestion study.

BACKGROUND Cereal co-products rich in dietary fibres are increasingly used in animal feed. The high fibre content decreases the digestibility and reduces the nutrient and energy availability resulting in lower nutritive value. Therefore, this study investigated the ability of two carbohydrase complexes to solubilise cell-wall polysaccharides, in particular arabinoxylan (AX), from different cereal fractions of wheat, maize and rice using an in vitro digestion model of the pig gastric and small intestinal digestive system. The first complex (NSPase 1) was rich in cell wall-degrading enzymes, whereas the second complex (NSPase 2) was additionally enriched with xylanases and arabinofuranosidases. The extent of solubilisation of insoluble cell-wall polysaccharides after in vitro digestion was evaluated with GLC and an enzymatic fingerprint of the AX oligosaccharides was obtained with HPAEC-PAD. RESULTS The addition of carbohydrase increased the digestibility of dry matter and solubilised particularly AX with the greatest effect in wheat fractions and less effect in maize and rice fractions. The solubilisation of AX (expressed as xylose release) ranged from 6 to 41% and there was an increased effect when enriching with xylanases and arabinofuranosidases in wheat aleurone and bran of 19 and 14%, respectively. The enzymatic fingerprint of AX oligosaccharides revealed several non-final hydrolysis products of the applied enzymes, indicating that the hydrolysis of AX was not completed during in vitro digestion. CONCLUSION These results indicate that the addition of a carbohydrase complex can introduce structural alterations under in vitro digestion conditions, and that enrichment with additional xylanases and arabinofuranosidases can boost this effect in wheat, maize, and rice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Impact of two water management systems on arsenic speciation and microbial populations in rice rhizosphere

Impact of Two Water Management Systems on Arsenic Speciation and Microbial Populations in Rice Rhizosphere. (December 2010) Anil Kumar C. Somenahally, B.S., University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India; M.S., Tarleton State University Co-Chairs of Advisory Committee: Dr. Terry Gentry Dr. Richard Loeppert Arsenic (As) is a problem with rice production systems throughout the world as high As concentrations are reported in rice grains originating from several parts of the world. This characteristic is mainly due to the flooded conditions utilized in rice culture. We hypothesized that the soluble As concentrations in the rice rhizosphere can be decreased by growing rice more aerobically through intermittent flooding. Intermittent water management practices might also change microbial populations in the rice rhizosphere that might potentially impact As chemistry and bioavailability. Two field-scale experiments were conducted over two years to study the impact of intermittent and continuous flooding on As speciation and microbial populations in the rice rhizosphere. As levels and speciation in the rhizosphere soil, root-plaque and pore-water were determined using a high performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasmamass spectroscopy (HPLC-ICP-MS). The microbial populations were assessed from the rhizosphere soil and root-plaque samples using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and 16S rRNA sequencing. Pore-water and root-plaque total-As concentrations significantly decreased in the intermittent compared to the continuous flood plots. Inorganic arsenite (iAs) was predominant in pore-water and inorganic arsenate (iAs) in root-plaque and soil. Root-
Study on the expression and distribution of typeIand III pro-collagen mRNA and collagen in hypertrophic scar and keloid

Objective To investigate whether there is abnormal collagen expression in pathological scars and the differences of keloid(K) and hypertrophic scars(HS),explore the growing mechanism of the keloid and hypertrophic scar.Methods Incising the scar specimen,the normal scar(S) as the control group,evaluated the expression and distribution of typeⅠand Ⅲ pro collagen mRNA and collagen with RT PCR and immunohistochemistry.Results The expression of typeⅠpro collagen mRNA and collagen in hypertrophic scar significantly differed from the control group( P 0.05); type Ⅲ pro collagen mRNA and collagen significantly increased in keloid ( P 0.05). Conclusion The variety of composition and distribution in the hypertrophic scar tissue plays important role in the formation and development of the hypertrophic scar.
MULTIPLE CRNN FOR SELD Technical Report

In this task, we use multiple CRNN for SELD. Firstly, there is a CRNN to predict the number of sound events at the same time. A SED CRNN is used to predict the current sound events given the activated number result. After that, we train a DOA1 CRNN specifically for frames with single active event and a total DOA CRNN for frames with more active events. We think training with separate network is helpful for both SED and DOA tasks and our results are proved better than the baseline method on the development dataset
Human stem cell-derived astrocytes exhibit region-specific heterogeneity in their secretory profiles

We recently reported in Brain that human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived astrocytes exhibit a distinct response to TDP-43 proteinopathy (both seeded aggregation and recombinant oligomers) compared to motor neurons. Furthermore, untreated control astrocytes were neuroprotec-tive to motor neurons seeded with serially passaged post-mortem spinal cord tissue extracts derived from sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases Astrocyte-mediated neuroprotection was demon-strated in both physical co-cultures and by using astrocyte conditioned media, suggesting that factors released from astrocytes confer neuroprotection to motor neurons under pathological conditions. Human iPSC-derived astrocytes in study had a ventral spinal cord identity, produced through the sequential application of an on-togeny-recapitulating programme of extrinsic cues including retinoid and hedgehog
Representation of Older Adults in Cardiovascular Disease Trials Since the Inclusion Across the Lifespan Policy.

Author Contributions: Dr Roberts had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Concept and design: Roberts, McGarry. Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors. Drafting of the manuscript: Roberts, McGarry. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: All authors. Statistical analysis: All authors. Obtained funding: Roberts. Administrative, technical, or material support: McGarry. Supervision: McGarry.
Three cytosolic NAD-malate dehydrogenase isoforms of Arabidopsis thaliana: on the crossroad between energy fluxes and redox signaling

In yeast and animal cells, mitochondrial disturbances resulting from imbalances in the respiratory chain require malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activities for re-directing fluxes of reducing equivalents. In plants, in addition to mitochondria, plastids use malate valves to counterbalance and maintain redox-homeostasis. Arabidopsis expresses three cytosolic MDH isoforms, namely cyMDH1, cyMDH2, and cyMDH3, the latter possessing an N-terminal extension carrying a unique cysteine residue C2. In this study, redox-effects on activity and structure of all three cyMDH isoforms were analyzed in vitro. cyMDH1 and cyMDH2 were reversibly inactivated by diamide treatment, accompanied by dimerization via disulfide-bridge formation. In contrast, cyMDH3 forms dimers and higher oligomers upon oxidation, but its low specific activity is redox-independent. In the presence of glutathione, cyMDH1 and cyMDH2 are protected from dimerization and inactivation. In contrast, cyMDH3 still dimerizes but does not form oligomers any longer. From analyses of single and double cysteine mutants and structural modeling of cyMDH3, we conclude that the presence of C2 and C336 allows for multiple cross-links in the higher molecular mass complexes comprising disulfides within the dimer as well as between monomers of two different dimers. Furthermore, nuclear localization of cyMDH isoforms was significantly increased under oxidizing conditions in isolated Arabidopsis protoplasts, in particular of isoform cyMDH3. The unique cyMDH3 C2–C2-linked dimer is, therefore, a good candidate as a redox-sensor taking over moonlighting functions upon disturbances of energy metabolism, as shown previously for the glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) where oxidative modification of the sensitive catalytic cysteine residues induces nuclear translocation.
Activity-guided isolation of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase inhibitory compounds from Rhus coriaria L.

The leaves and fruits of Rhus coriaria are traditionally used in Turkey for the treatment of diabetes. The aim of the present study is to determine α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities of R. coriaria leaf and fruit ethanol extracts (80%), and to isolate active compounds against these enzymes. As a result of the activity-guided isolation, the active compounds were determined as the amentoflavone, agathisflavone, and 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-glucopyranose. Agathisflavone, amentoflavone, and penta-O-galloyl-β-glucopyranose inhibited α-glucosidase with 11.4 ± 0.9, 11.3 ± 0.7, and 4.1 ± 0.1 µM IC50 values, respectively. Furthermore, penta-O-galloyl-β-glucopyranose inhibited α-amylase with 6.32 ± 0.18 µM IC50 . These three compounds also significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) pancreatic lipase. The results of high-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glycopyranose was one of the main compounds in both fruit and leaf extracts. Therefore, it may be considered that R. coriaria fruit and leaf extracts can be standardized on this substance and used in the development of both medicinal products and functional food for diabetes. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Rhus coriaria (Sumac) is one of the plants that is well known and used around the world as a spice. It is also used against diabetes traditionally. The determination of effective compounds can lead to the standardization and development of both medicinal products and functional foods for diabetes. While the fruits of the plant are used as a spice all around the world, the leaves are generally throw away; therefore, the usage of the leaves to the food and medical industry can lead to beneficial effects on the economy.
Diverse species in the genus Cryptococcus: Pathogens and their non‐pathogenic ancestors

The genus Cryptococcus comprises of more than 30 species. It consists of clinically significant pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complex comprising of a minimum of seven species. These pathogens cost more than 200,000 lives annually by causing cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. The evolution of the pathogenic species from closely related non‐pathogenic species of the Cryptococcus amylolentus complex is of particular importance and several advances have been made to understand their phylogenetic and genomic relationships. The current review briefly describes the sexual reproduction process followed by an individual description of the members focusing on their key attributes and virulence mechanisms of the pathogenic species. A special section on phylogenetic studies is aimed at understanding the evolutionary divergence of pathogens from non‐pathogens. Recent findings from our group pertaining to parameters affecting codon usage bias in six pathogenic and three non‐pathogenic ancestral species and their corroboration with existing phylogenetic reports are also included in the current review.