Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can sleep behaviour be used as an indicator of stress in group-housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)?

We assessed the value of sleep behaviour as a novel measure of stress in group-housed animals. We observed, non-invasively, sleep behaviour in 144 group-housed rats, and related it to other physiological and physical indicators of stress and welfare. Sleep frequency and duration correlated negatively with adrenal weight, and positively with bodyweight gain, and final bodyweight. Thus, low frequencies of sleep behaviour and low sleep duration correlate with some indicators of elevated physiological and physical stress, raising the possibility that sleep behaviour may provide an under-utilised, but potentially important, non-invasive indicator of stress and welfare for animals in groups.
Carcinoembryonic antigen related cell adhesion molecule 6 promotes the proliferation and migration of renal cancer cells through the ERK/AKT signaling pathway.

Background Carcinoembryonic antigen related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) is a versatile glycoprotein and a member of the CEACAM family. Studies suggested that it served as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in some malignancies. In addition, it is involved in tumorigenesis by stimulating proliferation, suppressing apoptosis, facilitating migration and invasion, promoting angiogenesis, and inducing drug resistance. In the present study, we demonstrated the oncogenic effects of CEACAM6 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods CEACAM6 expression was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemical staining and western blot in ccRCC tumor tissues and cell lines. Survival analysis was performed using the data of TCGA database. Cell proliferation and migration were detected by CCK-8 and transwell assays with the overexpression or silencing of CEACAM6. LY294002 was used to block the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway. Associated pathway proteins were detected by western blot. Results CEACAM6 was upregulated in ccRCC cell lines and tumor tissues. Longer overall survival was observed in patients with relatively low CEACAM6 levels. Furthermore, overexpression of CEACAM6 promoted the proliferation and migration of ccRCC cells. Conversely, shRNA-mediated CEACAM6 depletion modulated those changes. Further investigation demonstrated that the ERK/AKT signaling pathway activation played a pivotal role. In addition, PI3K/AKT pathway blockade abrogated the effects of CEACAM6 overexpression. Conclusions Aberrantly high expression of CEACAM6 is a stimulus for the formation and progression of ccRCC.
Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumour of the retina as a result of a mutation in the RB gene which in 40% of cases is heritable. Usual presenting features include leucocoria, painful red eye or incidentally on screening. Local and distant spread is possible. Accurate staging is important, and 2 classifications systems are discussed. Treatment depending on staging may involve local therapy, systemic chemotherapy (intravenous or intrarterial) or radiotherapy.
Impact of excess adiposity on blood pressure and cardiovascular target organ damage

Epidemiological trends suggest that obesity is becoming a major public health problem. Although obesity contributes toward cardiovascular risk by promoting the development of hypertension, dyslipidaemia and diabetes mellitus (conventional risk factors), there is increasing evidence to suggest that excess adiposity may increase risk through effects on cardiovascular target organs that are independent of conventional risk factors. These obesity-induced effects may be produced by mediating damage and dysfunction of large vessels and the heart, and by promoting the development of cardiac hypertrophy. However, the independent effect of excess adiposity on large vessels has not been confirmed in all studies. Moreover, whether the impact of excess adiposity on cardiac hypertrophy or cardiac damage and dysfunction is dependent on an interaction with blood pressure (BP) is uncertain. In the present thesis I addressed these questions. Before evaluating these questions I first identified the preferred clinical index of adiposity when predicting BP. In this regard, some, but not all studies support the notion that indexes of central adiposity (waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio) are the preferred predictors of conventional BP over indexes of general (body mass index) or subcutaneous (skin-fold thickness) adiposity. Moreover, to my knowledge no study has been conducted in a large study sample to evaluate whether indexes of central adiposity are the preferred predictors of ambulatory BP, a measure of BP that is more closely associated with cardiovascular events than conventional BP. In the first study conducted in a relatively large, randomly selected population sample (n=300) with a high prevalence of excess adiposity (65%), I demonstrated that waist circumference is the only clinical index of adiposity that is associated with an increased conventional and ambulatory systolic and diastolic BP, independent of other indexes of adiposity.
Risk Factors of Stroke in Medical Rehabilitation Center Unit, Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital, Makassar

Stroke is the second cause of death after heart disease in developed countries that tends to increase in developing countries including Indonesia, especially in big cities. In Makassar itself stroke especially in Hospital Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo the case is fluctuative every year. This study aims to determine the risk of the incidence of stroke in the Medical Rehabilitation Unit at the General Hospital Center Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo Makassar in the year of 2012. The study was observational using a case control study. The case was stroke patients and control was non stroke patients. The analysis used was odds ratio and logistic regression.wth value α = 0,05. The result of the study indicate that there is a significant correlation between stroke and hypertension OR = 36,938 CI 95% (10,566 – 129,137), heart disease OR = 4,105 CI 95% (1,622 – 10,387), Diabetes Mellitus OR = 3,088 CI 95% ( 1,257 – 7,590), Hiperkolesterolemia OR 7,497 CI 95% ( 3,236 – 17,365), smoking OR = 16,792 CI 95% ( 3,287 – 85,791), History of family OR = 7,502 CI 95% ( 3,021 – 18,629) and stress OR = 9,068 CI 95% ( 3,795 – 21,667. In conclusion Smoking is the most significant factor affecting in the stroke. It is suggested to control the blood pressure, glucose and blood cholesterol and lead to a health life.
Impact of neuroanatomical variations and electrode orientation on stimulus current in a device for migraine: a computational study

Objective. Conventional treatment methods for migraine often have side effects. One treatment involves a wearable neuromodulator targeting frontal nerves. Studies based on this technique have shown limited efficacy and the existing setting can cause pain. These may be associated with neuroanatomical variations which lead to high levels of required stimulus current. The aim of this paper is to study the effect of such variations on the activation currents of the Cefaly neuromodulator. Also, using a different electrode orientation, the possibility of reducing activation current levels to avoid painful side-effects and improve efficacy, is explored. Approach. This paper investigates the effect of neuroanatomical variations and electrode orientation on the stimulus current thresholds using a computational hybrid model involving a volume conductor and an advanced nerve model. Ten human head models are developed considering statistical variations of key neuroanatomical features, to model a representative population. Main results. By simulating the required stimulus current level in the head models, it is shown that neuroanatomical variations have a significant impact on the outcome, which is not solely a function of one specific neuroanatomical feature. The stimulus current thresholds based on the conventional Cefaly system vary from 4.4 mA to 25.1 mA across all head models. By altering the electrode orientation to align with the nerve branches, the stimulus current thresholds are substantially reduced to between 0.28 mA and 15 mA, reducing current density near pain-sensitive structures which may lead to a higher level of patient acceptance, further improving the efficacy. Significance. Computational modeling based on statistically valid neuroanatomical parameters, covering a representative adult population, offers a powerful tool for quantitative comparison of the effect of the position of stimulating electrodes which is otherwise not possible in clinical studies.
Oral N-acetylcysteine improves cone function in retinitis pigmentosa patients in phase 1 trial.

BACKGROUND In retinitis pigmentosa (RP) rod photoreceptors degenerate from one of many mutations after which cones are compromised by oxidative stress. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) reduces oxidative damage and increases cone function/survival in RP models. We tested the safety, tolerability, and visual function effects of oral NAC in RP patients. METHODS Subjects (n = 10 per cohort) received 600 mg (cohort 1), 1200 mg (cohort 2), or 1800 mg (cohort 3) NAC BID for 12 weeks and then TID for 12 weeks. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), macular sensitivity, ellipsoid zone (EZ) width, and aqueous NAC were measured. Linear mixed effects models were used to estimate the rates of changes during the treatment period. RESULTS There were 9 drug-related gastrointestinal adverse events which resolved spontaneously or with dose reduction (MTD 1800 mg bid). During the 24 week treatment period, mean BCVA significantly improved at 0.4 (95% CI 0.2-0.6, P < 0.001), 0.5 (95% CI 0.3-0.7, P < 0.001) and 0.2 (95% CI 0.02-0.4, P = 0.03) letters/month in cohorts 1, 2 and 3, respectively. There was no significant improvement in mean sensitivity (MS) over time in cohorts 1 and 2, but there was in cohort 3 (0.15 dB/month, 95%CI 0.04-0.26). There was no significant change in mean EZ width in any cohort. CONCLUSION Oral NAC is safe and well-tolerated in patients with moderately advanced RP and may improve suboptimally functioning macular cones. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial is needed to determine if oral NAC can provide long term stabilization and/or improvement in visual function in patients with RP.
Adverse childhood experiences and alexithymia in patients with major depressive disorder

Abstract The purpose of the article: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been postulated to negatively affect the development of emotional regulation. However, little is known about specific associations between ACEs, depressive symptoms, and alexithymia or its components [i.e. difficulty in identifying feelings (DIF), difficulty in describing feelings to others (DDF) and externally–oriented thinking (EOT)] in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The aims of the present cross-sectional study were to (1) compare ACEs (emotional neglect, emotional abuse, physical neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse) between alexithymic and non-alexithymic patients with MDD; (2) explore whether specific ACEs, depressive symptoms or the interaction between sex and depressive symptoms predicted TAS-20 or its components. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 186 psychiatric outpatients with MDD (aged 21–61 years, mean 33.87 years, SD 10.88) recruited from the Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital between 2016–2019. Alexithymia and its components were assessed using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). ACEs were assessed with the Trauma and Distress Scale (TADS). Results: Almost all patients with alexithymia and 80% of non-alexithymic patients reported that they had experienced emotional abuse or neglect, at least sometimes. Approximately 60% of MDD patients reported having experienced physical neglect and 30% described physical abuse. Emotional and physical abuse and neglect predicted DDF score. Conclusions: These findings suggest that among MDD patients, early experiences of emotional and physical abuse and neglect is associated with difficulties in describing feelings in adulthood.
Ray fractions and carbohydrate dynamics of tree species along a 2,750 m elevation gradient indicate climate response, not spatial storage limitation.

Parenchyma cells in the xylem store nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), providing reserves of energy that fuel woody perennials through periods of stress and/or limitations to photosynthesis. If the capacity for storage is subject to selection, then the fraction of wood occupied by living parenchyma should increase towards stressful environments. Ray parenchyma fraction (RPF) and seasonal NSC dynamics were quantified for 12 conifers and 3 oaks along a transect spanning warm dry foothills (500 m) to cold wet treeline (3,250 m) in California's central Sierra Nevada. Mean RPF was lower for both conifer and oak species with warmer dryer ranges. RPF variability increased with elevation or in relation to associated climatic variables in conifers-treeline-dominant Pinus albicaulis had the lowest mean RPF measured (~3.7%), but the highest environmentally standardized variability index. Conifer RPF variability was explained by environment, increasing predominantly towards cooler wetter range edges. In oaks, NSC was explained by environment-values increasing for evergreen and decreasing for deciduous oaks with elevation. Lastly, all species surveyed appear to prioritize filling available RPF with sugar to achieve molarities that balance reasonable tensions over starch to maximize stored carbon. RPF responds to environment but is unlikely to spatially constrain NSC storage.
Pilot Study on the Stability of Internal Quality Control Samples For Anti-HCV Immunodiagnostic Assays

Laboratory diagnosis of HCV infection is usually made on the basis of the detection of circulating antibodies. All laboratories carrying out anti-HCV tests, should have a well-functioning quality assurance programme. Quality control (QC) materials are crucial for Internal Quality Control (IQC) and External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS). Therefore, preparing IQC samples is cost effective QC material. The present study was carried out to identify the effects of temperature on stability of anti-HCV antibodies in plasma during storage by evaluating anti-HCV antibodies using sensitive and specific ELISA assays intended for detection of anti-HCV antibodies. The stability of anti-HCV positive samples was assessed at three different temperatures 37? C, 48? C and 65? C incubated for a period of 7 days and 14 days by two ELISA Kits. A significant decrease in E-ratios when stored at higher temperatures was observed in the present study.
Pd Nanoparticles with Twin Structures on F‐Doped Graphene for Formic Acid Oxidation

The formic acid oxidation (FAO) on palladium (Pd) particles is relevant with their crystal structures. Here, silicon nanowires are employed as a sacrifice template to grow Pd nanoparticles with various twin structures, including two‐fold, three‐fold and five‐fold ones, as confirmed by the high‐resolution TEM image. These nanoparticles are well dispersed on the semi‐ionic fluorine (F) ions doped reduced graphene oxides, which have high activity toward FAO due to their appropriate binding energy to intermediates. The as‐prepared products show an excellent performance on FAO. The peak current of the optimal product is 0.697 A ⋅ mgPd−1 in 0.1 M HClO4 and 0.5 M HCOOH, which is 2.9 times than that of the commercial Pd/C catalyst. The electrochemical active surface area of the catalyst (0.322 m2 ⋅ mg−1) is 3.5 times than that of the commercial Pd/C (0.091 m2 ⋅ mg−1). This outstanding performance is due to the twin structure of Pd nanoparticles and the electron‐deficient surface caused by the strong electrophilicity of F ions.
Framing the Opioid Crisis: Do Racial Frames Shape Beliefs of Whites Losing Ground?

CONTEXT Although research has begun to examine perceptions of being on the losing side of politics, it has been confined to electoral politics. The context of health disparities, and particularly the opioid crisis, offers a case to explore whether frames that emphasize racial disadvantage activate loser perceptions and the political consequences of such beliefs. METHODS White survey participants (N = 1,549) were randomized into three groups: a control which saw no news article, or one of two treatment groups which saw a news article about the opioid crisis framed to emphasize either the absolute rates of opioid mortality among whites or the comparative rates of opioid mortality among whites compared to blacks. FINDINGS Among control group participants, perceiving oneself a political loser was unrelated to attitudes about addressing opioids, whereas those who perceived whites to be on the losing side of public health had a less empathetic response to the opioid crisis. The comparative frame led to greater beliefs that whites are on the losing side of public health, whereas the absolute frame led to more empathetic policy opinions. CONCLUSIONS Perceptions that one's racial group has lost ground in the public health context could have political consequences that future research should explore.
A review on mineral waste for chemical-activated binders: mineralogical and chemical characteristics

European Commission under Horizon 2020, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE), by REMINE – “Reuse of Mining Waste into Innovative Geopolymeric-based Structural Panels, Precast, Ready Mixes and Insitu Applications”, Portuguese national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, IP, within the research unit C-MADE, Centre of Materials and Building Technologies (CIVE-Central covilha-4082), University of Beira Interior, Portugal.
Becoming disabled in adulthood: a pedagogical reading of life stories

The article analyses the results of a qualitative Italian piece of research that involved 20 disabled people who became disabled in their adulthood. These were perfectly sane people, successful professionals, mothers and fathers, women and men with lives full of interests, who overnight were subjected to trauma that irreversibly changed their lives. The stories were collected through semi-structured interviews, and explain emotions, states of mind, thoughts and worries that are experienced after the disability has occurred. The biographies collected together in the work make you think about disability in adulthood as a tortuous, complex and hard walk of life that gradually led the disabled people to reach different goals, often unthinkable and unexpected. For many interviewees, the first sensation after the trauma was that of being lost. In fact they felt inadequate, without a way out, useless and defeated, and after an introspective process they found themselves deeply different in both body and mind. The most frequent stages in this pathway are despair, acceptance and reorganization. In this piece of research we wanted to delve into the role of the professional educator in the path of recovery and in their accompaniment and support for the adult disabled.
Reliability of Mesopic Measures of Visual Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity and Their Correlation with Rod and Cone Function in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Background: Mesopic conditions elicit both rod and cone responses, and they are more commonly encountered in daily life than are scotopic conditions; yet visual function outcome measures of mesopic visual acuity (VA) or contrast sensitivity (CS) are rarely evaluated. Objective: In retinitis pigmentosa (RP), we explored whether visual reductions in mesopic versus photopic conditions were correlated with cone or rod function, as well as the between-visit test-retest variability in mesopic measures. Methods: At each of two visits, 22 RP subjects completed mesopic and photopic ETDRS VA and Pelli-Robson chart CS tests obtained with and without a U23 NoIR 4% transmission filter; testing of perifoveal scotopic cone or rod sensitivity with the AdaptDx; and the Rabin Cone Contrast Test (CCT). Results: A greater CS reduction in mesopic versus photopic conditions was significantly related to absence of scotopic rod function (p = 0.038) or longer self-reported duration of night vision loss (p = 0.044). VA reductions >0.2 logMAR in mesopic versus photopic conditions were significantly related to reduced cone-mediated scotopic sensitivity (p = 0.038). Significant predictors of the CCT ratio of S-cone to M- and L-cone sensitivity were mesopic VA (p = 0.038) and absence of AdaptDx rod function (p = 0.008). Test-retest 95% coefficients of repeatability were not significantly different when comparing between photopic and mesopic tests of VA (0.16 and 0.12 logMAR, respectively) or CS (0.21 and 0.24 logCS, respectively). Conclusions: Perifoveal scotopic rod and cone function measured with the AdaptDx was significantly correlated with mesopic CS and VA, respectively, which had good, acceptable test-retest repeatability; thus, they appear to be suitable outcome measures to monitor mesopic visual function in clinical practice or trials. RP subjects with reduced mesopic VA and no perifoveal rod function had a greater loss of sensitivity for S-cones than for L-/M-cones.
Natural product biosynthesis: What's next? An introduction to the JBC Reviews Thematic Series

The diversity of natural products not only fascinates us intellectually, but also provides an armamentarium against the microbes that threaten our health. The increased prevalence of pathogens that are resistant to one or more classes of available medicines continues to be a growing global threat. As drug-resistant pathogens erode the effectiveness of the current reserve of antibiotics and antifungals, methodological advances open additional avenues for discovery of new classes of drugs, as well as novel derivatives of existing (and proven) classes of compounds. In this Thematic Review Series, we aim to provide a snapshot of the current state of the art in natural product discovery. The reviews in this series encapsulate convergent approaches toward the identification of different classes of primary and specialized metabolites, including nonribosomal peptides, polyketides, and ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides, from all kingdoms of life. Traction in unraveling new and diverse classes of molecules has come largely from the academic sector, which ensures availability of methods and data sets. Such knowledge is needed to thwart serious threats to human health and calls to mind the proverb praemonitus praemunitus (forewarned is forearmed).
Relationships between volatile organic compounds with an emphasis on terpene compounds and genetic matrix in inoculated and non-inoculated winter wheat cultivars

ABSTRACT In the present study, we focus on the analysis of the volatile organic compound (VOC) contents in the grain of a representative set of winter wheat cultivars grown in Central Europe. The cultivars were grown in control conditions or were inoculated with the fungus Fusarium culmorum. In the analysed samples, hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, aromatics, terpenes and others were found. Among them, results for terpenes seem particularly important. The discriminant analysis allowed complete separation of the quality groups of wheat based on VOCs. Simultaneously, a genetic matrix was created based on the genetic distance between the wheat cultivars and the Mantel test was used to compare it with the VOC matrix. The analysis revealed relationships between the genetic matrix and the overall VOCs, as well as terpenes. The obtained results indicate a significant relationship between microorganisms that exist in the environment, genetic features of plants and VOCs formed in the grain.