Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Introducing Traditional Herbal Medicine into Conventional Health Care in Treating Ulcerative Colitis: Primum Non Nocere.

75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 Bshows a chronic relapsing and remitting course with medical intractability in a substantial proportion of patients, various types of alternative medicines have been tried for treating IBD. Herbal medicine or phytotherapy is one form of alternative medicine that has been practiced for centuries, particularly in traditional Chinese medicine. Complementary and alternative medicine have been reported to be used by 30% to 50% of patients with IBD. To date, there have been several placebo-controlled trials that have evaluated the efficacy of alternative medicinal agents such as marijuana, curcumin, aloe vera, extracts of Andrographis paniculata, and wheat grass juice (Triticum aestivum) for patients with IBD. Positive results have been observed in oral curcumin, paniculata extracts, and wheat grass juice treatments for patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC; Table 1). However, most studies have small to modest sample sizes and the use of alternative strategies are still limited owing to uncertain dosing and safety issues. Indigo naturalis (also referred to as Qing-Dai) is an herbal preparation extracted from leaves and stems of Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek that has been used as a blue dye since ancient times. Indigo naturalis has also been used as an antipyretic, an antiphlogistic, and as a hemostatic remedy for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. For specific diseases, it was reported to be efficacious for psoriasis and chronic hemorrhagic radiation proctitis in studies from China and Taiwan. For the treatment of IBD, a previous retrospective case series of 9 patients and an open-label, prospective pilot study of 20 patients suggested the efficacy of oral indigo naturalis for inducing remission in active UC. Based on those encouraging results, in this issue of Gastroenterology, Naganuma et al reported results from the first randomized, controlled trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of indigo naturalis in patients with moderate to severe UC. In this study, a total of 86 subjects were randomly assigned to groups given a daily dose of 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g indigo naturalis or placebo (1:1:1:1 ratio) for 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was clinical response at week 8 and secondary endpoints included clinical remission, endoscopic remission, and levels of quantitative fecal blood test and fecal calprotectin at week 8. However, the trial was early terminated owing to an external reason: the report of a possible adverse event of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in a patient with UC
Public service broadcasting in Taiwan: cultural issues and national identity conveyed in documentaries

Abstract This article explores how the Public Television Service (PTS) of the Republic of China-Taiwan, born in 1998, has contributed to promoting the Taiwanese identity through documentaries, by conveying cultural issues in a way that could be shared by the majority of the population, independently of political opinion. Among the main cultural aspects, PTS gave particular attention to respect for other ethnic groups, ecology, traditions, and religion. The first part of the study begins with a summary of the social and political background surrounding the birth of PTS—after the first free elections of 1996—including the development of the two main political parties, their proposals about the relationship with mainland China, and how that feeling has shifted towards a more cultural dimension. The second part includes a thematic analysis (content-discourse analysis with qualitative methodology) of a selection of six awarded documentaries aired around October 2011 (and later), in the year that marked the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of China, and constituted a crucial moment to relaunch the Taiwanese identity.
Attachment Orientations, Sexual Behavior, and Relationship Satisfaction in Young, Mixed-Sex Couples: A Dyadic Approach

Abstract We examined if and to what degree attachment orientations of both partners moderate the link between different behavioral characteristics of the sexual relationship and relationship satisfaction in the early stages of romantic attachment. A sample of 126 young, mixed-sex couples (N = 252, mean age = 23.3, SD = 2.4; average relationship duration = 1.9 years, SD = 0.9) filled out questionnaires assessing attachment anxiety and avoidance, a range of intimate and sexual couple behaviors, and relationship satisfaction. Exploratory factor analyses revealed two behavioral factors: Intimate behavior (kissing, cuddling) and sexual behavior (oral sex, coitus). Although frequency of sexual behavior was not directly associated with relationship satisfaction, we found a significant positive interaction with anxious attachment, indicating that higher frequencies of sexual behavior were associated with greater self-reported relationship satisfaction in more anxiously attached individuals. Exploration of the effects of intimate behaviors on relationship satisfaction revealed significant positive associations as well, but, unexpectedly, only for avoidantly attached individuals. These results call for a dyadic and differentiated approach to the study of sexuality in couples and are in line with prior findings that the impact of intimate and sexual behaviors on relationship satisfaction varies depending on attachment orientations.
Happenstance: Utilizing Semantic Search to Track Russian State Media Narratives about the Russo-Ukrainian War On Reddit

In the buildup to and in the weeks following the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian state media outlets output torrents of misleading and outright false information. In this work, we study this coordinated information campaign in order to understand the most prominent state media narratives touted by the Russian government to English-speaking audiences. To do this, we first perform sentence-level topic analysis using the large-language model MPNet on articles published by ten different pro-Russian propaganda websites including the new Russian “fact-checking” website waronfakes.com. Within this ecosystem, we show that smaller websites like katehon.com were highly effective at publishing topics that were later echoed by other Russian sites. After analyzing this set of Russian information narratives, we then analyze their correspondence with narratives and topics of discussion on r/Russia and 10 other political subreddits. Using MPNet and a semantic search algorithm, we map these subreddits’ comments to the set of topics extracted from our set of Russian websites, finding that 39.6% of r/Russia comments corresponded to narratives from pro-Russian propaganda websites compared to 8.86% on r/politics.
Longitudinal Dynamics of HPV16 Antibodies in Saliva and Serum among Pregnant Women

Oral infections with high-risk (hr)HPV genotypes are associated with a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Oral hrHPV infections may result from having oral sex, but also from horizontal infection from mouth to mouth. In such cases, saliva can serve as a vehicle for HPV transmission. Still, the prevalence and dynamics of salivary HPV antibodies in healthy non-vaccinated individuals are poorly known and the role of the salivary antibodies in protection from oral HPV infection is unclear. We used an ELISA assay to evaluate the dynamics and correlation of oral HPV16 infection and HPV16L1 and E7 specific antibody levels in saliva and serum samples among 39 women, 13 of which had persistent oral HPV16 infection. The women were mothers-to-be, sampled before delivery and followed up for 36 months postpartum. HPV16L1 IgG and sIgA antibodies were regularly detected in saliva. Antibody levels in serum remained stable during the 36-month follow-up, while antibody levels in saliva fluctuated. There was considerable individual variation in salivary HPV16L1 antibody levels, and some women had persistent oral HPV16 infection but no salivary antibodies. No differences in salivary HPV16L1 levels were found between the women with persistent or transient oral HPV16 infection.
First record of blacknape large-eye bream Gymnocranius satoi (Perciformes: Lethrinidae) in the Philippines

The Philippines has been regarded as the center of the center of marine shorefish biodiversity, having the highest number of fish species per square area in the world. The blacknape large-eye bream, Gymnocranius satoi, has been reported to occur from Southern Japan, Taiwan to Northwestern Australia and to the Coral Sea, but has not previously been recorded from the Philippines. From 2011 – 2019, the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) collaborated with the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution (NMNH/SI), USA, and the Old Dominion University (ODU), Virgina, USA, to inventory all commercial fish species sold in fish markets around the Philippines. During three (3) fish market surveys (Dumaguete City Market, Negros Oriental; Claveria Public Market, Cagayan, Northern Luzon; and Tabaco City Market, Albay, Southeastern Luzon in 2013, 2016 and 2017, respectively), we collected and eventually identified using morphological and DNA barcoding (COI) analysis, seven (7) specimens of G. satoi, representing the first records of this species from the country. Since the potential to discover new species and first records of fish species in the Philippines is high, further taxonomic study of the genus Gymnocranius is needed.
IL-21 (rs2055979 and rs2221903)/IL-21R (rs3093301) Polymorphism and High Levels of IL-21 Are Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mexican Patients

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is characterized by joint destruction, chronic inflammation, and autoantibody production. IL-21/IL-21R plays an essential role in the immunopathology of RA. Elevated IL-21 serum levels have been associated with RA and disease activity. Here, we evaluated the association of IL-21/IL-21R polymorphisms and IL-21 serum levels with RA. The study included 275 RA patients and 280 Control subjects (CSs). Single nucleotide polymorphisms IL-21 (rs2055979 and rs2221903) and IL-21R (rs3093301) were genotyped using PCR-RFLP. Clinical activity was evaluated by DAS28-ESR; IL-21 and anti-CCP serum levels were quantified by ELISA. The IL-21 rs2055979 AA genotype was higher in RA patients than in the CS group (p = 0.0216, OR = 1.761, 95% CI = 1.085–2.859); furthermore, RA patients showed anti-CCP elevated levels compared to the CA genotype (p = 0.0296). The IL21R rs3093301 AA genotype was also higher in RA patients than in the CS group (p = 0.0122, OR = 1.965, 95% CI = 1.153–3.348). The AT haplotypes of IL-21 rs2055979 and rs2221903 were more frequent (49%) in the RA group (p = 0.006). IL-21 serum levels were significantly elevated in the RA group, but without an association with IL-21 polymorphisms. In conclusion, IL-21 rs2255979 and IL-21R rs3093301 are associated with a higher risk of RA, and could be a genetic marker. Moreover, the elevated IL-21 levels in RA suggest that IL-21/IL-21R could be a therapeutic target in RA.
Dynamical Linkages and Frequency Spillovers between Crude Oil and Stock Markets in BRICS During Turbulent and Tranquil Times

: Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the price of crude oil and the BRICS countries 04/01/2016 to 05/01/2023, by analyzing the spillover effects and connectedness using the quantile VAR approach. Design/Methodology/Approach: Researchers focused on three quantiles - median, high, and low to capture the connectedness. Findings: The results show first, that there is higher total connectedness in the bearish and bullish market conditions compared with normal conditions. Moreover, the degree of connectedness is even stronger during periods of crises such the case during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war. This shows that under extreme market conditions, the strength of the connectedness increases with the size of the shock, suggesting a symmetric relationship. Practical implications: The frequency connectedness is divided into high and low-frequency and it is discovered that the short-term TCI had a greater impact on the total TCI than the long-term TCI. Originality value: These findings can be valuable for both international investors and policy makers.
A Behavioral Comparison of Male and Female Adults with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Conditions

Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) affect more males than females in the general population. However, within ASC it is unclear if there are phenotypic sex differences. Testing for similarities and differences between the sexes is important not only for clinical assessment but also has implications for theories of typical sex differences and of autism. Using cognitive and behavioral measures, we investigated similarities and differences between the sexes in age- and IQ-matched adults with ASC (high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome). Of the 83 (45 males and 38 females) participants, 62 (33 males and 29 females) met Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) cut-off criteria for autism in childhood and were included in all subsequent analyses. The severity of childhood core autism symptoms did not differ between the sexes. Males and females also did not differ in self-reported empathy, systemizing, anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive traits/symptoms or mentalizing performance. However, adult females with ASC showed more lifetime sensory symptoms (p = 0.036), fewer current socio-communication difficulties (p = 0.001), and more self-reported autistic traits (p = 0.012) than males. In addition, females with ASC who also had developmental language delay had lower current performance IQ than those without developmental language delay (p<0.001), a pattern not seen in males. The absence of typical sex differences in empathizing-systemizing profiles within the autism spectrum confirms a prediction from the extreme male brain theory. Behavioral sex differences within ASC may also reflect different developmental mechanisms between males and females with ASC. We discuss the importance of the superficially better socio-communication ability in adult females with ASC in terms of why females with ASC may more often go under-recognized, and receive their diagnosis later, than males.
Novel approaches for preventing acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

ABSTRACT Introduction: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) offers potential curative treatment for a wide range of malignant and nonmalignant hematological disorders. However, its success may be limited by post-transplant acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), a systemic syndrome in which donor’s immune cells attack healthy tissues in the immunocompromised host. aGVHD is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality after alloHSCT. Despite standard GVHD prophylaxis regimens, aGVHD still develops in approximately 40–60% of alloHSCT recipients. Areas covered: In this review, after a brief summary of current knowledge on the pathogenesis of aGVHD, the authors review the current combination of a calcineurin inhibitor with an antimetabolite with or without added anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and emerging strategies for GVHD prevention. Expert opinion: A new understanding of the involvement of cytokines, intracellular signaling pathways, epigenetics and immunoregulatory cells in GVHD pathogenesis will lead to new standards for aGVHD prophylaxis allowing better prevention of severe aGVHD without affecting graft-versus-tumor effects.
A cross-sectional investigation into the association between Porphyromonas gingivalis and autoantibodies to citrullinated proteins in a German population

Background: Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g) is unique among pathogens due to its ability to generate citrullinated proteins in an inflammatory milieu, potentially mediating the loss of immune tolerance, the production of anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), and subsequently the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Based on this hypothesis, we set out to investigate whether P.g is linked to ACPAs in a well-characterized German population. Participants and methods: A total of 600 participants (292 women and 308 men with a mean age of 67 years) of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Potsdam study were selected in 2013, and paired saliva and serum samples were collected. Salivary P.g DNA and serum anticyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP2) levels were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and anti-CCP2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. In selected participants, additional ACPA fine-specificities were also analysed on a custom-made multiplex peptide array. Results: Among participants with C-reactive protein greater than 3.0 mg/l, a one-unit increase in P.g DNA was associated with an almost twofold increase in anti-CCP2 levels. Moreover, participants with high P.g DNA had on average approximately 2.8-times higher anti-CCP2 levels when compared with participants with low P.g DNA, (Holm-adjusted p value = 0.01). Furthermore, citrullinated epitopes on α-enolase and vimentin were common ACPA reactivities among participants who also had high P.g DNA and elevated C-reactive protein. Conclusions: Our study suggests that in specific subgroups of individuals with systemic inflammation, higher salivary P.g DNA is associated with elevated serum ACPA. These data support a role for P.g in the development of anticitrulline immunity.
Competition between white clover ‘Grasslands Huia’ and Lotus pendunculatus ‘Grasslands Maku’ II. Effects of phosphorus and lime

Abstract The effects of superphosphate and lime on competition between Lotus pedunculatus Cav. cv. Grasslands Maku and Trifolium repens L. cv. Grasslands Huia (white clover) were studied by comparing species production as monocultures and bicultures in undisturbed turves of a Waipori upland YBE (pH 4.6) transferred to a glasshouse. Seedlings were planted at 2.5 cm inter- and intra-row spacings with species alternating across and down rows in the biculture. Measurement of competitive ability (‘aggressivity index’) based on proportionate yield differences showed lotus to be the aggressor and white clover the subordinate species under low levels of applied P (30 kg/ha). Application of 100 kg P/ha reversed the competitive order with white clover becoming the aggressor. Associated changes in herbage P and N concentrations and P uptake are presented. Surface-applied lime did not change the nature of competition between white clover and lotus although it is possible that any such effect may not have been detecte.
Myofascial Pain Syndrome—Trigger Points

Myofascial trigger points [TrPs] continue to attract clinicians and researchers from around the world. This review includes contributions from Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United States. A paper by Chang, Chen, and Chang illuminates an important aspect of the integrated TrP hypothesis and suggests that a disintegration of spinal motor neurons may contribute to the development of TrPs. Other papers investigated TrPs and whiplash injury, urinary incontinence, muscle cramps, shoulder pain, and tinnitus. The research team of Fernández-de-las-Peñas explored preliminary clinical prediction rules with trigger point therapy, which may assist in determining which patients are most likely to benefit from trigger point therapy.
Loss of PIKfyve drives the spongiform degeneration in prion diseases

Brain-matter vacuolation is a defining trait of all prion diseases, yet its cause is unknown. Here we report that prion infection and prion-mimetic antibodies deplete the phosphatidylinositol kinase PIKfyve in mouse brains, cultured cells, organotypic brain slices, and in brains of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease victims. We found that PIKfyve, an inositol kinase involved endolysosomal maturation, is acylated by zDHHC9 and zDHHC21, whose juxtavesicular topology is disturbed by prion infection, resulting in PIKfyve deacylation and destabilization. A protracted unfolded protein response (UPR), typical of prion diseases, also induced PIKfyve deacylation and degradation. Conversely, UPR antagonists restored PIKfyve levels in prion-infected cells. Overexpression of zDHHC9 and zDHHC21, administration of the antiprion polythiophene LIN5044, or supplementation with the PIKfyve reaction product PI(3,5)P2, suppressed prion-induced vacuolation. Thus, PIKfyve emerges as a central mediator of vacuolation and neurotoxicity in prion diseases.
Organoleptic Properties of Chocolate Coated Chinese Chestnut

Chinese chestnuts native to countries like Taiwan, China, Korea shows a great tool as to deal with several body ails. The main objective of this experimental study was to standardize and develop the value product from Chinese chestnut to alleviate ails in all age groups. Not only to add value to the product but also to introduce the nut to the people residing in different parts of but also to people all over the world. As there are limited number of studies focusing on the presence of vitamins in Castanea crenata, C. dentata and C. mollissima. The study was carried out to use Chinese chestnut with three different chocolates and flaxseeds for production of the confection- chocolate coated chestnut and flaxseed mix. The raw material was obtained from Uttarakhand and was processed later using methods like roasting, sun drying etc. For the packaging of the products, colorful foils were used as primary packaging material and then attractive cardboard boxes as the secondary packaging, which protects the confection against biological, chemical, physical factors. These confections were prepared from Chinese chestnut and are evaluated for their sensory properties. In sensory evaluation all three confection samples T1, T2, T3 were accepted.
The State of the Art in Human-computer Speech-based Interface Technologies

This paper gives an overview of the state-of-the-art human-computer interface technologies based on automotlc speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis. It also describes the recent R&D activities ot the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in this challenging field. Speech is the most convenient and natural means of communication among human beings. By enabling the computer to listen and speak, speech technologies have empowered many important applications that improve our quality of life. Hong Kong is a trilingual society where people speak Cantonese, Putonghua as well as English. While a great deal of efforts have been spent on speech and language processing for English and Putonghua in Western countries and China, the Speech Research Group at CUHK is well known to be one of theJew pioneers who Initiated extensive study on Cantonesejacused speech technologies. Cantonese is a major Chinese direct spoken by over 70 million people in South China and Hong Kong. We shall introduce the various speeCh recognition and speech generation technologies developed by our team during the past few years. These component technologies and related data resources are made publiciy available with an aim to lower the entry barrier of any research institutes or private enterprises who wish to embark on this exciting area of research and development. Furthermore, a number of emerging technologies that integrate with speech-based interface and lead to many navel and Innovative applications will be presented. Examples of such applications include a spoken document retrieval system and two spoken diolog systems for financial information inquiry. This article is intended to serve as a comprehensive reference for technology developers to explore the potential of speech technoiogies in the next-generation Informatian and communicatian systems.