Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cerebral Glucose Uptake During Walking: A Report of Three Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Common symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) include motor impairments of the lower extremities, particularly gait disturbances. Loss of balance and muscle weakness, representing some peripheral effects, have been shown to influence these symptoms, however, the individual role of cortical and subcortical structures in the central nervous system is still to be understood. Assessing [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the CNS can assess brain activity and is directly associated with regional neuronal activity. One potential modality to increase cortical excitability and improve motor function in patients with MS (PwMS) is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). However, tDCS group outcomes may not mirror individual subject responses, which impedes our knowledge of the pathophysiology and management of diseases like MS. Three PwMS randomly received both 3 mA tDCS and SHAM targeting the motor cortex (M1) that controls the more-affected leg for 20 min on separate days before walking on a treadmill. The radiotracer, FDG, was injected at minute two of the 20 min walk and the subjects underwent a Positron emission tomography (PET) scan immediately after the task. Differences in relative regional metabolism of areas under the tDCS anode and the basal ganglia were calculated and investigated. The results indicated diverse and individualized responses in regions under the anode and consistent increases in some basal ganglia areas (e.g., caudate nucleus). Thus, anodal tDCS targeting the M1 that controls the more-affected leg of PwMS might be capable of affecting remote subcortical regions and modulating the activity (motor, cognitive, and behavioral functions) of the circuitry connected to these regions.
Pyroptosis and Its Regulation in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DbCM) is a prevalent disease, characterized by contractile dysfunction and left ventricular hypertrophy. Patients with DbCM have high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent studies have identified that pyroptosis, a kind of cell death, could be induced by hyperglycemia involved in the formation of DbCM. This review summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of pyroptosis in DbCM, including NOD-like receptor3, AIM2 inflammasome, long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, circular RNA, autophagy, and some drugs.
Starting at Birth: An Integrative, State-of-the-Science Framework for Optimizing Infant Neuromotor Health

Numerous conditions and circumstances place infants at risk for poor neuromotor health, yet many are unable to receive treatment until a definitive diagnosis is made, sometimes several years later. In this integrative perspective, we describe an extensive team science effort to develop a transdiagnostic approach to neuromotor health interventions designed to leverage the heightened neuroplasticity of the first year of life. We undertook the following processes: (1) conducted a review of the literature to extract common principles and strategies underlying effective neuromotor health interventions; (2) hosted a series of expert scientific exchange panels to discuss common principles, as well as practical considerations and/or lessons learned from application in the field; and (3) gathered feedback and input from diverse stakeholders including infant caregivers and healthcare providers. The resultant framework was a pragmatic, evidence-based, transdiagnostic approach to optimize neuromotor health for high-risk infants based on four principles: (a) active learning, (b) environmental enrichment, (c) caregiver engagement, and (d) strength-based approaches. In this perspective paper, we delineate these principles and their potential applications. Innovations include: engagement of multiple caregivers as critical drivers of the intervention; promoting neuromotor health in the vulnerability phase, rather than waiting to treat neuromotor disease; integrating best practices from adjacent fields; and employing a strengths-based approach. This framework holds promise for implementation as it is scalable, pragmatic, and holistically addresses both the needs of the infant and their family.
Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Functional Dyspepsia Based on Pathophysiology

Functional dyspepsia (FD), a common disorder of gastrointestinal function, originated from the gastroduodenum. Although the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been investigated by various high-quality randomized controlled trials, the potential mechanisms showed obvious heterogeneity. This review summarized the potential mechanisms of acupuncture on FD in order to guide for future laboratory and clinical studies. Here, we argued that the primary cause of FD was gastroduodenal low-grade inflammation and acid exposure, which impaired mucosal integrity, caused brain-gut axis dysfunction, and impaired brain network connectivity, all of which generated various symptom patterns. Overall the clinical studies indicated that acupuncture was a promising treatment to alleviate symptoms in FD patients, whose efficacy was influenced by acupoints and individual variance. Mechanistically, studies with animal models of FD and patients have shown that acupuncture, a non-invasive strategy for nerve stimulation, may have the potential to control intestinal inflammation and suppress acid-secretion via different somatic autonomic reflex pathways, regulate the brain-gut axis through intestinal microbiota, and has the potential to ameliorate FD-symptoms. The cumulative evidence demonstrated that acupuncture is a promising treatment to alleviate symptoms of FD patients.
Next Generation Sequencing for Diagnosis of Leptospirosis Combined With Multiple Organ Failure: A Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction Leptospirosis poses a major threat to human life. The disease spectrum ranges from a nearly undetectable presentation to severe multi-organ dysfunction and death. Leptospirosis is difficult to diagnose by traditional antibody and culture tests. We here present a case of multiple organ failure associated with leptospirosis. Material and Methods A 64-year-old woman presented with fatigue and arthralgia, which developed rapidly into multiple organ injuries, and she eventually died of cerebral hemorrhage. Serum antibody test and cultures of blood, sputum, urine, and feces samples were all negative. The patient was diagnosed with leptospirosis by the next-generation sequencing (NGS). Conclusion We conclude that leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira species. New techniques such as NGS are highlighted for early diagnosis. Surveillance for pathogens during diagnosis can provide guidance for clinical treatment and improves prognosis.
Impacts of Light and Food Availability on Early Development of Cassiopea Medusae

The Cassiopea genus is an emergent focus for behavioral, ecological, and genetic research. Cassiopea ephyrae, a key intermediate in the life cycle of this benthic jellyfish, have been left out of much work on the genus. Here we investigate the Cassiopea xamachana ephyra response to six combinations of light and feeding regimes. We show that zero light condition results in fast bleaching of ephyrae and significant reductions in bell size and predation success. We also show that ephyrae starved in sub-compensation level light experienced only meager reductions in size over 42 days, and those starved in zero light were still largely recoverable at 28 days. Developmental trajectories on various metrics of Cassiopea xamachana ephyrae were significantly impacted by both light and feeding level in the first 42 days of life.
Interactions Between Marine Group II Archaea and Phytoplankton Revealed by Population Correlations in the Northern Coast of South China Sea

Marine Group II (MGII) archaea (Poseidoniales) are the most abundant surface marine planktonic archaea and are widely distributed in both coastal and pelagic waters. The factors affecting their distribution and activity are poorly understood. MGII archaea have the metabolic potential to utilize algae-derived organic matter and are frequently observed in high abundance during or following phytoplankton blooms, suggesting that they are key players of the marine food web. In this study, we studied interactions between MGII archaea and the diverse taxa of phytoplankton in the northern coast of South China Sea. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and cluster analyses demonstrated distinct MGII community patterns in the Pearl River plume (PRP) and the open regions of the northern South China Sea (ONSCS), with MGIIb dominating the former and MGIIa and MGIIb showing remarkable variations in the latter for the same sampling season. Nevertheless, positive correlations (Pearson correlation: R > 0.8 and P < 0.01) in absolute abundances of ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-derived complementary DNA and rRNA genes from network analyses were found between MGII archaea and phytoplankton (cyanobacteria, haptophytes, and stramenopiles in both PRP and ONSCS) among different particle size fractions, indicating their intrinsic relationships under changing environmental conditions. The results of this study may shed light on the multiple interactions between co-existing species in the micro-niches of different oceanic regions.
Editorial: Current Perspectives of Antimicrobial Resistance in Campylobacteraceae and Helicobacteraceae

1 Sciences Faculty, School of Medical Technology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaı́so, Valparaiso, Chile, 2 Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York City, NY, United States, 3 Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Lisboa, Portugal, 4 Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile, 5 Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde da Universidade da Beira Interior (CICS-UBI) Health Sciences Research Centre of University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
Dietary Malic Acid Supplementation Induces Skeletal Muscle Fiber-Type Transition of Weaned Piglets and Further Improves Meat Quality of Finishing Pigs

The aim of this study was to investigate effects of dietary malic acid supplementation on skeletal muscle fiber-type transition during nursery period and the subsequent meat quality of finishing pigs. Results showed that malic acid supplementation for 28 days increased oxidative fiber percentage of weaned piglets, accompanied by the increased aerobic oxidation in serum and longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle. Additionally, activities of total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase in serum were increased. Moreover, dietary malic acid supplementation during nursery period tended to increase pH24h and significantly decreased drip loss in LT muscle of finishing pigs. The content of total saturated fatty acid (SFA) and total monounsaturated fatty acid in LT muscle was significantly decreased, whereas the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acid to SFA tended to increase. Together, dietary malic acid supplementation during nursery period can effectively increase antioxidant capacity and oxidative fibers percentage of weaned piglets, and further improve water holding capacity and nutritional values of pork in finishing pigs.
Simple flux-based Lagrangian formulation to model nonlinearity of concentrated-winding switched reluctance motors

Practical applications of switched reluctance motors (SRMs) require control techniques that can solve large torque ripple and large current ripple in power supply. To promote development of these techniques, a simple Lagrangian formulation for flux-based nonlinear SRM models is proposed. This formulation can be analysed in combination with Lagrangian circuit models of motor drivers. The properness of the formulation is supported by an example of the analysis of the operation of a simple SRM driving system.
Advances in Dry Eye Disease Examination Techniques

Dry eye-related ocular surface examination is very important in the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye disease. With the recent advances in science and technology, dry eye examination techniques have progressed rapidly, which has greatly improved dry eye diagnoses and treatment. However, clinically, confusion remains about which examination to choose, how to ensure the repeatability of the examination, and how to accurately interpret the examination results. In this review, we systematically evaluate previous examinations of dry eye, analyze the latest views and research hotspots, and provide a reference for the diagnosis and management of dry eye.
Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarkers of Acute Graft-vs.-Host Disease After Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation and Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide

Even with high-dose post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) which was initially introduced for graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) prevention in the setting of HLA-haploidentical transplantation, both acute and chronic GvHDs remain a major clinical challenge. Despite improvements in the understanding of the pathogenesis of both acute and chronic GvHDs, reliable biomarkers that predict their onset have yet to be identified. We recently studied the potential correlation between extracellular vesicles (EVs) and the onset of acute (a)GvHD in transplant recipients from related and unrelated donors. In the present study, we further investigated the role of the expression profile of membrane proteins and their microRNA (miRNA) cargo (miRNA100, miRNA155, and miRNA194) in predicting the onset of aGvHD in haploidentical transplant recipients with PT-Cy. Thirty-two consecutive patients were included. We evaluated the expression profile of EVs, by flow cytometry, and their miRNA cargo, by real-time PCR, at baseline, prior, and at different time points following transplant. Using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models, a significant association between expression profiles of antigens such as CD146, CD31, CD140a, CD120a, CD26, CD144, and CD30 on EVs, and their miRNA cargo with the onset of aGvHD was observed. Moreover, we also investigated a potential correlation between EV expression profile and cargo with plasma biomarkers (e.g., ST2, sTNFR1, and REG3a) that had been associated with aGVHD previously. This analysis showed that the combination of CD146, sTNFR1, and miR100 or miR194 strongly correlated with the onset of aGvHD (AUROC >0.975). A large prospective multicenter study is currently in progress to validate our findings.
Investigating the Usability, Efficacy and Accuracy of a Medication Entering Software System for a Healthcare Robot

Purpose: This research aimed to evaluate medication software for a healthcare robot. Study I compared two software versions (RoboGen and RoboGen2) for system usability, speed and accuracy of medication entry; Study II evaluated system usability and community pharmacists’ views of RoboGen2. Methods: Study I had a within-subjects experimental design and recruited 40 Health Sciences students to enter different, comparable sets of prescriptions into the two systems, in randomized order, within a limit of 15 min. Screen activity was recorded to observe prescription errors. Study II had a cross-sectional observational design and recruited 20 community pharmacists using convenience sampling. Pharmacists entered three prescriptions using RoboGen2. Participants in both studies completed the System Usability Scale (SUS) following each task. Study I participants completed a questionnaire on system preference, and Study II participants a semi-structured interview. Results: Study I participants preferred Robogen2 (p < 0.001) due to its sleek and modern layout, good flow, ease of use, and intuitive design. SUS scores [t (40) = −3.40, p = 0.002] and speed of medication entry favored Robogen2 (t = 3.65, p < 0.001). No significance was found in accuracy (t = 1.12, p = 0.27). In study 2, pharmacists rated the usability of RoboGen2 below average. Themes from interviews were navigation and streamlining the system, ease of use, and integration with pharmacy software systems. Conclusion: Adding safety features and better aesthetics can improve the usability and safety of a medication prescription system. Streamlining workflow and pre-populating data can increase speed of prescription entry without compromising patient safety. However, a better approach is integration with pre-existing pharmacy systems to reduce workload while incorporating safety features built into existing dispensing systems.
Use of Our Future Seas: Relevance of Spatial and Temporal Scale for Physical and Biological Indicators

There is about to be an abrupt step-change in the use of our coastal seas, specifically by the addition of large-scale offshore renewable energy developments to combat climate change. Many trade-offs will need to be weighed up for the future sustainable management of marine ecosystems between renewables and other uses (e.g., fisheries, marine protected areas). Therefore, we need a much greater understanding of how different marine habitats and ecosystems are likely to change with both natural and anthropogenic transformations. This work will present a review of predictive Bayesian approaches from ecosystem level, through to fine scale mechanistic understanding of foraging success by individual species, to identify consistent physical (e.g., bottom temperature) and biological (e.g., chlorophyll-a) indicators of habitat and ecosystem change over the last 30 years within the North Sea. These combined approaches illuminate the feasibility of integrating knowledge across scales to be able to address the spatio-temporal variability of biophysical indicators to ultimately strengthen predictions of population changes at ecosystem scales across broadly different habitat types. Such knowledge will provide an effective baseline for more strategic and integrated approaches to both monitoring studies and assessing anthropogenic impacts to be used within marine spatial planning considerations.
Case Report: Coronary-Pulmonary Fistula Closure by Percutaneous Approach: Learning From Mistakes

Coronary-pulmonary artery fistulas (CPAF) are congenital vascular anomalies detected incidentally in most cases. When a significant left-right shunt exists, surgical, or percutaneous treatment is indicated. We describe a challenging case of CPAF closure, by percutaneous approach, in a patient symptomatic for dyspnea and evidence of a significant left-right shunt. A first attempt to close the fistula was performed implanting a vascular plug but it quickly embolized. The plug was successfully retrieved. In a second attempt, we deployed several coils before implanting the vascular plug with total closure of the fistula. The combination of plugs and coils is associated with a higher success rate of closure.
Reviewers’ Identity Cues in Online Product Reviews and Consumers’ Purchase Intention

This research performs three experiments to investigate the influence mechanisms of identity cues in product reviews on consumers’ purchase intention, and to examine the effects of reference groups. The results indicate that: (1) identity cues in positive reviews have a significant positive impact on consumers’ purchase intention, while identity cues in negative reviews have a significant negative impact on consumers’ purchase intention; in addition, identity cues play a greater role in amplifying the impact of negative reviews on purchase intention; (2) emotional social support has a mediating role in the relationship between reviewers’ identity cues and purchase intention, while informational social support and review credibility only play significant mediating roles under all positive reviews scenario; and (3) identity cues of dissociative groups have a negative impact on purchase intention, whereas identity cues of in-groups or aspirational groups have a positive impact on the purchase intention. These findings complement existing research on online reviews and offer insights into the management and strategic oversight of product reviews for e-commerce platforms and merchants.
DNA Epigenetics in Addiction Susceptibility

Addiction is a chronically relapsing neuropsychiatric disease that occurs in some, but not all, individuals who use substances of abuse. Relatively little is known about the mechanisms which contribute to individual differences in susceptibility to addiction. Neural gene expression regulation underlies the pathogenesis of addiction, which is mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA modifications. A growing body of work has demonstrated distinct DNA epigenetic signatures in brain reward regions that may be associated with addiction susceptibility. Furthermore, factors that influence addiction susceptibility are also known to have a DNA epigenetic basis. In the present review, we discuss the notion that addiction susceptibility has an underlying DNA epigenetic basis. We focus on major phenotypes of addiction susceptibility and review evidence of cell type-specific, time dependent, and sex biased effects of drug use. We highlight the role of DNA epigenetics in these diverse processes and propose its contribution to addiction susceptibility differences. Given the prevalence and lack of effective treatments for addiction, elucidating the DNA epigenetic mechanism of addiction vulnerability may represent an expeditious approach to relieving the addiction disease burden.
Blended learning: best practices in a health and human service course

As the aging Canadian population increases so does the demand for Health Care professionals. Vancouver Island University Faculty of Health & Human Services (H&HS) has begun to use alternate delivery models including Blended Learning (BL) to manage community demand for their graduates. BL is a thoughtfully integrated design and instructional delivery model that contains both face to face and computer-mediated components. BL allows for flexibility, responsiveness, and provides added value to H&HS programs. The intent of this project was to explore the process of development and design of an H&HS course via D2L using BL instructional design guidelines and best practice strategies. The course received positive and supportive feedback from the beta testing and a wealth of suggestions for improvement. Although the project was a solo adventure, the collegial nature of the feedback reflected team collaboration. Revisions, as per the beta testing, are complete, and the course goes to pilot early 2016. Plans include the transition of other H&HS courses online with this course as a template. Outcomes of the project include the H&HS course pilot and the development of a "best practices" web-based resource to support H&HS faculty in their development of BL courses. The H&HS course is available via D2L at: HCAS 103T: Health Care Assistant: Intro S15N01. However, given the restricted access to D2L, a video tour of the course outline is here. The best practice resource, Best Practices with Experience is available via Weebly at www.curiousden885. com