Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can Women Shelters Help Reduce Symptoms of PTSD and C-PTSD? Trajectories of PTSD Symptom Development Following Partner- and Family-Related Violence

Background: To protect women from Intimate partner violence (IPV), women’s shelters should not only provide emergency safety from IPV exposure, but also prolonged support that empowers women to build a life free from violence. The present study aims to investigate individual symptom development in association with residency at a women’s shelter. Method: Data were collected at four different timepoints, that is, enrolment (T1, N = 150), 3-months residency (T2, = 110), 6-months residency (T3, N = 68) and after relocation (T4, N = 63). Women were included from four Danish women’s shelters. The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) was applied to test for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Complex-PTSD (C-PTSD) at all timepoints. A paired sample t-test was used to test the mean symptom development, and a Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA) was applied to test for different classes of PTSD-trajectories. Logistic regression was applied to predict class membership from shelter-related variables and symptom severity, that is, length of residency, psychological counselling, revictimization and key symptoms of C-PTSD. Results: The prevalence of PTSD (31%) and C-PTSD (37.9%) was high at enrolment. Although t-tests suggested a significant decline in symptoms at follow-up, the LCGA revealed different classes of symptom development. The two-class model was found to be the best representation of data with low-symptom- and high-symptom profiles, respectively. Overall, the largest decline in symptoms occurred within the first 3 months of residency. Revictimization was high and was further found to predict class membership. However, when included in a multiple regression only symptom severity predicted the high-symptoms profile class. Discussion: Psychological treatment focussing on PTSD and C-PTSD is important for the women’s future well-being and safety. Reports on revictimization was alarmingly high, which emphasises a continuing need to protect women from psychological violence within the shelters. These findings should be replicated in larger samples before we can draw any conclusion.
Social Media Discussions on the FDA’s Modified Risk Tobacco Product Authorization of IQOS

Abstract Background: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of the IQOS tobacco heating system as a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) in July 2020, permitting its ‘reduced exposure’ marketing. This decision is accompanied by much controversy among the global health community. We provide a preliminary analysis of Twitter conversations regarding the MRTP authorization of IQOS by identifying the authors, valence towards the policy decision, source of cited link, and focused topic. Methods: We analyzed 548 tweets mentioning MRTP posted between July 2016 (when PMI submitted the proposal) and October 2020. Results: We found a higher proportion of pro-MRTP valence (25.4%) than anti-MRTP (16.2%). Nearly half of the tweets (47.2%) expressing personal opinions presented pro-MRTP valence (vs. anti-MRTP = 23.9%). The FDA website was more frequently cited in pro-MRTP tweets (30.8% vs. anti = 4.8%), while tobacco control advocates’ websites were cited only in anti-MRTP tweets (77.4% vs. pro = 0). Pro-MRTP valence appeared more frequently in tweets mentioning health (53.1% vs. anti =38.5%) and cessation (100% vs. anti = 0). Nearly 42% of tweets showed a bot score greater than . 43, indicating a possibility of automation. Conclusion: Continuous efforts are needed to surveil the industry’s attempts to create a climate of false consensus and circulate misinformation regarding MRTP on social media, as well as to assist non-scientific audiences’ understanding of MRTP.
Orchestrating serine/threonine phosphorylation and elucidating downstream effects by short linear motifs

Cellular function is based on protein–protein interactions. A large proportion of these interactions involves the binding of short linear motifs (SLiMs) by folded globular domains. These interactions are regulated by post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, that create and break motif binding sites or tune the affinity of the interactions. In addition, motif-based interactions are involved in targeting serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases to their substrate and contribute to the specificity of the enzymatic actions regulating which sites are phosphorylated. Here, we review how SLiM-based interactions assist in determining the specificity of serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases, and how phosphorylation, in turn, affects motif-based interactions. We provide examples of SLiM-based interactions that are turned on/off, or are tuned by serine/threonine phosphorylation and exemplify how this affects SLiM-based protein complex formation.
The impact of SBF2 on taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy

Taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN) is a devastating survivorship issue for many cancer patients. In addition to its impact on quality of life, this toxicity may lead to dose reductions or treatment discontinuation, adversely impacting survival outcomes and leading to health disparities in African Americans (AA). Our lab has previously identified deleterious mutations in SET-Binding Factor 2 (SBF2) that significantly associated with severe TIPN in AA patients. Here, we demonstrate the impact of SBF2 on taxane-induced neuronal damage using an ex vivo model of SBF2 knockdown of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons. Knockdown of SBF2 exacerbated paclitaxel changes to cell viability and neurite outgrowth while attenuating paclitaxel-induced sodium current inhibition. Our studies identified paclitaxel-induced expression changes specific to mature sensory neurons and revealed candidate genes involved in the exacerbation of paclitaxel-induced phenotypes accompanying SBF2 knockdown. Overall, these findings provide ex vivo support for the impact of SBF2 on the development of TIPN and shed light on the potential pathways involved.
Survival after palliative radiotherapy in nondisseminated nonsmall cell lung cancer treated with 30 Gy in 10 fractions or 39 Gy in 13 fractions using conformal technique

Olfred Hansen , Mette Boye Boes, Tine Schytte, Tine Bjørn Nielsen, Stefan Starup Jeppesen and Morten Nielsen Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital Odense, Denmark; Academy of Geriatric Cancer Research (AgeCare), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; Laboratory of Radiation Physics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
Chemotherapy plus single/double immunotherapy in the treatment of non-oncogene addicted advanced non-small cell lung cancer: where do we stand and where are we going?

ABSTRACT Introduction Chemo-immunotherapy combinations have revolutionized our treatment algorithm with respect to naïve advanced NSCLC; however, given the great number of developed and approved combinations, the question arises as to which combinations provide the best efficacy and safety. Areas covered This review assesses and discusses the available data concerning chemo-immunotherapy combinations in the treatment of naïve advanced NSCLC, as well as presenting the most promising data involving combinations currently under investigation. Expert opinion Pembrolizumab-containing chemo-immunotherapy combinations are associated with the most mature data available and presently represent the standard treatment in clinical practice in naïve advanced NSCLC-affected patients. The nivolumab plus ipilimumab plus short-course chemotherapy combination, more recently approved by regulatory agencies, is an appealing alternative, thanks to the reduced rate of grade 3–5 TRAEs and the limited chemotherapy administration. The new chemo-immunotherapy combinations currently under investigation will help us to better identify both the best immune checkpoints to target and the most effective combinations to administer.
A potential outcomes approach to defining and estimating gestational age-specific exposure effects during pregnancy

Many studies seek to evaluate the effects of potentially harmful pregnancy exposures during specific gestational periods. We consider an observational pregnancy cohort where pregnant individuals can initiate medication usage or become exposed to a drug at various times during their pregnancy. An important statistical challenge involves how to define and estimate exposure effects when pregnancy loss or delivery can occur over time. Without proper consideration, the results of standard analysis may be vulnerable to selection bias, immortal time-bias, and time-dependent confounding. In this study, we apply the “target trials” framework of Hernán and Robins in order to define effects based on the counterfactual approach often used in causal inference. This effect is defined relative to a hypothetical randomized trial of timed pregnancy exposures where delivery may precede and thus potentially interrupt exposure initiation. We describe specific implementations of inverse probability weighting, G-computation, and Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation to estimate the effects of interest. We demonstrate the performance of all estimators using simulated data and show that a standard implementation of inverse probability weighting is biased. We then apply our proposed methods to a pharmacoepidemiology study to evaluate the potentially time-dependent effect of exposure to inhaled corticosteroids on birthweight in pregnant people with mild asthma.
Risperidone in analgesia induced by paracetamol and meloxicam in experimental pain

Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the best therapeutic options to treat pain. Their use in combination with other drugs may broaden their applicability in analgesia if their ceiling and adverse effects are reduced. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacological interaction of two NSAIDs, paracetamol and meloxicam, with the antipsychotic drug risperidone in mice, in several experimental tests of nociceptive and inflammatory pain. Antinociception was assessed by dose–response curves to paracetamol and meloxicam before and after the i.p. administration of 0.5 mg/kg of risperidone. Results are presented as means ± SEM and differences were calculated by one‐way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post‐test. Paracetamol and meloxicam produced a dose‐related antinociceptive effect with diverse potencies. Risperidone increased the analgesia mediated by paracetamol and meloxicam only in the tonic tests that detected inflammatory pain. This suggests that COX inhibition is only a partial explanation of the increased analgesic potency of paracetamol and meloxicam since the effects of NSAIDs in the CNS are mediated by multiple mechanisms. These results indicate that the combination of risperidone with paracetamol or meloxicam could be a new and effective alternative for the management of inflammatory pain.
Comparison of Rates of Lower Extremity Amputation in Patients With and Without Gout in the US Department of Veterans Affairs Health System

Key Points Question Are lower extremity amputations (LEAs) performed more often in patients with gout? Findings In this cohort study of 5 924 918 patients with and without gout, patients with gout had higher rates of LEA than those without gout after adjusting for comorbidities and other risk factors; this increase was apparent across different types of LEA. Among those with gout, poor serum urate control, but not the administration of urate-lowering therapy, was associated with a higher incidence of LEA. Meaning These findings suggest that because gout is associated with an increased rate of LEA, efforts to better understand the degree to which these procedures might be preventable is warranted.
Improved Electromagnetic Rail Launcher

To simplify the system configuration and improve the utilization of energy,the distributed-energy-storage rail launcher and the segmented rail launcher were analyzed and compared based on the basic principle of rail launcher.An improved electromagnetic rail launcher was proposed and simulation analyses for the improved rail launcher were made.In this improved rail launcher,3D arrangement rail,less circuit switches and a new connection mode of the rail and the source are used.The results show that the improved electromagnetic rail launcher has not only high power efficiency,being 3 times that of a conventional rail launcher,but a small volume of the energy storage module.
Contextual features in the developing hippocampus: A representational similarity analysis

Functional divisions of labor in support of memory have been reported along the anterior–posterior axis of the hippocampus. However, little is known about how the developing hippocampus represents associative memories along this axis. The present research employed representational similarity analysis to ask whether developmental differences exist in the extent to which the anterior versus the posterior hippocampus represent features of the context and associative memories. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected during the retrieval phase of an associative recognition task from 8‐year‐olds, 10‐year‐olds, and adults (N = 58). Participants were asked to retrieve pairs of items, which were presented either in the same location as during encoding or in a flipped location. In the anterior hippocampus and only for adults, pattern similarity between the two studied pair conditions was greater than pattern similarity between studied pairs presented in the same location and novel pairs. In contrast, this difference was not significant in the posterior hippocampus. Older, but not younger, children showed a similar, albeit attenuated, similarity pattern to that of adults, but measures of patterns similarity predicted associative recognition across ages. In addition, exploratory analyses showed that similarity patterns in the adult posterior, but not anterior, hippocampus tracked the order of the runs. Overall, the results suggest functional and developmental dissociations in processing different contextual features, with the anterior hippocampus responding to salient and rapid‐changing features and the posterior hippocampus responding to slower‐changing features of the context.
Preparation of Liposomal Raloxifene-Graphene Nanosheet and Evaluation of Its In Vitro Anticancer Effects

Background In current years, researchers have shown their prime interest in developing multifunctional drug delivery systems, especially against cancers, for effective anticancer outcomes. Methodology Raloxifene (RLX) loaded liposomal-graphene nanosheet (GNS) was developed. The novelty of this work was to enhance the solubilization of RLX and improvement of its bioavailability in the disease area. So, the selection of optimized formula design of experiment was implemented which produced the desired formula with the particle size of 156.333 nm. Further, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release, and thermodynamic stability of optimized formulation were evaluated. The optimized formulation exhibited prolonged release of RLX for a longer period of 24 h, which can minimize the dose-related toxicity of the drug. Furthermore, optimized formulation demonstrated remarkable thermodynamic stability in terms of phase separation, creaming, and cracking. Results The cytotoxicity study on the A549 cell line exhibited significant (P < .05) results in favor of optimized formulation than the free drug. The apoptotic activity was carried out by Annexin V staining and Caspase 3 analysis, which demonstrated remarkable promising results for optimized liposomal formulation. Conclusion From the findings of the study, it can be concluded that the novel optimized liposomal formulation could be pondered as a novel approach for the treatment of lung cancer.
Effects of Different Irradiation Treatments on Total Saponins Content of Sapindus mukorossi

Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn is also known as Mu Huanzi, You Huanzi, soap tree, etc. The pericarp of Sapindus mukorossi contains many saponins, which is a type of natural non-ionic surfactant. Its extract has vigorous surface activity and biological activities such as bacteriostasis, oxidation resistance, and free radical scavenging. The Sapindus mukorossi extract is an environmentally friendly washing product that microorganisms can be rapidly decompose in nature without any environmental pollution.This study aims to investigate the effects of E-beam and Co60-γ irradiation on the total saponins content in the crude extract of the S mukorossi. The S mukorossi powder is irradiated with E-beam and Co60-γ ray at doses of 0, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 kGy for E-beam and 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 Gy, respectively, for Co60-γ ray. The changes in the content of total saponins in the crude extract, total detergency, and the bacteriostatic abilities before and after the irradiation were analyzed. The results showed that the content of total saponins in samples irradiated by E-beam was significantly higher than that in non-irradiated samples. The saponins yield was the highest at a radiation dose of 6 kGy, and the detergency and bacteriostatic ability were also the strongest. After low-dose Co6-γ irradiation, the total saponins in the S mukorossi crude extract, and detergency and bacteriostatic ability had no apparent change. Conclusion: E-beam irradiation at a dose of 6 kGy can effectively improve the content of total saponins in the crude extract of S mukorossi powder. In addition, its effects on detergency and bacteriostatic abilities are relatively significant. The findings provide sufficient reference data for the further development of S mukorossi commodities.
A new species of South America marsh rat (Holochilus, Cricetidae) from northeastern Brazil

Marsh rats of the genus Holochilus are broadly distributed and inhabit several distinct environments throughout South America. As an enigmatic group with a somewhat uncertain taxonomy, the composition and names of taxa have shifted throughout history, including the boundaries of Holochilus sciureus, a species formerly distributed in the lowlands of the Guianas, Peru, Bolivia, and northern, central, and northeastern of Brazil. Based on a combination of morphological and morphometric traits, and genomic sequences, we redefined species boundaries and split this wide concept of H. sciureus into three separated species, including a redefined H. sciureus, the newly erected from synonymy H. nanus, and an unnamed taxon. We describe this unnamed species, and provide emended diagnoses for the two redefined species. The newly named taxon inhabits the northeastern part of Brazil and differs from the other congeners by a unique combination of phenotypic and genomic characters.
Association between genetic polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 enzymes and survivals in women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Tamoxifen is commonly prescribed for preventing recurrence in patients with breast cancer. However, the responses of the patients on tamoxifen treatment are variable. Cytochrome P450 genetic variants have been reported to have a significant impact on the clinical outcomes of tamoxifen treatment but no tangible conclusion can be made up till now. The present review attempts to provide a comprehensive review on the associative relationship between genetic polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 enzymes and survival in breast cancer patients on adjuvant tamoxifen therapy. The literature search was conducted using five databases, resulting in the inclusion of 58 studies in the review. An appraisal of the reporting quality of the included studies was conducted using the assessment tool from the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP). Meta-analyses were performed on CYP2D6 studies using Review Manager 5.3 software. For other studies, descriptive analyses were performed. The results of meta-analyses demonstrated that shorter overall survival, disease-free survival and relapse-free survival were found in the patients with decreased metabolisers when compared to normal metabolisers. The findings also showed that varying and conflicting results were reported by the included studies. The possible explanations for the variable results are discussed in this review.
Frailty and malnutrition as influential drivers of outcomes after aortic valve replacement

• Frailty and malnutrition share common pathophysiologic pathways as evidenced by similar hormonal disturbances and cardiac biomarker abnormalities. • Multiple assessment tools exist to measure frailty and malnutrition in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). In the current single-center study, the fried frailty phenotype frailty score and the Mini Nutritional Assessment–Long Form nutrition scale appear to have the strongest association with 1-year all-cause mortality in those patients. • Objective assessment of frailty and nutritional status should be added to conventional surgical risk scores in all patients undergoing AVR, and incorporated in the multidisciplinary heart team deliberations and the shared decision-making process with patients.
Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil (CMSO) ameliorates adipokines dysfunction and dyslipidemia in male Wistar rats exposed to Bisphenol-A

Bisphenol-A (BPA) and its analog are extensively utilized in the production of plastics which are rather ubiquitous in our environment. At high temperatures, BPA is leached into water and food packed in plastic containers. This research investigated the ameliorative effects of CMSO on adipokines dysfunction and dyslipidemia in male Wistar rats exposed to Bisphenol-A. thirty-six (36) albino rats weighing 100 - 200 g were randomly assigned into six (6) different experimental groups of controls (1, 2, and 3) and the tests (4, 5, and 6). Group 1 was given only 1 ml of olive oil, group 2 received 100 mg/Kg body weight (b.w) of BPA, group 3 was given 7.5 ml/Kg b.w of CMSO, groups 4, 5, and 6 received 100 mg/Kg b.w of BPA and 7.5, 5 and 2.5 mg/Kg b.w of CMSO respectively. CMSO and BPA were concurrently administered via oral intubation for periods of 42 days. Lipid profile and adipokines levels were determined in plasma and adipose tissue. BPA in male rats significantly (p<0.05) elevated the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, liptin, and coronary and atherogenic risk indices in plasma and adipose tissue with reductions in HDL-C and adiponectin levels. BPA plus CMSO in male rats significantly (p<0.05) decreased the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, liptin, and coronary and atherogenic risk indices with an elevation of HDL-C and adiponectin levels in both plasma and adipose tissue. These results suggest that CMSO could be useful in the management of cardiovascular-related diseases induced by BPA.
Generation of vascularized brain organoids to study neurovascular interactions

The recently developed brain organoids have been used to recapitulate the processes of brain development and related diseases. However, the lack of vasculatures, which regulate neurogenesis, brain disorders, and aging process, limits the utility of brain organoids. In this study, we induced vessel and brain organoids respectively, and then fused two types of organoids together to obtain vascularized brain organoids. The fused brain organoids were engrafted with robust vascular network-like structures, and exhibited increased number of neural progenitors, in line with the possibility that vessels regulate neural development. Fusion organoids also contained functional blood-brain-barrier (BBB)-like structures, as well as microglial cells, a specific population of immune cells in the brain. The incorporated microglia responded actively to immune stimuli to the fused brain organoids. Thus, the fusion organoids established in this study allow modeling interactions between the neuronal and non-neuronal components in vitro, in particular the vasculature and microglia niche.