Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Increased prevalence of pathogenic bacteria in the gut microbiota of infants at risk of developing celiac disease: The PROFICEL study

ABSTRACT Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated enteropathy involving genetic and environmental factors, whose interaction influences disease risk. The intestinal microbiota, including viruses and bacteria, could play a role in the pathological process leading to gluten intolerance. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of pathogens in the intestinal microbiota of infants at familial risk of developing CD. We included 127 full-term newborns with at least one first-degree relative with CD. Infants were classified according to milk-feeding practice (breastfeeding or formula feeding) and HLA-DQ genotype (low, intermediate or high genetic risk). The prevalence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses was assessed in the faeces of the infants at 7 days, 1 month and 4 months of age. The prevalence of Clostridium perfringens was higher in formula-fed infants than in breast-fed over the study period, and that of C. difficile at 4 months. Among breastfed infants, a higher prevalence of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) was found in infants with the highest genetic risk compared either to those with a low or intermediate risk. Among formula-fed infants, a higher prevalence of ETEC was also found in infants with a high genetic risk compared to those of intermediate risk. Our results show that specific factors, such as formula feeding and the HLA-DQ2 genotype, previously linked to a higher risk of developing CD, influence the presence of pathogenic bacteria differently in the intestinal microbiota in early life. Further studies are warranted to establish whether these associations are related to CD onset later in life.
Combination treatment in the management of type 2 diabetes: focus on vildagliptin and metformin as a single tablet

Vildagliptin is a potent and selective inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-4), orally active, that improves glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) primarily by enhancing pancreatic (α and β) islet function. Thus vildagliptin has been shown both to improve insulin secretion and to suppress the inappropriate glucagon secretion seen in patients with T2DM. Vildagliptin reduces HbA1c when given as monotherapy, without weight gain and with minimal hypoglycemia, or in combination with the most commonly prescribed classes of oral hypoglycemic drugs: metformin, a sulfonylurea, a thiazolidinedione, or insulin. Metformin, with a different mode of action not addressing β-cell dysfunction, has been used for about 50 years and still represents the universal first line therapy of all guidelines. However, given the multiple pathophysiological abnormalities in T2DM and the progressive nature of the disease, intensification of therapy with combinations is typically required over time. Recent guidelines imply that patients will require pharmacologic combinations much earlier to attain and sustain the increasingly stringent glycemic targets, with careful drug selection to avoid unwanted adverse events, especially hypoglycemia. The combination of metformin and vildagliptin offers advantages when compared to currently used combinations with additive efficacy and complimentary mechanisms of action, since it does not increase the risk of hypoglycemia and does not promote weight gain. Therefore, by specifically combining these agents in a single tablet, there is considerable potential to achieve better blood glucose control and to improve compliance to therapy.
A GENERIC SYSTEM FOR AUDIO INDEXING: APPLICATION TO SPEECH/ MUSIC SEGMENTATION AND MUSIC GENRE RECOGNITION

In this paper we present a generic system for audio indexing (classification/segmentation)andapplyittotwousualproblems: speech/ music segmentation and music genre recognition. We first present some requirements for the design of a generic system. The training part of it is based on a succession of four steps: feature extraction, feature selection, feature space transform and statistical modeling. We then propose several approaches for the indexing part depending of the local/ global characteristics of the indexes to be found. In particular we propose the use of segment-statistical models. The system is then applied to two usual problems. The first one is the speech/ music segmentation of a radio stream. The application is developed in a real industrial framework using real world categories and data. The performances obtained for the pure speech/ music classes problem are good. However when considering also the non-pure categories (mixed, bed) the performances of the system drop. The second problem is the music genre recognition. Since the indexes to be found are global, “segment-statistical models” are used leading to results close to the state of the art.
Activation of JNK Signaling Mediates Amyloid-ß-Dependent Cell Death

Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age related progressive neurodegenerative disorder. One of the reasons for Alzheimer's neuropathology is the generation of large aggregates of Aß42 that are toxic in nature and induce oxidative stress, aberrant signaling and many other cellular alterations that trigger neuronal cell death. However, the exact mechanisms leading to cell death are not clearly understood. Methodology/Principal Findings We employed a Drosophila eye model of AD to study how Aß42 causes cell death. Misexpression of higher levels of Aß42 in the differentiating photoreceptors of fly retina rapidly induced aberrant cellular phenotypes and cell death. We found that blocking caspase-dependent cell death initially blocked cell death but did not lead to a significant rescue in the adult eye. However, blocking the levels of c-Jun NH (2)-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway significantly rescued the neurodegeneration phenotype of Aß42 misexpression both in eye imaginal disc as well as the adult eye. Misexpression of Aß42 induced transcriptional upregulation of puckered (puc), a downstream target and functional read out of JNK signaling. Moreover, a three-fold increase in phospho-Jun (activated Jun) protein levels was seen in Aß42 retina as compared to the wild-type retina. When we blocked both caspases and JNK signaling simultaneously in the fly retina, the rescue of the neurodegenerative phenotype is comparable to that caused by blocking JNK signaling pathway alone. Conclusions/Significance Our data suggests that (i) accumulation of Aß42 plaques induces JNK signaling in neurons and (ii) induction of JNK contributes to Aß42 mediated cell death. Therefore, inappropriate JNK activation may indeed be relevant to the AD neuropathology, thus making JNK a key target for AD therapies.
Parasitoid‐plant mutualism: parasitoid attack of herbivore increases plant reproduction

We tested whether a plant's life time seed production is increased by parasitization of herbivores in a tritrophic system, Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) plants, Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) caterpillars and the solitary endoparasitoid Cotesia rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). We established seed production for intact A. thaliana plants, plants that were mechanically damaged, plants fed upon by parasitized caterpillars and plants fed upon by unparasitized caterpillars. In the first experiment, with ecotype Landsberg (erecta mutant), herbivory by unparasitized P. rapae caterpillars resulted in a strongly reduced seed production compared to undamaged plants. In contrast, damage by P. rapae caterpillars that had been parasitized by C. rubecula did not result in a significant reduction in seed production. For the second experiment with the ecotype Columbia, the results were identical. Plants damaged by unparasitized caterpillars only produced seeds on regrown shoots. Seed production of plants that had been mechanically damaged was statistically similar to that of undamaged plants. Production of the first ripe siliques by plants fed upon by unparasitized caterpillars was delayed by 18–22 days for Landsberg and 9–10 days for Columbia. We conclude that parasitization of P. rapae by C. rubecula potentially confers a considerable fitness benefit for A. thaliana plants when compared to plants exposed to feeding damage by unparasitized P. rapae larvae. Plants that attract parasitoids and parasitoids that respond to herbivore‐induced plant volatiles will both experience selective advantage, justifying the use of the term mutualism for this parasitoid‐plant interaction. This type of mutualism is undoubtedly very common in nature.
Electric current precedes emergence of a lateral root in higher plants.

Stable electrochemical patterns appear spontaneously around roots of higher plants and are closely related to growth. An electric potential pattern accompanied by lateral root emergence was measured along the surface of the primary root of adzuki bean (Phaseolus angularis) over 21 h using a microelectrode manipulated by a newly developed apparatus. The electric potential became lower at the point where a lateral root emerged. This change preceded the emergence of the lateral root by about 10 h. A theory is presented for calculating two-dimensional patterns of electric potential and electric current density around the primary root (and a lateral root) using only data on the one-dimensional electric potential measured near the surface of the primary root. The development of the lateral root inside the primary root is associated with the influx of electric current of about 0.7 muA.cm(-2) at the surface.
Artificial neural network to predict the refractive index of a liquid infiltrating a chiral sculptured thin film

We expanded the capabilities of surface multiplasmonic resonance sensing via a prism-coupled configuration by devising a new scheme to analyze data obtained from simulations and/or experiments. An index-matched substrate with a metal thin film and a chiral sculptured thin film (CSTF) deposited successively on it is affixed to the base of a prism with an isosceles triangle as its cross section. When a fluid is brought in contact with the exposed face of the CSTF, the latter is infiltrated. As a result of infiltration, the traversal of light entering one slanted face of the prism and exiting the other slanted face of the prism is affected. We trained an artificial neural network (ANN) using reflectance data generated from simulations to predict the refractive index of the infiltrant fluid. ANN performance for various incidence conditions was studied. The scheme is quite robust.
SEMIPARAMETRICALLY EFFICIENT RANK-BASED INFERENCE FOR SHAPE II. OPTIMAL R-ESTIMATION OF SHAPE

A class of R-estimators, based on the concepts of multivariate signed ranks and the optimal rank-based tests developed in Hallin and Paindaveine (2006a), is proposed for the estimation of the shape matrix of an elliptical distribution. These R-estimators are root-n consistent under any radial density g, without any moment assumptions, and semiparametrically efficient at some prespecified density f. When based on normal scores, they are uniformly more efficient thanthe traditional normal-theory estimator, based on empirical covariance matrices (the asymptotic normality of which moreover requires finite moments of order four), irrespective of the actual underlying elliptical density. They rely on an original rank-based version of Le Cam’s one-step methodology, which avoids the unpleasant nonparametric estimation of cross-information quantities that is generally required in the context of R-estimation. Although they are not strictly equivariant, they are shown to be equivariant in a weak asymptotic sense. Simulations confirm their feasability and excellent finite-sample performances.
Patient-Related Determinants of Glycaemic Control in People with Type 2 Diabetes in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Systematic Review

The aim of this systematic review is to assess patient-related factors affecting glycaemic control among people with type 2 diabetes in the Arabian Gulf Council countries. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched from their date of inception to May 2016. Two researchers independently identified eligible studies and assessed the risk of bias. A total of 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. One study was population based, six recruited participants from multiple centres, and the remaining were single centred. The majority of the studies were of low to moderate quality. Factors associated with poor glycaemic control include longer duration of diabetes, low level of education, poor compliance to diet and medication, poor attitude towards the disease, poor self-management behaviour, anxiety, depression, renal impairment, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia. Healthcare providers should be aware of these factors and provide appropriate education and care especially for those who have poor glycaemic control. Innovative educational programs should be implemented in the healthcare systems to improve patient compliance and practices. A variation in the results of the included studies was observed, and some potentially important risk factors such as dietary habits, physical activity, family support, and cognitive function were not adequately addressed. Further research is needed in this area.
Surface treatments for controlling corrosion rate of biodegradable Mg and Mg-based alloy implants

Abstract Due to their excellent biodegradability characteristics, Mg and Mg-based alloys have become an emerging material in biomedical implants, notably for repair of bone as well as coronary arterial stents. However, the main problem with Mg-based alloys is their rapid corrosion in aggressive environments such as human bodily fluids. Previously, many approaches such as control of alloying materials, composition and surface treatments, have been attempted to regulate the corrosion rate. This article presents a comprehensive review of recent research focusing on surface treatment techniques utilised to control the corrosion rate and surface integrity of Mg-based alloys in both in vitro and in vivo environments. Surface treatments generally involve the controlled deposition of thin film coatings using various coating processes, and mechanical surfacing such as machining, deep rolling or low plasticity burnishing. The aim is to either make a protective thin layer of a material or to change the micro-structure and mechanical properties at the surface and sub-surface levels, which will prevent rapid corrosion and thus delay the degradation of the alloys. We have organised the review of past works on coatings by categorising the coatings into two classes—conversion and deposition coatings—while works on mechanical treatments are reviewed based on the tool-based processes which affect the sub-surface microstructure and mechanical properties of the material. Various types of coatings and their processing techniques under two classes of coating and mechanical treatment approaches have been analysed and discussed to investigate their impact on the corrosion performance, biomechanical integrity, biocompatibility and cell viability. Potential challenges and future directions in designing and developing the improved biodegradable Mg/Mg-based alloy implants were addressed and discussed. The literature reveals that no solutions are yet complete and hence new and innovative approaches are required to leverage the benefit of Mg-based alloys. Hybrid treatments combining innovative biomimetic coating and mechanical processing would be regarded as a potentially promising way to tackle the corrosion problem. Synergetic cutting-burnishing integrated with cryogenic cooling may be another encouraging approach in this regard. More studies focusing on rigorous testing, evaluation and characterisation are needed to assess the efficacy of the methods.
Prevalence, Pharmacological Treatment, and Control of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors among Older People in Central Stockholm: A Population-Based Study

Background Cardiometabolic risk factors and related cardiovascular diseases represent major threats to healthy aging. Objective We aimed to estimate distribution, pharmacological treatment, and control of main cardiometabolic risk factors among older people. Methods This population-based study included 3363 participants (age≥60 years, 64.9% women) in the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, in central Stockholm, Sweden (2001-2004). Data on demographics, cardiometabolic risk factors (hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol), and medication use were collected through face-to-face interviews, clinical examinations, laboratory tests, and the inpatient register. Cardiometabolic risk factors were defined following the most commonly used criteria. Prevalence was standardized using local census data. Results The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension was 9.5%, 12.8%, 49.7%, and 74.9%, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes increased with age, whereas the prevalence of obesity and high cholesterol decreased with age. Forty-nine percent of older adults had two or more cardiometabolic risk factors; 9.8% had three or more. Overall, 55.5% of people with hypertension, 50.3% with diabetes, and 25.0% with high cholesterol received pharmacological treatment. Of those treated pharmacologically, 49.4%, 38.1%, and 85.5% reached therapeutic goals for hypertension (blood pressure<150/90 mmHg), diabetes (glycated haemoglobin<7%), and high cholesterol (total cholesterol<6.22 mmol/l), respectively. Conclusions Hypertension, high cholesterol, and clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors were common among older people in Stockholm, but pharmacological treatment and control of these major factors can be improved. Appropriate management of cardiometabolic profiles among older people may help improve cardiovascular health and achieve healthy aging.
Pooled analysis of two studies evaluating efficacy and safety of olopatadine hydrochloride 0.77% in patients with allergic conjunctivitis

Purpose Two individual phase 3 conjunctival allergen challenge (CAC) studies of similar design have assessed the efficacy and safety of olopatadine hydrochloride (HCl) 0.77% for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the integrated efficacy and safety of olopatadine HCl 0.77% from a larger dataset by pooling data from the two individual CAC studies. Methods Data were pooled from two phase 3, randomized, multicenter, double-masked, active- and vehicle-controlled CAC studies. The primary comparison was on ocular itching scores between olopatadine HCl 0.77% versus vehicle (at onset and 24 hours) and olopatadine HCl 0.77% versus olopatadine 0.2% (at 24 hours). Additional end points included conjunctival redness, total redness, and proportion of itching responders at onset and 24-hour duration of CAC. For both primary and secondary analysis, mixed model repeated measures analysis was used, except for proportion of ocular itching responders. Sensitivity analyses were carried out using a two-sample t-test. Results This analysis included 448 patients. Olopatadine HCl 0.77% was superior to vehicle (P<0.0001) at onset and 24-hour duration of action (difference in means: −1.14 to −1.52) and to olopatadine 0.2% (P=0.0009) at 24-hour duration of action in relieving ocular itch. Additionally, olopatadine HCl 0.77% substantially reduced conjunctival redness and total redness over vehicle and olopatadine 0.2% at onset and 24-hour duration of action. At 24 hours CAC, there were a higher proportion of itching responders with olopatadine HCl 0.77% compared to vehicle or olopatadine 0.2% (difference in proportion of responders: 43.17%, P<0.0001, and 17.25%, P=0.0012, respectively). No safety concerns were identified. Conclusion This analysis confirms the findings from the individual studies. The rapid onset and prolonged duration of action (for 24 hours) of olopatadine HCl 0.77% supports once-daily dosing in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.
Organically modified hydrotalcite for compounding and spinning of polyethylene nanocomposites

Organically modified hydrotalcite is a recent class of organoclay based on layered double hydroxides (LDH), which is anionically modified with environmental friendly ligands such as fatty acids. In this paper the influence of hydro- talcite compounded/dispersed by means of two different processes for production of plates and fibers of polyolefin nanocomposites will be compared. A polyethylene matrix, suitable for fiber production, was firstly compounded with vari- ous amounts of hydrotalcite in the range of 0.5-5% by weight, and then compression moulded in plates whose thermo- mechanical properties were evaluated. Similar compositions were processed by using a co-rotating twin screw extruder in order to directly produce melt-spun fibers. The incorporation of clay into both bulk and fiber nanocomposites enhanced the thermal stability and induced heterogeneous nucleation of polyethylene crystals. Hydrotalcite manifested a satisfactory dis- persion into the polymer matrix, and hence positively affected the mechanical properties in term of an increase of both Young's modulus and tensile strength. Tenacity of nanocomposite as spun fibers was increased up to 30% with respect to the neat polymer. Moreover, the addition of LDH filler induced an increase of the tensile modulus of drawn fibers from 5.0 GPa (neat HDPE) up to 5.6-5.8 GPa.
Assessing the Link between Price and Financial Stability

This paper aims at investigating first the (possibly time-varying) empirical relationship between the level and conditional variances of price and financial stability, and second, the effects of macro and policy variables on this relationship in the United States and the Eurozone. Three empirical methods are used to examine the relevance of A.J Schwartz’s conventional wisdom that price stability would yield financial stability. Using simple correlations, VAR and Dynamic Conditional Correlations, we reject the hypothesis that price stability is positively correlated to financial stability. We then discuss the empirical appropriateness of the leaning against the wind monetary policy approach.
Downward trends in the prevalence of childhood overweight in the setting of 12-year school- and community-based programmes

Abstract Objective A school-based nutrition information programme was initiated in 1992 in two towns in northern France (Fleurbaix and Laventie, FL) and was followed by a number of community-based interventions. We took the opportunity to measure the outcomes in terms of childhood obesity and overweight over the next 12 years. Design Repeated, cross-sectional, school-based survey. For the school years beginning in 1992, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004, the height and weight of all 5- to 12-year-old children attending school were measured in FL. In 2004, the same assessments were made in two comparison towns with similar socio-economic characteristics but no intervention. Setting Fleurbaix and Laventie (intervention towns), Bois-Grenier and Violaines (comparison towns), northern France. Subjects In 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively 515, 592 and 633 children were measured in FL (participation rate of 95–98 % of all eligible individuals); in the comparison towns, 349 children were measured in the 2004 school year (98 % of the towns’ school population). Results After an initial increase, trends in mean BMI and prevalence of overweight started to reverse. Compared with 2002, the age-adjusted OR for overweight in FL was significantly lower in 2003 and 2004 (but for girls only). In the 2004 school year, the overweight prevalence was significantly lower in FL (8·8 %) than in the comparison towns (17·8 %, P < 0·0001). Conclusion These data suggest that, over a long period of time, interventions targeting a variety of population groups can have synergistic effects on overweight prevalence. This gives hope that it is possible to reverse trends towards increasing overweight by actions at the community level.