Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Pregnancy Complications and Characteristics With Future Risk of Elevated Blood Pressure: The Västerbotten Intervention Program

Pregnancy characteristics are associated with risk of cardiovascular diseases, but their independent associations with hypertension or blood pressure (BP) levels remain uncertain. We linked the Swedish Medical Birth Register with Västerbotten Intervention Program data (Northern Sweden). Using linear and logistic regression, we related pregnancy factors in any prior pregnancy with BP and hypertension at 40 years of age in 15 896 parous women free of prepregnancy hypertension. Pregnancy factors included parity, age at first delivery, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, placental abruption, shortest gestational age small for gestational age baby (<third percentile for birth weight) or stillbirth. We defined hypertension as systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg and diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg or antihypertensive use. Multivariable models were adjusted for all pregnancy factors and potential lifestyle and sociodemographic confounders. At 40 years of age, 1535 women (9.6%) had hypertension. In multivariable models, lower parity, younger age at first birth, preeclampsia, small for gestational age, and placental abruption were independently associated with higher systolic and diastolic BP levels at 40 years of age. Younger age at first birth, preeclampsia, gestational age <32 versus ≥37 weeks, and small for gestational age were independently associated with hypertension. Our findings raise the possibility that earlier and more frequent BP screening may be desirable in women with these pregnancy characteristics.
Both life‐history plasticity and local adaptation will shape range‐wide responses to climate warming in the tundra plant Silene acaulis

Many predictions of how climate change will impact biodiversity have focused on range shifts using species‐wide climate tolerances, an approach that ignores the demographic mechanisms that enable species to attain broad geographic distributions. But these mechanisms matter, as responses to climate change could fundamentally differ depending on the contributions of life‐history plasticity vs. local adaptation to species‐wide climate tolerances. In particular, if local adaptation to climate is strong, populations across a species’ range—not only those at the trailing range edge—could decline sharply with global climate change. Indeed, faster rates of climate change in many high latitude regions could combine with local adaptation to generate sharper declines well away from trailing edges. Combining 15 years of demographic data from field populations across North America with growth chamber warming experiments, we show that growth and survival in a widespread tundra plant show compensatory responses to warming throughout the species’ latitudinal range, buffering overall performance across a range of temperatures. However, populations also differ in their temperature responses, consistent with adaptation to local climate, especially growing season temperature. In particular, warming begins to negatively impact plant growth at cooler temperatures for plants from colder, northern populations than for those from warmer, southern populations, both in the field and in growth chambers. Furthermore, the individuals and maternal families with the fastest growth also have the lowest water use efficiency at all temperatures, suggesting that a trade‐off between growth and water use efficiency could further constrain responses to forecasted warming and drying. Taken together, these results suggest that populations throughout species’ ranges could be at risk of decline with continued climate change, and that the focus on trailing edge populations risks overlooking the largest potential impacts of climate change on species’ abundance and distribution.
Cognitive Differences between Men and Women who Fracture their Hip and Impact on Six‐Month Survival

There is limited research in cognition and its relationship to mortality after hip fracture among men compared to women. Therefore, the goals of this study were to: (1) compare men and women who fractured their hip on cognition after hospital discharge, and (2) examine the impact of cognition on the differential risk of 6‐month mortality between men and women post fracture.
Virginiamycin and broiler performance.

Two experiments were conducted with broilers to determine the effect of Virginiamycin supplementation on performance and shank pigmentation. Virginiamycin supplementation at 10 ppm resulted in significantly increased body weights in both experiments. Feed efficiency was significantly improved in Experiment 1 by the supplementation of 5 and 10 ppm Virginiamycin. In Experiment 2, 20 ppm Virginiamycin was included and resulted in no greater response than that observed at 10 ppm. Pigmentation values as measured by a reflectance colorimeter and Roche color fan favored (P less than or equal to .05) Virginiamycin supplementation in both experiments. Data indicated that when the diet was supplemented with Virginiamycin an increase in the utilization of xanthophyll resulted. Mortality was not influenced by dietary treatment.
Toxicology of metals and metalloids: Promising issues for future studies in environmental health and toxicology

ABSTRACT The function and behavior of chemical elements in ecosystems and in human health probably comprise one of the most studied issues and a theme of great interest and fascination in science. Hot topics are emerging on an annual basis in this field. Bearing this in mind, some promising themes to explore in the field of metals and metalloids in the environment and in toxicology are highlighted and briefly discussed herein.
No effect of double nerve block of the lateral cutaneous nerve and subcostal nerves in total hip arthroplasty

Background and purpose — The use of local infiltration anesthesia (LIA) has become one of the cornerstones of rapid recovery protocols in total knee arthroplasty patients during the past decade. In total hip arthroplasty (THR), however, the study results are more variable and LIA has therefore not yet been generally accepted. There is no consensus on which structure should be infiltrated and the cutaneous nerves are generally neglected. Hence, we hypothesized a pain-reducing effect of specifically blocking these nerves. Patients and methods — We performed a single-center randomized placebo-controlled trial in 162 subjects to evaluate the infiltration of the lateral cutaneous femoral and subcostal nerve with ropivacaine in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty via a straight lateral approach. The primary endpoint was pain at rest after 24 hours. Patients were followed up to 6 weeks postoperatively. Results — After correction for multiple testing, no statistically significant differences in pain scores were found between the ropivacaine compared with the placebo group after surgery. In addition, no differences were observed in the use of escape pain medication, complications, and the length of hospital stay. Interpretation — We found no clinically meaningful differences in pain scores between placebo and ropivacaine patients in the postoperative period after THA performed via a straight lateral approach under spinal anesthesia and a multimodal pain regimen. Moreover, our primary endpoint, pain reduction after 24 hours, was not met. Further research should focus on the composition and volume of the LIA suspension, the optimal localization of the infiltration, and should be evaluated for every surgical approach separately.
Selective loss of alpha motor neurons with sparing of gamma motor neurons and spinal cord cholinergic neurons in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disease characterised primarily by loss of lower motor neurons from the ventral grey horn of the spinal cord and proximal muscle atrophy. Recent experiments utilising mouse models of SMA have demonstrated that not all motor neurons are equally susceptible to the disease, revealing that other populations of neurons can also be affected. Here, we have extended investigations of selective vulnerability of neuronal populations in the spinal cord of SMA mice to include comparative assessments of alpha motor neuron (α‐MN) and gamma motor neuron (γ‐MN) pools, as well as other populations of cholinergic neurons. Immunohistochemical analyses of late‐symptomatic SMA mouse spinal cord revealed that numbers of α‐MNs were significantly reduced at all levels of the spinal cord compared with controls, whereas numbers of γ‐MNs remained stable. Likewise, the average size of α‐MN cell somata was decreased in SMA mice with no change occurring in γ‐MNs. Evaluation of other pools of spinal cord cholinergic neurons revealed that pre‐ganglionic sympathetic neurons, central canal cluster interneurons, partition interneurons and preganglionic autonomic dorsal commissural nucleus neuron numbers all remained unaffected in SMA mice. Taken together, these findings indicate that α‐MNs are uniquely vulnerable among cholinergic neuron populations in the SMA mouse spinal cord, with γ‐MNs and other cholinergic neuronal populations being largely spared.
“Tough Times Have Become Good Times”: Resilience in Older Adults With a Low Socioeconomic Position

Background and Objectives This qualitative study applied a resilience perspective to socioeconomic inequalities in the functioning of older adults. We aimed to gain insight into how some older adults managed to age successfully despite having a low socioeconomic position (SEP) throughout their lives. Research Design and Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 resilient adults over the age of 79 years participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Participants were defined as resilient on the basis of having a low lifetime SEP and favorable trajectories of physical, mental, and social functioning. Grounded Theory coding techniques were applied to identify themes reflecting distinct ways in which participants dealt with what they indicated were the most significant adversities in their lives. The analysis focused on experiences linked to socioeconomic conditions. Results Six themes reflecting psychological, behavioral, and social factors were derived from the data: drawing support from social contacts; investing in younger generations; taking actions to manage or improve socioeconomic conditions; putting the impact of a low SEP into perspective; persevering; and resigning oneself to adversity. Discussion and Implications Findings suggest that successful aging despite a low SEP throughout one's lifetime requires considerable psychological and social resources. In addition, resignation and specific manifestations of generativity are identified as new elements of resilience. These findings may help to reduce the stereotyping of older adults with a low SEP, and nuance the heroic image of resilience as something that is primarily attributable to extraordinary individual abilities or efforts.
The tolerance of White Leghorn and broiler chicks, and turkey poults to diets that contained deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin)-contaminated wheat.

Three experiments were done to determine the effects of giving White Leghorn chickens, broiler chickens, and turkey poults diets that contained white winter or spring wheat contaminated with 4-deoxynivalenol (DON). Diets that contained . 35 and . 7 mg DON/kg from winter wheat did not (P greater than .05) influence feed intake, body weight gain, feed/gain ratio, and organ weight/body weight ratios of Leghorn and broiler chickens, and poults when fed between 7 and 21 days in Experiment 1. Dietary DON levels up to 4.6 mg/kg increased the feed intakes (P less than .01) and daily body weight gains (P less than .05) of Leghorn chickens between 7 and 35 days of age in Experiment 2 but had little effect (P greater than .05) on these variables for broiler chickens between 7 and 52 days of age in Experiment 3. Within Experiments 2 and 3, feed/gain ratios and organ weight/body weight ratios were similar among the Leghorn and broiler chickens, respectively. The dressing percent and chilled carcass weights of eviscerated broiler chickens were not affected (P greater than .05) by DON in the diets of Experiment 3. Mortality was low (less than 3.3%) for the three experiments and necropsy examination indicated that the birds died from several causes unrelated to the dietary treatment. There was no evidence of emesis during the experiments or of overt changes in the appearance of the oral cavity, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, proventriculus, gizzard, and intestines of a random sample of birds killed by carbon dioxide asphyxiation and necropsied. Differences occurred between the analyzed and calculated DON contents of the experimental diets; possible reasons for these differences are discussed. The results of these experiments indicate that young chickens and turkey poults can tolerate diets that contain DON up to at least 5 mg/kg from white winter or spring wheat.
Inheritance of body weight in Japanese quail.

Abstract Two generations of Japanese quail were weighed in order to estimate genetic parameters of body weight throughout the growth phase of the life cycle. Sexual dimorphism became evident at the age of sexual maturity. This was due to an acceleration of weight gains by females just prior to laying their first egg. Body weight at 1 day of age reflected a large maternal influence which rapidly declined with age. Unrealistic estimates of the heritability of female body weight were obtained at the time of sexual maturity. At other ages heritability estimates of body weight were generally moderate to high. All phenotypic correlations between weights at various ages were positive, with the magnitude generally decreasing as the interval between weighings increased. Genotypic correlations were larger and followed the same general trends as phenotypic correlations with certain exception, namely when one of the ages was day 1 and when the ages involved maturity of females.
Brain oxygen saturation assessment in neonates using T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation and near-infrared spectroscopy

Although near-infrared spectroscopy is increasingly being used to monitor cerebral oxygenation in neonates, it has a limited penetration depth. The T2-prepared Blood Imaging of Oxygen Saturation (T2-BIOS) magnetic resonance sequence provides an oxygen saturation estimate on a voxel-by-voxel basis, without needing a respiratory calibration experiment. In 15 neonates, oxygen saturation measured by T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation and near-infrared spectroscopy were compared. In addition, these measures were compared to cerebral blood flow and venous oxygen saturation in the sagittal sinus. A strong linear relation was found between the oxygen saturation measured by magnetic resonance imaging and the oxygen saturation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (R2 = 0.64, p < 0.001). Strong linear correlations were found between near-infrared spectroscopy oxygen saturation, and magnetic resonance imaging measures of frontal cerebral blood flow, whole brain cerebral blood flow and venous oxygen saturation in the sagittal sinus (R2 = 0.71, 0.50, 0.65; p < 0.01). The oxygen saturation obtained by T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation correlated with venous oxygen saturation in the sagittal sinus (R2 = 0.49, p = 0.023), but no significant correlations could be demonstrated with frontal and whole brain cerebral blood flow. These results suggest that measuring oxygen saturation by T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation is feasible, even in neonates. Strong correlations between the various methods work as a cross validation for near-infrared spectroscopy and T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation, confirming the validity of using of these techniques for determining cerebral oxygenation.
Asthma exacerbation prediction: recent insights.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Asthma attacks are frequent in children with asthma and can lead to significant adverse outcomes including time off school, hospital admission and death. Identifying children at risk of an asthma attack affords the opportunity to prevent attacks and improve outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Clinical features, patient behaviours and characteristics, physiological factors, environmental data and biomarkers are all associated with asthma attacks and can be used in asthma exacerbation prediction models. Recent studies have better characterized children at risk of an attack: history of a severe exacerbation in the previous 12 months, poor adherence and current poor control are important features which should alert healthcare professionals to the need for remedial action. There is increasing interest in the use of biomarkers. A number of novel biomarkers, including patterns of volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath, show promise. Biomarkers are likely to be of greatest utility if measured frequently and combined with other measures. To date, most prediction models are based on epidemiological data and population-based risk. The use of digital technology affords the opportunity to collect large amounts of real-time data, including clinical and physiological measurements and combine these with environmental data to develop personal risk scores. These developments need to be matched by changes in clinical guidelines away from a focus on current asthma control and stepwise escalation in drug therapy towards inclusion of personal risk scores and tailored management strategies including nonpharmacological approaches. SUMMARY There have been significant steps towards personalized prediction models of asthma attacks. The utility of such models needs to be tested in the ability not only to predict attacks but also to reduce them.
Low concentrations of glyphosate-based herbicide cause complete loss of sperm motility of yellowtail tetra fish Astyanax lacustris.

Environmental relevant concentrations of glyphosate-based herbicide as 50 µg l-1 , 300 µg l-1 and 1800 µg l-1 can affect sperm quality of yellowtail tetra fish Astyanax lacustris. Viability of sperm cells was impaired at 300 µg l-1 , a concentration that is within legal limits in U.S.A. waterbodies, while motility was impaired at 50 µg l-1 , which is the more stringent limit set in Brazilian law. Therefore, environment protection agencies must review regulations of glyphosate-based herbicides on water bodies.
Delivering safe and effective test-result communication, management and follow-up: a mixed-methods study protocol

Introduction The failure to follow-up pathology and medical imaging test results poses patient-safety risks which threaten the effectiveness, quality and safety of patient care. The objective of this project is to: (1) improve the effectiveness and safety of test-result management through the establishment of clear governance processes of communication, responsibility and accountability; (2) harness health information technology (IT) to inform and monitor test-result management; (3) enhance the contribution of consumers to the establishment of safe and effective test-result management systems. Methods and analysis This convergent mixed-methods project triangulates three multistage studies at seven adult hospitals and one paediatric hospital in Australia. Study 1 adopts qualitative research approaches including semistructured interviews, focus groups and ethnographic observations to gain a better understanding of test-result communication and management practices in hospitals, and to identify patient-safety risks which require quality-improvement interventions. Study 2 analyses linked sets of routinely collected healthcare data to examine critical test-result thresholds and test-result notification processes. A controlled before-and-after study across three emergency departments will measure the impact of interventions (including the use of IT) developed to improve the safety and quality of test-result communication and management processes. Study 3 adopts a consumer-driven approach, including semistructured interviews, and the convening of consumer-reference groups and community forums. The qualitative data will identify mechanisms to enhance the role of consumers in test-management governance processes, and inform the direction of the research and the interpretation of findings. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been granted by the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee and Macquarie University. Findings will be disseminated in academic, industry and consumer journals, newsletters and conferences.
Effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicates on aflatoxicosis in broiler chicks.

In three experiments, three different hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicates (HSCAS) were incorporated into chick diets (.5%) containing either 0 or 5.0 (Experiments 1 and 2) or 0 or 2.5 (Experiment 3) mg/kg aflatoxin (AF). Male broiler chicks consumed their respective diets and water ad libitum from 1 to 21 days of age. When compared with controls, body weights in chicks receiving 5.0 mg AF/kg were reduced by 214 g in Experiment 1 and 220 g in Experiment 2. The addition of . 5% of the HSCAS compounds significantly diminished the growth inhibitory effects caused by AF by 39 to 68% in Experiment 1, by 46 to 88% in Experiment 2, and by 38 to 90% in Experiment 3. The increases in relative organ weights and the decreases in serum biochemical values caused by AF were significantly diminished to differing degrees by all three of the HSCAS compounds. These data demonstrate that these specific HSCAS compounds can be protective against the effects of AF in young growing broilers and further emphasizes the fact that all silicate-type sorbents are not equal in their ability to protect against aflatoxicosis. It also seems possible to specially process compounds to increase their efficacy for protection against the toxicity of AF.
Xenopus nonmuscle myosin heavy chain isoforms have different subcellular localizations and enzymatic activities [published erratum appears in J Cell Biol 1997 Jul 14;138(1):215]

There are two isoforms of the vertebrate nonmuscle myosin heavy chain, MHC-A and MHC-B, that are encoded by two separate genes. We compared the enzymatic activities as well as the subcellular localizations of these isoforms in Xenopus cells. MHC-A and MHC-B were purified from cells by immunoprecipitation with isoform-specific peptide antibodies followed by elution with their cognate peptides. Using an in vitro motility assay, we found that the velocity of movement of actin filaments by MHC-A was 3.3-fold faster than that by MHC-B. Likewise, the Vmax of the actin-activated Mg(2+)-ATPase activity of MHC-A was 2.6- fold greater than that of MHC-B. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated distinct localizations for MHC-A and MHC-B. In interphase cells, MHC-B was present in the cell cortex and diffusely arranged in the cytoplasm. In highly polarized, rapidly migrating interphase cells, the lamellipodium was dramatically enriched for MHC-B suggesting a possible involvement of MHC-B based contractions in leading edge extension and/or retraction. In contrast, MHC-A was absent from the cell periphery and was arranged in a fibrillar staining pattern in the cytoplasm. The two myosin heavy chain isoforms also had distinct localizations throughout mitosis. During prophase, the MHC-B redistributed to the nuclear membrane, and then resumed its interphase localization by metaphase. MHC-A, while diffuse within the cytoplasm at all stages of mitosis, also localized to the mitotic spindle in two different cultured cell lines as well as in Xenopus blastomeres. During telophase both isoforms colocalized to the contractile ring. The different subcellular localizations of MHC-A and MHC-B, together with the data demonstrating that these myosins have markedly different enzymatic activities, strongly suggests that they have different functions.