Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Macronutrient absorption characteristics in humans with short bowel syndrome and jejunocolonic anastomosis: starch is the most important carbohydrate substrate, although pectin supplementation may modestly enhance short chain fatty acid production and fluid absorption.

BACKGROUND Diet may play an important role in the management of patients with short bowel syndrome who have colon in continuity. However, macronutrient absorption has not been well characterized, and the most appropriate dietary constituents have not been well defined. OBJECTIVE To define carbohydrate absorption characteristics in patients with short bowel syndrome and determine the potential role of pectin as a dietary substrate. METHODS The authors studied the effect of a custom pectin-based supplement in 6 subjects (3 male/3 female) aged 29-67 years with jejunocolonic anastomosis, 4 of whom required long-term parental nutrition. Small intestinal absorption capacity, macronutrient and fluid balance, gastrointestinal transit time, and energy consumption were measured. RESULTS Data showed that 53% nitrogen, 50% fat, and 32% total energy were malabsorbed. In contrast, the majority (92%) of total carbohydrate was utilized. Fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were increased, an indication of increased fermentation. Although only 4% of starch was recovered in stool, it is indicative of considerable starch malabsorption, thus providing the main carbohydrate substrate, for colonic bacterial fermentation. In contrast, nonstarch polysaccharide was a relatively minor fermentation substrate with only 49% utilized. Eighty percent of the pectin was fermented. Supplementation was associated with increased total SCFAs, acetate, and propionate excretion. There was a trend observed toward greater fluid absorption (-5.9% ± 54.4% to 26.9% ± 25.2%) following pectin supplementation. Nonsignificant increases in gastric emptying time and orocolonic transit time were observed. CONCLUSION Despite malabsorption, starch is the primary carbohydrate substrate for colonic bacterial fermentation in patients with short bowel syndrome, although soluble fiber intake also enhances colonic SCFA production.
Effects of perioperative synbiotic treatment on infectious complications, intestinal integrity, and fecal flora and organic acids in hepatic surgery with or without cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess the effect of preoperative and postoperative synbiotic treatment in hepatectomy patients with or without liver cirrhosis. METHODS Sixty-one patients with hepatic cancer were assigned randomly to receive either oral synbiotics that consisted of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and galactooligosaccharides or no synbiotics (control) preoperatively for 14 days and postoperatively for 11 days. Infectious complications, intestinal mucosal integrity as measured by serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity, and fecal flora and organic acid concentrations were compared between synbiotic treatment (n = 32) and control (n = 29) groups. RESULTS Fecal flora culture and organic acid concentrations were changed after hepatectomy in both groups. The postsurgery decrease in DAO activity was less profound in the synbiotic-treated group (P < .01) and was correlated negatively with serum interleukin 6 and C-reactive protein concentrations (P < .001). Infectious complications occurred in 5 (17.2%) patients in the control group and no patients in the synbiotic-treated group (P < .05). CONCLUSION Perioperative synbiotic treatment attenuated the decrease in intestinal integrity and reduced the rate of infectious complications in patients with or without liver cirrhosis who underwent hepatic surgery.
6. Relations between maternal height, fetal birthweight and cephalopelvic disproportion suggest that young Nigerian primigravidae grow during pregnancy

Summary. The outcome of pregnancy was compared in 1065 booked and 1216 unbooked (emergency admissions) Hausa–Fulani primigravidae, half of them aged 10–16 years. The height of every woman was measured only once; this was either in early pregnancy in the booked primigravidae (range 122–176 cm) or at delivery in the unbooked primigravidae (range 130–186 cm). Mean fetal birthweights differed very significantly, being 2.91 kg and 2.76 kg for the booked and unbooked primigravidae respectively. The prevalence of cephalopelvic disproportion and of delivery by caesarean section or embryotomy were 9% and 11% respectively for the booked and 30% and 30% for the unbooked. There were two reasons why the booked primigravidae were less likely to develop cephalopelvic disproportion despite producing bigger babies; one was selection bias in the unbooked and the other (and more important) was growth of a teenage primigrivadae during pregnancy.
Gender differences in child health: evidence from the demographic and health surveys

The study of data on sex differences in mortality and morbidity obtained from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) indicated the weaknesses in using cross-national aggregate data for examination of gender differences. The data did confirm a continuing higher mortality among girls in developing countries. The standard for measuring excess female mortality was based on societies where discrimination against girls appeared to be small. A life table method using locally weighted least squares techniques was used to calculate excess mortality. At high levels of under-5 male mortality (a probability of dying by age 5 of 300/1000 live births) the female advantage was 10% among those aged under 5 years 15% in infancy and 3% between ages 1 and 5 years. At low levels of under-5 male mortality (100/1000 live births) the female advantage increased to 18% among those aged under 5 years 21% in infancy and 10% between ages 1 and 5 years. Data quality issues included the potentially wide confidence intervals and small sample sizes. A comparison of DHS data on female disadvantage with other data for 35 countries excluding China and India showed general agreement except for Trinidad and Tobago Indonesia Sri Lanka Thailand Jordan and Pakistan. Female mortality was higher than male mortality in 21 countries. The ratio of male-to-female infant mortality had a median difference of 0.17 between the observed and standard discrimination ratios in the Middle Eastern crescent. Discrimination was more evident in mortality among girls aged 1-4 years and the overall median disadvantage was 0.11. For under-5 mortality the disadvantage was 0.06 and highest in the Middle East. About 13% of the variance in female mortality disadvantage was accounted for by the coefficient for immunization. About 13% of the female mortality disadvantage was explained by female disadvantage in treatment for diarrhea. Female mortality disadvantage was unrelated to sickness rates or stunting or wasting but a positive association was found with relative lack of immunization among girls and a negative association was found with diarrhea treatment rates. Female enrollment rates in primary school were lower than male rates. Multivariate analysis found that variance in female mortality disadvantage was most strongly explained by primary school enrollment and immunization; education immunization and diarrhea treatment individually accounted for little of the variance.
Improved image quality for X-ray CT imaging of gel dosimeters.

PURPOSE This study provides a simple method for improving precision of X-ray computed tomography (CT) scans of irradiated polymer gel dosimetry. The noise affecting CT scans of irradiated gels has been an impediment to the use of clinical CT scanners for gel dosimetry studies. METHODS In this study, it is shown that multiple scans of a single PAGAT gel dosimeter can be used to extrapolate a "zero-scan" image which displays a similar level of precision to an image obtained by averaging multiple CT images, without the compromised dose measurement resulting from the exposure of the gel to radiation from the CT scanner. RESULTS When extrapolating the zero-scan image, it is shown that exponential and simple linear fits to the relationship between Hounsfield unit and scan number, for each pixel in the image, provide an accurate indication of gel density. CONCLUSIONS It is expected that this work will be utilized in the analysis of three-dimensional gel volumes irradiated using complex radiotherapy treatments.
Physical performance of the new hybrid PET∕CT Discovery-690.

PURPOSE The aim of this work was the assessment of the physical performance of the new hybrid PET∕CT system: Discovery-690. METHODS The Discovery-690 combines a lutetium-yttrium-orthosilicate (LYSO) block detector designed PET tomograph with a 64-slice CT scanner. The system is further characterized by a dedicated powerful computing platform implementing fully 3D-PET iterative reconstruction algorithms. These algorithms can account for time of flight (TOF) information and∕or a 3D model of the PET point spread function (PSF). PET physical performance was measured following NEMA NU-2-2007 procedures. Furthermore, specific tests were used: (i) to measure the energy and timing resolution of the PET system and (ii) to evaluate image quality, by using phantoms representing different clinical conditions (e.g., brain and whole body). Data processing and reconstructions were performed as required by standard procedures. Further reconstructions were carried out to evaluate the performance of the new reconstruction algorithms. In particular, four algorithms were considered for the reconstruction of the PET data: (i) HD = standard configuration, without TOF and PSF, (ii) TOF = HD + TOF, (iii) PSF = HD + PSF, and (iv) TOFPSF = HD + TOF + PSF. RESULTS The transverse (axial) spatial resolution values were 4.70 (4.74) mm and 5.06 (5.55) mm at 1 cm and 10 cm off axis, respectively. Sensitivity (average between 0 and 10 cm) was 7.5 cps∕kBq. The noise equivalent count rate (NECR) peak was 139.1 kcps at 29.0 kBq∕ml. The scatter fraction at the NECR peak was 37%. The correction accuracy for the dead time losses and random event counts had a maximum absolute error below the NECR peak of 2.09%. The average energy and timing resolution were 12.4% and 544.3 ps, respectively. PET image quality was evaluated with the NEMA IEC Body phantom by using four reconstruction algorithms (HD, TOF, PSF, and TOFPSF), as previously described. The hot contrast (after 3 iterations and for a lesion∕background activity ratio of 4:1) for the spheres of 10, 13, 17, and 22 mm was (HD) 29.8, 45.4, 55.4, and 68.1%; (TOF) 39.9, 53.5, 62.7, and 72.2%; (PSF) 28.3, 47.3, 60.4, and 71.8%; (TOFPSF) 43.8, 62.9, 70.6, and 76.4%. The cold contrast for the spheres of 28 and 37 mm was (HD) 62.4 and 65.2%; (TOF) 77.1 and 81.4%; (PSF) 62.0 and 65.2%; (TOFPSF) 77.3 and 81.6%. Similar hot and cold contrast trends were found during the analyses of other phantoms representing different clinical conditions (brain and whole body). Nevertheless, the authors observed a predominant role of either TOF or PSF, depending on the specific characteristics and dimensions of the phantoms. CONCLUSIONS Discovery-690 shows very good PET physical performance for all the standard NEMA NU-2-2007 measurements. Furthermore, the new reconstruction algorithms available for PET data (TOF and PSF) allow further improvements of the D-690 image quality performance both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Letter to the Editor Response

We thank Drs. McCarthy and Dimitrov for their thoughtful criticisms and insightful questions. Responding to their concerns gives us the opportunity to further clarify the results of our recently published meta-analysis of augmentation therapy in alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency emphysema (1). We agree with Drs. McCarthy and Dimitrov that the metaanalysis data leans heavily upon the findings of the NHLBI registry (2). However, for several reasons, we do not feel that this should call into question our conclusions. First, the findings of the NHLBI registry were consistent with and of a similar order of magnitude to findings gathered in other countries, by other means and at other times both preceding and following the analysis of American data (3–5). Second, the finding of preserved lung function by restoration of serum levels is biologically plausible and consistent with what is understood of emphysema pathogenesis in alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency emphysema (6). Finally, these spirometric results are consistent with lung protection demonstrated more directly by both previously and more recently published results showing preservation of lung density as measured by CT scan in patients receiving augmentation therapy (4,7). In short, although the NHLBI data is predominant in the analysis, it is entirely congruent with other data and is not an outlier that skewed the conclusions. We agree that the pre-post nature of the Wencker study design is limited but opted to include it in our metaanalysis to ensure completeness of all available published data (5). We are not sure what McCarthy and Dimitrov mean by “eventual physiological decline” but suspect that they mean that rates of lung function decline are not constant over a lifetime and hence may slow in subsequent follow-up, irrespective of therapy.
Effect of oxytocin receptor gene variants and stressful experiences on ventral striatal activity and risk for social-affective problems

Background: Common variants in the oxytocin receptor-gene ( OXTR ) are known to influence social and affective behaviour, and to moderate the effect of adverse experiences on risk for social-affective problems. Whereas human functional neuroimaging studies have reported that oxytocin effects on social behaviour and emotional states are mediated by amygdala function, animal models indicate that oxytocin-receptors in the ventral striatum modulate sensitivity to social reinforcers. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate OXTR -dependent brain mechanisms associated with social-affective problems. Methods: In a sample of 1,445 adolescents we tested the effect of 23-tagging SNPs across the OXTR region and stressful life events (SLE) on fMRI-BOLD activity in the ventral striatum (VS) and amygdala to animated angry faces. SNPs for which gene-wide significant effects on brain function were found were then carried forward to examine associations with social-affective problems. Results: A gene-wide significant effect of rs237915 showed that adolescents with minor CC-genotype had significantly lower VS activity than CT/TT-carriers. Significant or nominally significant GxE effects on emotional problems (in girls) and peer problems (in boys) revealed a strong increase in clinical symptoms as a function of SLEs in CT/TT-carriers but not CC-homozygotes. However, in low-SLE environments, CC-homozygotes had more emotional problems (girls) and peer problems (boys). Among CC-homozygotes, reduced VS activity was related to more peer problems. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a common OXTR -variant affects brain responsiveness to negative social cues, and that in “ risk- carriers” reduced sensitivity is simultaneously associated with more social-affective problems in “favourable environments” and great er resilience against stressful experiences. Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that influences social and affective behaviours. This study investigated in 1,445 adolescents whether common variants in the oxytocin receptor gene interact with stressful experiences in influencing brain function to angry face expressions and risk for social-affective problems. We show that minor-allele carriers of one common variant had lower ventral striatal activity to angry faces than major-allele carriers and were more resilient against the effect of stressful experience on social-affective problems.
eSEARCH©: A Tool to Promote the eHealth Literacy Skills of Older Adults

The eSEARCH© eHealth literacy tool aims to help older adults (aged 55 and over) feel more confident in searching, finding, evaluating and using online health information. This study used an experimental pre- and post-test between-groups design to explore the research hypothesis that the eSEARCH tool will improve older adults' perceived confidence in their eHealth literacy skills. Sixty seven older adults participated. Participants in the experimental group were more likely to identify a perceived positive change in the eHealth literacy domains compared with participants in the control group. eSEARCH demonstrates promise in promoting older adults confidence in their perceived eHealth literacy skills. Additional research is required to promote the use and familiarity of eSEARCH in a larger group of older adults with measurements of longer-term outcomes.
Picobirnavirus infections: viral persistence and zoonotic potential

Picobirnaviruses (PBVs) are small, non‐enveloped, bisegmented double‐stranded RNA genomic viruses of vertebrate hosts. Since their discovery in the late 1980s in clinical specimens from outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis in children, significant efforts have been made to investigate the role of PBV in diarrheic diseases. PBV has been detected in sporadic episodes of diarrhea as sole pathogen or coinfection as well as in outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis and in immunocompromised patients with diarrhea. However, PBV is frequently detected in non‐diarrheic healthy hosts, and prolonged shedding has been observed in some individuals. Of interest, similar patterns of PBV infection have also been observed in pigs and other animal hosts. The increasing amount of PBV sequence data gathered from molecular epidemiological studies has evidenced a great sequence diversity of PBVs in various hosts and environmental samples. Importantly, evidence has been found for genetic relatedness between human and animal PBV strains, suggesting extant crossing points in the ecology and evolution of heterologous PBV strains. At present, no cell culture and animal model exists for PBVs. Well‐structured epidemiological studies are still the only alternative to demonstrate the potential etiological role of PBVs in acute gastroenteritis or other diseases. This review aims to analyze the public health aspects of PBV infection, especially its possible association with zoonosis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subcarrier Intensity Modulated Free-Space Optical Communications in K-Distributed Turbulence Channels

In this paper, the bit error rate (BER) performance of a subcarrier intensity-modulated (SIM) free-space optical (FSO) communications system using binary phase shift keying (BPSK) is investigated over a K-distributed turbulence channel. First, the performance is analyzed employing a negative exponential turbulence model, and an exact closed-form expression is derived for the BER. Then, it is shown that the probability density function (PDF) of the K distribution can be approximated accurately by a finite sum of weighted negative exponential PDFs. Based on this interesting result and by using the closed-form expression, which is derived for the case of a negative exponential model, an approximate, closed-form expression for the BER of the BPSK-based SIM FSO over a K channel is derived. Moreover, to improve the BER performance, spatial diversity using selection combining (SC) is considered. It is shown that the PDF of the resulting channel irradiance corresponding to the SC diversity scheme over a K channel can be approximated accurately by a finite linear combination of negative exponential functions. The derived approximate PDF accurately estimates the PDF of the channel irradiance for arbitrary values of diversity order and is valid for a wide range of channel parameters. Then, an approximate, closed-form expression is derived for the average BER of the BPSK-based SIM FSO system employing the SC diversity technique over a K channel. Numerical results presented in this paper show that the derived approximate expressions are very accurate and can be used as efficient tools for performance analysis of the system.
Viral O‐GalNAc peptide epitopes: a novel potential target in viral envelope glycoproteins

Viral envelope glycoproteins are major targets for antibodies that bind to and inactivate viral particles. The capacity of a viral vaccine to induce virus‐neutralizing antibodies is often used as a marker for vaccine efficacy. Yet the number of known neutralization target epitopes is restricted owing to various viral escape mechanisms. We expand the range of possible viral glycoprotein targets, by presenting a previously unknown type of viral glycoprotein epitope based on a short peptide stretch modified with small O‐linked glycans. Besides being immunologically active, these epitopes have a high potential for antigenic variation. Thus, sera from patients infected with EBV develop individual IgG responses addressing the different possible glycopeptide glycoforms of one short peptide backbone that reflect individual variations in the course of virus infection. In contrast, in HSV type 2 meningitis patients, CSF antibodies are focussed to only one single glycoform peptide of a major viral glycoprotein. Thus, dependent on the viral disease, the serological response may be variable or constant with respect to the number of targeted peptide glycoforms. Mapping of these epitopes relies on a novel three‐step procedure that identifies any reactive viral O‐glycosyl peptide epitope with respect to (i) relevant peptide sequence, (ii) the reactive glycoform out of several possible glycopeptide isomers of that peptide sequence, and (iii) possibly tolerated carbohydrate or peptide structural variations at glycosylation sites. In conclusion, the viral O‐glycosyl peptide epitopes may be of relevance for development of subunit vaccines and for improved serodiagnosis of viral diseases. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of HCV genotype on treatment regimens and drug resistance: a snapshot in time

The introduction of highly potent direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) has revolutionized hepatitis C virus treatment. Nevertheless, viral eradication worldwide remains a challenge also in the era of DAA treatment, because of the high associated costs, high numbers of undiagnosed patients, high re‐infection rates in some risk groups and suboptimal drug efficacies associated with host and viral factors as well as advanced stages of liver disease. A correct determination of the HCV genotype allows administration of the most appropriate antiviral regimen. Additionally, HCV genetic sequencing improves our understanding of resistance‐associated variants, either naturally occurring before treatment, acquired by transmission at HCV infection, or emerging after virological failure. Because treatment response rates, and the prevalence and development of drug resistance variants differ for each DAA regimen and HCV genotype, this review summarizes treatment opportunities per HCV genotype, and focuses on viral genetic sequencing to guide clinical decision making. Although approval of the first pan‐genotypic DAA‐only regimen is expected soon, HCV genetic sequencing will remain important because when DAA therapies fail, genotyping and resistance testing to select a new active DAA combination will be essential. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.