Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypoglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects of ginger and alpha-lipoic acid in experimentally diabetic rats

Ginger and alpha-lipoic acid have recently gained attention as a potent antioxidant. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible therapeutic effects of daily oral administration of ginger and alpha-lipoic acid on diabetic rats. 42 Male albino rats (150-180gm) were divided into 7 groups; control, olive oil (vehicle) control, alloxan induced diabetic (DM), ginger-treated (GN), alpha-lipoic acid -treated (ALA), diabetic rats treated with ginger (DM+GN) and diabetic rats treated with alpha-lipoic acid (DM+ALA). After 5 weeks of GN and ALA administration (50 and 30 mg/kg b. wt respectively), hematological, biochemical and histological parameters were investigated. Diabetic rats exhibited a significant decrease in erythrocytic parameters as well as significant increase of fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TCh), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), and a decrease in the level of high density lipoprotein (HDL). In addition, diabetic rats showed a significant decrease in hepatic GSH and an increase in the content of malondialdehyde (MDA). The administration of GN and ALA caused a significant decrease in FBS, HbA1c, TCh, TG, and LDL- cholesterol, concomitant with a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol was recorded. Moreover, GN and ALA administration blunted the increase in MDA and stimulated the GSH production in the liver of diabetic rats. The findings of this study indicated that injection of GN and ALA corrected the erythrocytic parameters, lipid profile, blood sugar level in diabetic rats and showed antioxidative properties. Additionally, the therapeutic effect of GN and ALA was confirmed with histopathological examination of pancreas. It could be postulated that; (i) GN and ALA have protective and anti-hyperglycemic effects and (ii) overall anti-diabetic effects of ALA are better than those of GN, at least in this experimental condition.
Composition of gut microbiota in patients with toxigenic Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile: Comparison between subgroups according to clinical criteria and toxin gene load

Data concerning the human microbiota composition during Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) using next-generation sequencing are still limited. We aimed to confirm key features indicating tcdB positive patients and compare the microbiota composition between subgroups based on toxin gene load (tcdB gene) and presence of significant diarrhea. Ninety-nine fecal samples from 79 tcdB positive patients and 20 controls were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Chao1 index for alpha diversity were calculated and principal coordinate analysis was performed for beta diversity using Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) pipeline. The mean relative abundance in each group was compared at phylum, family, and genus levels. There were significant alterations in alpha and beta diversity in tcdB positive patients (both colonizer and CDI) compared with those in the control. The mean Chao1 index of tcdB positive patients was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.001), whereas there was no significant difference between tcdB groups and between colonizer and CDI. There were significant differences in microbiota compositions between tcdB positive patients and the control at phylum, family, and genus levels. Several genera such as Phascolarctobacterium, Lachnospira, Butyricimonas, Catenibacterium, Paraprevotella, Odoribacter, and Anaerostipes were not detected in most CDI cases. We identified several changes in the microbiota of CDI that could be further evaluated as predictive markers. Microbiota differences between clinical subgroups of CDI need to be further studied in larger controlled studies.
Placental CX3CL1 is Deregulated by Angiotensin II and Contributes to a Pro-Inflammatory Trophoblast-Monocyte Interaction

CX3CL1, which is a chemokine involved in many aspects of human pregnancy, is a membrane-bound chemokine shed into circulation as a soluble isoform. Placental CX3CL1 is induced by inflammatory cytokines and is upregulated in severe early-onset preeclampsia. In this study, the hypothesis was addressed whether angiotensin II can deregulate placental CX3CL1 expression, and whether CX3CL1 can promote a pro-inflammatory status of monocytes. qPCR analysis of human placenta samples (n = 45) showed stable expression of CX3CL1 and the angiotensin II receptor AGTR1 throughout the first trimester, but did not show a correlation between both or any influence of maternal age, BMI, and gestational age. Angiotensin II incubation of placental explants transiently deregulated CX3CL1 expression, while the angiotensin II receptor antagonist candesartan reversed this effect. Overexpression of recombinant human CX3CL1 in SGHPL-4 trophoblasts increased adhesion of THP-1 monocytes and significantly increased IL8, CCL19, and CCL13 in co-cultures with human primary monocytes. Incubation of primary monocytes with CX3CL1 and subsequent global transcriptome analysis of CD16+ subsets revealed 81 upregulated genes, including clusterin, lipocalin-2, and the leptin receptor. Aldosterone synthase, osteopontin, and cortisone reductase were some of the 66 downregulated genes present. These data suggest that maternal angiotensin II levels influence placental CX3CL1 expression, which, in turn, can affect monocyte to trophoblast adhesion. Release of placental CX3CL1 could promote the pro-inflammatory status of the CD16+ subset of maternal monocytes.
Asegúrate: An Intervention Program against Cyberbullying Based on Teachers’ Commitment and on Design of Its Instructional Materials

This article presents the impact on cyberbullying of the Asegúrate program. This educational program is based on the theory of normative social behavior, self-regulation skills, and the beliefs held by adolescents and consists in a whole package of strategies and resources to help teachers to include in the ordinary curricula. The evaluation of Asegúrate was carried out with a sample of 4779 students (48.9% girls) in 5th and 6th grade in primary education and compulsory secondary education (M = 12.76; SD = 1.67) through a quasi-experimental methodology, with two measures over time. The instrument used was the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire. The results show that the involvement in cyberbullying as cyber-victim, cyber-aggressor, and cyber-bully-victim increase without intervention, whereas it diminishes when intervention is carried out by the teachers who have received specific training and have used the didactic Asegúrate package. Additionally, the impact of the intervention on the different types of behaviors was analyzed, and the results show that Asegúrate is more effective with some forms than with others. Consequently, the Asegúrate program is effective for decreasing the prevalence of cyberbullying, but some modifications need to be made to impact on all the different forms it can take.
Pertactin-deficient Bordetella pertussis isolates: evidence of increased circulation in Europe, 1998 to 2015

Introduction Pertussis outbreaks have occurred in several industrialised countries using acellular pertussis vaccines (ACVs) since the 1990s. High prevalence of pertactin (PRN)-deficient Bordetella pertussis isolates has been found in these countries. Aims To evaluate in Europe: (i) whether proportions of PRN-deficient strains increased in consecutive collections of B. pertussis clinical isolates; (ii) if the frequency of PRN-deficient strains in countries correlated with the time since ACV introduction; (iii) the presence of pertussis toxin (PT)-, filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA)- or fimbriae (Fim)-deficient isolates. Methods B. pertussis clinical isolates were obtained from different European countries during four periods (EUpert I–IV studies): 1998 to 2001 (n = 102), 2004 to 2005 (n = 154), 2007 to 2009 (n = 140) and 2012 to 2015 (n = 265). The isolates’ selection criteria remained unchanged in all periods. PRN, PT, FHA and Fim2 and Fim3 expression were assessed by ELISA. Results In each period 1.0% (1/102), 1.9% (3/154), 6.4% (9/140) and 24.9% (66/265) of isolates were PRN-deficient. In EUpert IV, PRN-deficient isolates occurred in all countries sampled and in six countries their frequency was higher than in EUpert III (for Sweden and the United Kingdom, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0155, respectively). Sweden and Italy which used ACVs since the mid 1990s had the highest frequencies (69%; 20/29 and 55%; 11/20, respectively) while Finland, where primary immunisations with ACV containing PRN dated from 2009 had the lowest (3.6%). Throughout the study, no PT- or FHA-deficient isolate and one Fim2/3-deficient was detected. Conclusion Results suggest that the longer the period since the introduction of ACVs containing PRN, the higher the frequency of circulating PRN-deficient isolates.
Synergistic Myoelectrical Activities of Forearm Muscles Improving Robust Recognition of Multi-Fingered Gestures

Currently, surface electromyography (sEMG) features of the forearm multi-tendon muscles are widely used in gesture recognition, however, there are few investigations on the inherent physiological mechanism of muscle synergies. We aimed to study whether the muscle synergies could be used for gesture recognition. Five healthy participants executed five gestures of daily life (pinch, fist, open hand, grip, and extension) and the sEMG activity was acquired from six forearm muscles. A non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) algorithm was employed to decompose the pre-treated six-channel sEMG data to obtain the muscle synergy matrixes, in which the weights of each muscle channel determined the feature set for hand gesture classification. The results showed that the synergistic features of forearm muscles could be successfully clustered in the feature space, which enabled hand gestures to be recognized with high efficiency. By augmenting the number of participants, the mean recognition rate remained at more than 96% and reflected high robustness. We showed that muscle synergies can be well applied to gesture recognition.
Comparison of Ivor-Lewis versus Sweet procedure for middle and lower thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract Our study compared the Ivor-Lewis and Sweet procedures used for treating middle and lower thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and assessed the associated perioperative complications and long-term survival rates of the patients. This retrospective study involved 624 middle and lower thoracic esophageal squamous carcinoma patients who received either Ivor-Lewis (n = 325) or Sweet (n = 299) procedures at our hospital. Further, the perioperative conditions and long-term survival rates were analyzed for both groups. Relative to the Sweet group, the Ivor-Lewis group showed lower volume of drainage within 24 hours after operation (400 (300–500) ml vs 550 (400–658) ml, P = . 031). Although we found no significant differences in major postoperative complications between the groups (72 (22.2) vs 65 (21.7), P = . 90), there were significant differences observed in minor postoperative complications between the Ivor-Lewis and Sweet groups (59 (18.2) vs 32 (10.7), P = . 008). Perioperative death rates remained comparable for the 2 groups (2 (0.6) vs 2 (0.7), P > . 99). Further, comparison of the 2 groups revealed that the Ivor-Lewis group had increased number of dissected lymph nodes, (20 (4–42) vs 16 (3–31), P < . 001), especially in the upper mediastinum (4 (0–5) vs 2 (0–2), P < . 001). The long-term survival rates did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (Kaplan-Meier method, P = .95; Cox regression, P = .20). These findings suggest that perioperative complications and long-term survival rates were comparable for both patients groups. Patients receiving the Sweet procedure had reduced minor postoperative complications compared to those receiving the Ivor-Lewis procedure. Due to improved quality of lymph node dissection in the upper mediastinum, the Ivor-Lewis procedure may have advantages over the Sweet procedure for treating patients with esophageal cancer with enlarged lymph nodes in the upper mediastinum.
Specific Cytotoxic Effects of Parasporal Crystal Proteins Isolated from Native Saudi Arabian Bacillus thuringiensis Strains against Cervical Cancer Cells

Currently, global efforts are being intensified towards the discovery of local Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolates with unique anticancer properties. Parasporins (PS) are a group of Bt non-insecticidal crystal proteins with potential and specific in vitro anticancer activity. However, despite the significant therapeutic potential of PS-producing Bt strains, our current knowledge on the effects of these proteins is limited. Hence, the main objective of this study was to screen Bt-derived parasporal toxins for cytotoxic activities against colon (HT-29) and cervical (HeLa) cancerous cell lines. Nine non-larvicidal and non-hemolytic Bt strains, native to Saudi Arabia, were employed for the isolation of their parasporal toxins. 16S rDNA sequencing revealed a 99.5% similarity with a reference Bt strain. While PCR screening results indicated the absence of selected Cry (Cry4A, Cry4B, Cry10 and Cry11), Cyt (Cyt1 and Cyt2) and PS (PS2, PS3 and PS4) genes, it concluded presence of the PS1 gene. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that proteolytically-cleavaged PS protein profiles exhibit patterns resembling those observed with PS1Aa1, with major bands at 56 kDa and 17 kDa (Bt7), and 41 kDa and 16 kDa (Bt5). Solubilized and trypsinized PS proteins from all Bt strains exhibited a marked and dose-dependent cytotoxicity against HeLa cancerous cells but not against HT-29 cells. IC50 values ranged from 3.2 (Bt1) to 14.2 (Bt6) with an average of 6.8 µg/mL. The observed cytotoxicity of PS proteins against HeLa cells was specific as it was not evident against normal uterus smooth muscle cells. RT-qPCR analysis revealed the overexpression of caspase 3 and caspase 9 by 3.7, and 4.2 folds, respectively, indicative of the engagement of intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report exploring and exploiting the versatile repertoire of Saudi Arabian environmental niches for the isolation of native and possibly novel Saudi Bt strains with unique and specific anticancer activity. In conclusion, native Saudi Bt-derived PS proteins might have a potential to join the arsenal of natural anticancer drugs.
The associations of fat tissue and muscle mass indices with all-cause mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Protein-energy wasting, which involves loss of fat and muscle mass, is prevalent and is associated with mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We investigated the associations of fat tissue and muscle mass indices with all-cause mortality in HD patients. The study included 162 patients undergoing HD. The fat tissue index (FTI) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), which represent respective tissue masses normalized to height squared, were measured by bioimpedance analysis after dialysis. Patients were divided into the following four groups according to the medians of FTI and SMI values: group 1 (G1), lower FTI and lower SMI; G2, higher FTI and lower SMI; G3, lower FTI and higher SMI; and G4, higher FTI and higher SMI. The associations of the FTI, SMI, and body mass index (BMI) with all-cause mortality were evaluated. During a median follow-up of 2.5 years, 29 patients died. The 5-year survival rates were 48.6%, 76.1%, 95.7%, and 87.4% in the G1, G2, G3, and G4 groups, respectively (P = 0.0002). The adjusted hazard ratio values were 0.34 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.10–0.95, P = 0.040) for G2 vs. G1, 0.13 (95%CI 0.01–0.69, P = 0.013) for G3 vs. G1, and 0.25 (95%CI 0.07–0.72, P = 0.0092) for G4 vs. G1, respectively. With regard to model discrimination, on adding both FTI and SMI to a model with established risk factors, the C-index increased significantly when compared with the value for a model with BMI (0.763 vs. 0.740, P = 0.016). Higher FTI and/or higher SMI values were independently associated with reduced risks of all-cause mortality in HD patients. Moreover, the combination of the FTI and SMI may more accurately predict all-cause mortality when compared with BMI. Therefore, these body composition indicators should be evaluated simultaneously in this population.
Use of shotgun metagenomics for the identification of protozoa in the gut microbiota of healthy individuals from worldwide populations with various industrialization levels

Protozoa have long been considered undesirable residents of the human gut, but recent findings suggest that some of them may positively affect the gut ecosystem. To better understand the role and ecological dynamics of these commensal and potentially beneficial protozoan symbionts, we need efficient methods to detect them, as well as accurate estimates of their prevalence across human populations. Metagenomics provides such an opportunity, allowing simultaneous detection of multiple symbionts in a single analytical procedure. In this study, we collected fecal samples of 68 individuals from three Cameroonian populations with different subsistence modes and compared metagenomics-based and targeted methods of detection for two common protozoan genera: Blastocystis and Entamoeba. In addition, we analyzed our data along with publicly available fecal metagenomes from various worldwide populations to explore the prevalence and association patterns of ten protozoan genera. Regarding the detection method, microscopy was much less sensitive than metagenomics for Entamoeba, whereas qPCR was at least as sensitive as metagenomics for Blastocystis sp. However, metagenomics was more likely to detect co-colonizations by multiple subtypes. Out of the ten examined genera in 127 individuals from Cameroon, Tanzania, Peru, Italy or USA, only three (Blastocystis, Entamoeba and Enteromonas) had an overall prevalence exceeding 10%. All three genera were more common in less industrialized populations and their prevalence differed between continents and subsistence modes, albeit not in a straightforward manner. The majority (72.5%) of colonized individuals carried at least two protozoan species, indicating that mixed-species colonizations are common. In addition, we detected only positive and no negative association patterns between different protozoa. Despite the pitfalls of the metagenomic approach, ranging from the availability of good-quality sequencing data to the lack of standard analytical procedures, we demonstrated its utility in simultaneous detection of multiple protozoan genera, and especially its ability to efficiently detect mixed-species colonizations. Our study corroborates and expands prevalence results previously obtained for Blastocystis sp. and provides novel data for Entamoeba spp. and several other protozoan genera. Furthermore, it indicates that multiple protozoa are common residents of the healthy human gut worldwide.
The Asti Study: The Induction of Oxidative Stress in A Population of Children According to Their Body Composition and Passive Tobacco Smoking Exposure

Obesity and exposure to second-hand tobacco smoking (SHS) may influence oxidative stress (OS) levels, especially in children. This study investigated body composition and SHS influence on OS induction in the paediatric population. The first purpose was identifying an appropriate BMI standard for adiposity assessment in OS investigations. Secondly, SHS and obesity were analysed as inductors of OS. The epidemiologic sample involved 330 children. Three BMI (body mass index) references (IOTF, CDC, and WHO) and an impedentiometric scale supplied body-composition measurements. Partecipants filled out a questionnaire and provided urinary samples for biomarker quantifications: isoprostane (15-F2t IsoP) and cotinine as OS and SHS biomarker, respectively. Obesity prevalence changed over different BMI references (14%, 21%, and 34% for IOTF, CDC, and WHO, respectively). Obese children, by IOTF, showed an increase of 56% in 15-F2t IsoP compared to those normal weight (p = 0.020). Children belonging to the third and the fourth cotinine quartile compared to those of the first quartile had higher 15-F2t IsoP (1.45 ng/mg, 95% CI: 1.06–1.97, p = 0.020 and 2.04 ng/mg, 95% CI: 1.55–2.69, p < 0.0001, respectively). Obesity assessment in children requires appropriate BMI reference depending on research field. Both SHS exposure and obesity may increase OS in children.
Suicide by persons with foreign background in Japan

Purpose This study examined trends in the suicide rates of persons with foreign background in Japan. Methods Using the nationwide death records in the Vital Statistics of Japan, we first reported the age-adjusted suicide rates of 8 foreign nationals (Brazil, China, Korea, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States) in Japan by sex from 1980 to the mid-2010s. We also computed rate ratios to compare the suicide rate of each group with those of the Japanese population. Second, we focused on Koreans, who had the highest suicide rate in Japan. We compared the suicide rates of Koreans in Japan with Koreans in South Korea to examine whether their suicide rates were more closely related to those of their country of origin or those of their host country. Results We found that the suicide rates of Koreans and Chinese in Japan were similar to or higher than those of Japanese, while other groups tended to show lower suicide rates. Most notably, Koreans displayed consistently high suicide rates from 1980 to the mid-2010s, which were nearly twice as high as those of the Japanese population. Korean males and females in Japan had higher suicide rates than those in South Korea. Conclusions Immigrants in Japan were not necessarily influenced by the suicide rates of the host country. The high suicide rates among Korean residents in Japan might be explained by various disadvantages and adversities that they face in Japan.
CALB Immobilized onto Magnetic Nanoparticles for Efficient Kinetic Resolution of Racemic Secondary Alcohols: Long-Term Stability and Reusability

In this study, an immobilization strategy for magnetic cross-linking enzyme aggregates of lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB) was developed and investigated. Magnetic particles were prepared by conventional co-precipitation. The magnetic nanoparticles were modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to obtain surface amino-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (APTES–Fe3O4) as immobilization materials. Glutaraldehyde was used as a crosslinker to covalently bind CALB to APTES–Fe3O4. The optimal conditions of immobilization of lipase and resolution of racemic 1-phenylethanol were investigated. Under optimal conditions, esters could be obtained with conversion of 50%, enantiomeric excess of product (eep) > 99%, enantiomeric excess of substrate (ees) > 99%, and enantiomeric ratio (E) > 1000. The magnetic CALB CLEAs were successfully used for enzymatic kinetic resolution of fifteen secondary alcohols. Compared with Novozym 435, the magnetic CALB CLEAs exhibited a better enantioselectivity for most substrates. The conversion was still greater than 49% after the magnetic CALB CLEAs had been reused 10 times in a 48 h reaction cycle; both ees and eep were close to 99%. Furthermore, there was little decrease in catalytic activity and enantioselectivity after being stored at −20 °C for 90 days.