Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of Microorganisms from Several Surfaces by MALDI-TOF MS: P. aeruginosa Is Leading in Biofilm Formation

New ecological trends and changes in consumer behavior are known to favor biofilm formation in household appliances, increasing the need for new antimicrobial materials and surfaces. Their development requires laboratory-cultivated biofilms, or biofilm model systems (BMS), which allow for accelerated growth and offer better understanding of the underlying formation mechanisms. Here, we identified bacterial strains in wildtype biofilms from a variety of materials from domestic appliances using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-MS). Staphylococci and pseudomonads were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS as the main genera in the habitats and were analyzed for biofilm formation using various in vitro methods. Standard quantitative biofilm assays were combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to characterize biofilm formation. While Pseudomonas putida, a published lead germ, was not identified in any of the collected samples, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to be the most dominant biofilm producer. Water-born Pseudomonads were dominantly found in compartments with water contact only, such as in detergent compartment and detergent enemata. Furthermore, materials in contact with the washing load are predominantly colonized with bacteria from the human.
mTOR Signaling in Metabolic Stress Adaptation

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central regulator of cellular homeostasis that integrates environmental and nutrient signals to control cell growth and survival. Over the past two decades, extensive studies of mTOR have implicated the importance of this protein complex in regulating a broad range of metabolic functions, as well as its role in the progression of various human diseases. Recently, mTOR has emerged as a key signaling molecule in regulating animal entry into a hypometabolic state as a survival strategy in response to environmental stress. Here, we review current knowledge of the role that mTOR plays in contributing to natural hypometabolic states such as hibernation, estivation, hypoxia/anoxia tolerance, and dauer diapause. Studies across a diverse range of animal species reveal that mTOR exhibits unique regulatory patterns in an environmental stressor-dependent manner. We discuss how key signaling proteins within the mTOR signaling pathways are regulated in different animal models of stress, and describe how each of these regulations uniquely contribute to promoting animal survival in a hypometabolic state.
The Complex Nature of School Violence: Attitudes Toward Aggression, Empathy and Involvement Profiles in Violence

Background Aggressive behavior in adolescents has become a concern in education, where adapting to and going through high school may generate important behavior problems in adolescents. Purpose Analyze the relationships between parental and adolescent attitudes toward aggression and empathy. Identify profiles of direct and indirect involvement in school violence and determine differences between groups with respect to the components of empathy and attitudes toward aggression. Methods The sample was comprised of 1287 high school students who were administered the Beliefs about Aggression and Alternatives questionnaire, the Parental Support for Fighting and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Results The results show that beliefs in favor of the use of aggression in adolescents correlate positively with the perception of strong support from parents for aggression in response to conflict. Similarly, higher levels of support for the use of nonviolent strategies are positively related to the perception of strong support from parents. The relationships established with the components of empathy analyzed, both cognitive and emotional, were negatively correlated with favorable attitudes toward aggression. Results concerning the groups directly involved indicated that there were significant differences in the components of empathy between the groups. Furthermore, the multivariate analysis applied to the direct involvement groups showed significant differences between the groups in taking perspective. Between-group differences in empathic concern were also statistically significant for the group of active observers. Conclusion Taking perspective and empathic concern are moderating variables both for observers and victims and their parents in situations of violence.
Correlation of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Probiotics for the Digestive System Among Health Science Students

Background Probiotics have numerous health benefits to the digestive system, one of them being clinically able to prevent and treat diarrhea. The growing scientific evidence of probiotic benefits has led to increased production of probiotic products. Health science students, as future healthcare professionals (HCPs), should have more knowledge about probiotics to be able to give the right recommendation to their future patients and the larger community. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice towards probiotics of health science students in Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 87 students from Medical Studies, Midwifery, Pharmacy, and Nursing majors in 2020. Proportional cluster random sampling was used to select the study subjects, and an online survey was used to collect the data. Final data were exported to statistics software for analysis. Scores of each variable were categorized. Kruskal–Wallis test was used to analyze the statistical differences among the four groups. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationship between knowledge, attitude, and practice variables. Results Of all respondents, 80% had adequate knowledge. More than half (52.9%) had a positive attitude, and most (62.1%) had a positive practice. There were significant correlations between knowledge-attitude and attitude-practice variables. Most respondents gained information on probiotics from the Internet (26%) and their lecturer (24%). P-value from Kruskal–Wallis test for knowledge, attitude, and practice are 0.466, 0.801, and 0.324, respectively. Conclusion Most respondents had an adequate level of knowledge, a positive attitude, and a positive practice towards probiotics. Incorporating scientific evidence regarding probiotics from various studies into all health science majors’ academic curricula and media may help equip the students with a better understanding of probiotics, therefore improving probiotics usage to prevent and treat digestive system diseases in the future.
Point Prevalence Survey of Antimicrobial Use in a Malaysian Tertiary Care University Hospital

Antimicrobial resistance remains a significant public health issue, and to a greater extent, caused by the misuse of antimicrobials. Monitoring and benchmarking antimicrobial use is critical for the antimicrobial stewardship team to enhance prudent use of antimicrobial and curb antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings. Employing a comprehensive and established tool, this study investigated the trends and compliance of antimicrobial prescribing in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Malaysia to identify potential target areas for quality improvement. A point prevalence survey method following the National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS) was used to collect detailed data on antimicrobial prescribing and assessed a set of quality indicators associated with antimicrobial use. The paper-based survey was conducted across 37 adult wards, which included all adult in-patients on the day of the survey to form the study population. Of 478 patients surveyed, 234 (49%) patients received at least one antimicrobial agent, with 357 antimicrobial prescriptions. The highest prevalence of antimicrobial use was within the ICU (80%). Agents used were mainly amoxicillin/β-lactamase inhibitor (14.8%), piperacillin/β-lactamase inhibitor (10.6%) and third-generation cephalosporin (ceftriaxone, 9.5%). Intravenous administration was ordered in 62.7% of prescriptions. Many antimicrobials were prescribed empirically (65.5%) and commonly prescribed for pneumonia (19.6%). The indications for antimicrobials were documented in the patients’ notes for 80% of the prescriptions; however, the rate of review/stop date recorded must be improved (33.3%). One-half of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis was administered for more than 24 h. From 280 assessable prescriptions, 141 (50.4%) were compliant with guidelines. Treating specialties, administration route, class of antimicrobial, and the number of prescriptions per patient were contributing factors associated with compliance. On multivariate analysis, administering non-oral routes of antimicrobial administration, and single antimicrobial prescription prescribed per patient was independently associated with non-compliance. NAPS can produce robust baseline information and identifying targets for improvement in antimicrobial prescribing in reference to current AMS initiatives within the tertiary care teaching hospital. The findings underscore the necessity to expand the AMS efforts towards reinforcing compliance, documentation, improving surgical prophylaxis prescribing practices, and updating local antibiotic guidelines.
Potential Application of Combined Therapy with Lectins as a Therapeutic Strategy for the Treatment of Bacterial Infections

Antibiotic monotherapy may become obsolete mainly due to the continuous emergence of resistance to available antimicrobials, which represents a major uncertainty to human health. Taking into account that natural products have been an inexhaustible source of new compounds with clinical application, lectins are certainly one of the most versatile groups of proteins used in biological processes, emerging as a promising alternative for therapy. The ability of lectins to recognize carbohydrates present on the cell surface allowed for the discovery of a wide range of activities. Currently the number of antimicrobials in research and development does not match the rate at which resistance mechanisms emerge to an effective antibiotic monotherapy. A promising therapeutic alternative is the combined therapy of antibiotics with lectins to enhance its spectrum of action, minimize adverse effects, and reduce resistance to treatments. Thus, this review provides an update on the experimental application of antibiotic therapies based on the synergic combination with lectins to treat infections specifically caused by multidrug-resistant and biofilm-producing Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We also briefly discuss current strategies involving the modulation of the gut microbiota, its implications for antimicrobial resistance, and highlight the potential of lectins to modulate the host immune response against oxidative stress.
Investigating strategic responses of SMEs during COVID-19 pandemic: A cognitive appraisal perspective

In this study, we investigate the response intentions of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the recent economic crisis initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We draw on the cognitive appraisal theory and investigate how an SME’s level of proactivity triggers top managers’ emotional reactions, which in the end shapes an SME’s response strategies (investment vs divestment). To test our assumptions, we use survey data from 155 top managers of Croatian SMEs operating in business-to-business industries. We find that an SME’s proactivity positively (negatively) influences the emergence of positive (negative) emotions. Also, we find that top managers charged with positive (negative) emotions are more prone to engage in investment (divestment) as a response to economic crisis. Furthermore, through the broaden-and-build perspective we reveal the mediating effect of emotions on the relationship between proactivity and response intentions as well as the mediating effect of performance expectations on the link between emotions and response intentions. JEL CLASSIFICATION M10; M19
Association Between the Degree of Inclusion of Components Identified on Fluorescein or Indocyanine Green Angiography in Target Spots and Relapse of Exudate in Eyes with Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy and Typical Age-Related Macular Degeneration After Photodynamic Therapy

Purpose To investigate the association between the inclusion of components identified on images in target spots of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and exudate relapse in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Forty-one eyes (39 patients) with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and 32 eyes (31 patients) with typical AMD (tAMD) who underwent PDT were retrospectively investigated. Each component identified on fluorescein (FA) or indocyanine angiography (IA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), or color photography was graded as not depicted, covered with a margin ≥500 µm or <500 µm, and protruding. Associations between these grades and the dry rate (proportion of subjects with continuous absence of exudate over following 12-month period) and the relapse index (2 × number of injections administered + accumulation of exudate for 12 months post-PDT) were investigated. Results In PCV, the association between worse coverage and decreasing dry rates for feeder vessels and polyps approached statistical significance. With coverage margins ≥500 µm, dry rate tended to be greater than with coverage margins <500 µm for feeder vessels, classic lesions, and occult lesions on FA. In the tAMD group, coverage with margins ≥500 µm tended to yield a higher dry rate than coverage with margins <500 µm for CNV on IA. Coverage with margins ≥500 µm for occult and classic lesions on FA yielded no dry subjects, and all subjects with classic lesions or staining had recurrence (P = 0.009 and 0.050). Worse coverage and worse dry rate in PCV and worse relapse index in tAMD were related to pigment epithelial detachment on OCT (P = 0.040 and 0.006). Conclusion Polyps in PCV and pigment epithelial detachment (PED) in tAMD were verified as appropriate targets, corresponding to the existing guidelines, and feeder vessels, classic lesion, occult lesion, and PED in PCV and CNV on IA in tAMD were suggested as further targets. OCT was superior to FA for evaluating PED.
Change and Innovation in Healthcare: Findings from Literature

Background Change is an ongoing process in any organizations. Over years, healthcare organizations have been exposed to multiple external stimuli to change (eg, ageing population, increasing incidence of chronic diseases, ongoing Sars-Cov-2 pandemic) that pointed out the need to convert the current healthcare organizational model. Nowadays, the topic is extremely relevant, rendering organizational change an urgency. The work is structured on a double level of analysis. In the beginning, the paper collects the overall literature on the topic of organisational change in order to identify, on the basis of the citation network, the main existing theoretical approaches. Secondly, the analysis attempts to isolate the scientific production related to the healthcare context, by analysing the body of literature outside the identified citation network, divided by clusters of related studies. Methodology This review adopted a quantitative-based method that employs jointly systematic literature review and bibliographic network analysis. Specifically, the study applied a citation network analysis (CNA) and a co-occurrence keywords analysis. The CNA allowed detecting the most relevant papers published over time, identifying the research streams in literature. Results The study showed four main findings. Firstly, consistent with past studies, works reviewed pointed out a convergence on the micro-level perspective for change’s analysis. Secondly, an organic viewpoint whereby individual, organization and change’s outcome contribute to any organizational change’s action has been found in its early stage. Thirdly, works reported change combined with innovation’s concept, although the structure of the relationship has not been outlined. Fourth, interestingly, contributions have been limited within the healthcare context. Conclusion Human dimension is the primary criticality to be managed to impede failure of the re-organizational path. Individuals are not passive recipients of change: individual change acceptance has been found a key input. Few papers discussed healthcare professionals’ behaviour, and those available focused on technology-led changes perspective. In this view, individual acceptance of change within the healthcare context resulted being undeveloped and offers rooms for further analyses.
Association between Dietary Inflammatory Index, Dietary Patterns, Plant-Based Dietary Index and the Risk of Obesity

Evidence on the association between various dietary constructs and obesity risk is limited. This study aims to investigate the longitudinal relationship between different diet indices and dietary patterns with the risk of obesity. Non-obese participants (n = 787) in the North West Adelaide Health Study were followed from 2010 to 2015. The dietary inflammatory index (DII®), plant-based dietary index (PDI) and factor-derived dietary pattern scores were computed based on food frequency questionnaire data. We found the incidence of obesity was 7.62% at the 5-year follow up. In the adjusted model, results from multivariable log-binomial logistic regression showed that a prudent dietary pattern (RRQ5 vs. Q1 = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.15–0.96), healthy PDI (RR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.12–0.77) and overall PDI (RR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.23–1.33) were inversely associated with obesity risk. Conversely, the DII (RR = 1.59; 95% CI: 0.72–3.50), a Western dietary pattern (RR = 2.16; 95% CI: 0.76–6.08) and unhealthy PDI (RR = 1.94; 95% CI: 0.81–4.66) were associated with increased risk of obesity. Based on the cubic spline analysis, the association between an unhealthy PDI or diet quality with the risk of obesity was non-linear. In conclusion, an anti-inflammatory diet, healthy diet or consumption of healthy plant-based foods were all associated with a lower risk of developing obesity.
The Value of Chinese Version GAD-7 and PHQ-9 to Screen Anxiety and Depression in Chinese Outpatients with Atypical Chest Pain

Background Atypical chest pain in some outpatients could derive from mental disorders. It is necessary for them to have a preliminary emotional assessment in the outpatient department of Cardiology before psychiatric outpatient visits. Methods This study included 122 Chinese outpatients with atypical chest pain in the department of Cardiology. They accepted routine examinations, including treadmill test, and were judged by the three-question method as highly likely to have emotional disorders. Then, a standard questionnaire package containing the Chinese version of the seven-item scale for General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) was administered to evaluate anxiety and depression. Results The percentages of anxiety evaluated by GAD-7 and SAS were 62.3% and 26.2%, respectively. Analogously, the assessment by PHQ-9 showed a significantly higher percentage of depression than that by SDS (61.5% vs 29.5%) (P < 0.05). Kappa analysis showed that the consistency between GAD-7 and SAS, or that between PHQ-9 and SDS was not very good. About 73% outpatients suffered from emotional disorders, presenting as anxiety/depression evaluated by GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Furthermore, sleep disorders accounted for more than 80% of patients with mental disorders. Finally, the suicidal tendency of depression patients was about 17% that should not be ignored. Conclusion Compared with SAS and SDS, GAD-7 and PHQ-9 detected more participants with emotional disorders in the Chinese outpatients with atypical chest pain, indicating that GAD-7 and PHQ-9 could be briefly well-validated tools to screen emotional disorders in the outpatient department of Cardiology before psychiatric visits.
Survival and Predictors of Mortality Among Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bombe Primary Hospital, Southern Ethiopia: Institution-Based Retrospective Cohort Study

Background Neonatal mortality includes all deaths of neonate occurring before the 28th day of life. Neonatal mortality has been declining over two decades in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. The foremost causes of death are preventable and treatable. Regardless, recognizing the predictors may be a crucial step in lowering neonatal mortality. However, evidences on the survival status of neonates and/or neonatal death predictors were limited in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. Thus, this study aimed to answer these questions. Methods An institution-based retrospective cohort study was done among 380 Neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bombe Primary Hospital from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019. Bivariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of mortality. Association was summarized using adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), and statistical significances were declared at 95% CI and P-value <0.05. Proportionality assumption was tested by a global test based on Schoenfeld residuals analysis. Results The overall incidence of neonatal mortality was 20.8 (95% CI: 15.2, 28.5) per 1000 neonatal days. Late initiation of early breastfeeding (EBF) after 1 hr. [AHR: 2.9; 95% CI: 1.32, 6.37], 5th min APGAR score <5 [AHR: 3; 95% CI: 1.32; 6.88], low birth weight [AHR: 2.59; 95% CI: 1.1,6.26], hypothermia [AHR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.1, 6.22] and mothers’ time of rupture of membrane >12 hours before delivery [AHR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.25, 4.97] were increased the risk of neonatal mortality, while cesarean section delivery 91.6% [AHR= 0.084; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.65] and antenatal care (ANC) utilization 61% [AHR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.15–0.91] decreased the risk of neonatal mortality. Conclusion The incidence of neonatal mortality rate was high at the Bombe primary hospital. Therefore, to improve neonatal survival, it is recommended that complications and low birth weight be managed, that early exclusive breastfeeding be initiated, that service quality be improved, and that a continuum of care be ensured.
SiO2 Nanoparticles-Acrylate Formulations for Core and Cladding in Planar Optical Waveguides

A combination of acrylate formulations and SiO2 nanoparticles is investigated with the aim to improve the optical properties of low-refractive index polymers that are used for the fabrication of planar optical waveguides. A decrease in refractive index and also in the thermo-optic coefficient of nanocomposite materials is clearly demonstrated, while some formulations exhibit an increase in the glass transition temperature. The possibility of using these nanocomposite materials to fabricate waveguiding layers with low optical propagation losses at telecommunication wavelengths around 1550 nm is also shown. The nanomaterials can be applied in optical microchips on polymer platforms.