Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Substantial Improvement in Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Identification Using ASTA MicroIDSys Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry with an Upgraded Database

Identifying Mycobacterium using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is challenging. We evaluated the performance of MALDI-TOF MS in identifying nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) using the ASTA MicroIDSys system (ASTA Inc., Suwon, Korea) with the MycoDB v1.95s and upgraded MycoDB v2.0-beta databases. We tested 124 NTM isolates collected from Ogawa medium at Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea, between January and April 2019. MicroIDSys scores were categorized into three groups: ≥140, reliable identification; 130–139, ambiguous identification; and <130, invalid identification. To validate the results, we used the reverse blot hybridization assay (Molecutech REBA MycoID, YD Diagnostics Corp., Korea). Initial analysis using MycoDB v1.95s resulted in 26.6% (33/124) reliable, 43.5% (54/124) ambiguous, and 29.8% (37/124) invalid identifications. Re-analysis using the upgraded MycoDB v2.0-beta database resulted in 94.4% (117/124) reliable, 4.0% (5/124) ambiguous, and 1.6% invalid (2/124) identifications. The percentage of reliable identifications that matched with the reference increased from 26.6% (33/124) with MycoDB v1.95s to 93.5% (116/124) with MycoDB v2.0-beta. The upgraded databases enable substantially improved NTM identification through deep learning in the inference algorithm and by considering more axes in the correlation analysis. MALDI-TOF MS using the upgraded database unambiguously identified most NTM species. Our study lays a foundation for applying MALDI-TOF MS for the simple and rapid identification of NTM isolated from solid media.
Utility of TG/HDL‐c ratio as a predictor of mortality and cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis: A systematic review

The triglyceride/high‐density cholesterol‐lipoprotein (TG/HDL‐c) is a biomarker of cardiovascular events and mortality. In hemodialysis patients, the evidence is controversial. A systematic review was carried out in the Medline, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Pubmed databases to identify the relevant cohort studies on cardiovascular events and mortality in hemodialysis patients the role of TG/HDL‐c as a risk factor. Four cohort‐type studies were evaluated, with a total of 52,579 hemodialysis patients. Three studies conducted in Asian populations and one study in the United States had the highest percentage of the sample (50,673 patients). The elevated TG/HDL‐c ratio is associated with better survival, and there is a consistent gradual inverse association between TG/HDL‐c and mortality in all analysis subgroups. In the decile categorization of the exposure variable, a 21% decrease in the risk of cardiovascular mortality and a 15% decrease in all‐cause mortality in the highest decile compared to the reference group (D10 aHR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.69–0.91 and D10 aHR = 0.85; 95%CI: 0.78–0.92). Our results show that the TG/HDL‐c ratio is a protective factor for cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in the American population and a risk factor for them in the population from Asia.
Guidance for Systematic Integration of Undernutrition in Attributing Cause of Death in Children

Abstract Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) is increasingly being used to better understand causes of death in low-resource settings. Undernutrition (eg, wasting, stunting) is prevalent among children globally and yet not consistently coded or uniformly included on death certificates in MITS studies when present. Consistent and accurate attribution of undernutrition is fundamental to understanding its contribution to child deaths. In May 2020, members of the MITS Alliance Cause of Death Technical Working Group convened a panel of experts in public health, child health, nutrition, infectious diseases, and MITS to develop guidance for systematic integration of undernutrition, as assessed by anthropometry, in cause of death coding, including as part of the causal chain or as a contributing condition, in children <5 years of age. The guidance presented here will support MITS and other researchers, public health practitioners, and clinicians with a systematic approach to assigning and interpreting undernutrition in death certification.
Co-producing an action-oriented framework for community-based Physical Activity Promotion in Germany

Summary German National Recommendations for Physical Activity (PA) and PA Promotion recommend community-based approaches to promote PA at the local level with a focus on health equity. In addition, the German Federal Prevention Act addresses health equity and strengthens setting-based health promotion in communities. However, the implementation of both in the local context remains a challenge. This article describes Phase 1 of the KOMBINE project that aims to co-produce an action-oriented framework for community-based PA promotion focusing on structural change and health equity. (i) In a series of workshops, key stakeholders and researchers discussed facilitators, barriers and needs of community-based PA promotion focusing on health equity. (ii) The research team used an inductive approach to cluster all findings and to identify key components and then (iii) compared the key components with updated literature. (iv) Key components were discussed and incorporated into a gradually co-produced framework by the participants. The first result of the co-production process was a catalog of nine key components regarding PA-related health promotion in German communities. The comparison of key components with scientific evidence showed a high overlap. Finally, a six-phase action-oriented framework including key components for community-based PA promotion was co-produced. The six-phase action-oriented framework integrates practice-based and scientific evidence on PA-related health promotion and health equity. It represents a shared vision for the implementation of National Recommendations for PA and PA Promotion in Germany. The extent to which structural changes and health equity can be achieved is currently being investigated in pilot-studies.
Introduction to the special issue. Prevalence and predictors of teen dating violence: A European perspective.

Having romantic relationships free of coercion and violence is one important precondition for the healthy development of adolescents. Violence in adolescent intimate relationships, further defined as teen dating violence (TDV), poses a real threat to adolescents’ well-being. After little societal and academic attention to this issue in the 20th century, TDV has been increasingly researched in the last two decades (e.g., Exner-Cortens et al., 2016; Smith et al., 2015) and is now recognized as a severe global health problem (e.g., McNaughton Reyes et al., 2021). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021), TDV is an adverse childhood experience and a type of intimate partner violence that occurs in adolescent relationships. TDV refers to physical, sexual, and psychological violence, and stalking, and it can take place face to face, online, and/or through technology (CDC, 2021). The increased societal and academic attention to this topic led to numerous studies, examining its prevalence, predictors, consequences, and prevention measures (see Dardis et al., 2015; MacGregor et al., 2019; McNaughton Reyes et al., 2021; Taquette & Monteiro, 2019, for reviews; see Spencer et al., 2020, 2021; Wincentak et al., 2017, for meta-analyses); however, these studies were mainly conducted in North America. The available literature shows that TDV is a widespread issue, experienced and perpetrated by a substantial proportion of adolescents. For example, the meta-analysis by Wincentak et al. (2017) showed that the prevalence rates of TDV across studies ranged between <1% and 61%, with an overall rate of 20% for physical and 9% for sexual violence. These substantial numbers are worrisome considering that TDV is associated with several health sequelae, such as depressive symptoms, substance abuse, and (sexual) risk behaviors (see MacGregor et al., 2019; Taquette & Monteiro, 2019, for reviews). Furthermore, a wide range of predictors of TDV victimization and perpetration, examining factors at different levels, has been addressed. In particular, factors related to biographical experiences, such as witnessing parental violence or child abuse, as well as cognitive and behavioral factors, such as acceptance of violence, alcohol consumption, or experiencing or perpetrating other forms of violence in the past, were examined so far (see Dardis et al., 2015, for a review; see Spencer et al., 2020, 2021, for meta-analyses). As mentioned above, these data emerged mainly from North America, and the vast majority of knowledge regarding TDV is derived from these North American studies.
β Cell function and plasma insulin clearance in people with obesity and different glycemic status

Background It is unclear how excess adiposity and insulin resistance affect β cell function, insulin secretion, and insulin clearance in people with obesity. Methods We used a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure and a modified oral glucose tolerance test to evaluate the interrelationships among obesity, insulin sensitivity, insulin kinetics, and glycemic status in 5 groups of individuals: normoglycemic lean and obese individuals with (a) normal fasting glucose and normal glucose tolerance (Ob-NFG-NGT), (b) NFG and impaired glucose tolerance (Ob-NFG-IGT), (c) impaired fasting glucose and IGT (Ob-IFG-IGT), or (d) type 2 diabetes (Ob-T2D). Results Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), an assessment of β cell function, was greater in the Ob-NFG-NGT and Ob-NFG-IGT groups than in the lean group, even when insulin sensitivity was matched in the obese and lean groups. Insulin sensitivity, not GSIS, was decreased in the Ob-NFG-IGT group compared with the Ob-NFG-NGT group, whereas GSIS, not insulin sensitivity, was decreased in the Ob-IFG-IGT and Ob-T2D groups compared with the Ob-NFG-NGT and Ob-NFG-IGT groups. Insulin clearance was directly related to insulin sensitivity and inversely related to the postprandial increase in insulin secretion and plasma insulin concentration. Conclusion Increased adiposity per se, not insulin resistance, enhanced insulin secretion in people with obesity. The obesity-induced increase in insulin secretion, in conjunction with a decrease in insulin clearance, sufficiently raised the plasma insulin concentrations needed to maintain normoglycemia in individuals with moderate, but not severe, insulin resistance. A deterioration in β cell function, not a decrease in insulin sensitivity, was a determinant of IFG and ultimately leads to T2D. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02706262, NCT04131166, and NCT01977560. FUNDING NIH (P30 DK056341, P30 DK020579, and UL1 TR000448); American Diabetes Association (1-18-ICTS-119); Longer Life Foundation; Pershing Square Foundation; and Washington University-Centene ARCH Personalized Medicine Initiative (P19-00559).
Prevention versus cure: Is BioGlue priming the optimal strategy against E‐Vita NEO graft oozing?

Since the introduction of the E‐Vita Open NEO aortic prosthesis in 2020, several incidences of post‐anastomotic oozing from the polyester portion of the graft have emerged. The use of BioGlue to prime E‐Vita Open NEO to prevent this has been suggested as a way to mitigate this worrying complication. We investigate the extent of graft oozing in E‐Vita Open NEO and evaluate the use of BioGlue in preventing oozing, both experimentally and in terms of potential clinical complications.
Cost‐effectiveness of second‐line empagliflozin versus liraglutide for type 2 diabetes in the United States

To estimate the cost‐effectiveness of sequential use of the sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 inhibitor empagliflozin and glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist liraglutide after metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) from the US payer perspective.
Person-Centered Cultural Assessment Can Improve Child Mental Health Service Engagement and Outcomes

ABSTRACT Objective Disparities in child mental health service engagement suggest traditional evidence-based practices do not properly consider cultural and contextual factors relevant for marginalized families. We propose a person-centered approach to improve the cultural responsiveness of services. Preliminary research supports broadening standard assessments to include a person-centered evaluation of patient cultural factors, however, controlled studies have not been conducted in the context of children’s mental health care. Methods Participants included families (N = 89; 89% racial/ethnic minority) receiving services for child externalizing problems. Prior to intake, caregivers were randomized to receive either Assessment as Usual (AAU) or AAU augmented with the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI+AAU), a brief caregiver assessment of cultural factors affecting their child’s problems and family help-seeking. Results Implementation data showed strong provider fidelity and clinical utility. Following assessments, CFI+AAU caregivers (relative to AAU caregivers) reported feeling better understood by their provider, and providers reported better understanding CFI+AAU families’ values. Caregiver satisfaction was rated highly overall, yet providers reported being more satisfied with the assessment when the CFI was incorporated. Engagement outcomes found CFI+AAU families were significantly more likely than AAU families to subsequently complete the first phase of treatment. Further, among families receiving services in Spanish, CFI+AAU, relative to AAU, was associated with significantly higher treatment attendance, homework completion, and treatment response. Conclusions The results underscore the utility of incorporating a brief cultural assessment in pretreatment assessments. To improve the cultural responsiveness of services, efforts may do well to promote the uptake of person-centered approaches such as cultural assessment into usual care. Registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03499600).
A MADS-box gene with similarity to FLC is induced by cold and correlated with epigenetic changes to control budbreak in kiwifruit.

Temperate perennials require exposure to chilling temperatures to resume growth in the following spring. Growth and dormancy cycles are controlled by complex genetic regulatory networks and are governed by epigenetic mechanisms, but the specific genes and mechanisms remain poorly understood. To understand how seasonal changes and chilling regulate dormancy and growth in the woody perennial vine kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis; Ac), a transcriptome study of kiwifruit buds in the field and controlled conditions was performed. A MADS-box gene with homology to Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) was identified and characterized. Elevated expression of AcFLC-like (AcFLCL) was detected during bud dormancy and chilling. A long non-coding (lnc) antisense transcript with an expression pattern opposite to AcFLCL and shorter sense non-coding RNAs were identified. Chilling induced an increase in trimethylation of lysine-4 of histone H3 (H3K4me3) in the 5' end of the gene, indicating multiple layers of epigenetic regulation in response to cold. Overexpression of AcFLCL in kiwifruit gave rise to plants with earlier budbreak, whilst gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9 resulted in transgenic lines with substantially delayed budbreak, suggesting a role in activation of growth. These results have implications for the future management and breeding of perennials for resilience to changing climate.
Designing the Ideal Patient Navigation Program for Older Adults with Complex Needs: A Qualitative Exploration of the Preferences of Key Informants

Navigating the healthcare system is complex. Many older adults and their family members report sub-optimal outcomes when transitioning from hospital to home. Patient navigation has been introduced as a model of care to help improve hospital to home transitions and to better integrate care across care environments. There are no best-practice guidelines for designing a patient navigation program for older adults with complex needs. This qualitative descriptive study interviewed 38 healthcare professionals to determine key characteristics of the “ideal” patient navigator program. Thematic analysis revealed four themes describing key components of an ideal patient navigator program for older adults with complex needs: (1) Easy accessibility and open communication amongst staff; (2) flexible eligibility requirements; (3) characteristics of the patient navigator; and (4) appropriate program size and duration. We suggest directions for future research, program design, and implementation considers to improve patient navigation for older adults and their family caregivers.
Outpatient Respiratory Management of Infants, Children, and Adolescents with Post-Prematurity Respiratory Disease: An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline

Background Premature birth affects millions of neonates each year, placing them at risk for respiratory disease due to prematurity. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is the most common chronic lung disease of infancy, but recent data suggest that even premature infants who do not meet the strict definition of bronchopulmonary dysplasia can develop adverse pulmonary outcomes later in life. This post-prematurity respiratory disease (PPRD) manifests as chronic respiratory symptoms, including cough, recurrent wheezing, exercise limitation, and reduced pulmonary function. This document provides an evidence-based clinical practice guideline on the outpatient management of infants, children, and adolescents with PPRD. Methods A multidisciplinary panel of experts posed questions regarding the outpatient management of PPRD. We conducted a systematic review of the relevant literature. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to rate the quality of evidence and the strength of the clinical recommendations. Results The panel members considered the strength of each recommendation and evaluated the benefits and risks of applying the intervention. In formulating the recommendations, the panel considered patient and caregiver values, the cost of care, and feasibility. Recommendations were developed for or against three common medical therapies and four diagnostic evaluations in the context of the outpatient management of PPRD. Conclusions The panel developed recommendations for the outpatient management of patients with PPRD on the basis of limited evidence and expert opinion. Important areas for future research were identified.
The content of acoustic signals and biological effects of noise in conditions of high level of work intensity

Summary Background The biological effects of noise depend on its physical parameters, combination with other hazards, the content of acoustic signals. This article aimed to analyze the difference in biological effects caused by the selection of nonverbal and verbal signals in conditions of a high level of work intensity. Methods Work conditions, physical characteristics of noise, levels of work intensity were studied among 75 telephone operators and 96 geophone operators. Levels of permanent hearing thresholds, evaluated by pure-tone audiometry, and results of self-estimation of operators’ health were compared. The contribution of the content of acoustic signals in the shifting of hearing thresholds was evaluated by the one-way analysis of variance. Results Selection of acoustic signals in the noise background (< 65 dB), in conditions of high work intensity, causes a significant increase of permanent hearing thresholds in both studied groups comparing to the non-noise exposed population. A combination of the high level of work intensity and distinguishing of nonverbal acoustic messages leads to significant deterioration of health resulting in decreasing of hearing sensitivity and a number of complaints on the state of health (p < 0.05). The content of acoustic signals significantly contributes to the biological effects of the nose. Conclusion Obtained results testify necessity to revise safe criteria of noise levels for workers, engaged in selection, recognition and distinguishing of acoustic messages in the noise background combined with a high level of work intensity. In case when the energy of the acoustic field cannot be reduced, occupational safety measures should focus on decreasing of work intensity.
The effect of women’s sexual functioning on quality of their sexual life

Summary Introduction Considering the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women and the role of quality of sexual life in women’s life and health, in addition to the important role of sexual function evaluation in measuring quality of life, this study aimed to determine the effect of female sexual function on the quality of sexual life. Material and methods This research was a descriptive and cross-sectional. The population of this study was 420 women from Qazvin in 2020, who were selected by multi-stage sampling. The data collection tool was a demographic questionnaire and Persian version of the Female Sexual Function Assessment questionnaire (FSFI) and Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire (SQOL-F). Data were analyzed using SPSS 23, and descriptive statistics and logistic regression were applied. Results The mean (SD) of sexual function score was 21.56 (4.83) out of 36, therefore, it was at an unfavorable level. Also, the mean (SD) score of sexual quality of life 59.71 (19.21) was out of 108 (moderate). The results of logistic regression test showed that the variables of sexual function, age and level of education of women were the factors affecting the quality of women’s sexual life (P < 0.05). Conclusions Young women with lower sexual function, and lower level of education had lower quality of sexual life. Hence, it is necessary to pay more attention to these women in designing educational programs for improving the quality of their sexual life.
In Vitro Modeling of Skin Barrier Disruption and its Recovery by Ceramide-Based Formulations

Disrupted skin barrier, one of the severe attributes of inflammatory skin diseases, is caused by lower content and pathological changes of lipids in the uppermost skin layer—stratum corneum (SC). Restoring skin barrier with native skin lipids, especially ceramides (Cers), appears to be a promising therapy with minimum side effects. For testing the efficiency of these formulations, suitable in vitro models of the skin with disrupted barriers are needed. For the similarity with the human tissue, our models were based on the pig ear skin. Three different ways of skin barrier disruption were tested and compared: tape stripping, lipid extraction with organic solvents, and barrier disruption by sodium lauryl sulfate. The level of barrier disruption was investigated by permeation studies, and parameters of each method were modified to reach significant changes between the non-disrupted skin and our model. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to elucidate the changes of the skin permeability on the molecular scale. Further, the potential of the developed models to be restored by skin barrier repairing agents was evaluated by the same techniques. We observed a significant decrease in permeation characteristics through our in vitro models treated with the lipid mixtures compared to the untreated damaged skin, which implied that the skin barrier was substantially restored. Taken together, the results suggest that our in vitro models are suitable for the screening of potential barrier repairing agents.