Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Worldwide Patterns of Bronchodilator Responsiveness : Results from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease ( BOLD )

RATIONALE: Criteria for a clinically significant bronchodilator response (BDR) are mainly based on studies in patients with obstructive lung diseases. Little is known about the BDR in healthy general populations, and even less about the worldwide patterns. METHODS: We evaluated 10,360 adults aged 40 years and older from 14 countries in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia who participated in the BOLD study using spirometry before and after an inhaled bronchodilator in order to determine the distribution of the BDR in population-based samples of healthy nonsmokers and individuals with airflow obstruction. RESULTS: In 3922 healthy never smokers, the weighted pooled estimate of the 95 th percentiles (95% confidence interval, CI) for bronchodilator response were 284 mL (263, 305) absolute increase in FEV1 (∆FEV1); 12.0% (11.2, 12.8) change in FEV1 from baseline (%∆FEV1i) and 10.0% (9.5, 10.5) change in FEV1 of predicted (%∆FEV1p). The corresponding mean changes in FVC were 322mls (271, 373) absolute change (∆FVC); 10.5% (8.9, 12.0) for %∆FVCi and 9.2% (7.9, 10.5) for %∆FVCp. The proportion of people who exceeded the above threshold values in the subgroup of people with spirometrically-defined GOLD stage 2 and higher (FEV1/FVC<0.7 and FEV1%predicted <80%), were 11.1%, 30.8%, 12.9% respectively for the FEV1-based thresholds and 22.6%, 28.6% and 22.1% respectively for the FVC-based thresholds. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide reference values for bronchodilator responses worldwide that confirm guideline estimates for a clinically significant level of BDR in bronchodilator testing. 1) What is the key question? Answer: What is the distribution of bronchodilator response in healthy populations
Prevalence of Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) and its Associated Factors among Diabetics at Primary Care Setting in East Cost Malaysia

Objectives: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is recognised as an established risk factor for active tuberculosis (TB), and both cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Diabetics are considered to be a high-risk population for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), as they have a triple risk for TB compared to non-diabetics. One of the strategies to control TB cases is by accurately elucidating the LTBI status among diabetics. However, there is a scarcity of information on the risk factors of LTBI among diabetics. Therefore, to better define the LTBI disease burden facing diabetic patients, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of LTBI and its associated factors among diabetic patients in the primary care setting in East Cost Malaysia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among diabetic patients at 11 health clinics in East Cost Malaysia from June 2017 to November 2018. Participants (n=703) were administered with 0.1 ml of tuberculin purified protein derivative and interviewed to obtain the sociodemographic and clinical data. Simple and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to test for the significant associated factors of LTBI. The prevalence of LTBI among diabetic patients was 4.8%. Results: The study revealed that the associated factors for LTBI were poor diabetic control status (p=0.008, OR=8.53), healthcare workers (p=0.001, OR=7.91), history of TB contact (p<0.001, OR=5.69), bronchial asthma (p=0.019, OR=5.28), coronary heart disease (p=0.026, OR=3.45), and nephropathy (p=0.040, OR= 0.34). This finding indicated the prevalence of LTBI among diabetics in intermediate low TB country was relatively low. Conclusions: Diabetics with uncontrolled blood glucose level, nephropathy, bronchial asthma
Response of Guar ( Cyamopsis teteragonolopa L.) to Bradyrhizobium Inoculations in Semi-arid Environment

Bio-fertilizers are environment friendly and protect the environment against the pollutant. Afield experiment was conducted in semi-arid environment ”North Kordofan of Sudan” in rainy seasons (2008/09) to investigate the effect of inoculation of Bradyrhizobium on growth and yield of guar (Cyamopsis teteragonolopa L.) in gardoud soil. The treatments used were: un-inoculated control, inoculated with TAL169 and Hi12 (introduced), and other12 strains (Local Isolated Strains). The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Estimated Parameters were: fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, plant height, number of fruiting branches, number of nodules, number of pods per plant, 100-seed (g) and total seed yield (ton/ha). The results showed that, the Bradyrhizobium significant increased growth and yield attributes of guar.
Autophagy and Apoptosis in Rabies Virus Replication

Rabies virus (RABV) is a single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus belonging to the Rhabdoviridae family and Lyssavirus genus, which is highly neurotropic and can infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Autophagy and apoptosis are two evolutionarily conserved and genetically regulated processes that maintain cellular and organismal homeostasis, respectively. Autophagy recycles unnecessary or dysfunctional intracellular organelles and molecules in a cell, whereas apoptosis eliminates damaged or unwanted cells in an organism. Studies have shown that RABV can induce both autophagy and apoptosis in target cells. To advance our understanding of pathogenesis of rabies, this paper reviews the molecular mechanisms of autophagy and apoptosis induced by RABV and the effects of the two cellular events on RABV replication.
Vancomycin AUC-Based Dosing Practices in a Non-Teaching Community Hospital and Associated Outcomes: A One-Year Survey of Uniform Targets for Infections with or without MRSA

Background: Intravenous (IV) vancomycin area under the curve (AUC)-based dosing is used uniformly for Gram-positive organisms in non-teaching community hospitals. However, evidence for using vancomycin AUC-based dosing for non-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (non-MRSA) and less serious infections is limited in the literature. A gap in the literature also exists with respect to comparisons between the outcomes that can be derived using the regimens suggested by Bayesian programs and target doses of the AUC of 400–499 and 500–600. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients hospitalized in a non-teaching community hospital who used AUC-based vancomycin was performed over a 1-year period. Results: Only 17.6% of the included patients had confirmed MRSA. The values for the overall early response rate, 30-day all-cause mortality, and rate of acute kidney injury (AKI) were 50.3%, 11.3%, and 3.8%, respectively, in this population. In regression analysis, compared to non-MRSA infections, a significantly higher rate of early response was seen in patients with MRSA (unadjusted OR = 2.68, 95% CI [1.06–6.76] p = 0.04). Patients in the AUC 400–499 group had a non-significant higher incidence of 30 d mortality and new AKI compared to patients in the AUC 500–600 group. In our Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, there was no statistically significant difference between the comparison groups. Conclusions: Early response was lower in patients with non-MRSA compared to patients with MRSA despite achieving the AUC target. There was no apparent difference in clinical outcomes between the higher and lower AUC groups. Further large-scale research is needed to confirm these findings.
From Stress Tolerance to Virulence: Recognizing the Roles of Csps in Pathogenicity and Food Contamination

Be it for lab studies or real-life situations, bacteria are constantly exposed to a myriad of physical or chemical stresses that selectively allow the tolerant to survive and thrive. In response to environmental fluctuations, the expression of cold shock domain family proteins (Csps) significantly increases to counteract and help cells deal with the harmful effects of stresses. Csps are, therefore, considered stress adaptation proteins. The primary functions of Csps include chaperoning nucleic acids and regulating global gene expression. In this review, we focus on the phenotypic effects of Csps in pathogenic bacteria and explore their involvement in bacterial pathogenesis. Current studies of csp deletions among pathogenic strains indicate their involvement in motility, host invasion and stress tolerance, proliferation, cell adhesion, and biofilm formation. Through their RNA chaperone activity, Csps regulate virulence-associated genes and thereby contribute to bacterial pathogenicity. Additionally, we outline their involvement in food contamination and discuss how foodborne pathogens utilize the stress tolerance roles of Csps against preservation and sanitation strategies. Furthermore, we highlight how Csps positively and negatively impact pathogens and the host. Overall, Csps are involved in regulatory networks that influence the expression of genes central to stress tolerance and virulence.
TRANSPORTATION SPENDING BY LOW-INCOME CALIFORNIA HOUSEHOLDS : LESSONS FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

Research publications reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, officers, or Board of Directors of the Public Policy Institute of California. Short sections of text, not to exceed three paragraphs, may be quoted without written permission provided that full attribution is given to the source and the above copyright notice is included. PPIC does not take or support positions on any ballot measure or on any local, state, or federal legislation, nor does it endorse, support, or oppose any political parties or candidates for public office. iii Foreword Mismatches between jobs and housing—a long-standing concern of urban economists and transportation planners—can create situations in which transportation costs make excessive demands on workers' time and earnings. Planners often describe these mismatches in terms of affordability, especially when workers conclude that they cannot afford to accept (or even seek) jobs that involve burdensome commutes. To help the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) understand the issue of transportation affordability in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lorien Rice analyzed transportation expenditures and costs for a sample of households in metropolitan California. Her main finding is surprising: Low-income households spend about the same percentage of their budgets on transportation as do more affluent households. Low-income workers walk, carpool, and use public transit at higher rates than their more affluent counterparts; yet low-income households that own vehicles spend a larger portion of their smaller budgets on them. Taken together, these two facts help explain why households with different incomes devote the same proportion of their budgets to transportation. Rice is careful to note that her analysis examines only one aspect of the affordability question. Low-income households may spend less on transportation precisely because they cannot afford to purchase a car; if so, we should not equate low expenditures on private vehicles with affordable transportation. At the same time, she notes that more than half of the Bay Area's low-income workers regularly drive alone to work. Although expenditure data alone cannot settle the debate over affordability, Rice's work greatly improves our understanding of what low-income households spend on different types of transportation. Responding to MTC requests, Rice also reviews over 20 strategies that have been or could be adopted to lower transportation costs for low-income families and offers suggestions for further research on affordability. iv Rice's conclusions are based on the best data available, and she is cautious about …
Clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with the quality of life of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with the health-related quality of life of children and adolescents with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Method: A quantitative, cross-sectional and analytical study, developed in a municipality in northeastern Brazil, between March and September 2021, with 81 children/adolescents with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and their guardians/caregivers. A questionnaire containing sociodemographic and clinical variables and two quality of life instruments were used. Descriptive and inferential analysis was carried out. Results: Adolescents whose parents had a family income greater than a minimum wage had a lower prevalence of impaired quality of life when compared to those with a lower income. Adolescents with time since diagnosis of less than four years had a satisfactory quality of life, and children aged 8 to 12 years who self-administered insulin had a lower prevalence of high quality of life compared to those who did not. Conclusion: Adolescents with a family income of less than a minimum wage, diagnosis time of more than four years and children aged 8–12 who self-administer insulin need greater professional support to have a better quality of life.
Pull-Up Performance Is Affected Differently by the Muscle Contraction Regimens Practiced during Training among Climbers

Sport climbing performance is highly related to upper limb strength and endurance. Although finger-specific methods are widely analyzed in the literature, no study has yet quantified the effects of arm-specific training. This study aims to compare the effects of three types of training involving different muscle contraction regimens on climbers’ pull-up capabilities. Thirty advanced to high-elite climbers were randomly divided into four groups: eccentric (ECC; n = 8), isometric (ISO; n = 7), plyometric (PLYO; n = 6), and no specific training (CTRL; n = 9), and they participated in a 5-week training, twice a week, focusing on pull-ups on hangboard. Pre- and post-training assessments were conducted using a force-sensing hangboard, analyzing force, velocity, power, and muscle work during three pull-up exercises: pull-ups at body weight under different conditions, incremental weighted pull-ups, and an exhaustion test. The CTRL group showed no change. Maximum strength improved in all three training groups (from +2.2 ± 3.6% to +5.0 ± 2.4%; p < 0.001); velocity variables enhanced in the ECC and PLYO groups (from +5.7 ± 7.4 to +28.7 ± 42%; p < 0.05), resulting in greater power; amplitude increased in the ECC group; and muscle work increased in the PLYO group (+21.9 ± 16.6%; p = 0.015). A 5-week training period effectively enhanced arm performance, but outcomes were influenced by the chosen muscle contraction regimens and initial individual characteristics.
Unpacking the Public Health Triad of Social Inequality in Health, Health Literacy, and Quality of Life—A Scoping Review of Research Characteristics

Social inequalities in health, health literacy, and quality of life serve as distinct public health indicators, but it remains unclear how and to what extent they are applied and combined in the literature. Thus, the characteristics of the research have yet to be established, and we aim to identify and describe the characteristics of research that intersects social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life. We conducted a scoping review with systematic searches in ten databases. Studies applying any design in any population were eligible if social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life were combined. Citations were independently screened using Covidence. The search yielded 4111 citations, with 73 eligible reports. The reviewed research was mostly quantitative and aimed at patient populations in a community setting, with a scarcity of reports specifically defining and assessing social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life, and with only 2/73 citations providing a definition for all three. The published research combining social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life is heterogeneous regarding research designs, populations, contexts, and geography, where social inequality appears as a contextualizing variable.
Desmin and Plectin Recruitment to the Nucleus and Nuclei Orientation Are Lost in Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy Myoblasts Subjected to Mechanical Stimulation

In muscle cells subjected to mechanical stimulation, LINC complex and cytoskeletal proteins are basic to preserve cellular architecture and maintain nuclei orientation and positioning. In this context, the role of lamin A/C remains mostly elusive. This study demonstrates that in human myoblasts subjected to mechanical stretching, lamin A/C recruits desmin and plectin to the nuclear periphery, allowing a proper spatial orientation of the nuclei. Interestingly, in Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy (EDMD2) myoblasts exposed to mechanical stretching, the recruitment of desmin and plectin to the nucleus and nuclear orientation were impaired, suggesting that a functional lamin A/C is crucial for the response to mechanical strain. While describing a new mechanism of action headed by lamin A/C, these findings show a structural alteration that could be involved in the onset of the muscle defects observed in muscular laminopathies.
Biomonitoring of Dietary Mycotoxin Exposure and Associated Impact on the Gut Microbiome in Nigerian Infants

Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals that adversely affect human health. Here, we assessed the influence of mycotoxin exposure on the longitudinal development of early life intestinal microbiota of Nigerian neonates and infants (NIs). Human biomonitoring assays based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry were applied to quantify mycotoxins in breast milk (n = 68) consumed by the NIs, their stool (n = 82), and urine samples (n = 15), which were collected longitudinally from month 1–18 postdelivery. Microbial community composition was characterized by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of stool samples and was correlated to mycotoxin exposure patterns. Fumonisin B1 (FB1), FB2, and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) were frequently quantified in stool samples between months 6 and 18. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), AME, and citrinin were quantified in breast milk samples at low concentrations. AFM1, FB1, and ochratoxin A were quantified in urine samples at relatively high concentrations. Klebsiella and Escherichia/Shigella were dominant in very early life stool samples (month 1), whereas Bifidobacterium was dominant between months 3 and 6. The total mycotoxin levels in stool were significantly associated with NIs’ gut microbiome composition (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05). However, no significant correlation was observed between specific microbiota and the detection of certain mycotoxins. Albeit a small cohort, this study demonstrates that mycotoxins may influence early life gut microbiome composition.
Hemostatic Profile of Intrauterine Growth-Restricted Neonates: Assessment with the Use of NATEM Assay in Cord Blood Samples

Background: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications during the perinatal period. Thrombocytopenia, platelet dysfunction, and prolonged standard coagulation tests are observed in this population. The aim of this study is to examine the hemostatic profile of IUGR neonates with the use of a non-activated assay (NATEM) in cord blood samples. Methods: During an 18 month period, a NATEM ROTEM assay was performed on cord blood samples of 101 IUGR neonates. A total of 189 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) neonates were used as a control group. The NATEM variables recorded include the following: clotting time (CT); clot formation time (CFT); clot amplitude at 5, 10, and 20 min (A5, A10, A20); α-angle (a°); maximum clot firmness (MCF); lysis index at 30 and 60 min (LI30, LI60); and maximum clot elasticity (MCE). Results: IUGR neonates demonstrate a hypocoagulable state, with lower A5, A10, A2, MCF, and MCE values when compared to AGA. Using multiple linear regression, we determined IUGR as an independent factor influencing all NATEM parameters (except CT and LI30) exhibiting a hypocoagulable and hypofibrinolytic profile. Platelet count was positively correlated with A5, A10, A20, MCF, alpha angle, and MCE, and negatively correlated with CFT. Conclusion: IUGR neonates appear with lower clot strength and elasticity and prolonged clot kinetics, as illustrated by ROTEM variables.
Interleukin-11/IL-11 Receptor Promotes Glioblastoma Cell Proliferation, Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition, and Invasion

Glioblastoma is highly proliferative and invasive. However, the regulatory cytokine networks that promote glioblastoma cell proliferation and invasion into other areas of the brain are not fully defined. In the present study, we define a critical role for the IL-11/IL-11Rα signalling axis in glioblastoma proliferation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and invasion. We identified enhanced IL-11/IL-11Rα expression correlated with reduced overall survival in glioblastoma patients using TCGA datasets. Proteomic analysis of glioblastoma cell lines overexpressing IL-11Rα displayed a proteome that favoured enhanced proliferation and invasion. These cells also displayed greater proliferation and migration, while the knockdown of IL-11Rα reversed these tumourigenic characteristics. In addition, these IL-11Rα overexpressing cells displayed enhanced invasion in transwell invasion assays and in 3D spheroid invasion assays, while knockdown of IL-11Rα resulted in reduced invasion. Furthermore, IL-11Rα-overexpressing cells displayed a more mesenchymal-like phenotype compared to parental cells and expressed greater levels of the mesenchymal marker Vimentin. Overall, our study identified that the IL-11/IL-11Rα pathway promotes glioblastoma cell proliferation, EMT, and invasion.
Gram-Positive Bacterial Membrane-Based Biosensor for Multimodal Investigation of Membrane–Antibiotic Interactions

As membrane-mediated antibiotic resistance continues to evolve in Gram-positive bacteria, the development of new approaches to elucidate the membrane properties involved in antibiotic resistance has become critical. Membrane vesicles (MVs) secreted by the cytoplasmic membrane of Gram-positive bacteria contain native components, preserving lipid and protein diversity, nucleic acids, and sometimes virulence factors. Thus, MV-derived membrane platforms present a great model for Gram-positive bacterial membranes. In this work, we report the development of a planar bacterial cytoplasmic membrane-based biosensor using MVs isolated from the Bacillus subtilis WT strain that can be coated on multiple surface types such as glass, quartz crystals, and polymeric electrodes, fostering the multimodal assessment of drug–membrane interactions. Retention of native membrane components such as lipoteichoic acids, lipids, and proteins is verified. This biosensor replicates known interaction patterns of the antimicrobial compound, daptomycin, with the Gram-positive bacterial membrane, establishing the applicability of this platform for carrying out biophysical characterization of the interactions of membrane-acting antibiotic compounds with the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. We report changes in membrane viscoelasticity and permeability that correspond to partial membrane disruption when calcium ions are present with daptomycin but not when these ions are absent. This biomembrane-based biosensing platform enables an assessment of membrane biophysical characteristics during exposure to antibiotic drug candidates to aid in identifying compounds that target membrane disruption as a mechanism of action.