Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of prenatal maternal physical activity and lifestyle in perinatal outcome: results from a Greek study.

BACKGROUND Several maternal characteristics, including lifestyle, have been associated with perinatal outcomes and birth anthropometric characteristics of the offspring. This study aimed to identify whether physical activity (PA) and other lifestyle parameters of the mother are associated with the pregnancy outcomes or with the infant's birth anthropometric characteristics. METHODS Participants were recruited in Mitera Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece. Socio-demographic, medical history and anthropometric assessment took place. PA during pregnancy was assessed with the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. Dietary assessment was conducted with the Food Frequency Questionnaire and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated with the MedDiet score. Birth weight and gestational age data were also collected. RESULTS Sedentary-intensity activity scores increased with increased educational level, while moderate-intensity activity scores decreased with increased educational level. Pregnant women who delivered large for gestational age infants had lower sports activity score. Higher vigorous and sports activity score was demonstrated in cases with a vaginal delivery compared with caesarean section. PA score was significantly and positively correlated with several nutrient intakes and PA was higher in women with a healthier nutritional pattern. Increased MedDiet scores were found in mothers with increased educational level. CONCLUSIONS Overall, PA was higher in women with a healthier nutritional pattern. An increased vs. a low activity level during pregnancy is positively associated with vaginal delivery and with the size of the offspring.
Commensal-bacteria-derived butyrate promotes the T cell-independent IgA response in the colon.

Secretory immunoglobulin A, the most abundant antibody isotype in the body, maintains a mutual relationship with commensal bacteria and acts as a primary barrier at the mucosal surface. Colonization by commensal bacteria induces an IgA response, at least partly through a T-cell-independent process. However, the mechanism underlying the commensal-bacteria-induced T-cell-independent IgA response has yet to be fully clarified. Here, we show that commensal-bacteria-derived butyrate promotes T-cell-independent IgA class switching recombination (CSR) in the mouse colon. Notably, the butyrate concentration in human stools correlated positively with the amount of IgA. Butyrate upregulated the production of transforming growth factor β1 and all-trans retinoic acid by CD103+CD11b+ dendritic cells, both of which are critical for T-cell-independent IgA CSR. This effect was mediated by G-protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41/FFA3) and GPR109a/HCA2, and the inhibition of histone deacetylase. The butyrate-induced IgA response reinforced the colonic barrier function, preventing systemic bacterial dissemination under inflammatory conditions. These observations demonstrate that commensal-bacteria-derived butyrate contributes to the maintenance of the gut immune homeostasis by facilitating the T-cell-independent IgA response in the colon.
Treatment of patients with MYC rearrangement positive large B-cell lymphoma with R-CHOP plus lenalidomide: results of a multicenter HOVON phase II trial.

Patients with MYC-rearrangement positive large B-cell lymphoma (MYC+ LBCL) have an inferior prognosis following standard first-line therapy with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP) as compared to patients without MYC rearrangement. Although intensive chemotherapy regimens yield higher remission rates, toxicity remains a concern. Lenalidomide is an oral immunomodulatory drug which downregulates MYC and its target genes thereby providing support using lenalidomide as additional therapeutic option for MYC+ LBCL. A phase II trial was conducted evaluating the efficacy of lenalidomide (15 mg day 1-14) in combination with R-CHOP (R2CHOP) in newly diagnosed MYC+ LBCL patients identified through a nationwide MYC-FISH screening program. The primary endpoint was complete metabolic response (CMR) on centrally reviewed 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-computer tomography (CT)-scan at end-of-treatment. Secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and event-free survival (EFS). Eighty-two patients with stage II-IV MYC+ LBCL were treated with 6 cycles of R2CHOP. At EOT, 67% (confidence interval (CI) 58-75%) of the patients reached CMR. With a median follow-up of 25.4 months, 2-year estimates (95% CI) for OS, DFS, EFS were 73% (62-82%), 75% (63-84%) and 63% (52-73%) respectively. In this prospective trial for newly diagnosed MYC+ LBCL patients, we found that administering R2CHOP was safe, and yields comparable CMR and survival rates as in studies applying more intensive chemotherapy regimens. Hence, these findings offer new prospects for MYC+ LBCL patients and warrant comparison in prospective randomized clinical trials. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrialsregister. eu (#2014-002654-39).
Auxin‐induced actin cytoskeleton rearrangements require AUX1

The actin cytoskeleton is required for cell expansion and is implicated in cellular responses to the plant growth hormone auxin. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that coordinate auxin signaling, cytoskeletal remodeling, and cell expansion are poorly understood. Previous studies have examined actin cytoskeleton responses to long-term auxin treatment, but plants respond to auxin over short timeframes, and growth changes within minutes of exposure to the hormone. To correlate actin arrays with degree of cell expansion, we used quantitative imaging tools to establish a baseline of actin organization, as well as of individual filament behaviors in root epidermal cells under control conditions and after treatment with a known inhibitor of root growth, the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). We found that cell length was highly predictive of actin array in control roots, and that short-term IAA treatment stimulated denser, more longitudinal, and more parallel arrays by inducing filament unbundling within minutes. By demonstrating that actin filaments were more “organized” after a treatment that stopped elongation, we show there is no direct relationship between actin organization and cell expansion and refute the hypothesis that “more organized” actin universally correlates with more rapidly growing root cells. The plasma membrane-bound auxin transporter AUXIN RESISTANT 1 (AUX1) has previously been shown necessary for archetypal short-term root growth inhibition in the presence of IAA. Although AUX1 was not previously suspected of being upstream of cytoskeletal responses to IAA, we used aux1 mutants to demonstrate that AUX1 is necessary for the full complement of actin rearrangements in response to auxin, and that cytoplasmic auxin in the form of NAA is sufficient to stimulate a partial actin response. Together, these results are the first to quantitate actin cytoskeleton response to short-term auxin treatments and demonstrate that AUX1 is necessary for short-term actin remodeling. One sentence summary The Arabidopsis AUX1 auxin transport protein is necessary for actin cytoskeleton reorganization in response to phytohormone treatment.
Why Higher Working Memory Capacity May Help You Learn: Sampling, Search, and Degrees of Approximation

Algorithms for approximate Bayesian inference, such as those based on sampling (i.e., Monte Carlo methods), provide a natural source of models of how people may deal with uncertainty with limited cognitive resources. Here, we consider the idea that individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) may be usefully modeled in terms of the number of samples, or "particles," available to perform inference. To test this idea, we focus on two recent experiments that report positive associations between WMC and two distinct aspects of categorization performance: the ability to learn novel categories, and the ability to switch between different categorization strategies ("knowledge restructuring"). In favor of the idea of modeling WMC as a number of particles, we show that a single model can reproduce both experimental results by varying the number of particles-increasing the number of particles leads to both faster category learning and improved strategy-switching. Furthermore, when we fit the model to individual participants, we found a positive association between WMC and best-fit number of particles for strategy switching. However, no association between WMC and best-fit number of particles was found for category learning. These results are discussed in the context of the general challenge of disentangling the contributions of different potential sources of behavioral variability.
2019 Update to: Management of Hyperglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes, 2018. A Consensus Report by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)

The American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes have briefly updated their 2018 recommendations on management of hyperglycemia, based on important research findings from large cardiovascular outcomes trials published in 2019. Important changes include: 1) the decision to treat high-risk individuals with a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist or sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), hospitalization for heart failure (hHF), cardiovascular death, or chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression should be considered independently of baseline HbA1c or individualized HbA1c target; 2) GLP-1 receptor agonists can also be considered in patients with type 2 diabetes without established cardiovascular disease (CVD) but with the presence of specific indicators of high risk; and 3) SGLT2 inhibitors are recommended in patients with type 2 diabetes and heart failure, particularly those with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, to reduce hHF, MACE, and CVD death, as well as in patients with type 2 diabetes with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate 30 to ≤60 mL min–1 [1.73 m]–2 or urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >30 mg/g, particularly >300 mg/g) to prevent the progression of CKD, hHF, MACE, and cardiovascular death.
Chronic unexplained nausea in adults: Prevalence, impact on quality of life, and underlying organic diseases in a cohort of 5096 subjects comprehensively investigated

We evaluated to define the clinically significant chronic nausea in general population and to assess the prevalence of chronic unexplained nausea after exclusion of organic causes through the meticulous medical examination. Two phase studies were conducted. In phase 1, telephone survey was conducted to define the clinically significant nausea in 5000 representative subjects for a general population. Clinically significant nausea was identified by lowered quality of life if the frequency was ‘more than one day per week’. Its prevalence was 1.6% (1.4–1.8%) and about 90% of nausea was not accompanied with vomiting. In phase 2, 5096 participants in a comprehensive health-screening cohort were enrolled. We investigated demographics, gastrointestinal symptoms, somatization symptoms and health related quality of life using validated questionnaire. All participants underwent meticulous medical examinations including endoscopy, abdominal ultrasound, thyroid function test, and blood testing. Among a total of 5096 subjects (men 51.8%, mean age 47.5 ± 10.0 years), organic diseases associated with chronic nausea were reflux esophagitis, duodenal ulcer and hyperthyroidism. The prevalence of chronic unexplained nausea was 0.6% (95% CI 0.4–0.8%) and there were significant overlap with functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. HRQoL is significantly lower in people with nausea occurring ‘more than one day per week’ in a general population. Most chronic nausea was not accompanied with vomiting. Chronic unexplained nausea is uncommon affecting only 0.6% of the population but are more likely to report functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome.
Association between eating disorders, suicide and depressive symptoms in undergraduate students of health-related courses

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify symptoms of eating disorders and potential associations with risk of suicide and depressive symptoms in undergraduate students of health-related courses. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 271 students. The following instruments were used to identify symptoms of eating disorders: Eating Attitudes Test-26 and Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview were used to screen for depressive symptoms and risk of suicide, respectively. Participants answered a questionnaire aimed to collect biodemographic data for economic classification of the sample. Results: Symptoms of eating disorders and bulimia nervosa were detected in 7.4% and 29.1% of students, respectively. Approximately 17.3% of students had symptoms of major depression, and 13.6% were at risk of suicide to some extent; risk of suicide was thought to be low in 7.4%, moderate in 0.7% and high in 5.5% of students in this subset. The risk of eating disorder development was correlated with the risk of suicide (p<0.001). Conclusion: Undergraduate students at risk of developing eating disorders, or with symptoms suggestive of depression, are more prone to commit suicide.
Prolargin and matrix metalloproteinase‐2 in heart failure after heart transplantation and their association with haemodynamics

Remodelling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key mechanism involved in the development and progression of heart failure (HF) but also functional in associated pulmonary hypertension (PH). Our aim was to identify plasma ECM proteins associated to end‐stage HF and secondary PH in relation to haemodynamics, before and after heart transplantation (HT).
4D perfusion CT of prostate cancer for image-guided radiotherapy planning: A proof of concept study

Purpose Advanced forms of prostate cancer (PCa) radiotherapy with either external beam therapy or brachytherapy delivery techniques aim for a focal boost and thus require accurate lesion localization and lesion segmentation for subsequent treatment planning. This study prospectively evaluated dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) for the detection of prostate cancer lesions in the peripheral zone (PZ) using qualitative and quantitative image analysis compared to multiparametric magnet resonance imaging (mpMRI) of the prostate. Methods With local ethics committee approval, 14 patients (mean age, 67 years; range, 57–78 years; PSA, mean 8.1 ng/ml; range, 3.5–26.0) underwent DCE-CT, as well as mpMRI of the prostate, including standard T2, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and DCE-MRI sequences followed by transrectal in-bore MRI-guided prostate biopsy. Maximum intensity projections (MIP) and DCE-CT perfusion parameters (CTP) were compared between healthy and malignant tissue. Two radiologists independently rated image quality and the tumor lesion delineation quality of PCa using a five-point ordinal scale. MIP and CTP were compared using visual grading characteristics (VGC) and receiver operating characteristics (ROC)/area under the curve (AUC) analysis. Results The PCa detection rate ranged between 57 to 79% for the two readers for DCE-CT and was 92% for DCE-MRI. DCE-CT perfusion parameters in PCa tissue in the PZ were significantly different compared to regular prostate tissue and benign lesions. Image quality and lesion visibility were comparable between DCE-CT and DCE-MRI (VGC: AUC 0.612 and 0.651, p>0.05). Conclusion Our preliminary results suggest that it is feasible to use DCE-CT for identification and visualization, and subsequent segmentation for focal radiotherapy approaches to PCa.
“Slow and Steady” Infiltrates the Brain: An Autopsy Report of Lymphomatosis Cerebri

Primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL) usually present as single or multiple lesions with mass effect involving the cerebral hemispheres or basal ganglia. An extremely rare pattern of involvement termed “Lymphomatosis cerebri” (LC) presents as diffuse, non-enhancing infiltrative lesions without mass effect. We describe the clinical, radiological, and autopsy findings of one such rare example with a patient presenting with a short history of fever, memory loss, and progressive cognitive decline. Because of subtle yet rapidly progressive clinical symptoms and overlapping neuroimaging features, the diagnosis of LC is challenging with wide ranging differential diagnoses. The dilemma in diagnosing such lesions can lead to delay in diagnosis and institution of appropriate management. Thus, knowledge about its imaging and morphological features is very critical for correct categorization and to avoid potential misdiagnosis of this often-missed disease.
Exploring Positive Classical Conditioning Procedure Effects on Evaluations of Children, Thoughts About Children, and Behaviors Toward Children: Two Experiments

Exposing parents to a positive classical conditioning (+CC) procedure can (a) prompt positive evaluations of children, (b) alter judgments made about children from their behavior, and (c) reduce harsh behaviors enacted toward children. Two studies explored possible limits of these effects. Results from Study 1 showed that only some +CC effects evinced in prior research emerged when the positive trait words used as the unconditioned stimuli in prior research were replaced with positive emojis. Results from Study 2 showed with positive trait word stimuli that a backward +CC procedure produced many of the same effects produced by the forward +CC procedure. These results collectively support the idea that +CC procedures may simultaneously prompt several different kinds of learning. From a practical perspective, consideration of these various kinds of learning is important to an understanding of when the use of the +CC procedure might reduce child abuse risk.
Use of flash glucose-sensing technology in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with liraglutide combined with CSII: a pilot study

Glycemic variability (GV) may be linked to the development of diabetic complications by inducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction. Flash glucose monitoring (FGM) provides a novel method of continuously monitoring interstitial glucose levels for up to 14 days. This study randomly assigned poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus patients treated with metformin and multiple daily injections of insulin (n=60) to either continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) treatment or CSII in combination with liraglutide (CSII+Lira) treatment for 14 days during hospitalization. GV was assessed using a FGM system; weight and cardiometabolic biomarkers were also evaluated. The coefficient of variation was significantly reduced in the CSII+Lira group (P<0.001), while no significant change was observed in the CSII group. The changes differed significantly between the two groups in mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (P=0.004), standard deviation (P=0.006), and the percentage of time in the target range (4–10 mmol/L, P=0.005 and >10 mmol/L, P=0.028). The changes in mean of daily differences, interquartile range, and percentage of time in hypoglycemia (<3.3 mmol/L) and hyperglycemia (>13.9 mmol/L) identified by FGM showed no difference. Treatment with liraglutide increased serum adiponectin [33.5 (3.5, 47.7) pg/mL, P=0.003] and heme oxygenase-1 levels [0.4 (–0.0, 1.8) ng/mL, P=0.001] and reduced serum leptin levels [–2.8 (3.9) pg/mL, P<0.001]. Adding the glucagon-like peptide-1 analog liraglutide improved GV, weight, and some cardiometabolic risk markers. The FGM system is, therefore, shown to be a novel and useful method for glucose monitoring.
Changing the Physical Activity Behavior of Adults With Fitness Trackers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: To examine whether a fitness tracker (FT) intervention changes physical activity (PA) behavior compared to a control condition or compared to an alternative intervention. Data Source: Searches between January 01, 2010, and January 01, 2019, were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria: Randomized clinical trials of adults using an FT to change PA behavior were included. Nonclinical trials, studies that included the delivery of structured exercise, and/or studies that only used the FT to assess PA were excluded. Data Extraction: Extracted features included characteristics of the study population, intervention components, PA outcomes, and results. Data Synthesis: Papers were pooled in a statistical meta-analysis using a fixed effects model. Where statistical pooling was not possible, standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Findings were presented in a narrative form and tables. Results: Of 2076 articles found, 21 were included in the review. A small yet significant positive effect (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.17-0.32; P < .01; I2 = 56.9%; P = .03) was found in step count for interventions compared to control. A small yet significant negative effect (SMD = −0.11, 95% CI = −0.20 to −0.02; P = .02; I2 = 58.2%; P = 0.03) was found in moderate-to-vigorous PA for interventions compared to an alternative intervention. Conclusion: Trackers may enhance PA interventions, as a general positive effect is found in step count compared to a control. However, there is no evidence of a positive effect when interventions are compared to an alternative intervention. It is unknown whether results are due to other intervention components and/or clinical heterogeneity.
Ventilatory response to hypoxia and tolerance to high altitude in women: Influence of menstrual cycle, oral contraception and menopause

Tolerance to high altitude in women might be influenced by hormonal status since female hormones are known to modulate ventilation. We explored the influence of 1) the phase of menstrual cycle, 2) oral contraception, 3) menopause with or without hormonal treatment, on ventilatory (HVRe) and cardiac (HCRe) responses to hypoxia at exercise in 1060 women prior to exposure at high altitude. HCRe and HVRe were measured during a routine hypoxia exercise test. Prevalence of Severe High Altitude Illness (SHAI) was assessed in a subgroup of 260 women. Four groups of women were defined: non‐menopaused with or without oral contraception; menopaused with or without hormonal treatment. In non‐menopaused women without contraception, HVRe was higher in the early luteal phase than in the early follicular phase (0.89±0.37 vs 0.75±0.27 ml/min/kg, p=0.03). HVRe was higher (p=0.016) and HCRe lower (p<0.001) in menopaused vs non‐menopaused women. Independently of hormonal status, HVRe decreased from second to fourth decade of age and increased from fourth to eighthdecade, while HCRe consistently decreased with ageing. Oral contraception or hormonal treatment had no effect on responses to hypoxia. The prevalence of SHAI was similar in all groups. SHAI prediction score was higher and HVRe lower in women with SHAI, without taking actetazolamide. In conclusion, 1) physiological responses to hypoxia depends on the ovarian cycle phase and on menopause status, 2) oral contraception, and hormonal treatment have no influence on response to hypoxia and tolerance to high altitude, 3) independently of hormonal status, ageing modulates physiological responses to hypoxia, 4) the optimal phase for high altitude acclimatization for women would be the early luteal phase.
Life after ruxolitinib: Reasons for discontinuation, impact of disease phase, and outcomes in 218 patients with myelofibrosis

After discontinuing ruxolitinib, the outcome of patients with myelofibrosis reportedly has been poor. The authors investigated whether disease characteristics before the receipt of ruxolitinib may predict drug discontinuation in patients with myelofibrosis and whether reasons for drug discontinuation, disease phase at discontinuation, and salvage therapies may influence the outcome.