Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Amino acids digestibility, metabolizable energy availability, carcass and digestive tract status in response to wheat screening and multi enzyme in Japanese quail

In the first experiment nutrient retention was recorded by 120 Japanese quails (25-d old) to determine AME, AMEn, coefficient of apparent protein digestibility (based on excreta nitrogen) and amino acid digestibility (based on ileum content). Corn-soybean meal was used as a control diet and, in the other two treatments, wheat screening (W.S) (at a level of 40%) with and without enzyme as the test ingredient were supplemented to the basal diet. Chromic oxide was included in all diets (0.3%) as an indigestible marker. The second experiment was carried out with 480 Japanese quails to compare effects of wheat screening on carcass and digestive tract status. Quail chicks were randomly assigned to 8 treatments. Each treatment included 4 replicates and 15 quails chicken in each. Complete random designs (CRD) in factorial arrangement were modulated in 0, 5, 10 and 15% of W.S included 0 and 0.5 kg multi enzyme per ton. The first experiment results shown that dry mater digestibility and apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) not affected by multi enzyme addition (P>0.05). Improved apparent metabolizable energy, protein and amino acid digestibility were found by multi enzyme compared to control (enzyme absent) (P<0.05). The second experiment results shown that small intestine length was decreased significantly by 0% level of W.S in comparison to other levels (P<0.05). Duodenum and ileum length were significantly decreased by 0% W.S level compared to 10 and 15 % (P<0.05). Jejunum length was significantly decreased by 0 % of W.S in comparison to other levels (P<0.05). Caecum length was significantly decreased by 0% and 10 % of wheat screening compared to 15 % in this respect (P<0.05). Viscosity was reduced significantly in 0% W.S without enzyme rather than the other treatments. The results this study have shown that W.S Apparent metabolizable energy, protein and amino acid digestibility were improved by multi enzyme in Japanese quails.
Yeast cells for encapsulation of bioactive compounds in food products: A review

Nowadays bioactive compounds have gained great attention in food and drug industries owing to their health aspects as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant attributes. Nevertheless, their bioavailability, bioactivity, and stability can be affected in different conditions and during storage. In addition, some bioactive compounds have undesirable flavor that restrict their application especially at high dosage in food products. Therefore, food industry needs to find novel techniques to overcome these problems. Microencapsulation is a technique, which can fulfill the mentioned requirements. Also, there are many wall materials for use in encapsulation procedure such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and various kinds of polymers. The utilization of food‐grade and safe carriers have attracted great interest for encapsulation of food ingredients. Yeast cells are known as a novel carrier for microencapsulation of bioactive compounds with benefits such as controlled release, protection of core substances without a significant effect on sensory properties of food products. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was abundantly used as a suitable carrier for food ingredients. Whole cells as well as cell particles like cell wall and plasma membrane can act as a wall material in encapsulation process. Compared to other wall materials, yeast cells are biodegradable, have better protection for bioactive compounds and the process of microencapsulation by them is relatively simple. The encapsulation efficiency can be improved by applying some pretreatments of yeast cells. In this article, the potential application of yeast cells as an encapsulating material for encapsulation of bioactive compounds is reviewed.
Laterality and visuospatial strategies among young children: A novel 3D-2D transcription task

ABSTRACT Recent findings showed that children, like adults, exhibit directional biases leading to asymmetrical drawings. This appears to be the result of a complex interaction between several biological, motoric, and cultural factors. We created a drawing task designed to investigate the influence of laterality (i.e., hemispherical functional specialization and handedness) and sex on children’s graphical asymmetries. This task consists of transcribing a symmetrical three-dimensional landscape model to a two-dimensional representation. Sixty-six French pre-school children, aged between 5 and 6 years, were asked to undertake the 3D-2D transcription task, as well as the classical Alter’s directionality task. The novel task exhibited higher sensitivity than the Alter’s directionality test when examining the spatial biases resulting from handedness, and sex. Specific drawing patterns related to these variables were identified. These results suggest that, in addition to the influence of biomechanical factors and handedness, sex plays a role in children’s early graphomotor development. They also support the influence of laterality as a key factor underlying early directional biases.
Protective effect of dexpanthenol on cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity in rats

ABSTRACT Cisplatin (CIS) is an antineoplastic agent used for treating solid organ tumors. Toxic side effects of CIS treatment include nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, ototoxicity, myelosuppression and hepatotoxicity. Dexpanthenol (DEX) exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and protective effects against free oxygen radicals. We investigated the protective effects of DEX on CIS induced nephrotoxicity. Animals were divided into four groups of 10. The control group was given saline. The DEX group was treated with DEX for 10 days. The CIS group was treated with a single dose of CIS. The DEX + CIS group was given a single dose of CIS followed by DEX for 10 days. We found increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, while superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were decreased in the CIS group. MDA, BUN and creatinine levels were decreased, while SOD, CAT, GPx and MPO levels were increased in the DEX + CIS group. Renal tubule damage, inflammation and histopathology scores were significantly higher in the CIS group than the control. The DEX + CIS group exhibited less renal tubule damage and inflammation, and lower histopathological assessment scores than the CIS group. Significant cortical tubule damage and interstitial inflammation were observed in the CIS group. Tubule damage was slightly less, and mild tubule dilation and less cast formation were observed in the DEX + CIS group; also, inflammation was less severe than for the CIS group. DEX may have therapeutic potential for treating CIS induced nephrotoxicity due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
The psychosocial determinants of the intention to test for HIV among young men in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa

Background: Voluntary counselling and testing is one of the effective prevention strategies against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This study investigated the psychosocial determinants of the intention to be tested for HIV among young men in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province using the theory of planned behaviour as the guiding framework. Method: A facilitator-administered questionnaire was used to collect data among 350 isiZulu-speaking men between the ages of 18 and 35. Results: Results show that 24% reported ever having tested. Intention to test showed strong positive correlations with subjective norm to test (r = 0.67), intention to use condoms (r = 0.65), intention to reduce alcohol use (r = 0.60), subjective norm to reduce alcohol use (r = 0.54), and subjective norm to use condoms (r = 0.51). For multiple regression, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control explained 43% of the variance in intention to test, with subjective norm and perceived behavioural control making significant unique contributions. An additional 12% of the variance was explained by intention to reduce alcohol and drug use, and use condoms. Conclusion: Behavioural interventions to encourage HIV testing among men should target normative and control beliefs but also other risky behaviours (e.g. alcohol abuse and condom use) as reductions in these behaviours appear to be positively associated with motivation to undergo HIV testing.
The Role of Immune-Related Adverse Events in Prognosis and Efficacy Prediction for Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Immunotherapy: A Retrospective Clinical Analysis

Purpose: The development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients undergoing immunotherapy has been reported to be a favorable prognostic factor in several studies. We aimed to examine the correlation between irAEs and prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and further reveal the patient characteristics associated with response to immunotherapy among treatment responders who developed irAEs. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 80 patients with NSCLC who received immunotherapy at Shinshu University Hospital between February 2016 and February 2020. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with and those without irAEs. We examined the prognostic factors associated with PFS and OS using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards models. We further analyzed the patients who developed irAEs by classifying them into responders and non-responders. Results: Twenty-five patients developed irAEs. The median PFS and OS of the patients with irAEs were significantly longer than those of the patients without irAEs (6.8 vs. 1.9 months, p < 0.001, and 37.8 vs. 8.1 months, p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis associated with PFS and OS indicated that the development of irAEs was an independent favorable prognostic factor. Among the patients developing irAEs, the responder group had a significantly higher incidence of multiple irAEs than the non-responder group (41.7 vs. 0.0%, p = 0.009). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the development of irAEs was associated with clinical benefits in NSCLC patients who received immunotherapy. In particular, patients with multiple irAEs might have good prognoses.
Effect of a high crude protein content diet during energy restriction and re-alimentation on animal performance, skeletal growth and metabolism of bone tissue in two genotypes of cattle

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of diet crude protein (CP) content and metabolisable energy (ME) intake on skeletal growth and associated parameters of growing steers prior to and during compensatory growth in weight and catch-up growth in skeletal elongation. The experiment was a factorial design with two cattle genotypes [Brahman crossbred (BX, 178 ± 6 kg) and Holstein-Friesian (HF, 230 ± 34 kg)] and three nutritional treatments; high CP content and high ME intake (HCP-HME), high CP content and low ME intake (HCP-LME) and low CP content and low ME intake (LCP-LME) with the ME intake of HCP-LME matched to that of LCP-LME. Nutritional treatments were imposed over a 103 d period (Phase 1), and after this, all steers were offered ad libitum access to the HCP-HME nutritional treatment for 100 d (Phase 2). Steers fed the high CP content treatment with a low ME intake, showed higher hip height gain (P = 0.04), larger terminal hypertrophic chondrocytes (P = 0.02) and a higher concentration of total triiodothyronine in plasma (P = 0.01) than steers with the same ME intake of the low CP content treatment. In addition, the low CP treatment resulted in significant decreases in bone volume (P = 0.03), bone surface area (P = 0.03) and the concentration of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase in plasma (P < 0.001) compared to steers fed the HCP-HME treatment. A significant interaction between genotype and nutritional treatment existed for the concentration of thyroxine (T4) in plasma where HF steers fed LCP-LME had a lower T4 concentration in plasma (P = 0.05) than BX steers. All steers with a restricted ME intake during Phase 1 demonstrated compensatory growth during Phase 2. However, HF steers fed the LCP treatment during Phase 1 showed a tendency (P = 0.07) for a greater LWG during Phase 2 without any increase in dry matter intake. Results observed at the growth plate and hip height growth suggest that catch-up growth in cattle may also be explained by the growth plate senescence hypothesis. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, the results demonstrate that greater CP intake during ME restriction does not increase compensatory gain in cattle during re-alimentation.
Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection Inhibits Fibrinolysis Leading to Changes in Viscoelastic Properties of Blood Clot: A Descriptive Study of Fibrinolysis in COVID-19

Abstract Background Accumulating evidence indicates toward an association between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and procoagulatory state in blood. Thromboelastographic investigations are useful point-of-care devices to assess coagulation and fibrinolysis. Objectives We investigated the hypothesis that the procoagulatory state in COVID-19 patients is associated with impaired fibrinolysis system. Methods Altogether, 29 COVID-19 patients admitted to normal wards or to the intensive care unit (ICU) were included in this descriptive study. Whole blood samples were investigated by thromboelastography to assess coagulation and fibrinolysis. Additionally, standard routine coagulation testing and immunoassays for factors of fibrinolysis as plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen activity and α2-antiplasmin (A2AP) were performed. Results A significantly increased lysis resistance and a significantly longer time of lysis after adding tissue plasminogen activator were observed in blood samples from ICU COVID-19 patients compared with healthy controls (maximal lysis: 3.25 ± 0.56 vs. 6.20 ± 0.89%, p = 0.0127; lysis time: 365.7 ± 44.6 vs. 193.2 ± 16.3 seconds, p = 0.0014). PAI-1 activity was significantly higher in plasma samples of ICU COVID-19 patients (PAI-1: 4.92 ± 0.91 vs. 1.28 ± 0.33 U/mL, p = 0.001). A positive correlation between the activity of PAI-1 and lysis time of the formed clot (r = 0.70, p = 0.0006) was observed. Conclusion Our data suggest that severe SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with impaired fibrinolytic activity in blood, where fibrinolytic inhibitors are elevated leading to an increased resistance to clot lysis. Thromboelastography could offer a tool to investigate the contribution of the fibrinolytic status to the procoagulatory condition in COVID-19.
Abnormal uterine bleeding types according to the PALM-COEIN FIGO classification in a medically underserved American community

Objective: To describe the distribution of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) type according to the polyp (AUB-P); adenomyosis (AUB-A); leiomyoma (AUB-L); malignancy and hyperplasia (AUB-M); coagulopathy (AUB-C); ovulatory dysfunction (AUB-O); endometrial (AUB-E); iatrogenic (AUB-I); and not yet classified International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics classification system in a medically underserved American inner-city population. Our secondary objective was to find an association between risk factors and type of AUB. Material and Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional analysis at our outpatient women’s health clinic located in the Bronx, New York City, from November 2016 to December 2019. Results: Among 390 patients, the most common AUB type was AUB-L (n=185, 47.4%), followed AUB-P (n=100, 25.6%), AUB-A (n=55, 14.1%), AUB-O (n=19, 4.9%), AUB-M (n=15, 3.8%), AUB-E (n=14, 3.6%) and AUB-I (n=2, 0.5%). Race was distributed as follows: Hispanic (68.2%), Black (25.9%), Caucasian (3.3%), and Asian (2.1%). Comorbidities included hypertension (36.4%), diabetes (15.6%), and thyroid disease (6.9%). The median age at diagnosis was significantly higher in AUB-M (59 years old, p<0.001), AUB-P (52.5 years old, p<0.001), AUB-E (51.5 years old, p=0.001) compared to AUB-L (46 years old). The median body mass index (BMI) was significantly higher in AUB-E (34.2 kg/m2, p=0.048) and AUB-O (32.6 kg/m2, p=0.038) compared to AUB-L (30 kg/m2). Race was equally distributed among the AUB types. AUB-M (66.6%, p=0.002), AUB-E (57.1%, p=0.022), AUB-P (47%, p<0.001), and AUB-A (30.8%, p<0.001), had statistically significantly more cases of hypertension compared to AUB-L (28.1%). AUB-P (27%, p<0.001), AUB-M (26.6%, p=0.025), AUB-E (35.7%, p=0.001) and AUB-A (9%, p<0.001) had more patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) than AUB-L (3.3%). Conclusion: In an American population of medically underserved patients, the most common cause of AUB was leiomyoma and the most common race was Hispanic. Women with AUB-L were younger, with lower BMI, and with fewer cases of hypertension and DM when compared to other types of AUB.
Dosimetric evaluation of skin collimation with tungsten rubber for electron radiotherapy: A Monte Carlo study

Abstract Purpose Skin collimation provides a sharp penumbra for electron beams, while the effect of bremsstrahlung from shielding materials is a concern. This phantom study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a real‐time variable shape rubber containing‐tungsten (STR) that can be placed on a patient’s skin. Methods Electron beam profiles were acquired with the STR placed on a water‐equivalent phantom and low melting‐point alloy (LMA) placed at the applicator according to commonly used procedures (field sizes: 20‐ and 40‐mm diameters). Depth and lateral dose profiles for 6‐ and 12‐MeV electron beams were obtained by Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and were benchmarked against film measurements. The width of the off‐axis distance between 80% and 20% doses (P 80‐20) and the maximum dose were obtained from the lateral dose profiles. Bremsstrahlung emission was analyzed by MC simulations at the depth of maximum dose (R 100). Results The depth dose profiles calculated by the MC simulations were consistently within 2% of the measurements. The P 80‐20 at R 100 for 20‐ and 40‐mm diameters were 4.0 mm vs. 7.6 mm (STR vs. LMA) and 4.5 mm vs. 9.2 mm, respectively, for the 6‐MeV electron beam with 7.0‐mm‐thick STR, and 2.7 mm vs. 5.6 mm and 4.5 mm vs. 7.1 mm, respectively, for the 12‐MeV electron beam with 12.0‐mm‐thick STR. A hotspot was not observed on the lateral dose profiles obtained with the STR at R 100. The bremsstrahlung emission under the region shielded by the STR was comparable to that obtained with the LMA, even though the STR was placed on the surface of the phantom. Conclusions Skin collimator with STR provided superior dosimetric characteristics and comparable bremsstrahlung emission to LMA collimator at the applicator. STR could be a new tool for the safe and efficient delivery of electron radiotherapy.
Anaerobic Corrosion of Carbon Steel and Cast Iron in Artificial Groundwaters: Part 1—Electrochemical Aspects

Abstract In Sweden, high-level radioactive waste will be disposed of in a canister with a copper outer container and a cast iron or carbon steel insert. If the iron insert comes into contact with anoxic geological water, anaerobic corrosion will occur. This paper presents a study of the electrochemical aspects of anaerobic corrosion of carbon steel in artificial Swedish granitic groundwaters. The electrochemical measurements confirm that anaerobic corrosion will lead to the generation of hydrogen, but the rate of corrosion will be anodically limited by the formation of a corrosion product film. The corrosion rate was unaffected by hydrogen pressures up to 100 atm.
Degenerative Adult Cervical Kyphosis With Secondary Diagnosis Codes Are Associated With Higher Cost and Complications After Spinal Fusion: A Medicare Database Study

ABSTRACT Background: Adult cervical deformity (ACD) is a potentially debilitating condition resulting from kyphosis, scoliosis, or both, of the cervical spine. Conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson's disease, and neuromuscular diseases are particularly known to cause severe deformities. We describe the 90-day cost and complications associated with spinal fusion for ACD using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding terminology and study if secondary diagnoses associated with potential for severe deformity affect the cost and complication profile of ACD surgery. Methods: Medicare data were used to study hospital costs and complications within 90 days after primary cervical fusion for ACD in 2 cohorts matched by demographics and comorbidity burden: (1) patients with diagnoses of secondary pathology (SP) known to cause severe deformity and (2) without SP. Univariate and multiple-variable analyses to study incidence of complications, readmission, and costs within 90 days were done. Results: A total of 2900 patients in matched cohorts of 1450 each were included. The mean index hospital payment ($26 545 ± $25 968 versus $22 991 ± $21 599) and length of stay (4.8 ± 5.6 versus 3.9 ± 4.5 days) was significantly (P < .01) higher in ACD patients with SP. On adjusted analysis, the risk of procedure-related complications was higher (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–1.83) in patients with SP than those without SP, but not readmission (OR = 1.04, 95% CI, 0.82–1.32) or refusion (OR = 0.95, 95% CI, 0.45–2.0) within 90 days. The cost profile of complications, readmission, and refusion has been given. Conclusions: ACD patients with secondary diagnosis codes such as inflammatory arthropathy or neuromuscular pathology incur higher 90-day costs due to the inherent requirement of bigger fusions and higher risk of peri-operative complications, but with similar risk of readmission and refusion as those without SP. Level of Evidence: 3. Clinical Relevance: With evolving health care reforms and payment models, knowledge of conditions associated with higher expenditure after elective spine surgical procedures will be beneficial to providers and payors for appropriate risk stratification.