Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Term infant formula supplemented with milk-derived oligosaccharides shifts the gut microbiota closer to that of human milk-fed infants and improves intestinal immune defense: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Background Bovine milk-derived oligosaccharides (MOS) containing primarily galacto-oligosaccharides with inherent concentrations of sialylated oligosaccharides can be added to infant formula to enhance the oligosaccharide profile. Objective To investigate the effects of an MOS-supplemented infant formula on gut microbiota and intestinal immunity. Methods In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, healthy term formula-fed infants aged 21–26 d either received an intact protein cow milk-based formula (control group, CG, n = 112) or the same formula containing 7.2 g MOS/L (experimental group, EG, n = 114) until the age of 6 mo. Exclusively human milk-fed infants (HFI, n = 70) from an observational study served as the reference. Fecal samples collected at baseline, and the ages of 2.5 and 4 mo were assessed for microbiota (16S ribosomal RNA-based approaches), metabolites, and biomarkers of gut health and immune response. Results Aged 2.5 and 4 mo, redundancy analysis (P = 0.002) and average phylogenetic distance (P < 0.05) showed that the overall microbiota composition in EG was different from CG and closer to that of HFI. Similarly, EG caesarean-born infants were different from CG caesarean- or vaginally born infants and approaching HFI vaginally born infants. Relative bifidobacteria abundance was higher in EG compared with CG (P < 0.05) approaching HFI. At the age of 4 mo, counts of Clostridioides difficile and Clostridium perfringens were ∼90% (P < 0.001) and ∼65% (P < 0.01) lower in EG compared with CG, respectively. Geometric LS mean (95% CI) fecal secretory IgA in EG was twice that of CG [70 (57, 85) compared with 34 (28, 42) mg/g, P < 0.001] and closer to HFI. Fecal oral polio vaccine-specific IgA was ∼50% higher in EG compared with CG (P = 0.065). Compared with CG, EG and HFI had lower fecal calcium excretion (by ∼30%, P < 0.005) and fecal pH (P < 0.001), and higher lactate concentration (P < 0.001). Conclusions Infant formula with MOS shifts the gut microbiota and metabolic signature closer to that of HFI, has a strong bifidogenic effect, reduces fecal pathogens, and improves the intestinal immune response.
Parental perception of oral health related quality of life and barriers to access dental care among children with intellectual needs in Kottayam, central Kerala-A cross sectional study.

AIM To evaluate the parental perception of oral health related quality of life and barriers to access dental care among children with intellectual needs. METHOD This cross sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 300 parents of children aged 4-12 years with intellectual needs (mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism). Data on oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) were collected with parental-caregivers perceptions questionnaire (P-CPQ). DMFT/dmft index was used to express caries prevalence as per World Health Organisation. Chi-squared test, analysis of variance, t-test and correlation were performed. RESULTS Parents of children who fell in the high severity DMFT category reported higher score in all four domains of OHRQoL when compared to low severity and moderate severity. Parents of children suffering from autism had higher score in all four domain of OHRQoL (p = .000). Majority of the parents rated their children's oral health as either fair (47%) or poor (42%). Predominant barriers for access dental care were financial difficulties (35.3%), lack of knowledge about dental care (24%), transportation difficulties (15%). CONCLUSION The present study revealed that higher caries prevalence has negative impact on OHRQoL of children with intellectual needs and their parents faced certain barriers for accessing dental care.
Investigation of Colanic acid and Malonyldialdehyde in the Urine samples of patients with Hematuria

This study was carried out to estimate the concentration of colanic Acid in the urine samples obtained from 66 patients with hematuria , where (21 ) patients with microscopic hematuria , (32) patients with gross hematuria , and (13) patients with terminal hematuria . Also , (15) healthy individuals with no history of hematuria were included in this study as control group. The results of this study showed that colanic acid was detected at high levels in (10) patients with microscopic hematuria and in (16) patients with gross hematuria where the results are above the control group ( 27± 9.0 and 18.0 ± 3.9 respectively) where as the urine samples of patients with terminal hematuria had normal levels similar to that in control group. Malonyldialdehyde (MDA) was also estimated in the urine of patients with hematuria . The results of MDA were not significant although some patients showed high levels for this parameter in their urine samples.
Towards a Native OPERA Hypothesis: Musicianship and English Stress Perception

Musical experience facilitates speech perception. French musicians, to whom stress is foreign, have been found to perceive English stress more accurately than French non-musicians. This study investigated whether this musical advantage also applies to native listeners. English musicians and non-musicians completed an English stress discrimination task and two control tasks. With age, non-verbal intelligence and short-term memory controlled, the musicians exhibited a perceptual advantage relative to the non-musicians. This perceptual advantage was equally potent to both trochaic and iambic stress patterns. In terms of perceptual strategy, the two groups showed differential use of acoustic cues for iambic but not trochaic stress. Collectively, the results could be taken to suggest that musical experience enhances stress discrimination even among native listeners. Remarkably, this musical advantage is highly consistent and does not particularly favour either stress pattern. For iambic stress, the musical advantage appears to stem from the differential use of acoustic cues by musicians. For trochaic stress, the musical advantage may be rooted in enhanced durational sensitivity.
Iron: an underrated factor in aging

Iron is an essential element for virtually all living organisms, but its reactivity also makes it potentially harmful. Iron accumulates with aging, and is associated with many age-related diseases; it also shortens the lifespans of several model organisms. Blocking iron absorption through drugs or natural products extends lifespan. Many life-extending interventions, such as rapamycin, calorie restriction, and old plasma dilution can be explained by the effects they have on iron absorption, excretion, and metabolism. Control of body iron stores so that they remain in a low normal range may be an important, lifespan- and healthspan-extending intervention.
‘We Ought to Be Professionals’: Strategies of Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Emotion Regulation of Emergency Medical Services Professionals in Confrontation With the Death of a Newborn in Simulated Task

Managing one’s own and others’ emotions is a necessary part of emergency medical services (EMS) professionals’ work. For that reason, we explored their emotion regulation strategies in a simulated task which focused these skills. Short semistructured interviews were conducted with 48 EMS professionals immediately after completing the task. They described their experience during this task as distressing on a manageable level. Emergent emotion regulation strategies are largely in line with established theoretical frameworks, but their specification is unique and offers new insights. Focusing on the task along with emotional distancing is a crucial combination employed by many EMS professionals. Pre-existing cognitive frames also help with processing of emotional stimuli. Among interpersonal strategies, allowing the relatives of a deceased child to cope with their grief was the most typical reaction. However, attempts to distract them or positively reframe their situation were also present, along with few other strategies.
Long-term survival after coronary bypass surgery with multiple versus single arterial grafts

Abstract OBJECTIVES This study sought to evaluate the long-term differences in survival between multiple arterial grafts (MAG) and single arterial grafts (SAG) in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the SYNTAX study. METHODS The present analysis included the randomized and registry-treated CABG patients (n = 1509) from the SYNTAX Extended Survival study (SYNTAXES). Patients with only venous (n = 42) or synthetic grafts (n = 1) were excluded. The primary end point was all-cause death at the longest follow-up. Multivariable Cox regression was used to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. Sensitivity analysis using propensity matching with inverse probability for treatment weights was performed. RESULTS Of the 1466 included patients, 465 (31.7%) received MAG and 1001 (68.3%) SAG. Patients receiving MAG were younger and at lower risk. At the longest follow-up of 12.6 years, all-cause death occurred in 23.6% of MAG and 40.0% of SAG patients [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.55–0.98); P = 0.038], which was confirmed by sensitivity analysis. MAG in patients with the three-vessel disease was associated with significant lower unadjusted and adjusted all-cause death at 12.6 years [adjusted HR 0.65, 95% CI (0.44–0.97); P = 0.033]. In contrast, no significance was observed after risk adjustment in patients with the left main disease, with and without diabetes, or among SYNTAX score tertiles. CONCLUSIONS In the present post hoc analysis of all-comers patients from the SYNTAX trial, MAG resulted in markedly lower all-cause death at 12.6-year follow-up compared to a SAG strategy. Hence, this striking long-term survival benefit of MAG over SAG encourages more extensive use of multiple arterial grafting in selected patients with reasonable life expectancy. Trial registration SYNTAXES ClinicalTrials.gov reference: NCT03417050; SYNTAX ClinicalTrials.gov reference: NCT00114972.
Demographic and clinical features of conjunctival tumours at a tertiary care centre

ABSTRACT Clinical relevance This study investigates the demographic and clinical features of conjunctival tumours. Background Conjunctival tumours include a large spectrum of conditions ranging from benign lesions to aggressive, life-threatening malignancies. Knowing the distribution of conjunctival tumours by age and gender is important for reducing cancer morbidity. Methods The clinical records of 375 patients (410 eyes) diagnosed with a conjunctival mass at a tertiary referral centre between February 1999 and November 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Results Two-hundred-seventeen (57.9%) patients were male and 158 (42.1%) were female. Of 410 conjunctival tumours, 159 (38.8%) were benign, 106 (25.9%) premalignant, and 145 (35.4%) malignant. Overall, the 3 most common diagnoses were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, 19.5%), conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN, 18.3%), and naevus (17.8%). The most common benign, premalignant, and malignant tumours were naevus (n = 73/159, 45.9%), CIN (n = 75/106, 70.8%), and SCC (n = 80/145, 55.2%) respectively. Naevus was the most common tumour in ≤20 years and > 20-40 years old patient groups (56.2% and 25.4% respectively). CIN was the most frequent tumour in patients aged > 40-60 years (25.7%). SCC was the most common tumour in > 60-80 years and > 80 years old patient groups (44.3% and 80.0% respectively). The median patient age was greater in patients with malignant tumours (64.5 years) compared to patients with premalignant (55.5 years, p = 0.011) and benign tumours (22.0 years, p < 0.001). Malignant tumours displayed larger base diameter, greater thickness, and intrinsic vessels compared to premalignant or benign lesions (p < 0.001 for each parameter). Malignant tumours also displayed more amelanotic vs melanotic appearance (p < 0.001) and limbal vs extralimbal bulbar location compared to benign lesions (p < 0.001). Conclusion Premalignant and malignant tumours comprised 61.2% of all conjunctival tumours and were usually detected in patients > 40 years of age in this study.
The High Burden and Predictors of Anemia Among Infants Aged 6 to 12 Months in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Background: Despite several interventions, the prevalence of anemia and related complications remains high among infants in Tanzania. Objective: We sought to determine the predictors of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) among infants of HIV-negative women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 2826 mother–infant pairs who participated in a trial of vitamins and perinatal outcomes in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume were used to determine the prevalence of anemia among infants at 6 and 12 months. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the maternal and infant risk factors for anemia during infancy. Results: We found high prevalence of anemia (90%) and IDA (44.2%) among infants. Higher maternal education (odds ratio [OR] = 0.52), maternal normal hemoglobin at enrollment (OR = 0.68) and during the early postpartum period reduced the odds of IDA at 6 months (OR = 0.56). The odds of IDA at 6 months were higher among males (OR = 1.65), wealth score below median (OR = 1.35), low birth weight (LBW; OR = 1.75), and small for gestational age (SGA) infants below the third centile (OR = 1.95) or third to less than fifth centile (OR = 2.29). Higher maternal education lowered the odds of IDA at 12 months (OR = 0.25). Wealth score below median (OR = 1.44), preterm delivery (OR = 1.94), SGA (less than third centile; OR = 2.40), and LBW (OR = 2.89) increased the odds of IDA during infancy in the study population. Dietary diversity was low for infants and women in the study sample. Conclusion: Interventions to reduce the risk of infant IDA should address women’s education, improvement of wealth status, and optimal care for premature, SGA, and LBW infants.
Glazed tiles produced using paper sludge, glass cullet and a natural red clay: an experimental study

Abstract The paper describes the production, in single fast firing, of tiles containing 30 wt% of a natural red clay and a mixture of 42 wt% of paper mill sludge and 28 wt% of glass cullet which were coated with a commercial ‘matt white’ glaze. Fired materials have been characterized as a function of the top temperature (1090 or 1140 °C) reached at the top of the fast sintering process made by an industrial roller kiln. It has been observed that tiles fired at 1090 °C display the best overall performances because the matt glaze well covers the substrate, thus ensuring that the mechanical and physical properties of the tiles conform to the official standard.
Associations between dental problems and underweight status among rural women in Burkina Faso: results from the first WHO Stepwise Approach to Surveillance (STEPS) survey

Abstract Objective: To explore the relationships between dental problems and underweight status among rural women in Burkina Faso by using nationally representative data. Design: This was a cross-sectional secondary study of primary data obtained by the 2013 WHO Stepwise Approach to Surveillance survey conducted in Burkina Faso. Descriptive and analytical analyses were performed using Student’s t test, ANOVA, the χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression. Setting: All thirteen Burkinabè regions were categorised using quartiles of urbanisation rates. Participants: The participants were 1730 rural women aged 25–64 years. Results: The prevalence of underweight was 16·0 %, and 24·1 % of participants experienced dental problems during the 12-month period. The women with dental problems were more frequently underweight (19·9 % and 14·7 %; P < 0·05) and had a lower mean BMI (21·1 ± 3·2 and 21·6 ± 3·7 kg/m2, P < 0·01) than those without dental problems. More risk factors for underweight were observed in less urbanised regions among elderly individuals (> 49 years old) and smokeless tobacco users. Age > 49 years, professions with inconsistent income, a lack of education, smokeless tobacco use and low BMI were factors that were significantly associated with dental problems, while residency in a low-urbanisation area was a protective factor. Conclusion: The prevalence of underweight in rural Burkinabè women is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa, and women with dental problems are more frequently affected than those without dental problems. Public health measures for the prevention of these disorders should specifically target women aged over 49 years and smokeless tobacco users.
T1 difficulty does not modulate the magnitude of the attentional blink

When the visual system is busy processing one stimulus, it has problems processing a subsequent stimulus if it arrives soon after the first. Laboratory studies of this second-stimulus impairment—known as attentional blink (AB)—have employed two targets (T1, T2) presented in rapid sequence, and have found identification accuracy to be nearly perfect for T1, but impaired for T2. It is commonly believed that the magnitude of the AB is related directly to the difficulty of T1: the greater the T1 difficulty, the larger the AB. A survey of the experimental literature disconfirms that belief showing it to have arisen from artificial constraints imposed by the 100% limit of the response scale. Removal of that constraint, either using reaction time (RT) instead of accuracy as the dependent measure, or in experiments in which the functions of T2 accuracy over lags do not converge to the limit of the response scale, reveals parallel functions for the easy-T1 and the hard-T1 conditions, consistent with the idea that T1 difficulty does not modulate AB magnitude. This finding is problematic for all, but the Boost and Bounce (B&B) and the Locus Coeruleus–Norepinephrine (LC–NE) theories in which T1 acts merely as a trigger for an eventual refractory period that leads to the failure to process T2, rendering T1 difficulty and its relationship to the AB an irrelevant consideration.
A combined semi-analytical algorithm for retrieving total suspended sediment concentration from multiple missions: a case study of the China Eastern Coastal Zone

ABSTRACT A new semi-analytical algorithm that retrieves the total concentration of suspended matter (TSM) was derived from the China Eastern Coastal Zone using multiple ocean colour instruments including the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer (VIIRS), the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and the Medium Resolution Spectral Imager II (MERSI II). The algorithm in one model derives TSM concentration (CTSM) from satellite inherent optical properties products for clear and moderately turbid water. For turbid waters, a second model with a four-band approach was used. The two model algorithms were combined into one algorithm using a linking weighted function to generate a smooth CTSM for clear and turbid water and for water with intermediate transparency. Compared to eight existing algorithms, our new algorithm performed better with a wide dynamic range for the CTSM retrievals. The mean absolute percent difference was 28.22% for the CECZ data and the CTSM varied from 0.5 mg l−1 to 2435.4 mg l−1. New algorithm decreased the MAPD by >11% for the CTSM retrievals compared to the eight existing algorithms. Furthermore, when new algorithm was tested with a synthetic data set that had been contaminated with residual error, it exhibited more residual error tolerance than the other algorithms when retrieving CTSM, which agreed well with the results provided by a multi-mission consistency analysis. These results indicate that new algorithm could provide accurate and consistent multi-mission CTSM from turbid coastal water with a widely varying range of CTSM.
Supplementation of pomegranate processing waste and waste soybean cooking oil as an alternative feed resource with vitamin E in broiler nutrition: effects on productive performance, meat quality and meat fatty acid composition

ABSTRACT This research aimed to determine the effect of dietary supplementation of pomegranate peels powder and waste soybean cooking oil on the performance and meat quality of male Ross 308 broiler chickens. Before start of the experiment, the metabolisable energy of pomegranate peels and other nutritive and chemical contents of pomegranate peels were measured. Also, peroxidation indices and fatty acids profiles of experimental oils were analysed. The experiment was designed as a 3 × 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments including i) pomegranate peels (0, 4 and 8%), ii) waste soybean cooking oil (0, 2 and 4%) and iii) vitamin E (0 and 200 mg/kg diet). Supplementation of 8% pomegranate peels significantly decreased growth performance of broiler chickens (p < 0.05). The supplementation of 4% waste cooking oil significantly reduced body weight gain during the grower and whole experimental period (p < 0.05). Pomegranate peels supplementation decreased peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and increased pH of meat (p < 0.05). Supplementation of 4% waste cooking oil increased PV and TBA and reduced crude protein, water holding capacity (WHC), and pH of meat (p < 0.05). Vitamin E supplementation significantly decreased TBA and increased WHC of meat (p < 0.05). Supplementation of pomegranate peels decreased saturated fatty acids (SFA) and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of meat (p < 0.05). Broilers fed diets with 4% waste cooking oil showed higher SFA and lower PUFA contents in meat (p < 0.05). So it can be concluded that 4% pomegranate peels could be used as an alternative feed ingredient and a source of antioxidants in broiler diets, and also 2% waste soybean cooking oil can be included as feed ingredient in broiler diets without adversely affecting performance.
The effect of synbiotics and probiotics on the growth performance, gastrointestinal function and health status of turkeys

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth performance, gastrointestinal function and health status of turkeys fed diets supplemented with synbiotic preparations, as compared with commercial probiotic feed additives. The experiment lasted for 15 weeks. The research material comprised 600 female BIG 6 turkeys (6 treatments, 5 replicates, 20 birds per replicate). The turkeys from the control group (I) received a diet without additives. Groups II and III received a basal diet with the addition of probiotic BioPlus 2B or Cylactin at 0.4 g/kg diet, respectively. In groups IV, V and VI turkeys were fed diets with synbiotic preparations S1 (L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. pentosus, S. cerevisiae + inulin), S2 (L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. pentosus, S. cerevisiae, L. rhamnosus + inulin) and S3 (L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. pentosus, S. cerevisiae, L. rhamnosus, L. paracasei + inulin) at 0.5 g/kg diet, respectively. The following parameters were monitored: growth performance, carcass quality, the chemical composition of meat, the structure (length, weight, villus height, crypt depth) and functional parameters (pH, viscosity) of selected segments of the gastrointestinal tract, and the health status of birds (lysozyme, gamma-globulins, ceruloplasmin and total protein). Dietary supplementation with probiotics and synbiotics contributed to an increase in the final body weights of turkeys, a decrease in the feed conversion ratio and an increase in values of the European Production Efficiency Factor (p ≤ 0.05). Synbiotics improved the immune status of birds by increasing serum gamma-globulin levels and decreasing ceruloplasmin activity at 8th week of age (p ≤ 0.05). Synbiotics and probiotics also contributed to a decrease in crop and caecal pH (p ≤ 0.05). The analysed additives had no effect on carcass dressing percentage, carcass quality characteristics or the chemical composition of breast muscles. The tested synbiotics as well as commercial probiotics can be valuable feed additives, improving the growth performance and immune status of turkeys.