Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Skeletal muscle microvascular perfusion responses to cuff occlusion and submaximal exercise assessed by contrast‐enhanced ultrasound: The effect of age

Impairments in skeletal muscle microvascular function are frequently reported in patients with various cardiometabolic conditions for which older age is a risk factor. Whether aging per se predisposes the skeletal muscle to microvascular dysfunction is unclear. We used contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEU) to compare skeletal muscle microvascular perfusion responses to cuff occlusion and leg exercise between healthy young (n = 12, 26 ± 3 years) and older (n = 12, 68 ± 7 years) adults. Test–retest reliability of CEU perfusion parameters was also assessed. Microvascular perfusion (microvascular volume × flow velocity) of the medial gastrocnemius muscle was measured before and immediately after: (a) 5‐min of thigh‐cuff occlusion, and (b) 5‐min of submaximal intermittent isometric plantar‐flexion exercise (400 N) using CEU. Whole‐leg blood flow was measured using strain‐gauge plethysmography. Repeated measures were obtained with a 15‐min interval, and averaged responses were used for comparisons between age groups. There were no differences in post‐occlusion whole‐leg blood flow and muscle microvascular perfusion between young and older participants (p > .05). Similarly, total whole‐leg blood flow during exercise and post‐exercise peak muscle microvascular perfusion did not differ between groups (p > .05). The overall level of agreement between the test–retest measures of calf muscle perfusion was excellent for measurements taken at rest (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] 0.85), and in response to cuff occlusion (ICC 0.89) and exercise (ICC 0.95). Our findings suggest that healthy aging does not affect muscle perfusion responses to cuff‐occlusion and submaximal leg exercise. CEU muscle perfusion parameters measured in response to these provocation tests are highly reproducible in both young and older adults.
Placental thickness and its correlation with estimated foetal weight: a cross-sectional study in a tertiary care centre in South India

Background: The placenta is a multifaceted organ which modulates and modifies the maternal environment resulting in foetal development. It could be assumed that a healthy placenta culminates in a healthy foetus. Hence the morphometric analysis of a placenta during sonogram is inevitable. The aim of the study was to estimate the relationship between placental thickness and estimated foetal weight.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study and included 450 antenatal women attending the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tirunelveli Medical College from May 2013 to May 2014. These women had regular cycles with a known Last menstrual period and a singleton foetus. After ethics committee approval, meticulous history including age, parity, demographic factors and past history were recorded. After obtaining consent, these women underwent placental thickness measurement between 14-40 weeks of pregnancy.Results: In the study mean placental thickness between the ranges of 11-49mm was 28.7mm and mean estimated foetal weight was 1.421kilogram. The correlation between the two was 0.943. Hence the positive correlation between the placental thickness and foetal weight is confirmed (p value <0.001). Conclusions: Determining the estimated foetal weight is an important reason for doing a sonogram, especially in third trimester. Placental thickness measured at the level of umbilical cord insertion can serve as an additional parameter in estimating foetal weight in addition to the foetal parameters, since there is a linear correlation between placental thickness and foetal weight.
Oscillations in microvascular flow : their relationship to tissue oxygenation, cellular metabolic function and their diagnostic potential for detecting skin melanoma - clinical, experimental and theoretical investigations

Tumour vasculature is known to be inefficient and abnormal due to poorly regulated angiogenesis during tumour growth. This leads to irregular patterns of blood flow which are spatially and temporally heterogeneous. Many investigations into the characteristics of tumours are invasive and performed on animal models. However, continuous technological and theoretical advancement is leading to the use of non-invasive imaging techniques, providing in vivo information on humans. Here, data recorded using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) in malignant melanoma and control lesions are analysed using techniques designed for application to non-stationary, time-varying data. Many studies utilising LDF have previously revealed increased blood flow in malignant lesions, but very little attention has been paid to the dynamics of this blood flow, or how it changes over time. As it has been demonstrated previously that the oscillations observed within blood flow data are physiologically significant, failure to extract these characteristics loses information about the underlying dynamical system from which the blood flow data were recorded. Significant differences in blood flow dynamics are revealed and used in the development of a diagnostic test for melanoma. In addition to the characterization of the blood flow dynamics in melanoma, possible causes for the observed changes are investigated and related to two widely observed characteristics of cancer, intermittent hypoxia and altered cellular energy metabolism. The former is explored through the analysis of blood flow and oxygenation data recorded during dry static apnoea, whilst the latter is modelled using coupled phase oscillators.
Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with differing severities of coronavirus disease 2019

Background A greater understanding of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in an infected population is important for the development of a vaccination. Aim To investigate SARS-CoV-2 IgA and IgG antibodies in Thai patients with differing severities of COVID-19. Methods Plasma from the following patient groups was examined: 118 adult patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections, 49 patients under investigation (without confirmed infections), 20 patients with other respiratory infections, and 102 healthy control patients. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from EUROIMMUN was performed to assess for IgA and IgG antibodies. The optical density (OD) ratio cutoff for a positive result was 1.1 for IgA and 0.8 for IgG. Additionally, the association of the antibody response with both the severity of disease and the date after onset of symptoms was analyzed. Results A total of 289 participants were enrolled and 384 samples analyzed from March 10 to May 31, 2020. Patients were categorized, based on their clinical manifestations, as mild (n = 59), moderate (n = 27), or severe (n = 32). The overall sensitivity of IgA and IgG from the samples collected after day 7 of the symptoms was 87.9% (95% CI: 79.8–93.6) and 84.8% (95% CI: 76.2–91.3), respectively. Compared to the mild group, the severe group had significantly higher levels of spike 1 (S1) antigen-specific IgA and IgG. All patients in the moderate and severe groups had S1-specific IgG, while 20% of the patients in the mild group did not have any IgG detected after two weeks after the onset of symptoms. Interestingly, in the severe group, the SARS-CoV-2 IgG level was significantly higher in males than females (p = 0.003). Conclusion The serological test for SARS-CoV-2 has a high sensitivity more than two weeks after the onset of illness. Additionally, the serological response differs among patients based on sex as well as the severity of infection.
Screening for Fabry Disease in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Experience of a Multidisciplinary Team

Fabry disease (FD) is a rare cause of end-stage renal disease requiring kidney transplantation. Data on the incidence of unrecognized FD in kidney transplant recipients are scarce and probably underestimated. This study evaluated the incidence of FD in a population of kidney recipients, with a particular focus of the multidisciplinary approach for an early clinical assessment and therapeutic approach. Two hundred sixty-five kidney transplant recipients were screened with a genetic analysis for α-galactosidase A (GLA) mutation, with measurement of α-Gal A enzyme activity and Lyso Gb3 levels. Screening was also extended to relatives of affected patients. Seven patients (2.6%) had a GLA mutation. Two patients had a classic form of FD with Fabry nephropathy. Among the relatives, 15 subjects had a GLA mutation, and two had a Fabry nephropathy. The clinical and diagnostic assessment was completed after a median of 3.2 months, and mean time from diagnosis to treatment was 4.6 months. This study reported a high incidence of unrecognized GLA mutations in kidney transplant recipients. Evaluation and management by a multidisciplinary team allowed for an early diagnosis and treatment, and this would result in a delay in the progression of the disease and, finally, in better long-term outcomes.
Systems Science Approaches for Global Environmental Health Research: Enhancing Intervention Design and Implementation for Household Air Pollution (HAP) and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Programs

Background: Two of the most important causes of global disease fall in the realm of environmental health: household air pollution (HAP) and poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions. Interventions, such as clean cookstoves, household water treatment, and improved sanitation facilities, have great potential to yield reductions in disease burden. However, in recent trials and implementation efforts, interventions to improve HAP and WASH conditions have shown few of the desired health gains, raising fundamental questions about current approaches. Objectives: We describe how the failure to consider the complex systems that characterize diverse real-world conditions may doom promising new approaches prematurely. We provide examples of the application of systems approaches, including system dynamics, network analysis, and agent-based modeling, to the global environmental health priorities of HAP and WASH research and programs. Finally, we offer suggestions on how to approach systems science. Methods: Systems science applied to environmental health can address major challenges by a) enhancing understanding of existing system structures and behaviors that accelerate or impede aims; b) developing understanding and agreement on a problem among stakeholders; and c) guiding intervention and policy formulation. When employed in participatory processes that engage study populations, policy makers, and implementers, systems science helps ensure that research is responsive to local priorities and reflect real-world conditions. Systems approaches also help interpret unexpected outcomes by revealing emergent properties of the system due to interactions among variables, yielding complex behaviors and sometimes counterintuitive results. Discussion: Systems science offers powerful and underused tools to accelerate our ability to identify barriers and facilitators to success in environmental health interventions. This approach is especially useful in the context of implementation research because it explicitly accounts for the interaction of processes occurring at multiple scales, across social and environmental dimensions, with a particular emphasis on linkages and feedback among these processes. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7010
Anti gC1qR/p32/HABP1 Antibody Therapy Decreases Tumor Growth in an Orthotopic Murine Xenotransplant Model of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

gC1qR is highly expressed in breast cancer and plays a role in cancer cell proliferation. This study explored therapy with gC1qR monoclonal antibody 60.11, directed against the C1q binding domain of gC1qR, in a murine orthotopic xenotransplant model of triple negative breast cancer. MDA231 breast cancer cells were injected into the mammary fat pad of athymic nu/nu female mice. Mice were segregated into three groups (n = 5, each) and treated with the vehicle (group 1) or gC1qR antibody 60.11 (100 mg/kg) twice weekly, starting at day 3 post-implantation (group 2) or when the tumor volume reached 100 mm3 (group 3). At study termination (d = 35), the average tumor volume in the control group measured 895 ± 143 mm3, compared to 401 ± 48 mm3 and 701 ± 100 mm3 in groups 2 and 3, respectively (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining of excised tumors revealed increased apoptosis (caspase 3 and TUNEL staining) in 60.11-treated mice compared to controls, and decreased angiogenesis (CD31 staining). Slightly decreased white blood cell counts were noted in 60.11-treated mice. Otherwise, no overt toxicities were observed. These data are the first to demonstrate an in vivo anti-tumor effect of 60.11 therapy in a mouse model of triple negative breast cancer.
Combination of garlic - shatterstone herb powder to control Streptococcus agalactiae infection in tilapia

ABSTRACT This study was aimed at determining potential of combination powder of garlic Allium sativum -shatterstone herb Phyllanthus niruri supplemented in feed against S. agalactiae infection in tilapia. Four concentrations of combination powder of A. sativum - P. Niruri ; 20+5, 20+10, 20+15 and 20+20 ppt respectively were investigated for their ability to inhibit bacterial fish pathogen. Combination dose of 20+15 ppt produced the highest inhibitory zones in in vitro test. In vivo test consisted of three treatments with three replications, namely positive control (K+), negative control (K-) and the treatment of A. sativum - P. niruri suplemented in feed (BM). The test perfomed on tilapia with weight of 10.33 ± 1.63 g and were reared at density of 10 ind/aquarium. The fish was fed for 14 days, then injected intraperitoneally with 0.1 mL S. agalactiae at concentration of 10 5 cfu/mL for positive control and BM groups. Survival, growth rate, feed response, hematological and water quality parameters were observed for 10 days. This study showed that the suplemented-feed-fish (BM) showed better growth rate, feed response, and survival (83.3%) than positive control (36.7%) at P<0.05. In addition, A. sativum - P. niruri suplemented in feed was also able to enhance the immune response by increasing phagocytic activity. Keywords: Streptococcus agalactiae , phytopharmacy, Allium sativum - Phyllanthus niruri , tilapia ABSTRAK Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis potensi campuran tepung bawang putih Allium sativum -meniran Phyllanthus niruri dalam pakan terhadap pencegahan infeksi bakteri S. agalactiae pada ikan nila. Empat konsentrasi campuran tepung bawang putih-meniran yaitu 20+5 ppt, 20+10 ppt, 20+15 ppt dan 20+20 ppt masing-masing diuji kemampuannya dalam menghambat bakteri patogen pada ikan. Campuran dosis 20+15 ppt menghasilkan zona hambat terbaik dalam uji in vitro . Uji in vivo terdiri atas tiga perlakuan dengan tiga ulangan yaitu kontrol positif, kontrol negatif, dan perlakuan pakan yang mengandung bawang putih-meniran (BM). Uji ini dilakukan pada ikan nila berbobot 10,33±1,63 g yang dipelihara di akuarium dengan kepadatan 10 ekor/akuarium. Ikan diberi pakan perlakuan selama 14 hari kemudian diinjeksi secara intraperitoneal dengan bakteri S. agalactiae sebanyak 0,1 mL dengan kepadatan 10 5 cfu/mL pada perlakuan kontrol positif dan perlakuan BM. Parameter kelangsungan hidup, laju pertumbuhan, respons pakan, parameter hematologi, dan kualitas air diamati selama sepuluh hari. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa pemberian BM dalam pakan memberikan laju pertumbuhan, respons pakan, dan sintasan (83,3%) yang lebih baik daripada kontrol positif (36,7%) pada P<0,05. Pakan yang mengandung campuran bawang putih-meniran ini juga mampu meningkatkan respons imun dengan adanya peningkatan aktivitas fagositosis. Kata kunci: Streptococcus agalactiae , fitofarmaka, Allium sativum - Phyllanthus niruri , ikan nila
Exploring the Relationship Between EMG Feature Space Characteristics and Control Performance in Machine Learning Myoelectric Control

In myoelectric machine learning (ML) based control, it has been demonstrated that control performance usually increases with training, but it remains largely unknown which underlying factors govern these improvements. It has been suggested that the increase in performance originates from changes in characteristics of the Electromyography (EMG) patterns, such as separability or repeatability. However, the relation between these EMG metrics and control performance has hardly been studied. We assessed the relation between three common EMG feature space metrics (separability, variability and repeatability) in 20 able bodied participants who learned ML myoelectric control in a virtual task over 15 training blocks on 5 days. We assessed the change in offline and real-time performance, as well as the change of each EMG metric over the training. Subsequently, we assessed the relation between individual EMG metrics and offline and real-time performance via correlation analysis. Last, we tried to predict real-time performance from all EMG metrics via L2-regularized linear regression. Results showed that real-time performance improved with training, but there was no change in offline performance or in any of the EMG metrics. Furthermore, we only found a very low correlation between separability and real-time performance and no correlation between any other EMG metric and real-time performance. Finally, real-time performance could not be successfully predicted from all EMG metrics employing L2-regularized linear regression. We concluded that the three EMG metrics and real-time performance appear to be unrelated.
Examining an App-Based Mental Health Self-Care Program, IntelliCare for College Students: Single-Arm Pilot Study

Background In recent years, there has been an increase in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses in college student populations alongside a steady rise in the demand for counseling services. Digital mental health programs, such as those delivered through mobile apps, can add to the array of available services but must be tested for usability and acceptability before implementation. Objective This study aims to examine how students used IntelliCare for College Students over an 8-week period to examine the preliminary associations between app use and psychosocial targets and to gather user feedback about usability issues that need to be remedied before a larger implementation study. Methods IntelliCare for College Students is an app-based platform that provides symptom assessments with personalized feedback, information about campus resources, lessons on mental health and wellness topics, and access to the suite of interactive skill–focused IntelliCare apps. A total of 20 students were recruited to participate in an 8-week study. To test for a broad range of potential users, we recruited a mixed sample of students with elevated symptoms of depression or anxiety and students without elevated symptoms. Participants completed psychosocial questionnaires at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Participants also completed user feedback interviews at weeks 4 and 8 in which they provided feedback on their experience using the app and suggestions for changes they would like to be made to the app. Results Of the 20 students who downloaded the app, 19 completed the study, indicating a high rate of retention. Over the study period, participants completed an average of 5.85 (SD 2.1; range 1-8) symptom assessments. Significant improvements were observed in the Anxiety Literacy Questionnaire scores (Z=−2.006; P=.045) and in the frequency with which participants used both cognitive (Z=−2.091; P=.04) and behavioral (Z=−2.249; P=.03) coping skills. In the feedback interviews, we identified a high degree of usability with minor bugs in the app software, which were quickly fixed. Furthermore, in feedback interviews, we identified that users found the app to be convenient and appreciated the ability to use the program in short bursts of time. Conclusions The findings indicate that the IntelliCare for College Students program was perceived as largely usable and engaging. Although the program demonstrated usability and preliminary benefits to students, further testing is needed to determine its clinical utility among college students. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04035577; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04035577
A proof-of-concept study on the impact of a chronic pain and physical activity training workshop for exercise professionals

Abstract Objectives Physical activity is essential for long-term chronic pain management, yet individuals struggle to participate. Exercise professionals, including fitness instructors, and personal trainers, are preferred delivery agents for education and instruction on chronic pain, physical activity, and strategies to use adherence-promoting behavioral skills. However, exercise professionals receive no relevant training during certification or continuing education opportunities to effectively support their participants living with chronic pain. Based on the ORBIT model for early pre-efficacy phases of development and testing of new behavioral treatments, the present Phase IIa proof-of-concept study was conducted. The purpose was to examine the impacts of a newly developed chronic pain and physical activity training workshop on psychosocial outcomes among exercise professionals. Outcomes included knowledge and attitudes regarding chronic pain, attitudes and beliefs about the relationship between pain and impairment, and self-efficacy to educate and instruct participants with chronic pain. Methods Forty-eight exercise professionals (M age=44.4±11.0 years) participated in a three-hour, in-person workshop that was offered at one of four different locations. Participants completed pre- and post-workshop outcome assessment surveys. Results Mixed MANOVA results comparing time (pre- versus post-workshop) by workshop location (sites 1 to 4) illustrated a significant within-subjects time effect (p<0.001). All outcomes significantly improved from pre- to post-workshop (p′s<0.001), demonstrating large effect sizes (partial eta-squared values ranging from 0.45 to 0.59). Conclusions Findings offer early phase preliminary support for the effectiveness of the chronic pain and physical activity training workshop for exercise professionals. Based on ORBIT model recommendations, findings warrant future phased testing via a pilot randomized clinical trial as well as testing for impacts that trained professionals have on activity adherence among their clients living with chronic pain. Eventual workshop adoption by exercise professional certification organizations would ensure widespread and sustainable access to qualified exercise professionals to help individuals engage in physical activity. By increasing the capacity of available exercise professionals to deliver effective support, active individuals could better manage their chronic pain and live well.
Illicit Tobacco in Lithuania: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Taxation policies are the most cost-effective measure to reduce overall tobacco consumption. However, cigarettes in Lithuania are among the cheapest in the European Union. The threat of the illicit trade is often used to compromise evidence-based policies, pricing policies particularly. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of illicit cigarette consumption in Lithuania and identify the main characteristics of illicit cigarette smokers. The national cross-sectional survey with direct observation of the latest purchased pack of cigarettes was conducted between August and September 2019. In total, 1050 smokers aged ≥18 were interviewed face-to-face. The illicit share of the total consumption of cigarettes per year was 10.7% with 9.7% of smokers showing or describing illicit cigarette packs compared to 17% reported by industry-funded studies. Older smokers, smokers with lower education and heavy smokers were more likely to regularly purchase illicit cigarettes. The average price of an illicit pack was almost two times lower than licit. Although the illicit trade of tobacco products is a serious policy challenge, the threat of an increase in illicit trade should not delay tobacco taxation improvements.