Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exaggerated Cardiac Contractile Response to Hypoxia in Adults Born Preterm

Individuals born prematurely have smaller hearts, cardiac limitations to exercise, and increased overall cardiometabolic risk. The cardiac effects of acute hypoxia exposure as another physiologic stressor remain under explored. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of hypoxia on ventricular function in adults born preterm. Adults born moderately to extremely preterm (≤32 weeks gestation or <1500 g, N = 32) and born at term (N = 18) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging under normoxic (21% O2) and hypoxic (12% O2) conditions to assess cardiovascular function. In normoxia, cardiac function parameters were similar between groups. During hypoxia, the right ventricular (RV) contractile response was significantly greater in participants born premature, demonstrated by greater increases in RV ejection fraction (EF) (p = 0.002), ventricular-vascular coupling (VVC) (p = 0.004), and strain (p < 0.0001) measures compared to term-born participants, respectively. Left ventricular contractile reserve was similar to term-born participants. Adults born preterm exhibit an exaggerated contractile response to acute hypoxia, particularly in the RV. This suggests that adults born preterm may have contractile reserve, despite the lack of volume reserve identified in previous exercise studies. However, this exaggerated and hyper-adapted response may also increase their risk for late RV failure.
Maternal Supply of Fatty Acids during Late Gestation on Offspring’s Growth, Metabolism, and Carcass Characteristics in Sheep

Simple Summary Growth is an important factor that drives animal production, and it can be manipulated through maternal nutrition. In ruminants, previous studies suggested that maternal nutrition during late gestation with polyunsaturated fatty acids altered growth, energy metabolism, muscle development, and body composition of the offspring. This study investigates the effect of supplementing different sources of fatty acids during late gestation on offspring energy metabolism and growth during the finishing period. Maternal fatty acid supplementation during late gestation modified growth, insulin sensitivity, and hot carcass weight in lambs; these changes depended on the unsaturation degree of the fatty acid supplement and lamb sex. Hence, fatty acid supplementation of the gestating ewe can potentially have a lifelong impact on offspring’s growth performance and metabolism, and could be used as a possible management alternative to enhanced offspring productivity. Abstract Lambs born from dams supplemented with different sources of fatty acids (FA) during late gestation have a different growth rate and plasma glucose concentration. The main objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effect of supplementing different sources of FA during late gestation on offspring plasma metabolite concentrations, growth, and on a glucose tolerance test (GTT) during the finishing phase. Fifty-four lambs (18 pens, 3 lambs/pen) were born from ewes supplemented during late gestation with one of three treatments: (1) no FA (NF); (2) a source of monounsaturated FA (PDS, 1.01% of Ca salts); or (3) a source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (EDS, 1.01% of Ca salts containing). At birth (day 0), supplementation ceased, and all ewes and lambs were placed in a common pen. On day 60, lambs were weaned, grouped by sex, blocked by body weight (BW), and placed on a common finishing diet for 54 days (FP). One lamb per pen was used for the GTT after the FP. There was a tendency for FA × Sex × Day interaction (p = 0.08) on lamb growth during the finishing period, with PDS females being heavier than PDS males, while EDS males were heavier than EDS females at day 60. There was a tendency for FA × Sex interaction (p = 0.06) for plasma insulin concentration for the GTT. Plasma insulin concentration of wethers increased as FA unsaturation degree increased during the GTT; the opposite happened with the plasma insulin concentration of female lambs. In conclusion, FA supplementation during late gestation tended to modified growth and insulin response to a GTT; these changes differed with the degree of FA unsaturation of the supplement and lamb sex.
The Early Fragmentation of a Bovine Dermis-Derived Collagen Barrier Membrane Contributes to Transmembraneous Vascularization—A Possible Paradigm Shift for Guided Bone Regeneration

Collagen-based barrier membranes are an essential component in Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) procedures. They act as cell-occlusive devices that should maintain a micromilieu where bone tissue can grow, which in turn provides a stable bed for prosthetic implantation. However, the standing time of collagen membranes has been a challenging area, as native membranes are often prematurely resorbed. Therefore, consolidation techniques, such as chemical cross-linking, have been used to enhance the structural integrity of the membranes, and by consequence, their standing time. However, these techniques have cytotoxic tendencies and can cause exaggerated inflammation and in turn, premature resorption, and material failures. However, tissues from different extraction sites and animals are variably cross-linked. For the present in vivo study, a new collagen membrane based on bovine dermis was extracted and compared to a commercially available porcine-sourced collagen membrane extracted from the pericardium. The membranes were implanted in Wistar rats for up to 60 days. The analyses included well-established histopathological and histomorphometrical methods, including histochemical and immunohistochemical staining procedures, to detect M1- and M2-macrophages as well as blood vessels. Initially, the results showed that both membranes remained intact up to day 30, while the bovine membrane was fragmented at day 60 with granulation tissue infiltrating the implantation beds. In contrast, the porcine membrane remained stable without signs of material-dependent inflammatory processes. Therefore, the bovine membrane showed a special integration pattern as the fragments were found to be overlapping, providing secondary porosity in combination with a transmembraneous vascularization. Altogether, the bovine membrane showed comparable results to the porcine control group in terms of biocompatibility and standing time. Moreover, blood vessels were found within the bovine membranes, which can potentially serve as an additional functionality of barrier membranes that conventional barrier membranes do not provide.
SAFE: A Novel Microwave Imaging System Design for Breast Cancer Screening and Early Detection—Clinical Evaluation

SAFE (Scan and Find Early) is a novel microwave imaging device intended for breast cancer screening and early detection. SAFE is based on the use of harmless electromagnetic waves and can provide relevant initial diagnostic information without resorting to X-rays. Because of SAFE’s harmless effect on organic tissue, imaging can be performed repeatedly. In addition, the scanning process itself is not painful since breast compression is not required. Because of the absence of physical compression, SAFE can also detect tumors that are close to the thoracic wall. A total number of 115 patients underwent the SAFE scanning procedure, and the resultant images were compared with available magnetic resonance (MR), ultrasound, and mammography images in order to determine the correct detection rate. A sensitivity of 63% was achieved. Breast size influenced overall sensitivity, as sensitivity was lower in smaller breasts (51%) compared to larger ones (74%). Even though this is only a preliminary study, the results show promising concordance with clinical reports, thus encouraging further SAFE clinical studies.
The Phosphoarginine Phosphatase PtpB from Staphylococcus aureus Is Involved in Bacterial Stress Adaptation during Infection

Staphylococcus aureus continues to be a public health threat, especially in hospital settings. Studies aimed at deciphering the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie pathogenesis, host adaptation, and virulence are required to develop effective treatment strategies. Numerous host-pathogen interactions were found to be dependent on phosphatases-mediated regulation. This study focused on the analysis of the role of the low-molecular weight phosphatase PtpB, in particular, during infection. Deletion of ptpB in S. aureus strain SA564 significantly reduced the capacity of the mutant to withstand intracellular killing by THP-1 macrophages. When injected into normoglycemic C57BL/6 mice, the SA564 ΔptpB mutant displayed markedly reduced bacterial loads in liver and kidney tissues in a murine S. aureus abscess model when compared to the wild type. We also observed that PtpB phosphatase-activity was sensitive to oxidative stress. Our quantitative transcript analyses revealed that PtpB affects the transcription of various genes involved in oxidative stress adaptation and infectivity. Thus, this study disclosed first insights into the physiological role of PtpB during host interaction allowing us to link phosphatase-dependent regulation to oxidative bacterial stress adaptation during infection.
Activity Time Budgets—A Potential Tool to Monitor Equine Welfare?

Simple Summary Horses’ behavior is a good indicator of their welfare status. However, its complexity requires objective, quantifiable, and unambiguous evidence-based assessment criteria. As healthy, stress-free horses exhibit a highly repetitive daily routine, horses’ time budget (amount of time in a 24 h period spent on specific activities) can assist in equine welfare assessment. A systematic review of the literature yielded 12 papers that assessed equine time budgets for eating, resting and movement for a minimum of 24 continuous hours. A total of 144 horses (1–27 years old), 59 semi-feral and 85 domesticated horses, are included in this review. The reported 24 h time budgets for eating ranged from 10% to 66.6%, for resting from 8.1% to 66%, for lying from 2.7% to 27.3%, and for movement from 0.015% to 19.1%. The large variance in time budgets between studies can largely be attributed to differences in age and environmental conditions. Management interventions (free access to food, increased space, decreased population density) in domesticated horses yielded time budgets similar to semi-feral horses. The data support the importance of environmental conditions for horses’ well-being and the ability of time budgets to assist in monitoring horses’ welfare. Abstract Horses’ behavior can provide valuable insight into their subjective state and is thus a good indicator of welfare. However, its complexity requires objective, quantifiable, and unambiguous evidence-based assessment criteria. As healthy, stress-free horses exhibit a highly repetitive daily routine, temporal quantification of their behavioral activities (time budget analysis) can assist in equine welfare assessment. Therefore, the present systematic review aimed to provide an up-to-date analysis of equine time budget studies. A review of the literature yielded 12 papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria: assessment of equine time budgets for eating, resting and movement for a minimum of 24 continuous hours. A total of 144 horses (1–27 years old), 59 semi-feral and 85 domesticated horses, are included in this review. The 24 h time budgets for foraging or eating (10–6.6%), resting (8.1–66%), lying (2.7–27.3%), and locomotion (0.015–19.1%) showed large variance between studies, which can largely be attributed to differences in age and environmental conditions. Management interventions in domesticated horses (ad libitum access to food, increased space, decreased population density) resulted in time budgets similar to their (semi-)feral conspecifics, emphasizing the importance of environmental conditions and the ability of time budgets to assist in monitoring horses’ welfare.
Relation between Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Macronutrient Intakes in Normal and Excessive Body Weight Adolescent Girls with Clinical Features of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The impact of diet on inflammation and oxidative stress (OS) in girls with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unknown. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate, in PCOS girls, whether certain macronutrient intakes can be associated with these disturbances. For this purpose, 59 PCOS participants (aged 14–18 years) were recruited to this study and divided into two subgroups: overweight/obese—Ov/Ob group (n = 22) and normal weight—N group (n = 37). Nutrition was assessed using a 3-day food record. The studied markers were total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukins 1 and 6 (IL-1 and IL-6). We found plant protein intake inversely correlated with IL-6 (p = 0.007; r = −0.557), TNF-α (p = 0.006; r = −0.564), MDA (p = 0.01; r = −0.539) in the Ov/Ob group and with TAC (p = 0.021; r = −0.38) in the N group. Inverse correlations in the Ov/Ob group were observed between protein intake and IL-6 (p = 0.031; r = −0.461), TNF- α (p = 0.043; r = −0.435); carbohydrates and IL-6 (p = 0.037; r = −0.448), MDA (p = 0.045; r = −0.431); fiber and IL-6 (p = 0.025; r = −0.475). A positive relationship between cholesterol intake and CRP concentration (p = 0.038; r = 0.342) was also found in the N group. These findings revealed that inflammation and OS are increased in Ov/Ob girls with decreased plant protein intake and low carbohydrates in the diet. Moreover, inflammation may be increased by cholesterol intake in slim PCOS girls. On the other hand, decreased intake of fiber and total protein intake increased inflammation. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04738409.
Innovative Fermented Beverages Made with Red Rice, Barley, and Buckwheat

The increase in food intolerances, allergies, and food-based lifestyle choices has dramatically increased the consumer demand for healthy foods characterized by pleasant sensory traits. In such a context, innovative cereal-based beverages are characterized by high nutritional value, pleasant palatability, and potential healthy properties. In the present study, a pool of 23 lactic acid bacteria strains was preliminary assayed as monocultures for the fermentation of three ad hoc formulated cereal- (red rice and barley) and pseudocereal (buckwheat) -based substrates. Eight strains with the best performance in terms of acidification rate were selected for the formulation of three multiple strain cultures to be further exploited for the manufacture of laboratory-scale prototypes of fermented beverages. The compositional and microbiological features of the three experimental beverages highlighted their high biological value for further exploitation.
Heat Transfer Enhancement of Small-Diameter Two-Phase Closed Thermosyphon Using Cellulose Nanofiber and Hydrophilic Surface Modification

In this study, we observed the Geyser phenomenon that occurs in a small-diameter two-phase closed thermosyphon (confinement number of 0.245). This phenomenon interferes with the natural circulation of the internal working fluid and increases the thermal resistance of the system. This study attempts to improve the thermal performance of the system using cellulose nanofiber as the working fluid and hydrophilic surface modification at the inner surface of the evaporator section. As a result, the total thermal resistance showed average reduction rates of 47.51%, 36.69%, and 22.56% at filling ratios of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75, respectively.
Growth Arrest-Specific Gene 6 Administration Ameliorates Sepsis-Induced Organ Damage in Mice and Reduces ROS Formation In Vitro

Sepsis is a widespread life-threatening disease, with a high mortality rate due to inflammation-induced multiorgan failure (MOF). Thus, new effective modulators of the immune response are urgently needed to ameliorate the outcome of septic patients. As growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6)/Tyro3, Axl, MerTK (TAM) receptors signaling has shown immunomodulatory activity in sepsis, here we sought to determine whether Gas6 protein injection could mitigate MOF in a cecal slurry mouse model of sepsis. Mice, divided into different groups according to treatment—i.e., placebo (B), ampicillin (BA), Gas6 alone (BG), and ampicillin plus Gas6 (BAG)—were assessed for vitality, histopathology and cytokine expression profile as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), ALT and LDH levels. BAG-treated mice displayed milder kidney and lung damage and reduced levels of cytokine expression and iNOS in the lungs compared to BA-treated mice. Notably, BAG-treated mice showed lower LDH levels compared to controls. Lastly, BAG-treated cells of dendritic, endothelial or monocytic origin displayed reduced ROS formation and increased cell viability, with a marked upregulation of mitochondrial activity. Altogether, our findings indicate that combined treatment with Gas6 and antibiotics ameliorates sepsis-induced organ damage and reduces systemic LDH levels in mice, suggesting that Gas6 intravenous injection may be a viable therapeutic option in sepsis.
Influence of Overlap on Surface Quality in the Laser Polishing of 3D Printed Inconel 718 under the Effect of Air and Argon

Laser Polishing (LP) is a well-defined technology that has recently been applied to improve three-dimensional (3D) printed Inconel 718 (IN718) parts. However, the necessity to conduct the process in an argon chamber is one of its major drawbacks, which is associated with an increase in the costs of production and the limitations of the technology regarding the size of parts that can be polished. This article investigates the possibility to conduct LP of IN718 in an air atmosphere and compares the results with those from an argon chamber setup. The experiment was carried out in the context of the influence of overlap on the final surface. The improvement of surface quality was defined through the evaluation of average areal roughness parameters, material relocation, periodic surface components, and the categorization of process-induced structures. It was found that LP allows for the average roughness to be reduced by 82.8% and 87.9% for an air and argon atmosphere, respectively. The oxidation layer was characterized using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. The formation of overlap with regards to Ti and Al oxides had a vital influence on surface quality.
Crude Pectic Oligosaccharide Recovery from Thai Chok Anan Mango Peel Using Pectinolytic Enzyme Hydrolysis

Pectin recovered from mango peel biomass can be used as a potential source for pectic oligosaccharide hydrolysate with excellent probiotic growth-enhancing performance and prebiotic potentials. Consequently, the objectives of the current study were to optimise the enzyme hydrolysis treatment of mango peel pectin (MPP) and to evaluate the pectic oligosaccharide effects of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Bifidobacterium animalis TISTR 2195. Mango of “chok anan” variety was chosen due to its excessive volume of biomass in processing and high pectin content. The optimal treatment for mango peel pectic oligosaccharide (MPOS) valorisation was 24 h of fermentation with 0.3% (v/v) pectinase. This condition provided small oligosaccharides with the molecular weight of 643 Da that demonstrated the highest score of prebiotic activity for both of B. animalis TISTR 2195 (7.76) and L. reuteri DSM 17938 (6.87). The major sugar compositions of the oligosaccharide were fructose (24.41% (w/w)) and glucose (19.52% (w/w)). For the simulation of prebiotic fermentation, B. animalis TISTR 2195 showed higher proliferation in 4% (w/v) of MPOS supplemented (8.92 log CFU/mL) than that of L. reuteri (8.53 CFU/mL) at 72 h of the fermentation time. The main short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) derived from MPOS were acetic acid and propionic acid. The highest value of total SCFA was achieved from the 4% (w/v) MPOS supplementation for both of B. animalis (68.57 mM) and L. reuteri (69.15 mM). The result of this study therefore conclusively advises that MPOS is a novel pectic oligosaccharide resource providing the opportunity for the sustainable development approach through utilising by-products from the fruit industry.
A Validation Study of the Revised Caregiving Burden Instrument in Korean Family Caregivers of Stroke Survivors

Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the Caregiving Burden Instrument in Korean informal caregivers of stroke survivors. Methods: A descriptive survey design was used with a convenience sample of 208 primary caregivers of stroke survivors. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory and known-group analysis. Results: Each subscale and the total scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency reliability. Exploratory factor analysis identified five factors: family support, patient’s dependency, physical health, financial burden, and psychological health, which together accounted for 62.7% of the variance. Known-group analysis indicated that caregivers with more than one year of experience reported significantly higher mean scores for the total burden score and its five subscales compared to those with less than one year. Conclusions: This 23-item instrument demonstrates good internal consistency reliability and construct validity. The tool can be used to effectively assess burden in caregivers of stroke survivors and the data obtained can form the basis for the development of family interventions.
High-Throughput Screening of Psychotropic Compounds: Impacts on Swimming Behaviours in Artemia franciscana

Animal behaviour is becoming increasingly popular as an endpoint in ecotoxicology due to its increased sensitivity and speed compared to traditional endpoints. However, the widespread use of animal behaviours in environmental risk assessment is currently hindered by a lack of optimisation and standardisation of behavioural assays for model species. In this study, assays to assess swimming speed were developed for a model crustacean species, the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana. Preliminary works were performed to determine optimal arena size for this species, and weather lux used in the experiments had an impact on the animals phototactic response. Swimming speed was significantly lower in the smallest arena, whilst no difference was observed between the two larger arenas, suggesting that the small arena was limiting swimming ability. No significant difference was observed in attraction to light between high and low light intensities. Arena size had a significant impact on phototaxis behaviours. Large arenas resulted in animals spending more time in the light side of the arena compared to medium and small, irrespective of light intensity. The swimming speed assay was then used to expose specimens to a range of psychotropic compounds with varying modes of action. Results indicate that swimming speed provides a valid measure of the impacts of behaviour modulating compounds on A. franciscana. The psychotropic compounds tested varied in their impacts on animal behaviour. Fluoxetine resulted in increased swimming speed as has been found in other crustacean species, whilst oxazepam, venlafaxine and amitriptyline had no significant impacts on the behaviours measured. The results from this study suggest a simple, fast, high throughput assay for A. franciscana and gains insight on the impacts of a range of psychotropic compounds on the swimming behaviours of a model crustacean species used in ecotoxicology studies.