Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Preterm Birth among Mothers Who Gave Birth in Dilla University Referral Hospital, Southern Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study

Globally, every year, 1.1 million newborns die due to prematurity. In Ethiopia, 320,000 preterm births occur each year; out of these, 24,400 deaths were due to preterm complications. However, there is little evidence about preterm birth in the study area. Therefore, this study provides an important direction for health professionals, health programmers, and researchers. A facility-based unmatched case-control study design was employed among 244 women (61 cases and 183 controls) who gave birth in Dilla University Referral Hospital and were selected with purposive sampling. The bivariate and multivariable logistic regression model was used to select independent predictors of preterm birth. The multivariate analysis was used, and the results were interpreted using an adjusted odds ratio at 95% confidence interval and statistically significant level at a P value less than 0.05. A total of 240 mothers (60 cases and 180 controls) were included in the study with a 98.3% response rate. Factors like attending secondary educational and above [adjusted odd ratio (aOR) = 0.07 (0.08-0.65)] and attending antenatal care [aOR = 0.41 (0.18-0.93)] were protective whereas having urinary tract infection [aOR = 3.6 (1.1-11)], having human immune virus diseases [aOR = 4.2 (0.9-18)], having a history of abortion [aOR = 2.3 (1.1-5)], having a history of preterm delivery [aOR = 5 (1.6-15)], and having hypertensive disorders of pregnancy [aOR = 5 (1.9-13)] were significantly associated risk factors for preterm birth. The main determinant factors for preterm birth are having antenatal care follow-up, attending secondary education and above, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, having HIV/AIDS, and history of abortion. This shows a need to strengthen female education; screen mothers for HIV/AIDS, urinary tract infection, and hypertension; and strengthen nutritional counseling, during ANC visits.
Floc Roll-Up and Its Implications for the Spacing of Inclined Settling Devices

Abstract Inclined plate and tube settlers are commonly used to make sedimentation tanks more compact. Conventional design equations for inclined settling devices are based on obtaining a desired particle capture velocity; these equations suggest that a suitable capture velocity can be achieved by reducing plate settler spacing or tube settler diameter below that specified in conventional design guidelines. Smaller spacing would reduce capital costs by decreasing the sedimentation tank volume. However, existing literature does not explain why smaller values of plate or tube spacing cannot be used, and failure mechanisms that set the minimum spacing recommended in design practice have not been documented. This research shows that the fluid velocity gradient at the tube or plate surface is the limiting constraint for spacing, and for very small spacing, particles that settle on the solid surface are carried up the incline. This failure mode, termed “floc roll-up,” occurs when the terminal velocity of a floc .
High Expression of COL17A1 Predicts Poor Prognosis and Promotes the Tumor Progression via NF-κB Pathway in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

COL17A1 (collagen type XVII alpha 1 chain) is known to be upregulated and has a prognostic role in many malignancies, as well as contributing to cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion. However, little knowledge is available on the expression and prognostic value of COL17A1 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In our study, we searched the public database and found that mRNA and protein levels of COL17A1 are commonly upregulated in PDAC tissues. The immunohistochemical analysis conducted by us revealed enhanced expression of COL17A1 protein in 169 PDAC samples compared with that in 67 adjacent normal tissues. We also observed a significantly positive correlation between COL17A1 expression and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.0001), TNM clinical stage (p < 0.0001), and pathology differentiation (p < 0.01). The KM-plot results indicated that PDAC patients with a high COL17A1 expression have a poorer overall survival (p < 0.001) than those with a low COL17A1 expression. The result of the Cox regression analysis of multivariate data suggested COL17A1 is an independent prognostic indicator of PDAC patients' overall survival. CCK-8, wound healing, and transwell assays suggested that COL17A1 knockdown markedly inhibited tumor proliferation and invasion in PDAC cells, and cells with COL17A1 overexpression had a prominently higher proliferative and invasive capacity. Knockdown of COL17A1 significantly upregulated the apoptosis rate. We deduce that upregulated COL17A1 activated the NF-κB pathway in PDAC cells. In summary, our studies showed the prognostic value of COL17A1 in PDAC and that COL17A1 may act as a molecular therapeutic target for PDAC treatment.
Olaquindox-Induced Liver Damage Involved the Crosstalk of Oxidative Stress and p53 In Vivo and In Vitro

Olaquindox (OLA), a member of the quinoxaline-N,N-dioxide family, has been widely used as a growth-promoting feed additive and treatment for bacterial infections. The toxicity has been a major concern, and the precise molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. The present study was aimed at investigating the roles of oxidative stress and p53 in OLA-caused liver damage. In a mouse model, OLA administration could markedly cause liver injury as well as the induction of oxidative stress and activation of p53. Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) inhibited OLA-induced oxidative stress and p53 activation in vivo. Furthermore, knockout of the p53 gene could significantly inhibit OLA-induced liver damage by inhibiting oxidative stress and the mitochondria apoptotic pathway, compared to the p53 wild-type liver tissue. The cell model in vitro further demonstrated that p53 knockout or knockdown in the HCT116 cell and L02 cell significantly inhibited cell apoptosis and increased cell viability, presented by suppressing ROS production, oxidative stress, and the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Moreover, loss of p53 decreased OLA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase activations, with the evidence of inhibited activation of phosphorylation- (p-) p38 and p-JNK and upregulated cell autophagy via activation of the LC3 and Beclin1 pathway in HCT116 and L02 cells. Taken together, our findings provided a support that p53 primarily played a proapoptotic role in OLA-induced liver damage against oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, which were largely dependent on suppression of the JNK/p38 pathway and upregulation of the autophagy pathway via activation of LC3 and Beclin1.
Genetic prediction for first-service conception rate in Angus heifers using a random regression model

© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact journals.permissions@oup.com Transl. Anim. Sci. 2020.4:S43–S47 doi: 10.1093/tas/txaa094
MicroRNA-361-5p Inhibits Tumorigenesis and the EMT of HCC by Targeting Twist1

MicroRNA-361-5p (miR-361-5p) is a tumor suppressor miRNA that is dysregulated in several types of human cancer. However, the functional significance of miR-361-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. This study explored the biological function of miR-361-5p in regulating the progression of HCC and the underlying molecular mechanism. RT-qPCR analysis showed that miR-361-5p was downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Functional analysis revealed that miR-361-5p acted as a tumor suppressor, inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC cell lines. Bioinformatics analyses identified Twist1 as a direct target of miR-361-5p, which was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assays, RT-qPCR, and western blotting. Rescue experiments indicated that Twist1 may mediate the tumor-suppressive effect of miR-361-5p in HCC cells, and this was supported by the effect of miR-361-5p on inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by targeting Twist1. This study is the first to suggest that miR-361-5p inhibits tumorigenesis and EMT in HCC by targeting Twist1. These findings are valuable for the diagnosis and clinical management of HCC.
Reconstruction of Alzheimer's Disease Cell Model In Vitro via Extracted Peripheral Blood Molecular Cells from a Sporadic Patient

The establishment of human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models from sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD) patients is necessary and could potentially benefit research into disease etiology and therapeutic strategies. However, the development of sAD iPSC models is still limited due to the multifactorial nature of the disease. Here, we extracted peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a patient with sAD and induced them into iPSC by introducing the Sendai virus expressing Oct3/4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4, which were subsequently induced into neural cells to build the cell model of AD. Using alkaline phosphatase staining, immunofluorescence staining, karyotype analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and teratoma formation in vitro, we demonstrated that the iPSC derived from PMBCs (PBMC-iPSC) had a normal karyotype and potential to differentiate into three embryonic layers. Immunofluorescence staining and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) suggested that PBMC-iPSCs were successfully differentiated into neural cells. Detection of beta-amyloid protein oligomer (AβO), beta-amyloid protein 1-40 (Aβ 1-40), and beta-amyloid protein 1-42 (Aβ 1-42) indicated that the AD cell model was satisfactorily constructed in vitro. In conclusion, this study has successfully generated an AD cell model with pathological features of beta-amyloid peptide deposition using PBMC from a patient with sAD.
Identifying the commonly used antibiotics for self-medication in urban Mozambique: a qualitative study

Objectives The study aimed at identifying the commonly used non-prescribed antibiotics (NPAs) and the main health conditions leading to the practices of self-medication with antibiotics (SMAs) in Maputo city, Mozambique. Design Cross-sectional qualitative study based on individual and group interviews. Setting The study was conducted in nine pharmacies of three socioeconomic areas of Maputo city, from October 2018 to March 2019. Participants The study included 32 pharmacy clients and 17 pharmacists. The pharmacy clients included men 10 (31%) and women 22 (69%) ranging from 19 to 67 years while the pharmacists included men 6 (35,3%) and women 11 (64,7%) with ages ranging from 24 to 47 years. Findings The majority of the pharmacy clients 30 (93.75%) admitted frequent use of NPAs, 15 (88.2%) out of the 17 pharmacists admitted dispensing NPAs. While the majority of the participants (16) mentioned the use of amoxicillin, also known as ‘two colours medicine’, 14 mentioned the use of cotrimoxazole and seven mentioned amoxicillin with clavulanic acid. Two to five participants also used tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, metronidazole and phenoxymethylpenicillin. The above mentioned NPAs were used to treat self-perceived sore throat, fever, pain, cough, vaginal discharge, eye problems, the common influenza, urinary infections, respiratory tract infections, wounds and toothaches. Conclusions Antibiotics are perceived as essential medical resources to manage health and illnesses. While taking an active role in their health-disease process, participants commonly used amoxicillin, ‘two colours’, cotrimoxazole and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid to manage their health and that of their families. In this sense, the practices of SMAs were perceived as part of the self-care process and not necessarily as misuse of antibiotics. A wideunderstanding of health-seeking beliefs and behaviours regarding the utilisation of antibiotics is needed to inform public health experts, health policymakers and other stake-holders in designing and implementing public health education and health promotion programsat all levels in Mozambique.
Fetal and Postnatal Nicotine Exposure Modifies Maturation of Gonocytes to Spermatogonia in Mice

Studies in laboratory animals have shown that male offspring from dams, exposed to nicotine during pregnancy and postnatal periods, show alterations in fertility, although the origin of this is still uncertain. In this study, we examined in a mouse model if the process of gonocyte maturation to spermatogonia was affected in male offspring from dams with nicotine administration during pregnancy and postnatal periods. BALB/C mice, with and without nicotine administrations in pregnancy and postnatal periods, were studied. The animals were euthanized at 3, 7, 10, 16, and 35 days postpartum (dpp). Testicular tissue samples were processed for histological, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical studies; and testicular lipoperoxidation was determined. It was observed that in the nicotine-exposed animals, there was increased apoptosis and a reduction in the number of gonocytes that matured to spermatogonia. This gonocyte-spermatogonia maturation reduction was associated with a greater immunoreactivity to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the germ cells. Lipoperoxidation was similar in both groups until 16 dpp, with significant reduction at 35 dpp. Our findings suggest that nicotine intake during pregnancy and postnatal periods can affect the process of maturation of gonocytes to spermatogonia and the pool of available spermatogonia for spermatogenesis.
Clinical Study of Three-Dimensional Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy for the Treatment of Highly Complex Renal Tumors with RENAL Nephrometry Scores of ≥10 Points

Aims To examine the safety and feasibility of three-dimensional (3-D) laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for clinically complex renal tumors. Materials and Methods We retrospectively evaluated 76 patients who underwent a 3-D (n = 42; age, 54.6 ± 12.2 years) or two-dimensional (2-D) laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (n = 34; age, 54.8 ± 13.2 years) for renal tumors with RENAL nephrectomy scores of ≥10 points from the same surgical group between January 2017 and April 2020 in Ningbo Urology and Nephrology Hospital. Mean tumor diameter, operation time, warm ischemic time, amount of intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospitalization time, hospitalization cost, perioperative complication rate, and renal function were compared. Results The operation time (154.6 ± 45.1 min) and warm ischemic time (22.5 ± 6.8 min) in the 3-D laparoscopic group were significantly lower than those in the 2-D laparoscopic group (193.0 ± 59.2 min, p = 0.001 and 28.7 ± 7.8 min, p = 0.0002, respectively). No significant differences in amount of intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.642), length of postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.541), perioperative complication rate (p = 0.860), total hospital cost (p = 0.641), and renal function changes including estimated glomerular filtration rate and serum creatinine (p > 0.05) were found between the two groups. Conclusion Our preliminary experience showed that the 3-D laparoscopic imaging system significantly shortened the operation and renal ischemic times, which are more conducive to partial resection of highly complex renal tumors.
Bisphenol A and Its Analogues in Chinese Total Diets: Contaminated Levels and Risk Assessment

Bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues (BPs) are suspected posing potential endocrine disrupting properties. They might migrate into foodstuffs through food packaging materials or contaminated water and soil. Dietary exposure is of paramount importance way for human health. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) lowered the value of tolerable daily intake (TDI) from 50 μg/kg bw/day (d) to a temporary (t) TDI (t-TDI) of 4 μg/kg bw/d. In this study, the Chinese total dietary samples were analyzed for assessing the exposure risk of BPs by diets. BPA, bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol AF (BPAF) were found in 12 kinds of food samples except for bisphenol B (BPB). A deterministic approach was used to calculate the dietary intakes of 4 kinds of compounds. For different age and gender groups, the exposure levels of BPA (178.440-403.672 ng/kg bw/d) was the highest, followed by BPS (21.372-52.112 ng/kg bw/d), BPF (20.641-50.507 ng/kg bw/d), and BPAF (0.434-1.210 ng/kg bw/d). Based on the t-TDI set by EFSA (4 μg/kg bw/d for BPA), the BPs through dietary intake pose low risks on the Chinese general population even summarization exposure levels of different BPs. However, human can be exposed to multiple endocrine disrupting chemicals rather than BPs alone; combined exposure risks should be further considered.
Identification of Nitrogen Fixation Genes in Lactococcus Isolated from Maize Using Population Genomics and Machine Learning

Sierra Mixe maize is a landrace variety from Oaxaca, Mexico, that utilizes nitrogen derived from the atmosphere via an undefined nitrogen fixation mechanism. The diazotrophic microbiota associated with the plant’s mucilaginous aerial root exudate composed of complex carbohydrates was previously identified and characterized by our group where we found 23 lactococci capable of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) without containing any of the proposed essential genes for this trait (nifHDKENB). To determine the genes in Lactococcus associated with this phenotype, we selected 70 lactococci from the dairy industry that are not known to be diazotrophic to conduct a comparative population genomic analysis. This showed that the diazotrophic lactococcal genomes were distinctly different from the dairy isolates. Examining the pangenome followed by genome-wide association study and machine learning identified genes with the functions needed for BNF in the maize isolates that were absent from the dairy isolates. Many of the putative genes received an ‘unknown’ annotation, which led to the domain analysis of the 135 homologs. This revealed genes with molecular functions needed for BNF, including mucilage carbohydrate catabolism, glycan-mediated host adhesion, iron/siderophore utilization, and oxidation/reduction control. This is the first report of this pathway in this organism to underpin BNF. Consequently, we proposed a model needed for BNF in lactococci that plausibly accounts for BNF in the absence of the nif operon in this organism.
Distinct Associations of Cognitive Impairments and Reduced Gray Matter Volumes in Remitted Patients with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

Background Cognitive impairments are documented in schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) and may be related to gray matter volumes (GMVs). Thus, this study is aimed at exploring whether the association between cognitive impairments and GMV alterations is similar in patients with SZ and BD and understanding the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Methods A total of 137 adult subjects (46 with SZ, 35 with BD, and 56 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HC)) completed the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) and structural magnetic resonance imaging scanning. We performed group comparisons of the cognitive impairments, the GMV alterations, and the association between them. Results Compared with HC, the patients with SZ and BD showed shared deficits in 4 cognitive domains (i.e., processing speed, working memory, problem solving, and social cognition) and the composite. SZ and BD had commonly decreased GMVs, mainly in the insula, superior temporal pole, amygdala, anterior cingulate, and frontal cortices (superior, middle, opercular inferior, and orbital frontal gyrus). No correlation between MCCB scores and GMVs was detected in SZ. However, for BD, working memory was relevant to the right hemisphere (i.e., right insula, amygdala, superior temporal pole, and medial and dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus). Limitations. The major limitations were that not all patients were the first-episode status and no medication. Conclusions The association was mainly limited to the BD group. Thus, the underlying pathophysiology of the cognitive deficits, in terms of GMV alterations, may be diverse between two disorders.
Effect of Direct and Indirect Materials on Stress Distribution in Class II MOD Restorations: A 3D-Finite Element Analysis Study

The aim of this study is to investigate the stress distributions of different restoration options for class II mesio-occluso-distal (MOD) cavities. A class II MOD cavity with proximal box gingival floor 1 mm below cementoenamel junction was designed in a mandibular first molar tooth model. 3D finite-element analysis (FEA) and 3D-CAD modelling were used to examine the occlusal stresses distributed to the remaining buccal enamel (RBE), remaining lingual enamel (RLE), adhesive surfaces, and restorative materials by direct and indirect materials resulting from a 600 N of static occlusal load stimulating foodstuff. von Mises (VM) and maximum principal (Pmax) stresses were evaluated for two CAD/CAM materials and three direct materials. CAD/CAM materials exerted less stress than the direct restorative materials. Significant von Mises and Pmax stress value differences were seen among all restoration models on RBE. Reducing RLE and including it into the cavity would be a more effective option for this model in this scenario. As VM and Pmax stresses of PIHC CAD/CAM material for RBE and dentin were significantly lower than other tested materials, it may be the choice of material for indirect MOD restorations.
Effects of Anticoagulants on Experimental Models of Established Chronic Liver Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective The role of anticoagulants in chronic liver diseases is inconclusive. A meta-analysis was thus undertaken to evaluate treatment-related survival and antifibrotic effects in animal models of chronic liver diseases. Methods A systematic search of the literature took place (up to November 2020), screening for preclinical studies that evaluated anticoagulant effects in animal models of chronic liver diseases. We assessed the quality of methods and the certainty of evidence. Data on outcomes were extracted and pooled into random-effects models. Results Sixteen studies proved eligible, each assessing anticoagulant use in animals with chronic liver diseases. Generally, the pooled evidence demonstrated that the administration of anticoagulants is preventive against fibrogenesis, as indicated by METAVIR fibrosis scores (risk ratio = 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.47 to 0.94), portal pressure determinations (mean difference = −1.39, 95% confidence interval: −2.33 to −0.44), inflammatory activity (mean difference = −169.69, 95% confidence interval: −257.64 to −81.74), and indices of hepatic injury, specifically alanine aminotransferase (mean difference = −82.7, 95% confidence interval: −107.36 to −58.04), aspartate aminotransferase (mean difference = −186.12, 95% confidence interval: −254.90 to −117.33), albumin (mean difference = 0.59, 95% confidence interval: 0.16 to 1.01), and total bilirubin (mean difference = −0.96, 95% confidence interval: −1.46 to −0.46), and it had no impact on animal survival (risk ratio = 1.03, 95% confidence interval: 0.94 to 1.13). Conclusions Our assessments indicate that in animal models of chronic liver diseases, anticoagulants may alleviate the degree of fibrosis evaluated by the METAVIR score system, portal pressure, inflammatory activity, and serum indices of hepatocellular injury, without impacting survival. High-quality experimental studies are still required.