Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Not only metformin, but also D-allulose, alleviates metabolic disturbance and cognitive decline in prediabetic rats

ABSTRACT Background Prediabetes can be characterized as obesity with metabolic disturbance, leading to cognitive decline and brain pathologies. D-allulose administration in obese animals decreased metabolic disturbance. However, the comparative effects of D-allulose and metformin on cognition and brain functions in the diet-induced prediabetic condition are unclear. We assume that both D-allulose and metformin equally restore cognition and brain functions in prediabetic rats to an equal extent. Materials and methods Fifty-six rats were randomly divided into two groups: a control and diet-induced prediabetic group which had received a normal diet (ND) and a high-fat diet (HFD) for 24 weeks, respectively. After dietary protocol had been followed for 12 weeks, ND rats were given solely drinking water daily for 12 weeks. HFD-prediabetic rats randomly received drinking water with either D-allulose (1.9 g/kg/day of D-allulose) or metformin (300 mg/kg/day of metformin) for 12 weeks. Following this, cognition and brain parameters were determined. Results Brain oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, microglial hyper-activation, apoptosis, brain insulin insensitivity, hippocampal synaptic dysfunction, and cognitive decline were observed in prediabetic rats. D-allulose and metformin equally attenuated brain oxidative stress, brain mitochondrial ROS production, hippocampal apoptosis, brain insulin insensitivity, hippocampal synaptic dysfunction, resulting in improved learning process in prediabetic rats. Metformin conferred greater advantage on the amelioration of brain mitochondrial dysfunction and brain microglial hyper-activation than D-allulose, resulting in improvement in both learning and memory processes in prediabetic rats. Conclusions Not only metformin, but also D-allulose, has beneficial effects on the enhancement of brain function and cognition in prediabetic condition.
Model‐Informed Drug Development for Antimicrobials: Translational PK and PK/PD Modeling to Predict an Efficacious Human Dose for Apramycin

Apramycin represents a subclass of aminoglycoside antibiotics that has been shown to evade almost all mechanisms of clinically relevant aminoglycoside resistance. Model‐informed drug development may facilitate its transition from preclinical to clinical phase. This study explored the potential of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling to maximize the use of in vitro time‐kill and in vivo preclinical data for prediction of a human efficacious dose (HED) for apramycin. PK model parameters of apramycin from four different species (mouse, rat, guinea pig, and dog) were allometrically scaled to humans. A semimechanistic PK/PD model was developed from the rich in vitro data on four Escherichia coli strains and subsequently the sparse in vivo efficacy data on the same strains were integrated. An efficacious human dose was predicted from the PK/PD model and compared with the classical PK/PD index methodology and the aminoglycoside dose similarity. One‐compartment models described the PK data and human values for clearance and volume of distribution were predicted to 7.07 L/hour and 26.8 L, respectively. The required fAUC/MIC (area under the unbound drug concentration‐time curve over MIC ratio) targets for stasis and 1‐log kill in the thigh model were 34.5 and 76.2, respectively. The developed PK/PD model predicted the efficacy data well with strain‐specific differences in susceptibility, maximum bacterial load, and resistance development. All three dose prediction approaches supported an apramycin daily dose of 30 mg/kg for a typical adult patient. The results indicate that the mechanistic PK/PD modeling approach can be suitable for HED prediction and serves to efficiently integrate all available efficacy data with potential to improve predictive capacity.
Antibiotic use and prescription and its effects on Enterobacteriaceae in the gut in children with mild respiratory infections in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A prospective observational outpatient study

Background and objectives Treatment guidelines do not recommend antibiotic use for acute respiratory infections (ARI), except for streptococcal pharyngitis/tonsillitis and pneumonia. However, antibiotics are prescribed frequently for children with ARI, often in absence of evidence for bacterial infection. The objectives of this study were 1) to assess the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions for mild ARI in paediatric outpatients in relation to available guidelines and detected pathogens, 2) to assess antibiotic use on presentation using questionnaires and detection in urine 3) to assess the carriage rates and proportions of resistant intestinal Enterobacteriaceae before, during and after consultation. Materials and methods Patients were prospectively enrolled in Children’s Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and diagnoses, prescribed therapy and outcome were recorded on first visit and on follow-up after 7 days. Respiratory bacterial and viral pathogens were detected using molecular assays. Antibiotic use before presentation was assessed using questionnaires and urine HPLC. The impact of antibiotic usage on intestinal Enterobacteriaceae was assessed with semi-quantitative culture on agar with and without antibiotics on presentation and after 7 and 28 days. Results A total of 563 patients were enrolled between February 2009 and February 2010. Antibiotics were prescribed for all except 2 of 563 patients. The majority were 2nd and 3rd generation oral cephalosporins and amoxicillin with or without clavulanic acid. Respiratory viruses were detected in respiratory specimens of 72.5% of patients. Antibiotic use was considered inappropriate in 90.1% and 67.5%, based on guidelines and detected pathogens, respectively. On presentation parents reported antibiotic use for 22% of patients, 41% of parents did not know and 37% denied antibiotic use. Among these three groups, six commonly used antibiotics were detected with HPLC in patients’ urine in 49%, 40% and 14%, respectively. Temporary selection of 3rd generation cephalosporin resistant intestinal Enterobacteriaceae during antibiotic use was observed, with co-selection of resistance to aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones. Conclusions We report overuse and overprescription of antibiotics for uncomplicated ARI with selection of resistant intestinal Enterobacteriaceae, posing a risk for community transmission and persistence in a setting of a highly granular healthcare system and unrestricted access to antibiotics through private pharmacies. Registration This study was registered at the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number registry under number ISRCTN32862422: http://www.isrctn. com/ISRCTN32862422
Promoting Global Early Child Development Through Play: Two Sustainable, Effective Models

* Abbreviations: GS — : group sessions HV — : home visiting NE — : nutritional education Investment in early childhood development has been recognized as an effective strategy to improve long-term educational, health, and economic outcomes in children across the world.1,2 As such, research supporting the design of evidence-based sustainable early childhood development programs and public policies is critical. In this issue of Pediatrics , Grantham-McGregor et al3 report on a cluster randomized control trial in which the effectiveness of an early childhood development intervention in Odisha, India, was examined. Following a protocol previously adapted from the Reach Up and Learn program,4 the study authors aimed to compare 2 models for delivering the intervention: mother-child group sessions (GS) and home visiting (HV). In the intervention, researchers sought to support positive parent-child interactions through play. In addition, because of the high prevalence of poor nutrition in this community,4 nutritional education (NE) focused on the child’s diet, and family hygiene practices were also included within the study arms. In this study, 192 villages in Odisha were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: (1) control (not receiving any intervention), (2) NE (40-minute individual home visits), (3) NE + HV (60-minute individual home visits), and (4) NE + GS (90-minute mother-child GS). For 24 months, trained facilitators from the community conducted weekly … Address correspondence to Luciane da Rosa Piccolo, PhD, Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Ave, New York, NY 10016. E-mail: luciane.darosapiccolo{at}nyulangone.org
Junctional Localization of Septin 2 Is Required for Organization of Junctional Proteins in Static Endothelial Monolayers

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Objective: Septin 2 is localized at junctions in human microvascular endothelial monolayers. The junctional localization of septin 2 is necessary for organization of cell-cell adhesion proteins of endothelial cells. Approach and Results: Septin 2 was depleted at junctions by suppression of expression using shRNA, treatment with inflammatory cytokine, TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-α, and ectopic overexpression of septin 2 phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate binding mutant defect in interaction with plasma membrane. Under those conditions, organizations and expression levels of various junctional proteins were analyzed. Confocal images of immunofluorescence staining showed substantial disorganization of adherens junctional proteins, nectin-2 and afadin, TJP (tight junction protein), ZO (zonula occludens)-1, and intercellular adhesion protein, PECAM-1 (platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1). Immunoblots for those proteins did not show significant changes in expression except for nectin-2 that highly increased in expression. Significant differential gene expression profiles and biological pathway analysis by septin 2 suppression and by TNF-α treatment using RNA-seq showed common overlapping pathways. The commonalities in expression may be consistent with the similar effects on the overall organization of cell-cell adhesion proteins. Conclusions: Localization of septin 2 at cell junctions are required for the arrangement of junctional proteins and the integrity of the barrier formed by endothelial monolayers.
Invasive pneumococcal strain distributions and isolate clusters associated with persons experiencing homelessness during 2018.

OBJECTIVES We aimed to characterize invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) isolates collected from multistate surveillance in the USA during 2018 and examine within-serotype propensities of isolates to form related clusters. METHODS We predicted strain features using whole genome sequence obtained from 2885 IPD isolates obtained through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) that has a surveillance population of approximately 34.5 million individuals distributed among 10 states. Phylogenetic analysis was provided for serotypes accounting for >27 isolates. RESULTS Thirteen-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV13) serotypes together with 6C accounted for 23/105 (21.9%) of isolates from children aged <5 years and 820/2780 (29.5%) isolates from those aged >5 years. The most common serotypes from adult IPD isolates were serotypes 3 (413/2780, 14.9%), 22F (291/2780, 10.5%) and 9N (191/2780, 6.9%). Among children IPD isolates, serotypes 15BC (18/105, 17.1%), 3 (11/105, 10.5%) and 33F (10/105, 9.5%) were most common. Serotypes 4, 12F, 20, and 7F had the highest proportions of isolates that formed related clusters together with highest proportions of isolates from persons experiencing homelessness (PEH). Among 84 isolates from long-term care facilities, two instances of highly related isolate pairs from co-residents were identified. CONCLUSIONS Non-PCV13 serotypes accounted for more than 70% of IPD in ABCs, however PCV13 serotype 3 is the most common IPD serotype overall. Serotypes most common among PEH were more often associated with temporally related clusters identified both among PEH and among persons not reportedly experiencing homelessness.
Effect of bottle gourd leaf (Lagenaria siceraria) extract on the quality of beef meatball: bottle gourd leaf extract on meatball.

The experiment was conducted to find out the effect of different levels of bottle gourd leaf extraction on beef meatballs. Ground beef samples were divided into four treatment groups having bottle gourd leaf extracts as control T1 (0%), T2 (1%), T3 (2%), T4 (3%). Proximate analysis, sensory tests (color, flavor, tenderness, juiciness, and overall acceptability), cooking loss, pH value, free fatty acids (FFA), thiobarbituric acid values (TBARS), peroxide value (POV) and microbiological examination were determined. Days of intervals of experiment were 0, 15, 30 and 45 days. Data were analyzed using SAS Statistical software. DM content of all the treatment groups differ significantly (p<0.05). In contrast, DM content increased significantly (p<0.05) with the advancement of different days of intervals. The CP and EE content at different treatment levels differ significantly (p<0.05). The FFA, TBARs, POV values were decreased significantly (p<0.05). The color, flavor, tenderness, juiciness, overall acceptability, raw and cooked pH were increased at different treatment levels significantly (p<0.05). The cooking loss (%) with the advancement of days of intervals were differ significantly (p<0.05). TCC (log CFU/g) and TYMC (log CFU/g) were decreased significantly (p<0.05) at different treatment levels. Parameters studied showed that, 2% bottle gourd leaf extract added meat balls were the best quality, so it may be concluded that 2% bottle gourd leaf extract can be used in beef meatball as a source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agent to increase shelf-life of meatballs.
Patients’ Experiences of Comorbid HIV/AIDS and Diabetes Care and Management in Soweto, South Africa

More people with HIV live in South Africa than anywhere else in the world. As people with HIV increasingly confront comorbid conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, the need for integrated chronic care continues to grow. However, chronic care for patients with multimorbidities is limited in many public hospitals in South Africa. This ethnographic study describes patients’ experiences seeking care for comorbid HIV and diabetes at a public tertiary hospital in Soweto, South Africa, and self-management at home. Findings illustrate how fragmented care, multiple clinic appointments, conflicting information, and poor patient–provider communication impeded patients’ access to care for their multimorbidities. Socio-economic factors such as poverty, costly transport to the hospital, and food insecurity impeded management of multimorbidities. Integrated care for patients with multimorbidities in Soweto is imperative and must recognize the critical role social and economic conditions play in shaping the experiences of living with HIV, diabetes, and their overlap.
The Role and Function of Agricultural Extension

In the past, private advisors could be paid only by wealthier, more prosperous farmers and by corporate farms. With the trend towards privatization, the roles of public and private (commercial) extension has had to be redefined. Umali -Deininger (1997) suggested that where the knowledge being communicated is embedded in, or closely associated with, market goods (e.g. tractors, hybrid seeds, fertilizers etc.), the delivery of relevant advice can be left to the private sector, within an appropriate regulatory framework. However, where the technology or practice being promoted is associated with a toll good (such as farm management or marketing information), The Role and Function of Agricultural Extension Blum, A. , A. Lowengart-Aycicegi, and H. Magen.
PRIMITIVE NEUROECTODERMAL TUMOR (PNET) OF THE PROSTATE: CASE REPORT

The thoraco-abdomino-pelvic CT scan showed a voluminous process of the prostatic lodge measuring 15 cm and extending over 20 cm in height, containing large areas of necrosis, invading the lower bladder floor, the left ureter, the left external iliac vein and the pelvis by contiguity. Without metastasis sites, especially lung and bone. The initial biological assessment had objectified renal insufficiency, a bilateral nephrostomy was carried out with normalisation of the renal function, no other biological abnormalities were noted. The PSA level was normal at 0.8 ng/ml.
Crustal Deformation Model in Northeast Japan

We implement a 3-D viscoelastic finite element method (FEM) simulation based on the backslip model to understand the origin of geodetically observed crustal deformations in northeast Japan. The simulation results can explain the observed crustal deformation fairly well, assuming four tectonic sources: the subduction of the PAC and the AM, large interplate earthquakes that have occurred around northeast Japan since 1890 and the 1896 Riku-u earthquake. Considering the observed long-term horizontal strain rate, we found the possibility for a huge slow slip event with an inferred magnitude of 8.4 in the Japan Trench.
Combined effect of Beauveria bassiana (Deuteromycetes) with leaf extracts of Phlogocanthus thyrsiflorus Nees (Acanthaceae) on Pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the compatibility of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin with leaf extracts of Phlogocanthus thyrsiflorus and their combined effect on Callosobruchus chinensis (L.). In this research leaf extracts of P. thyrsiflorus with water, methanol, ethanol and petroleum ether at 5.00% concentration were studied for compatible with the entomopathogen.Compared to other solvent extracts, water extracts of P. thyrsiflorus was found to be compatible with B. bassiana (1x10 7 conidia/ml). The combination of B. bassiana and water extract of P. thyrsiflorus caused 100% mortality of C. chinensis on 9days after treatment. Keyword: Compatibility, Beauveria bassiana, Phlogocanthus thyrsiflorus, Combined effect,
Using environmental DNA for the detection of Schistosoma mansoni: toward improved environmental surveillance of schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is a waterborne, infectious disease with high morbidity and significant economic burdens affecting more than 250 million people globally. Disease control has, with notable success, for decades focused on drug treatment of infected human populations, but a recent paradigm shift now entails moving from control to elimination. To achieve this ambitious goal more sensitive diagnostic tools are needed to monitor progress towards transmission interruption in the environment, especially in low-intensity infection areas. We report on the development of an environmental DNA (eDNA) based tool to efficiently detect DNA traces of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni directly in the aquatic environment, where the non-human part of the parasite life cycle occurs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the successful detection of S. mansoni in freshwater samples using aquatic eDNA. True eDNA was detected in as few as 10 cercariae/L water in laboratory experiments. The field applicability of the method was tested at known transmission sites in Kenya, where comparison of schistosome detection by conventional snail surveys (snail collection and cercariae shedding) with eDNA (water samples) showed 71% agreement between the methods. The eDNA method furthermore detected schistosome presence at two additional sites where snail shedding failed, demonstrating a higher sensitivity of eDNA sampling. We conclude that eDNA provides a promising new tool to significantly improve the environmental surveillance of S. mansoni. Given the proper method and guideline development, eDNA could become an essential future component of the schistosomiasis control tool box needed to achieve the goal of elimination. Significance Accurate detection and delineation of schistosomiasis transmission sites will be vital in on-going efforts to control and ultimately eliminate one of the most neglected tropical parasitic diseases affecting more than 250 million people worldwide. Conventional methods to detect parasites in the environment are cumbersome and have low sensitivity. We therefore developed an environmental DNA (eDNA) based method for schistosome detection in aquatic environments. Aquatic eDNA showed higher sensitivity than conventional snail surveys. We conclude that eDNA is a promising non-invasive and sensitive tool for environmental surveillance of schistosomiasis transmission. As the efforts and aims to control the disease are transitioning towards complete transmission interruption, this could be the robust and cost-effective surveillance tool needed in the “end game” of schistosomiasis.
RETURNS AND LEVERAGE

We thank Sean Holly for his technical expertise and ssistance. We would also like to thank Ben Nowman for his useful comments and suggestions on t his and earlier versions of the paper. All remaining errors are ours. * E-mail: r.adami@wmin.ac. uk, Tel: + 44 (0)20 7911 5000 Ext 3326, Fax: +44(0)20 7911 5839; **Email:o.gough@wmin.ac. uk, Tel:+ 44 (0)20 7911 50 00 Ext 3012 Fax: +44(0)20 7911 5839; *** Email: g.muradoglu@city.ac. uk , Tel+44(0)20 7040 0124 Fax: +44(0)20 7040 8881; ****Email:sivaprs@wmin.ac. uk, Tel: +44 (0) 44 (0)20 7911 5000 Ext 3157, Fax: +44(0)20 7911 5839. 2010 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-9
Affirmative Algorithms: The Legal Grounds for Fairness as Awareness

While there has been a flurry of research in algorithmic fairness, what is less recognized is that modern antidiscrimination law may prohibit the adoption of such techniques. We make three contributions. First, we discuss how such approaches will likely be deemed"algorithmic affirmative action,"posing serious legal risks of violating equal protection, particularly under the higher education jurisprudence. Such cases have increasingly turned toward anticlassification, demanding"individualized consideration"and barring formal, quantitative weights for race regardless of purpose. This case law is hence fundamentally incompatible with fairness in machine learning. Second, we argue that the government-contracting cases offer an alternative grounding for algorithmic fairness, as these cases permit explicit and quantitative race-based remedies based on historical discrimination by the actor. Third, while limited, this doctrinal approach also guides the future of algorithmic fairness, mandating that adjustments be calibrated to the entity's responsibility for historical discrimination causing present-day disparities. The contractor cases provide a legally viable path for algorithmic fairness under current constitutional doctrine but call for more research at the intersection of algorithmic fairness and causal inference to ensure that bias mitigation is tailored to specific causes and mechanisms of bias.