Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Delivery mode-associated gut microbiota in the first 3 months of life in a country with high obesity rates

Abstract Delivery methods during childbirth and their related gut microbiota profiles have important impacts on health later in life, they can contribute to the development of diseases such as obesity, whose highest prevalence rate is found among the Mexican child population. Coincidentally, Mexico has one of the highest global average annual rate increase in cesarean births (C-section). Since Mexico leads the world in childhood obesity, studying the relationship between childbirth delivery methods and gut microbiota profiles in this vulnerable population may be used to identify early risk factors for obesity in other developed and developing countries. The objective of this study is to determine the association between child delivery method and gut microbiota profiles in healthy Mexican newborns. Fecal samples of 57 term infants who participated in a randomized clinical trial in 2013 to study the safety of Agave fructans in newborns, were used in this study. DNA samples were extracted and used to characterize the microbiota composition using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The samples were further divided based on childbirth delivery method, as well as early diet. Gut microbiota profiles were determined and analyzed using cluster analysis followed by multiple correspondence analysis. An unusual high abundance of Proteobacteria was found in the gut microbiota of all Mexican infants studied, regardless of delivery method. Feces from infants born by C-section had low levels of Bacteroidetes, high levels of Firmicutes, especially Clostridium and Enterococcus, and a strikingly high ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F:B). Profiles enriched in Bacteroidetes and low F:B ratios, were strongly associated with vaginal delivery. The profile of gut microbiota associated with feces from Mexican infants born by C-section, may be added to the list of boosting factors for the worrying obesity epidemic in Mexico.
Assessing the Impact of Tin and TBT in Estuaries and Coastal Regions

Research during the last few years has demonstrated the toxic nature of tributyltin (TBT), particularly to molluscs. In the UK this has led to restrictions on the uses of TBT in antifouling preparations, initially in an attempt to achieve an environmental quality target (EQT) of 20ng l-1, and subsequently one of 2 ng l-1. No equivalent target has been set for sediments and to date the bioavailability and effects of tin compounds (inorganic and organic) associated with particulates are largely unknown. The results presented here demonstrate the exceptionally high bioavailability of sediment-bound TBT, relative to inorganic tin, notably among estuarine sediment-dwelling species such as the clam, Scrobicularia plana (da Costa). Despite strong evidence of impact at contaminated sites, proof that sediment-bound TBT is the sole cause of detrimental effects in clams is, however, still required. In contrast, measurement of TBT-induced reproductive abnormalities in dogwhelks, Nucella lapillus (L.), provides an extremely specific and sensitive means of monitoring the biological impact of this contaminant in coastal waters. Application of such indices in a TBT-polluted area of the south coast of England is discussed. Key-words: Bioavailability, estuaries, imposex, metals, Nucella, pollution, sediments, tin, toxicity, TBT
Fentanyl Plasma Concentrations after Application of a Transdermal Patch in Three Different Locations to Refine Postoperative Pain Management in Rabbits

Simple Summary Fentanyl patches offer “stress free” postoperative pain management in rabbits. It has been shown that fentanyl uptake is dependent on exogenous and endogenous factors of the area where the patch is applied. The purpose of the study was to investigate three different locations (neck, inner and outer surface of the ear) to obtain reliable fentanyl plasma concentrations above those previously shown to be analgesic. The fentanyl plasma concentration was measured at several time points after patch application. In addition, the practicability of the proposed methods was evaluated. The group with application on the neck had the fastest uptake and equal to or over the analgesic plasma concentration for up to 72 h. The outer surface of the ear had slightly slower uptake and shorter analgesic duration whereas fentanyl uptake at the inner surface of the ear was insufficient to provide plasma analgesic concentration. The preparation of the neck proved to be the most laborious because of the thin and dense fur and the removal of the patch resulted in erythema. In conclusion, depending on how long potent analgesia is required, either the neck or the outer surface of the ear are suitable for patch application enabling “stress free” and reliable postoperative analgesia in rabbits. Abstract Transdermal patches allow a noninvasive and “stress free” analgesia in rabbits. As fentanyl uptake is dependent on exogenous and endogenous factors of the area where the patch is applied, this study investigated three different locations (neck, inner and outer surfaces of the ear) for fentanyl patch application to provide adequate and reliable fentanyl plasma concentrations above those previously shown to be analgesic. Fentanyl plasma concentration was measured at different time points (3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120 h) and rabbits were assessed for their general conditions and treatment-related side effects. Practicability of the proposed methods was evaluated. Following patch application on the neck, fentanyl plasma concentrations equal to or above the analgesic value were measured in all rabbits between 6 and 72 h. Comparable concentrations were reached between 9 and 48 h in all animals for the outer ear surface. However, for the inner ear surface, analgesic concentrations were not reached, even if practicability was considered the best for this location. Preparation of the neck skin was judged as the most cumbersome due to the clipping of the dense fur and patch removal resulted in erythema. In summary, the application of the fentanyl patch on the neck and outer ear surface allowed the reach of reliable plasma concentrations above the analgesic threshold in rabbits. When applied on the neck, fentanyl patches provided the longest duration of analgesic plasma concentrations, whereas patch application and removal were easier on the outer ear surface.
Automatic Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy Gait Using Computational Intelligence Techniques: A Low-Cost Multi-Sensor Approach

Automatic diagnosing of Cerebral Palsy (CP) gait is crucial in quantitative evaluation of a therapeutic intervention. Existing systems for such gait assessment are expensive and require user intervention. This study proposes a low-cost gait assessment system equipped with multiple Kinect sensors. Forty subjects (20 CP patients and 20 normal) were recruited for the experiment. To remove outlier frames from the combined gait signal of multiple sensors a data driven algorithm was proposed. Different supervised classifiers along with extreme learning machine were investigated to diagnose CP gait. In addition, a feature level analysis was also performed. Several spatio-temporal features (i.e. step length, stride length, stride time, etc.) were extracted. The strength of walking ratio, a speed invariant feature, to detect CP gait was thoroughly analyzed. The proposed system outperformed state-of-the-art with ≈98% of accuracy (sensitivity: 100%, and specificity: 96.87%). Results indicate a substantial improvement in abnormality detection performance after outlier removal. Based on ReliefF feature ranking algorithm, walking ratio ranked the best among other classical gait features. Performance of all classifiers increased substantially using walking ratio as a feature. Extreme learning machine demonstrated a competing performance in all cases. The higher classification accuracy of this low-cost system using only a single feature makes it attractive for CP gait detection.
Developmentally-programmed cellular senescence is conserved and widespread in zebrafish

Cellular senescence is considered a stress response imposing a stable cell cycle arrest to restrict the growth of damaged cells. More recently however, cellular senescence was identified during mouse embryo development at particular structures during specific periods of time. This programmed cell senescence has been proposed to serve developmental and morphogenetic functions and to potentially represent an evolutionary origin of senescence. Cellular senescence has also been described to take place during bird (chick and quail) and amphibian (xenopus and axoltl) development. Fish however, have been described to show a very narrow and restricted pattern of developmental cell senescence. Here we carried out a detailed characterization of senescence during zebrafish development and found it to be conserved and widespread. Apart from yolk and cloaca, previously described structures, we also identified senescence in the developing central nervous system, intestine, liver, pronephric ducts, and crystalline. Interestingly, senescence at these developing structures disappeared upon treatment with senolytic compound ABT-263, supporting their senescent identity and opening the possibility of studying the contribution of this process to development. In summary, our findings extend the description of developmentally-programmed cell senescence to lower vertebrates contributing to the notion of the relevance of this process for embryo development.
Phylogenetic, Taxonomic and Biogeographical Implications of Genetic, Morphological, and Behavioral Variation in Francolins (Phasianidae: Francolinus)

ASSTRACT. --We studied restriction-fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in mitochondria! DNA for 13 species of African franco! ins (Francolinus pp.) and the Japanese Quail (Coturnix c. japonica). Phylogenetic analyses of RFLPs for these 14 species and of morphological and behavioral characters for the 41 francolin species and other perdicine taxa do not confirm the monophyly of Francolinus as currently recognized. Analyses of morpho-behaviora! characters suggest that Francolinus consists of at least four major assemblages: the five Asiatic species; two groups of African quail-like species; and the African partridge-like species. Within these assemblages, analyses of RFLPs and/or morpho-behaviora! characters upport the monophy! y of six of eight species groups attributed to Francolinus. Assuming the monophy! y of currently recognized supraspecific groups of ga! iform birds, morphometric analyses of gal! iform skeletons correctly classified 90-99% of specimens to family, subfami! y and tribe, as well as 95% of the francolin specimens to genus. Genetic distances derived from RFLP data imply that African francolins diverged from their sister taxa at or before the mid-late Miocene, and that a! species studied diverged from their sister-species during the Pliocene or early Pleistocene. Received 29 June 1990, accepted 13 July 1991.
Asymmetric muscle weakness due to ACTA1 mosaic mutations

Objective To characterize 2 unrelated patients with either asymmetric or unilateral muscle weakness at the clinical, genetic, histologic, and ultrastructural level. Methods The patients underwent thorough clinical examination, whole-body MRI, and exome sequencing. Muscle morphology was assessed by histology and electron microscopy. Results Both patients presented with early-onset hypotonia, delayed motor milestones, scoliosis, and reduced pulmonary function. Patient P1 manifested unilateral muscle weakness exclusively affecting the left side of the body; the asymmetry was less pronounced in patient P2. Muscle biopsies from both patients showed nemaline rods as the main histopathologic hallmark, and MRI revealed major fatty infiltrations in selective head, proximal, and distal muscles, correlating with the degree of muscle weakness asymmetry. Exome sequencing on blood DNA from both patients identified de novo ACTA1 missense mutations in a small number of reads, suggesting mutation mosaicism. Subsequent Sanger sequencing confirmed the presence of the mutations on muscle DNA, while they were barely detectable on blood DNA. Conclusions De novo mutations can occur anytime during embryonic development and may result in a mosaic pattern of affected cells and tissues and lead to the development of an asymmetric clinical picture. The present study points out that mosaic mutations might not be easily detectable on leukocyte DNA and thereby escape routine genetic analysis, and possibly account for a significant number of molecularly undiagnosed patients.
Analysis of Serum miRNA in Glioblastoma Patients: CD44-Based Enrichment of Extracellular Vesicles Enhances Specificity for the Prognostic Signature

Glioblastoma is a devastating disease, for which biomarkers allowing a prediction of prognosis are urgently needed. microRNAs have been described as potentially valuable biomarkers in cancer. Here, we studied a panel of microRNAs in extracellular vesicles (EVs) from the serum of glioblastoma patients and evaluated their correlation with the prognosis of these patients. The levels of 15 microRNAs in EVs that were separated by size-exclusion chromatography were studied by quantitative real-time PCR, followed by CD44 immunoprecipitation (SEC + CD44), and compared with those from the total serum of glioblastoma patients (n = 55) and healthy volunteers (n = 10). Compared to total serum, we found evidence for the enrichment of miR-21-3p and miR-106a-5p and, conversely, lower levels of miR-15b-3p, in SEC + CD44 EVs. miR-15b-3p and miR-21-3p were upregulated in glioblastoma patients compared to healthy subjects. A significant correlation with survival of the patients was found for levels of miR-15b-3p in total serum and miR-15b-3p, miR-21-3p, miR-106a-5p, and miR-328-3p in SEC + CD44 EVs. Combining miR-15b-3p in serum or miR-106a-5p in SEC + CD44 EVs with any one of the other three microRNAs in SEC + CD44 EVs allowed for a prognostic stratification of glioblastoma patients. We have thus identified four microRNAs in glioblastoma patients whose levels, in combination, can predict the prognosis for these patients.
Injectable Thermo-Sensitive Chitosan Hydrogel Containing CPT-11-Loaded EGFR-Targeted Graphene Oxide and SLP2 shRNA for Localized Drug/Gene Delivery in Glioblastoma Therapy

In this study, we aimed to develop a multifunctional drug/gene delivery system for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme by combining the ligand-mediated active targeting and the pH-triggered drug release features of graphene oxide (GO). Toward this end, we load irinotecan (CPT-11) to cetuximab (CET)-conjugated GO (GO-CET/CPT11) for pH-responsive drug release after endocytosis by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) over-expressed U87 human glioblastoma cells. The ultimate injectable drug/gene delivery system was designed by co-entrapping stomatin-like protein 2 (SLP2) short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and GO-CET/CPT11 in thermosensitive chitosan-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (CPN) polymer solution, which offers a hydrogel depot for localized, sustained delivery of the therapeutics after the in situ formation of CPN@GO-CET/CPT11@shRNA hydrogel. An optimal drug formulation was achieved by considering both the loading efficiency and loading content of CPT-11 on GO-CET. A sustained and controlled release behavior was found for CPT-11 and shRNA from CPN hydrogel. Confocal microscopy analysis confirmed the intracellular trafficking for the targeted delivery of CPT-11 through interactions of CET with EGFR on the U87 cell surface. The efficient transfection of U87 using SLP2 shRNA was achieved using CPN as a delivery milieu, possibly by the formation of shRNA/CPN polyplex after hydrogel degradation. In vitro cell culture experiments confirmed cell apoptosis induced by CPT-11 released from acid organelles in the cytoplasm by flow cytometry, as well as reduced SLP2 protein expression and inhibited cell migration due to gene silencing. Finally, in vivo therapeutic efficacy was demonstrated using the xenograft of U87 tumor-bearing nude mice through non-invasive intratumoral delivery of CPN@GO-CET/CPT11@shRNA by injection. Overall, we have demonstrated the novelty of this thermosensitive hydrogel to be an excellent depot for the co-delivery of anticancer drugs and siRNA. The in situ forming hydrogel will not only provide extended drug release but also combine the advantages offered by the chitosan-based copolymer structure for siRNA delivery to broaden treatment modalities in cancer therapy.
The insertion/deletion polymorphism of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene predisposes Cameroon female type 2 diabetes mellitus patients to essential hypertension

The association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and essential hypertension (EH) is not well understood. Both conditions result from an interaction of multiple genetic (ethnic) and environmental (geographical) factors. One possible genetic determinant is the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism. Observations on the association between this polymorphism and EH in T2DM patients have been inconsistent in different populations. Given the high prevalence of EH in diabetic patients in the South West Region (SWR) of Cameroon, the aim of this work was to study the relationship between I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene and hypertension in T2DM patients. ACE I/D polymorphism was determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and D/D typing was further reconfirmed using insertion-allele-specific amplification. Analysis of ACE genotype and allele frequencies revealed statistically insignificant differences between the normotensive and hypertensive T2DM subjects. On the contrary, the frequency of the I allele was significantly lower in the normotensive than the hypertensive diabetic females. These findings suggest that the I allele of the ACE gene predisposes female T2DM patients to EH. Key words : Diabetes, Hypertension, Angiotensin converting enzyme, Insertion deletion, Genetic polymorphism
Do assets explain the relation between race/ethnicity and probable depression in U.S. adults?

Depression is a leading cause of disability in the U.S. across all race/ethnicity groups. While non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic persons have worse physical health on most indicators than non-Hispanic White persons, the literature on the association between race/ethnicity and rates of depression is mixed. Given unequal distribution of assets across racial/ethnic groups, it is possible that social and economic differences may explain differential rates of depression across race/ethnicity groups. Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007–2016, we constructed a nationally representative sample of 26,382 adults over 18 years old (11,072 non-Hispanic White, 5,610 non-Hispanic Black, 6,981 Hispanic, and 2,719 Other race). We measured symptoms of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), with a score of 10 or more indicating probable depression. We identified three kinds of assets: financial assets (income), physical assets (home ownership), and social assets (marital status and education). We estimated the weighted prevalence of probable depression across race/ethnicity groups, odds ratios controlling for assets, and predicted probabilities of probable depression across race/ethnicity and asset groups. Three results contribute to our understanding of the differences in probable depression rates between race/ethnicity groups: 1) Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic persons had a higher weighted prevalence of probable depression in the U.S. than non-Hispanic White persons. In models unadjusted for assets, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic persons had 1.3 greater odds of probable depression than non-Hispanic White persons (p<0.01). 2) We found an inverse relation between assets and probable depression across all race-ethnicity groups. Also, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic persons had fewer assets than non-Hispanic Whites. 3) When we controlled for assets, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic persons had 0.8 times lower odds of probable depression than non-Hispanic White persons (p<0.05). Thus, when holding assets constant, minorities had better mental health than non-Hispanic White persons in the U.S. These three findings help to reconcile findings in the literature on race/ethnicity and depression. Given vastly unequal distribution of wealth in the U.S., it is not surprising that racial minorities, who hold fewer assets, would have an overall larger prevalence of mental illness, as seen in unadjusted estimates. Once assets are taken into account, Black and Hispanic persons appear to have better mental health than non-Hispanic White persons. Assets may explain much of the relation between race/ethnicity group and depression in the U.S. Future research should consider the role of assets in protecting against mental illness.
Sensitivity of Planktonic Cells of Staphylococcus aureus to Elevated Hydrostatic Pressure as Affected by Mild Heat, Carvacrol, Nisin, and Caprylic Acid

Current study investigated effects of elevated hydrostatic pressure exposure in the presence of mild heat and natural antimicrobials against Staphylococcus aureus. Hydrostatic pressure of 350 to 550 MPa with nisin (5000 IU/mL), carvacrol, or caprylic acid (0.5% v/v) were applied for the reduction in four-strain mixture of S. aureus in HEPES buffer at 4 and 40 °C for up to 7 min. Results were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and D-values were additionally calculated using best-fitted linear model. Prior to exposure to treatments at 4 °C, counts of the pathogen were 7.95 ± 0.4 log CFU/mL and were reduced (p < 0.05) to 6.44 ± 0.3 log CFU/mL after 7 min of treatment at 450 MPa. D-value associated with this treatment was 5.34 min (R2 = 0.72). At 40 °C, counts were 8.21 ± 0.7 and 5.77 ± 0.3 log CFU/mL before and after the 7-min treatments, respectively. D-value associated with 40 °C treatment was 3.30 min (R2 = 0.62). Application of the antimicrobials provided additional pathogen reduction augmentation for treatments < 5 min. The results of the current study could be incorporated for meeting regulatory requirements such as Food Code, HACCP, and Preventive Control for Human Food of Food Safety Modernization Act for assuring microbiological safety of products against this prevalent pathogen of public health concern.
Optimization of the antioxidant capacity of mangosteen peels (Garcinia mangostana L.) extracts: Management of the drying extraction processes

Mangosteen peel is a source of natural phenolic antioxidants. During processing, the quality and quantity of these compounds in the final product are altered. Sometimes, the important causal relationships are not easy to establish and thus process management is difficult. This is especially true when biochemical changes can occur as in the case of the drying and extraction process of bioactive materials. The aim of this work was to formulate and solve an optimization problem in order to obtain the appropriate values of the operating conditions that maximize the antioxidant capacity of the dried mangosteen peel extracts. The drying process was analyzed under different drying air temperatures (T) (50℃, 60℃, 70℃ and 80℃) at air velocity of 1 ms−1. The extraction process was done under conventional and ultrasound-assisted extraction at 400 W. Antioxidant capacity was measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay. To solve the optimization problem formulated, an artificial neural network was developed. The resolution of the optimization problem allowed the establishment of the optimal operating conditions of the process, maximizing the antioxidant capacity values depending on the characteristics of the process. Results showed that the best operating conditions to maximize the antioxidant capacity of mangosteen peels were a drying temperature of 70℃ and using high-power ultrasound as extraction method.