Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Daily physical activity and sedentary behaviour across occupational classifications in Canadian adults.

BACKGROUND Adults spend a large proportion of their day at work. Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) have been shown to vary considerably between occupations. The objective of this study is to describe occupational differences in accelerometer-measured and self-reported PA and SB for Canadian full-time workers. DATA AND METHODS Using combined data from three cycles of the nationally representative Canadian Health Measures Survey (N = 4,080), three activity groups (high, intermediate, low) were created based on a composite ranking of accelerometer-derived steps, proportion of time spent sedentary (SED%) and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in bouts of ⋝10 minutes (MVPAbouted). Differences between groups were assessed for accelerometer-derived and self-reported PA and SB, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS On average, Canadians employed in full-time work were sedentary for 68.9% of their day (95% confidence interval [CI]: 68.3% to 69.6%), took 8,984 steps per day (95% CI: 8,719 to 9,249) and accumulated 79.5 minutes per week of MVPAbouted (95% CI: 71.1 to 87.9). Among Canadians employed in full-time work, 18.5% met the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines. The high-activity group took significantly more steps and had a lower SED%, but spent a higher proportion of time in light-intensity PA compared with the intermediate- and low-activity groups. No differences were observed for MVPA. The low-activity group reported more recreational and active travel-related PA and leisure reading, while those in the high-activity group reported more work and domestic PA and leisure screen time. DISCUSSION The majority of full-time working adults are not getting adequate MVPA and spend most of their day sedentary, regardless of occupation. Findings support workplace policies to improve MVPA levels among Canadian workers and to promote awareness for the potential benefit of occupation-specific messaging around PA and SB.
Liver Expressed Antimicrobial Peptide 2 is Associated with Steatosis in Mice and Humans

Abstract Background and Aims Liver expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2) is recently identified as a regulator in energy metabolism. This study aims to 1) investigate the role of leap2 in hepatic steatosis in C57BL/6 mice; 2) evaluate the association between circulating LEAP2 levels and liver fat contents in a hospital based case-control study. Methods The rodent experiment: western blotting and qPCR were performed to evaluate leap2 levels, lipid metabolism pathways and insulin signaling. shRNA was used to knockdown leap2. The clinical study: commercial ELISA kits were used to measure circulating LEAP2 levels (validated by western blotting). Liver fat content was estimated using MRI-derived proton density fat fraction and FibroScan-derived controlled attenuation parameter. Results The rodent experiment found the hepatic expression and secreted levels of leap2 were increased in mice with diet-induced steatosis. Leap2 knockdown ameliorated steatosis via lipolytic/lipogenic pathway and improved insulin sensitivity via IRS/AKT signaling. The clinical study reported increased circulating levels of LEAP2 in the subjects with steatosis. Moreover, LEAP2 correlated positively with age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, liver fat content, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, whereas inversely with acyl-ghrelin. Furthermore, the circulating levels of LEAP2 are dependent on liver fat content, acyl-ghrelin and fasting glucose. Lastly, circulating LEAP2 is an independent predictor of NAFLD. Conclusions The study suggests LEAP2 is associated with hepatic steatosis, which may involve lipolytic/lipogenic pathway and insulin signaling.
Treadmill running initiation times and bone‐tendon interface repair in a murine rotator cuff repair model

Postoperative exercise has been demonstrated to be beneficial for bone‐tendon interface (BTI) healing, yet the debate regarding the optimal time to initiate exercise after tendon enthesis repair is ongoing. This study aimed to evaluate the initiation times for exercise after enthesis repair. A total of 192 C57BL/6 mice underwent acute supraspinatus tendon injury repair. The animals were then randomly assigned to four groups: free cage activity after repair (control group); treadmill running started on postoperative day 2 (2‐day delayed group); treadmill running started on postoperative day 7 (7‐day delayed group), and treadmill running started on postoperative day 14 (14‐day delayed group). Mice were euthanized at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, and histological, biomechanical, and bone morphometric tests were performed. Higher failure loads and bone volume fractions were found for the 7‐day delayed group and the 14‐day delayed group at 4 weeks postoperatively. The 7‐day delayed group had better biomechanical properties and higher bone volume fractions than the 2‐day delayed group at 4 weeks postoperatively. Histologically, the 7‐day delayed group exhibited lower modified tendon‐to‐bone maturity scores than the control group and the 2‐day delayed group at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively. Quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction results showed that the 7‐day delayed group had higher expressions of chondrogenic‐ and osteogenic‐related genes. Statement of clinical significance: Postoperative treadmill running initiated on postoperative day 7 had a more prominent effect on BTI healing than other treatment regimens in this study and could accelerate BTI healing and rotator cuff repair.
A simulation study of approaches for handling disease progression in dose-finding clinical trials

ABSTRACT In traditional dose-finding studies, dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) is determined within a fixed time observation window where DLT is often defined as a binary outcome. In the setting of oncology dose-finding trials, often patients in advanced stage of diseases are enrolled. Therefore, disease progression may occur within the DLT observation window leading to treatment discontinuation and rendering the patient unevaluable for DLT assessment. As a result, additional patients have to be enrolled, increasing the sample size. We propose and compare several practical approaches for handling disease progression which occurs within the DLT observation window, while in the framework of the time-to-event continual reassessment method (TITE-CRM) which allows using partial observations. The approaches differ on the way they define an evaluable patient and in the way incomplete observations are included. The practical approaches, which we call strategies A, B and C, are illustrated and contrasted in the context of a single simulated trial, and compared via simulations under various scenarios of dose-progression relationship, in the setting of advanced soft-tissue sarcoma.
Mortality Rate and Predictors of Mortality in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients with Diabetes

Studies have confirmed COVID-19 patients with diabetes are at higher risk of mortality than their non-diabetic counterparts. However, data-driven evidence of factors associated with increased mortality risk among hospitalized COVID-19 patients with diabetes is scarce in South Korea. This study was conducted to determine the mortality rate and identify risk factors of mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes in Gyeongsangbuk-do province, South Korea. In this hospital-based, cross-sectional study, we enrolled a total of 324 patients with confirmed COVID-19, hospitalized at two of the tertiary level healthcare facilitates of Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea from 18 February to 30 June 2020. Demographic and clinical data and laboratory profiles were analyzed and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors of mortality among diabetic patients with COVID-19. Of the 324 patients, 55 (16.97%) had diabetes mellitus. The mean age of all study subjects was 55 years, and the mean age of those with diabetes was greater than that of those without (69.8 years vs. 51.9 years). Remarkably, the mortality rate was much higher among those with diabetes (20.0% vs. 4.8%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that an older age (≥70 years) and a high serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels significantly predicted mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients with diabetes. Our study cautions more attention to be paid to patients with diabetes mellitus hospitalized for COVID-19, especially those aged ≥ 70 years and those with a high serum LDH level, to reduce the risk of mortality.
Intraarterial Versus Intravenous Tirofiban as an Adjunct to Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background and Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the treatment effect of intraarterial versus intravenous tirofiban during endovascular thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke. Methods: This study retrospectively examined 503 patients with acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion who received endovascular thrombectomy within 24 hours of stroke onset. Patients were divided into 3 groups: no tirofiban (n=354), intraarterial tirofiban (n=79), and intravenous tirofiban (n=70). The 3 groups were compared in terms of recanalization rate, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, in-hospital death rate, 3-month death, and 3-month outcomes measured by modified Rankin Scale score (good clinical outcome of 0–2, poor outcome of 5–6). The comparison was statistically assessed by propensity score matching, followed by Freidman rank-sum test and pairwise Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction. Results: The propensity score matching resulted in 92 matched triplets. Compared with the no-tirofiban group, the intravenous tirofiban group showed significantly increased recanalization (96.7% versus 64.1%, P<0.001), an increased rate of 3-month good outcome (69.5% versus 51.2%, P=0.034), and a lower rate of 3-month poor outcome (12.2% versus 41.4%, P<0.001). There was no significant difference between the tirofiban intravenous and no-tirofiban groups in terms of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (2.2% versus 0%, P=1.000). However, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was significantly increased in the intraarterial-tirofiban group compared with the no-tirofiban group (19.1% versus 0%, P<0.001), with an increased rate of in-hospital death (23.6% versus 0% P<0.001), and increased rate of 3-month death (26.8% versus 11.1%, P=0.021). The intraarterial-tirofiban and no-tirofiban group showed no significant difference in recanalization rate (66.3% versus 64.1%, P=1.000). Conclusions: As an adjunct to endovascular thrombectomy, intravenous tirofiban is associated with high recanalization rate and good outcome, whereas intraarterial tirofiban is associated with high hemorrhagic rate and death rate.
Effect of Nanostructured Scaffold on Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: Outcome of In Vitro Experiments

This work is addressed to provide, by in vitro experiments, results on the repercussion that a nanostructured scaffold could have on viability, differentiation and secretion of bioactive factors of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) when used in association to promote angiogenesis, a crucial condition to favour tissue regeneration. To achieve this aim, we evaluated cell viability and morphology by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and microscopy analysis, respectively. We also investigated the expression of some of those genes involved in angiogenesis and differentiation processes utilizing quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), whereas the amounts of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A, Interleukin 6 and Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 4 secreted in the culture medium, were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results suggested that, in the presence of the scaffold, cell proliferation and the exocytosis of factors involved in the angiogenesis process are reduced; by contrast, the expression of those genes involved in hASC differentiation appeared enhanced. To guarantee cell survival, the construct dimensions are, generally, smaller than clinically required. Furthermore, being the paracrine event the primary mechanism exerting the beneficial effects on injured tissues, the use of conditioned culture medium instead of cells may be convenient.
Endocrine Resistance in Breast Cancer: The Role of Estrogen Receptor Stability

Therapy of hormone receptor positive breast cancer (BCa) generally targets estrogen receptor (ER) function and signaling by reducing estrogen production or by blocking its interaction with the ER. Despite good long-term responses, resistance to treatment remains a significant issue, with approximately 40% of BCa patients developing resistance to ET. Mutations in the gene encoding ERα, ESR1, have been identified in BCa patients and are implicated as drivers of resistance and disease recurrence. Understanding the molecular consequences of these mutations on ER protein levels and its activity, which is tightly regulated, is vital. ER activity is in part controlled via its short protein half-life and therefore changes to its stability, either through mutations or alterations in pathways involved in protein stability, may play a role in therapy resistance. Understanding these connections and how ESR1 alterations could affect protein stability may identify novel biomarkers of resistance. This review explores the current reported data regarding posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of the ER and the potential impact of known resistance associated ESR1 mutations on ER regulation by affecting these PTMs in the context of ET resistance.
Psychological Intimate Partner Violence, Insecure Attachment, and Parental Psychological Control from Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

We examine if psychological intimate partner violence (pIPV) is predicted by parental psychological control (PPC) via insecure attachment. Our results analyzing longitudinal data from the Child Development Project show that PPC perceived at age 16 predicts insecure attachment at age 18, which then predicts pIPV at age 24. Moreover, the paths with attachment anxiety are consistently significant while ones with attachment avoidance are not. Further, all the paths are significant regardless of the gender of the adolescents and parents, which indicates that PPC is detrimental regardless of the gender of the adolescents or parents. Lastly, PPC perceived at age 16 does not directly predict pIPV at age 24, which suggests that social learning theory of aggression (Bandura, 1978) may not explain the association from PPC to pIPV. Our results suggest that research and practice would benefit by considering PPC as an antecedent of pIPV via insecure attachment from adolescence to emerging adulthood.
Ameliorative Properties of Boronic Compounds in In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid (Aβ) aggregation, hyperphosphorylated tau, neuroinflammation, and severe memory deficits. Reports that certain boronic compounds can reduce amyloid accumulation and neuroinflammation prompted us to compare trans-2-phenyl-vinyl-boronic-acid-MIDA-ester (TPVA) and trans-beta-styryl-boronic-acid (TBSA) as treatments of deficits in in vitro and in vivo models of AD. We hypothesized that these compounds would reduce neuropathological deficits in cell-culture and animal models of AD. Using a dot-blot assay and cultured N2a cells, we observed that TBSA inhibited Aβ42 aggregation and increased cell survival more effectively than did TPVA. These TBSA-induced benefits were extended to C. elegans expressing Aβ42 and to the 5xFAD mouse model of AD. Oral administration of 0.5 mg/kg dose of TBSA or an equivalent amount of methylcellulose vehicle to groups of six- and 12-month-old 5xFAD or wild-type mice over a two-month period prevented recognition- and spatial-memory deficits in the novel-object recognition and Morris-water-maze memory tasks, respectively, and reduced the number of pyknotic and degenerated cells, Aβ plaques, and GFAP and Iba-1 immunoreactivity in the hippocampus and cortex of these mice. These findings indicate that TBSA exerts neuroprotective properties by decreasing amyloid plaque burden and neuroinflammation, thereby preventing neuronal death and preserving memory function in the 5xFAD mice.
Lipid content of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta affected by pink salmon O. gorbuscha abundance in the central Bering Sea

To assess effects of intraand inter-specific interactions on chum salmon in the central Bering Sea, chum salmon lipid content was analyzed as a proxy for body condition. We measured the lipid contents of 466 immature individuals collected during summer from 2002 to 2007. Individual variation in log-transformed lipid content was tested using multiple regression analysis with biological and environmental variables. A regression model that included chum salmon fork length and pink salmon CPUE (number of fish caught per 1500 m of gillnet) was the most effective in describing variation in lipid content. Path analysis showed that the negative effect of pink salmon CPUE was stronger than the effect of chum salmon CPUE on chum salmon lipid content. Stomach content analysis of 283 chum salmon indicated non-crustacean zooplankton (appendicularian, chaetognath, cnidarian, ctenophore, polychaete, and pteropod) was higher under conditions of high pink salmon CPUE. Increased consumption of non-crustacean zooplankton containing a low lipid level could lower the lipid content of chum salmon. Thus, chum salmon lipid content could be affected directly by their shift in prey items and indirectly by interspecific competition with pink salmon.
ABC’s of Vitamin Supplementation in Critical Illness

Critical illness commonly presents as a systemic inflammatory process. Through this inflammation, there is an enhanced production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species combined with marked reductions in protective plasma antioxidant concentrations. This imbalance is referred to as oxidative stress and is commonly encountered in numerous disease states in the critically ill including sepsis, trauma, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and burns. Oxidative stress can lead to cellular, tissue and organ damage as well as increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Supplementation with exogenous micronutrients to restore balance and antioxidant concentrations in critically ill patients has been considered for several decades. It is proposed that antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamins A and C, may minimize oxidative stress and improve clinical outcomes. Vitamin B formulations may play a role in curtailing lactic acidosis and are recently being evaluated as an acute phase reactant. However, few large, randomized trials specifically investigating the role of vitamin supplementation in the critically ill patient population are available. This article seeks to review recently published literature surrounding the role of supplementation of vitamins A, B and C in critically ill patients.
Perceived Risk of Fish Consumption in a Low Fish Consumption Country

Among the numerous health benefits of fish consumption, perhaps the most recognized is the role of omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is prevalent in Hungary, which has the lowest fish consumption in Europe. Increasing fish consumption is the aim of most European countries and given the high incidence of cardiovascular disease in Hungary, it is of particular importance. A significant reduction of the VAT for fish in 1 January 2018 aimed to increase fish consumption in Hungary. However, despite reduced VAT, the price of fish in Hungary rose from 2017 to 2018. The aim of our research is to explore perceived risks that serve to exacerbate Hungarian consumers’ low fish consumption, and to measure their effects to identify potential strategies to most effectively increase fish consumption. We applied partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze responses provided by 1042 survey participants (collected with face-to-face interviews, using quota sampling in 2014) to explore variables of fish consumption associated with perceived risk including psychological, physical, social, and functional risks. Our model is the first one that applies detailed perceived risk categories to measure those effects on low fish consumption. The results indicate that psychological risk associated with negative past experiences have both a direct, and through functional risk, an indirect significant negative effect on fish consumption. Conversely, neither social nor physical risk impede Hungarian fish consumption. We conclude that the seafood industry could benefit from targeted interventions that seek to reduce functional risk-perception of the person responsible for preparing fish in the household.
Microbial Analysis of Saliva to Identify Oral Diseases Using a Point-of-Care Compatible qPCR Assay

Oral health is maintained by a healthy microbiome, which can be monitored by state-of-the art diagnostics. Therefore, this study evaluated the presence and quantity of ten oral disease-associated taxa (P. gingivalis, T. forsythia, T. denticola, F. nucleatum, C. rectus, P. intermedia, A. actinomycetemcomitans, S. mutans, S. sobrinus, oral associated Lactobacilli) in saliva and their clinical status association in 214 individuals. Upon clinical examination, study subjects were grouped into healthy, caries and periodontitis and their saliva was collected. A highly specific point-of-care compatible dual color qPCR assay was developed and used to study the above-mentioned bacteria of interest in the collected saliva. Assay performance was compared to a commercially available microbial reference test. Eight out of ten taxa that were investigated during this study were strong discriminators between the periodontitis and healthy groups: C. rectus, T. forsythia, P. gingivalis, S. mutans, F. nucleatum, T. denticola, P. intermedia and oral Lactobacilli (p < 0.05). Significant differentiation between the periodontitis and caries group microbiome was only shown for S. mutans (p < 0.05). A clear distinction between oral health and disease was enabled by the analysis of quantitative qPCR data of target taxa levels in saliva.
Comparison of Dental Stone Models and Their 3D Printed Acrylic Replicas for the Accuracy and Mechanical Properties

This study was conducted to test possibilities of application of 3D printed dental models (DMs) in terms of their accuracy and physical properties. In this work, stone models of mandibles were cast from alginate impressions of 10 patients and scanned in order to obtain 3D printed acrylic replicas. The diagnostic value was tested as matching of model scans on three levels: peak of cusps, occlusal surface, and all teeth surfaces. The mechanical properties of acrylic and stone samples, specifically the impact strength, shore D hardness, and flexural and compressive strength were investigated according to ISO standards. The matching of models’ surfaces was the highest on the level of peaks of cusps (average lack of deviations, 0.21 mm) and the lowest on the level of all teeth surfaces (average lack of deviations, 0.64 mm). Acrylic samples subjected to mechanical testing, as expected, showed higher mechanical properties as compared to the specimens made of dental stone. In the present study we demonstrated that 3D printed acrylic models could be ideal representatives in the case of use as a diagnostic tool and as a part of medical records. The acrylic samples exhibited not only higher mechanical properties, but also showed better accuracy comparing to dental stone.