Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Fatigue With Sleep Duration and Bedtime During the Third Trimester

Purpose To investigate the association between fatigue and sleep habits of pregnant women to further explore the effect of sleep duration and bedtime on fatigue during the third trimester. Materials and Methods A total of 465 Chinese Han pregnant women in the third trimester (after 28 weeks) with a singleton gestation were recruited. Sleep habits (such as bedtime, sleep onset latency, and night sleep duration) and the 14-item Fatigue Scale scores (FS-14, used to assess fatigue) were collected. Results The effects of sleep duration and bedtime on FS-14 physical and total scores were significant. FS-14 physical scores and total scores of the participants in the group of sleep before 23 o’clock (SBC) of short sleep duration (<7 h) were significantly higher as compared to the participants in the group of SBC of normal sleep duration, and those of the participants in the group of SBC of normal sleep duration were significantly lower than the participants in the group of sleep after 23 o’clock of normal sleep duration. There were negative correlations of sleep duration with FS-14 physical score and total score in the SBC of short sleep duration group. Conclusion Sleep less than 7 h or bedtime after 23 o’clock was associated with increased fatigue levels of pregnant women in the third trimester. Therefore, it is necessary to develop good sleep habits (enough sleep duration and early bedtime) to keep fatigue at a low level for pregnant women in the third trimester.
The Mechanism of Lung and Intestinal Injury in Acute Pancreatitis: A Review

Acute pancreatitis (AP), as a common cause of clinical acute abdomen, often leads to multi-organ damage. In the process of severe AP, the lungs and intestines are the most easily affected organs aside the pancreas. These organ damages occur in succession. Notably, lung and intestinal injuries are closely linked. Damage to ML, which transports immune cells, intestinal fluid, chyle, and toxic components (including toxins, trypsin, and activated cytokines to the systemic circulation in AP) may be connected to AP. This process can lead to the pathological changes of hyperosmotic edema of the lung, an increase in alveolar fluid level, destruction of the intestinal mucosal structure, and impairment of intestinal mucosal permeability. The underlying mechanisms of the correlation between lung and intestinal injuries are inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and endocrine hormone secretion disorders. The main signaling pathways of lung and intestinal injuries are TNF-α, HMGB1-mediated inflammation amplification effect of NF-κB signal pathway, Nrf2/ARE oxidative stress response signaling pathway, and IL-6-mediated JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. These pathways exert anti-inflammatory response and anti-oxidative stress, inhibit cell proliferation, and promote apoptosis. The interaction is consistent with the traditional Chinese medicine theory of the lung being connected with the large intestine (fei yu da chang xiang biao li in Chinese). This review sought to explore intersecting mechanisms of lung and intestinal injuries in AP to develop new treatment strategies.
Commercial Extruded Plant-Based Diet Lowers Circulating Levels of Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) Precursors in Healthy Dogs: A Pilot Study

Elevations in circulating trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors are observed in humans and dogs with heart failure and are associated with adverse outcomes in people. Dietary intervention that reduces or excludes animal ingredients results in rapid reduction of plasma TMAO and TMAO precursors in people, but the impact of diet in dogs has not been studied. The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of diet on plasma TMAO and 2 of its precursors (choline and betaine) in dogs fed a commercial extruded plant-based diet (PBD) or a commercial extruded traditional diet (TD) containing animal and plant ingredients. Sixteen healthy adult mixed breed dogs from a university colony were enrolled in a randomized, 2-treatment, 2-period crossover weight-maintenance study. Mean (SD) age and body weight of the dogs were 2.9 years (± 1.7) and 14.5 kg (± 4.0), respectively. Eight dogs were female (3 intact, 5 spayed) and 8 dogs were male (4 intact, 4 castrated). Plasma choline, betaine and TMAO were quantified by LC-SID-MRM/MS at baseline, and after 4 weeks on each diet. Choline and betaine were also quantified in the diets. Plasma choline levels were significantly lower (P = 0.002) in dogs consuming a PBD (Mean ± SD, 6.8 μM ± 1.2 μM) compared to a TD (Mean ± SD, 7.8 μM ± 1.6 μM). Plasma betaine levels were also significantly lower (P = 0.03) in dogs consuming a PBD (Mean ± SD, 109.1 μM ± 25.3 μM) compared to a TD (Mean ± SD, 132.4 μM ± 32.5 μM). No difference (P = 0.71) in plasma TMAO was detected in dogs consuming a PBD (Median, IQR, 2.4 μM, 2.1 μM) compared to a TD (Median, IQR, 2.3 μM, 1.1 μM). Betaine content was lower in the PBD than in the TD while choline content was similar in the diets. Our findings indicate consumption of a commercial extruded PBD for 4 weeks reduces circulating levels of the TMAO precursors choline and betaine, but not TMAO, in healthy adult dogs.
Caffeine Attenuates Electroacupuncture Effect on Pressure Pain Threshold and Tolerance in Healthy Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction The effect of caffeine on acupuncture analgesia in humans is unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether caffeine-containing beverage intake influences the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on static quantitative sensory testing (QST) and dynamic QST in healthy subjects. Methods A total of 40 healthy subjects were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive coffee containing moderate doses of caffeine (coffee group) or non-caffeinated juice (juice group) for 4 weeks. The primary outcome measures were the pressure pain threshold (PPT), pressure pain tolerance (PPTo), and heat pain threshold (HPT) as static QST parameters. Numerical rating scales (NRS) of heat stimulus and nociceptive flexor reflex (RIII reflex), as parameters of dynamic QST, were also examined. EA stimulation with tolerance intensity was performed at ST36 (Zusanli)-GB34 (Yanglingquan) points at weeks 0, 2, and 4. PPT, PPTo, and HPT were detected pre- and post- EA. The NRS scores were examined pre-, during, and post-EA, and 1 min after EA was completed. The RIII reflex was examined pre- and 1–5 min post-EA. Results At week 0, both groups showed increased PPT and PPTo and decreased NRS scores of heat stimuli and RIII reflex after EA, but HPT was not affected. After 4 weeks, the effects of EA on PPT and PPTo were attenuated in the coffee group compared to the juice group, whereas the effect of EA on the NRS scores and RIII reflex were not influenced. There was no significant difference found at week 2 for these indications. EA also did not affect the HPT in both groups at week 4. Conclusion Moderate caffeine intake reduced the effects of EA on PPT and PPTo in healthy subjects.
Directly Measured vs. Calculated Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Does Not Identify Additional Individuals With Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes at Higher Risk of Adverse Events: Insight From a Large Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Cohort in Asia

Background The objective of our study was to assess whether calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is inferior to direct LDL-C (dLDL-C) in identifying patients at higher risk of all-cause mortality, recurrent acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE). Methods A total of 9,751 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Fuwai PCI registry were included. DLDL-C was measured by the selective solubilization method (Kyowa Medex, Tokyo, Japan). Correct classification was defined as the proportion of estimated LDL-C in the same category as dLDL-C based on dLDL-C levels: less than 1.4, 1.4–1.8, 1.8–2.6, 2.6–3.0, and 3.0 mmol/L or greater. Results Underestimation of LDL-C was found in 9.7% of patients using the Martin/Hopkins equation, compared with 13.9% using the Sampson equation and 24.6% with the Friedewald equation. Cox regression analysis showed compared the correct estimation group, underestimation of LDL-C by the Martin/Hopkins equation did not reduce all-cause mortality (HR 1.26, 95% CI: 0.72–2.20, P = 0.4), recurrent AMI (HR 1.24, 95% CI: 0.69–2.21, P = 0.5), and MACE (HR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.83–1.26, P = 0.9). Similarly, the overestimated group did not exacerbate all-cause mortality (HR 0.9, 95% CI: 0.45–1.77, P = 0.8), recurrent AMI (HR 0.63, 95% CI: 0.28–1.44, P = 0.3), and MACE (HR 1.07, 95% CI: 0.86–1.32, P = 0.6). The results of the diabetes subgroup analysis were similar to those of the whole population. Conclusion Compared with dLDL-C measurement, misclassification by the Martin/Hopkins and Sampson equations was present in approximately 20% of patients. However, directly measured vs. calculated LDL-C did not identify any more individuals in the PCI population with increased risk of all-cause mortality, recurrent AMI, and MACE, even in high-risk patients such as those with diabetes.
Network Evolution and Influencing Factors of Global Trade Embodied Carbon Emission

As a global issue, climate warming has received extensive attention in recent years. Scientific identification of the network evolution, transfer path, and influencing factors of embodied carbon in trade is of great significance for the global joint response to climate change challenges. In this paper, based on the latest World Input-Output Database and carbon emissions data of 42 countries (the total carbon emissions of 42 countries account for about 80% of the world’s total carbon emissions), we use social network analysis to describe the global trade embodied carbon emission from 2000 to 2014, and explore the relevant factors that influence global embodied carbon emissions. From the overall network, a small number of countries produce more carbon emissions, of which China is gradually in the center of the global carbon emissions network, while the United States and the European Union are always in the center. The point entry degree of developed economies is larger, while the point out degree of developing countries is higher, indicating that part of carbon emissions from developed countries are transferred to developing countries through economic links. Through QAP analysis, it is found that factors such as population, energy structure, geographic distance, final consumption and trade agreements are the main factors of the evolution of the embodied carbon network, and these factors can explain 42.3% of the pattern of the implied carbon network in trade. Moreover, the decrease of the degree of proximity indicates that the path of carbon emission correlation between countries is shortening and it is necessary for the world to join hands to respond to climate change.
Infection With Escherichia Coli Pathotypes Is Associated With Biomarkers of Gut Enteropathy and Nutritional Status Among Malnourished Children in Bangladesh

Escherichia coli (E. coli) pathotypes are the most common cause of diarrhea, especially in developing countries. Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED) is presumed to be the result of infection with one or more pathotypes and can affect intestinal health and childhood growth. We sought to investigate the association of E. coli pathotypes infection with biomarkers of EED and nutritional status among slum-dwelling malnourished children in Bangladesh. This study comprised a total of 1050 stunted and at risk of stunting children. TaqMan Array Card assays were used to determine the presence of E. coli pathotypes in feces. Prevalence of infection with EAEC was highest (68.8%) in this cohort of children, followed by EPEC (55.9%), ETEC (44%), Shigella/EIEC (19.4%) and STEC (3.2%). The levels of myeloperoxidase and calprotectin were significantly higher in EAEC (P=0.02 and P=0.04), EPEC (P=0.02 and P=0.03) and Shigella/EIEC (P=0.05 and P=0.02) positive participants while, only calprotectin was significantly higher in ETEC (P=0.01) positive participants. Reg1B was significantly higher in participants with EAEC (P=0.004) while, neopterin levels were significantly lower in ETEC (P=0.003) and Shigella/EIEC (P=0.003) positive cases. A significant positive relationship was observed between EAEC and fecal levels of Reg1B (β = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.12, 0.43; p-value<0.001). Besides, ETEC was found to be positively and significantly associated with the levels of calprotectin (β = 0.14; 95 percent CI = 0.01, 0.26; p-value=0.037) and negatively with neopterin (β = -0.16; 95% CI = -0.30, -0.02; p-value=0.021). On the other hand, infection with EPEC was found to be negatively associated with length-for-age (β = -0.12; 95% CI = -0.22, -0.03; p-value=0.011) and weight-for-age (β = -0.11; 95% CI = -0.22, -0.01; p-value=0.037). The study findings suggest that infection with certain E. coli pathotypes (EAEC and ETEC) influences gut health and EPEC is associated with linear growth and underweight in Bangladeshi children.
Vitamin D3 Priming of Dendritic Cells Shifts Human Neutrophil-Dependent Th17 Cell Development to Regulatory T Cells

Vitamin D3 (VD3) is a potential adjuvant for use in tolerogenic vaccine formulations that target dendritic cells (DCs) for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders, e.g., autoimmune diseases. These disorders are often associated with enhanced activity of IL-17-producing T helper 17 (Th17) cells which develop in a DC-driven and neutrophil-dependent fashion. Here, we investigated the effect of VD3 on Candida albicans-specific human T-cell differentiation, since C. albicans is a model pathogen for Th17 cell development. VD3 priming of DCs restricted neutrophil-dependent Th17 cell development and neutrophil-independent Th1 cell formation from naive CD4+ T cells. In line with this, the production of Th1/Th17-polarizing cytokines IL-12 and IL-23 by DCs was reduced by VD3 priming. Development of both FoxP3+CD127lowCD25+ Tregs and IL-10-producing T cells was significantly enhanced in VD3-primed conditions, even in the presence of neutrophils. ICOS+ Tregs, major IL-10 producers, CD69+FoxP3+, and TIGIT+FoxP3+ Tregs were significantly induced by VD3 priming as well. Our data support the potential use of VD3 as an adjuvant to induce tolerance in the treatment of autoimmune disorders, including those in which neutrophils are involved in pathogenesis, since we show that Treg development is enhanced by VD3 even in the presence of neutrophils, while Th17 cell development is restricted.
Structural and Potential Functional Properties of Alkali-Extracted Dietary Fiber From Antrodia camphorata

Antrodia camphorata is rich in a variety of bioactive ingredients; however, the utilization efficiency of the residue of A. camphorata is low, resulting in serious waste. It is necessary to deeply study the functional components of A. camphorata residues to achieve high-value utilization. In this study, the components, structural characteristics, and functional properties of alkali-extracted dietary fiber extracted from residues of A. camphorata (basswood and dish cultured fruiting body, respectively) were investigated. There were similar components and structural characteristics of ACA-DK (extract from basswood cultured) and ACA-DF (extract from dish cultured). The two alkali-extracted dietary fiber were composed of mainly cellulose and xylan. However, ACA-DK has better adsorption capacities than ACA-DF on lipophilic substances such as oil (12.09 g/g), cholesterol (20.99 mg/g), and bile salts (69.68 mg/g). In vitro immunomodulatory assays stated that ACA-DK had a good effect on promoting the proliferation of RAW 264.7 cells and can activate cell phagocytosis, NO synthesis, and other immune capabilities. The edible fungus A. camphorata is a good source of functional dietary fiber. The alkali-extracted dietary fiber of A. camphorata might be used as a functional ingredient in the medicine and food industry. Graphical Abstract
Effects of Small Peptide Supplementation on Growth Performance, Intestinal Barrier of Laying Hens During the Brooding and Growing Periods

The growing period is a critical period for growth and development in laying hens. During this period, chicks grow rapidly, but are accompanied by unstable digestive function, incomplete organ development, and high mortality. Small peptide, a feed additive, which has been proved to promote intestinal development and immunity in poultry. In order to elucidate the effects of small peptides on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of growing laying hens, a total of 900 Tianfu green shell laying hens (1-day-old) were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 6 replicates of 30 birds each in this 18-week trial. Dietary treatments included a corn-soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 0 g/kg, 1.5 g/kg, 3.0 g/kg, 4.5 g/kg and 6.0 g/kg small peptide, respectively. The results showed that the supplementation of small peptides significantly increased growth rate (P<0.05) in laying hens, as well as elevated the serum immunoglobulins (P<0.05) and antioxidant indices (P<0.05), however, it decreased inflammation parameters (P<0.05). The supplementation of small peptides enhanced the intestinal function by promoting gut development (P<0.05) and improving gut integrity (P<0.05), barrier function (P<0.05) and the diversity of gut microbiota (P<0.05) in the growing hens. The best performance was recorded among the hens fed 4.5 g/kg level of small peptide. Taken together, these results showed that small peptide supplementation could improve the economic value of growing hens by promoting growth rate, disease resistance, and the optimal amount of addition for Tianfu green shell laying hens was 4.5 g/kg.
Stressful Life Events and Chronic Fatigue Among Chinese Government Employees: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background Currently, evidence on the role of stressful life events in fatigue among the Chinese working adults is lacking. This study aimed at exploring the prospective associations between stressful life events and chronic fatigue among Chinese government employees. Methods From January 2018 to December 2019, a total of 16206 government employees were included at baseline and they were followed-up until May 2021. A digital self-reported questionnaire platform was established to collect information on participants' health and covariates. Life events were assessed by the Life Events Scale (LES), fatigue was assessed by using a single item, measuring the frequency of its occurrence. Binary logistic regression analysis was used for the data analysis. Results Of the included 16206 Chinese government employees at baseline, 60.45% reported that they experienced negative stressful life events and 43.87% reported that they experienced positive stressful life events over the past year. Fatigue was reported by 7.74% of the sample at baseline and 8.19% at follow-up. Cumulative number of life events at baseline, and cumulative life events severity score at baseline were positively associated with self-reported fatigue at follow up, respectively. After adjusting sociodemographic factors, occupational factors and health behavior related factors, negative life events at baseline (OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.69–2.51) were significantly associated with self-reported fatigue at follow-up. Some specific life events including events related to work and events related to economic problems were significantly associated with self-reported fatigue. Specifically, work stress (OR = 1.76, 95%CI: 1.45–2.13), as well as not satisfied with the current job (OR = 1.95, 95%CI: 1.58–2.40), in debt (OR = 1.75, 95%CI: 1.40–2.17) were significantly associated with self-reported fatigue. The economic situation has improved significantly (OR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.46–0.85) at baseline was significantly associated with lower incidence of self-reported fatigue. Conclusion Negative stressful life events were associated with fatigue among Chinese government employees. Effective interventions should be provided to employees who have experienced negative stressful life events.
Regulatory Modules Involved in the Degradation and Modification of Host Cell Walls During Cuscuta campestris Invasion

Haustoria of parasitic plants have evolved sophisticated traits to successfully infect host plants. The degradation and modification of host cell walls enable the haustorium to effectively invade host tissues. This study focused on two APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR (ERF) genes and a set of the cell wall enzyme genes principally expressed during the haustorial invasion of Cuscuta campestris Yuncker. The orthogroups of the TF and cell wall enzyme genes have been implicated in the cell wall degradation and modification activities in the abscission of tomatoes, which are currently the phylogenetically closest non-parasitic model species of Cuscuta species. Although haustoria are generally thought to originate from root tissues, our results suggest that haustoria have further optimized invasion potential by recruiting regulatory modules from other biological processes.
Neural Synchrony During Naturalistic Information Processing Is Associated With Aerobically Active Lifestyle and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Cognitively Intact Older Adults

The functional neural mechanisms underlying the cognitive benefits of aerobic exercise have been a subject of ongoing research in recent years. However, while most neuroimaging studies to date which examined functional neural correlates of aerobic exercise have used simple stimuli in highly controlled and artificial experimental conditions, our everyday life experiences require a much more complex and dynamic neurocognitive processing. Therefore, we have used a naturalistic complex information processing fMRI paradigm of story comprehension to investigate the role of an aerobically active lifestyle in the processing of real-life cognitive-demanding situations. By employing the inter-subject correlation (inter-SC) approach, we have identified differences in reliable stimulus-induced neural responses between groups of aerobically active (n = 27) and non-active (n = 22) cognitively intact older adults (age 65–80). Since cardiorespiratory fitness has previously been suggested to play a key role in the neuroprotective potential of aerobic exercise, we have investigated its dose-response relationship with regional inter-subject neural responses. We found that aerobically active lifestyle and cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with more synchronized inter-subject neural responses during story comprehension in higher order cognitive and linguistic brain regions in the prefrontal and temporo-parietal cortices. In addition, while higher regional inter-SC values were associated with higher performance on a post-listening memory task, this was not translated to a significant between-group difference in task performance. We, therefore, suggest that the modulatory potential of aerobic exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness on cognitive processing may extend beyond simple and highly controlled stimuli to situations in which the brain faces continuous real-life complex information. Additional studies incorporating other aspects of real-life situations such as naturalistic visual stimuli, everyday life decision making, and motor responses in these situations are desired to further validate the observed relationship between aerobic exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, and complex naturalistic information processing.