Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antifungal Efficacy and Safety of Cycloheximide as a Supplement in Optisol-GS

Purpose The incidence of fungal infection after corneal transplant has increased significantly in recent years, especially Candida spp. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the addition of cycloheximide in Optisol-GS media in decreasing the growth of Candida spp. strains. Methods This in vitro laboratory efficacy study measured fungal colony growth in 24 vials of Optisol-GS that were divided into 6 groups of 4 vials each, as follows: (1) MIC/2 cycloheximide, (2) MIC cycloheximide, (3) MICx5 cycloheximide, (4) MICx10 cycloheximide, from MIC values obtained for each strain, (5) unsupplemented optisol-GS as a positive control (added inoculum), and (6) unsupplemented optisol-GS as a negative control (no inoculum). In each group was added Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis, except in the negative control. The evaluated variables were fungal colony growth from the Optisol-GS vials, corneal endothelial cell density and endothelial cell viability at different concentrations of cycloheximide. Results In the efficacy study, all strains showed a reduction in fungal cell growth from the second day at all evaluated concentrations of optisol-GS supplemented with cycloheximide, even at subinhibitory concentrations (MIC/2). For C. glabrata, the colony count was reduced to 99%. No evidence of corneal endothelial toxicity was found at any concentration, in the safety study, compared with the paired control. Conclusion The addition of cycloheximide to optisol-GS decreased the fungal growth, demonstrating fungicide action against C. glabrata and fungistatic action against C. albicans and C.parapsilosis. This drug did not demonstrate toxicity to the corneal endothelium at different concentrations.
Milk-Coagulating Extract Produced from Solanum aethiopicum Shum Fruits: Multivariate Techniques of Preparation, Thermal Stability and Effect on Milk Solids Recovery in Curd

Abstract This study investigated a novel procedure of Solanum aethiopicum Shum fruits extract (SASFE) preparation using multivariate experimental designs as factorial and Box–Behnken. The thermal stability of optimized extract as well as its influence on the milk solids in curd was determined. The results showed that extraction time, fruit maturity and pH did not affect significantly SASFE preparation, while the amount of fruits, extraction temperature and NaCl concentration of extractant had a significant effect (p < 0.05). The greatest coagulant index was obtained under the following conditions: 12.5% of fruits, 25°C of extraction temperature and 4% NaCl concentration of extractant. It was thermosensitive and exhibited optimum temperature at 50°C. There was no statistical difference between SASFE and calf rennet in terms of solids yield in curd, estimated yield and actual yield. On the basis of these results, SASFE can be used as a vegetable alternative to calf rennet.
Plot Level Spatial Variability of Soil Organic Carbon, Nitrogen, and Their Stable Isotopic Compositions in Temperate Managed Forest Soils of Atlantic Canada

Abstract Spatial variability of soil organic matter is known to influence ecosystem processes at various scales. The aims of this study were to assess this variability in two paired managed forests differing in age and use the information to propose future sampling plans for these and similar forest soils. The two paired sites (Hattie Lake and Melrose) consisted of adjacent young (10–13 years) and mid-age (45–57 years) black spruce (Picea mariana Mill. BSP)–dominated forest plots. Soil samples were collected from the organic (forest floor (FF)) and mineral soil layers (0- to 15- and 15- to 30-cm depths) at 49 points on a square grid using 62 × 62–m area established at each of the four plots. Soil samples were analyzed for organic C, total N concentrations, and their stable isotopes. We used conventional statistics and geostatistics to evaluate the spatial variability of these soil properties. We also evaluated if mean values varied in relation to stand age. The young plot at Hattie Lake site contained areas of poor drainage compared with the other plots. Only this plot exhibited a very high coefficient of variation (CV, 81–92%) of C and N concentrations and a wider range of &dgr;15N in the mineral soil layers compared with those of the other plots. Also moderate spatial dependence of C and N concentrations and mass was associated with the poorly drained plot while the other plots showed weak to no spatial dependence for these soil properties. Variability of C and N mass was very high (CV, 82–89%) in the FF, whereas intermediate variability (CV, 19–53%) was shown for mineral soil layers that did not consistently relate to stand age. Mean total soil C mass within the top 30 cm including the FF was significantly higher for the poorly drained plot (7.7 ± 0.9; mean ± 99% confidence interval) than the other plots (pooled mean, 5.3 ± 0.6). More intensive sampling is required for the FF than the mineral soil to estimate mean soil C mass. Although generalizations about spatial autocorrelation of forest soil properties studied could not be made in relation to stand age at the scale of our study, site drainage status was an important factor that needs to be considered in future sampling designs of these and similar managed forests.
Reduced CXCL1 production by endogenous IL-37 expressing dendritic cells does not affect T cell activation

The dendritic cell (DC)-derived cytokine profile contributes to naive T cell differentiation, thereby directing the immune response. IL-37 is a cytokine with anti-inflammatory characteristics that has been demonstrated to induce tolerogenic properties in DC. In this study we aimed to evaluate the influence of IL-37 on DC–T cell interaction, with a special focus on the role of the chemokine CXCL1. DC were cultured from bone marrow of human IL-37 transgenic (hIL-37Tg) or WT mice. The phenotype of unstimulated and LPS-stimulated DC was analyzed (co-stimulatory molecules and MHCII by flow cytometry, cytokine profile by RT-PCR and ELISA), and T cell stimulatory capacity was assessed in mixed lymphocyte reaction. The role of CXCL1 in T cell activation was analyzed in T cell stimulation assays with anti-CD3 or allogeneic DC. The expression of the co-stimulatory molecules CD40, CD80 and CD86, and of MHCII in LPS-stimulated DC was not affected by endogenous expression of IL-37, whereas LPS-stimulated hIL-37Tg DC produced less CXCL1 compared to LPS-stimulated WT DC. T cell stimulatory capacity of LPS-matured hIL-37Tg DC was comparable to that of WT DC. Recombinant mouse CXCL1 did not increase T cell proliferation either alone or in combination with anti-CD3 or allogeneic DC, nor did CXCL1 affect the T cell production of interferon-γ and IL-17. Endogenous IL-37 expression does not affect mouse DC phenotype or subsequent T cell stimulatory capacity, despite a reduced CXCL1 production. In addition, we did not observe an effect of CXCL1 in T cell proliferation or differentiation.
2020 Korean Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Part 5. Post-cardiac arrest care

Young-Min Kim, Kyung Woon Jeung, Won Young Kim, Yoo Seok Park, Joo Suk Oh, Yeon Ho You, Dong Hoon Lee, Minjung Kathy Chae, Yoo Jin Jeong, Min Chul Kim, Eun Jin Ha, Kyoung Jin Hwang, Won-Seok Kim, Jae Myung Lee, Kyoung-Chul Cha, Sung Phil Chung, June Dong Park, Han-Suk Kim, Mi Jin Lee, Sang-Hoon Na, Ai-Rhan Ellen Kim, Sung Oh Hwang; on behalf of the Steering Committee of 2020 Korean Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care
In vivo effectiveness of hybrid membranes with osteogenic growth peptide for bone regeneration

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) technique helps to restore bone tissue through cellular selectivity principle. Currently no osteoinductive membrane exists on the market. Osteogenic growth peptide (OGP) acts as a hematopoietic stimulator. This association could improve the quality of bone formation, benefiting more than 2.2 million patients annually. The objective of this work was to develop membranes from ureasil‐polyether materials containing OGP. The membranes were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). OGP was synthesized by the solid phase method. Sterilization results using gamma radiation at 24 kGy did not change the structure of the material, as confirmed by DSC. The SAXS technique revealed the structural homogeneity of the matrix. OGP was incorporated in 66.25 × 10−10 mol and release results showed that the ureasil‐PPO400/PEO500 and ureasil‐PPO400/PEO1900 membranes released 7% and 21%, respectively, after 48 h. In vivo results demonstrated that the amount and quality of bone tissue formed in the bone defects in the presence of ureasil‐polyether membranes with OGP were similar to commercial collagen material with BMP. The results allow us to conclude that membranes with OGP have characteristics that make them potential candidates for the GBR.
Diagnostic yield, safety, and advantages of ultra-low dose chest CT compared to chest radiography in early stage suspected SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia

Abstract To determine the role of ultra-low dose chest computed tomography (uld CT) compared to chest radiographs in patients with laboratory-confirmed early stage SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Chest radiographs and uld CT of 12 consecutive suspected SARS-CoV-2 patients performed up to 48 hours from hospital admission were reviewed by 2 radiologists. Dosimetry and descriptive statistics of both modalities were analyzed. On uld CT, parenchymal abnormalities compatible with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were detected in 10/12 (83%) patients whereas on chest X-ray in, respectively, 8/12 (66%) and 5/12 (41%) patients for reader 1 and 2. The average increment of diagnostic performance of uld CT compared to chest X-ray was 29%. The average effective dose was, respectively, of 0.219 and 0.073 mSv. Uld CT detects substantially more lung injuries in symptomatic patients with suspected early stage SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia compared to chest radiographs, with a significantly better inter-reader agreement, at the cost of a slightly higher equivalent radiation dose.
Efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir versus the standard of care in adults hospitalized with COVID-19: a single-centre, randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objectives Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of patients experience asymptomatic to mild self-limited disease, but some cases progress to respiratory and multi-organ failure. However, so far, no approved antiviral therapy has been available for treatment of COVID-19. Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) is an approved anti-HCV drug that is capable of suppressing other families of positive-sense RNA viruses with conserved polymerase and may be effective against SARS-CoV-2. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the SOF/VEL combination in addition to the national standard of care versus the national standard of care alone (hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir as well as supportive care) in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 infection. Methods This single-centre, randomized, open-labelled, prospective clinical trial was done in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 admitted to Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah Province, Iran. Eligible patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the SOF/VEL arm (SOF/VEL plus the national standard of care) or the control arm (the national standard of care alone). The main outcome of the study was the mortality on Day 28 after randomization. Secondary outcomes were time from the start of medication to clinical improvement, hospital length of stay, need for mechanical ventilation, duration of mechanical ventilation and conversion of RT–PCR results from positive to negative from the time of randomization to discharge. Adverse events were evaluated in all patients who started their assigned treatment. Results Between 11 April and 8 June 2020, 80 patients were recruited and randomly assigned into the SOF/VEL (n = 40) and control (n = 40) arms. The primary outcome was not significantly different between the two arms (P = 1.00). Secondary outcomes, including time to clinical improvement, hospital length of stay, need for mechanical ventilation, duration of mechanical ventilation and RT–PCR conversion, were not significantly different between arms either (P > 0.05). SOF/VEL treatment and the national standard of care were tolerated similarly. Conclusions Although treatment with SOF/VEL was safe, adding SOF/VEL to the standard of care did not improve the clinical status or reduce mortality in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19. However, larger randomized clinical trials including more parameters are needed for accurate estimation of the efficacy of SOF/VEL.
Distance vision, near vision and quality of life between preferred emmetropia and residual myopia in monofocal intraocular lens implantation- A Comparative study.

INTRODUCTION This study was done to evaluate the visual acuity and quality of life in predicted emmetropia (EM) and predicted residual myopia (RM) patients following phacoemulsification with monofocal intraocular lens implantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective comparative study was conducted in the ophthalmology clinic of the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital, Kelantan, Malaysia. Overall, 139 patients with senile cataract were randomised into EM and RM groups. At three months post-operatively, patients were assessed for distance and near vision, as well as quality of life using a modified VF-14 questionnaire. RESULTS Thirty-six patients (64.3%) in the EM group and 30 patients (52.6%) in the RM group (p = 0.209) showed good distance vision (LogMAR 0.3 or better). Fifty patients (87.7%) in the RM group and 27 patients (48.2%) in the EM group gained significantly higher satisfactory near vision (p < 0.05). The quality of life in both groups was good, with a mean modified VF-14 score of 94.5 (SD 2.68) for the EM group and 95.1 (SD 3.19) for the RM group (p = 0.286). Female patients scored significantly higher than males for total activities (p = 0.010) and distance vision-related activities (p = 0.001). The RM group had significantly better patient satisfaction for near vision-related activities compared to the EM group (p = 0.001). In particular, the item 'reading small print' was significantly better in the RM group (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION Patients in the predicted RM group gained more satisfactory near vision than patients in the EM group, with significantly better quality of life for near vision activities.
Control of Sugar and Amino Acid Feeding via Pharyngeal Taste Neurons

Insect gustatory systems comprise multiple taste organs for detecting chemicals that signal palatable or noxious quality. Although much is known about how taste neurons sense various chemicals, many questions remain about how individual taste neurons in each taste organ control feeding. Here, we use the Drosophila pharynx as a model to investigate how taste information is encoded at the cellular level to regulate consumption of sugars and amino acids. We first generate taste-blind animals and establish a critical role for pharyngeal input in food selection. We then investigate feeding behavior of both male and female flies in which only selected classes of pharyngeal neurons are restored via binary choice feeding preference assays as well as Fly Liquid-Food Interaction Counter assays. We find instances of integration as well as redundancy in how pharyngeal neurons control behavioral responses to sugars and amino acids. Additionally, we find that pharyngeal neurons drive sugar feeding preference based on sweet taste but not on nutritional value. Finally, we demonstrate functional specialization of pharyngeal and external neurons using optogenetic activation. Overall, our genetic taste neuron protection system in a taste-blind background provides a powerful approach to elucidate principles of pharyngeal taste coding and demonstrates functional overlap and subdivision among taste neurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dietary intake of nutritious chemicals such as sugars and amino acids is essential for the survival of an animal. In insects, distinct classes of taste neurons control acceptance or rejection of food sources. Here, we develop a genetic system to investigate how individual taste neurons in the Drosophila pharynx encode specific tastants, focusing on sugars and amino acids. By examining flies in which only a single class of taste neurons is active, we find evidence for functional overlap as well as redundancy in responses to sugars and amino acids. We also uncover a functional subdivision between pharyngeal and external neurons in driving feeding responses. Overall, we find that different pharyngeal neurons act together to control intake of the two categories of appetitive tastants.
The impacts of parity on spirometric parameters: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Introduction: The relationship between parity and health outcomes has been debated in the scientific literature in terms of ‘selection-pressure’. However, no previous review has raised the impacts of parity on spirometric parameters. This Systematic Review aimed to review the impacts of parity on spirometric parameters. Areas covered: PubMed and Scopus were searched on October 1st, 2020, using the combination of the following two medical subject headings: ‘Parity’ and ‘Respiratory Function Tests’. Only original articles published in English/French were retained. Ten studies investigated the impacts of parity on spirometric parameters: six included healthy females, three involved unhealthy females [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, defect in protease inhibitor, and some other conditions] and one included a mixed population of healthy/unhealthy females. The studies reported conflicting results: no impact, positive impact (multiparity is associated with larger forced-expiratory-volume in one second, forced- and slow- vital-capacity, and inspiratory-capacity), or negative impact (multiparous females has lower bronchial flows, higher static volumes, an accelerated lung-aging, a tendency to an obstructive-ventilatory-defect and/or to lung-hyperinflation, and increased protease inhibitor levels). Expert opinion: The ten studies presented some limitations that made data interpretation relatively difficult. Future research to identify the ‘real’ impact of parity on spirometric parameters are therefore encouraged.
Mapping the colorectal tumor microbiota

ABSTRACT The gut microbiome in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) is different than that of healthy controls. Previous studies have profiled the CRC tumor microbiome using a single biopsy. However, since the morphology and cellular subtype vary significantly within an individual tumor, the possibility of sampling error arises for the microbiome within an individual tumor. To test this hypothesis, seven biopsies were taken from representative areas on and off the tumor in five patients with CRC. The microbiome composition was strikingly similar across all samples from an individual. The variation in microbiome alpha-diversity was significantly greater between individuals’ samples then within individuals. This is the first study, to our knowledge, that shows that the microbiome of an individual tumor is spatially homogeneous. Our finding strengthens the assumption that a single biopsy is representative of the entire tumor, and that microbiota changes are not limited to a specific area of the neoplasm.
Increasing Prevalence and Stable Incidence Rates of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Among First Nations: Population-Based Evidence From a Western Canadian Province

Abstract Background There is limited to no evidence of the prevalence and incidence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) among Indigenous peoples. In partnership with Indigenous patients and family advocates, we aimed to estimate the prevalence, incidence, and trends over time of IBD among First Nations (FNs) since 1999 in the Western Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Methods We conducted a retrospective population-based study linking provincial administrative health data from the 1999-2000 to 2016-2017 fiscal years. An IBD case definition requiring multiple health care contacts was used. The prevalence and incidence data were modeled using generalized linear models and a negative binomial distribution. Models considered the effect of age groups, sex, diagnosis type (ulcerative colitis [UC], Crohn disease [CD]), and fiscal years to estimate prevalence and incidence rates and trends over time. Results The prevalence of IBD among FNs increased from 64/100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI], 62-66) in 1999-2000 to 142/100,000 (95% CI, 140-144) people in 2016-2017, with an annual average increase of 4.2% (95% CI, 3.2%-5.2%). Similarly, the prevalence of UC and CD, respectively, increased by 3.4% (95% CI, 2.3%-4.6%) and 4.1% (95% CI, 3.3%-4.9%) per year. In contrast, the incidence rates of IBD, UC, and CD among FNs depicted stable trends over time; no statistically significant changes were observed in the annual change trend tests. The ratio of UC to CD was 1.71. Conclusions We provided population-based evidence of the increasing prevalence and stable incidence rates of IBD among FNs. Further studies are needed in other regions to continue understanding the patterns of IBD among Indigenous peoples.
Determinants of minimum acceptable diet feeding among children aged 6–23 months in Odisha, India

Abstract Objective: To assess the level, pattern and determinants of minimum acceptable diet (MAD) feeding in Odisha, India. Design: Utilising cross-sectional data, the MAD was estimated through a dietary assessment method wherein the child’s mother was asked to recall all the food intake of the youngest child the previous day and night of the surveyed date. Setting: National Family Health Survey 2015–2016. Participants: Children aged 6–23 months, living with mother and for whom complete information on MAD was available (n 3073). Results: Only 8·4 % of the children aged 6–23 months were fed MAD, and the MAD feeding varies considerably by socio-demographic characteristics. Children aged 12–17 months had two times (OR: 2·51, 95 % CI (1·48, 4·26)) and those aged 18–23 months had three times (OR: 3·77, 95 % CI (2·25, 6·30)) higher odds of having a MAD than their counterparts aged 6–8 months. Children whose mother was exposed to any mass media had a higher chance of MAD feeding (OR: 1·46, 95 % CI (1·01, 2·11)). Conclusions: The children of higher age, second or higher-order births, with mother exposed to mass media are significantly more likely to be fed with a MAD. At the same time, children from scheduled caste (SC) households have a lower probability of MAD feeding. The lower MAD feeding among the SC households suggests strengthening the ongoing programmes with a higher emphasis on the inclusion of this disadvantaged and marginalised group. Findings from the current study would assist policymakers, and public health managers improve MAD feeding practices in Odisha, India, in a targeted manner.