Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pathways linking social support, self-efficacy, and exclusive breastfeeding among women in northern Uganda

ABSTRACT Despite improvements in infant feeding practices over the past two decades, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is below global targets. Social support can create an enabling environment for recommended infant feeding practices such as EBF, but the types of social support most important for sustained EBF and their potential mechanisms of action have not been thoroughly characterized. We therefore aimed to assess the relationship between EBF-specific social support, EBF self-efficacy, and EBF at 1 and 3 months among postpartum women in northern Uganda. Women (n = 238, 36.2% living with HIV) were recruited during pregnancy. EBF, social support, and EBF self-efficacy were assessed at 1 and 3 months postpartum. Path analysis was used to assess relationships between these factors. Most mothers exclusively breastfed to 1 (80.8%) and 3 months postpartum (62.9%). EBF-specific, but not general, social support differed by EBF status. EBF-specific social support was associated with higher odds of EBF, which was almost fully mediated by EBF self-efficacy. That is, there was evidence that social support primarily influences EBF through its association with self-efficacy. In sum, EBF-specific social support and self-efficacy likely promote EBF and are modifiable factors that can be intervened upon.
Distinct translatome changes in specific neural populations precede electroencephalographic changes in prion-infected mice

Selective vulnerability is an enigmatic feature of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), whereby a widely expressed protein causes lesions in specific cell types and brain regions. Using the RiboTag method in mice, translational responses of five neural subtypes to acquired prion disease (PrD) were measured. Pre-onset and disease onset timepoints were chosen based on longitudinal electroencephalography (EEG) that revealed a gradual increase in theta power between 10- and 18-weeks after prion injection, resembling a clinical feature of human PrD. At disease onset, marked by significantly increased theta power and histopathological lesions, mice had pronounced translatome changes in all five cell types despite appearing normal. Remarkably, at a pre-onset stage, prior to EEG and neuropathological changes, we found that 1) translatomes of astrocytes indicated reduced synthesis of ribosomal and mitochondrial components, 2) glutamatergic neurons showed increased expression of cytoskeletal genes, and 3) GABAergic neurons revealed reduced expression of circadian rhythm genes. These data demonstrate that early translatome responses to neurodegeneration emerge prior to conventional markers of disease and are cell type-specific. Therapeutic strategies may need to target multiple pathways in specific populations of cells, early in disease.
Alteration of RNA modification signature in human sperm correlates with sperm motility

Abstract RNA modifications, which are introduced post-transcriptionally, have recently been assigned pivotal roles in the regulation of spermatogenesis and embryonic development. However, the RNA modification landscape in human sperm is poorly characterized, hampering our understanding about the potential role played by RNA modification in sperm. Through our recently developed high-throughput RNA modification detection platform based on liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectroscopy, we are the first to have characterized the RNA modification signature in human sperm. The RNA modification signature was generated on the basis of 49 samples from participants, including 13 healthy controls, 21 patients with asthenozoospermia (AZS) and 15 patients with teratozoospermia (TZS). In total, we identified 13 types of RNA modification marks on the total RNA in sperm, and 16 types of RNA modification marks on sperm RNA fragments of different sizes. The levels of these RNA modifications on the RNA of patients with AZS or TZS were altered, compared to controls, especially on sperm RNA fragments >80 nt. A few types of RNA modifications, such as m1G, m5C, m2G and m1A, showed clear co-expression patterns as well as high linear correlations with clinical sperm motility. In conclusion, we characterized the RNA modification signature of human sperm and identified its correlation with sperm motility, providing promising candidates for use in clinical sperm quality assessment and new research insights for exploring the underlying pathological mechanisms in human male infertility syndromes.
Changes in Circulating Tumor DNA Reflect Clinical Benefit Across Multiple Studies of Patients With Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

PURPOSE As immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) become increasingly used in frontline settings, identifying early indicators of response is needed. Recent studies suggest a role for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in monitoring response to ICI, but uncertainty exists in the generalizability of these studies. Here, the role of ctDNA for monitoring response to ICI is assessed through a standardized approach by assessing clinical trial data from five independent studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patient-level clinical and ctDNA data were pooled and harmonized from 200 patients across five independent clinical trials investigating the treatment of patients with non–small-cell lung cancer with programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)–directed monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. CtDNA levels were measured using different ctDNA assays across the studies. Maximum variant allele frequencies were calculated using all somatic tumor-derived variants in each unique patient sample to correlate ctDNA changes with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS We observed strong associations between reductions in ctDNA levels from on-treatment liquid biopsies with improved OS (OS; hazard ratio, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.62 to 3.20; P < .001) and PFS (PFS; hazard ratio 1.76; 95% CI, 1.31 to 2.36; P < .001). Changes in the maximum variant allele frequencies ctDNA values showed strong association across different outcomes. CONCLUSION In this pooled analysis of five independent clinical trials, consistent and robust associations between reductions in ctDNA and outcomes were found across multiple end points assessed in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer treated with an ICI. Additional tumor types, stages, and drug classes should be included in future analyses to further validate this. CtDNA may serve as an important tool in clinical development and an early indicator of treatment benefit.
Cross-sectional associations of physical frailty with fall, multiple falls and fall-injury among older Indian adults: Findings from LASI, 2018

Background Although there has been a range of studies that focused on physical frailty and associated fall outcomes within developed countries, similar studies from developing countries have been limited. This study aimed to examine the relationship between physical frailty and the prevalence of falls, multiple falls and fall-related injuries among the ageing population within the Indian context. Methods Individual-level data from the first wave of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) with 28,285 older adults aged 60 years and above (male 48.9%) was used for this study. Physical frailty was assessed through the physical frailty phenotype adapted from Fried’s criteria. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to examine the association of frailty status with falls, multiple falls, and fall-related injuries among Indian older adults. Results The prevalence of frailty was found to be 29.94% within the sample and frail older adults had a higher prevalence of falls (15.43% vs 11.85%), multiple falls (7.73% vs 5.25%), and fall related injuries (6.68% vs 5.29%). The odds of falling among frail older adults were significantly higher in reference to the odds of falling among non-frail older adults [aOR: 1.24; CI: 1.09–1.41]. Similarly, the odds of multiple falls among frail older adults were significantly higher in reference to the odds of multiple falls among non-frail older adults [aOR: 1.24; CI: 1.05–1.48]. Moreover, the odds of fall-related injury among frail older adults were significantly higher in reference to the odds of fall-related injury among non-frail older adults [aOR: 1.21; CI: 1.01–1.45]. Falls, multiple falls and fall-related injuries were found to be significantly associated with employment and poor self-rated health, whereas, females and lone living older adults had a significantly higher likelihood of suffering from falls and multiple falls. Conclusion Older individuals with physical frailty were found to be at increased risk of falls, multiple falls and fall-related injuries in India. The findings of our study also have important clinical implications in the measures undertaken to reduce falls and enable future healthcare practitioners and policymakers to factor in the key determinant of physical frailty.
Effect of proximal femoral nail antirotation on clinical outcome, inflammatory factors and myocardial injury markers in patients with femoral trochanteric fracture.

OBJECTIVE To compare the differences between proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) and dynamic hip screw (DHS) in treatment of femoral trochanteric fracture and analyze the factors influencing recovery after PFNA treatment. METHODS Eighty-six patients with femoral trochanteric fracture admitted to Taizhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2019 and June 2021 were enrolled in the study and assigned into a PFNA group and DHS group (n=43 in each group) before undergoing these treatments. The clinical efficacy, inflammatory factors, and myocardial injury markers were compared between the two groups. The influencing factors on recovery after PFNA treatment were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS Compared to the DHS group, the PFNA group had shorter surgical time, length of stay in hospital, postoperative weight-bearing time, time of healing and detumescence, and less intraoperative blood loss (all P<0.001). The incidence of post-surgical complications with PFNA was lower than with DHS (P<0.05). The serum levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-αof the PFNA group were lower than those of the DHS group (all P<0.05). Moreover, the serum levels of cardiac troponin T, creatine kinase-MB and myoglobin in the PFNA group were also lower than for the DHS (all P<0.05). At the first, third, and sixth months after surgery, the Harris scores for PFNA were higher than for DHS (all P<0.05). The univariate and multivariate analysis showed that instability of fracture, history of osteoporosis, excessive intraoperative bleeding, poor compliance with rehabilitation exercise, and long time from injury to surgery were risk factors for poor recovery following PFNA treatment for patients with femoral trochanteric fracture. CONCLUSION Compared to DHS, PFNA had better clinical efficacy and gave lower serum levels of inflammatory factors and myocardial injury markers. Fracture classification, history of osteoporosis, intraoperative amount of bleeding, compliance of rehabilitation exercise, and time from injury to surgery were closely associated with recovery following PFNA treatment.
Adolescent Girls and Their Family Members’ Attitudes Around Gendered Power Inequity and Associations with Future Aspirations in Karnataka, India

Intergenerational differences in inequitable gender attitudes may influence developmental outcomes, including education. In rural Karnataka, India, we examined the extent of intergenerational (adolescent girls [AGs] vs. older generation family members) dis/agreement to attitudes around gendered power inequities, including gender roles and violence against women (VAW). Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression examined associations between intergenerational dis/agreement to attitude statements and AGs’ future educational and career aspirations. Of 2,457 AGs, 90.9% had a matched family member (55% mothers). While traditional gender roles were promoted intergenerationally, more AGs supported VAW than family members. In adjusted models, discordant promotion of traditional gender roles and concordant disapproval of VAW were associated with greater aspirations. Results highlight the need for family-level programming promoting positive modeling of gender-equitable attitudes.
Accelerating progress towards the sustainable development goals for adolescents in Ghana: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Since the adoption of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by the United Nations (UN), the search has been on to identify interventions that have effects on multiple SDG-targets simultaneously. Like other developing countries, Ghana has a youthful population and would require creative, urgent, youth-focused interventions to be able to attain the SDGs by 2030. This paper describes the application of the accelerator model on data from a sample of Ghanaian adolescents to identify potential accelerators towards selected SDG targets involving youth. The data for 944 adolescents, 10–19 years (mean age 12.31 ± 3.51 years), extracted from two cross-sectional surveys on children and adolescents aged 6–19 years in Kumasi, Ghana, were analysed in this paper. Variables considered suitable proxies for SDG targets and potential accelerators were identified from the study instruments. Consequently, four aligned SDG targets (good mental health, access to ICT, school completion and no open defaecation) and five accelerators (cognitive stimulation, no relative poverty, low student–teacher ratio, high caregiver education and safe water) were extracted. Associations between accelerators and SDG targets were assessed using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for sociodemographic covariates and multiple testing. Cumulative effects were tested by marginal effects modelling. The three hypothesised accelerators identified were cognitive stimulation, low student–teacher ratio, and no relative poverty. A combination of all three accelerators was associated with a higher likelihood of adolescents having access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by +73% (CI 0.72–0.74), no open defecation by +44% (CI 0.43–0.46), school completion by +27% (CI 0.26–0.27) and good mental health by +9% (CI 0.08–0.10). Three hypothesized accelerators showed association across all four SDG aligned targets. The accelerator model has been further validated in this dataset from Ghana. Robust interventions designed around these accelerators may represent an opportunity for achieving the SDGs in Ghana.
Louki Zupa decoction attenuates the airway inflammation in acute asthma mice induced by ovalbumin through IL-33/ST2-NF-κB/GSK3β/mTOR signalling pathway

Abstract Context Asthma is a common respiratory system disease. Louki Zupa decoction (LKZP), a traditional Chinese medicine, presents a promising efficacy against lung diseases. Objective To investigate the pathogenic mechanism of asthma and reveal the intervention mechanism of LKZP. Materials and methods Forty-eight female Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal control group (NC), ovalbumin (OVA)/saline asthma model group, OVA/LL group, OVA/LM group, OVA/LH group and OVA/DEX group (n = 8 per group). The asthmatic mice were modelled through intraperitoneal injecting and neutralizing OVA. LKZP decoction was administrated by gavage at the challenge stage for seven consecutive days (2.1, 4.2 and 8.4 g/kg/day). We investigated the change in lung function, airway inflammation, mucus secretion and TH-1/TH-2-related cytokines. We further verify the activated status of the IL-33/ST2/NF-κB/GSK3β/mTOR signalling pathway. Results LKZP was proved to improve asthmatic symptoms, as evidenced by the down-regulated airway resistance by 36%, 58% and 53% (p < 0.01, p < 0.001 vs. OVA/saline group), up-regulated lung compliance by 102%, 114% and 111%, decreased airway inflammation and mucus secretion by 33%, 40% and 33% (p < 0.001 vs. OVA/saline group). Moreover, the content of cytokines in BALF related to airway allergy (such as IgE) and T helper 1/T helper 2 cells (like IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, TNF-α and IFN-γ), were also markedly reduced by 13–65% on LKZP intervention groups compared with model group. Mechanistic research revealed that the IL-33/ST2-NF-κB/GSK3β/mTOR signalling pathway was activated in the OVA/saline group and LKZP significantly down-regulated this pathway. Discussion and conclusion LKZP improves lung function, airway inflammation, mucus secretion and correct immune imbalance by intervening with the IL-33/ST2-NF-κB/GSK3β/mTOR signalling pathway, presenting a promising therapeutic choice for asthma.
A kinetic framework for modeling oleochemical biosynthesis in Escherichia coli

Microorganisms build fatty acids with biocatalytic assembly lines, or fatty acid synthases (FASs), that can be repurposed to produce a broad set of fuels and chemicals. Despite their versatility, the product profiles of FAS‐based pathways are challenging to adjust without experimental iteration, and off‐target products are common. This study uses a detailed kinetic model of the Escherichia coli FAS as a foundation to model nine oleochemical pathways. These models provide good fits to experimental data and help explain unexpected results from in vivo studies. An analysis of pathways for alkanes and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs), for example, suggests that reductions in titer caused by enzyme overexpression—an experimentally consistent phenomenon—can result from shifts in metabolite pools that are incompatible with the substrate specificities of downstream enzymes, and a focused examination of multiple alcohol pathways indicates that coordinated shifts in enzyme concentrations provide a general means of tuning the product profiles of pathways with promiscuous components. The study concludes by integrating all models into a graphical user interface. The models supplied by this work provide a versatile kinetic framework for studying oleochemical pathways in different biochemical contexts.
Efficacy comparison of acupuncture and balanced acupuncture combined with TongduZhengji manipulation in the treatment of acute lumbar sprain.

OBJECTIVE To compare the curative effect of balanced acupuncture combined with TongduZhengji manipulation vs acupuncture in the treatment of acute lumbar sprain. METHODS Clinical data of 71 patients with acute lumbar sprains in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into single group (n=35) and combined group (n=36) based on treatment methods. The single group received only acupuncture treatment, while the combined group received balanced acupuncture combined with TongduZhengji manipulation. The treatment efficacy, pain level, lumbar function and motion of the lumbar spine were compared between the two groups. RESULTS The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores of the combined group were lower than those of the single group after 3, 4, and 5 days of treatment (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS scores between the two groups after 1 and 2 days of treatment (P>0.05). The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) score of the combined group showed no significant difference compared with that of the single group after 1 and 2 days of treatment (P>0.05), and were lower than those of the single group after 3, 4, and 5 days of treatment (P<0.05). The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score of the combined group after 1, 2, and 3 days of treatment showed no significant difference compared with the single group (P>0.05), and was higher than that of the single group after 4 and 5 days of treatment (P<0.05). The Range of Motion (ROM) score of the combined group showed no significant difference compared with the single group after 1 and 2 days of treatment (P>0.05), and was lower than that of the single group after 3, 4, and 5 days of treatment (P<0.05). The total effective rate of treatment in the combined group was significantly higher than that in the single group (91.67% vs. 71.43%) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Compared with acupuncture alone, balanced acupuncture combined with TongduZhengji manipulation can significantly reduce the pain level and improve lumbar spine mobility as well as lumbar spine function, exhibiting better curative effect than acupuncture only.
HDAC inhibitor chidamide synergizes with venetoclax to inhibit the growth of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma via down-regulation of MYC, BCL2, and TP53 expression

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. A total of 10%–15% of DLBCL cases are associated with myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC) and/or B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL2) translocation or amplification. BCL2 inhibitors have potent anti-tumor effects in DLBCL; however, resistance can be acquired through up-regulation of alternative anti-apoptotic proteins. The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor chidamide can induce BIM expression leading to apoptosis of lymphoma cells with good efficacy in refractory recurrent DLBCL. In this study the synergistic mechanism of chidamide and venetoclax in DLBCL was determined through in vitro and in vivo models. We found that combination therapy significantly reduced the protein levels of MYC TP53 and BCL2 in activated apoptotic-related pathways in DLBCL cells by increasing BIM levels and inducing cell apoptosis. Moreover combination therapy regulated expression of multiple transcriptomes in DLBCL cells involving apoptosis cell cycle phosphorylation and other biological processes and significantly inhibited tumor growth in DLBCL-bearing xenograft mice. Taken together these findings verify the in vivo therapeutic potential of chidamide and venetoclax combination therapy in DLBCL warranting pre-clinical trials for patients with DLBCL.
Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Relationship With Nature Visits, Connectedness to Nature and Physical Activity

Purpose Examine the association of visits to the natural environment, connectedness to nature, physical activity, and the adoption of pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in individuals aged 18 years or older. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting City of Vila Real, located in the north of Portugal. Subjects We recruited 194 individuals (61 men and 133 women) aged 18-75 years. Mesures A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure nature visits, connectedness to nature, PEBs, and demographic characteristics. Neighborhood green space was appreciated through a Simplified Land Occupation Map and physical activity was measured using ActiGraph accelerometers (wGT3X-BT). Analysis Correlations and nonlinear canonical correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. The coefficients of canonical and multiple correlations were calculated. Results Nature visits were associated with involvement in environmental volunteering (V = .317, P ≤ .05) among men. In these, higher levels of moderate-vigorous PA were associated with green travel behavior (η2 = .325, P ≤ .05). Connectedness with nature was related (P ≤ .05) to private sphere behaviors, such as purchase of eco-products (η2 = .191) and local/seasonal products (η2 = .186) in females and encouraging care and protection of natural environment (η2 = .336, P ≤ .01) in males. Conclusions Nature visits, connection to nature, and physical activity levels were related to the adoption of PEBs in the private and public sphere, and these relationships differed between men and women.