Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neuroprotectin D1 Protects Against Postoperative Delirium-Like Behavior in Aged Mice

Postoperative delirium (POD) is the most common postoperative complication affecting elderly patients, yet the underlying mechanism is elusive, and effective therapies are lacking. The neuroinflammation hypothesis for the pathogenesis of POD has recently emerged. Accumulating evidence is supporting the role of specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs) in regulating inflammation. Neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1), a novel docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-derived lipid mediator, has shown potent immunoresolvent and neuroprotective effects in several disease models associated with inflammation. Here, using a mouse model of POD, we investigated the role of NPD1 in postoperative cognitive impairment by assessing systemic inflammatory changes, the permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), neuroinflammation, and behavior in aged mice at different time points. We report that a single dose of NPD1 prophylaxis decreased the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-6 and upregulated the expression of IL-10 in peripheral blood, the hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex. Additionally, NPD1 limited the leakage of the BBB by increasing the expression of tight junction (TJ)-associated proteins such as ZO-1, claudin-5, and occludin. NPD1 also abolished the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which is associated with improved general and memory function after surgery. In addition, NPD1 treatment modulated the inflammatory cytokine expression profile and improved the expression of the M2 marker CD206 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages, which may partly explain the beneficial effects of NPD1 on inflammation. Collectively, these findings shed light on the proresolving activities of NPD1 in the pro-inflammatory milieu both in vivo and in vitro and may bring a novel therapeutic approach for POD.
Regulatory eosinophils induce the resolution of experimental arthritis and appear in remission state of human rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives Eosinophils possess pro-inflammatory functions in asthma. However, our recent studies have suggested that innate lymphoid cells type 2 (ILC2s) and eosinophils have proresolving properties in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nothing is known yet about the mechanisms determining the double-edged role of eosinophils. Therefore, we investigated whether asthma, a paradigm eosinophilic disease, can elicit resolution of chronic arthritis. Methods Ovalbumin-triggered eosinophilic asthma was combined with K/BxN serum-induced arthritis, where lung and synovial eosinophil subsets were compared by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). To investigate the involvement of the ILC2–interleukin-5 (IL-5) axis, hydrodynamic injection (HDI) of IL-25 and IL-33 plasmids, IL-5 reporter mice and anti-IL-5 antibody treatment were used. In patients with RA, the presence of distinct eosinophil subsets was examined in peripheral blood and synovial tissue. Disease activity of patients with RA with concomitant asthma was monitored before and after mepolizumab (anti-IL-5 antibody) therapy. Results The induction of eosinophilic asthma caused resolution of murine arthritis and joint tissue protection. ScRNA-seq revealed a specific subset of regulatory eosinophils (rEos) in the joints, distinct from inflammatory eosinophils in the lungs. Mechanistically, synovial rEos expanded on systemic upregulation of IL-5 released by lung ILC2s. Eosinophil depletion abolished the beneficial effect of asthma on arthritis. rEos were consistently present in the synovium of patients with RA in remission, but not in active stage. Remarkably, in patients with RA with concomitant asthma, mepolizumab treatment induced relapse of arthritis. Conclusion These findings point to a hitherto undiscovered proresolving signature in an eosinophil subset that stimulates arthritis resolution.
The Use of Transferable Breeding Container for Population Enrichment of Pollinator, Forcipomyia spp. in the Cocoa Ecosystem

The study aims to investigate the potential use of breeding substrates (cocoa pod husk, banana stump, and combination of cocoa pod husk and Cocoa pod borer infested pods) for an enhancement population of pollinators, Forcipomyia spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). The numbers of pollinators was monitored at intervals of two weeks at four distances (2, 5, 8 and 12 m) from the breeding sites. This observation was carried out for the period of 94 days. Field study demonstrated that the emergence of pollinators was higher at Day 52 (2.875a), and significantly different with Day 66 (1.563bc), Day 80 (1.250bc), Day 12 (1.042bc), Day 94 (0.792c) and Day 1 (0.792c). The numbers of male (1.063a) and female (1.813a) pollinators were recorded highest at Day 52. Cocoa pod husk recorded the highest number of male (1.115a) and female pollinators (0.792a), followed by banana stump, control and combination of cocoa pod husks and CPB’s infested pods. Higher numbers of pollinators were recorded at a distance of 2 m (1.760a) from the breeding sites, followed by 12 m (1.740a), 8 m (1.480a) and 5 m (1.323a). The overall observation suggests that cocoa pod husk is the most suitable breeding substrates for enhancement of cocoa pollinator’s population. 
Morphometric Analysis on Shape Transition during Growth of the Red Snapper ( Lutjanus campechanus , Poey, 1860)

The red snapper Lutjanus campechanus (Poey, 1860) has a high commercial value that sustains an important fishery in Mexico. In this study, the patterns in morphological variations from early juvenile to adult stages were assessed by geometric methods (GM) in 194 organisms. Changes in shape were more evident and rapid in the early juvenile stage and decreased during adulthood. The principal components analysis of shape (Relative Warp Analysis, or RWA) identified size and body depth as the main sources of variance associated to both juvenile and adult organisms. The outline of the head and the tail showed the most noticeable differences following the ontogenic pathway visualized by thin-plate splines indicating that the ontogenetic pathway of the upper half and the lower half of the dorsal head profile (DHP) are in relatively opposite directions than those from the tail that bends ventrally. The Two-Block Partial Least Square analysis (2B-PLS) and their CR coefficients showed that the two modules had a moderate linear trend (p = 0.001). Although the blocks have morphological changes at different rates, there is a moderate synchrony in growth by modules. This study is the first to report the use of geometrical morphometry in L. campechanus in Mexico.
Biofilm activity, ammonia removal and cell growth of the heterotrophic nitrifier, Acinetobacter sp., facilitated by exogenous N-acyl-homoserine lactones

In the present study, the heterotrophic nitrification–aerobic denitrification strain, Acinetobacter sp. JQ1004, was treated with three typical N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules (C6-HSL, C8-HSL, and 3-oxo-C10-HSL) during the nitrogen removal process. The effects of AHLs on biofilm formation, flocculation, extracellular polymeric substance characteristics, and nitrogen removal were investigated. Findings revealed that low concentrations of these three AHLs could promote ammonia removal and cell growth as follows: C8-HSL > C6-HSL > 3-oxo-C10-HSL, whereas high concentrations suppressed nitrogen removal. Transcript levels of the amoA gene in the heterotrophic nitrification process were detected by real-time PCR, indicating that the addition of each AHL with 10 nmol L−1 could stimulate expression of amoA. Notably, the addition of C6-HSL at relative lowly concentrations significantly accelerated biofilm formation and self-aggregation of strain JQ1004. Many microbial-flocs were observed between cells using scanning electron microscopy when strains were dosed with 10 nmol L−1 C6-HSL. Excitation emission matrix spectra revealed that the addition of C6-HSL and C8-HSL at 10 nmol L−1 did not change the components and structures of the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), but the fluorescence intensity of various components increased substantially. However, the addition of 3-oxo-C10-HSL reduced the fluorescence strength of EPS, which had no remarkable effect on biofilm formation, self-aggregation, and nitrogen removal of the strain.
Inhibiting Sialidase-Induced TGF-β1 Activation Attenuates Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice

The active form of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) plays a key role in potentiating fibrosis. TGF-β1 is sequestered in an inactive state by a latency-associated glycopeptide (LAP). Sialidases (also called neuraminidases (NEU)) cleave terminal sialic acids from glycoconjugates. The sialidase NEU3 is upregulated in fibrosis, and mice lacking Neu3 show attenuated bleomycin-induced increases in active TGF-β1 in the lungs and attenuated pulmonary fibrosis. Here we observe that recombinant human NEU3 upregulates active human TGF-β1 by releasing active TGF-β1 from its latent inactive form by desialylating LAP. Based on the proposed mechanism of action of NEU3, we hypothesized that compounds with a ring structure resembling picolinic acid might be transition state analogs and thus possible NEU3 inhibitors. Some compounds in this class showed nanomolar IC50 for recombinant human NEU3 releasing active human TGF-β1 from the latent inactive form. The compounds given as daily 0.1–1-mg/kg injections starting at day 10 strongly attenuated lung inflammation, lung TGF-β1 upregulation, and pulmonary fibrosis at day 21 in a mouse bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis. These results suggest that NEU3 participates in fibrosis by desialylating LAP and releasing TGF-β1 and that the new class of NEU3 inhibitors are potential therapeutics for fibrosis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The extracellular sialidase NEU3 appears to be a key driver of pulmonary fibrosis. The significance of this report is that 1) we show the mechanism (NEU3 desialylates the latency-associated glycopeptide protein that keeps the profibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in an inactive state, causing active TGF-β1 release), 2) we then use the predicted NEU3 mechanism to identify nM IC50 NEU3 inhibitors, and 3) these new NEU3 inhibitors are potent therapeutics in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis.
Marked Increased Production of Acute Phase Reactants by Skeletal Muscle during Cancer Cachexia

Simple Summary Muscle wasting during cancer is recognized as an independent predictor of mortality. The aim of this study was to characterize the changes in the muscle secretome associated with cancer cachexia to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved and to identify secreted proteins which may reflect this wasting process. Our study demonstrated that skeletal muscle is a source of several acute phase reactants during cancer cachexia that may hold the key to a cachexia-specific signature. Future work will have to determine whether some of these acute phase reactants contribute to and/or reflect the muscle atrophy caused by cancer, therefore representing potential therapeutic targets and/or biomarkers of cancer cachexia. Abstract Loss of skeletal muscle mass in cancer cachexia is recognized as a predictor of mortality. This study aimed to characterize the changes in the muscle secretome associated with cancer cachexia to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved and to identify secreted proteins which may reflect this wasting process. The changes in the muscle proteome of the C26 model were investigated by label-free proteomic analysis followed by a bioinformatic analysis in order to identify potentially secreted proteins. Multiple reaction monitoring and Western blotting were used to verify the presence of candidate proteins in the circulation. Our results revealed a marked increased muscular production of several acute phase reactants (APR: Haptoglobin, Serine protease inhibitor A3N, Complement C3, Serum amyloid A-1 protein) which are released in the circulation during C26 cancer cachexia. This was confirmed in other models of cancer cachexia as well as in cancer patients. Glucocorticoids and proinflammatory cytokines are responsible for an increased production of APR by muscle cells. Finally, their muscular expressions are strongly positively correlated with body weight loss as well as the muscular induction of atrogens. Our study demonstrates therefore a marked increased production of APR by the muscle in cancer cachexia.
Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Selected Essential Oils against Staphylococcus spp. Isolated from Human Semen

Staphylococcus spp. is not only a commensal bacteria but also a major human pathogen that causes a wide range of clinical infections. Recent evidence suggests that Staphylococcus has the ability to colonize the reproductive system and to affect its structure and functions. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical properties and antibacterial effects of select essential oils (EOs): Amyris balsamifera L. , Boswellia carterii Birdw. , Canarium luzonicum (Blume) A. Gray, Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl. , Cinnamomum camphora var. linaloolifera Y. Fuita, Citrus x aurantium L. , Gaultheria procumbens L. , Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. , Melaleuca ericifolia Smith. , Melaleuca leucadendra L. , Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. , Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck, Santalum album L. , and Vetiveria zizanoides (L.) Roberty against 50 Staphylococcus spp. cultures isolated from human semen, specifically Staphylococcus aureus, S. capiti, S. epidermidis, S. haemoliticus, and S. hominis. The disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods were used to assess the antimicrobial potential and to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the selected EOs. The best anti-Staphylococcus activities were found with both methods for the essential oils of C. luzonicum (Blume) A. Gray, A. balsamifera, C. camphora, and P. cabli.
Phenolic Compounds Reduce the Fat Content in Caenorhabditis elegans by Affecting Lipogenesis, Lipolysis, and Different Stress Responses

Supplementation with bioactive compounds capable of regulating energy homeostasis is a promising strategy to manage obesity. Here, we have screened the ability of different phenolic compounds (myricetin, kaempferol, naringin, hesperidin, apigenin, luteolin, resveratrol, curcumin, and epicatechin) and phenolic acids (p-coumaric, ellagic, ferulic, gallic, and vanillic acids) regulating C. elegans fat accumulation. Resveratrol exhibited the strongest lipid-reducing activity, which was accompanied by the improvement of lifespan, oxidative stress, and aging, without affecting worm development. Whole-genome expression microarrays demonstrated that resveratrol affected fat mobilization, fatty acid metabolism, and unfolded protein response of the endoplasmic reticulum (UPRER), mimicking the response to calorie restriction. Apigenin induced the oxidative stress response and lipid mobilization, while vanillic acid affected the unfolded-protein response in ER. In summary, our data demonstrates that phenolic compounds exert a lipid-reducing activity in C. elegans through different biological processes and signaling pathways, including those related with lipid mobilization and fatty acid metabolism, oxidative stress, aging, and UPR-ER response. These findings open the door to the possibility of combining them in order to achieve complementary activity against obesity-related disorders.
Energy sources that fuel metabolic processes in protruding finger‐like organelles

Cells possess a variety of organelles with characteristic structure and subcellular localization intimately linked to their specific function. While most are intracellular and found in virtually all eukaryotic cells, there is a small group of organelles of elongated cylindrical shapes in highly specialized cells that protrude into the extracellular space, such as cilia, flagella, and microvilli. The ATP required by intracellular organelles is amply available in the cytosol, largely generated by mitochondria. However, such is not the case for cilia and flagella, whose slender structures cannot accommodate mitochondria. These organelles consume massive amounts of ATP to carry out high energy‐demanding functions, such as sensory transduction or motility. ATP from the nearest mitochondria or other reactions within the cell body is severely limited by diffusion and generally insufficient to fuel the entire length of cilia and flagella. These organelles overcome this fuel restriction by local generation of ATP, using mechanisms that vary depending on the nutrients that are available in their particular external environment. Here, we review, with emphasis in mammals, the remarkable adaptations that cilia and flagella use to fuel their metabolic needs. Additionally, we discuss how a decrease in nutrients surrounding olfactory cilia might impair olfaction in COVID‐19 patients.
Dynamic interplay between life events and course of psychotic disorders: 10-year longitudinal study following first admission

Abstract Background Life events (LEs) are a risk factor for first onset and relapse of psychotic disorders. However, the impact of LEs on specific symptoms – namely reality distortion, disorganization, negative symptoms, depression, and mania – remains unclear. Moreover, the differential effects of negative v. positive LEs are poorly understood. Methods The present study utilizes an epidemiologic cohort of patients (N = 428) ascertained at first-admission for psychosis and followed for a decade thereafter. Symptoms were assessed at 6-, 24-, 48-, and 120-month follow-ups. Results We examined symptom change within-person and found that negative events in the previous 6 months predicted an increase in reality distortion (β = 0.07), disorganized (β = 0.07), manic (β = 0.08), and depressive symptoms (β = 0.06), and a decrease in negative symptoms (β = −0.08). Conversely, positive LEs predicted fewer reality distortion (β = −0.04), disorganized (β = −0.04), and negative (β = −0.13) symptoms, and were unrelated to mood symptoms. A between-person approach to the same hypotheses confirmed that negative LEs predicted change in all symptoms, while positive LEs predicted change only in negative symptoms. In contrast, symptoms rarely predicted future LEs. Conclusions These findings confirm that LEs have an effect on symptoms, and thus contribute to the burden of psychotic disorders. That LEs increase positive symptoms and decrease negative symptoms suggest at least two different mechanisms underlying the relationship between LEs and symptoms. Our findings underscore the need for increased symptom monitoring following negative LEs, as symptoms may worsen during that time.
Disruptions in preventive care: Mammograms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE To measure the extent to which the provision of mammograms was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and surrounding guidelines. DATA SOURCES De-identified summary data derived from medical claims and eligibility files were provided by Independence Blue Cross for women receiving mammograms. STUDY DESIGN We used a difference-in-differences approach to characterize the change in mammograms performed over time and a queueing formula to estimate the time to clear the queue of missed mammograms. DATA COLLECTION We used data from the first 30 weeks of each year from 2018 to 2020. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Over the 20 weeks following March 11, 2020, the volume of screening mammograms and diagnostic mammograms fell by 58% and 38% of expected levels, on average. Lowest volumes were observed in week 15 (April 8 to 14), when screening and diagnostic mammograms fell by 99% and 74%, respectively. Volumes began to rebound in week 19 (May), with diagnostic mammograms reaching levels to similar to previous years' and screening mammograms remaining 14% below expectations. We estimate it will take a minimum of 22 weeks to clear the queue of missed mammograms in our study sample. CONCLUSIONS The provision of mammograms has been significantly disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Effects of Advertising on Food Consumption Preferences in Children

(1) Background: Childhood obesity is a public health problem. The purpose of this study was to know if exposure to commercial messages which advertise food products exerts any effect on the short-term consumption preferences of 4- to 6-year-old children. (2) Methods: A double-blind and randomized experimental design. Sample consisted of 421 boys and girls from twelve schools in a city in Spain. (3) Results: In three of the four product pairs shown, the products advertised in the intervention were preferred. In the results of applying the model for the first product pair presented, sugared cereals, the predictive variable which best explains the behavior of the preferences expressed is gender (Odds Ratio 0.285 (0.19–0.42); p < 0.05). For the second pair, chocolate cookies, the family’s nationality has a strong weight in the model. As regards the regression model calculated for the last pair (filled rolls), the predictive variable which showed having more influence was gender. Boys had a 1.39 times higher risk of selecting the advertised product than girls. (4) Conclusions: The persuasive effect of commercials has shown to be influential in a general, immediate, and significant way only in the case of products with wide brand awareness. This study reinforces the importance of advertising and emphasizes the need to initiate measures to control the content of TV commercials.
The Effect of Dietary Rye Inclusion and Xylanase Supplementation on Structural Organization of Bone Constitutive Phases in Laying Hens Fed a Wheat-Corn Diet

Simple Summary Consumption of diets with a high-level incorporation of rye leads to an increase in the concentration of nonstarch polysaccharides, which cannot be utilized by poultry. The enzyme xylanase degrades arabinoxylans, the most common nonstarch polysaccharides present in both wheat and rye. In this study, the effect of dietary hybrid rye inclusion and enzyme xylanase supplementation to a diet of laying hens on bone quality was evaluated. Bone quality in laying hens is especially important as one of the bone functions is to store calcium and other minerals for eggshell production. The results of our study showed that modern hybrid rye varieties, when supplemented with exogenous xylanase, can be introduced to the diet of laying hens without any adverse effects on bone structure. Abstract This study was conducted to examine the effect of dietary rye inclusion and xylanase supplementation on the bone quality of ISA Brown laying hens. Ninety-six laying hens were assigned to four groups: fed with wheat–corn diet or rye–wheat–corn diet (25% of hybrid rye inclusion) or nonsupplemented or supplemented with xylanase (200 mg/kg of feed) for a period of 25 weeks, from the 26th to the 50th week of age. X-ray absorptiometry, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to provide comprehensive information about the structural organization of bone constitutive phases of the tibia mid-diaphysis in hens from all treatment groups. Bone hydroxyapatite size was not affected by diet. Xylanase supplementation influenced the carbonate-to-phosphate ratio and crystallinity index in hens fed with both diets. Xylanase had more pronounced effects on bone mineral density and collagen maturity in hens fed with the rye–wheat–corn diet versus those fed with the wheat–corn diet. The results of this study showed that modern rye varieties, when supplemented with exogenous xylanase, can be introduced to the diet of laying hens without any adverse effects on bone structure.