Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationships Between Parental Stress, Home Food Environment, and Child Diet Patterns in Families of Preschool Children

Purpose: Home food environment, including home food availability and parental food preparation practices, plays a significant role in child diet patterns. Recent evidence suggests that parental psychological stress is related to parental food preparation practices; however, there is limited information about the relationship between parental psychological stress and home food availability. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationships between parental stress, home food availability, child diet patterns, and body mass index (BMI) in families with young children. Design: A secondary data analysis from a mixed-methods design study. Setting: The parent study was conducted in both local and online communities using a web-based survey. Participants: Participants were 256 parents of children aged 2 to 5 years (53.4% white; 41.5% of overweight or obese children). Measures: Parents completed well-validated self-report questionnaires. Analysis: We used latent structural equation modeling using Bayesian analysis. Results: There was a negative relationship between parents’ general stress and healthy food availability at home (β* = −.20, P < .001 for fruits; β* = −.23, P < .001 for vegetables; and β* = −.24, P < .001 for healthy beverage) and a positive relationship between parenting stress and healthy snack and healthy beverage availability (β = .13, P = .03; β = .14, P = .02, respectively). There was no relationship between parental stress and unhealthy food availability at home while unhealthy food availability was significantly associated with child’s unhealthy eating pattern (β* = .86, P < .01 for unhealthy snack; β* = .51, P < .01 for unhealthy beverage). There was no moderating effect of children’s health insurance on the relationships between parental stress and home food availability. Furthermore, child diet patterns were not associated with child BMI. Conclusion: Parental psychological stress is a potentially important intervention target point for improving home food environment and child diet patterns.
MiR-378a-3p Is Critical for Burkitt Lymphoma Cell Growth

Simple Summary MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs that regulate expression of specific target genes. We observed elevated levels of miR-378a-3p in Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and studied its role in the pathogenesis of BL. Inhibition of miR-378a-3p reduced growth of BL cells, confirming its significance in BL. Identification of BL specific target genes of miR-378a-3p revealed four candidates. For two of them, MNT and IRAK4, miR-378a-dependent regulation was confirmed at the protein level. Overexpression of MNT and IRAK4 in BL cell lines resulted in a similar effect as observed upon miR-378a-3p inhibition, suggesting their involvement in the growth regulatory role of miR-378a-3p. Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules with important gene regulatory roles in normal and pathophysiological cellular processes. Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an MYC-driven lymphoma of germinal center B (GC-B) cell origin. To gain further knowledge on the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of BL, we performed small RNA sequencing in BL cell lines and normal GC-B cells. This revealed 26 miRNAs with significantly different expression levels. For five miRNAs, the differential expression pattern was confirmed in primary BL tissues compared to GC-B cells. MiR-378a-3p was upregulated in BL, and its inhibition reduced the growth of multiple BL cell lines. RNA immunoprecipitation of Argonaute 2 followed by microarray analysis (Ago2-RIP-Chip) upon inhibition and ectopic overexpression of miR-378a-3p revealed 63 and 20 putative miR-378a-3p targets, respectively. Effective targeting by miR-378a-3p was confirmed by luciferase reporter assays for MAX Network Transcriptional Repressor (MNT), Forkhead Box P1 (FOXP1), Interleukin 1 Receptor Associated Kinase 4 (IRAK4), and lncRNA Just Proximal To XIST (JPX), and by Western blot for IRAK4 and MNT. Overexpression of IRAK4 and MNT phenocopied the effect of miR-378a-3p inhibition. In summary, we identified miR-378a-3p as a miRNA with an oncogenic role in BL and identified IRAK4 and MNT as miR-378a-3p target genes that are involved in its growth regulatory role.
Detailed information about parasites revealed by sexual ornamentation

One hypothesis assumes that sexual ornamentation has evolved to reveal an individual’s health and vigour. Therefore, choosy mates may use ornamentation as an indicator of the presence and effectiveness of genes for resistance against parasites (Hamilton & Zuk (Science, Wash. 218, 384(1982) ) ). However, the connection between parasites and sexual ornamentation may be more direct: the different characters of the ornamentation could reveal the contribution of each sexual hormone to the whole hormone mix that induced the ornamentation. As androgens and oestrogens are known to weaken specifically parts of the immune system (Grossmann 1985), and several parasites require a specific aspect of the immune system to be countered effectively, the hormone mix may reveal the actual use of an animal’s immune system which depends on the presence and burden of, or even susceptibility to, different parasites. Therefore detailed information about a host’s parasites could be available by studying its sexual ornamentation. Breeding tubercles, the sexual ornamentation of many fish, are induced by several androgens and at least one oestrogen (Wiley & Colette 1970). I studied four characteristics of the ornamentation of male roach (Rutilus rutilus) and found that two of them could be used to discriminate between males that are infected with either Diplozoon or nematodes, the two most severe parasites found. Furthermore, the number of parasites of each group correlates negatively with the expression of one or both of the other ornamental characters. A female roach could potentially decode a male’s ornamentation to gather a sort of clinical picture of him and use this information in her choice of mate.
Comparative Complication Rates of 854 Central Venous Access Devices for Home Parenteral Nutrition in Cancer Patients: A Prospective Study of Over 169,000 Catheter Days.

BACKGROUND Whether peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are appropriate as safe and durable venous access devices (VADs) is still controversial. The aim of this prospective, cohort, 7-year study was to compare the incidence rate differences of catheter-related complications (CRCs) among 4 types of central VADs in cancer patients on home parenteral nutrition (HPN). METHODS We enrolled all adult cancer outpatients who were candidates for HPN and who had a central VAD inserted during the study period, focusing on the incidence rate of CRCs. RESULTS We evaluated 854 central VADs [401 PICCs, 137 non-tunneled centrally inserted central catheters (CICCs), 118 tunneled-cuffed CICCs, and 198 ports] in 761 patients, for a total of 169,116 catheter-days. Overall, the rate of total CRCs was 1.08/1000 catheter-days. The incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) was low (0.29/1000), particularly for PICCs (0.08/1000; P <0.001 vs tunneled-cuffed CICCs) and for ports (0.21/1000; P <0.019 vs tunneled-cuffed CICCs). The rates of mechanical complications (0.58/1000) and of catheter-related symptomatic thrombosis (0.09/1000) were low and similar for PICCs, tunneled-cuffed CICCs, and ports. In terms of duration and removal rate due to complications, PICCs were similar to tunneled-cuffed CICCs and ports. Altogether, PICCs had fewer total complications than tunneled-cuffed CICCs (P < 0.001); there was no difference in total complications between PICCs and ports. CONCLUSIONS PICCs had significantly better outcomes than tunneled-cuffed CICCs and were safe and durable as ports. Our extensive, long-term study suggests that PICCs can be successfully used as safe and long-lasting VADs for HPN in cancer patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Biochemical and ultrastructural changes in lens during aging of Wistar albino rats.

Aims: To correlate the age-related structural changes in lens with its contents of amino acids and minerals involved in its functional activity (sodium, calcium, magnesium and copper). Study Design: Experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Egypt, between June 2009 and July 2011. Methodology: One hundred male and female albino rats of the Wistar strain (Rattus norvegicus) aging 1, 6, 18, 30 & 42 months were used during experimentation. At the mentioned ages, the animals were sacrificed by diethyl ether and ocular regions were dissected and lens separated. Amino acids content were determined in both lenses of five individuals. In the other five individuals, unilateral ectomized lenses were subjected for chemical determination of calcium, sodium, cupper and magnesium. The rest lenses on the other side were fixed in 10% phosphate buffered formalin followed by 2.5% glutaraldhyde for scanning electron microscopic investigation. Statistically analysis was carried out by the help of SPSS software. Results: The estimated amino acids were altered in both sexes with advancement of aging. The lens amino acids; taurine, prolline, serine, threonine, methionine, lysine and arginine were markedly increased during aging comparing with apparent depletion of asparate, valine and methionine. The alterations in amino acid contents were parallel with increased accumulation of calcium, sodium and cupper and a depletion of magnesium content. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) observations exhibited sequences of changes of the structures of lens fibers and their pattern of attachments during the advancement of aging. In the advanced aged group, the lens fibers become fragile and widely separated as a result of loosely attached of the interfibrillar junctions of the ball and Research Article British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 2(1): 105-121, 2012 106 socket especially at 30 & 42 month old rats. Conclusion: Aging led to alterations of lens fibers at ultrastructural levels associated with diversity of changes in their amino acids contents parallel with increase accumulation of sodium, calcium and cupper and a decrease of magnesium content. The observed findings may be attributed to the increase of advanced glycation end products initiated oxidative stress, impairing lens structure and function.
COVID-19: from epidemiology to treatment

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the daily clinical practice of cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. Preparedness of health workers and health services is crucial to tackle the enormous challenge posed by SARS-CoV-2 in wards, operating theatres, intensive care units, and interventionist laboratories. This Clinical Review provides an overview of COVID-19 and focuses on relevant aspects on prevention and management for specialists within the cardiovascular field.
Public Health Emergency and Crisis Management: Case Study of SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused an unparalleled public health crisis, delivering an immense shock to humanity. With the virus’s health consequences largely unknown, different health systems around the globe have pursued various avenues of crisis management. South Korea, troubled early by the virus, was once the second most affected nation in the world. Arrays of measures in South Korea, such as large-scale diagnostic testing and technology-based comprehensive contact tracing, have brought about debates among public health experts and medical professionals. This case study describes the major cluster transmissions in SARS-CoV-2 hotspots in South Korea (such as a religious sect, a call center, logistics facilities, and nightclubs) and offers early observations on how South Korean public health authorities acted in response to the initial outbreak of the virus and to the new waves prompted by re-opening economies. We then discuss the way in which South Korea’s experience can act as a reference for shaping other countries’ public health strategies in pandemic crisis management.
Effects of management on coarse woody debris volume and composition in boreal forests in northern Sweden

Forest management practices have led to a reduction in the volume and a change in the composition of coarse woody debris (CWD) in many forest types. This study compared CWD volume and composition in reserves and two types of managed forest in the central boreal zone of Sweden. Ten areas were surveyed, each containing clear-cut, mature managed and old-growth stands, to determine the volume of standing and lying CWD in terms of species composition, decay class and size class. Volumes of CWD on clear-cuts and in mature managed forests were high compared with previous studies. Old-growth forests (72.6 m3 ha−1) contained a greater volume of CWD than mature managed forests (23.3 m3 ha−1) and clear-cuts (13.6 m3 ha−1). Differences were greatest for the larger size classes and intermediate decay stages. Despite stand ages being up to 144 years, CWD volume and composition in managed forests was more similar to clear-cuts than to old-growth forests.
Induced systemic resistance in wounded rice plants

Summary Wounding of one leaf of young rice plants caused a strong and transient accumulation of non-conjugated (–)-JA, followed by induction of a number of pathogenesis-related genes, in the treated leaf. The non-treated leaf of wounded plants that emerged after the treatment was more resistant to challenge infection by the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea (Hebert) Barr. The systemic leaf also showed a transient, but delayed accumulation of jasmonic acid. Unlike the wounded leaf, there was no accumulation of pathogenesis-related mRNAs or proteins in the systemically protected leaf. Local application of jasmonic acid, the putative signal of the wound response, resulted in a similar degree of systemic disease resistance as wounding. The results suggest the operation of systemic, wound-related signalling processes in rice that induce systemic disease resistance.
[Ca2+] i Oscillation Frequency Regulates Agonist-stimulated NF-κB Transcriptional Activity*

In nonexcitable cells, stimulation by high agonist concentrations typically produces a biphasic increase in cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+] i ). This response is characterized by a transient initial increase because of intracellular Ca2+ release followed by a sustained elevation which varies in amplitude depending on the nature of the stimulus. In contrast, low-level stimulation often evokes oscillatory changes in [Ca2+] i . The specific information provided by repetitive [Ca2+] i spikes appears to be encoded in the frequency rather than in the amplitude of [Ca2+] i oscillations. The specific, membrane-permeable inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins-1,4,5-P3) receptor blocker Xestospongin C (XeC, 2–20 μm) was used to affect [Ca2+] i signaling in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) during an established response to low-level (1 μm) histamine stimulation. XeC produced a dose-dependent decrease in the frequency of [Ca2+] i oscillations during histamine stimulation without affecting oscillation amplitude. Histamine stimulated a 14-fold increase in NF-κB-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene activity that was dose-dependently decreased by XeC. Thus, during low-level agonist stimulation, [Ca2+] i oscillation frequency regulates nuclear transcription in HAEC.
Genetic and functional diversification of chemosensory pathway receptors in mosquito-borne filarial nematodes

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) afflicts over 60 million people worldwide and leads to severe pathological outcomes in chronic cases. The nematode parasites (Nematoda: Filarioidea) that cause LF require both arthropod (mosquito) intermediate hosts and mammalian definitive hosts for their propagation. The invasion and migration of filarial worms through host tissues are complex and critical to survival, yet little is known about the receptors and signaling pathways that mediate directed migration in these medically important species. In order to better understand the role of chemosensory signaling in filarial worm taxis, we employ comparative genomics, transcriptomics, reverse genetics, and chemical approaches to identify putative chemosensory receptor proteins and perturb chemotaxis phenotypes in filarial worms. We find that chemoreceptor family size is correlated with the presence of environmental (extrahost) stages in nematode life cycles, and that filarial worms contain compact and highly diverged chemoreceptor complements and lineage-specific ion channels that are predicted to operate downstream of chemoreceptor activation. In Brugia malayi, an etiological agent of LF, chemoreceptor expression patterns correspond to distinct parasite migration events across the life cycle. To interrogate the role of chemosensation in the migration of larval worms, arthropod and mammalian infectious stage Brugia parasites were incubated in nicotinamide, an agonist of the nematode transient receptor potential (TRP) channel OSM-9. Exposure of microfilariae to nicotinamide alters intramosquito migration, and exposure of L3s reduces chemotaxis toward host-associated cues in vitro. Nicotinamide also potently modulates thermosensory responses in L3s, suggesting a polymodal sensory role for Brugia osm-9. Reverse genetic studies implicate both Brugia osm-9 and the cyclic nucleotide–gated (CNG) channel subunit tax-4 in larval chemotaxis toward host serum, and these ion channel subunits partially rescue sensory defects in Caenorhabditis elegans osm-9 and tax-4 knock-out strains. Together, these data reveal genetic and functional diversification of chemosensory signaling proteins in filarial worms and encourage a more thorough investigation of clade- and parasite-specific facets of nematode sensory receptor biology.
Welfare and quality of farmed trout fed high plant protein diets. 1 Growth performance and quality traits

Abstract This study was performed to evaluate the effects of high levels of inclusion of plant protein sources to replace fish meal in rainbow trout (O. mykiss) diets on growth performance and quality characteristics. Two isoproteic (44.8%) and isolipidic (19.6%) extruded diets were fed to eight groups of trout (IBW 106.6g) for 103 days. Diet FM, containing only fish meal as protein source, was used as control treatment and compared to diet PV80, where a plant protein mix (pea protein concentrate and wheat gluten) was included to replace 80% of fish meal protein. Growth performance (FBW: 318.5g; SGR: 1.06%) and feed to gain ratio (0.79) of the fish were not affected by dietary treatment (p>0.05). Dry matter and protein ADCs, measured in vivo after stripping, resulted higher in fish fed the high vegetable protein diet relative to the fish meal one (p<0.05). Trout fed diet PV80 were characterised by higher agility index (2.02 vs 1.72, p<0.05), carcass yield (91.95 vs 91.18%, p<0.05), lower hepatosomatic index (0.74 vs 1.07%, p<0.05) and viscerosomatic index (8.04 vs 8.82%, p<0.05) but higher mesenteric fat index (3.08 vs 2.88%, p<0.05) relative to FM fed trout. No significant effect was observed in terms of fillet yield (59.28 vs 6.41%, p<0.05). Feeding diet PV80 resulted in a significant reduction of fillet pH 48h post mortem (5.56 vs 6.44, p<0.05) while no reduction was observed in fillet of trout fed the FM diet (6.56, p>0.05). Higher dry matter (28.2 vs 26.8g/100g, p<0.01) and hydroxyproline (0.79 vs 1.31mg/g, p<0.01) content as a measure of total collagen, was observed in fillets of trout fed PV80 diet relative to the control ones. According to these data, also post mortem firmness measured by the Shear force of raw muscle resulted higher in fish fed the plant protein based diet (4.06 vs 3.30N, p<0.05). The firmness reduction observed 48h post mortem (4.24 vs 2.95N, p<0.05) resulted not affected by the dietary treatment. In summary, data show that even if the growth performance of rainbow trout fed a diet in which fish meal was largely replaced by high quality plant proteins resulted similar, some major quality traits such as dressing out, fillet composition and texture can be significantly affected by dietary treatment.
Do Cross-Scale Correlations Confound Analysis of Nest Site Selection for Chestnut-Backed Chickadees

Abstract Multiscale models of nest site selection often ignore cross-scale correlations (correlations between predictor variables at different scales). We reexamined nest site selection of Chestnut-backed Chickadees (Poecile rufescens) at two scales within territories to isolate: (1) variation associated purely with variables measured at the patch (0.031 ha) and tree scales, and (2) variation shared by variables measured at the patch and tree scales. We used conditional (fixed-effect) logistic regression to build a patch, tree, and full model, and subtracted pure and shared components of variation from the deviance explained by the full model. Tree scale and patch scale variables accounted for 85% and 9% of the total explained variation, respectively. Only 6% of explained variation in nest site locations was due to cross-scale correlations. We suggest that multiscale habitat selection studies incorporate a diagnostic tool like variance decomposition to avoid spurious results caused by lack of independence of habitat relationships.
Beyond Trauma Exposure: Discrimination and Posttraumatic Stress, Internalizing, and Externalizing Problems Among Detained Youth

Abstract According to the race-based traumatic stress model, racial discrimination is proposed to comprise a traumatic experience that results in posttraumatic stress symptoms, as well as internalizing and externalizing problems among youth. Accordingly, a significant body of research has emerged that supports the associations among these constructs. However, the majority of these empirical studies have not accounted for the potential role of traditionally defined traumatic events in these associations. This study investigated whether self-reported racial discrimination was related to posttraumatic stress symptoms, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms above and beyond the impact of other trauma exposures in a sample of 266 detained youth (79% boys, 60% identified as an ethnic minority). Results of hierarchical linear regressions demonstrated that, after accounting for youths’ other trauma exposures, racial discrimination accounted for significant variance in the models predicting delinquency and risk-taking but no other externalizing and internalizing problems, or posttraumatic stress symptoms. These findings indicate that racial discrimination may be particularly important for understanding offending behavior among detained youth.
Methodological and diagnostic relevance of IgEs to recombinant allergens Api m 1 and Ves v 5 determined by the multiplex test ImmunoCAP ISAC

ImmunoCAP ISAC (ISAC, Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden) helps to reveal the IgE sensitization profile of multisensitized patients and the potential risk for severe reactions.1 It is also useful for identifying cross-reactive IgE patterns and might direct the treatment of allergic disease.1 This multiplex allergen test enables the measurement of IgE antibodies to a fixed panel of 112 components from 51 allergen sources in a single step, including two major venom components, honeybee rApi m1 and yellow jacket rVes v5 and two additional marker allergens, Api m4 and Pol d5.