Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Natriuretic peptide analogues with distinct vasodilatory or renal activity: Integrated effects in health and experimental heart failure.

AIMS Management of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) requires disparate treatments depending on the state of systemic/peripheral perfusion and the presence/absence of expanded body-fluid volumes. There is an unmet need for therapeutics that differentially treat each aspect. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) plays an important role in blood pressure and volume regulation.We investigate for the first time the integrated hemodynamic, endocrine and renal effects of human ANP analogues, modified for exclusive vasodilatory (ANP-DRD) or diuretic (ANP-DGD) activities, in normal health and experimental ADHF. METHODS AND RESULTS We compared the effects of incremental infusions of ANP analogues ANP-DRD and ANP-DGD with native ANP, in normal (n = 8) and ADHF (n = 8) sheep.ANP-DRD administration increased plasma cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in association with dose-dependent reductions in arterial pressure in Normal and HF sheep similarly to ANP responses. In contrast to ANP, which in HF produced a diuresis/natriuresis, this analogue was without significant renal effect. Conversely, ANP-DGD induced marked stepwise increases in urinary cGMP, urine volume and sodium excretion in HF comparable to ANP, but without accompanying vasodilatory effects. All peptides increased packed cell volume relative to control in both states, and in HF, decreased left atrial pressure. In response to ANP-DRD-induced blood pressure reductions, plasma renin activity rose compared to Control only during the high dose in Normals, and not at all in HF-suggesting relative renin inhibition, with no increase in aldosterone in either state, whereas renin and aldosterone were both significantly reduced by ANP-DGD in HF. CONCLUSIONS These ANP analogues exhibit distinct vasodilatory (ANP-DRD) and diuretic/natriuretic (ANP-DGD) activities, and therefore have the potential to provide precision therapy for ADHF patients with differing pathophysiological derangement of pressure-volume homeostasis. TRANSLATIONAL PERSPECTIVE In acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) there is an unmet need for a menu of therapeutic agents allowing controlled vasodilation without excess diuresis at one end of the spectrum and effective diuresis without excess blood pressure lowering at the other. The present study investigates the effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) analogues engineered for exclusive vasodilatory or diuretic activities in experimental HF, and demonstrated the variants differentially exerted blood pressure and volume-eliminating actions.These peptides offer a unique treatment strategy which could fill the gap in current ADHF therapy by providing personalized care for ADHF patients with ends-of-the-spectrum clinical characteristics.
Draft Genome Sequence of Bradyrhizobium elkanii BR 2003, an Efficient Rhizobium Strain for Cajanus, Canavalia, Crotalaria, and Indigofera

We report here the annotated draft genome sequence of the rhizobium strain BR 2003. This strain is able to establish symbiosis and to fix nitrogen with a broad range of leguminous species. The estimation of the average nucleotide identity confirmed the strain as a member of Bradyrhizobium elkanii. ABSTRACT We report here the annotated draft genome sequence of the rhizobium strain BR 2003. This strain is able to establish symbiosis and to fix nitrogen with a broad range of leguminous species. The estimation of the average nucleotide identity confirmed the strain as a member of Bradyrhizobium elkanii.
Systematic Review of Dietary Patterns and Sustainability in the United States

ABSTRACT Improving awareness and accessibility of healthy diets are key challenges for health professionals and policymakers alike. While the US government has been assessing and encouraging nutritious diets via the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) since 1980, the long-term sustainability, and thus availability, of those diets has received less attention. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) examined the evidence on sustainable diets for the first time, but this topic was not included within the scope of work for the 2020 DGAC. The objective of this study was to systematically review the evidence on US dietary patterns and sustainability outcomes published from 2015 to 2019 replicating the 2015 DGAC methodology. The 22 studies meeting inclusion criteria reveal a rapid expansion of research on US dietary patterns and sustainability, including 8 studies comparing the sustainability of DGA-compliant dietary patterns with current US diets. Our results challenge prior findings that diets adhering to national dietary guidelines are more sustainable than current average diets and indicate that the Healthy US-style dietary pattern recommended by the DGA may lead to similar or increased greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and water use compared with the current US diet. However, consistent with previous research, studies meeting inclusion criteria generally support the conclusion that, among healthy dietary patterns, those higher in plant-based foods and lower in animal-based foods would be beneficial for environmental sustainability. Additional research is needed to further evaluate ways to improve food system sustainability through both dietary shifts and agricultural practices in the United States.
Prevalence of malnutrition and associated factors among adult patients on antiretroviral therapy follow-up care in Jimma Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia

Background Malnutrition especially undernutrition is the main problem that is seen over people living with HIV/AIDS and can occur at any age. Multiple factors contributed to undernutrition of HIV/AIDS patients and it need immediate identification and prompt action. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status of patients and identify factors associated with undernutrition among HIV/AIDS patients on follow-up care in Jimma medical center, Southwest Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study design was conducted from March-April 2016. Data were collected retrospectively from clinical records of HIV/AIDS patients enrolled for follow up care in ART clinic from June 2010 to January 2016. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify independent predictor of undernutrition. Results Data of 1062 patients were included in the study. The prevalence of undernutrition (BMI<18.5 kg/m2) and overweight or obesity were 34% and 9%, respectively. Out of undernourished patients, severely malnourished patients (BMI<16 kg/m2) accounted of 9%. Undernutrition was more likely among widowed patients (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI, 1.03–2.79), patients with no access to water supply (AOR = 1.69, 95% CI, 1.16–2.47) and patients in the WHO clinical stage of three (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI, 1.33–2.97) and four (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI, 1.74–5.07). Moreover, the odds of undernutrition was more likely among patients with CD4 cell count of <200 cells/mm3 (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI, 1.38–2.47) and patients with a functional status of bedridden (AOR = 3.6, 95% CI, 1.55–8.35) and ambulatory (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI, 1.66–3.51), respectively. Conclusion Both undernutrition and overweight or obesity were prevalent among HIV/AIDS patients in Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia. Undernutrition was significantly associated with clinical outcome of patients. Hence, nutritional assessment, care and support should be strengthened. Critical identification of malnourished patients and prompt interventions should be undertaken.
The effect of cooling vests on physiological and perceptual responses: a systematic review

Humans in hot environments are exposed to health risks and thermal discomfort which seriously affect their physical, physiological and mental workload. This study aimed to assess the effects of using cooling vests (CVs) on physiological and perceptual responses in the workplace. Three main databases were searched using subject headings and appropriate Mesh terms. The article has been written according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews checklist. A total of 23,837 studies were identified for screening and 63 studies were eligible for data extraction. A statistically significant difference was observed in body temperature among hybrid cooling garments (HBCGs), phase-change materials (PCMs) and air-cooled garments (ACGs) at 31.56–37 °C (60% relative humidity), evaporative cooling garments at 25.8–28.1 °C and liquid cooling garments at 35 °C (49% relative humidity) compared to without CVs (p < 0.001). HBCGs (PCMs and ACGs) are effective means in hot, moderate, humid or dry environments.
Mood and behavior seasonality in glaucoma; assessing correlations between seasonality and structure and function of the retinal ganglion cells

Aim In glaucoma, depression and disturbed sleep has been associated with degeneration of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, that mediate non-image forming effects of light such as regulation of circadian rhythm, alertness and mood. In this study we assessed associations between seasonal mood and behavior variation and retinal ganglion cell damage in outpatients with glaucoma. Methods The seasonal pattern assessment questionnaire was administered to outpatients with glaucoma. Data on visual field defects identified by autoperimetry and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness visualized by ocular coherence tomography were collected from patient charts. The correlations between seasonality and retinal damage were tested and the adjusted effects of retinal function on seasonality were evaluated in a linear regression model. Results In total, 113 persons completed the questionnaire. Of these, 4% fulfilled the criteria for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and 8% for subsyndromal seasonal affective disorder (sSAD). Mean global seasonal score was 4.3. There were no significant correlations between seasonality and either visual field or retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. In the adjusted analysis there were trends toward differential effects of visual field on seasonality in subgroups with different sex and type of glaucoma. Conclusion There were no strong associations between seasonality and visual field or retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. Sex, age and glaucoma subtype may modify light effects on complex regulatory systems.
Serum Biomarkers Identify Patients Who Will Develop Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Up to 5 y Before Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Biomarkers are needed to identify patients at risk for development of inflammatory bowel diseases. We aimed to identify serum biomarkers of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis that can be detected and quantified before diagnosis. METHODS We obtained serum samples from patients archived before a diagnosis of Crohn's disease (n=200) or ulcerative colitis (n=199), as well as from 200 healthy individuals (controls), collected from 1998 through 2013 as part of the United States Defense Medical Surveillance System. We measured levels of antibodies against microbes (anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae IgA or IgG, anti- Escherichiacoli outer membrane porin C, anti-CBir1, anti-flagellin 2, anti-flagellin X, and perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies) and 1129 proteins in each sample. We then used functional principal component analysis to derive the time-varying trajectory for each marker, which then was used in a multivariate model to predict disease status. Predictive performance at different prediagnosis timepoints was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC). Biological pathways that were upregulated in serum from patients with Crohn´s disease were identified based on changes in protein abundance at different time periods preceding diagnosis. RESULTS We identified a panel of 51 protein biomarkers that were predictive of Crohn´s disease within 5 y with an AUROC of 0.76 and a diagnosis within 1 y with an AUROC of 0.87. Based on the proteins included in the panel, imminent development of CD was associated with changes in the complement cascade, lysosomes, innate immune response, and glycosaminoglycan metabolism. Serum antibodies and proteins identified patients who received a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis within 5 y with an AUROC of only 0.56 and within 1 y with an AUROC of 0.72. CONCLUSIONS We identified a panel of serum antibodies and proteins that were predictive of patients who will receive a diagnosis of Crohn´s disease within 5 y with high accuracy. By contrast we did not identify biomarkers associated with future diagnosis of UC.
Sociodemographic profile of pterygium patients attending Government Medical College, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir- a study from North India

Background: Pterygium is a fibrovascular wing or triangular shaped tissue that develops from the conjunctiva and encroaches on to the cornea. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at postgraduate department of Ophthalmology of GMC Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India. A total of 90 pterygium patients were selected to analyze various sociodemographic factors especially age, sex, residence, occupation, position etc. on the occurrence of this problem. Results: In the present study, out of 90 pterygium patients, 40% were in the age of 31-40 years followed by 24.44% in 41-50years, 60% were males whereas 66.67% belong to rural areas. The incidence was found to be maximum among farmers 35.56% followed by labourers 20%. The right eye was involved in 55.56% cases while majority 97.78% cases of pterygium were nasal. Progressive pterygium was found in 80% while 20% reported with atrophic pterygium. Conclusions: People who work outdoors are subjected to involuntary U.V. B exposure, dust. Workers must be aware of this and they must take appropriate precautions like wearing protective photochromatic glasses, caps etc.
Cost, Hassle, and On-Body Experience: Barriers to Diabetes Device Use in Adolescents and Potential Intervention Targets.

BACKGROUND Adolescents with diabetes have the highest A1cs of all age group. Diabetes devices (insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors [CGM]) can improve glycemic outcomes, and though uptake of devices have increased, they remain underutilized in this population. This study characterizes adolescent-reported barriers to diabetes device use to determine targets for clinician intervention. METHODS We surveyed 411 adolescents with type 1 diabetes (mean age 16.302.25 years) on barriers to diabetes device use, technology use attitudes (general and diabetes-specific), benefits and burdens of CGM, self-efficacy for diabetes care, diabetes distress, family conflict, and depression. We characterize barriers to device uptake; assess demographic and psychosocial differences in device users, discontinuers, and non-users; and determine differences in device use by gender and age. RESULTS The majority of adolescents used an insulin pump (n=307, 75%) and more than half used CGM (n=225, 55%). Cost/insurance-related concerns were the most commonly endorsed barrier category (61%) followed by wear-related issues (58.6%) which includes hassle of wearing the device (38%), and dislike of device on body (33%). Adolescents who endorsed more barriers also reported more diabetes distress (p=0.003), family conflict (p=0.003), and depressive symptoms (p=0.014). Pump and CGM discontinuers both endorsed more barriers and more negative perceptions of technology than current users, but reported no difference from device users in diabetes distress, family conflict, or depression. Gender was not related to perceptions of devices. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians can proactively assess attitudes toward diabetes technology and perceptions of benefits/burdens to encourage device uptake and potentially prevent device discontinuation among adolescents.
The Scent of a Good Night’s Sleep: Olfactory Cues of a Romantic Partner Improve Sleep Efficiency

Almost nothing is known about whether exposure to the scent of loved ones influences sleep. In the current study, 155 participants spent 2 nights with their partner’s scent and 2 nights with a control scent (in random order). Sleep was measured in two ways: sleep efficiency (via actigraphy) and perceived sleep quality (via self-report). Sleep efficiency was higher when participants were exposed to their partner’s scent. This increase occurred regardless of participants’ beliefs about the origin of the scent. Perceived sleep quality was higher when participants believed that they were smelling their partner’s scent. Exposure to a partner’s scent led sleep efficiency to increase by more than 2% on average, an improvement similar in magnitude to the effect of melatonin on sleep. The current work speaks to the critical role of olfaction in communication and reveals that social scents can impact sleep.
Quantitative Assessment of Gait Characteristics in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Prospective Clinical Study

It is challenging to discriminate the early presentation of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) as well as sensitively and accurately distinguishing between mild, moderate, and severe levels of impairment. As gait dysfunction is one of the cardinal symptoms of DCM, we hypothesized that spatiotemporal gait parameters, including the enhanced gait variability index (eGVI), could be used to sensitively discriminate between different severities of DCM. A total of 153 patients recently diagnosed with DCM were recruited and stratified on the basis of DCM severity grades, as measured using the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) scale. Demographic information and neurological status were collected. Gait assessments were performed using an 8 m walkway. Spearman rank correlation was used to identify relationships between gait parameters and mJOA values as well as the mJOA lower extremity (LE) subscore. Kruskal–Wallis H test was performed to evaluate differences between severity groups, as defined by mJOA classification. A significant and relatively strong correlation was found between the mJOA score and eGVI, as well as between the LE subscore of the mJOA and eGVI. Significant differences in the eGVI (X2(2, N = 153) = 55.04, p < 0.0001, ε2 = 0.36) were found between all groups of DCM severity, with a significant increase in the eGVI as DCM progressed from mild to moderate. The eGVI was the most discriminative gait parameter, which facilitated objective differentiation between varying severities of DCM. Quantitative gait assessments show promise as an accurate and objective tool to diagnose and classify DCM, as well as to potentially evaluate the impact of therapeutic interventions.
Periodontal parameters in adult patients with clear aligners orthodontics treatment versus three other types of brackets: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the gingival parameters in the clear aligner treatment versus the three other types of brackets, i.e., conventional metal, conventional ceramic, and metal self-ligating. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients coming for regular appointments undergoing orthodontic treatment were included. They were further divided into four groups with 20 patients in each: Group one underwent conventional brackets (CB) treatment; Group two had conventional ceramic brackets (CCB); Group three was treated with self-ligating (SL) brackets; Group four underwent with clear aligner (CA) treatment. Inclusion criteria were any patient with a minimum age of 18 years having Class II, Class III skeletal relationship, undergoing orthodontic treatment for at least 6 months with fixed orthodontic appliances (FOA) on both arches. While smokers, pregnant, diabetics, or those taking medication affecting gingival health or having cardiovascular diseases were excluded. Also excluded were patients who used antiseptic solutions or mouthwash during the past 6 months, underwent any periodontal treatments in the past 6 months, or who had fixed bridges and crowns or extensive restorations close to the gingival margins. Seven indices, namely plaque index, gingival index, gingival bleeding index, sulcus bleeding index, papillary bleeding index, basic periodontal examination index, and bleeding on probing index, were recorded for all groups. RESULTS: Mean age for Group 1 with CB was 26.65 ± 5.15 years, whereas it was 27.65 ± 8.15 years for Group 2 with CCB, and 26.85 ± 5.19 for Group 3 with SB. Group-4 with CA treatment had a mean age of 26.85 ± 4.83 years. Multivariate analysis and a Bonferroni correction was performed (P = 0.008). CA treatment has better periodontal parameter values compared with the CB and the CCB groups, and no significance difference with the SL brackets group. CONCLUSION: CA treatment has better periodontal indices levels compared to other types of orthodontic treatments such as CB and the CCB groups; no significant difference with the SL brackets group. Importance should be given to oral hygiene instructions before, during, and after the treatment.
Intrahepatic Fat and Postprandial Glycemia Increase After Consumption of a Diet Enriched in Saturated Fat Compared With Free Sugars

OBJECTIVE Debate continues regarding the influence of dietary fats and sugars on the risk of developing metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated the effect of two eucaloric diets, one enriched with saturated fat (SFA) and the other enriched with free sugars (SUGAR), on intrahepatic triacylglycerol (IHTAG) content, hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL), and whole-body postprandial metabolism in overweight males. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Sixteen overweight males were randomized to consume the SFA or SUGAR diet for 4 weeks before consuming the alternate diet after a 7-week washout period. The metabolic effects of the respective diets on IHTAG content, hepatic DNL, and whole-body metabolism were investigated using imaging techniques and metabolic substrates labeled with stable-isotope tracers. RESULTS Consumption of the SFA diet significantly increased IHTAG by mean ± SEM 39.0 ± 10.0%, while after the SUGAR diet IHTAG was virtually unchanged. Consumption of the SFA diet induced an exaggerated postprandial glucose and insulin response to a standardized test meal compared with SUGAR. Although whole-body fat oxidation, lipolysis, and DNL were similar following the two diets, consumption of the SUGAR diet resulted in significant (P < 0.05) decreases in plasma total, HDL, and non-HDL cholesterol and fasting β-hydroxybutyrate plasma concentrations. CONCLUSIONS Consumption of an SFA diet had a potent effect, increasing IHTAG together with exaggerating postprandial glycemia. The SUGAR diet did not influence IHTAG and induced minor metabolic changes. Our findings indicate that a diet enriched in SFA is more harmful to metabolic health than a diet enriched in free sugars.