Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lipid Peroxidation With Implication of Organic Pollution in Autistic Behaviors

Background Lipid metabolism has been associated with the development of autism. The omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) readily undergo lipid peroxidation and conversion to malondialdehyde (MDA). MDA-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) is a marker of lipid peroxidation. However, the association between PUFAs and MDA-LDL in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is unclear. Materials and methods We studied the association between PUFAs and MDA-LDL in 16 individuals with ASD (mean age: 11.5 ± 5.7 years) and seven age- and sex-matched healthy controls (mean age: 10.0 ± 4.1 years). The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) was used to assess behavioral symptoms. We overcame the small sample size by using the adaptive LASSO for enhancing the accuracy of prediction and interpretability. We also estimated the coefficient of variation for an appropriate variable selection and compared additional prior studies to support the findings. Thus, we conducted a careful selection of appropriate candidates to account for confounding variables. Results The ASD group had significantly higher plasma MDA levels, eicosapentaenoic acid levels, and a higher ratio of plasma docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/arachidonic acid (ARA) levels than the control group. Plasma levels of the omega-6 PUFA fraction, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, and superoxide dismutase levels were significantly lower in the ASD group than in the control group. Total ABC scores were significantly higher in the ASD group than in the control group. Multiple linear regression and adaptive LASSO indicated that plasma DHA levels and plasma DHA/ARA ratios were significantly associated with total ABC scores and plasma levels of MDA-LDL. Conclusion Increased plasma levels of DHA and DHA/ARA ratio might be related to organic pollution. These neurobiological bases may induce neuronal deficiency associated with autistic behavioral symptoms in individuals with ASD.
Social cognition in frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy: systematic review and meta-analysis

Despite the importance of social cognitive functions to mental health and social adjustment, assessment of these functions is absent in routine epilepsy patients' examinations. Hence, there is a clear need for developing a clinical and practical assessment which is a critical step towards designing new interventions. To do so, we first need to gain a nuanced understanding of the difficulties patients face in different domains of social cognition, including emotion recognition, empathy, the theory of mind, and social adjustment. The aim of this paper is, thus, to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature on social cognitive functions and changes among epileptic patients: frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy. Papers from 1990-2021 were reviewed and examined for inclusion in this study and after the deduplication process, 44 papers (out of 6181 numbers that were first identified) were included in the systematic review and 40 papers in the meta-analysis. Our results indicated that first, all patients, both frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy, have difficulties in all aspects of social cognition relative to non-clinical controls. However, the effect sizes were larger for theory of mind (TOM) relative to emotion domain, suggesting sensitivity of the TOM for assessing social cognitive functions among this population. Additionally, right temporal lobe epilepsy patients performed more poorly than non-clinical control relative to left side seizure focus patients, specifically in the TOM domain. Results from the empathy and social behavior domains need to be considered cautiously as these two domains are the least studied and more research is warranted in these domains of social cognition. Finally, we suggest a step-by-step pipeline for the assessment of impairments in social cognition that can be integrated into standard clinical practices for epilepsy treatment.
Phase 1 trial of nelfinavir added to standard cisplatin chemotherapy with concurrent pelvic radiation for locally advanced cervical cancer

Nelfinavir (NFV), an HIV‐1 protease inhibitor, has been shown to sensitize cancer cells to chemoradiation (CRT). The objectives of this phase 1 trial were to evaluate safety and identify the recommended phase 2 dose of NFV added to concurrent CRT for locally advanced cervical cancer.
Increased Serum WISP1 Levels are Associated with Lower Extremity Atherosclerotic Disease in Patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND Serum wnt1-induced signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) levels are increased with obesity, which is a common complication associated with lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD). However, to date, the relationship between elevated WISP1 levels and the incidence of lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains unclear. METHODS 174 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients were enrolled in our study. Patients were divided into two groups, LEAD group (n=100) and control group (n=74). Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure and some biochemical parameters were obtained. Body composition was detected by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Levels of serum insulin were determined by radioimmunoassay. Serum WISP1 and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS It was shown that serum WISP1 levels in diabetic patients with LEAD were higher than those without LEAD (P<0.001). Serum WISP1 levels were positively related with waist circumference (r=0.237, P=0.003), waist-hip ratio (r=0.22, P=0.006), visceral fat area (r=0.354, P<0.001), serum creatinine (r=0.192, P=0.012), interleukin 6 (r=0.182, P=0.032), c-reactive protein (r=0.681, P<0.001), triglycerides (r=0.119, P<0.001), fasting glucose (r=0.196, P=0.011), glycated hemoglobin (r=0.284, P<0.001), and HOMA-IR (r=0.285, P<0.026). Compared with the lowest tertile, the odds ratio of the middle tertile for LEAD incidence was 3.27 (95% CI, 1.24-8.64) and 4.46 (95% CI, 1.62-12.29) for the highest tertile after adjusting confounding factors. CONCLUSION The results suggest that increased serum WISP1 levels independently contribute to the incidence of LEAD in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM.
Temporal and geographic spreading of hepatitis B virus genotype A (HBV‐A) in Brazil and the Americas

Hepatitis B virus genotype A (HBV‐A) is disseminated in different countries around the world. It presents a high genetic diversity and is classified into seven subgenotypes (A1–A7). HBV‐A1 and HBV‐A2 are the most frequent and spread in almost all American countries. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular epidemiology of these two subgenotypes, with a special focus on the temporal and geographic spreading in the Americas and Brazil. Bayesian coalescent analyses with HBV‐A1 and HBV‐A2 whole‐genome sequences were performed to study viral phylodynamic and phylogeography. HBV‐A1 evolutionary history demonstrated that it was initially disseminated from Africa to other continents probably after the 1400s and mainly in the 17th–18th centuries. The whole viral population grew between the 1700s–1900s and then reached a stationary phase. In Brazil, HBV‐A1 common ancestors dated back to the 1600s with successive introductions between the 17th–18th centuries. In contrast, HBV‐A2 spread from Europe to other continents after the 1800s, with an increase in the viral population over decades. It was introduced in the 20th century in America and between the 1950s–1970s in Brazil, presenting a high increase in the viral population from the 1970s to the 1980s. The circulation continents for HBV‐A1 are Africa and America, while for HBV‐A2 are Europe and America. HBV‐A is one of the predominant genotypes in America (including Brazil) because of the early introduction by human migration processes of the subgenotypes A1 and A2 between the 16th and 20th centuries and the continuous spreading inside the continent over time.
An experimental study on phytochemical composition and memory enhancing effect of Ginkgo biloba seed extract.

INTRODUCTION The Ginkgo biloba L. tree is considered as one of the oldest species on Earth. It is known as a "living fossil" dating back approximately 200 million years. Both the leaves and seeds of this tree have been used for millennia in traditional Chinese medicine. AIM To study the phytochemical profile of Gingko biloba seed extract (GBSE) and its memory enhancing effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS Liquid chromatography with mass detection (LC-MS) was performed for phytochemical analyses of the extracts. For the in vivo experiments, male Wistar rats were divided randomly into 5 groups (n=8): saline; piracetam; GBSE 50; 100, and 200 mg/kg b.w. Y-maze, T-maze, step-down passive avoidance and novel object recognition test (NORT) were performed. The observed parameters were: percentage of spontaneous alternations (% SA), working memory index, latency of reaction and recognition index, respectively. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 19. RESULTS LC-MS analysis showed the presence of the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin (as aglycones), the ginkgolides A, B, C, J, and bilobalide. In Y-maze task, the groups treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg of GBSE significantly increased the % SA during the memory test compared to saline (p<0.05). In T-maze test, the three experimental groups with GBSE significantly increased the working memory index in comparison with that of the control group (p<0.05). In step-down test, the animals receiving 100 mg/kg b.w. GBSE, notably increased the latency during both retention tests (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). In NORT, only the animals with the middle dose of GBSE ameliorated the recognition index when compared to saline (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS GBSE enhances spatial working memory, recognition memory, and short- and long-term recall in naïve rats due to the synergic effects of detected flavonoids and terpene lactones on brain functions. The brain structures involved are probably the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
Influence of surface acidity of excipients on the solid state stability of pirenzepine

Le mecanisme de degradation du chlorhydrate de pirenzepine a l'etat solide a ete etudie. Des granules tamponnes de differentes acidites de surface ont ete enrobes par ce produit et etudies en ce qui concerne leur stabilite dans des conditions accelerees a des temperatures elevees et des humidites relatives variables. Le chlorhydrate de pirenzepine a ete dose dans les melanges et la teneur en 5,11 -dihydro-6H-pyrido [2,3b] [1,4]-benzodiazepine, le principal produit de degradation, a ete mesure en CLHP. Les constantes de vitesse de degradation etles parametres de la reaction ont ete calcules sur la base d'une fonction cinetique. Les constantes de vitesse calculees a partir des calcules d'Arrhenius des essais acceleres de stabilite presentent une bonne correlation avec les essais de stabilite a long terme. La degradation est influencee par l'acidite de surface des granules tamponnes, entrainant une allure de la courbe log k/pHeq analogue a celle de la courbe log k/pH en solution. Les constantes de vitesse sont influencees par l'humidite relative pendant, la conservation. Les humidites relatives voisines de l'humidite relative critique accelerent considerablement la degradation.
Studies on the Pyrolysis of Chromated Copper Arsenate-Treated Wood: Analytical Methodology and Optimization

Low temperature pyrolysis offers a feasible option for wood waste management and the recovery of a variety of useful chemicals. The effect of Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) wood preservatives on the yield and composition of various pyrolysis products was investigated in the present research. A novel quantitative 31P NMR methodology has been developed to quantify levoglucosan and levoglucosenone from the pyrolysate of CCA-treated and untreated wood. The CCA treatment on wood had a significant effect on the amount of main carbohydrate derived degradation products of tar. In particular, a higher yield of levoglucosan can be obtained compared to that from untreated wood. Phosphoric acid has proven to be an efficient catalyst to favor levoglucosenone formation. The pyrolysis of CCA-treated wood in the presence of phosphoric acid gave rise to high yields of levoglucosenone, which demonstrated the potential for a new pathway in the rational use of CCA-treated wood waste. Pretreated wood with metal compounds has demonstrated that K2Cr2O7 and CuSO4 salts promote the formation of levoglucosan. The CrO3 treatment was found to favor the formation of levoglucosenone. A kinetic study of the pyrolysis of CCA-treated wood by thermogravimetric analysis has shown that CCA components have a significant influence on the thermal decomposition behavior of CCA-treated wood, which accelerate the weight loss of wood and the oxidation of the char.
The starting rate for high‐flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy in infants with bronchiolitis: Is clinical judgment enough?

To determine whether in infants with bronchiolitis admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) the starting rate for high‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy set by the attending physicians upon clinical judgment meets patients' peak inspiratory flow (PIF) demands and how it influences respiratory mechanics and breathing effort.
Intracortical Functional Connectivity Predicts Arousal to Noxious Stimuli during Sleep in Humans

Nociceptive stimuli disrupt sleep, but may, or may not, entail an arousal. While arousal reactions go along with the activation of a widespread cortical network, the factors enabling such activation remain unknown. Here we used intracranial EEG in humans to test the relation between the cortical activity immediately preceding a noxious stimulus and the capacity of such a stimulus to trigger arousal. Intracranial EEG signals were analyzed during all-night sleep in 14 epileptic patients (4 women), who received laser stimuli slightly above their individual pain threshold. During 5 s preceding each stimulus, the functional correlation (spectral phase-coherence) between the main spinothalamic sensory area (posterior insula) and 12 other brain regions, grouped in four networks, as well as their spectral contents, were contrasted according to the presence of a stimulus-induced arousal, and then fed into a logistic regression model to assess their predictive value. Enhanced prestimulus phase-coherence between the sensory posterior insula and neocortical and limbic areas increased significantly the probability of arousal to nociceptive stimuli, in both slow-wave (N2) and rapid eye movements/paradoxical sleep. Furthermore, during N2 sleep, arousal was facilitated by stimulus delivery in periods of attenuated slow-wave activity. Together, these data indicate that sleep micro-states with enhanced interareal communication facilitate information transfer from sensory to higher-order cortical areas, and hence physiological arousal. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Sleep is commonly subdivided into stages based on specific electrophysiological characteristics; however, within each single sleep stage, the functional state of the brain is continuously changing. Here we show that the probability for a phasic noxious stimulus to entail an arousal is modulated by the prestimulus interareal phase-coherence between sensory and higher-level cortical areas. Fluctuations in interareal communication immediately before the noxious stimulus may determine the responsiveness to incoming input by facilitating or preventing the transfer of noxious information from sensory to multiple higher-level cortical networks.
The effect of assisted enteral feeding on treatment outcome in dogs with inflammatory protein‐losing enteropathy

Abstract Background The effect of assisted enteral feeding on treatment outcome in dogs with protein‐losing enteropathy (PLE) is unknown. Objectives To determine if dogs with inflammatory PLE that had an enteral feeding tube placed had better outcome vs dogs with inflammatory PLE without a feeding tube. Animals Fifty‐seven dogs with inflammatory PLE. Methods A retrospective study at a UK referral hospital identified dogs with inflammatory PLE using a standard diagnostic criterion. Positive outcome was defined as survival greater than 6 months or death unrelated to PLE and negative outcome as death related to PLE within 6 months of diagnosis. Several variables were assessed to identify factors for positive outcome using logistic regression. Results Thirty‐five (61%) and 22 (39%) dogs had a positive and negative outcome at 6 months, respectively. Of the 21 dogs that had a feeding tube placed within 5 days of gastrointestinal biopsy, 16 (76%) had a positive outcome and 5 (24%) had a negative outcome. Dogs treated with dietary treatment alone (P = .002) and dogs with an enteral feeding tube (P = .006) were significantly associated with a positive outcome. When stratified by treatment, assisted enteral feeding was significantly associated with a positive outcome in dogs treated with concurrent immunosuppressive treatment (P = .006), but there was insufficient data to evaluate dogs treated with dietary treatment alone. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Assisted enteral feeding in dogs with inflammatory PLE could be associated with improved treatment outcome, especially in those receiving immunosuppressive treatment, and should be considered in the treatment plan of these dogs.
Hepatitis B virus infection and its determinants among HIV positive pregnant women: Multicenter unmatched case-control study

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) kills millions of people globally; it is worse in pregnant women. HBV and Human Immune Virus (HIV) co-infection is associated with increased liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This study aimed at identifying the determinants of HBV infection among HIV-positive pregnant women. Methods A multicentre unmatched case-control study was conducted among 109 cases (HBV/HIV co-infected) and 327 controls (HIV positive) pregnant women in seven hospitals of the Eastern Amhara region. Interview and chart review data collection techniques were employed by trained personnel. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of hepatitis B virus infection. Variables with a p-value of <0.05 and 95% confidence interval for odds ratio not containing 1 considered independent predictors of HBV infection. Results The findings of this study revealed that history of STI [AOR, 1.97, 95%CI, 1.09–3.56], hospital admission [AOR, 3.08, 95%CI, 1.69–5.61], traditional delivery care [AOR, 3.31, 95%CI, 1.72–6.37], family history of HBV [AOR, 3.33, 95%CI, 1.72–6.37], presence of opportunistic infections [AOR, 0.23, 95%CI, 0.12–0.58], viral load [AOR, 7.58, 95%CI, 3.18–8.01], CD4 count [AOR, 2.15, 95% CI, 1.01–4.59], anaemia [AOR, 3.07, 95% CI, 1.71–5.51] and unsafe sex [AOR, 1.98, 95%CI, 1.09–3.61] had a statistically significant association with HBV infection. Conclusions Several exposure variables had statistically significant association with HBV infection. High Viral Load appeared to be the largest predictor of HBV infection in HIV patients. Therefore, targeted interventions such as behavioral change intervention for unsafe sex and STI should be in place, and screening tests and treatment at the early stage of conception for both partners is necessary.
Ibrutinib improves the efficacy of anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy in patients with refractory non‐Hodgkin lymphoma

The efficacy and side effects of the second‐time humanized CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CD19‐CAR) T‐cell therapy after unsuccessful first‐time anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy and subsequent ibrutinib salvage treatment were observed in patients with refractory B‐cell lymphoma. In our study, 3 patients with refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and 4 patients with refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) reached stable disease (SD), partial remission (PR), or progression of disease (PD) after first‐time humanized anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy. They received ibrutinib as a salvage treatment and kept an SD in the following 7‐16 mo, but their disease progressed again during ibrutinib salvage treatment. All 7 patients received a second‐time humanized anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy, which was the same as their first‐time anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy. In total, 3 MCL patients and 3 FL patients reached complete response (CR) with the second‐time anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy combined with ibrutinib, whereas 1 FL patient reached PR. There were no differences in the transduction efficiency and proliferation between the 2 instances of anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy. However, the second‐time anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy led to higher peaks of anti‐CD19‐CAR T cells and anti‐CD19‐CAR gene copies, but also to higher grades of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and more serious hematological toxicity. The successful outcome of the second‐time anti‐CD19‐CAR T‐cell therapy might suggest that the previous ibrutinib treatment improved the activities of anti‐CD19‐CAR T cells.
Morphometric analysis of nuclear symmetry in urothelial carcinoma for predicting tumor recurrence

Urothelial carcinoma is the ninth most common cancer in the world. Cytological analysis of the urine is used for screening, as well as for cases suspected for neoplasia of the urinary tract. However, the sensitivity of urine cytology examination is low. The golden standard for diagnosing bladder cancer relies upon cystoscopy followed by a biopsy, which is microscopically assessed by the pathologist. Treatment decisions are based on the histological grade and stage of the tumor. Posttreatment tumor recurrence is 50%. The purpose of this study is to predict recurrence of urothelial carcinoma using a novel morphometric method of nuclear symmetry analysis. This method may help tailor the appropriate treatment and may reduce the need of invasive surgical procedures in patients. Computerized morphometry was applied to develop multiple symmetry indices of the nuclei of the tumor cells as follows: each nucleus was physically divided along its digital axis in two segments that were separately analyzed for their shape, size, optical density, and texture. Subsequently, ratios were obtained by mathematically dividing between the morphometric values of the two nuclear segments where the denominator contained the largest value of the two. These ratios were named symmetry indices and were included as variables to predict the recurrence time of the tumors. The change in the symmetry indices (loss of symmetry) of the nuclear roundness, fractal dimension and margination were the only independent predictors of recurrence time. Computerized morphometry of nuclear symmetry indices may help to predict tumor recurrence in urothelial carcinomas.