Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Oxidative Stress as a Major Pathophysiological Mechanism Linked to Adverse Clinical Outcomes

Recent reports have demonstrated the association between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and increased morbidity and mortality rates during coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection, setting a priority of these patients for vaccination. Impaired innate and adaptive immunity observed in T1DM seem to play a major role. Severe, life-threatening COVID-19 disease is characterized by the excessive release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, known as a “cytokine storm”. Patients with T1DM present elevated levels of cytokines including interleukin-1a (IL), IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), suggesting the pre-existence of chronic inflammation, which, in turn, has been considered the major risk factor of adverse COVID-19 outcomes in many cohorts. Even more importantly, oxidative stress is a key player in COVID-19 pathogenesis and determines disease severity. It is well-known that extreme glucose excursions, the prominent feature of T1DM, are a potent mediator of oxidative stress through several pathways including the activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and the increased production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Additionally, chronic endothelial dysfunction and the hypercoagulant state observed in T1DM, in combination with the direct damage of endothelial cells by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), may result in endothelial and microcirculation impairment, which contribute to the pathogenesis of acute respiratory syndrome and multi-organ failure. The binding of SARS-CoV-2 to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors in pancreatic b-cells permits the direct destruction of b-cells, which contributes to the development of new-onset diabetes and the induction of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in patients with T1DM. Large clinical studies are required to clarify the exact pathways through which T1DM results in worse COVID-19 outcomes.
In Vitro & In Vivo Anti-Hyperglycemic Potential of Saponins Cake and Argan Oil from Argania spinosa

The Argan tree (Argania spinosa. L) is an evergreen tree endemic of southwestern Morocco. For centuries, various formulations have been used to treat several illnesses including diabetes. However, scientific results supporting these actions are needed. Hence, Argan fruit products (i.e., cake byproducts (saponins extract) and hand pressed Argan oil) were tested for their in-vitro anti-hyperglycemic activity, using α-glucosidase and α-amylase assays. The in-vivo anti-hyperglycemic activity was evaluated in a model of alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The diabetic animals were orally administered 100 mg/kg body weight of aqueous saponins cake extract and 3 mL/kg of Argan oil, respectively, to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic effect. The blood glucose concentration and body weight of the experimental animals were monitored for 30 days. The chemical properties and composition of the Argan oil were assessed including acidity, peroxides, K232, K270, fatty acids, sterols, tocopherols, total polyphenols, and phenolic compounds. The saponins cake extract produced a significant reduction in blood glucose concentration in diabetic mice, which was better than the Argan oil. This decrease was equivalent to that detected in mice treated with metformin after 2–4 weeks. Moreover, the saponins cake extract showed a strong inhibitory action on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which is also higher than that of Argan oil.
Detailed Investigations of the Countercurrent Multiphase (Gas–Liquid and Gas–Liquid–Liquid) Flow Behavior by Three-Dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations

This paper focuses on the detailed investigations of the (multi-) liquid flow behaviors on an inclined stainless steel plate in simulations and experiments. Simulations are carried out with FLUENT 6.3; a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model considering the gravity, surface tension, and local drag force is developed and presented. Experimental data is obtained with optical methods. One main aspect of the paper’s presentation is the validation of the developed model for the case of one-liquid phase with a countercurrent gas phase, where the parameters (e.g., the thickness and the velocity profile of the liquid phase) are compared with the simulation results and the experimental data. The other key part of the presentation is the numerical investigations with the developed model for the case of two immiscible liquid phases with a countercurrent gas phase. Results show that with the current gas flow rate, the complex flow behavior strongly depends on the (multi-) liquid flow rates and the feed.
Pediatric Subcutaneous Abscess: Still a Clinical Exam-Based Diagnosis and Treatment

Subcutaneous abscesses occur frequently in the pediatric population, yet there is great variability in the approach to diagnosis and management, partly due to opposing recommendations in the current literature and the lack of a standardized protocol for diagnosis and management among pediatric medical centers. This has led to inconsistencies by the providers, as well as the hospital clinical pathways, with regards to the appropriate management of subcutaneous abscesses. We hypothesize that the current variability in diagnostic work-up and management contributes to the wide use of unnecessary imaging and therapeutics without altering the overall outcomes. We performed a retrospective chart review that compared 200 encounters for patients < 18 years of age with a diagnosis of subcutaneous abscess at a single large tertiary pediatric institution. Our results showed that only 13.6% of wound cultures obtained led to a change in the antibiotic regimen and that blood cultures were positive in only 2.1% of cases. There was no difference in the incision and drainage performed based on ultrasound findings in the presence of fluctuance on physical exam. Patients presenting with fever were more likely to be admitted to the hospital for further care than those without fever. Our results showed no difference in outcome after incision and drainage for abscesses packed with gauze versus those left to drain via a vessel loop drain. There was no difference in recurrence in patients discharged with oral antibiotics versus without oral antibiotic treatment. Our data indicate that many of the diagnostic studies used for the management of a subcutaneous abscess have little to no effect on the outcome. Subcutaneous abscesses are a common pediatric complaint, and this study could help healthcare providers utilize more effective and efficient management strategies for skin and soft tissue infections.
Management of Low Rectal Cancer Complicating Ulcerative Colitis: Proposal of a Treatment Algorithm

Simple Summary This article expresses the viewpoint of the authors’ management of low rectal cancer in ulcerative colitis (UC). This subject suffers from a paucity of literature and therefore management decision is very difficult to take. The aim of this paper is to provide a structured approach to a challenging situation. It is subdivided into two parts: a first part where the existing literature is reviewed critically, and a second part in which, on the basis of the literature review and their extensive clinical experience, a management algorithm is proposed by the authors to offer guidance to surgical and oncological practices. This text adds to the literature a useful guide for the treatment of these complex clinical scenarios. Abstract Low rectal Carcinoma arising at the background of Ulcerative Colitis poses significant management challenges to the clinicians. The complex decision-making requires discussion at the multidisciplinary team meeting. The published literature is scarce, and there are significant variations in the management of such patients. We reviewed treatment protocols and operative strategies; with the aim of providing a practical framework for the management of low rectal cancer complicating UC. A practical treatment algorithm is proposed.
Pain Medicine Fellowship Program Websites in the United States of America – A Nonparametric Statistic Analysis of 14 Different Criteria

Objective To evaluate the content of Pain Medicine Fellowship Program websites in the United States of America. Methods We obtained a list of accredited 104 Pain Medicine Fellowship Program websites from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Electronic Residency Application Service. Individual Pain Medicine Fellowship Program websites were then evaluated on 14 different criteria. We grouped fellowship programs based on census region and Electronic Residency Application Service participation status, and analyzed the differences using nonparametric statistics. Results A total of 104 accredited Pain Medicine Fellowship Program websites were evaluated for a total of 14 different criteria. Of the 14 different criteria, an average of 3.94 were described in each website. Number of Fellowship positions per year (71.8%), clinical rotations during the program (65.1%), and faculty background (62.2%) were the most frequently described features on the websites. Night call responsibilities (3.9%), meal allowance (7.8%) and parking availability (10.7%) were the least described features in the websites. There were no significant differences between program websites when grouped by census regions or the participation status in the Electronic Residency Applications Service. Conclusion The content of Pain Medicine Fellowship Program websites is extremely variable across the United States of America. This study indicates that there is room for improvement and enhancement of the comprehensiveness of website content for the majority of the programs analyzed. Additionally, this study also emphasizes the importance of having accurate and easily available online information in a post-pandemic era, when prospective fellows evaluate programs online through their websites.
Pattern of Traumatic Dental Injuries Among Adults

Background The etiology, presentation and management of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) vary significantly between the adult and the younger population. Most epidemiological studies on TDIs have focused on the pediatric age group. This study aims to report and compare the distributions of TDIs among adults in a sub-population in India. Methods This prospective observational study was performed on 1562 consecutively selected patients (1218 males and 344 females) from a university dental hospital in India, between July 2014 and June 2018. The clinical examinations were performed by a single trained and calibrated endodontist. Only TDIs to anterior teeth were recorded (canine to canine in the maxilla and mandible) and classified using a modified version of the World Health Organization's (WHO’s) classification. Periapical and panoramic radiographs were taken for all the subjects. Results A total of 1562 patients aged between 20 and 73 years, with a mean age of 36 years, were examined during the study period. The total number of teeth with TDIs was 3044. Males (78%) clearly outnumbered the females (22%) in all the age groups. The most common type of injury occurring in both the genders is uncomplicated crown fractures (male=31.0% and female=36.6%). Avulsion injuries are more likely to be seen by a dentist within 1 hour post-trauma. About two-third of the TDIs were caused by road traffic accidents (RTAs) followed by falls in about 20% of the patients. Conclusion Uncomplicated crown fracture was the most commonly observed type of TDI, and RTAs were the primary cause of TDI.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Orthorectic Disorders in Adolescence and Young People: Polish Preliminary Studies

The aim of this work was to assess orthorectic behaviors among young people and to evaluate their attitudes towards caring for their health. The study was conducted in 2019 on a group of 538 respondents aged 16–35. After analysis, 65 questionnaires were eliminated from further research, and the assessment of orthorectic disorders was performed using a method based on the modified ORTO-15 questionnaire on a group of 473 respondents. A large percentage of them exhibited an increased risk of orthorectic behaviors (32.8), which was higher among women than men (34.7% and 28.2%, respectively). People with higher risks of orthorectic disorders significantly more often reduced their consumption of foods high in fats and sugars. Attitudes of people with orthorectic disorders towards health care proved neutral, with a tendency to be positive. Nutritional behaviors observed in the studied group show some irregularities, which indicates the need for preventive and educational measures aimed at increasing awareness of the role of proper nutrition among young people. The obtained results may be the basis for further research on ON symptoms. One of the major areas of future research would be to create a reliable diagnostic tool which would allow for distinguishing between orthorexia and overdiagnosis.
Influence of SARS-CoV-2 Variant B.1.1.7, Vaccination, and Public Health Measures on the Spread of SARS-CoV-2

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting disease COVID-19 has killed over 2.6 million people as of 18 March 2021. We have used a modified susceptible, infected, recovered (SIR) epidemiological model to predict how the spread of the virus in regions of France will vary depending on the proportions of variants and on the public health strategies adopted, including anti-COVID-19 vaccination. The proportion of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1. 1.7, which was not detected in early January, increased to become 60% of the forms of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the Toulouse urban area at the beginning of February 2021, but there was no increase in positive nucleic acid tests. Our prediction model indicates that maintaining public health measures and accelerating vaccination are efficient strategies for the sustained control of SARS-CoV-2.
The Consequences of Our Changing Environment on Life Threatening and Debilitating Fungal Diseases in Humans

Human activities have significantly impacted the environment and are changing our climate in ways that will have major consequences for ourselves, and endanger animal, plant and microbial life on Earth. Rising global temperatures and pollution have been highlighted as potential drivers for increases in infectious diseases. Although infrequently highlighted, fungi are amongst the leading causes of infectious disease mortality, resulting in more than 1.5 million deaths every year. In this review we evaluate the evidence linking anthropomorphic impacts with changing epidemiology of fungal disease. We highlight how the geographic footprint of endemic mycosis has expanded, how populations susceptible to fungal infection and fungal allergy may increase and how climate change may select for pathogenic traits and indirectly contribute to the emergence of drug resistance.
Association of Child Mental Health with Child and Family Characteristics in Rural China: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Assessing the mental health problems encountered by school children and understanding the contributing factors are crucial to inform strategies aimed at improving mental health in low-resource contexts. However, few studies have investigated the mental health problems among disadvantaged children in poorer countries. This study examines the prevalence of mental health problems in rural China and their association with child and family characteristics. The study uses survey data from 9696 children in 120 rural primary schools and measures child mental health using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Overall, 17.9% of the sample children were found to be in the abnormal range of the SDQ total difficulties scores. The mean score was 12.93 (SD = 4.94). Abnormal scores were associated with child and family characteristics, including older child age (Odds Ratio, OR = 0.704, 95% CI: 0.611, 0.810; p < 0.001), gender (OR = 1.235, 95% CI: 1.112, 1.371; p < 0.001), and academic performance (OR = 0.421, 95% CI: 0.369, 0.480; p < 0.001). Reading time was found to be protective for mental health. Risk factors include excessive screen time (OR = 1.685, 95% CI: 1.409, 2.016; p < 0.001) and being bullied (OR = 3.695, 95% CI: 3.301, 4.136; p < 0.001). Our study suggests that future mental health illness prevention programs in rural China should consider targeting different aspects of children’s social contexts.
Vaccines in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Brief Review

Incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is increasing worldwide. Children with IBDs have a dysfunctional immune system and they are frequently treated with immunomodulating drugs and biological therapy, which significantly impair immune system functions and lead to an increased risk of infections. Vaccines are essential to prevent at least part of these infections and this explains why strict compliance to the immunization guidelines specifically prepared for IBD patients is strongly recommended. However, several factors might lead to insufficient immunization. In this paper, present knowledge on the use of vaccines in children with IBDs is discussed. Literature review showed that despite a lack of detailed quantification of the risk of infections in children with IBDs, these children might have infections more frequently than age-matched healthy subjects, and at least in some cases, these infections might be even more severe. Fortunately, most of these infections could be prevented when recommended schedules of immunization are carefully followed. Vaccines given to children with IBDs generally have adequate immunogenicity and safety. Attention must be paid to live attenuated vaccines that can be administered only to children without or with mild immune system function impairment. Vaccination of their caregivers is also recommended. Unfortunately, compliance to these recommendations is generally low and multidisciplinary educational programs to improve vaccination coverage must be planned, in order to protect children with IBD from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Local Sustained GM-CSF Delivery by Genetically Engineered Encapsulated Cells Enhanced Both Cellular and Humoral SARS-CoV-2 Spike-Specific Immune Response in an Experimental Murine Spike DNA Vaccination Model

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a worldwide pandemic with recurrences. Therefore, finding a vaccine for this virus became a priority for the scientific community. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has been described as the keystone for viral entry into cells and effective immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 is elicited by this protein. Consequently, many commercialized vaccines focus on the spike protein and require the use of an optimal adjuvant during vaccination. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has demonstrated a powerful enhancement of acquired immunity against many pathogens when delivered in a sustained and local manner. In this context, we developed an encapsulated cell-based technology consisting of a biocompatible, semipermeable capsule for secretion of GM-CSF. In this study, we investigated whether murine GM-CSF (muGM-CSF) represents a suitable adjuvant for SARS-CoV-2 immunization, and which delivery strategy for muGM-CSF could be most beneficial. To test this, different groups of mice were immunized with intra-dermal (i.d.) electroporated spike DNA in the absence or presence of recombinant or secreted muGM-CSF. Results demonstrated that adjuvanting a spike DNA vaccine with secreted muGM-CSF resulted in enhancement of specific cellular and humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. Our data also highlighted the importance of delivery strategies to the induction of cellular and humoral-mediated responses.
Modern Biodegradable Plastics—Processing and Properties Part II

Four different plastics were tested: potato starch based plastic (TPS-P)–BIOPLAST GF 106/02; corn starch based plastic (TPS-C)–BioComp BF 01HP; polylactic acid (polylactide) plastic (PLA)—BioComp BF 7210 and low density polyethylene, trade name Malen E FABS 23-D022; as a petrochemical reference sample. Using the blown film extrusion method and various screw rotational speeds, films were obtained and tested, as a result of which the following were determined: breaking stress, strain at break, static and dynamic friction coefficient of film in longitudinal and transverse direction, puncture resistance and strain at break, color, brightness and gloss of film, surface roughness, barrier properties and microstructure. The biodegradable plastics tested are characterized by comparable or even better mechanical strength than petrochemical polyethylene for the range of film blowing processing parameters used here. The effect of the screw rotational speed on the mechanical characteristics of the films obtained was also demonstrated. With the increase in the screw rotational speed, the decrease of barrier properties was also observed. No correlation between roughness and permeability of gases and water vapor was shown. It was indicated that biodegradable plastics might be competitive for conventional petrochemical materials used in film blowing niche applications where cost, recyclability, optical and water vapor barrier properties are not critical.
Retrospective Data Insight into the Global Distribution of Carbapenemase-Producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa

This study aimed to determine the global distribution and molecular characteristics of carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. A total of 328 (11.1%, 328/2953) carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa isolates from humans were obtained from public databases as of October 2019. Of which, the blaVIM and blaIMP genes were the most prevalent carbapenemases in the P. aeruginosa isolates. These carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa isolates possessed 34 distinct sequence types (STs) and six predominated: ST357, ST823, ST308, ST233, ST175 and ST111. The ST357 and ST823 isolates were primarily found detected in Asia and all ST175 isolates were found in Europe. The ST308, ST233 and ST111 isolates were spread worldwide. Further, all ST823 isolates and the majority of ST111, ST233 and ST175 isolates carried blaVIM but ST357 isolates primarily carried blaIMP. ST308 isolates provide a key reservoir for the spread of blaVIM, blaIMP and blaNDM. WGS analysis revealed that ST111 carried a great diversity of ARG types (n = 23), followed by ST357 (n = 21), ST308 (n = 19), ST233 (n = 18), ST175 (n = 14) and ST823 (n = 10). The ST175 isolates carried a more diversity and frequent of aminoglycoside ARGs, and ST233 isolates harbored more tetracycline ARGs. Our findings revealed that different carbapenem resistance genes were distributed primarily in variant STs of P. aeruginosa isolates, these isolates also possessed an extensive geographical distribution that highlights the need for surveillance studies that detect carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa isolates in humans.