Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dopamine-Modified Alginate Beads Reinforced by Cross-Linking via Titanium Coordination or Self-Polymerization and Its Application in Enzyme Immobilization

Two novel kinds of dopamine-modified alginate beads were developed by using titanium(IV) coordination or self-polymerization, besides the conventional Ca2+ ion cross-linking. Alginate was modified with dopamine (Alg(DA)) via EDC/NHS chemistry. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD) characterization confirmed that dopamine was covalently attached preferentially to the mannuronic acid residues of alginate; thus, gel-forming ability of the as-prepared Alg(DA) was well retained. The titanium(IV) coordination-reinforced alginate beads [Ca-Ti(Alg(DA))] were prepared by cross-linking with Ti4+ and Ca2+. Covalently cross-linking-reinforced alginate beads (Ca-Alg(PDA)) were also prepared by self-polymerization of dopamine and cross-linking with Ca2+. The swelling of Ca-Alg(PDA) and Ca-Ti(Alg(DA)) were both obviously inhibited, and the mechanical properties were enhanced by 3 times compared to those of Ca-Alg beads. The as-prepared beads were utilized for immobilization of alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH). The immobilization efficiency of Ca-Ti(Alg(DA)) and Ca-Alg(PDA) reached up to 100% and 89%, respectively, both notably higher than that of Ca-Alg (67.4%). Stabilities of the immobilized YADH in Ca-Alg(PDA) and Ca-Ti(Alg(DA)) toward pH, storage, and recycling were all improved compared with those immobilized in Ca-Alg.
Hyperpolarized pyruvate to measure the influence of PKM2 activation on glucose metabolism in the healthy kidney

The purpose of the current study was to investigate if hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate can inform us on the metabolic consequences for the kidney glucose metabolism upon treatment with the pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) activator TEPP‐46, which has shown promise as a novel therapeutic target for diabetic nephropathy. A healthy male Wistar rat model was employed to study the conversion of [1‐13C]pyruvate to [1‐13C]lactate in the kidney 2 and 4 h after treatment with TEPP‐46. All rats were scanned with hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate kidney MR and vital parameters and blood samples were taken after scanning. The PKM2 activator TEPP‐46 increases the glycolytic activity in the kidneys, leading to an increased lactate production, as seen by hyperpolarized pyruvate‐to‐lactate conversion. The results are supported by an increase in blood lactate, a decreased blood glucose level and an increased pyruvate kinase (PK) activity. The metabolic changes observed in both kidneys following treatment with TEPP‐46 are largely independent of renal function and could as such represent a new and extremely sensitive metabolic readout for future drugs targeting PKM2. These results warrant further studies in disease models to evaluate if [1‐13C]pyruvate‐to‐[1‐13C]lactate conversion can predict treatment outcome.
Grandmothers: Central scaffolding sources impacting maternal and infant feeding practices in Colombia

Abstract A growing body of evidence highlights that maternal and child nutrition programmes need to extend beyond the mother–child dyad by adopting a family systems approach, particularly in the Global South. Guided by a sociocultural and community psychology understanding of health, the paper explores factors identifying grandmothers as central resources for nutrition programmes. The study was conducted in a Colombian urban periphery applying a qualitative longitudinal design (prenatal and postpartum). It is based on interviews with adolescent mothers and mothers in their 20s (n = 35 at T1; n = 21 at T2), grandmothers (n = 15 at T1; n = 12 at T2) and community/public stakeholders (n = 17). Many of the participants live in low‐income households headed by grandmothers, who adjust feeding practices to the extent of their economic capacity. Findings reveal grandmothers play a central role in decision‐making and in enabling a holistic support system for the dyad. This is defined as grandmothers' scaffolding; it covers nutrition advice, breastfeeding and infant feeding, cultural practices, caregiving and maternal mental health. The study helps build the evidence‐base for the transferability of a family systems approach to Global South regions by using sociocultural and community psychology concepts to fortify the rationale for including grandmothers in maternal and child nutrition programmes. It argues for the need to continue raising the visibility of key actors like grandmothers and for nutrition programmes to align themselves more flexibly with the needs of families experiencing poverty.
Removal of organic contaminants from wastewater with GO/MOFs composites

Graphene oxide/metal-organic frameworks (GO/MOFs) have been prepared via solvothermal synthesis with ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, zirconium acetate and terephthalic acid for the purpose of removing organic pollutants from wastewater. The composites were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectrometry, and XRD. Tetracycline hydrochloride and orange II were implemented as model pollutants to evaluate the efficacy of the GO/MOFs in water purification, in which 50 mg of Zr/Fe-MOFs/GO was mixed with 100 mL of 10 mg/L, 20 mg/L, 30 mg/L, or 50 mg/L tetracycline hydrochloride solution and 25 mg/L, 35 mg/L, 45 mg/L, or 60 mg/L orange II solution, respectively. The removal efficacy after 4 hours was determined to be 96.1%, 75.8%, 55.4%, and 30.1%, and 98.8%, 91.9%, 71.1%, and 66.2%, respectively. The kinetics of pollutant removal was investigated for both tetracycline hydrochloride and orange II and excellent correlation coefficients of greater than 0.99 were obtained. The high efficacy of these MOFs in pollutant removal, coupled with their inexpensive preparation indicates the feasibility of their implementation in strategies for treating waste liquid. As such, it is anticipated that Zr/Fe-MOFs/GO composites will be widely applied in wastewater purification.
Association of blood pressure after peritoneal dialysis initiation with the decline rate of residual kidney function in newly-initiated peritoneal dialysis patients

Background Lower blood pressure (BP) levels are linked to a slower decline of kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) without kidney replacement therapy. However, there are limited data on this relation in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Here we evaluated the association of BP levels with the decline of residual kidney function (RKF) in a retrospective cohort study. Methods We enrolled 228 patients whose PD was initiated between 1998 and 2014. RKF was measured as the average of creatinine and urea clearance in 24-hr urine collections. We calculated the annual decline rate of RKF by determining the regression line for individual patients. RKF is thought to decline exponentially, and thus we also calculated the annual decline rate of logarithmic scale of RKF (log RKF). We categorized the patients’ BP levels at 3 months after PD initiation (BP3M) into four groups (Optimal, Normal & High normal, Grade 1 hypertension, Grade 2 & 3 hypertension) according to the 2018 European Society of Cardiology and European Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. Results The unadjusted, age- and sex-adjusted, and multivariable-adjusted decline rate of RKF and log RKF decreased significantly with higher BP3M levels (P for trend <0.01). Compared to those of the Optimal group, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for the faster side of the median decline rate of RKF and log RKF were 4.04 (1.24–13.2) and 5.50 (1.58–19.2) in the Grade 2 and 3 hypertension group, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusions Higher BP levels after PD initiation are associated with a faster decline in RKF among PD patients.
Benefits and Harms of Lung Cancer Screening by Chest Computed Tomography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE This meta-analysis aims to combine and analyze randomized clinical trials comparing computed tomography lung screening (CTLS) versus either no screening (NS) or chest x-ray (CXR) in subjects with cigarette smoking history, to provide a precise and reliable estimation of the benefits and harms associated with CTLS. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data from all published randomized trials comparing CTLS versus either NS or CXR in a highly tobacco-exposed population were collected, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Subgroup analyses by comparator (NS or CXR) were performed. Pooled risk ratio (RR) and relative 95% CIs were calculated for dichotomous outcomes. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS Nine eligible trials (88,497 patients) were included. Pooled analysis showed that CTLS is associated with: a significant reduction of lung cancer–related mortality (overall RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.98; NS RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.92); a significant increase of early-stage tumors diagnosis (overall RR, 2.84; 95% CI 1.76 to 4.58; NS RR, 3.33; 95% CI, 2.27 to 4.89; CXR RR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.04 to 2.23); a significant decrease of late-stage tumors diagnosis (overall RR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.83; NS RR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.80); a significant increase of resectability rate (NS RR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.76 to 3.74); a nonsignificant reduction of all-cause mortality (overall RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.05); and a significant increase of overdiagnosis rate (NS, 38%; 95% CI, 14 to 63). The analysis of lung cancer–related mortality by sex revealed nonsignificant differences between men and women (P = .21; I-squared = 33.6%). CONCLUSION Despite there still being uncertainty about overdiagnosis estimate, this meta-analysis suggested that the CTLS benefits outweigh harms, in subjects with cigarette smoking history, ultimately supporting the systematic implementation of lung cancer screening worldwide.
FUNDC1 Regulates Autophagy by Inhibiting ROS-NLRP3 Signaling to Avoid Apoptosis in the Lung in a Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Mouse Model

ABSTRACT The incidence and mortality of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are high, but the relevant mechanism for this disorder remains unclear. Autophagy plays an important role in the development of ARDS. The mitochondrial outer membrane protein FUNDC1 is involved in hypoxia-mediated mitochondrial autophagy, which may contribute to ARDS development. This study explored whether FUNDC1 regulates autophagy by inhibiting ROS-NLRP3 signaling to avoid apoptosis in the lung in a lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse model. In this study, FUNDC1 knockout mice were constructed, and a lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse model was generated. HE staining of pathological sections from the lung, wet/dry lung measurements, myeloperoxidase concentration/neutrophil counts in BALF and survival time of mice were examined to determine the effect of modeling. The release of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10) in response to LPS in the BALF and plasma was assessed using ELISA. The effects of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) in lung tissue in response to LPS were detected by biochemical analysis. Oxidative stress damage was validated by iNOS staining, and apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining after LPS. Finally, the expression of autophagy-associated proteins and inflammasome-associated proteins in lung tissue after LPS intervention was analyzed by western blot. We found that wild-type control, FUNDC1 knockout control, lipopolysaccharide-induced wild-type, and FUNDC1 knockout mouse models were used to investigate whether FUNDC1-mediated autophagy is involved in lung injury and its possible molecular mechanisms. Compared with the normal control group, lung tissue FUNDC1 and LC3 II increased and p62/SQSTM1 decreased after LPS intervention, and increased ROS levels led to a decrease in corresponding antioxidant enzymes along with an increased inflammatory response and apoptosis. Levels of autophagy in lipopolysaccharide-induced mice deficient in FUNDC1 were significantly decreased, but the expression of ROS and inflammatory factors in lung tissue was more severe than in lipopolysaccharide-induced wild-type mice, and the survival rate was significantly decreased. Western blot analysis showed that autophagy was significantly inhibited in the FUNDC1 KO+LPS group, and there was a significant increase in NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, and ASC compared with the lipopolysaccharide-induced wild-type group. In summary, lipopolysaccharide-induced wild-type mice exhibit ROS-dependent activation of autophagy, and knocking out FUNDC1 promotes inflammasome activation and exacerbates lung injury.
Sex Differences in the Association Between Inflammation and Event-Free Survival in Patients With Heart Failure

Background Heart failure (HF) is associated with chronic inflammation, which is adversely associated with survival. Although sex-related differences in inflammation have been described in patients with HF, whether sex-related differences in inflammation are associated with event-free survival has not been examined. Aim The aim of this study was to determine whether the association between inflammation as indicated by tumor necrosis factor-α and event-free survival differs between men and women with HF after controlling for demographic and clinical variables. Method This was a secondary analysis of data from 301 male (age, 61.0 ± 11.4 years) and 137 female (age, 60.3 ± 12.1 years) patients with HF. Serum levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 were used to indicate inflammatory status. Patients were grouped according to median split of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 level and sex into male with low inflammation (≤1820 pg/mL) (n = 158) or high inflammation (>1820 pg/mL) (n = 143), and female with low inflammation (n = 63) or high inflammation (n = 74). Cox regression models were run separately for men and women to determine whether inflammation contributed to differences in event-free survival between sexes with HF. Results There were 84 male (27.9%) and 27 female (19.7%) patients who had an event. Event-free survival in women did not differ by the severity of inflammation in the Cox regression analysis. In contrast, men with high inflammation had 1.85 times higher risk for an event compared with men with low inflammation. Conclusion These data provide evidence that inflammation contributed to differences in event-free survival in men but not women with HF. Clinicians should be aware that men who have higher inflammation may be at a greater risk of HF or cardiac-related events than others with HF.
Empty waiting rooms: the New Zealand general practice experience with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM The primary care response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020 required significant changes to the delivery of healthcare by general practices. This study explores the experiences of New Zealand general practice teams in their use of telehealth during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand. METHOD We qualitatively analysed a subtheme on telehealth of the General Practice Pandemic Experience New Zealand (GPPENZ) study, where general practice team members across the country were invited to participate in five surveys between 8 May 2020 to 27 August 2020. RESULTS 164 participants enrolled in the study during survey one, with 78 (48%) completing all surveys. Five telehealth themes were identified: benefits, limitations, paying for consults, changes over time and plans for future use. Benefits included rapid triage, convenience and efficiency, and limitations included financial and technical barriers for practices and patients and concerns about clinical risk. Respondents rapidly returned to in-person consultations and wanted clarification of conditions suited to telehealth, better infrastructure and funding. CONCLUSION To equitably sustain telehealth use, the following are required: adequate funding, training, processes communicated to patients, improved patient access to technology and technological literacy, virtual physical examination methods and integration with existing primary health care services.
Efficacy of Naturally Occurring and Commercial Entomopathogenic Nematodes Against Sugar Beet Wireworm (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Abstract Wireworms are the larval stage of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae), and some of their species are serious pests of many crops. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of naturally occurring and commercial entomopathogenic nematode species against the sugar beet wireworm, Limonius californicus (Mannerheim), in the laboratory. First, efficacies of Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev) (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) collected from an irrigated (S. feltiae-SSK) and a dryland (S. feltiae-SSC) field and the two commercial entomopathogenic nematode species, S. carpocapsae (Weiser) (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae), were examined. Efficacies of the two field-collected S. feltiae isolates were also compared against a commercial S. feltiae strain. In the first bioassay, S. feltiae-SSK caused 63.3% wireworm mortality, followed by 30% caused by S. carpocapsae, 23.3% by S. feltiae-SSC, and 6.7% by H.bacteriophora. In the second assay, S. feltiae-SSK killed 56.7% of the wireworms, ≈2.1- and ≈5.7-fold higher than S. feltiae-SSC and the commercial isolate, respectively.
Reproducible Naevus Counts Using 3D Total Body Photography and Convolutional Neural Networks

Background: The number of naevi on a person is the strongest risk factor for melanoma; however, naevus counting is highly variable due to lack of consistent methodology and lack of inter-rater agreement. Machine learning has been shown to be a valuable tool for image classification in dermatology. Objectives: To test whether automated, reproducible naevus counts are possible through the combination of convolutional neural networks (CNN) and three-dimensional (3D) total body imaging. Methods: Total body images from a study of naevi in the general population were used for the training (82 subjects, 57,742 lesions) and testing (10 subjects; 4,868 lesions) datasets for the development of a CNN. Lesions were labelled as naevi, or not (“non-naevi”), by a senior dermatologist as the gold standard. Performance of the CNN was assessed using sensitivity, specificity, and Cohen’s kappa, and evaluated at the lesion level and person level. Results: Lesion-level analysis comparing the automated counts to the gold standard showed a sensitivity and specificity of 79% (76–83%) and 91% (90–92%), respectively, for lesions ≥2 mm, and 84% (75–91%) and 91% (88–94%) for lesions ≥5 mm. Cohen’s kappa was 0.56 (0.53–0.59) indicating moderate agreement for naevi ≥2 mm, and substantial agreement (0.72, 0.63–0.80) for naevi ≥5 mm. For the 10 individuals in the test set, person-level agreement was assessed as categories with 70% agreement between the automated and gold standard counts. Agreement was lower in subjects with numerous seborrhoeic keratoses. Conclusion: Automated naevus counts with reasonable agreement to those of an expert clinician are possible through the combination of 3D total body photography and CNNs. Such an algorithm may provide a faster, reproducible method over the traditional in person total body naevus counts.
DNA methylation biomarkers for diagnosis of primary liver cancer and distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are the two most common pathology subtypes of primary liver cancer (PLC). Identifying DNA methylation biomarkers for diagnosis of PLC and further distinguishing HCC from ICC plays a vital role in subsequent treatment options selection. To obtain potential diagnostic DNA methylation sites for PLC, differentially methylated CpG (DMC) sites were first screened by comparing the methylation data between normal liver samples and PLC samples (ICC samples and HCC samples). A random forest algorithm was then used to select specific DMC sites with top Gini value. To avoid overfitting, another cohort was taken as an external validation for evaluating the area under curves (AUCs) of different DMC sites combination. A similar model construction strategy was applied to distinguish HCC from ICC. In addition, we identified DNA Methylation-Driven Genes in HCC and ICC via MethylMix method and performed pathway analysis by utilizing MetaCore. Finally, we not only performed methylator phenotype based on independent prognostic sites but also analyzed the correlations between methylator phenotype and clinical factors in HCC and ICC, respectively. To diagnose PLC, we developed a model based on three PLC-specific methylation sites (cg24035245, cg21072795, and cg00261162), whose sensitivity and specificity achieved 98.8%,94.8% in training set and 97.3%,81% in validation set. Then, to further divide the PLC samples into HCC and ICC, we established another mode through three methylation sites (cg17769836, cg17591574, and cg07823562), HCC accuracy and ICC accuracy achieved 95.8%, 89.8% in the training set and 96.8%,85.4% in the validation set. In HCC, the enrichment pathways were mainly related to protein folding, oxidative stress, and glutathione metabolism. While in ICC, immune response, embryonic hepatocyte maturation were the top pathways. Both in HCC and ICC, methylator phenotype correlated well with overall survival time and clinical factors involved in tumor progression. In summary, our study provides the biomarkers based on methylation sites not only for the diagnosis of PLC but also for distinguishing HCC from ICC.
Efficient Transduction of Alveolar Type 2 Cells with Adeno-associated Virus for the Study of Lung Regeneration.

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