Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Small Non-Coding RNA Modulates Expression of Pilus-1 Type in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and about 30% of the pneumococcal clinical isolates show type I pili-like structures. These long proteinaceous polymers extending from the bacterial surface are encoded by pilus islet 1 and play major roles in adhesion and host colonization. Pili expression is bistable and is controlled by the transcriptional activator RlrA. In this work, we demonstrate that the previously identified small noncoding RNA srn135 also participates in pilus regulation. Our findings show that srn135 is generated upon processing of the 5′-UTR region of rrgA messenger and its deletion prevents the synthesis of RrgA, the main pili adhesin. Moreover, overexpression of srn135 increases the expression of all pili genes and rises the percentage of piliated bacteria within a clonal population. This regulation is mediated by the stabilization of rlrA mRNA since higher levels of srn135 increase its half-life to 165%. Our findings suggest that srn135 has a dual role in pilus expression acting both in cis- (on the RrgA levels) and in trans- (modulating the levels of RlrA) and contributes to the delicate balance between pili expressing and non-expressing bacteria.
The Role of Dupilumab in Severe Asthma

Dupilumab is a fully humanized monoclonal antibody, capable of inhibiting intracellular signaling of both interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. These are two molecules that, together with other proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-5 and eotaxins, play a pivotal role in orchestrating the airway inflammatory response defined as Type 2 (T2) inflammation, driven by Th2 or Type 2 innate lymphoid cells, which is the major feature of the T2 high asthma phenotype. The dual inhibition of IL-4 and IL-13 activities is due to the blockade of type II IL-4 receptor through the binding of dupilumab with the subunit IL-4Rα. This results in the repression of STAT6 and in the suppression of subsequent de novo formation of several molecules involved in the T2 inflammatory signature. Several clinical trials tested the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in large populations of uncontrolled severe asthmatics, revealing significant improvements in lung function, asthma control, and exacerbation rate. Similar results were reported when dupilumab was employed in patients harboring pathogenetic processes related to T2 immune response, such as atopic dermatitis and chronic rhinosinusitis. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent research in the field of respiratory medicine about dupilumab mechanism of action and its effects.
Early Weaning Affects Liver Antioxidant Function in Piglets

Simple Summary Early weaning is used to improve efficiency in pig production. However, early weaning may trigger liver oxidative stress in piglets. In this study, we evaluated the effects of early weaning on the development and antioxidant function of the liver in piglets. Our findings show that early weaning significantly decreases piglet body weight and suppresses liver development. We find that early weaning also suppresses the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) (p < 0.05). It could be concluded that weaning may reduce the growth performance and liver antioxidant function of piglets. Abstract This study examined the impact of early weaning on antioxidant function in piglets. A total of 40 Duroc × Landrace × Large White, 21-day-old piglets (half male and half female) were divided into suckling groups (SG) and weaning groups (WG). Piglets in WG were weaned at the 21st day, while the piglets in SG continued to get breastfed. Eight piglets from each group were randomly selected and slaughtered at 24th-day (SG3, WG3) and 28th-day old (SG7, WG7). The body weight, liver index, hepatocyte morphology, antioxidant enzymes activity, gene expression of antioxidant enzymes, and Nrf2 signaling in the liver of piglets were measured. The results showed that weaning caused decreased body weight (p < 0.01), lower liver weight (p < 0.01), and decreased the liver organ index (p < 0.05) of piglets. The area and size of hepatocytes in the WG group was smaller than that in the SG group (p < 0.05). We also observed that weaning reduced the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) (p < 0.05) in the liver of piglets. Relative to the SG3 group, the gene expression of GSH-Px in liver of WG3 was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The gene expression of Nrf2 in the SG3 group was higher than that in the WG3 group (p < 0.01). The gene expression of NQO1 in the SG7 group was higher than that in the WG7 group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, weaning resulted in lower weight, slowed liver development, and reduced antioxidant enzymes activity, thereby impairing liver antioxidant function and suppressing piglet growth.
Multi-Layer Technique (MLT) with Porcine Collagenated Cortical Bone Lamina for Bone Regeneration Procedures and Immediate Post-Extraction Implantation in the Esthetic Area: A Retrospective Case Series with a Mean Follow-Up of 5 Years

Background: Augmentation of the edentulous atrophic anterior region is a challenging situation. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the effectiveness of a collagenated cortical bone lamina of porcine origin for horizontal ridge augmentation in patients with inadequate alveolar ridge width undergoing immediate post-extraction implantation in the anterior sites, and to report on implant survival rates/complications. Materials and methods: The cases were extracted electronically from a large database according to these specific inclusion criteria: patients with inadequate alveolar ridge width in the anterior maxilla or mandible, who underwent immediate post-extraction implant placement and simultaneous alveolar bone reconstruction using xenogeneic cortical bone lamina. An additional layer of palatal connective tissue graft was inserted between lamina and the vestibular mucosa, for improving soft tissue healing. A collagenated bone substitute was additionally placed in the gap between the lamina and implant surface in all patients. The main outcomes were implant survival and complications. Results: Forty-nine patients with 65 implants were included. Patients’ mean age at the time of implant surgery was 60.0 ± 13.6 years. The mean follow-up was 60.5 ± 26.6 months after implant placement. The implant survival was 100%. Four postoperative complications occurred in four patients. No specific factor was found to be associated with complication occurrence. Conclusion: The use of collagenated cortical bone lamina can be considered as a successful option for alveolar reconstruction in immediate post-extraction implant insertion procedures in anterior regions with inadequate alveolar ridge width.
Pulse Rate Variability Analysis Using Remote Photoplethysmography Signals

Pulse rate variability (PRV) refers to the change in the interval between pulses in the blood volume pulse (BVP) signal acquired using photoplethysmography (PPG). PRV is an indicator of the health status of an individual’s autonomic nervous system. A representative method for measuring BVP is contact PPG (CPPG). CPPG may cause discomfort to a user, because the sensor is attached to the finger for measurements. In contrast, noncontact remote PPG (RPPG) extracts BVP signals from face data using a camera without the need for a sensor. However, because the existing RPPG is a technology that extracts a single pulse rate rather than a continuous BVP signal, it is difficult to extract additional health status indicators. Therefore, in this study, PRV analysis is performed using lab-based RPPG technology that can yield continuous BVP signals. In addition, we intended to confirm that the analysis of PRV via RPPG can be performed with the same quality as analysis via CPPG. The experimental results confirmed that the temporal and frequency parameters of PRV extracted from RPPG and CPPG were similar. In terms of correlation, the PRVs of RPPG and CPPG yielded correlation coefficients between 0.98 and 1.0.
Evaluating the Potential Use of Smartphone Apps for Diabetes Self-Management in an Underserved Population: A Qualitative Approach

Health disparities cause a higher rate of diabetes development in poor and minority groups and also limit the care these people receive. Smartphone applications (apps) may be a low-cost, accessible resource to patients with diabetes who experience barriers to traditional health care. Currently, little is known about using health apps to help underserved patients in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the willingness to use diabetes apps in patients with limited access to primary care providers. Fifteen personal interviews were collected and analyzed according to the interpretative phenomenological analysis framework. The interviews produced three overall themes: (1) Despite having little previous knowledge about health apps, patients were all willing to try at least one diabetes-related app; (2) app functions should be individualized to each patient’s needs for maximum benefit; and (3) barriers to app use were varied but commonly included knowledge and technological challenges and security issues. Underserved patients with diabetes expressed a willingness to try health apps, despite limited experience with the technology. Choosing apps individualized to each patient’s needs, instead of a blanket multifunctional app, would provide the greatest benefit for patient-driven diabetes management. Smartphone apps may be a feasible, low-cost resource for patients with limited access to traditional healthcare.
Therapeutic Potential of Human Stem Cell Implantation in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive debilitating neurodegenerative disease and the most common form of dementia in the older population. At present, there is no definitive effective treatment for AD. Therefore, researchers are now looking at stem cell therapy as a possible treatment for AD, but whether stem cells are safe and effective in humans is still not clear. In this narrative review, we discuss both preclinical studies and clinical trials on the therapeutic potential of human stem cells in AD. Preclinical studies have successfully differentiated stem cells into neurons in vitro, indicating the potential viability of stem cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases. Preclinical studies have also shown that stem cell therapy is safe and effective in improving cognitive performance in animal models, as demonstrated in the Morris water maze test and novel object recognition test. Although few clinical trials have been completed and many trials are still in phase I and II, the initial results confirm the outcomes of the preclinical studies. However, limitations like rejection, tumorigenicity, and ethical issues are still barriers to the advancement of stem cell therapy. In conclusion, the use of stem cells in the treatment of AD shows promise in terms of effectiveness and safety.
Implicit and Explicit Memory in Youths with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case-Control Study

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) usually manifest heterogeneous impairments in their higher cognitive functions, including their implicit memory (IM) and explicit memory (EM). However, the findings on IM and EM in youths with ASD remain debated. The aim of this study was to clarify such conflicting results by examining IM and EM using two comparable versions of the Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) in the same group of children and adolescents with ASD. Twenty-five youths with high-functioning ASD and 29 age-matched and IQ-matched typically developing youths undertook both tasks. The ability to implicitly learn the temporal sequence of events across the blocks in the SRTT was intact in the youths with ASD. When they were tested for EM, the participants with ASD did not experience a significant reduction in their reaction times during the blocks with the previously learned sequence, suggesting an impairment in EM. Moreover, the participants with ASD were less accurate and made more omissions than the controls in the EM task. The implications of these findings for the establishment of tailored educational programs for children with high-functioning ASD are discussed.
Tracking Fecal Bacterial Dispersion from Municipal Wastewater to Peri-Urban Farms during Monsoon Rains in Hue City, Vietnam

Disease outbreaks attributed to monsoon flood-induced pathogen exposure are frequently reported, especially in developing cities with poor sanitation. Contamination levels have been monitored in past studies, yet the sources, routes, and extents of contamination are not always clear. We evaluated pollution from municipal wastewater (MWW) discharge and investigated fecal contamination by Escherichia coli (E. coli) in three agricultural fields on the outskirts of Hue City, Vietnam. After E. coli concentration was determined in irrigation water (IRW), MWW, soil, vegetables (VEG), and manure, its dispersion from MWW was tracked using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and phylogenetic analyses during the wet and dry seasons. IRW was severely contaminated; 94% of the samples were positive with E. coli exceeding the stipulated standards, while VEG contamination was very low in both seasons. The confirmed total number of isolates was comparable between the seasons; however, results from MLST and phylogenetic clustering revealed more links between the sites and samples to MWW during the wet season. The wet season had four mixed clusters of E. coli isolates from multiple locations and samples linked to MWW, while only one mixed cluster also linking MWW to IRW was observed during the dry season. The most prevalent sequence type (ST) complex 10 and two others (40 and 155) have been associated with disease outbreaks, while other STs have links to major pathotypes. Irrigation canals are significant routes for E. coli dispersion through direct links to the urban drainage-infested river. This study clarified the genotype of E. coli in Hue city, and the numerous links between the samples and sites revealed MWW discharge as the source of E. coli contamination that was enhanced by flooding.
Growth Kinetics and Some Mechanical Properties of Plasma Paste Borided Layers Produced on Nimonic 80A-Alloy

Plasma paste boriding was employed in order to produce the boride layers on Nimonic 80A-alloy. The process was carried out at temperatures of 1023 K, 1073 K and 1123 K for 3, 4 and 6 h in a gas mixture of 50% H2-50% Ar. Borax paste was used as a boron source. The microstructure of the produced surface layers consisted of the mixture of nickel borides and chromium borides. The effect of processing temperature and duration on the thickness of the borided layers was observed. The theoretical thicknesses of the borided layers were estimated using an integral diffusion model. A good correlation was obtained between the theoretical (modeled) and experimental depths of the plasma paste borided layers. The boride layers were characterized by a high hardness ranging from 1160 HV to 2132 HV. The multiphase character of the produced layers resulted in differences in hardness. A significant improvement of the wear resistance of the plasma paste borided Nimonic 80A-alloy was observed in comparison with the non-borided alloy.
The Effect of Lifestyle Intervention on Systemic Oxidative Stress in Women with Obesity and Infertility: A Post-Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

We aimed to study whether lifestyle intervention could reduce systemic oxidative stress (OS) and the association between OS and cardiometabolic outcomes in women with obesity and infertility. From 2009 to 2012, infertile women with a BMI ≥ 29 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to a six-month lifestyle intervention followed by infertility treatment (N = 289) or to prompt infertility treatment (N = 285). Fasting serum free thiols (FT) concentrations were determined by colorimetry at baseline, at three and six months after randomization. Generalized estimating equations and restricted cubic spline regressions were used to estimate mean differences in serum FT levels between groups and to explore associations between serum FT levels and cardiometabolic outcomes. Baseline serum FT levels did not differ between the two groups (N = 203 in the intervention group vs N = 226 in the control group, 222.1 ± 48.0 µM vs 229.9 ± 47.8 µM, p = 0.09). Body weight decreased by 3.70 kg in the intervention group compared with the control group at six months (95% confidence interval [CI]: −7.61 to 0.21, p = 0.06). No differences in serum FT levels were observed between groups at either three months (N = 142 vs N = 150, mean differences: −1.03 µM, 95% CI: −8.37 to 6.32, p = 0.78) or six months (N = 104 vs N = 96, mean differences: 2.19 µM, 95% CI: −5.90 to 10.28, p = 0.60). In a pooled analysis of all available measurements, triglycerides (crude B: 5.29, 95% CI: 1.08 to 9.50, p = 0.01), insulin (crude B: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.98, p = 0.001), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (crude B: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.16 to 3.38, p < 0.001) were positively associated with serum FT levels. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was negatively associated with serum FT levels (crude B: −0.60, 95% CI: −1.11 to −0.10, p = 0.02). The change in hs-CRP during the lifestyle intervention was strongly and inversely associated with serum FT levels (crude B: −0.41, 95% CI: −0.70 to −0.13, p = 0.005). No significant deviations from linear associations were observed between serum FT and hs-CRP. We do not observe an improvement in systemic OS in women with obesity and infertility with modest weight loss. There were potential associations between OS and biomarkers of cardiometabolic health. Trial registration: This trial was registered on 16 November 2008 at the Dutch trial register (NTR1530).
Effects of Supplementation with Folic Acid and Its Combinations with Other Nutrients on Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Narrative Review

Cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease, among other cognitive dysfunctions, has been recognized as a major public health problem. Folic acid is a well-known essential nutrient whose deficiency has been linked to neurocognitive dysfunctions, owing to hyperhomocysteinemia, an independent risk factor for cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases, including cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and vascular dementia. However, to date, there is certain controversy about the efficacy of vitamin supplementation in patients with these pathologies. Therefore, we have reviewed the available dietary intervention studies based on folic acid, either alone or in combination with different vitamins or nutrients into the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive impairment, highlighting the cognition and biochemical markers employed for the evaluation of the disease progression. Undeniably, the compiled information supports the potential benefits of vitamin supplementation in these pathologies, especially relevant to the aging process and quality of life, although more research is urgently needed to confirm these positive findings.
Physiochemical Responses of the Kernel Quality, Total Phenols and Antioxidant Enzymes of Walnut in Different Forms to the Low-Temperature Storage

Fresh walnut is obtaining high attention due to its pleasant taste and health benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of storage temperatures (0 °C and −20 °C) on the kernel quality, total phenols, and antioxidant enzyme activities of walnuts in three forms (fresh kernels, walnuts with green husk, and walnuts with shell). For a short storage within 3 months at 0 °C, the results revealed that walnuts with green husk provided a better walnut kernel quality resulting from its lower acid value and peroxide value, together with a higher total phenol content and total antioxidant activity, compared with other forms of walnuts. In comparison, frozen storage at −20 °C for a long duration (up to 10 months), found that walnuts with shell showed advantages in improving the kernel quality (fatty acid content, total phenols, and total antioxidant activity) and antioxidant enzyme (peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) activities in the kernels, leading to an acceptable range of acid value and peroxide value, compared with other forms of walnuts. Thus, frozen storage at −20 °C showed a potential application in maintaining the walnut kernel quality, especially the walnuts with shell.
“Where-There-Is-No-Psychiatrist Integrated Personal Therapy” among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study

In Singapore, many older adults suffer from subsyndromal depression and/or subsyndromal anxiety, which can negatively impact their physical and mental well-being if left untreated. Due to the general public’s reluctance to seek psychological help and the low psychiatrist-to-population ratio in Singapore, this study aims to examine the preliminary efficacy, perceptions, and acceptability of a trained volunteer-led community-based intervention on community-dwelling older adults. Twenty-one participants (control: n = 11; intervention: n = 10) completed the randomized pilot study. A mixed-methods approach (questionnaires, semistructured interviews, examining blood samples, intervention fidelity) was adopted. No significant differences were found between the intervention and the control groups in depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, friendship, and quality of life. However, there was a positive change in quality-of-life scores from baseline to 6 months in the intervention group. The control group had significantly higher cortisol levels and lower annexin-A1 levels at 6 months, while the intervention group did not. Three themes emerged from the interviews: (1) impact of the intervention on older adults’ well-being, (2) attitudes toward intervention, and (3) a way forward. However, intervention efficacy could not be established due to small sample size caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Future randomized controlled trials should evaluate volunteer-led, technology-based psychosocial interventions to support these older adults.
Classification of Cardiomyopathies from MR Cine Images Using Convolutional Neural Network with Transfer Learning

The automatic classification of various types of cardiomyopathies is desirable but has never been performed using a convolutional neural network (CNN). The purpose of this study was to evaluate currently available CNN models to classify cine magnetic resonance (cine-MR) images of cardiomyopathies. Method: Diastolic and systolic frames of 1200 cine-MR sequences of three categories of subjects (395 normal, 411 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and 394 dilated cardiomyopathy) were selected, preprocessed, and labeled. Pretrained, fine-tuned deep learning models (VGG) were used for image classification (sixfold cross-validation and double split testing with hold-out data). The heat activation map algorithm (Grad-CAM) was applied to reveal salient pixel areas leading to the classification. Results: The diastolic–systolic dual-input concatenated VGG model cross-validation accuracy was 0.982 ± 0.009. Summed confusion matrices showed that, for the 1200 inputs, the VGG model led to 22 errors. The classification of a 227-input validation group, carried out by an experienced radiologist and cardiologist, led to a similar number of discrepancies. The image preparation process led to 5% accuracy improvement as compared to nonprepared images. Grad-CAM heat activation maps showed that most misclassifications occurred when extracardiac location caught the attention of the network. Conclusions: CNN networks are very well suited and are 98% accurate for the classification of cardiomyopathies, regardless of the imaging plane, when both diastolic and systolic frames are incorporated. Misclassification is in the same range as inter-observer discrepancies in experienced human readers.