Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential effects of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids on vascular reactivity in isolated mesenteric and femoral arteries of rats

Free fatty acid (FFA) intake regulates blood pressure and vascular reactivity but its direct effect on contractility of systemic arteries is not well understood. We investigated the effects of saturated fatty acid (SFA, palmitic acid), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA, linoleic acid), and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA, oleic acid) on the contractility of isolated mesenteric (MA) and deep femoral arteries (DFA) of Sprague–Dawley rats. Isolated MA and DFA were mounted on a dual wire myograph and phenylephrine (PhE, 1–10 µM) concentration-dependent contraction was obtained with or without FFAs. Incubation with 100 µM of palmitic acid significantly increased PhE-induced contraction in both arteries. In MA, treatment with 100 µM of linoleic acid decreased 1 µM PhE-induced contraction while increasing the response to higher PhE concentrations. In DFA, linoleic acid slightly decreased PhE-induced contraction while 200 µM oleic acid significantly decreased it. In MA, oleic acid reduced contraction at low PhE concentration (1 and 2 µM) while increasing it at 10 µM PhE. Perplexingly, depolarization by 40 mM KCl-induced contraction of MA was commonly enhanced by the three fatty acids. The 40 mM KCl-contraction of DFA was also augmented by linoleic and oleic acids while not affected by palmitic acid. SFA persistently increased alpha-adrenergic contraction of systemic arteries whereas PUFA and MUFA attenuated PhE-induced contraction of skeletal arteries. PUFA and MUFA concentration-dependent dual effects on MA suggest differential mechanisms depending on the types of arteries. Further studies are needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms of the various effects of FFA on systemic arteries.
Is Resin Infiltration a Microinvasive Approach to White Lesions of Calcified Tooth Structures?: A Systemic Review

ABSTRACT Aim The treatment of white lesions should aim at arresting the lesion progression of carious lesions and improving the esthetics by diminishing the opacity of the developmental disturbances of a tooth. The objective of this review was to present the scientific basis, the principles of resin infiltration and to discuss its inherent clinical applications. Data sources Data were identified by PubMed searches. Papers published in English between 2010 and 2015 were selected and most up-to-date or relevant references were chosen. Conclusion The resin infiltration technique, while promising, needed more clinical evidence for conclusive findings. However, based on available laboratory and clinical studies, it seems convincing that resin infiltration of enamel lesions should aim at arresting the progression of white spot lesions. Combining this microinvasive approach with a substantial caries remineralization program may provide therapeutic benefits and significantly reduce both long term restorative needs and costs, thus complementing the concept of minimum intervention dentistry. How to cite this article Manoharan V, Kumar AS, et al. Is Resin Infiltration a Micro invasive Approach to White Lesions of Calcified Tooth Structures? : A Systemic Review. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(1):53–58.
Remarkable Effect of Jacalin in Diminishing the Protein Corona Interference in the Antibacterial Activity of Pectin-Capped Copper Sulfide Nanoparticles

Herein, we report a new strategy based on jacalin functionalization to diminish the impact of biological fluids in the antibacterial applications of nanoparticles (NPs). Precoating pectin-capped copper sulfide NPs (pCuS) with bovine serum albumin produced a protein corona, which affects the antibacterial activity of pCuS. It was found that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) increases fourfold because of the formation of the protein corona. Interestingly, the pCuS functionalized with jacalin enhance the targeting capabilities through bacterial cell surface glycan recognition with no interference from the protein corona. The MIC of pCuS decreases 16-fold on functionalization with jacalin. Mechanistic studies indicated that the pCuS functionalized with jacalin impede the protein corona interference and induce bacterial cell death by impairing the GSH/reactive oxygen species balance and disrupting the bacteria cell membrane. As a proof of concept, we used a bacteria-infected zebrafish animal model to demonstrate the interference of biological fluids in the antibacterial activity of NPs. Infected zebrafish treated with 1× MIC of pCuS failed to recover from the infection, but 4× MIC rescues the fish. The requirement of a high dose of NPs to treat the infection confirms the interference of biological fluids in nanotherapeutic applications. At the same time, the jacalin–pCuS complex rescues the infected fish at 16-fold lesser MIC. The results obtained from this study suggest that jacalin-mediated NP targeting may have broad implications in the development of future nanomedicine.
Dual targeting curcumin loaded alendronate-hyaluronan- octadecanoic acid micelles for improving osteosarcoma therapy

Introduction Curcumin (CUR) is a general ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine, which has potential antitumor effects. However, its use clinically has been limited due to its low aqueous solubility and bioavailability. In order to improve the therapeutic effect of CUR on osteosarcoma (i.e., bone cancer), a multifunctional micelle was developed here by combining active bone accumulating ability with tumor CD44 targeting capacity. Methods The CUR loaded micelles were self-assembled by using alendronate-hyaluronic acid-octadecanoic acid (ALN-HA-C18) as an amphiphilic material. The obtained micelles were characterized for size and drug loading. In addition, the in vitro release behavior of CUR was investigated under PBS (pH 5.7) medium containing 1% Tween 80 at 37℃. Furthermore, an hydroxyapatite (the major inorganic component of bone) affinity experiment was studied. In vitro antitumor activity was evaluated. Finally, the anti-tumor efficiency was studied. Results The size and drug loading of the CUR loaded ALN-HA-C18 micelles were about 118 ± 3.6 nm and 6 ± 1.2%, respectively. CUR was released from the ALN-HA-C18 micelles in a sustained manner after 12 h. The hydroxyapatite affinity experiment indicated that CUR loaded ALN-HA-C18 micelles exhibited a high affinity to bone. CUR loaded ALN-HA-C18 micelles exhibited much higher cytotoxic activity against MG-63 cells compared to free CUR. Finally, CUR loaded ALN-HA-C18 micelles effectively delayed anti-tumor growth properties in osteosarcoma bearing mice as compared with free CUR. Conclusion The present study suggested that ALN-HA-C18 is a novel promising micelle for osteosarcoma targeting and delivery of the hydrophobic anticancer drug CUR.
Awake orotracheal intubation using fiberoptic bronchoscope versus Airtraq laryngoscope in morbidly obese patients

Background Awake endotracheal intubation using the fiberoptic bronchoscope is the gold standard in morbidly obese patients. It needs special skills and high training. The disposable Airtraq laryngoscope had been used for difficult intubation. It can have some advantages compared with the fiberoptic bronchoscope during awake orotracheal intubation. Patients and methods In this study, 60 morbidly obese patients were randomly assigned to be intubated awake with either the fiberoptic bronchoscope (30 patients) or the Airtraq laryngoscope (30 patients). Time needed for intubation, the number of intubation attempts, success rate, and complications were assessed in the two groups. Results The time needed for intubation was significantly shorter in the Airtraq group compared with the bronchoscope group. As regards the number of attempts, there was a nonsignificant difference between the two groups. All patients were intubated successfully with a nonsignificant incidence of complications between the two groups. Conclusion The Airtraq laryngoscope can be used safely as the fiberoptic bronchoscope for awake orotracheal intubation in morbidly obese patients.
Associations between dietary patterns and depression and anxiety in middle-aged adults: A large cross-sectional analysis among Iranian manufacturing employees

Background: Workers have to spend a substantial proportion of their income on foods and despite the high prevalence of stress among them, little is known about the association of dietary patterns and mental health disorders in this group. We examined whether dietary patterns are associated with depression and anxiety risk in the Iranian workers of steel mill company. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 3060 workers (2803 males and 260 females) in 2015. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire during the preceding year, and depression and anxiety were evaluated using a Persian-validated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Major dietary patterns were determined using exploratory factor analysis and the risk of depression and anxiety was assessed across the tertiles of dietary patterns using logistic regression. Results: Three dietary patterns were identified: healthy (loaded by fruit, vegetables and skim dairy products), Western (loaded by processed foods, butter and sweets), and Iranian traditional diet (loaded by refined grains, red meat, poultry and legumes). After adjustment for various confounders, individuals in the highest tertile of healthy diet had lower risk of depression (odds ratio [OR]: 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.32, 0.68) and anxiety (OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.99) compared with those in the first tertile, whilst greater adherence to the Iranian traditional diet was associated with increased risk of depression (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.24, 2.67) and anxiety (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.09). The Western-style diet was marginally associated with increased risk of depression, but not anxiety. Conclusion: Overall, we found healthy diet might be associated with decreased risk of depression and anxiety, but the Iranian traditional diet might be associated with increased risk of depression and anxiety. Therefore, to improve public health, Iranian traditional diet should be adjusted according to the healthy diet recommendations.
Generating three-color pulses in high-gain harmonic-generation free-electron lasers with a tilted electron bunch

A novel method is proposed to create three-color free-electron laser pulses based on high-gain harmonic generation with a tilted electron bunch which is created by a corrugated structure, a drift section and a quadrupole. Theoretical analyses and numerical simulations confirm the validity and feasibility of this scheme both for the TGU radiator and the natural gradient in the extreme-ultraviolet waveband.
Design and validation of a robust multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for MAT idiomorph within the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex

ABSTRACT We discovered that published polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for determining mating type (MAT) idiomorph failed to genotype some of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) isolates recovered from Mangifera indica (mango), Swietenia macrophylla (big-leaf mahogany), Annona muricata (soursop), Bursera sp. , and Tabebuia sp. in Mexico. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to design and validate a robust multiplex PCR–based diagnostic for typing MAT within the FFSC. To accomplish this objective, we mined the MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 locus from the genomes of 60 FFSC isolates, representing 56 phylospecies, and from four species in its sister group, the F. nisikadoi species complex (FNSC). Bioinformatic searches were facilitated by targeting DNA lyase (SLA2) and apurinic endonuclease (APN1), the genes that flank the MAT locus in Fusarium. As expected, three genes were identified within MAT1-1 (MAT1-1-1, MAT1-1-2, and MAT1-1-3) and two in MAT1-2 (MAT1-2-1 and MAT1-2-9), using the ab initio prediction tool AUGUSTUS. Of the three multiplex PCR assays we designed and tested, the one targeting MAT1-1-2 and MAT1-2-1 successfully genotyped the entire 71-isolate validation panel, which included 56 FFSC and 4 FNSC phylospecies. By contrast, the published PCR assays we tested produced positive genotypes for only 46.5–59% of the 71-isolate validation panel, but only when they were run as a uniplex assay. Although only one-fifth of the FFSC/FNSC are known to reproduce sexually, our results suggest that if they possess a sexual cycle, it is heterothallic (self-sterile).
Whole Genome Diversity, Population Structure, and Linkage Disequilibrium Analysis of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes Using Genome-Wide DArTseq-Based SNP Markers

Characterization of genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium is a prerequisite for proper management of breeding programs and conservation of genetic resources. In this study, 186 chickpea genotypes, including advanced “Kabuli” breeding lines and Iranian landrace “Desi” chickpea genotypes, were genotyped using DArTseq-Based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Out of 3339 SNPs, 1152 markers with known chromosomal position were selected for genome diversity analysis. The number of mapped SNP markers varied from 52 (LG8) to 378 (LG4), with an average of 144 SNPs per linkage group. The chromosome size that was covered by SNPs varied from 16,236.36 kbp (LG8) to 67,923.99 kbp (LG5), while LG4 showed a higher number of SNPs, with an average of 6.56 SNPs per Mbp. Polymorphism information content (PIC) value of SNP markers ranged from 0.05 to 0.50, with an average of 0.32, while the markers on LG4, LG6, and LG8 showed higher mean PIC value than average. Unweighted neighbor joining cluster analysis and Bayesian-based model population structure grouped chickpea genotypes into four distinct clusters. Principal component analysis (PCoA) and discriminant analysis of principal component (DAPC) results were consistent with that of the cluster and population structure analysis. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was extensive and LD decay in chickpea germplasm was relatively low. A few markers showed r2 ≥ 0.8, while 2961 pairs of markers showed complete LD (r2 = 1), and a huge LD block was observed on LG4. High genetic diversity and low kinship value between pairs of genotypes suggest the presence of a high genetic diversity among the studied chickpea genotypes. This study also demonstrates the efficiency of DArTseq-based SNP genotyping for large-scale genome analysis in chickpea. The genotypic markers provided in this study are useful for various association mapping studies when combined with phenotypic data of different traits, such as seed yield, abiotic, and biotic stresses, and therefore can be efficiently used in breeding programs to improve chickpea.
Effects of Incremental Urea Supplementation on Rumen Fermentation, Nutrient Digestion, Plasma Metabolites, and Growth Performance in Fattening Lambs

Simple Summary Soybean meal is a major protein ingredient in ruminant diets. However, the swine and poultry industries are also competitors for soybean meal as their primary protein ingredient. Thus, soybean meal is expensive, and actually the most expensive gradient of ruminant diets. In this context, urea is used as a low-cost nitrogen source to replace up to 75% of the soybean meal typically fed to fattening lambs. Urea at 10 g could substitute 130 g soybean meal per kg feed dry matter without adverse effects on digestion, metabolism, or growth in fattening lambs when fed a high concentrate diet. Abstract This study investigated the effects of partially substituting soybean meal (SBM) with incremental amount of urea on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestion, plasma metabolites, and growth performance in fattening lambs. Seventy fattening male lambs were sorted into two blocks according to body weight (BW) and assigned to one of five dietary treatments in a randomized block design: SBM at 170 g/kg dry matter (DM) or reduced SBM (40 g/kg DM) plus 0, 10, 20, or 30 g urea/kg DM. Compared with the lambs receiving the SBM diet, the lambs fed the reduced SBM diet plus urea had higher (p < 0.01) concentrations of ruminal ammonia, and the ruminal concentration of ammonia also increased linearly (p < 0.01) with the increasing urea supplementation. Linear and quadratic effects (p < 0.01) on the crude protein (CP) intake and digestibility were observed with the increasing urea addition to the diet. The concentrations of plasma ammonia and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) increased (linear, p < 0.01; quadratic, p < 0.01) with the increasing urea supplementation. The final BW, DM intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), and gain efficiency were similar (p ≥ 0.42) between the SBM group and the urea-supplemented groups. However, the DMI and ADG increased quadratically (p ≤ 0.03) with the increasing urea addition to the diet, with the 10 g urea/kg DM diet resulting in the highest DMI and ADG. The results of this study demonstrated that 10 g urea could substitute 130 g soybean meal per kg feed DM without any adverse effect on growth performance or health in fattening lambs when fed a high concentrate diet.
High‐Dose TGF‐β1 Impairs Mesenchymal Stem Cell–Mediated Bone Regeneration via Bmp2 Inhibition

Transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) is a key factor in bone reconstruction. However, its pathophysiological role in non‐union and bone repair remains unclear. Here we demonstrated that TGF‐β1 was highly expressed in both C57BL/6 mice where new bone formation was impaired after autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMMSC) implantation in non‐union patients. High doses of TGF‐β1 inhibited BMMSC osteogenesis and attenuated bone regeneration in vivo. Furthermore, different TGF‐β1 levels exhibited opposite effects on osteogenic differentiation and bone healing. Mechanistically, low TGF‐β1 doses activated smad3, promoted their binding to bone morphogenetic protein 2 (Bmp2) promoter, and upregulated Bmp2 expression in BMMSCs. By contrast, Bmp2 transcription was inhibited by changing smad3 binding sites on its promoter at high TGF‐β1 levels. In addition, high TGF‐β1 doses increased tomoregulin‐1 (Tmeff1) levels, resulting in the repression of Bmp2 and bone formation in mice. Treatment with the TGF‐β1 inhibitor SB431542 significantly rescued BMMSC osteogenesis and accelerated bone regeneration. Our study suggests that high‐dose TGF‐β1 dampens BMMSC‐mediated bone regeneration by activating canonical TGF‐β/smad3 signaling and inhibiting Bmp2 via direct and indirect mechanisms. These data collectively show a previously unrecognized mechanism of TGF‐β1 in bone repair, and TGF‐β1 is an effective therapeutic target for treating bone regeneration disability. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Draft Genome Assembly of the Entomopathogenic Bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. sonorensis Caborca

Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. sonorensis strain Caborca is an entomopathogenic bacterium with a dual lifestyle, namely, as a mutualist of the Heterorhabditis sonorensis nematode and a pathogen to a wide range of insect species. The genome assembly, in 231 contigs, is 5.2 Mbp long and includes 25 putative gene clusters for secondary metabolism. ABSTRACT Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. sonorensis strain Caborca is an entomopathogenic bacterium with a dual lifestyle, namely, as a mutualist of the Heterorhabditis sonorensis nematode and a pathogen to a wide range of insect species. The genome assembly, in 231 contigs, is 5.2 Mbp long and includes 25 putative gene clusters for secondary metabolism.
Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease: A Nationwide Observational Cohort Study

Alcohol consumption is a significant public health issue worldwide. The rat model and epidemiological studies have both reported conflicting results about the effects of alcohol on the kidneys. We aimed to explore the relationships between alcohol consumption and chronic kidney disease. Data from the National Health Interview Survey, the National Health Insurance research database, and the National Deaths Dataset were used. Standardized in-person interviews were executed in 2001, 2005, and 2009 to obtain the demographic characteristics of study population. The participants were followed up until 2013. The primary outcome was new-onset chronic kidney disease. We analyzed 45,200 adults older than 18 years (50.8% men and 49.2% women), and the overall mean (SD) age was 42.73 (16.64) years. During the 8.5 (3.5) years of follow-up, new-onset chronic kidney disease was recognized in 1535 (5.5%), 292 (2.7%), and 317 (4.9%) non-drinking, social-drinking, and regular-drinking participants, respectively. The participants who were social and regular drinkers had a significantly decreased risk of chronic kidney disease incidence (social drinking: adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 0.85; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.74–0.97; p = 0.018; regular-drinking: AHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74–0.98; p = 0.024), with baseline demographics and comorbidities adjusted. In conclusion, social and regular drinkers had decreased risk of chronic kidney disease when compared with non-drinkers.
Measurement of sexual disinhibition in dementia: A systematic review

Sexual disinhibition in dementia is correlated with multiple negative care recipient and caregiver outcomes but remains largely overlooked in the literature. Its prevalence is not well understood, with studies reporting between 1.8% and 25% presence of sexual disinhibition in dementia samples. One reason for the variability in the reported presence of sexual disinhibition may be lack of standardized methods for assessment. Several widely used measures for neuropsychiatric symptoms do not include items to assess sexual disinhibition. When measures do include sexual disinhibition, it is not addressed in a consistent manner. Inconsistency in how questions about sexual disinhibition are phrased is problematic, given that recent work shows it can differentially influence endorsement. Working toward a gold standard of sexual disinhibition measurement in dementia is needed. To this end, a systematic review of the literature to identify potentially appropriate instruments for measurement of sexual disinhibition in this population was conducted through the Web of Science and PubMed databases between January 2019 and February 2019. An overview of the 20 measures identified in this search is provided. Each measure is evaluated for appropriateness of use in dementia samples through broad examination of psychometric properties, structure, and format and the extent to which measure content overlaps with current conceptualizations of sexual disinhibition in dementia. Five common content domains were identified: hypersexuality, lewd/aberrant sexual behavior, inappropriate sexual advances, inappropriate sexual comments, and socially disruptive sexual behavior. No single measure addressed all content domains. Directions for future research are identified and discussed.