Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protein–Polysaccharide Composite Materials: Fabrication and Applications

Protein–polysaccharide composites have been known to show a wide range of applications in biomedical and green chemical fields. These composites have been fabricated into a variety of forms, such as films, fibers, particles, and gels, dependent upon their specific applications. Post treatments of these composites, such as enhancing chemical and physical changes, have been shown to favorably alter their structure and properties, allowing for specificity of medical treatments. Protein–polysaccharide composite materials introduce many opportunities to improve biological functions and contemporary technological functions. Current applications involving the replication of artificial tissues in tissue regeneration, wound therapy, effective drug delivery systems, and food colloids have benefited from protein–polysaccharide composite materials. Although there is limited research on the development of protein–polysaccharide composites, studies have proven their effectiveness and advantages amongst multiple fields. This review aims to provide insight on the elements of protein–polysaccharide complexes, how they are formed, and how they can be applied in modern material science and engineering.
A Biopsychosocial Approach to HIV Fatigue: A Cross-Sectional and Prospective Analysis to Identify Key Modifiable Factors

Abstract This study aimed to identify the prevalence and predictors of current fatigue and fatigue at 1-year follow-up, in people with HIV. Participants were recruited from HIV outpatient clinics in London, England. We explored a range of bio-psychosocial factors associated with current fatigue severity, identifying the most salient factors in a multifactorial model. A prospective study explored the predictive value of specific psychological and behavioral factors in predicting fatigue severity at one year. Sixty-four of 131 (49%) participants met the criteria for clinically significant fatigue at baseline. Psychological and behavioral variables, but not immune-virologic markers or antiretroviral treatment, were associated with current fatigue severity. In the multifactorial model, catastrophizing and distress independently predicted current fatigue severity. Higher levels of fatigue at 1 year was predicted by baseline catastrophizing, symptom focusing, distress and sleep quality, when controlling for baseline fatigue, clinical and demographic variables. These findings suggest psychological and behavioral factors are important in the maintenance of fatigue in people with HIV and identify potential opportunities for treatment. Future interventions for fatigue in HIV should not only address anxiety, depression and distress but could be optimized by targeting psychological processes such as catastrophic thinking styles and symptom focusing.
Reciprocal Regulation Between Forkhead Box M1/NF‐κB and Methionine Adenosyltransferase 1A Drives Liver Cancer

Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐ĸB) are oncogenic drivers in liver cancer that positively regulate each other. We showed that methionine adenosyltransferase 1A (MAT1A) is a tumor suppressor in the liver and inhibits NF‐ĸB activity. Here, we examined the interplay between FOXM1/NF‐κB and MAT1A in liver cancer.
Prevalence of Dementia among the Eldly and Its Influential Factors

Objective To investage the cognitive function of the eldly in an urban community in Beijing and explore its risk factors.Methods Totally 129 elderly individuals aged 80 years or above in Dayou Beili,an urban community in Beijing,were enrolled in this study.Initially,the subjects were evaluated by Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE)and Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA). Subjects with an MMSE score ≤24 or MoCA≤15 were further screened by Activity of Daily Living Scale(ADL) and diagnosed as vascular dementia or Parkinson disease with dementia according to DSM-Ⅳ and NINDS-AIREN.Results The average MoCA score of these 129 subjects was 22.82,and the average MMSE score was 26.45. Twelve subjects were newly diagnosed as dementia,with a morbidity of 9.3%. Another 12 subjects had a past history of dementia.Aging and drinking were the independent risk factors for senile dementia,while high educational degree was a protective factor.The morbidity of dementia in the patients suffered from atrial fibrillation,alcohol addiction,Parkinson′s disease,smoking,stroke,coronary heart disease,diabetes mellitus,hypertension,and dyslipidemia was 36.84%(7/19),30.77%(8/26),28.57%(2/7),22.22%(12/54),20.00%(15/75),19.57%(9/46),16.22. 00%(6/37),15.09%(16/106),14.04%(8/57),respectively.Conclusion The cognitive function of the eldly in Dayou Beili community is in relatively good shape.Meanwhile,it is important to prevent senile dementia through smoking cessation,stopping harmful alcohol use and adopting early treatment for patients with cardiac cerebral vascular diseases and Parkinson′s disease.
Motivational Climate Is Associated with Use of Video Games and Violence in Schoolchildren: A Structural Equation Model According to Healthy Behaviors

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to develop an explanatory model of motivational climate, problematic use of videogames, violent behaviour and victimisation in schoolchildren. The sample included 734 children aged between 10 and 12 years of age from the province of Granada (Spain). A multi-group structural equation model was used, with an excellent fit (CFI = 0.964; NFI = 0.954; IFI = 0.964; RMSEA = 0.048). The results showed a positive relationship between the problematic use of video games, victimisation and violent behaviors, associating negatively with the task climate. Likewise, the task-oriented motivational climate was indirectly related to victimisation situations and violent behavior, while the ego climate did so positively with special emphasis on children who did not perform physical activity. As a main conclusion it is shown that adherence to the practice of physical activity, and particularly within a task-oriented motivational climate, can act as a protective factor against the problematic use of video games.
Exopolysaccharides from milk fermented by lactic acid bacteria enhance dietary carotenoid bioavailability in humans in a randomized crossover trial and in rats.

BACKGROUND Dietary supplementation with carotenoids can have beneficial health effects, but carotenoids are poorly absorbed. OBJECTIVES We aimed to evaluate how milk fermented by lactic acid bacteria affects dietary carotenoid bioavailability in humans and rats and to investigate mechanisms by which active components in milk fermented by Lactobacilli enhance dietary carotenoid absorption. METHODS Male rats (n = 8/group) were administered β-carotene or β-carotene + fermented milk. Rats (n = 6/group) were also pretreated with ezetimibe, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor, to investigate β-carotene transport mechanisms. In humans, 3 studies were conducted using a randomized crossover method. Subjects (n = 16/study) consumed a vegetable (carrot, tomato, or spinach) drink alone or with a fermented milk drink. Blood samples were collected at various time points after consumption. RESULTS In rats, the serum β-carotene area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) was significantly higher for the β-carotene + fermented milk than for β-carotene only. A significant correlation (r = 0.83, P < 0.001) between the exopolysaccharide (EPS) content of fermented milk and serum β-carotene AUC was observed. Ezetimibe treatment did not suppress elevations in serum β-carotene concentrations induced by fermented milk ingestion. In humans, the incremental area under the concentration-time curve (iAUC) for β-carotene in the plasma triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein (TRL) fraction was significantly (1.8-fold, range: 0.6-3.9) higher when carrot + fermented milk was consumed compared with carrot drink alone. A significantly (6.5-fold, range: 0.04-7.7) higher iAUC for lycopene in the plasma TRL fraction was observed for subjects who consumed tomato + fermented milk compared with tomato drink alone. A significant increase in plasma lutein in all fractions was observed after consumption of spinach + fermented milk, but not with spinach drink alone. CONCLUSIONS Co-ingestion of β-carotene and fermented milk significantly increased dietary β-carotene bioavailability in humans and rats. EPSs could affect the physical properties of fermented milk to enhance dietary β-carotene absorption mediated by simple diffusion mechanisms. These findings may be relevant for methods to increase dietary carotenoid bioavailability.This trial was registered at umin.ac. jp/ctr as UMIN000034838, UMIN000034839, and UMIN000034840.
Nitric oxide, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, and total antioxidant capacity in human seminal plasma of infertile men and their relationship with sperm parameters

Objective Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of male infertility. But, the adverse effects of oxidative biomarkers on sperm quality remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the levels of nitric oxide (NO), 8-hydroxydesoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) oxidative biomarkers in seminal plasma and their relationship with sperm parameters. Methods A total of 77 volunteers participated in the study, including fertile (n=40) and infertile men (n=37). NO, 8-OHdG, and TAC levels were measured using the ferric reducing ability of plasma, Griess reagent method and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, respectively. Results The mean values of sperm parameters in the infertile group were significantly lower than those in the fertile group (p<0.001). The mean 8-OHdG in the seminal plasma of infertile men was significantly higher (p=0.013) than those of controls, while the mean TAC was significantly lower (p=0.046). There was no significant difference in NO level between the two groups. The elevated seminal 8-OHdG levels were negatively correlated with semen volume, total sperm counts and morphology (p<0.001, p=0.001 and p=0.052, respectively). NO levels were negatively correlated with semen volume, total sperm counts and morphology (p=0.014, p=0.020 and p=0.060, respectively). Positive correlations between TAC and both sperm count and morphology (p=0.043 and p=0.025, respectively) were also found. Conclusion These results suggested that increased levels of NO and 8-OHdG in seminal plasma could have a negative effect on sperm function by inducing damage to the sperm DNA hence their fertility potentials. Therefore, these biomarkers can be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.
Combined Lung and Liver Transplantation for Short Telomere Syndrome

Telomeres are DNA-protein structures located at the chromosome ends and terminating with an essential single-stranded 3'-overhang.1 Their role is to maintain genomic integrity by protecting chromosomes from degradation and illegitimate recombination. Telomeres progressively shorten during cell division because of the inability of DNA polymerase to replicate the 3'-end of chromosomes. Telomerase limits telomere attrition by synthesizing de novo telomere sequences at the end of chromosomes.
Paraoxonase 3 functions as a chaperone to decrease functional expression of the epithelial sodium channel

The paraoxonase (PON) family comprises three highly conserved members: PON1, PON2, and PON3. They are orthologs of Caenorhabditis elegans MEC-6, an endoplasmic reticulum–resident chaperone that has a critical role in proper assembly and surface expression of the touch-sensing degenerin channel in nematodes. We have shown recently that MEC-6 and PON2 negatively regulate functional expression of the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC), suggesting that the chaperone function is conserved within this family. We hypothesized that other PON family members also modulate ion channel expression. Pon3 is specifically expressed in the aldosterone-sensitive distal tubules in the mouse kidney. We found here that knocking down endogenous Pon3 in mouse cortical collecting duct cells enhanced Na+ transport, which was associated with increased γENaC abundance. We further examined Pon3 regulation of ENaC in two heterologous expression systems, Fisher rat thyroid cells and Xenopus oocytes. Pon3 coimmunoprecipitated with each of the three ENaC subunits in Fisher rat thyroid cells. As a result of this interaction, the whole-cell and surface abundance of ENaC α and γ subunits was reduced by Pon3. When expressed in oocytes, Pon3 inhibited ENaC-mediated amiloride-sensitive Na+ currents, in part by reducing the surface expression of ENaC. In contrast, Pon3 did not alter the response of ENaC to chymotrypsin-mediated proteolytic activation or [2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]methanethiosulfonate–induced activation of αβS518Cγ, suggesting that Pon3 does not affect channel open probability. Together, our results suggest that PON3 regulates ENaC expression by inhibiting its biogenesis and/or trafficking.
The Hydrogel Endovascular Aneurysm Treatment Trial (HEAT): A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Second-Generation Hydrogel Coil

Abstract BACKGROUND Aneurysm recurrence after coiling has been associated with aneurysm growth, (re)hemorrhage, and a greater need for follow-up. The second-generation HydroCoil Embolic System (HES; MicroVention, Inc) consists of a platinum core with integrated hydrogel and was developed to reduce recurrence through enhancing packing density and healing within the aneurysm. OBJECTIVE To compare recurrence between the second-generation HES and bare platinum coil (BPC) in the new-generation Hydrogel Endovascular Aneurysm Treatment Trial (HEAT). METHODS HEAT is a randomized, controlled trial that enrolled subjects with ruptured or unruptured 3- to 14-mm intracranial aneurysms amenable to coiling. The primary endpoint was aneurysm recurrence using the Raymond-Roy scale. Secondary endpoints included minor and major recurrence, packing density, adverse events related to the procedure and/or device, mortality, initial complete occlusion, aneurysm retreatment, hemorrhage from target aneurysm during follow-up, aneurysm occlusion stability, and clinical outcome at final follow-up. RESULTS A total of 600 patients were randomized (HES, n = 297 and BPC, n = 303), including 28% with ruptured aneurysms. Recurrence occurred in 11 (4.4%) subjects in the HES arm and 44 (15.4%) subjects in the BPC arm (P = .002). While the initial occlusion rate was higher with BPC, the packing density and both major and minor recurrence rates were in favor of HES. Secondary endpoints including adverse events, retreatment, hemorrhage, mortality, and clinical outcome did not differ between arms. CONCLUSION Coiling of small-to-medium aneurysms with second-generation HES resulted in less recurrence when compared to BPC, without increased harm. These data further support the use of the second-generation HES for the embolization of intracranial aneurysms.
Therapeutic efficacy of shenmai injection as an adjuvant treatment in dilated cardiomyopathy

Abstract Background: Shenmai injection (SMI) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine patent prescription consisting of extractions from ophiopogonis radix and ginseng radix rubra. Clinical studies showed that SMI combined with conventional medicine treatment (CMT) can enhance the therapeutic efficacy for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, there is still a lack of comprehensive and systematic evidence, which urgently requires us to verify its therapeutic efficacy. Hence, we provide a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The systematic search on the MEDLINE/PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, VIP database, the Cochrane Library, Embase and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) in Chinese and English language with dates ranging from the earliest record to August 8, 2019. Next, the quality of each trial was assessed according to the criteria of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Then, the outcome data were recorded and pooled by RevMan 5.3 software. Results: The systematic review and meta-analysis aims to review and pool current clinical outcomes of SMI for the adjuvant treatment of DCM. Conclusion: This study will provide a high-quality evidence of SMI for the adjuvant treatment on DCM patients. PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42019146369.
Interaction of field realistic doses of clothianidin and Varroa destructor parasitism on adult honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health and neural gene expression, and antagonistic effects on differentially expressed genes

While many studies have examined the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides and the parasitic mite Varroa destructor on honey bees (Apis mellifera), more information on the combined effects of such stressors on gene expression, including neural related genes, and their impact on biological pathways is needed. This study analyzed the effects of field realistic concentrations of the neonicotinoid clothianidin on adult bees infested and not infested with V. destructor over 21 consecutive days and then determined bee survivorship, weight, deformed wing virus (DWV) levels and gene expression. V. destructor parasitism with or without clothianidin exposure was significantly associated with decreased survivorship, weight loss and higher DWV levels, while clothianidin exposure was only associated with higher levels of DWV. Expression analysis of the neural genes AmNlg-1, BlCh and AmAChE-2 showed that V. destructor caused a significant down-regulation of all of them, whereas clothianidin caused a significant down-regulation of only AmNrx-1 and BlCh. An interaction was only detected for AmNrx-1 expression. RNAseq analysis showed that clothianidin exposure resulted in 6.5 times more up-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) than V. destructor alone and 123 times more than clothianidin combined with V. destructor. Similar results were obtained with down-regulated DEGs, except for a higher number of DEGs shared between V. destructor and the combined stressors. KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) biological pathway analysis of the DEGs showed that the stressor linked to the highest number of KEGG pathways was clothianidin, followed by V. destructor, and then considerably fewer number of KEGG pathways with the combined stressors. The reduced numbers of DEGs and KEGG pathways associated with the DEGs for the combined stressors compared to the stressors alone indicates that the interaction of the stressors is not additive or synergistic, but antagonistic. The possible implications of the antagonistic effect on the number of DEGs are discussed.
Intracranial Atherosclerosis Treatment

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is a leading cause of ischemic stroke in the United States and worldwide. Risk factors for symptomatic and asymptomatic ICAD include age, Asian and black race, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking. The mechanisms of stroke in ICAD include artery-to-artery embolization, perforator disease, and impaired distal perfusion. Over the years, advances in diagnosis and treatment of ICAD (Figure) have led to a reduction in stroke rates, but the risk of stroke recurrence remains elevated reaching as high as 12% in the first year despite optimal medical treatment. Therefore, it is imperative to improve stroke prevention strategies. This review aims to cover the evolution of past, current, and potential future treatment options based on major trials and guidelines.
Epigenetic and parasitological parameters are modulated in EBi3-/- mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni

Schistosoma mansoni adaptive success is related to regulation of replication, transcription and translation inside and outside the intermediate and definitive host. We hypothesize that S. mansoni alters its epigenetic state in response to the mammalian host immune system, reprogramming gene expression and altering the number of eggs. In response, a change in the DNA methylation profile of hepatocytes could occurs, modulating the extent of hepatic granuloma. To investigate this hypothesis, we used the EBi3-/- murine (Mus musculus) model of S. mansoni infection and evaluated changes in new and maintenance DNA methylation profiles in the liver after 55 days of infection. We evaluated expression of epigenetic genes and genes linked to histone deubiquitination in male and female S. mansoni worms. Comparing TET expression with DNMT expression indicated that DNA demethylation exceeds methylation in knockout infected and uninfected mice and in wild-type infected and uninfected mice. S. mansoni infection provokes activation of demethylation in EBi3-/-I mice (knockout infected). EBi3-/-C (knockout uninfected) mice present intrinsically higher DNA methylation than WTC (control uninfected) mice. EBi3-/-I mice show decreased hepatic damage considering volume and reduced number of granulomas compared to WTI mice; the absence of IL27 and IL35 pathways decreases the Th1 response resulting in minor liver damage. S. mansoni males and females recovered from EBi3-/-I mice have reduced expression of a deubiquitinating enzyme gene, orthologs of which target histones and affect chromatin state. SmMBD and SmHDAC1 expression levels are downregulated in male and female parasites recovered from EBi3-/-, leading to epigenetic gene downregulation in S. mansoni. Changes to the immunological background thus induce epigenetic changes in hepatic tissues and alterations in S. mansoni gene expression, which attenuate liver symptoms in the acute phase of schistosomiasis.
Binding Interactions of Ergotamine and Dihydroergotamine to 5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor 1B (5-HT1b) Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Dynamic Network Analysis

Ergotamine (ERG) and dihydroergotamine (DHE), common migraine drugs, have small structural differences, but leading to clinically important distinctions in their pharmacological profiles. For example, DHE is less potent than ERG by about ten-fold at the 5-hydroxytrptamine receptor 1B (5-HT1B). Although the high resolution crystal structures of the 5-HT1B receptor with both ligands have been solved, the high similarity between these two complex structures does not sufficiently explain their activity differences and the activation mechanism of the receptor. Hence, an examination of the dynamic motion of both drugs with the receptor is required. In this study, we ran a total of 6.0 µs molecular dynamics simulations on each system. Our simulation data show the subtle variations between the two systems in terms of the ligand-receptor interactions and receptor secondary structures. More importantly, the ligand and protein root-mean-square fluctuations (RMSF) for the two systems were distinct, with ERG having a trend of lower RMSF values, indicating it to be bound tighter to 5-HT1B with less fluctuations. The Molecular Mechanism-General Born Surface Area (MM-GBSA) binding energies further illustrate this, as ERG has an overall stronger MM-GBSA binding energy. Analysis of several different micro-switches has shown that the 5-HT1B-ERG complex is in a more active conformation state than 5-HT1B-DHE, which is further supported by the dynamic network model, reference to mutagenesis data with the critical nodes and the first three low energy modes from the normal mode analysis. We also identify Trp3276.48 and Phe3316.52 as key residues involved in the active state 5-HT1B for both ligands. Using the detailed dynamic information from our analysis we made predictions for possible modifications to DHE and ERG that yielded 5 derivatives that might have more favorable binding energies and reduced structural fluctuations.