Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sleeve gastrectomy in patients with severe obesity restores circadian rhythms and their relationship with sleep pattern

ABSTRACT Advances in research have linked alterations of circadian rhythms with obesity. However, few studies have focused on the recovery of the circadian expression after a weight loss treatment. Our aim was to study the alterations of the circadian rhythmicity due to morbid obesity and the recovery of the circadian pattern after weight loss in a cohort of patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy. For this purpose, 41 patients with severe obesity (75% women; age [mean (SD)] 49.7 ± 10 years; BMI 44.3 ± 6.2 kg/m2) were monitored before bariatric surgery and 9 months afterward. On both occasions, activity and wrist temperature were determined by actigraphy and were related with weight loss. Anthropometric, biochemical, and sleep-related variables, along with dietary intake and physical activity, were analyzed in relation with circadian rhythmicity. Results show significant differences in the circadian expression before and after 9 months of bariatric surgery, with more stable and less fragmented rhythms after weight loss. Moreover, only after surgery were the circadian variables associated to sleep timing and chronotype. The findings of this study indicate that weight loss treatment in patients with morbid obesity improves the circadian rhythm expression, and in such a way that it could be associated with better sleep quality. Moreover, it allows the recovery of the relationship between sleep patterns and circadian rhythm that was lost due to the obesity.
The Relationship Between Policy, Media, and Perceptions of Sexual Offenders Between 2007 and 2017: A Review of the Literature

Sexual violence is a prominent social problem that harms many victims every year. Perpetrators of these crimes tend to exist in a binary. Some are convicted by the criminal justice system, where they face sanctions such as jail time and registration and are demonized by society. Others never face any sanctions for harm caused and are exonerated for their actions. This review examines public perceptions of sexual offenders in the United States through the institutional-level constructs of federal policy, media, and institutional myths. A review of the literature on this topic from 2007 to 2017 produced 37 relevant articles, which were placed into three categories using thematic analysis: (1) perceptions about sexual offenders and perceiver differences, (2) media about sexual offending and effects of media consumption on perceptions of offenders, and (3) support for offender policies and effects of policy on perceptions of offenders. A review of these topics reveals that there are prominent institutional myths about sexual offending. A cyclical relationship is formed, where media perpetuates institutional myths, myths drive policy, and policy leads to media reporting. This review utilizes community psychology theory to examine and interpret the literature as well as to formulate research and intervention suggestions.
Preparation of Surfactant for Oil Displacing Refined from Furfural Extract Oil

Abstract Petroleum sulfonate (PS) was prepared in an autoclave sulfonation reactor using HIV-400 furfural extract oil of Daqing Refinery as feedstock and oleum (120%) as sulfonation agent. The effects of synthesis conditions were studied, and the PS yield was 45.1% with 48.2% of active components under the following best synthesis technology conditions: acid–oil ratio of 0.45:1 and reaction temperature of 60°C. The interfacial tension between crude oil and the water phase was effectively reduced by adding the PS at low dosage, when it was compounded with sodium carbonate, the interfacial tension could be under 10−3 mN/m, meeting the requirements of an oil-displacing surfactant.
Parental Feeding Concerns for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Family-Centered Analysis

This study identifies and describes feeding concerns of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and examines the extent to which parents relate those concerns as having been addressed by therapists. Survey data were collected from 113 parents of children with ASD. Of the parents surveyed, 68% described a past or present concern with feeding; 60% of those parents with concerns said a therapist had not addressed those concerns. Feeding concerns were more likely addressed when therapists shared parent’s concerns. Specific types of concerns, such as those around food selectivity and food refusal, were more likely addressed than difficulties around mealtime. A gap is identified between parental report of feeding difficulties and parental report of professional services addressing feeding needs. This analysis presents an opportunity for occupational therapists in the area of feeding, particularly around identifying and addressing parental concerns.
Different considerations on the modified keystone flap

To the Editor, We have read the letter written by Bruno Di Pace and his colleagues in response to our article “The use of modified keystone flap in periarticular or large superficial tumor resection surgery. ” In the letter, Dr. Bruno Di Pace thought the modification of the keystone flap in our article was similar to theirs, which was published in March 2017. The keystone flap is a very effective surgical method to repair soft tissue defects, and many plastic surgeons have proposed a lot of modifications of the flap to meet different needs. Bruno Di Pace et al. added a triangle to the lateral line of traditional keystone flap whose height was equal to half the maximum width of the defect, namely “keystone plus flap. ” In the paper, the modified and traditional keystone flap were performed to repair defects in different body areas. Finally, the number of delayed healing cases were significantly fewer using the keystone plus flap compared to the original keystone flap, especially in areas of high tension, such as the trunk. The additional triangle created a V‐Y advancement flap, which made the best of skin elasticity and reduced the tension in the central portion of the flap. We also reported a modification to add a V shape along the lateral arc of the keystone flap, with the height as same as the width of the elliptic defect. At first, we made the design to repair the periarticular defects. It could not only reduce the tension of the donor skin but also change the straight line of the incision that crossed the joint to a curved line, which effectively prevented scar traction at the joint and protected the motion function. In the subsequent practice, we further found that its unique shape design can be applied to repair multiple body parts defects, for example, the face and the trunk. On the premise of the flap with sufficient blood supply, the bigger V shape (compared with the design of Dr. Bruno Di Pace et al.) could make full use of the surrounding tissues to have greater flexibility and cover larger wounds. Also, further research on the modified keystone flap was needed. We are honored to propose a similar improvement to Bruno Di Pace's study. The two studies both have proposed to add a V‐shape design on the keystone flap, with a slight difference in size. Their work also confirms that this modification is reasonable and can be widely used in clinical treatment. Many thanks to Bruno Di Pace and his colleagues for their valuable comments on our work. Unfortunately, we were not able to cite their research in the article because of the early completion. We hope we will keep communication on the research in the future.
Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membranous Oxygenation Should Be Considered as an Appropriate Rescue Therapy for Sepsis-Induced Refractory Cardiogenic Shock.

We read with great interest the recent review by Sato et al (1) published in Critical Care Medicine. Six retrospective studies were included, for a total of 245 adult patients treated by venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) for septic shock. Inhospital mortality was 76.5% with wide variations among studies (14.8–91.5%), as highlighted in the article. Unfortunately, we found the term “sepsis-induced cardiogenic shock” in the title, to be misleading. Indeed, most studies did not specify hemodynamic parameters as cardiac output or left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). In the review by Sato et al (1), only two studies included patients with sepsis-induced cardiogenic shock with a mortality below 30%. The four other studies included mostly patients treated by VA-ECMO as a recue therapy for refractory septic shock, regardless echocardiographic findings and cardiac output monitoring. Most patients of these studies probably had severe vasoplegia, explaining a higher mortality. Authors should insist on the difference in outcomes between the patients treated by VA-ECMO for sepsis-induced cardiogenic shock and for refractory septic shock with severe vasoplegia and capillary leakage, as mortality and pathophysiology are way different. Therapeutic strategies targeting supranormal systemic oxygen delivery in critically ill patients, especially in septic shock, failed to improve overall outcomes (2, 3). Thereby, VA-ECMO use for septic patients not presenting cardiogenic shock is expected to be irrelevant or even harmful. In our tertiary center, we reviewed all consecutive adult patients treated with VA-ECMO for sepsis-induced cardiogenic shock from 2007 to 2019. Thirteen patients were included. Mean cardiac output before VA-ECMO implantation was 2 L/min/m2 (1.5–2.5), median value of LVEF was 16% (12–40), and median inotropic score was 220 μg/kg/min [59–1,800]. Weaning rate was 61% (8/13) and inhospital mortality was 61% (8/13), consistent with mortality of septic shock with vasopressors and inotropes. These results were presented at the annual meeting of the French Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (4). Bréchot et al (5) just published a retrospective, multicenter cohort study where 82 patients with sepsis-induced cardiogenic shock treated with VA-ECMO were compared with 130 controls (not receiving ECMO) obtained from three large databases of septic shock with a propensity score-weighted analysis. In VA-ECMO group, cardiac index before implantation was 1.7 L/min/m2 (±0.56), Pierre-Louis Jacquemet, MD1
Are Early or Late Maturers Likely to Be Fitter in the General Population?

The present study aims to identify the optimal body-size/shape and maturity characteristics associated with superior fitness test performances having controlled for body-size, sex, and chronological-age differences. The sample consisted of 597 Tunisian children (396 boys and 201 girls) aged 8 to 15 years. Three sprint speeds recorded at 10, 20 and 30 m; two vertical and two horizontal jump tests; a change-of-direction and a handgrip-strength tests, were assessed during physical-education classes. Allometric modelling was used to identify the benefit of being an early or late maturer. Findings showed that being tall and light is the ideal shape to be successful at most physical fitness tests, but the height-to-weight “shape” ratio seems to be test-dependent. Having controlled for body-size/shape, sex, and chronological age, the model identified maturity-offset as an additional predictor. Boys who go earlier/younger through peak-height-velocity (PHV) outperform those who go at a later/older age. However, most of the girls’ physical-fitness tests peaked at the age at PHV and decline thereafter. Girls whose age at PHV was near the middle of the age range would appear to have an advantage compared to early or late maturers. These findings have important implications for talent scouts and coaches wishing to recruit children into their sports/athletic clubs.
Sol-Hydrothermal Synthesis and Hydrothermally Structural Evolution of Nanocrystal Titanium Dioxide

A sol-hydrothermal method has been proposed to prepare uniform and unaggregated nanocrystals of pure anatase and rutile from various acidic mediums. The phase formation, particle sizes, and morphologies varying with different acids and their concentrations at different reaction temperatures and times have been investigated using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The use of HCl and the effect of its concentrations on the formation of rutile phase at different temperatures for various reaction times have been described in detail. The effect of the addition of NaCl salt on particle sizes and rutile fractions has also been studied. In this work, the phase transformation from anatase to rutile in the presence of and the absence of NaCl salt has been considered both in neutral and in acidic mediums. The presence of a trace rutile in starting materials of anatase can show obvious effects on the phase transformation under hydrothermal conditions.
HRSA’s evidence-based tele-emergency network grant program: Multi-site prospective cohort analysis across six rural emergency department telemedicine networks

Background The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) funded the Evidence-Based Tele-Emergency Network Grant Program (EB TNGP) to serve the dual purpose of providing telehealth services in rural emergency departments (teleED) and systematically collecting data to inform the telehealth evidence base. This provided a unique opportunity to examine trends across multiple teleED networks and examine heterogeneity in processes and outcomes. Method and findings Six health systems received funding from HRSA under the EB TNGP to implement teleED services and they did so to 65 hospitals (91% rural) in 11 states. Three of the grantees provided teleED services to a general patient population while the remaining three grantees provided teleED services to specialized patient populations (i.e., stroke, behavioral health, critically ill children). Over a 26-month period (November 1, 2015 –December 31, 2017), each grantee submitted patient-level data for all their teleED encounters on a uniform set of measures to the data coordinating center. The six grantees reported a total of 4,324 teleED visits and 99.86% were technically successful. The teleED patients were predominantly adult, White, not Latinx, and covered by Medicare or private insurance. Across grantees, 7% of teleED patients needed resuscitation services, 58% were rated as emergent, and 30% were rated as urgent. Across grantees, 44.2% of teleED patients were transferred to another inpatient facility, 26.0% had a routine discharge, and 24.5% were admitted to the local inpatient facility. For the three grantees who served a general patient population, the most frequent presenting complaints for which teleED was activated were chest pain (25.7%), injury or trauma (17.1%), stroke symptoms (9.9%), mental/behavioral health (9.8%), and cardiac arrest (9.5%). The teleED consultation began before the local clinician exam in 37.8% of patients for the grantees who served a general patient population, but in only 1.9% of patients for the grantees who provided specialized services. Conclusions Grantees used teleED services for a representative rural population with urgent or emergent symptoms largely resulting in transfer to a distant hospital or inpatient admission locally. TeleED was often available as the first point of contact before a local provider examination. This finding points to the important role of teleED in improving access for rural ED patients.
ARL3 activation requires the co-GEF BART and effector-mediated turnover.

The ADP-ribosylation factor-like 3 (ARL3) is a ciliopathy G-protein which regulates the ciliary trafficking of several lipid-modified proteins. ARL3 is activated by its guanine exchange factor (GEF) ARL13B via an unresolved mechanism. BART is described as an ARL3 effector which has also been implicated in ciliopathies, although the role of its ARL3 interaction is unknown. Here we show that, at physiological GTP:GDP levels, human ARL3GDP is weakly activated by ARL13B. However, BART interacts with nucleotide-free ARL3 and, in concert with ARL13B, efficiently activates ARL3. In addition, BART binds ARL3GTP and inhibits GTP dissociation, thereby stabilising the active G-protein; the binding of ARL3 effectors then releases BART. Finally, using live cell imaging, we show that BART accesses the primary cilium and colocalises with ARL13B. We propose a model wherein BART functions as a bona fide co-GEF for ARL3 and maintains the active ARL3GTP, until it is recycled by ARL3 effectors.
Pervaporation separation of water/dimethylformamide mixtures using poly(vinyl alcohol)‐g‐polyacrylamide copolymeric membranes

Grafted copolymeric membranes of poly(vinyl alcohol) with acrylamide (PVA-g-AAm) were developed and used in the pervaporation separation of water–dimethylformamide mixtures by varying the amount of water in the feed from 0 to 100%. From these data, the permeation flux, pervaporation separation index, diffusion coefficient, swelling index, and separation selectivity were calculated at 25, 35, and 45°C. The Arrhenius activation parameters for permeation flux ranged between 22 and 63 kJ/mol, while the activation energy for diffusion ranged between 23 and 67 kJ/mol. Separation selectivity was between 15 and 22. The highest permeation flux of 0.459 kg m−2 h−1 was obtained for the 93% grafted membrane at 90% of water in the feed mixture. The results are discussed using the principles of the solution–diffusion model. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 273–282, 2002
PPARγ/NF‐κB and TGF‐β1/Smad pathway are involved in the anti‐fibrotic effects of levo‐tetrahydropalmatine on liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a necessary stage in the development of chronic liver diseases to liver cirrhosis. This study aims to investigate the anti‐fibrotic effects of levo‐tetrahydropalmatine (L‐THP) on hepatic fibrosis in mice and cell models and its underlying mechanisms. Two mouse hepatic fibrosis models were generated in male C57 mice by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 2 months and bile duct ligation (BDL) for 14 days. Levo‐tetrahydropalmatine was administered orally at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg. An activated LX2 cell model induced by TGF‐β1 was also generated. The results showed that levo‐tetrahydropalmatine alleviated liver fibrosis by inhibiting the formation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and regulating the balance between TIMP1 and MMP2 in the two mice liver fibrosis models and cell model. Levo‐tetrahydropalmatine inhibited activation and autophagy of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by modulating PPARγ/NF‐κB and TGF‐β1/Smad pathway in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, levo‐tetrahydropalmatine attenuated liver fibrosis by inhibiting ECM deposition and HSCs autophagy via modulation of PPARγ/NF‐κB and TGF‐β1/Smad pathway.
Protective Role of Transduced Tat-Thioredoxin1 (Trx1) against Oxidative Stress-Induced Neuronal Cell Death via ASK1-MAPK Signal Pathway

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the development of neuronal disorders including brain ischemic injury. Thioredoxin 1 (Trx1), a 12 kDa oxidoreductase, has anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic functions in various cells. It has been highly implicated in brain ischemic injury. However, the protective mechanism of Trx1 against hippocampal neuronal cell death is not identified yet. Using a cell permeable Tat-Trx1 protein, protective mechanism of Trx1 against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death was examined using HT-22 cells and an ischemic animal model. Transduced Tat-Trx1 markedly inhibited intracellular ROS levels, DNA fragmentation, and cell death in H2O2-treatment HT-22 cells. Tat-Trx1 also significantly inhibited phosphorylation of ASK1 and MAPKs in signaling pathways of HT-22 cells. In addition, Tat-Trx1 regulated expression levels of Akt, NF-κB, and apoptosis related proteins. In an ischemia animal model, Tat-Trx1 markedly protected hippocampal neuronal cell death and reduced astrocytes and microglia activation. These findings indicate that transduced Tat-Trx1 might be a potential therapeutic agent for treating ischemic injury.
Peptide-Conjugated Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligomers Retain Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa In Vitro and In Vivo

Numerous Gram-negative bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to multiple, if not all, classes of existing antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are a major cause of health care-associated infections in a variety of clinical settings, endangering patients who are immunocompromised or those who suffer from chronic infections, such as people with cystic fibrosis (CF). ABSTRACT Most antimicrobials currently in the clinical pipeline are modifications of existing classes of antibiotics and are considered short-term solutions due to the emergence of resistance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents a major challenge for new antimicrobial drug discovery due to its versatile lifestyle, ability to develop resistance to most antibiotic classes, and capacity to form robust biofilms on surfaces and in certain hosts such as those living with cystic fibrosis (CF). A precision antibiotic approach to treating Pseudomonas could be achieved with an antisense method, specifically by using peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PPMOs). Here, we demonstrate that PPMOs targeting acpP (acyl carrier protein), lpxC (UDP-(3-O-acyl)-N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase), and rpsJ (30S ribosomal protein S10) inhibited the in vitro growth of several multidrug-resistant clinical P. aeruginosa isolates at levels equivalent to those that were effective against sensitive strains. Lead PPMOs reduced established pseudomonal biofilms alone or in combination with tobramycin or piperacillin-tazobactam. Lead PPMO dosing alone or combined with tobramycin in an acute pneumonia model reduced lung bacterial burden in treated mice at 24 h and reduced morbidity up to 5 days postinfection. PPMOs reduced bacterial burden of extensively drug-resistant P. aeruginosa in the same model and resulted in superior survival compared to conventional antibiotics. These data suggest that lead PPMOs alone or in combination with clinically relevant antibiotics represent a promising therapeutic approach for combating P. aeruginosa infections. IMPORTANCE Numerous Gram-negative bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to multiple, if not all, classes of existing antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are a major cause of health care-associated infections in a variety of clinical settings, endangering patients who are immunocompromised or those who suffer from chronic infections, such as people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Herein, we utilize antisense molecules that target mRNA of genes essential to bacterial growth, preventing the formation of the target proteins, including acpP, rpsJ, and lpxC. We demonstrate here that antisense molecules targeted to essential genes, alone or in combination with clinically relevant antibiotics, were effective in reducing biofilms and protected mice in a lethal model of acute pneumonia.
Utilizing Academic–Community Partnerships With Nursing Students to Improve Hand Hygiene in Elementary Students to Reduce Transmission of COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has raised awareness about the vital role school nurses have in improving the overall health of children. School nurses provide health promotion within schools, yet over 60% of schools have only a part-time nurse or no nurse. Nursing students may be valuable partners for health promotion and academic–community partnerships may be mutually beneficial to schools of nursing and local schools. Using a nursing student team to teach hand hygiene while school health staff were present provided an opportunity for hands-on training to help the staff master curriculum content and ensure competency. This article describes a collaborative partnership initiative that expanded access to health promotion education in schools to increase knowledge about reducing the spread of infectious disease, such as COVID-19, while providing valuable clinical experiences for nursing students.