Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A novel adhesive biosensor system for detecting respiration, cardiac, and limb movement signals during sleep: validation with polysomnography

Background Although in-lab polysomnography (PSG) remains the gold standard for objective sleep monitoring, the use of at-home sensor systems has gained popularity in recent years. Two categories of monitoring, autonomic and limb movement physiology, are increasingly recognized as critical for sleep disorder phenotyping, yet at-home options remain limited outside of research protocols. The purpose of this study was to validate the BiostampRC® sensor system for respiration, electrocardiography (ECG), and leg electromyography (EMG) against gold standard PSG recordings. Methods We report analysis of cardiac and respiratory data from 15 patients and anterior tibialis (AT) data from 19 patients undergoing clinical PSG for any indication who simultaneously wore BiostampRC® sensors on the chest and the bilateral AT muscles. BiostampRC® is a flexible, adhesive, wireless sensor capable of capturing accelerometry, ECG, and EMG. We compared BiostampRC® data and feature extractions with those obtained from PSG. Results The heart rate extracted from BiostampRC® ECG showed strong agreement with the PSG (cohort root mean square error of 5 beats per minute). We found the thoracic BiostampRC® respiratory waveform, derived from its accelerometer, accurately calculated the respiratory rate (mean average error of 0.26 and root mean square error of 1.84 breaths per minute). The AT EMG signal supported periodic limb movement detection, with area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve equaling 0.88. Upon completion, 88% of subjects indicated willingness to wear BiostampRC® at home on an exit survey. Conclusion The results demonstrate that BiostampRC® is a tolerable and accurate method for capturing respiration, ECG, and AT EMG time series signals during overnight sleep when compared with simultaneous PSG recordings. The signal quality sufficiently supports analytics of clinical relevance. Larger longitudinal in-home studies are required to support the role of BiostampRC® in clinical management of sleep disorders involving the autonomic nervous system and limb movements.
Mechanical, nanomorphological and biological reconstruction of early-stage apoptosis in HeLa cells induced by cytochalasin B

There is a growing interest in the fact that mechanical signals may be as important as biological signals in evaluating cell viability. To investigate the alterations in biomechanics, nanomorphology and biological apoptotic signals during early apoptosis, an apoptosis model was established for cervical cancer HeLa cells induced by cytochalasin B (CB). The cellular mechanical properties, geometry, morphology and expression of key apoptotic proteins were systematically analyzed. The findings indicated a marked decline in cellular elastic modulus and volume and a considerable increase in surface roughness occurring prior to the activation of biological apoptosis signals (such as phosphatidylserine exposure or activation of CD95/Fas). Moreover, the depolymerization of filamentous actin aggravated the intracellular crowding degree, which induced the redistribution of different-sized protein molecules and protrusions across the cell membrane arising from excluded volume interactions. Statistical analysis revealed that the disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton was negatively correlated with the cellular elastic modulus and volume, but was positively correlated with surface roughness and CD95/Fas activation. The results of the present study suggest that compared with biological signals, mechanical and geometrical reconstruction is more sensitive during apoptosis and the increase in cell surface roughness arises from the redistribution of biophysical molecules. These results contribute to our in-depth understanding of the apoptosis mechanisms of cancer cells mediated by cytochalasin B.
It’s Not All About Redislocation: A Systematic Review of Complications After Anterior Shoulder Stabilization Surgery

Background: The surgical treatment of recurrent shoulder instability has evolved in recent years to include a variety of soft tissue and bone block procedures, undertaken with either an open or arthroscopic approach. Although the utilization of such techniques has rapidly expanded, the associated risk of complications remains poorly defined. This information is vital for clinical decision making and patient counseling. Purpose: To quantify the complication rate associated with all types of surgery for anterior glenohumeral joint dislocation. Study Design: Systematic review. Methods: A systematic search was undertaken of studies reporting complications from anterior shoulder stabilization surgery. Inclusion criteria were studies published in English between 2000 and 2017 with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed with the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies criteria. Complication rates for all undesirable events contributing to the patient outcome were extracted and cumulative rates calculated. Results: Out of 1942 references, 56 studies were included, totaling 4362 procedures among 4336 patients. Arthroscopic soft tissue repair had a complication rate of 1.6% (n = 2805). When repair was combined with arthroscopic remplissage, the rate was 0.5% (n = 219). Open soft tissue repair had a complication rate of 6.2% (n = 219) and open labral repair with remplissage, a rate of 2.3% (n = 79). An open bone block procedure had a complication rate of 7.2% (n = 573) and an arthroscopic bone block procedure, a rate of 13.6% (n = 163). Conclusion: This large systematic review demonstrates the overall complication rates (not purely recurrence rates) in modern shoulder stabilization surgery. With the growing interest in bone block stabilization procedures, including those performed arthroscopically, surgeons should be aware of the 10-fold increase in complications for these procedures over soft tissue arthroscopic surgery and counsel their patients accordingly.
Factors influencing expatriates' ability to cross-culturally adjust

Globalisation has led to an increasing growth of world trade which has directed business all over the world to become increasingly international and increased the number and power of multinational companies. These expatriates are confronted with societal norms different from their home cultures. This study investigated which factors influence cross-cultural adjustment the most and which factors are perceived by the expatriates to influence cross-cultural adjustment. Based on the literature review four different categories of factors influencing cross-cultural adjustment were identified (Individual, organisational, work-related and non-work related factors) A self-administered online questionnaire, based on existing questionnaires (Black’s (1988) cross-cultural adjustment questionnaire) and literature research, was developed in order to detect a relationship between factors and one of the three adjustment types (general, interaction and work) and to reveal the perceived importance of the factors. In this study all identified factors were perceived to be important for cross-cultural adjustment. However, language skills and spousal adjustment were perceived to be the most important factors and had indeed the strongest correlation towards cross-cultural adjustment. Based on the findings of this research project, recommendations for organisations and expatriates have been provided.
Bioinformatic Analysis Reveals Novel Immune-Associated Hub Genes in Human Membranous Nephropathy.

BACKGROUND Membranous nephropathy (MN) is one of the most common pathologies of the nephrotic syndrome. MN is closely associated with the autoimmune response but its molecular mechanism remains unclear. Bioinformatic network analysis can be used to identify disease-related hub genes. METHODS The microarray data set GSE47183 of patients with MN containing 21 MN samples and 13 control samples that were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the limma package. Thereafter, gene ontology (GO) enrichment was performed for DEGs using the clusterProfiler package. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established through the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database and visualized using Cytoscape. Finally, the hub genes were identified through the maximal clique centrality method. RESULT A total of 642 DEGs were recognized, consisting of 458 upregulated genes and 184 downregulated genes. GO enrichment analysis indicates that DEGs for MN are mainly related to antigen processing and presentation. For the PPI network, we identified approximately nine hub genes. Considering data from the literature, we ultimately identified PSMB8 as a novel hub gene, which could play a significant role in the occurrence and development of MN. CONCLUSION This study is the first to identify novel hub genes with transcriptome microarray data in MN using bioinformatics. The newly discovered hypothetical hub genes should be functionally tested to determine if they truly play an etiologic role in MN.
Engineering a light-responsive, quorum quenching biofilm to mitigate biofouling on water purification membranes

We engineered a light-responsive, quorum quenching biofilm and demonstrated its application in mitigating membrane biofouling. Quorum quenching (QQ) has been reported to be a promising approach for membrane biofouling control. Entrapment of QQ bacteria in porous matrices is required to retain them in continuously operated membrane processes and to prevent uncontrollable biofilm formation by the QQ bacteria on membrane surfaces. It would be more desirable if the formation and dispersal of biofilms by QQ bacteria could be controlled so that the QQ bacterial cells are self-immobilized, but the QQ biofilm itself still does not compromise membrane performance. In this study, we engineered a QQ bacterial biofilm whose growth and dispersal can be modulated by light through a dichromatic, optogenetic c-di-GMP gene circuit in which the bacterial cells sense near-infrared (NIR) light and blue light to adjust its biofilm formation by regulating the c-di-GMP level. We also demonstrated the potential application of the engineered light-responsive QQ biofilm in mitigating biofouling of water purification forward osmosis membranes. The c-di-GMP–targeted optogenetic approach for controllable biofilm development we have demonstrated here should prove widely applicable for designing other controllable biofilm-enabled applications such as biofilm-based biocatalysis.
Label‐Free Metabolic Classification of Single Cells in Droplets Using the Phasor Approach to Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy

Characterization of single cell metabolism is imperative for understanding subcellular functional and biochemical changes associated with healthy tissue development and the progression of numerous diseases. However, single‐cell analysis often requires the use of fluorescent tags and cell lysis followed by genomic profiling to identify the cellular heterogeneity. Identifying individual cells in a noninvasive and label‐free manner is crucial for the detection of energy metabolism which will discriminate cell types and most importantly critical for maintaining cell viability for further analysis. Here, we have developed a robust assay using the droplet microfluidic technology together with the phasor approach to fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy to study cell heterogeneity within and among the leukemia cell lines (K‐562 and Jurkat). We have extended these techniques to characterize metabolic differences between proliferating and quiescent cells—a critical step toward label‐free single cancer cell dormancy research. The result suggests a droplet‐based noninvasive and label‐free method to distinguish individual cells based on their metabolic states, which could be used as an upstream phenotypic platform to correlate with genomic statistics. © 2018 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
The diversity of population responses to environmental change

Abstract The current extinction and climate change crises pressure us to predict population dynamics with ever‐greater accuracy. Although predictions rest on the well‐advanced theory of age‐structured populations, two key issues remain poorly explored. Specifically, how the age‐dependency in demographic rates and the year‐to‐year interactions between survival and fecundity affect stochastic population growth rates. We use inference, simulations and mathematical derivations to explore how environmental perturbations determine population growth rates for populations with different age‐specific demographic rates and when ages are reduced to stages. We find that stage‐ vs. age‐based models can produce markedly divergent stochastic population growth rates. The differences are most pronounced when there are survival‐fecundity‐trade‐offs, which reduce the variance in the population growth rate. Finally, the expected value and variance of the stochastic growth rates of populations with different age‐specific demographic rates can diverge to the extent that, while some populations may thrive, others will inevitably go extinct.
L-Carnitine in omnivorous diets induces an atherogenic gut microbial pathway in humans

BACKGROUND.L-Carnitine, an abundant nutrient in red meat, accelerates atherosclerosis in mice via gut microbiota–dependent formation of trimethylamine (TMA) and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) via a multistep pathway involving an atherogenic intermediate, &ggr;-butyrobetaine (&ggr;BB). The contribution of &ggr;BB in gut microbiota–dependent L-carnitine metabolism in humans is unknown. METHODS. Omnivores and vegans/vegetarians ingested deuterium-labeled L-carnitine (d3-L-carnitine) or &ggr;BB (d9-&ggr;BB), and both plasma metabolites and fecal polymicrobial transformations were examined at baseline, following oral antibiotics, or following chronic (≥2 months) L-carnitine supplementation. Human fecal commensals capable of performing each step of the L-carnitine→&ggr;BB→TMA transformation were identified. RESULTS. Studies with oral d3-L-carnitine or d9-&ggr;BB before versus after antibiotic exposure revealed gut microbiota contribution to the initial 2 steps in a metaorganismal L-carnitine→&ggr;BB→TMA→TMAO pathway in subjects. Moreover, a striking increase in d3-TMAO generation was observed in omnivores over vegans/vegetarians (>20-fold; P = 0.001) following oral d3-L-carnitine ingestion, whereas fasting endogenous plasma L-carnitine and &ggr;BB levels were similar in vegans/vegetarians (n = 32) versus omnivores (n = 40). Fecal metabolic transformation studies, and oral isotope tracer studies before versus after chronic L-carnitine supplementation, revealed that omnivores and vegans/vegetarians alike rapidly converted carnitine to &ggr;BB, whereas the second gut microbial transformation, &ggr;BB→TMA, was diet inducible (L-carnitine, omnivorous). Extensive anaerobic subculturing of human feces identified no single commensal capable of L-carnitine→TMA transformation, multiple community members that converted L-carnitine to &ggr;BB, and only 1 Clostridiales bacterium, Emergencia timonensis, that converted &ggr;BB to TMA. In coculture, E. timonensis promoted the complete L-carnitine→TMA transformation. CONCLUSION. In humans, dietary L-carnitine is converted into the atherosclerosis- and thrombosis-promoting metabolite TMAO via 2 sequential gut microbiota–dependent transformations: (a) initial rapid generation of the atherogenic intermediate &ggr;BB, followed by (b) transformation into TMA via low-abundance microbiota in omnivores, and to a markedly lower extent, in vegans/vegetarians. Gut microbiota &ggr;BB→TMA/TMAO transformation is induced by omnivorous dietary patterns and chronic L-carnitine exposure. TRIAL REGISTRATION. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01731236. FUNDING. NIH and Office of Dietary Supplements grants HL103866, HL126827, and DK106000, and the Leducq Foundation.
Peripheral nerve regeneration and intraneural revascularization

Peripheral nerves are particularly vulnerable to injuries and are involved in numerous pathologies for which specific treatments are lacking. This review summarizes the pathophysiological features of the most common traumatic nerve injury in humans and the different animal models used in nerve regeneration studies. The current knowledge concerning Wallerian degeneration and nerve regrowth is then described. Finally, the involvement of intraneural vascularization in these processes is addressed. As intraneural vascularization has been poorly studied, histological experiments were carried out from rat sciatic nerves damaged by a glycerol injection. The results, taken together with the data from literature, suggest that revascularization plays an important role in peripheral nerve regeneration and must therefore be studied more carefully.
Gelatin coating increases in vivo bone formation capacity of three‐dimensional 45S5 bioactive glass‐based crystalline scaffolds

Recent studies have demonstrated that surface characteristics, porosity, and mechanical strength of three‐dimensional 45S5‐type bioactive glass (BG)‐based scaffolds are directly correlated with osteogenic properties. Three‐dimensional BG‐based scaffolds obtained from maritime natural sponges (MNSs) as sacrificial templates exhibit the required morphological properties; however, no in vivo data about the osteogenic features are available. In this study, uncoated (Group A) and gelatin‐coated (Group B) crystalline MNS‐obtained BG‐based scaffolds were evaluated mechanically and seeded with human mesenchymal stem cells prior to subcutaneous implantation in immunodeficient mice. Before implantation and after explantation, micro‐computed tomography scans were conducted, and scaffolds were finally subjected to histomorphometry. Scaffolds of both groups showed bone formation. However, Group B scaffolds performed distinctly better as indicated by a significant increase in scaffold volume (8.95%, p = 0.039) over the implantation period compared with a nonsignificant increase of 5.26% in Group A scaffolds in micro‐computed tomography analysis. Furthermore, percentage bone area was 10.33% (±1.18%) in the Group B scaffolds, which was significantly (p = 0.007) higher compared with the 8.53% (±0.77%) in the Group A scaffolds in histomorphometry. Compressive strength was enhanced significantly by gelatin coating (9 ± 2 vs. 4 ± 1 MPa; p = 0.029). The presence of gelatin on the remnant parts was verified by scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray spectroscopy, demonstrating the coatings' resilience. MNS‐obtained BG‐based scaffolds were thus confirmed to exhibit osteogenic properties in vivo that can significantly be enhanced by gelatin coating.
Toll‐like receptor 2 regulates metabolic reprogramming in gastric cancer via superoxide dismutase 2

Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) play critical roles in host defense after recognition of conserved microbial‐ and host‐derived components, and their dysregulation is a common feature of various inflammation‐associated cancers, including gastric cancer (GC). Despite the recent recognition that metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, the molecular effectors of altered metabolism during tumorigenesis remain unclear. Here, using bioenergetics function assays on human GC cells, we reveal that ligand‐induced activation of TLR2, predominantly through TLR1/2 heterodimer, augments both oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis, with a bias toward glycolytic activity. Notably, DNA microarray‐based expression profiling of human cancer cells stimulated with TLR2 ligands demonstrated significant enrichment of gene‐sets for oncogenic pathways previously implicated in metabolic regulation, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), p53 and Myc. Moreover, the redox gene encoding the manganese‐dependent mitochondrial enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD)2, was strongly induced at the mRNA and protein levels by multiple signaling pathways downstream of TLR2, namely JAK‐STAT3, JNK MAPK and NF‐κB. Furthermore, siRNA‐mediated suppression of SOD2 ameliorated the TLR2‐induced metabolic shift in human GC cancer cells. Importantly, patient‐derived tissue microarrays and bioinformatics interrogation of clinical datasets indicated that upregulated expression of TLR2 and SOD2 were significantly correlated in human GC, and the TLR2‐SOD2 axis was associated with multiple clinical parameters of advanced stage disease, including distant metastasis, microvascular invasion and stage, as well as poor survival. Collectively, our findings reveal a novel TLR2‐SOD2 axis as a potential biomarker for therapy and prognosis in cancer.
THE ONSET OF CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE PATIENTS.

BACKGROUND The diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease is often delayed because of the lack of an ability to recognize its major clinical manifestations. OBJECTIVE Our study aimed to describe the onset of clinical manifestations in inflammatory bowel disease patients. METHODS A cross-sectional study. Investigators obtained data from interviews and the medical records of inflammatory bowel disease patients from a reference centre located in Brazil. RESULTS A total of 306 patients were included. The mean time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 28 months for Crohn's disease and 19 months for ulcerative colitis. The main clinical manifestations in Crohn's disease patients were weight loss, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and asthenia. The most relevant symptoms in ulcerative colitis patients were blood in the stool, faecal urgency, diarrhoea, mucus in the stool, weight loss, abdominal pain and asthenia. It was observed that weight loss, abdominal pain and distension, asthenia, appetite loss, anaemia, insomnia, fever, nausea, perianal disease, extraintestinal manifestation, oral thrush, vomiting and abdominal mass were more frequent in Crohn's patients than in ulcerative colitis patients. The frequencies of urgency, faecal incontinence, faeces with mucus and blood, tenesmus and constipation were higher in ulcerative colitis patients than in Crohn's disease patients. The mean time from the onset of clinical symptoms to the diagnosis of Crohn's disease was 37 months for patients with ileocolonic location, 26 months for patients with ileum location and 18 months for patients with colon location. In ulcerative colitis patients, the mean time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 52 months for proctitis, 12 months for left-sided colitis and 12 months for extensive colitis. CONCLUSION Ulcerative colitis presented a high frequency of intestinal symptoms, and Crohn's disease showed a high frequency of systemic manifestations at the onset of manifestation. There was a long delay in diagnosis, but individuals with more extensive disease and more obvious symptoms showed a shorter delay.