Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stability of Differences in Weight-Related Characteristics of Mothers across Economic, Cultural, Social, and Environmental-Health Indicators of Socioeconomic Status

This study explored the differences in weight-related characteristics when socioeconomic status (SES) was assessed by economic, cultural, social, and environmental-health capital individually and as a composite with the goal of determining the stability of differences across types of capital and to ascertain whether single or a combination of capital indicators of SES should be used in nutrition and public health studies. Mothers (n = 557) of young children completed a survey assessing capital and weight-related characteristics. Mothers with higher economic, cultural, and social capital and composite SES had fewer sugar-sweetened beverage servings, fewer meals in front of the TV, more food security, and greater neighborhood space/supports for physical activity than comparators. Few differences occurred among environmental-health capital groups. Composite SES performed similarly to individual economic, cultural, and social capital measures. Findings suggest single SES indicators may be sufficiently stable to capture differences in weight-related characteristics. Each capital type captures a unique aspect of SES; thus, assessing an array of capital types could advance understanding of SES aspects on weight-related characteristics.
Modelling Bovine Granuloma Formation In Vitro upon Infection with Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) causes chronic granulomatous disease in cattle and ruminant livestock, causing substantial economic losses. Current vaccines delay clinical signs but cannot train the immune system to fully eradicate latent Map. During latency, Map uses host defenses, cage-like macrophage clusters called granuloma, as incubators for months or years. We used an in vitro model to investigate the early coordination of macrophages into granuloma upon Map infection over ten days. We found that at multiplicities of infection (MOI; Map:macrophages) of 1:2 and below, the macrophages readily form clusters and evolve pro-inflammatory cytokines in keeping with a cell-mediated immune response. At higher MOIs, viability of host macrophages is negatively impacted. At 1:4 MOI, we quantified viable Map in our model and confirmed that intracellular Map reproduced over the first five days of infection. Host cells expressed Type 1-specific cytokines, and Map-infected macrophages displayed reduced motility compared to Map-exposed, uninfected macrophages, suggesting an important role for uninfected macrophages in the early aggregative response. Reported is the first in vitro JD granuloma model capturing Map and macrophage viability, size distribution of resulting clusters, motility of monocyte-derived macrophages, and cytokine response during clustering, allowing quantitative analysis of multiple parameters of the Map-specific granulomatous response.
Use of Cold-Pressed Sunflower Cake in the Concentrate as a Low-Input Local Strategy to Modify the Milk Fatty Acid Profile of Dairy Cows

Simple Summary Consumers demand healthier dairy products. Supplementing plant lipids, rich in poliunsaturated fatty acids, results in improved milk fatty acid profile, but these oils could enter into competition with human food needs and compromise animal performance. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of formulating cold-pressed sunflower cake (CPSC, high-fat by-product) in a dairy cows’ concentrate to improve milk fatty acid profile. Cold-pressed sunflower cake increased total trans-mono unsaturated fatty acids (21%), total conjugated linoleic acid (31%), and polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids ratio (18%), but did not affect milk production, digestibility, intake, and milk composition. However, reduced fat yield (9%) and fat corrected milk (7%) were observed. Feeding CPSC improved overall acceptability of milk by improving flavor. In conclusion, CPSC could modify milk FA profile without observing a detrimental effect on digestibility, production performance, or milk acceptance. Adopting feeding systems based on the use of cheaper and local alternative feedstuffs rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids would represent a good strategy to change milk fatty acid profile and contribute the promotion of low-input production systems. Abstract Cold-pressed sunflower cake (CPSC) is a cheap by-product of oil-manufacturing. Supplementing diets with CPSC, rich in fat and linoleic acid, could be an effective tool for increasing healthy fatty acids (FA) in milk. To test this hypothesis, 10 cows were used in a crossover design with two experimental diets fed during two 63-day periods. Cows’ milk production was recorded and samples were taken for fat, protein, lactose, and for FA composition analysis. Dry matter intake (DMI) and dry matter apparent digestibility (DMD) were estimated using two markers. Milk acceptance test was carried out. CPSC decreased milk C12:0 (10%, p = 0.023) and C16:0 (5%, p = 0.035) and increased C18:1 cis-12 (37%, p = 0.006), C18:1 trans-11 (32%, p = 0.005), C18:2 cis-9 cis-12 (13%, p = 0.004), and cis-9 trans-11 CLA (35%, p = 0.004). CPSC increased total trans-monounsaturated FA (21%, p = 0.003), total CLA (31%, p = 0.007), and PUFA:SFA ratio (18%, p = 0.006). CPSC did not affect milk production, DMD, DMI and milk composition, but reduced fat yield (9%, p = 0.013) and FCM (7%, p = 0.013). CPSC improved milk overall acceptability. In conclusion, CPSC could modify milk FA profile without a detrimental effect on digestibility, production performance, or milk acceptance.
A Hybrid Spectrum Access Strategy with Channel Bonding and Classified Secondary User Mechanism in Multichannel Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive radio networks (CRNs) can improve spectrum utilization by allowing secondary users (SUs) to dynamically access channels unoccupied by primary users (PUs). The spectrum access strategy, as a point to enhance user performance, has received much attention. In this paper, we propose a hybrid access mode for network users in multichannel CRNs. For meeting different SU demands, SUs are classified as SU1s and SU2s. We further introduce a channel bonding scheme for high-priority (PU and SU1) user packets to enhance transmission efficiency. At the same time, we propose a hybrid spectrum access strategy for SU2 packets to improve their transmission stability. By establishing a Markov chain model, some important SU2 packets’ performance measures are derived. Furthermore, we display the comparison of hybrid, overlay and underlay modes by numerical results to analyze the advantages of different modes.
Combinatory antibiotic treatment protects against experimental acute pancreatitis by suppressing gut bacterial translocation to pancreas and inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome pathway

Gut bacterial translocation following impaired gut barrier is a critical determinant of initiating and aggravating acute pancreatitis (AP). Antibiotic combination (ABX; vancomycin, neomycin and polymyxin b) is capable of reducing gut bacteria, but its efficacy in AP prevention and the underlying mechanism have not been investigated yet. AP was induced in BALB/c mice by caerulein (CAE) hyperstimulation. We found that ABX supplementation attenuated the severity of AP as evidenced by reduced pancreatic oedema and myeloperoxidase activity. The protective effect was also confirmed by improved histological morphology of the pancreas and decreased pro-inﬂammatory markers (IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1) in pancreas. ABX administration inhibits the activation of colonic TLR4/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. Subsequently, down-regulated NLRP3 resulted in decreased colonic pro-inflammation (IL-1β, IL-6, MCP-1) and enhanced gut physical barrier as evidenced by up-regulation of tight junction proteins including occludin, claudin-1 and ZO-1, as well as improved histological morphology of the colon. Together, combinatory ABX therapy inhibited the translocation of gut bacteria to pancreas and its amplification effects on pancreatic inflammation by inhibiting the pancreatic NLRP3 pathway, and inhibiting intestinal-pancreatic inflammatory responses. The current study provides the basis for potential clinical application of ABX in AP.
MRI native T1 and T2 mapping of myocardial segments in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: tissue remodeling manifested prior to structure changes.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the local myocardial segments in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) by MRI T1 and T2 mapping, and to investigate how tissue remodeling correlates with structural and functional remodeling in HCM. METHODS 47 patients with HCM and 19 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent cardiac MRI at 3.0 T. Native T1 and T2 values, end-diastolic wall thickness (EDTH), and percentage of systolic wall thickening (PSWT) were assessed in the left ventricular segments according to the American Heart Association model. Myocardial segments were categorized as normal, non-hypertrophic, mild-hypertrophic, moderate-hypertrophic, and severe-hypertrophic based on EDTH. The difference among all five groups, and the correlation between native T1 and T2 values, EDTH, and PSWT were evaluated. RESULTS Native T1 and T2 values were significantly elevated in both non-hypertrophic and hypertrophic segments of HCM patients compared to controls (both p < 0.001). PSWT was preserved in non-hypertrophic segments (p = 0.838), while significantly impaired (p < 0.001) in hypertrophic segments. Native T1 value of severe hypertrophic segments in HCM was significantly higher than segments of mild and moderate hypertrophy (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION In HCM patients, the non-hypertrophic myocardial segments already demonstrated significantly elevated T1 and T2 values, despite normal wall thickness and preserved contraction function. The finding suggests that tissue remodeling may precede morphological and functional remodeling in HCM. MRI native T1 and T2 mapping can provide additional value for HCM diagnosis at an early stage. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE Myocardial tissue remodeling, as detected by MRI native T1 and T2 mapping, occurs earlier than morphological and functional changes in HCM patients.
Sepsis in Older Adults in Long‐Term Care Facilities: Challenges in Diagnosis and Management

Despite the current understanding of the pathophysiology of sepsis and advances in its treatment, the rate of sepsis is increasing globally. Sepsis is a common cause of hospitalization in older adults, and infections are among the most common diagnoses among residents transferred to the hospital from long‐term care facilities (LTCFs). LTCFs and hospitals are facing financial and regulatory requirements to reduce potentially preventable emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and hospital readmissions due to infections and other causes. In addition, the human and financial costs of these events are substantial. Current criteria for early identification of sepsis have low sensitivity and specificity among LTCF residents. Early diagnosis must focus on changes in clinical, mental, and functional status, and vital signs including pulse oximetry. Laboratory data can increase the suspicion of sepsis, but the availability of testing and timing of results limits its usefulness in most LTCFs.While new diagnostic criteria for sepsis are being developed and validated in the LTCF setting, clinical practice and decision support tools are available to guide management. Most LTFCs do not have the capabilities to manage sepsis based on current guidelines despite availability of qualified nursing staff and clinicians. Thus excluding circumstances in which a resident's desire is palliative or hospice care without transfer to a hospital, most LTCFs will continue to transfer residents with severe infections at risk for evolving into sepsis to an acute hospital setting. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2234–2239, 2019
Morphology of Composite Fe@Au Submicron Particles, Produced with Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis and Potential for Synthesis of Fe@Au Core–Shell Particles

Iron core–gold shell (Fe@Au) nanoparticles are prominent for their magnetic and optical properties, which are especially beneficial for biomedical uses. Some experiments were carried out to produce Fe@Au particles with a one-step synthesis method, Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis (USP), which is able to produce the particles in a continuous process. The Fe@Au particles were produced with USP from a precursor solution with dissolved Iron (III) chloride and Gold (III) chloride, with Fe/Au concentration ratios ranging from 0.1 to 4. The resulting products are larger Fe oxide particles (mostly maghemite Fe2O3), with mean sizes of about 260–390 nm, decorated with Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) with mean sizes of around 24–67 nm. The Fe oxide core particles are mostly spherical in all of the experiments, while the AuNPs become increasingly irregular and more heavily agglomerated with lower Fe/Au concentration ratios in the precursor solution. The resulting particle morphology from these experiments is caused by surface chemistry and particle to solvent interactions during particle formation inside the USP system.
Antioxidant Therapies for Neuroprotection—A Review

Although moderate concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are crucial for various physiological processes within the human body, their overproduction leads to oxidative stress, defined as the imbalance between the production and accumulation of ROS and the ability of the body to neutralize and eliminate them. In the brain, oxidative stress exhibits significant effects, due to its increased metabolical activity and limited cellular regeneration. Thus, oxidative stress is a major factor in the progressive loss of neurons structures and functions, leading to the development of severe neurodegenerative disorders. In this context, recent years have witnessed tremendous advancements in the field of antioxidant therapies, with a special emphasis for neuroprotection. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the oxidative stress and antioxidant defense mechanisms and to present the most recent studies on antioxidant therapies for neuroprotection.
Soybean Lecithin High in Free Fatty Acids for Broiler Chicken Diets: Impact on Performance, Fatty Acid Digestibility and Saturation Degree of Adipose Tissue

Simple Summary The search of alternatives for soybean oil, as a dietary energy source, has generated a lot of interest in broiler feeding due to economic and supply reasons. Soybean lecithin, as a co-product derived from the soybean oil degumming process, and its blending with other by-products derived from the vegetable oil refining process such as acid oils, may represent an alternative energy source for broiler chicken diets formulation. The current study has demonstrated that soybean lecithin high in free fatty acids can be included in grower–finisher diets, as a partial replacer of soybean oil or in combination with an acid oil, without impairing performance or fatty acid digestibility and causing minor changes in the fatty acid composition of the abdominal fat pad. Abstract Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the inclusion of soybean lecithin with a high free fatty acid content (L) in starter and grower–finisher broiler diets, as well as its influence on performance, energy and fatty acid (FA) utilization and the FA profile of the abdominal fat pad (AFP). A basal diet was supplemented with soybean oil (S; Experiment 1) or acid oil (AO; Experiment 2) at 3%, and increasing amounts of L (1%, 2% and 3%) were included in replacement. The inclusion of L did not modify performance parameters (p > 0.05). The S replacement by L reduced energy and total FA utilization (p ≤ 0.05) in starter diets; however, in grower–finisher diets, a replacement up to 2% did not modify energy and FA utilization (p > 0.05). The AO substitution by L produced no modifications on energy and FA utilization (p > 0.05) during the starter phase, while the blend of 1% of AO and 2% of L resulted in the best combination in terms of the FA digestibility. The FA profile of the AFP reflected the FA composition of diets. The addition of L could replace, up to 2% or be blended with AO in broiler grower–finisher diets as an energy source.
Is There a Standard Adjuvant Therapy for Resected Pancreatic Cancer?

Surgical resection remains the only treatment that offers a potential chance of long-term survival. Unfortunately, about 80% of patients treated with curative intent will develop recurrence. Since 2001, adjuvant therapy with gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracyle was recommended. This approach allows a median overall survival (OS) of around 23 months, and 5-year survival of 22%. In recent years, two phase-3 trials investigating new chemotherapy regimens resulted in considerably improved survival times. The doublet gemcitabine–capecitabine has shown improvement in OS from 25.5 to 28 months (p = 0.032) compared to gemcitabine, in the ESPAC-4 trial. Later, preliminary results of PRODIGE 24 trial presented at the 2018 ASCO meeting showed a superiority of a combination chemotherapy regimen with fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (mFOLFIRINOX) when compared to gemcitabine alone, both in terms of median disease-free survival (21.6 vs. 12.8 months, p < 0.0001) and OS (54.4 vs. 35 months, p = 0.003). Contrary to chemotherapy, the role of adjuvant radiotherapy is still controversial, even in the case of R1 surgery. A randomized trial exploring the role of chemoradiotherapy in this setting is now ongoing in the US (RTOG-0848). Overall, the management of localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma is evolving. In this review, we summarize the current status and the most up-to-date developments in adjuvant treatment.
Effect of Psychological Intervention on Quality of Life and Psychological Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer Patients

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of psychological interventions on quality of life (QOL) and psychological outcomes in colorectal cancer patients. Methods: Three components—the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), cancer-related distress, and QOL—were assessed at admission (T0/baseline), three-month follow-up (T1), and six-month follow-up (T2). Results: The general characteristics of participants were well balanced between the psychological intervention group and control group. Psychological intervention significantly improved the anxiety measured by HADS in the psychological intervention group at T1 and T2 compared with the control group (T1 = −2.83 versus 0.33, p = .002; T2 = −2.64 versus 0.13, p = .045). Both total and avoidance scores of cancer-related distress decreased significantly in the psychological intervention group at T1, and the amelioration maintained until T2. However, the psychological intervention group and the control group did not show any significant differences between global QOL and cognitive function. While the psychological intervention greatly improved physical function at T1 (4.30 versus −4.28, p = .012), the difference was not significant at T2 (3.36 versus −3.41, p = .116). However, the fatigue score in the psychological intervention group was reduced significantly compared with that in control group at T2 (−4.94 versus 3.61, p = .027). Conclusion: Our results suggest that psychological intervention benefits QOL and psychological outcomes of patients with colorectal cancer.
Effect of Probiotics on Oral Candidiasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Oral candidiasis (OC) is an increasing health problem due to the introduction of new drugs, population aging, and increasing prevalence of chronic illness. This study systematically reviews the effects of the oral intake of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on Candida spp. counts (colony-forming units (CFU)/mL) in oral and palatal samples. A literature search was conducted. Twelve studies, eight randomized clinical trials (RCTs), and four pre-post studies, resulted as eligible for the meta-analysis, which was performed through a Bayesian random-effects model. All studies analyzed probiotics, and none of them analyzed prebiotics or synbiotics. The treatments effects were measured in terms of odds ratio (OR) of OC (CFU/mL >102, 103, or 104). The meta-analytic OR was 0.71 (95% credibility interval (CrI): 0.37, 1.32), indicating a beneficial effect of treatment; the I2 index was 56.3%. Focusing only on RCTs, the OR was larger and more precise at 0.53 (95% CrI: 0.27, 0.93). The effect of treatment appeared to be larger on denture wearers. Our findings indicate that the intake of probiotics can have a beneficial effect on OC and that the effects could vary according to the patients’ characteristics. Due to the presence of medium–high-risk studies, the results should be interpreted with caution.
Improving intraoperative storage conditions for autologous bone grafts: An experimental investigation in mice

Autologous bone grafts constitute the second most transplanted tissue in medicine today. The viability, and consequently the osteogenic capacity, of an autograft is directly impacted by the interval between harvest and transplantation, but how the temperature and the solution in which the graft is held intraoperatively affect viability is not clear. Using a syngeneic mouse model and in vivo bone‐forming assays, these variables were tested for their effects on programmed cell death, osteoprogenitor cell proliferation, and the ability of the autograft to ultimately produce new bone in an ectopic site. Based on these results, the intraoperative treatment with a WNT protein therapeutic was tested for its effects on the viability and osteogenic capacity of an autograft. Viability, programmed cell death, mitotic activity, osteogenic protein expression, and bone‐forming capacity were assessed. Experimental results demonstrated that the osteogenic capacity of an autograft is significantly improved by intraoperative storage in L‐WNT3A at physiological temperature.
On enzymatic remodeling of IgG glycosylation; unique tools with broad applications

Abstract The importance of IgG glycosylation has been known for many years not only by scientists in glycobiology but also by human pathogens that have evolved specific enzymes to modify these glycans with fundamental impact on IgG function. The rise of IgG as a major therapeutic scaffold for many cancer and immunological indications combined with the availability of unique enzymes acting specifically on IgG Fc-glycans have spurred a range of applications to study this important post-translational modification on IgG. This review article introduces why the IgG glycans are of distinguished interest, gives a background on the unique enzymatic tools available to study the IgG glycans and finally presents an overview of applications utilizing these enzymes for various modifications of the IgG glycans. The applications covered include site-specific glycan transglycosylation and conjugation, analytical workflows for monoclonal antibodies and serum diagnostics. Additionally, the review looks ahead and discusses the importance of O-glycosylation for IgG3, Fc-fusion proteins and other new formats of biopharmaceuticals.