Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Moderate Intake of Lean Red Meat Was Associated with Lower Risk of Elevated Blood Pressure in Chinese Women: Results from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, 1991–2015

This study aimed to examine longitudinal associations between fatty and lean, fresh red meat intake and blood pressure (BP) in Chinese adults. The data were from nine waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (1991–2015), a longitudinal, open cohort study. The surveys were conducted in 303 urban and rural communities of 15 provinces in China. Collected by consecutive three-day 24-h dietary recalls combined with household weighing for foods or only condiments, the diet exposure of interest was daily red meat intake and its subtypes (fatty versus lean) defined by 10-g fat content per 100 g. The main outcome was systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and risk of elevated BP defined as having a mean of SBP ≥ 135 mmHg, DBP ≥ 85 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. Three-level mixed-effect regressions showed women had SBP increases of 2.19 mmHg (95% CI: 1.07, 4.46) from a higher intake of total fresh red meat, 2.42 mmHg (95% CI: 1.18, 4.94) from a higher intake of fatty, fresh red meat, as well as 0.48 mmHg (95% CI: 0.26, 0.88) from a higher intake of lean, fresh red meat in the top tertile versus bottom one when adjusted for potential confounders. After adjusting for survey years, women with the highest tertile of lean, fresh red meat intake had a 32% lower risk of elevated BP (OR 0.68, 95%CI:0.48, 0.96) as compared with those with the first tertile (non-consumer). Fatty and lean, fresh red meat intakes were differentially associated with BP among Chinese adults. Further research is required to elicit the potential mechanism on gender-specific differential association of fatty versus lean, fresh red meat with BP.
American Dog Ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) as Biological Indicators of an Association between the Enteric Bacterium Moellerella wisconsensis and Striped Skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in Southwestern Manitoba, Canada

Abstract: Total genomic (g)DNA from 100 American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) collected from humans, dogs, raccoons, and skunks near Minnedosa (Manitoba, Canada) in 2005 was tested for the presence of Moellerella wisconsensis (Gammaproteobacteria: Enterobacteriales) using PCR. Although two gDNA samples derived from ticks attached to two striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) contained M. wisconsensis DNA, it is unlikely that D. variabilis is a vector of this bacterium. Genomic DNA prepared from the washes of the external surfaces of these two ticks (i.e., before DNA extraction from the whole tick) and another two ticks attached to same skunks were also PCR positive for M. wisconsensis. This suggests that ticks acquired the bacterium by physical contact with contaminated or infected skunks. However, it does not exclude the possibility that the ticks may have also imbibed the bacterium from their host blood and lymph. Nonetheless, the results of this molecular study suggest that the four adult D. variabilis represent biological indicators of the presence of M. wisconsensis in association with their vertebrate hosts (i.e., striped skunks). Additional work is needed to determine if M. wisconsensis is present in the blood and lymph of striped skunks in southwestern Manitoba and if there are potential health risks for persons coming into contact with infected animals.
Long-term changes in the relative abundances of introduced deer in New Zealand estimated from faecal pellet frequencies

Seven introduced deer taxa are present in New Zealand and there is interest in the dynamics of these populations. Estimating the abundance of deer is problematic, but faecal pellet counts (an index of abundance) have been conducted on New Zealand's public conservation land since the 1950s. We compiled faecal pellet count data from published and unpublished sources, and used the most common data type (presence–absence of pellets in plots along transects) to investigate decadal changes in the relative abundances of deer at the national, island (North and South) and Department of Conservation conservancy spatial scales. A quadratic model with different trends for each conservancy best explained the pellet frequency data for the period 1952–2010: pellet frequencies were highest during the 1950s–1970s and then declined to minima in the 1980s and 1990s and then increased in the 2000s. The decline in pellet frequencies was likely caused by increasing commercial deer harvesting, and the recent increases in pellet frequencies in several conservancies are likely a consequence of reduced commercial harvesting. The key limitations of faecal pellet count data collected in New Zealand (i.e. spatial and temporal variability, and that only summary statistics are often available) are discussed.
Prevention of alcohol consumption and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus: randomized clinical trial*

Abstract Objective: to know the effects of a nursing intervention to reduce alcohol use and risk factors for transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Method: randomized single-blinded clinical trial performed by nurses with young women. The study included 66 participants in the intervention group and 66 participants in the control group. The instruments were the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the HIV Risk Behavior Knowledge and the Condom Use Self-efficacy Scale. Analysis of variance was used. Results: alcohol involvement decreased in the intervention group (F (1.119) = 50.28; p < 0.001; η2 p = 0.297), while HIV knowledge (F (1.130) = 34.34; p < 0.001; η2 p = 0.209) and condom use self-efficacy increased (F (1.129) = 27.20; p < 0.001; η2 p = 0.174). In addition, less participants consumed alcohol in the past week compared to the control group (χ2 = 15.95; p < 0.001). Conclusion: the nursing intervention had positive effects, which could help young women stay away from alcohol use and the risk of sexually transmitted infections. NCT: 02405481.
A study of stomatal mechanics using the cell pressure probe

The relationship between stomatal aperture (a) and guard cell pressure (Pg) was measured directly in four different species (Vicia faba, Tradescantia virginiana, Ginkgo biloba and Nephrolepis exaltata) using a special cell pressure probe technique. The effect of epidermal turgor (Pep) on this relationship was also measured in T. virginiana. The relationship was sigmoidal for V. faba and T. virginiana, but entirely convex for G. biloba and N. exaltata. Epidermal turgor was found to have a pronounced closing effect on stomata of T. virginiana. Maximum aperture with full epidermal turgor (0·92 MPa) was about half that with zero epidermal turgor. Also, with full epidermal turgor stomata of T. virginiana did not begin to open until Pg was more than 1·25 MPa. These characteristics were used to develop an expression for a as a function of Pg and Pep. Results for the different species are compared and discussed in terms of possible advantages and limitations of water economy.
Two-Phase Synthesis of Taxol®.

Taxol® is widely regarded as amongst the most famed natural isolates ever discovered, and has been the subject of innumerable studies in both basic and applied science. Its documented success as an anticancer agent, coupled with early concerns over supply, stimulated a furious worldwide effort from chemists to provide a solution for its preparation through total synthesis. Those pioneering studies proved the feasibility of retrosynthetically-guided access to synthetic Taxol, albeit in minute quantities and with enormous effort. In practice, all medicinal chemistry efforts and eventual commercialization have relied upon natural-(plant material) or biosynthetically-derived (synthetic biology) supplies. Here we show how a complementary divergent synthetic approach that is holistically patterned off of biosynthetic machinery for terpene synthesis can be used to arrive at Taxol®.
Dissociable source-monitoring impairments in obsessive–compulsive disorder and schizophrenia

Abstract Background: Based on the observed clinical overlap between obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), both conditions may share, at least in part, common cognitive underpinnings. Among the cognitive deficits that could be involved, it has been hypothesized that patients share a failure in their abilities to monitor their own thoughts (source monitoring), leading to confusion between what they actually did or perceived and what they imagined. Although little is known regarding source-monitoring performances in patients with OCD, numerous studies in patients with SCZ have observed a relationship between delusions and/or hallucinations and deficits in both internal source- and reality-monitoring abilities. Methods: The present work compared source-monitoring performances (internal source and reality monitoring) between patients with OCD (n = 32), patients with SCZ (n = 38), and healthy controls (HC; n = 29). Results: We observed that patients with OCD and patients with SCZ displayed abnormal internal source-monitoring abilities compared to HC. Only patients with SCZ displayed abnormalities in reality monitoring compared to both patients with OCD and HC. Conclusions: Internal source-monitoring deficits are shared by patients with OCD and SCZ and may contribute to the shared cognitive deficits that lead to obsessions and delusions. In contrast, reality-monitoring performance seems to differentiate patients with OCD from patients with SCZ.
Insertion and Loading Characteristics of Three Different Bone-Level Implants.

PURPOSE While primary stability still constitutes an important factor for implant success, high levels of insertion torque resulting from bone compression are controversial and may constitute a co-factor in peri-implant bone loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS Adhering to the manufacturers' protocols for medium-quality bone, implant surgery was performed in polyurethane foam blocks equipped with strain gauges attached to the buccal aspect. Following insertion and attachment of provisional abutments, oblique loading was performed. The following parameters were recorded for three different implant types (Straumann Bone Level Tapered [BLT], MIS V3 [V3], Dentsply Sirona ASTRA TX [ASTRA]): maximum insertion and removal torque, maximum strain during insertion and loading, and implant stability before and after loading (resonance frequency analysis [RFA]). Statistical analysis was based on analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey honest significant difference test, and Pearson's product moment correlation (α = .05). RESULTS Maximum insertion torque (59.9 ± 4.94 Ncm) was recorded for BLT followed by V3 and ASTRA (P < .01 for all comparisons). Maximum removal torque (43.7 ± 9.69 Ncm) was also recorded for BLT, but the pairwise comparisons reached significance only for BLT vs ASTRA (P < .01) and V3 vs BLT (P = .03). Implant stability differed among groups only after loading, where the pairwise comparison between BLT and ASTRA reached significance (P = .02). Maximum strain during insertion was caused by BLT reaching 19,482.62 <m/m, whereas ASTRA implants only caused 6,169.84 <m/m. Strain development during insertion differed significantly among groups (P < .05 for all comparisons). Maximum strain during loading was observed in V3 (646.44 ± 204 μm/m), while only a nonsignificant difference existed between ASTRA and BLT. Insertion torque correlated significantly with strain development (r = 0.68; P < .01), implant stability after loading (r = 0.46; P = .01), and removal torque (r = 0.54; P < .01). Also, implant stability after loading correlated with removal torque (r = 0.86; P < .01). CONCLUSION Different implant designs and surgical protocols result in varying levels of bone compression. Implants with a triangular shape do not seem to solve this problem.
Effect of the Generation of PAMAM Dendrimers on the Stabilization of Gold Nanoparticles

The behavior of small and intermediate generations of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers and PAMAM|gold nanocomposites was studied by computational tools and experimental techniques. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to characterize at the atomic level the stabilization mechanism of gold nanoparticles by dendrimeric platforms. Low PAMAM generations create a stabilization sphere around the nanoparticle, while upper PAMAM sizes provide stabilization sites through the internal voids. These results can help in the understanding of the stabilization process of metallic nanoparticles for the design and contribution of new nanotechnological applications.
Estimativa do peso e do rendimento de carcaça de tourinhos Brangus e Nelore, por medidas de ultra-sonografia

The objective of this work was to obtain equations to estimate hot carcass weight (PCQ) and dressing percentage (RC) from ultrasound measurements (US) of 48 young bulls of the Brangus and Nellore breeds, fed diets with 20, 40, 60 or 80% of concentrate. Ultrasonic measurements made with a PieMedical Scanner 200 Vet equipment, with linear array transducer of 178 mm coupled with standoff guide, were ribeye area (AOLU), backfat thickness (EGSU) between 12a and 13a ribs and the fat thickness over the Biceps femoris (EGPU) muscle and live weight were collected on intervals of approximately 28 days. Regression equations for each breed and an overall equation were established. The best equations were selected through the Cp statistics. Correlations between measurements taken by ultrasound and after slaughter were 0.83 between AOLU and carcass area and 0.86 between EGSU and carcass backfat. Equations to estimate PCQ showed greater accuracy when measurements were taken closer to slaughter. However, equations to estimate RC showed lower accuracy and showed no improvement closer to slaughter. The overall equation showed the same or less accuracy for both characteristics if compared to equations of each breed. Predictions of PCQ and RC using ultrasound measurements showed results similar to those using the same measurements taken directly on carcass. The EGPU measurement did not increase the accuracy of predictions when EGSU already in model.
Concerns about the safety of anti-TNF agents when treating rheumatic diseases

ABSTRACT Introduction More than 15 years after its introduction, there is still no agreement as to whether anti-TNF treatment increases the risk of developing infections, cardiovascular or neurological diseases, or auto-antibodies. Anti-TNF drugs reduce inflammation and sub-clinical atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, but they also alter their lipid profiles and can lead to the development of severe infections. Furthermore, as they increase the risk of developing demyelinating diseases, are not recommended in patients with multiple sclerosis or related disorders. The authors searched the Medline database for English language articles concerning the adverse events of anti-TNF drugs published between 1998 and December 2019, and have summarized their contents relating to infections, malignancies, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmunity and neurological diseases. Patients should be fully informed of the increased risks associated with anti-TNF drugs, and physicians should know how to treat them. Areas covered This review considers these safety concerns, their possible underlying causes, and other aspects that are important in clinical practice. Expert opinion Growing concern about the safety of anti-TNF drugs underlines the need to ensure that all clinicians are capable of taking appropriate preventive and therapeutic action.
First Case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Childhood Leukemia in China

We report the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) comorbid with leukemia in a patient hospitalized in Beijing, China. The patient showed a prolonged manifestation of symptoms and a protracted diagnosis period of COVID-19. It is necessary to extend isolation time, increase the number of nucleic acid detections and conduct early symptomatic treatment for children with both COVID-19 and additional health problems.
I am having trouble keeping up with virtual teaching activities: Reflections in the COVID-19 era

To the Editor, In this period of the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of health schools have bolted into action to maintain theoretical learning activities. With the help of information technology and pedagogical sectors, online manuals and guides are being created so that professors and students have access to them in real-time. The field of medicine has not been any different. Electronic platforms, video conferencing rooms, and social media are being used for daily teaching purposes. Electronic educational platforms are the official [. ]
Nitrogen mineralization from cabbage crop residue and its uptake efficiency by rye grass

Abstract Crop residues are an important component of N cycling in the agro-ecosystem. In this study, a loam soil was amended with cabbage residues and the N mineralization from soil organic matter and residues, as well as N uptake by Italian rye grass, were investigated. Four mineral fertilizer-residue combination treatments and two application times were tested in micro-plots. For uncropped micro-plots, application of residue resulted in higher soil mineral N content (43 mg N kg−1, 63 days post application) versus 30.5 mg N kg−1 for an unamended soil. Both bulked dry matter production and N uptake by the rye grass decreased in the order full mineral fertilizer > half mineral fertilizer + half residue > full residue applied 3 weeks before sowing > full residue applied at sowing, but the differences were more pronounced in the N uptake. Shoot N recovery from the applied residue (27.5–31.4%) was much smaller than that from the full fertilizer (70.2%), but was still considerable. Apparent net N mineralization from soil organic matter was significantly depressed in the treatments where mineral fertilizer was added. Cropping also reduced apparent net N mineralization, but this effect was reduced when residues were applied 3 weeks before sowing. Results showed that crop residues play an important role in crop production, in terms of obtaining comparable dry matter production to that of full mineral fertilizer application. Moreover, nitrogen supplied as residue is less liable for loss due to leaching during the growing season. The efficiency of crop uptake to residue-derived nitrogen could be increased by earlier application time.
Phytol loaded PLGA nanoparticles ameliorate scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction by attenuating cholinesterase activity, oxidative stress and apoptosis in Wistar rat

ABSTRACT Objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an acquired neurological disorder of cognitive and behavioral impairments, with a long and progressive route. Currently, efforts are being made to develop potent drugs that target multiple pathological mechanisms that drive the successful treatment of AD in human beings. The development of nano-drug delivery systems has recently emerged as an effective strategy to treat AD. Methods: In the present study, the protective effect of Phytol and Phytol loaded Poly Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid nanoparticles (Phytol-PLGANPs) were evaluated in Wistar rat scopolamine model of AD. Results and Discussion: The consumption of Phytol and Phytol-PLGANPs significantly ameliorated the cognitive deficits caused by scopolamine on spatial and short term memory. Phytol and Phytol-PLGANPs significantly enhanced the cholinergic effect by inhibiting both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase (AChE & BuChE), β-secretase 1 (BACE1) activity, attenuating macromolecular damage, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) level by activating antioxidative defense system (Superoxide dismutase and catalase) and restoring glutathione metabolizing enzyme systems (Glutathione S-transferase) and also regulating the apoptotic mediated cell death. Moreover, in vivo toxicity study suggests that Phytol and Phytol-PLGANPs did not cause any adverse pathological alteration in rats treated with a higher concentration of Phytol-PLGANPs (200 mg/kg). Pharmacokinetic study revealed that Phytol-PLGANPs enhanced the biodistribution and sustained the release profile of phytol in the brain and plasma. Conclusion: Overall, the outcome of the study suggests that Phytol and Phytol-PLGANPs act as a potent candidate with better anti-amnesic effects and multi-faceted neuroprotective potential against scopolamine-induced memory dysfunction in Wistar rats.
Seed source regions drive fitness differences in invasive macrophytes

Premise Worldwide, ecosystems are threatened by global changes, including biological invasions. Invasive species arriving in novel environments experience new climatic conditions that can affect their successful establishment. Determining the response of functional traits and fitness components of invasive populations from contrasting environments can provide a useful framework to assess species responses to climate change and the variability of these responses among source populations. Much research on macrophytes has focused on establishment from clonal fragments; however, colonization from sexual propagules has rarely been studied. Our objective was to compare trait responses of plants generated from sexual propagules sourced from three climatic regions but grown under common environmental conditions, using L. peploides subsp. montevidensis as a model taxon. Methods We grew seedlings to reproductive stage in experimental mesocosms under a mediterranean California (MCA) climate from seeds collected in oceanic France (OFR), mediterranean France (MFR), and MCA. Results Seed source region was a major factor influencing differences among invasive plants recruiting from sexual propagules of L. peploides subsp. montevidensis. Trait responses of young individual recruits from MCA and OFR, sourced from geographically distant and climatically distinct source regions, were the most different. The MCA individuals accumulated more biomass, flowered earlier, and had higher leaf N concentrations than the OFR plants. Those from MFR had intermediate profiles. Conclusions By showing that the closer a seedling is from its parental climate, the better it performs, this study provides new insights to the understanding of colonization of invasive plant species and informs its management under novel and changing environmental conditions.
TICKS PARASITIZING THE SPUR-THIGHED TORTOISE (TESTUDO GRAECA) POPULATION OF TUNISIA

Abstract: From March to April 2017, a total of 147 free-ranging spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca) was captured in different habitat types of northern Tunisia and examined for tick infestation. A total of 134 was infested, yielding an infestation prevalence of 91.2%. From these tortoises, 1,174 ticks were collected, a subsample (10%, n=120) of which was randomly selected and identified; the remaining ticks were stored at –80 C and examined for zoonotic pathogens. Only adult Hyalomma aegyptium were found among the subsample of ticks collected for spur-thighed tortoise. The prevalence of tick infestation did not vary significantly within the study area but differences in intensity were observed in relation to the size of tortoises and the vegetation coverage. Our results provide strong evidence that adult H. aegyptium is the predominant tick species found on wild spur-thighed tortoises in northern Tunisia, where the species is commonly traded illegally across the Mediterranean Basin. Considering the potential transmission of several zoonotic pathogens by H. aegyptium to humans, we highlight the need to develop a surveillance system to prevent the introduction and the spread of tick-borne pathogens in the Mediterranean Basin.