Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic Polymorphisms in VEGFR Coding Genes (FLT1/KDR) on Ranibizumab Response in High Myopia and Choroidal Neovascularization Patients

A severe form of myopia defined as pathologic/high myopia is the main cause of visual impairment and one of the most frequent causes of blindness worldwide. It is characterized by at least 6 diopters or axial length (AL) of eyeball > 26 mm and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in 5 to 10% of cases. Ranibizumab is a humanized recombinant monoclonal antibody fragment targeted against human vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) used in the treatment of CNV. It acts by preventing VEGF-A from interacting with its receptors (VEGFR-1 and -2) encoded by the FLT1 and KDR genes. Several studies found that the KDR and FLT1 genotypes may represent predictive determinants of efficacy in ranibizumab-treated neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients. We performed a retrospective study to evaluate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VEGFR coding genes with the response rate to ranibizumab in patients with high myopia and CNV. In the association study of genotypes in FLT1 with the response to ranibizumab, we found a significant association between two FLT1 variants (rs9582036, rs7993418) with ranibizumab efficacy at the 12-month follow-up. About the KDR gene, we found that two KDR variants (rs2305948, rs2071559) are associated with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement and KDR (rs2239702) is associated with lower rates of BCVA worsening considering a 12-month follow-up period.
The Effect of Low Glycemic Index Mediterranean Diet and Combined Exercise Program on Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Joint Modeling Approach

Background: Excessive caloric intake and reduced energy expenditure are associated with the onset of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). The aim of this study was to probe the benefits of a low glycemic index Mediterranean diet (LGIMD) and a combined exercise program (CEP) on MAFLD by monitoring the clinical process through anthropometric measurement, body mass index (BMI), and specific biomarkers, such as the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Methods: The study was conducted at the National Institute of Gastroenterology, ‘S. de Bellis’, Italy. Subjects were invited to join the study for 12 months. Results: 54 participants were enrolled. Joint modeling of longitudinal and time-to-event data was applied. Overall, a statistically significant direct effect of LGIMD/CEP adherence on ln (BMI), a statistically significant direct effect of LGIMD/CEP adherence on time-to-event and a strong statistically significant direct effect of log (BMI) on time-to-event were observed. In addition, a statistically significant direct effect of LGIMD/CEP adherence on ln(HOMA-IR), a statistically significant direct effect of LGIMD/CEP adherence on time-to-event and a statistically significant direct effect of ln(HOMA-IR) on time-to-event were observed. Conclusions: LGIMD/CEP significantly improved MAFLD status; in addition, longitudinal BMI and HOMA-IR were good predictors of the disappearance of diagnostic criteria for MAFLD.
Diagnostic Accuracy of the Overlapping Infinity Loops, Wire Cube, and Clock Drawing Tests in Subjective Cognitive Decline, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

Figure drawing tasks are commonly used standalone or as part of broader screening tests to detect cognitive impairment. Only one study has compared the classification accuracy of three common drawing tasks—overlapping infinity loops, wire cube, and the clock drawing task (CDT)—in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, but age and education, which impact performance, were not accounted for. We replicated the research, adjusting for age and education and, for the first time, assessed subjective cognitive decline (SCD) too. Participants were recruited from the Tasmanian ISLAND Cognitive Clinic and healthy controls from a community sample. All participants completed the three figure drawing tasks. The clinic patients were categorised according to interdisciplinary consensus diagnosis. Binomial logistic regression and area under ROC curves (AUC) were calculated to determine the discriminatory ability of each drawing task. Overall, 112 adults were recruited; 51 had normal cognition (NC), 21 SCD, 24 MCI, and 16 had dementia. The infinity loops test did not discriminate any of the groups, casting some doubt on its usefulness. The wire cube discriminated NC from dementia (AUC 0.7; p < 0.05). The CDT discriminated NC from dementia (AUC 0.77; p < 0.01), NC from cognitive impairment (dementia + MCI; AUC 0.59; p < 0.05), and MCI from dementia (AUC 0.76; p < 0.01). None of the tests discriminated NC from MCI or NC from SCD. The CDT was the most discriminatory test, followed by the wire cube. This may help guide clinicians who often choose just one figure drawing task due to time constraints or patient fatigue.
Environmental fate and behaviour of antibiotic resistance genes and small interference RNAs released from genetically modified crops

Rising global populations have amplified food scarcity across the world and ushered in the development of genetically modified (GM) crops to overcome these challenges. Cultivation of major crops such as corn and soy has favoured GM crops over conventional varieties to meet crop production and resilience needs. Modern GM crops containing small interference RNA molecules and antibiotic resistance genes have become increasingly common in the United States. However, the use of these crops remains controversial due to the uncertainty regarding the unintended release of its genetic material into the environment and possible downstream effects on human and environmental health. DNA or RNA transgenes may be exuded from crop tissues during cultivation or released during plant decomposition and adsorbed by soil. This can contribute to the persistence and bioavailability in soil or water environment and possible uptake by soil microbial communities and further passing of this information to neighbouring bacteria, disrupting microbial ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and soil fertility. In this review, transgene mechanisms of action, uses in crops, and knowledge regarding their environmental fate and impact to microbes are evaluated. This aims to encapsulate the current knowledge and promote further research regarding unintended effects transgenes may cause.
Mapeamento de QTL para características de crescimento de suínos por meio de modelos de regressão aleatória

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of random regression models (RRM) to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for growth traits in pigs. An outbreed F2 Piau x Commercial population was used. The efficiency of the proposed methodology for QTL detection was compared to the traditional methodology of regression interval mapping. In order to do that, RRM with random polygenic effects of permanent environment and of QTL were used with the approach of the covariance matrix identical‑by‑descent, associated to the QTL effects. The significance of QTL effects was tested by the likelihood ratio, considering the described model as being complete when there was significant QTL effect, and null, when there was not. Comparison between models was made at the positions of the markers (six microsatellite markers) and at the intermediate positions between them. The RRM allowed the detection of a significant QTL at the position 65 cM of chromosome 7 and, therefore, it was considered more efficient than traditional method, which did not identify any significant QTL in any of the evaluated phenotypes. The proposed methodology enabled the detection of QTL affecting all growth trajectory within the considered age range (from birth to 150 days)
Unique Metabolic Profiles Associate with Gestational Diabetes and Ethnicity in Low- and High-Risk Women Living in the UK

ABSTRACT Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common global pregnancy complication; however, prevalence varies substantially between ethnicities, with South Asians (SAs) experiencing up to 3 times the risk of the disease compared with white Europeans (WEs). Factors driving this discrepancy are unclear, although the metabolome is of great interest as GDM is known to be characterized by metabolic dysregulation. Objectives The primary aim was to characterize and compare the metabolic profiles of GDM in SA and WE women (at <28 wk of gestation) from the Born in Bradford (BIB) prospective birth cohort in the United Kingdom. Methods In total, 146 fasting serum metabolites, from 2,668 pregnant WE and 2,671 pregnant SA women (average BMI 26.2 kg/m2, average age 27.3 y) were analyzed using partial least squares discriminatory analyses to characterize GDM status. Linear associations between metabolite values and post–oral glucose tolerance test measures of dysglycemia (fasting glucose and 2 h postglucose) were also examined. Results Seven metabolites associated with GDM status in both ethnicities (variable importance in projection ≥1), whereas 6 additional metabolites associated with GDM only in WE women. Unique metabolic profiles were observed in healthy-weight women who later developed GDM, with distinct metabolite patterns identified by ethnicity and BMI status. Of the metabolite values analyzed in relation to dysglycemia, lactate, histidine, apolipoprotein A1, HDL cholesterol, and HDL2 cholesterol associated with decreased glucose concentration, whereas DHA and the diameter of very low-density lipoprotein particles (nm) associated with increased glucose concertation in WE women, and in SAs, albumin alone associated with decreased glucose concentration. Conclusions This study shows that the metabolic risk profile for GDM differs between WE and SA women enrolled in BiB in the United Kingdom. This suggests that etiology of the disease differs between ethnic groups and that ethnic-appropriate prevention strategies may be beneficial.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE HERITABILITY OF DEVELOPMENTAL INSTABILITY? ANSWERS FROM A BAYESIAN MODEL

Abstract In spite of over half a century of research, little is known about the genetic basis of developmental instability (DI). The estimation of the heritability of DI is seriously hampered by the fact that fluctuating asymmetry—FA, that is, the observable outcome of DI—only poorly reflects DI. This results in an underestimation of the heritability of DI. Current methods transforming heritabilities in FA into those of DI fail to take all sources of variation into account and yield incorrect confidence bands that are usually based on unrealistic assumptions. Therefore, a Bayesian latent variable model is developed and explored. Simulations show that with sample sizes currently applied in empirical studies, extremely wide posterior distributions are obtained and data do not allow to distinguish between high (0.5) and low (0.1) heritabilities of DI at all. Even sample sizes of 5000 result in very wide posteriors in many cases. Furthermore, for smaller samples (250 and 1250), up to 70% of the estimates of t.
Endoscopic methods for the detection and treatment of gastric cancer

Purpose of review The intent of this review is to describe new advances in endoscopic approaches to surveillance and management of gastric cancer. Recent findings There are new endoscopic techniques and approaches that have improved the detection of gastric cancer, including narrow band imaging, confocal laser endocytomicroscopy and magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy. This article highlights the role of endoscopic submucosal dissection in the treatment of focal and diffuse gastric dysplasia and early gastric cancer with a discussion of indications, complications and outcomes. We review several recent guidelines addressing the surveillance strategies for individuals at high-risk for developing gastric cancer, such as those with atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia, how gastric dysplasia and early gastric cancer can be endoscopically managed, and recommended surveillance after endoscopic intervention. Summary Endoscopic approaches are evolving rapidly that will improve detection of dysplasia and early gastric cancer in high-risk individuals. Surveillance guidelines from various international societies reflect differences in local experience and prevalence of gastric cancer. Endoscopic submucosal dissection is now widely accepted as a first-line approach to early gastric cancers that can be resected en-bloc.
Organ-Specific Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Various Organs of Xenotransplanted Rats: A Pilot Study

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are potential therapeutics considering their self-renewal capacity and ability to differentiate into all somatic cell types in vitro. The ideal ADSC-based therapy is a direct injection into the relevant organs. The objective of this study was to investigate the viability and safety of intra-organ human ADSC (h-ADSC) xenotransplants in vivo. Subcutaneous adipose tissue from the abdominal area of 10 patients was sampled. h-ADSCs were isolated from adipose tissue samples and identified using immunofluorescence antibodies. Multi-differentiation potential assays for adipocytes, osteocytes, and chondrocytes were performed. Cultured h-ADSCs at passage 4 were transplanted into multiple organs of 17 rats, including the skin, subcutaneous layer, liver, kidney, pancreas, and spleen. The h-ADSC-injected organs excised after 100 days were examined, and the survival of h-ADSCs was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) using specific human and rat target genes. h-ADSCs confirmed by stem cell phenotyping were induced to differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineages in vitro. All rats were healthy and exhibited no side effects during the study; the transplanted h-ADSCs did not cause inflammation and were indiscernible from the native organ cells. The presence of transplanted h-ADSCs was confirmed using qRT-PCR. However, the engrafted survival rates varied as follows: subcutaneous fat (70.6%), followed by the liver (52.9%), pancreas (50.0%), kidney (29.4%), skin (29.4%), and spleen (12.5%). h-ADSCs were successfully transplanted into a rat model, with different survival rates depending on the organ.
Association between Walking Habit and Physical Frailty among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether older adults who practice walking have a lower risk of physical frailty than those who do not. The study subjects were 846 older adults and were not certified as needing support or nursing care. The subjects were classified as being physically frail or pre-frail or being robust, according to the revision of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. We classified the subjects by questionnaire into a no-exercise group, walking-only group, walking plus other exercise group, and exercise other than walking group. In logistic regression analyses, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were shown. Compared to the no-exercise group, the OR (95%CI) for physical frailty was 0.85 (0.48–1.49) for the walking-only group, 0.54 (0.36–0.83) for the walking plus other exercise group, and 0.67 (0.47–0.97) for the exercise other than walking group. In the components of physical frailty, the walking plus other exercise group and the exercise other than group had significantly lower ORs for exhaustion. Older adults who only practiced walking as an exercise do not have lower risks of physical frailty and pre-frailty. Older adults who combine walking with other exercises or practice non-walking exercises have lower risks of them.
Variability among Animals and Incubation Protocols for Ruminant In Situ Degradation Studies with Tropical Feeds

Simple Summary The knowledge on the nutritive value of feeds is essential to feed animals with adequate diets and to optimize production with minimal environment impact. In situ degradation is an important tool for nutritionists because it is a reliable, cheap, and fast way to assess information on feed digestion in ruminants. However, the lack of standards procedures for in situ trials with cattle in the tropics may compromise the reliability of information obtained from those studies. Thus, we aimed to generate useful information for animal scientists on how to perform that kind of study using adequate and minimal resources yet keeping accuracy to interpret feed characteristics. Our findings indicated an important variation among animals on the estimates of the rumen degradation rate of feeds, and taking into account that variation can allow for a more adequate comparison among feeds. On the other hand, we also found that an in situ trial cannot be performed using fewer than three animals, otherwise the risk of obtained biased and imprecise information increases. Minimum sets of incubation times were defined and evaluated. They can be used to decrease the costs and the labor when tropical feeds are evaluated through in situ trials with cattle. Abstract Our objectives were to evaluate the variability among animals regarding to the degradation rate of the potentially degradable fraction of dry matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber, as well as to establish the minimum number of animals and provide a standardized design of sampling times for in situ ruminal degradation assays of tropical feeds with cattle. Seven feeds were evaluated, four concentrates and three forages. The incubations were performed using five rumen-cannulated Nellore heifers (328 ± 9.8 kg of body weight). The complete sets of incubation sampling times encompassed 16 time points for forage samples (0–240 h) and 13 time points for concentrate samples (0–144 h). The profiles were adjusted using both fixed and mixed model approaches. When the variation among animals on the degradation rate was considered using the mixed model approach, the precision of the adjusted degradation profiles was increased. Moreover, the utilization of a low number of animals increases the probability to obtain biased estimates of degradation rate and increased random variances. A minimum of three animals is recommended for in situ trials with cattle. Minimum designs of sampling times regarding number and position of incubation times were proposed, discussed, and recommended to assess the dynamics of tropical feed degradation.
“Our focus is on illness and loneliness”: Volunteer work engagement, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, self‐care and motivations to volunteer

Abstract They are participating as a volunteer implies active personal positioning accompanying others. Evidence supports that experiences of those who experience an illness, who are hospitalised or feel lonely, impact the volunteers: positive emotions like engagement and Compassion Satisfaction (CS) or, the reverse, Compassion Fatigue (CF). Motivations help us understand why volunteers spend their time on these activities. And self‐care practices will be a challenge to counteract the exhausting emotions of volunteering. This research presents a mixed, exploratory and sequential design study on the island of Majorca (Spain). The first phase (n = 216) was quantitative, gathering data from November 2018 to April 2019. Then, the second phase (two focus groups) started with qualitative data collection (July 2019). Firstly, the study determines CS and work engagement levels and examines the relationship between self‐care, CF and motivations. Secondly, the study finds out how they recognise their positive and negative emotions, their relationship with self‐care and what motivates them to be volunteers. The results show that the volunteers report highly positive feelings associated with their volunteering (CS and engagement) and are backed up by a good level of personal Self‐Care. The Understanding and Enhancement motivational functions generate even more positive feelings for the volunteers themselves, who attach a positive value to their experience of caring for others. Despite the positive results collected, we must not ignore the phenomenon of CF in relational volunteering and pain support because it occurs. After all, that could lead to abandonment by volunteers.
Bio-Priming of Soybean with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bacillus megaterium: Strategy to Improve Seed Germination and the Initial Seedling Growth

Bio-priming is a new technique of seed treatment that improves seed germination, vigor, crop growth and yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Bradyrhizobium japonicum (commercial strains) and Bacillus megaterium (newly isolated strains) as a single inoculant and co-inoculant during seed bio-priming to improve seed germination and initial seedling growth of two soybean cultivars. The treated seeds were subjected to germination test (GT), cold test (CT) and accelerated aging test (AAT). B. megaterium significantly improved all parameters in GT and CT; final germination, shoot length, root length, root dry weight, and seedling vigor index in AAT, as compared to control. In addition, co-inoculation significantly increased all parameters except shoot dry weight in GT; all parameters in CT; germination energy, shoot length, root length, and seedling vigor index in AAT, in comparison to the control. Moreover, Br. japonicum significantly improved the germination energy, shoot length, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, and seedling vigor index in GT; all parameters in CT; shoot length, root length, and seedling vigor index in AAT, compared with non-primed seeds. Thus, B. megaterium strains could be used in soybean bio-priming as a potential single inoculant and co-inoculant, following proper field evaluation.
Morphological and Phylogenetic Analyses Reveal Four New Species of Gnomoniopsis (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales) from China

The fungal genus Gnomoniopsis (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales) has been reported all around the world and isolated from multiple plant hosts. Based on multilocus phylogenies from a combined dataset of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the ribosomal RNA gene cluster, and partial regions of translation elongation factor 1 alpha (tef1) and partial beta-tubulin (tub2), in conjunction with morphological characteristics, we describe and illustrate herein four new species, including Gnomoniopsis diaoluoshanensis sp. Nov., G. lithocarpi sp. Nov., G. mengyinensis sp. Nov. and G. yunnanensis sp. Nov. Alongside this, their similarity and dissimilarity to morphologically-allied and phylogenetically-related species are annotated and discussed. For facilitating future identification, we update the key to all species currently recognized in this genus.
Tourism centres efficiency as spatial unites for applying blue economy approach: A case study of the Southern Red Sea region, Egypt

This study aims to assess and analyse the efficiency of the tourism centres in the Southern Red Sea region, Egypt to apply coastal tourism development through the blue economy perspective. According to this aim, the study used two efficiency methods: Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Free Disposal Hull (FDH). A total of 29 tourism centres were selected to conduct the DEA and FDH methods. These efficiency methods (DEA-FDH) used inputs and outputs variables to estimate the efficiency of the tourism centres. The selected inputs were the length of the shoreline (km), area (ha), tourism investments (million EGP), quality of coral reefs, numbers of hotels, and tourism accommodation capacity. While the outputs were employees’ number and tourists’ number. The results indicate that, generally, the tourism centres in the Southern Red Sea region of Egypt showed high-efficiency scores, which reflects their good preparedness to implement the various coastal tourism development strategies from the blue economy perspective. The tourism centres in the Safaga-Quseir tourism sector were the most efficient ones, regardless of the efficiency models used. While the tourist centres representing the Ras Banas tourism sector were the least efficient centres in the whole sample (29 tourism centres).