Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HAPPY MAMA Project (PART 1). Assessing the Reliability of the Italian Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS-IT) and Parental Stress Scale (PSS-IT): A Cross-Sectional Study among Mothers Who Gave Birth in the Last 12 Months

The purposes of this study were: (1) to adapt two validated questionnaires used to evaluate maternal confidence (KPCS-IT) and maternal stress (PSS-IT) to the Italian context, in order to (2) measure the stress level and the self-efficacy in an Italian sample of mothers. The validation process has provided the construction of an online questionnaire. It was administered on a convenience mothers sample with at least a child aged 0–12 months, twice (T0 and T1) with a two day interval. Assessment of instrument stability over time was estimated by applying test–retest reliability between T0 and T1, and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the second aim. Italian mothers with at least one child living at home aged between 0–12 months were recruited. Statistical reliability methods were applied to assess the internal validity of the two questionnaires. PSS-IT was analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses in order to study the association between KPCS-IT, demographic and maternal characteristics. Statistical significance was established as p < 0.05. The Cronbach’s alpha reported a good level of internal consistency of the questionnaires: PSS-IT alpha = 0.862; KPCS-IT alpha = 0.801. 32% of the mothers declared low maternal confidence and the mean value of PSS-IT was 35.4 (SD = 8). The significant inverse correlation was found between the PSS-IT and the KPCS-IT (coeff = −0.353; p < 0.001): this means that a high level of perceived self-efficacy reduces the maternal stress level. The study identifies that interventions on maternal confidence can be useful to support mothers in the first months after delivery in order to prevent stress risk: the perceived self-efficacy is as a modifiable factor and the results of the study indicate that it significantly reduces the PSS-IT and EPDS scores. In future, more field trials are necessary in order to assess the realistic and feasible interventions on maternal confidence and competence to prevent maternal distress.
High-temperature phase transitions and domain structures of KLiSO4: studied by polarisation-optics, X-ray topography and liquid–crystal surface decoration

Abstract The transitions between the room temperature phase III (space group P63) and the two high-temperature phases II (Pcmn) and I (P63/mmc) of KLiSO4 and the domain structures generated by them were investigated by high-temperature polarisation optics (birefringence) and room-temperature X-ray topography, optical activity and nematic–liquid–crystal (NLC) surface decoration. The transition from the polar hexagonal phase III into the centrosymmetric orthorhombic phase II at 708 K leads, due to the loss of the trigonal axis and the radial temperature gradient of the optical heating chamber used, to a roughly hexagonal arrangement of three sets of thin orthorhombic {110} lamelleae with angles of 60° (120°) between them. The associated twin law “reflection m{110}orth” corresponds to the frequent growth twin m{101̅0}hex of phase III. The domains are easily ferroelastically switched. Upon further heating above 949 K into phase I (P63/mmc) all domains vanish. Upon cooling back into phase II the three domain states related by 60°(120°) reflections m{110}orth re-appear, however (due to the higher thermal agitation at 949 K) with a completely different domain structure consisting of many small, irregularly arranged {110}orth domains. Particular attention is paid to the domain structure of the hexagonal room temperature phase III generated during the re-transition from the orthorhombic phase II. Curiously, from the expected three twin laws inversion 1̅, rotation 2⊥[001]hex and reflection m{101̅0}hex only the latter, which corresponds to the frequent growth twinning, has been found. Finally a short treatise of the structural relations of the KLiSO4 high-temperature polymorphs is given.
The Bonar Score in the Histopathological Assessment of Tendinopathy and Its Clinical Relevance—A Systematic Review

This study aimed to perform a comprehensive systematic review, which reports the role of the Bonar score in the histopathological assessment of tendinopathy and its clinical relevance. To identify all of the studies that reported relevant information on the Bonar scoring system and tendinopathy, an extensive search of the major and the most significant electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central, ScienceDirect, SciELO, Web of Science) was performed. A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The extracted data included—year of study, geographical location, type of the study, radiological modifications, gender, number of patients, region of tendinopathy, mean age, control group, characteristics of the Bonar score and alterations in the scale, mean Bonar score, number of investigators, area of tendon investigation, clinical and radiological implications. An extensive search of the databases and other sources yielded a total of 807 articles. Eighteen papers were finally included in this systematic review, and of these, 13 original papers included the clinical and radiological implications of tendinopathy. Radiological evaluation was present in eight studies (both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US)). The clinical implications were more frequent and present in 10 studies. Using the Bonar score, it is easy to quantify the pathological changes in tendinous tissue. However, its connection with clinical and radiological evaluation is much more complicated. Based on the current state of knowledge, we concluded that the neovascularization variable in the Bonar system should be reconsidered. Ideally, the microscopic assessment score should follow the established classification scale with the radiological and clinical agreement and should have a prognostic value.
Impact of Gut Microbiome Manipulation in 5xFAD Mice on Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Pathology

The gut brain axis seems to modulate various psychiatric and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Growing evidence has led to the assumption that the gut microbiome might contribute to or even present the nucleus of origin for these diseases. In this regard, modifiers of the microbial composition might provide attractive new therapeutics. Aim of our study was to elucidate the effect of a rigorously changed gut microbiome on pathological hallmarks of AD. 5xFAD model mice were treated by antibiotics or probiotics (L. acidophilus and L. rhamnosus) for 14 weeks. Pathogenesis was measured by nest building capability and plaque deposition. The gut microbiome was affected as expected: antibiotics significantly reduced viable commensals, while probiotics transiently increased Lactobacillaceae. Nesting score, however, was only improved in antibiotics-treated mice. These animals additionally displayed reduced plaque load in the hippocampus. While various physiological parameters were not affected, blood sugar was reduced and serum glucagon level significantly elevated in the antibiotics-treated animals together with a reduction in the receptor for advanced glycation end products RAGE—the inward transporter of Aβ peptides of the brain. Assumedly, the beneficial effect of the antibiotics was based on their anti-diabetic potential.
How Does the Dietary Intake of Female Field-Based Team Sport Athletes Compare to Dietary Recommendations for Health and Performance? A Systematic Literature Review

Field-based team sports present large energetic demands given their intermittent high-intensity nature. Current evidence suggests that the dietary intake of female athletes may be insufficient to meet such demands, resulting in negative consequences for athletic performance and health. The primary aim of this review was to therefore assess the adequacy of dietary intake of female field-based team sport athletes when compared to dietary recommendations. A systematic search of databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and OpenGrey, was performed from the earliest record available until July 2020, obtaining an initial total of 2588 articles. To be included within the final review, articles were required to provide a quantitative assessment of baseline dietary intake specific to the target population. A total of 20 studies (n = 462) met the full eligibility criteria. A majority reported that the dietary intake of female field-based team sport athletes was insufficient in overall energy (2064 ± 309 kcal·day−1), carbohydrate (4.3 ± 1.2 g·kg·day−1), and iron intake (13.6 ± 6.2 mg·day−1) when compared to recommendations. Future research is required to establish why female team sport athletes consistently demonstrate deficient dietary practices, and to explore the potential negative consequences of this.
The Design, Simulation and Fabrication of an Omnidirectional Inertial Switch with Rectangular Suspension Spring

An omnidirectional inertial switch with rectangular spring is proposed in this paper, and the prototype has been fabricated by surface micromachining technology. To evaluate the threshold consistency and stability of omnidirectional inertia switch, the stiffness of rectangular suspension springs is analyzed. The simulation result shows that the coupling stiffness of the rectangular spring suspension system in the non-sensitive direction is a little more than that in the sensitive direction, which indicated that the omnidirectional switching system’s stability is reinforced, attributed to the design of rectangular springs. The dynamic response simulation shows that the threshold of the omnidirectional inertial switch using the rectangular suspension spring has high consistency in the horizontal direction. The prototype of an inertial switch is fabricated and tested successfully. The testing results indicate even threshold distribution in the horizontal direction. The threshold acceleration of the designed inertial switch is about 58 g in the X direction and 37 g in the Z direction; the contact time is about 18 μs.
The Eyes Absent Proteins: Unusual HAD Family Tyrosine Phosphatases

Here, we review the haloacid dehalogenase (HAD) class of protein phosphatases, with a particular emphasis on an unusual group of enzymes, the eyes absent (EYA) family. EYA proteins have the unique distinction of being structurally and mechanistically classified as HAD enzymes, yet, unlike other HAD phosphatases, they are protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). Further, the EYA proteins are unique among the 107 classical PTPs in the human genome because they do not use a Cysteine residue as a nucleophile in the dephosphorylation reaction. We will provide an overview of HAD phosphatase structure-function, describe unique features of the EYA family and their tyrosine phosphatase activity, provide a brief summary of the known substrates and cellular functions of the EYA proteins, and speculate about the evolutionary origins of the EYA family of proteins.
Wearable Sensor-Based Real-Time Gait Detection: A Systematic Review

Gait analysis has traditionally been carried out in a laboratory environment using expensive equipment, but, recently, reliable, affordable, and wearable sensors have enabled integration into clinical applications as well as use during activities of daily living. Real-time gait analysis is key to the development of gait rehabilitation techniques and assistive devices such as neuroprostheses. This article presents a systematic review of wearable sensors and techniques used in real-time gait analysis, and their application to pathological gait. From four major scientific databases, we identified 1262 articles of which 113 were analyzed in full-text. We found that heel strike and toe off are the most sought-after gait events. Inertial measurement units (IMU) are the most widely used wearable sensors and the shank and foot are the preferred placements. Insole pressure sensors are the most common sensors for ground-truth validation for IMU-based gait detection. Rule-based techniques relying on threshold or peak detection are the most widely used gait detection method. The heterogeneity of evaluation criteria prevented quantitative performance comparison of all methods. Although most studies predicted that the proposed methods would work on pathological gait, less than one third were validated on such data. Clinical applications of gait detection algorithms were considered, and we recommend a combination of IMU and rule-based methods as an optimal solution.
Analytical Methods for the Determination of Neuroactive Steroids

Neuroactive steroids are a family of all steroid-based compounds, of both natural and synthetic origin, which can affect the nervous system functions. Their biosynthesis occurs directly in the nervous system (so-called neurosteroids) or in peripheral endocrine tissues (hormonal steroids). Steroid hormone levels may fluctuate due to physiological changes during life and various pathological conditions affecting individuals. A deeper understanding of neuroactive steroids’ production, in addition to reliable monitoring of their levels in various biological matrices, may be useful in the prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of some neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. The aim of this review is to highlight the most relevant methods currently available for analysis of neuroactive steroids, with an emphasis on immunoanalytical methods and gas, or liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry.
High-Performance-Based Perovskite-Supported Nanocomposite for the Development of Green Energy Device Applications: An Overview

Perovskite-based electrode catalysts are the most promising potential candidate that could bring about remarkable scientific advances in widespread renewable energy-storage devices, especially supercapacitors, batteries, fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells, and solar-cell applications. This review demonstrated that perovskite composites are used as advanced electrode materials for efficient energy-storage-device development with different working principles and various available electrochemical technologies. Research efforts on increasing energy-storage efficiency, a wide range of electro-active constituents, and a longer lifetime of the various perovskite materials are discussed in this review. Furthermore, this review describes the prospects, widespread available materials, properties, synthesis strategies, uses of perovskite-supported materials, and our views on future perspectives of high-performance, next-generation sustainable-energy technology.
Childhood Maltreatment and Its Interaction with Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis Activity and the Remission Status of Major Depression: Effects on Functionality and Quality of Life

Relationships among childhood maltreatment (CM), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis disturbances, major depressive disorder (MDD), poor functionality, and lower quality of life (QoL) in adulthood have been described. We aimed to study the roles of the remission status of depression and HPA axis function in the relationships between CM and functionality and QoL. Ninety-seven patients with MDD and 97 healthy controls were included. The cortisol awakening response, cortisol suppression ratio in the dexamethasone suppression test, and diurnal cortisol slope were assessed. Participants completed measures of psychopathology, CM, functionality, and QoL. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to study the relationships between CM and functionality and QoL. Only non-remitted MDD patients showed lower functionality and QoL than controls, indicating that depressive symptoms may partly predict functionality and QoL. Cortisol measures did not differ between remitted and non-remitted patients. Although neither HPA axis measures nor depression remission status were consistently associated with functionality or QoL, these factors moderated the effects of CM on functionality and QoL. In conclusion, subtle neurobiological dysfunctions in stress-related systems could help to explain diminished functionality and QoL in individuals with CM and MDD and contribute to the persistence of these impairments even after the remission of depressive symptoms.
Psychosocial Factors, Smoke-Free Restrictions, and Media Exposure in Relation to Smoking-Related Attitudes and Behaviors among Adults in Armenia and Georgia

Background: Perceived harm, social influences, smoke-free policies, and media exposure have been understudied in relation to tobacco-related attitudes/behaviors in aggregate or in low and middle-income countries; thus, this study examined these factors collectively in relation to smoking-related outcomes among Armenian and Georgian adults. Methods: Using 2018 cross-sectional survey data (n = 1456), multivariable regression analyses examined these factors in relation to smoking status, perceived harm among nonsmokers, and readiness to quit and past-year quit attempts among smokers. Results: Significant predictors (p < 0.05) of current smoking (27.3%) included lower perceived harm, more smoking friends, and fewer home and vehicle restrictions. Among nonsmokers, more home and restaurant/bar restrictions, fewer vehicle restrictions, greater anti-tobacco media exposure, and less pro-tobacco media exposure predicted greater perceived harm. Among smokers, greater perceived social acceptability of smoking, less anti-tobacco media exposure, and greater pro-tobacco media exposure predicted readiness to quit (12.7% of smokers). More smoking friends, more home restrictions, less anti-tobacco media exposure, and greater pro-tobacco media exposure predicted past-year quit attempts (19.2%). Conclusions: Findings support the importance of smoke-free policies but were counterintuitive regarding the roles of social and media influences, underscoring the need to better understand how to address these influences, particularly in countries with high smoking rates.
Benefits of Local Treatment Including External Radiotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Invasion

Simple Summary The benefit of local treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal invasion is unclear. Radiotherapy can technically palliate vessel-invasive HCC; however, the survival benefit has not been confirmed. Local treatment including radiotherapy showed a survival benefit in large propensity score-matched cohorts (median survival: 8 vs. 2 months, p < 0.001). The benefit persisted among patients with Child-Pugh class A and B liver function. Our results represent community-level data from all Korean administrative districts. Abstract We aimed to identify the oncologic benefits of local treatment including radiotherapy (LRT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invading the portal vein. We used clinical data of patients with HCC invading the portal vein from 2008 to 2014 provided by 50 hospitals nationwide. A total of 1163 patients were included in the analysis. The LRT group was younger than the best supportive care (BSC) group (p < 0.001). The mean Child-Pugh score of the LRT group (6.1) was significantly lower than that of the BSC group (7.7) (p < 0.001). Propensity score-matched analysis generated 222 pairs. The median survival of all patients, LRT, and BSC groups were 5.0, 8.0, and 2.0 months, respectively. The overall survival (OS) rates in the LRT and BSC groups were 34.2% and 16.2% at one year, and 12.6% and 6.8% at two years, respectively (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that LRT (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.32–0.52), age >60 years, extrahepatic metastases, tumor size ≥10 cm, and Child-Pugh class (CPC) B or C were independent predictors of higher mortality (all p < 0.05). Statistical differences in survival were maintained in all CPC-albumin-bilirubin classes (all p < 0.05). LRT was significant in patients with HCC with portal invasion, valid for patients with CPC A and B.
A COVID-19 Rehabilitation Prospective Surveillance Model for Use by Physiotherapists

The long-term sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are only now beginning to be defined, but it is already known that the disease can have direct and indirect impacts mainly on the cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular systems and may affect mental health. A role for rehabilitation professionals from all disciplines in addressing COVID-19 sequelae is recognised, but it is essential that patient assessment be systematic if health complications are to be identified and treated and, if possible, prevented. The aim is to present a COVID-19 prospective surveillance model based on sensitive and easily used assessment tools, which is urgently required. Following the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Level of Evidence Tool, an expert team in cardiorespiratory, neuromuscular and mental health worked via telemeetings to establish a model that provides guidelines to rehabilitation professionals working with patients who require rehabilitation after suffering from COVID-19. A COVID-19 prospective surveillance model is proposed for use by rehabilitation professionals and includes both face-to-face and telematic monitoring components. This model should facilitate the early identification and management of long-term COVID-19 sequelae, thus responding to an arising need.
Atherothrombosis in Acute Coronary Syndromes—From Mechanistic Insights to Targeted Therapies

The atherothrombotic substrates for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) consist of plaque ruptures, erosions and calcified nodules, while the non-atherothrombotic etiologies, such as spontaneous coronary artery dissection, coronary artery spasm and coronary embolism are the rarer causes of ACS. The purpose of this comprehensive review is to (1) summarize the histopathologic insights into the atherothrombotic plaque subtypes in acute ACS from postmortem studies; (2) provide a brief overview of atherogenesis, while mainly focusing on the events that lead to plaque destabilization and disruption; (3) summarize mechanistic data from clinical studies that have used intravascular imaging, including high-resolution optical coherence tomography, to assess culprit plaque morphology and its underlying pathobiology, especially the newly described role of innate and adaptive immunity in ACS secondary to plaque erosion; (4) discuss the utility of intravascular imaging for effective treatment of patients presenting with ACS by percutaneous coronary intervention; and (5) discuss the opportunities that these mechanistic and imaging insights may provide for more individualized treatment of patients with ACS.