Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Personalized Treatment Suggestions: The Validity and Applicability of the Risk-Prevention-Index Social in Low Back Pain Exercise Treatments

Background: The back pain screening tool Risk-Prevention-Index Social (RPI-S) identifies the individual psychosocial risk for low back pain chronification and supports the allocation of patients at risk in additional multidisciplinary treatments. The study objectives were to evaluate (1) the prognostic validity of the RPI-S for a 6-month time frame and (2) the clinical benefit of the RPI-S. Methods: In a multicenter single-blind 3-armed randomized controlled trial, n = 660 persons (age 18–65 years) were randomly assigned to a twelve-week uni- or multidisciplinary exercise intervention or control group. Psychosocial risk was assessed by the RPI-S domain social environment (RPI-SSE) and the outcome pain by the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire (baseline M1, 12-weeks M4, 24-weeks M5). Prognostic validity was quantified by the root mean squared error (RMSE) within the control group. The clinical benefit of RPI-SSE was calculated by repeated measures ANOVA in intervention groups. Results: A subsample of n = 274 participants (mean = 38.0 years, SD 13.1) was analyzed, of which 30% were classified at risk in their psychosocial profile. The half-year prognostic validity was good (RMSE for disability of 9.04 at M4 and of 9.73 at M5; RMSE for pain intensity of 12.45 at M4 and of 14.49 at M5). People at risk showed significantly stronger reduction in pain disability and intensity at M4/M5, if participating in a multidisciplinary exercise treatment. Subjects at no risk showed a smaller reduction in pain disability in both interventions and no group differences for pain intensity. Regarding disability due to pain, around 41% of the sample would gain an unfitted treatment without the back pain screening. Conclusion: The RPI-SSE prognostic validity demonstrated good applicability and a clinical benefit confirmed by a clear advantage of an individualized treatment possibility.
Thickened liquids: do they still have a place in the dysphagia toolkit?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The use of commercially or naturally thickened liquids is a well-established treatment for patients with dysphagia to fluids, the aim of which is to improve swallow safety by minimizing risk of aspiration. Although the most recent systematic reviews conclude that this treatment lacks evidential support and leads to patient-reported worsening health and quality of life, thickened liquids continue to be used with patients with dysphagia across clinical settings. This review briefly summarizes the evidence and considers potential reasons for the apparent mismatch between the evidence and clinical practice. RECENT FINDINGS Continuing practice with thickened liquids is influenced by a range of factors, including gaps in clinical knowledge, inadequate patient involvement, a culture of common practice and a reliance on invalid surrogate studies or research lacking a credible association between thickened liquids and clinically meaningful endpoints. SUMMARY While awaiting further research, clinical decision-making about thickened liquids can be improved by considering the evidence of clinically meaningful endpoints, promoting shared decision-making with patients and underpinning practice with knowledge about the complex relationship between dysphagia, aspiration and pneumonia.
The prevalence and determinants of anaemia in Jordan.

Background Anaemia is a global public health problem particularly in low- and middle-income countries and may be associated with serious health consequences. Limited studies, if any, have examined the prevalence and risk factors of anaemia in Jordan at the national level. Aims This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anaemia in Jordan for both sexes at the national level and to identify high-risk population subgroups. Methods A national population-based household sample was selected from the 12 governorates of Jordan in 2017. A total of 1125 males and 2797 females aged between 18 and 90 years were included. The prevalence of anaemia, overall and among subgroups of the population was estimated using Hb level as per WHO definition. Results Results showed prevalence of anaemia to be 4.9% in males, 19.3% in non-pregnant females, and 27.4% in pregnant females. The age standardized prevalence rates were 4.9% in males and 19.3% in females. The age standardized prevalence rates were 4.9% in males and 19.3% in females. Anaemia was predominantly mild (males: 81%, non-pregnant females: 57%, and pregnant females: 65.2%). Sex, age, region, marital status, and education were significantly associated with anaemia. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) accounted for 68% of anaemic females and 38% of anaemic males. Conclusions The prevalence of anaemia in Jordan is lower than previously reported by WHO and the majority of anaemia was mild. Iron deficiency anaemia was the the most common type of anaemia, particularly in females. Flour fortification with iron and folic acid could have accounted for the decline of anaemia in Jordan.
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the most common chronic metabolic disease in children and adolescents. The etiology of T1D is not fully understood but it seems multifactorial. The genetic background determines the predisposition to develop T1D, while the autoimmune process against β-cells seems to be also determined by environmental triggers, such as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Environmental EDCs may act throughout different temporal windows as single chemical agent or as chemical mixtures. They could affect the development and the function of the immune system or of the β-cells function, promoting autoimmunity and increasing the susceptibility to autoimmune attack. Human studies evaluating the potential role of exposure to EDCs on the pathogenesis of T1D are few and demonstrated contradictory results. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize experimental and epidemiological studies on the potential role of exposure to EDCs in the development of T1D. We highlight what we know by animals about EDCs’ effects on mechanisms leading to T1D development and progression. Studies evaluating the EDC levels in patients with T1D were also reported. Moreover, we discussed why further studies are needed and how they should be designed to better understand the causal mechanisms and the next prevention interventions.
Effects of Ibuprofen Compared to Other Premedication Drugs on the Risk and Intensity of Postendodontic Pain: A Systematic Review

Objective: This systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of ibuprofen compared to other drugs on the risk and intensity of postoperative pain resulting from endodontic treatment in adult patients. Methods: A systematic search was carried out through Medline databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, Lilacs, and BBO). There was no restriction on the publication year or idiom. The gray literature was explored. The Periodicos Capes Theses Databases and ProQuest Dissertations were also searched, as well as the unpublished and ongoing trials registry and the IADR abstracts (1990–2016). Solely randomized clinical trials that compared the risk or intensity of pain resulting from endodontic treatment in adult patients were included in this systematic review. The risk of bias of the articles was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool. A random-effect meta-analysis was conducted for ibuprofen versus placebo and ibuprofen versus other drugs at 6, 8, and 24 hours. The GRADE approach was used to assess the quality of the evidence. Results: A total of 1132 studies were identified, and only seven meet the eligibility criteria. No difference between the groups was detected in any of the meta-analysis. An exception was observed when one study was removed from the meta-analysis of pain intensity at 24 hours for ibuprofen versus placebo, favoring ibuprofen (SMD −0.67; 95% CI −1.05 to −0.17). The quality of evidence in all meta-analyses was graded as low or very low. Conclusion: Results of the present systematic review indicate that there is no clear evidence supporting that preoperative ibuprofen is better than other drugs in reducing the risk and intensity of postendodontic pain.
High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Age-Related Ocular Diseases

There is limited understanding of the specific role of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the development of various age-related ocular diseases, despite it being a common measurable biomarker in lipid profiles. This literature review summarizes current knowledge of the role of HDL-C, if any, in pathogenesis and progression of four age-related ocular diseases, namely age-related macular degeneration (AMD), age-related cataract, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy (DR), and will primarily discuss epidemiological and genetic evidence.
Estimated Televised Alcohol Advertising Exposure in the Past Year and Associations with Past 30-Day Drinking Behavior among American Adults: Results from a Secondary Analysis of Large-Scale Advertising and Survey Data.

AIMS To estimate the volume of past year televised alcohol advertising exposure by product category and demographic group among adults living in the United States (U.S.) and test associations between estimated alcohol advertising exposure and past 30-day drinking behavior. DESIGN Secondary analysis of data from two national-level U.S. datasets: Kantar data on appearances of televised alcohol advertisements and data from the Simmons National Consumer Survey (NCS), a large national mail survey on television viewing patterns and product use. SETTING United States PARTICIPANTS: 54,671 adults, ages 21 and older, who were randomly selected to participate in the Simmons NCS. MEASUREMENTS Estimated exposure to televised advertisements for beer, wine, and spirits, self-reported alcohol use in the past year, number of drinks consumed in the past 30 days. FINDINGS The average respondent was exposed to an estimated 576 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 570-582] televised alcohol ads in the year preceding their survey. Exposure was higher among males versus females and African Americans versus Whites. A 1 percent increase in the estimated volume of ad exposure was associated with a 0.11 [95% CI 0.08-0.13] percentage point increase in the odds of having at least one drink in the last 30 days and, among past 30-day drinkers, a 0.05 [95% CI 0.04-0.07] percent increase in the number of alcoholic drinks consumed. Associations were consistent across product categories and demographics. CONCLUSIONS There appears to be a small but consistent positive association between alcohol advertising exposure and drinking behavior among American adults.
Synthetic and Crystalline Amino Acids: Alternatives to Soybean Meal in Chicken-Meat Production

Simple Summary There is a distinct possibility that synthetic and crystalline, or non-bound, amino acids will partially replace soybean meal in diets for broiler chickens and reduce the dependency of the chicken-meat industry on soybean meal as its principal source of protein. The genesis of this partial replacement will be the successful development of reduced-crude protein diets. A reduced-crude protein diet contains less soybean meal, and therefore less crude protein, but an increased array of essential and even non-essential non-bound amino acids so that requirements are met. There are, however, several challenges to be overcome if reduced-crude protein diets are to be successfully developed and adopted. Abstract This review explores the premise that non-bound (synthetic and crystalline) amino acids are alternatives to soybean meal, the dominant source of protein, in diets for broiler chickens. Non-bound essential and non-essential amino acids can partially replace soybean meal so that requirements are still met but dietary crude protein levels are reduced. This review considers the production of non-bound amino acids, soybeans, and soybean meal and discusses the concept of reduced-crude protein diets. There is a focus on specific amino acids, including glycine, serine, threonine, and branched-chain amino acids, because they may be pivotal to the successful development of reduced-crude protein diets. Presently, moderate dietary crude protein reductions of approximately 30 g/kg are feasible, but more radical reductions compromise broiler performance. In theory, an ‘ideal’ amino acid profile would prevent this, but this is not necessarily the case in practice. The dependence of the chicken-meat industry on soybean meal will be halved if crude protein reductions in the order of 50 g/kg are attained without compromising the growth performance of broiler chickens. In this event, synthetic and crystalline, or non-bound, amino acids will become viable alternatives to soybean meal in chicken-meat production.
The Effects of Cyanobacterial Bloom Extracts on the Biomass, Chl-a, MC and Other Oligopeptides Contents in a Natural Planktothrix agardhii Population

Blooms of the cyanobacterium Planktothrix agardhii are common in shallow, eutrophic freshwaters. P. agardhii may produce hepatotoxic microcystins (MCs) and many other bioactive secondary metabolites belonging mostly to non-ribosomal oligopeptides. The aim of this work was to study the effects of two extracts (Pa-A and Pa-B) of P. agardhii-predominated bloom samples with different oligopeptide profiles and high concentration of biogenic compounds on another natural P. agardhii population. We hypothesised that the P. agardhii biomass and content of oligopeptides in P. agardhii is shaped in a different manner by diverse mixtures of metabolites of different P. agardhii-dominated cyanobacterial assemblages. For this purpose, the biomass, chlorophyll a and oligopeptides content in the treated P. agardhii were measured. Seven-day microcosm experiments with four concentrations of the extracts Pa-A and Pa-B were carried out. Generally, aeruginosins (AERs), cyanopeptolins (CPs) and anabaenopeptins (APs) were the most numerous peptides; however, only 16% of them were common for both extracts. The addition of the extracts resulted in similar effects on P. agardhii: an increase in biomass, Chl-a and MC content in the exposed P. agardhii as well as changes in its oligopeptide profile were observed. MCs present in the extracts did not inhibit accumulation of P. agardhii biomass, and did not have any negative effect on MC and Chl-a content. No evidence for bioaccumulation of dissolved peptides in the P. agardhii exposed was found. As the two tested extracts differed considerably in oligopeptide composition, but contained similar high concentrations of nutrients, it seems that biogenic compounds, not oligopeptides themselves, positively influenced the mixed natural P. agardhii population.
Shape of the Cochlear Basal Turn: An Indicator for an Optimal Electrode-to-Modiolus Proximity With Precurved Electrode Type

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the shape of cochlear basal turn through basic cochlear parameters measurement. The secondary aim was to overlay an image of the precurved electrode array on top of the three-dimensional (3D) image of the cochlea to determine which shape of the cochlear basal turn gives optimal electrode-to-modiolus proximity. Materials and Methods: Computed tomography (CT) preoperative image-data sets of 117 ears were made available for the measurements of cochlear parameters retrospectively. Three-dimensional slicer was used in the visualization and measurement of cochlear parameters from both 3D and 2D (2-dimensional) images of the inner ear. Cochlear parameters including basal turn diameter (A), width of the basal turn (B), and cochlear height (H) were measured from the appropriate planes. B/A ratio was made to investigate which ratios correspond to round and elliptical shape of the cochlear basal turn. Results: The cochlear size as measured by A value ranged between 7.4 mm and 10 mm. The B value and the cochlear height (H) showed a weak positive linear relation with A value. The ratio between the B and A values anything above or below 0.75 could be an indicator for a more round- or elliptical shaped cochlear basal turn, respectively. One sized/shaped commercially available precurved electrode array would not offer a tight electrode-to-modiolus in the cochlea that has an elliptical shaped basal turn as identified by the B/A ratio of <0.75. Conclusion: Accurate measurement of cochlear parameters adds value to the overall understanding of the cochlear geometry before a cochlear implantation procedure. The shape of cochlear basal turn could have clinical implications when comes to electrode-to-modiolus proximity.
Effect of different electrical stimulation protocols for pelvic floor rehabilitation of postpartum women with extremely weak muscle strength

Abstract Background: Pregnancy is one of the main risk factor of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. Postpartum women with extremely weak muscle strength have difficulty to do voluntary pelvic floor muscle training. This study aims to evaluate the effects of different protocols of electrical stimulation in the treatment of postpartum women with extremely weak muscle strength. Methods: A total of 67 women were randomized into 2 groups: group A received transvaginal electrical stimulation (TVES) for 5 times, and group B received TVES for 3 times with electromyogram (EMG)-triggered neuromuscular stimulation twice. Subjects were evaluated before and after treatment. Pelvic muscle strength was measured by both digital vaginal palpation and EMG variables, and quality of life was investigated by 4 kinds of pelvic floor disease-related questionnaires. Results: According to the intention-to-treat principle, compared with baseline, in group A, EMG of contractile amplitude of endurance phase was significantly elevated (P = .03), variation of contractile amplitude in tonic phase was more stable after treatment (P = .004), and EMG of mean value of final rest was significantly elevated after treatment (P = .047). After 5 times treatments, the incidence of correct pelvic floor muscle contraction in group A was significantly elevated (P = .045). No significant difference of muscle strength test by digital vaginal palpation was detected between the 2 groups, so did questionnaires. Conclusion: For postpartum women with extremely weak muscle strength, TVES for 5 times might be more benefit for control ability of pelvic muscle contractions and elevating muscle strength even in short-time treatment.
Social and environmental risk factors for road traffic injuries among children under five in rural China

Abstract Background: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) have become a considerable issue for children. In China, RTIs are among the top 3 contributors to injury-related mortality and disability-adjusted life years. The present study aimed to evaluate social and environmental factors that may contribute to RTIs among children under 5 in rural areas of China. Methods: The study was based on 1 year of data (October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016) from the National Maternal and Child Health Surveillance System (NMCHSS) from all districts in 334 National Maternal and Child Health Surveillance Districts in 30 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Data were analyzed to identify environmental, social, and primary caregiver factors related to RTIs among children under 5. Results: Based on data for the 279 children registered in the NMCHSS during the study period, incidence of RTIs increased with increasing age and was higher for boys than girls. Risk of RTIs depended on distances from the child's home to roads and playgrounds. Enrollment in kindergarten and characteristics of primary caregivers affected risky road behaviors by children. Most primary caregivers (67.4%) reported never using child car seats, and 70.6% reported never using a child helmet. Among primary caregivers without a driver's license, 24.8% reported having driven motor vehicles or motorcycles. Conclusions: The living environment and behaviors of primary caregivers can affect risk of RTIs in children younger than 5 years in rural China. Road safety awareness should be strengthened at the community and kindergarten levels.
Squaring the EMC – how promoting membrane protein biogenesis impacts cellular functions and organismal homeostasis

ABSTRACT Integral membrane proteins play key functional roles at organelles and the plasma membrane, necessitating their efficient and accurate biogenesis to ensure appropriate targeting and activity. The endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex (EMC) has recently emerged as an important eukaryotic complex for biogenesis of integral membrane proteins by promoting insertion and stability of atypical and sub-optimal transmembrane domains (TMDs). Although confirmed as a bona fide complex almost a decade ago, light is just now being shed on the mechanism and selectivity underlying the cellular responsibilities of the EMC. In this Review, we revisit the myriad of functions attributed the EMC through the lens of these new mechanistic insights, to address questions of the cellular and organismal roles the EMC has evolved to undertake. Summary: The EMC is an important factor facilitating membrane protein biogenesis. Here we discuss the broad cellular and organismal responsibilities overseen by client proteins requiring the EMC for maturation.
Endogenous carbohydrate esterases of Clostridium thermocellum are identified and disrupted for enhanced isobutyl acetate production from cellulose

Medium‐chain esters are versatile chemicals with broad applications as flavors, fragrances, solvents, and potential drop‐in biofuels. Currently, these esters are largely produced by the conventional chemical process that uses harsh operating conditions and requires high energy input. Alternatively, the microbial conversion route has recently emerged as a promising platform for sustainable and renewable ester production. The ester biosynthesis pathways can utilize either lipases or alcohol acyltransferase (AAT), but the AAT‐dependent pathway is more thermodynamically favorable in an aqueous fermentation environment. Even though a cellulolytic thermophile Clostridium thermocellum harboring an AAT‐dependent pathway has recently been engineered for direct conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into esters, the production is not efficient. One potential bottleneck is the ester degradation caused by the endogenous carbohydrate esterases (CEs) whose functional roles are poorly understood. The challenge is to identify and disrupt CEs that can alleviate ester degradation while not negatively affecting the efficient and robust capability of C. thermocellum for lignocellulosic biomass deconstruction. In this study, by using bioinformatics, comparative genomics, and enzymatic analysis to screen a library of CEs, we identified and disrupted the two most critical CEs, Clo1313_0613 and Clo1313_0693, that significantly contribute to isobutyl acetate degradation in C. thermocellum. We demonstrated that an engineered esterase‐deficient C. thermocellum strain not only reduced ester hydrolysis but also improved isobutyl acetate production while maintaining effective cellulose assimilation.