Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacotherapy and Lung Function Decline in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. A Systematic Review

Rationale: Whether pharmacological therapy alters decline in FEV1 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remains controversial. Because pharmacotherapy improves health status, exacerbation rate, and symptoms, it may be unethical to complete placebo-controlled long-term studies aimed at modifying FEV1 decline. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review of placebo-controlled pharmacological trials lasting ≥1 year to address the question of whether therapy alters FEV1 decline. Methods: A literature search for randomized trials that included repeated spirometry with at least one active and one placebo arm was conducted. Articles were excluded if study duration was <1 year, <3 spirometric measurements, or <100 subjects per arm. Study design was assessed using the Jadad score. To combine studies and find the estimated effect, we used random effects methodology to account for both within-study and between-study variation. Measurements and Main Results: There were 33,051 patients in the analysis (active component, n = 21,941; placebo, n = 11,110 in nine studies). The active treatment arms demonstrated a 5.0 ml/yr reduction (95% confidence interval, 0.8–9.1 ml/yr; P < 0.001) in the rate of FEV1 decline compared with the placebo arms. The relative FEV1 differences between active and placebo arms were within the range of differences reported for health status and for the exacerbation rate in the same studies. Conclusions: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pharmacotherapy ameliorates rate of lung function decline. The relative benefit observed is within the range of those reported for health status and exacerbations in the same studies. Guidelines should be adjusted according to these findings.
The Future of Linnaean Nomenclature

Griffiths, G. C. D. (Department of Entomology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada) 1976. The future of Linnaean nomenclature. Syst. Zool. 25:168-173.Linnaean nomenclature in its present form cannot represent phylogenies unambiguously when fossil species are included. It is possible to avoid this difficulty by discontinuing the classification of taxa into Linnaean categories. The features of the resulting unclassified hierarchy and the way in which newly discovered taxa may be inserted in it are explained. Taxa may be classified in different ways, for instance into age classes or into evolutionary grades. The Linnaean category names, with their essentialist connotations, are inappropriate in either case. The international codes of nomenclature should be concerned primarily with the rules for naming taxa and should not prescribe how classes (categories) should be named and used. The prescription of suffices to indicate categorical rank conflicts with the stated aim of the codes to promote stability of nomenclature, and should be discontinued. While binomial nomenclature will surely be retained, a difference of logical status between the forenames of Quaternary and earlier species will need to be recognized. [Classification; nomenclature; taxonomy. ] In my two recent theoretical papers (Griffiths, 1973, 1974) I have explained that the traditional form of the Linnaean hierarchy needs to be modified in order to represent the phylogenetic relationships between species; the present hierarchical schema can adequately represent only the relationships between Recent species, and cannot be extended to fossil species without internal contradiction. But I did not attempt to elaborate in detail the consequences for formal nomenclature. The present paper is intended to initiate debate among phylogenetic systematists about what formal conventions are needed to achieve the aim of representing phylogenies without ambiguity. The source of the problem lies in two incongruences between the conceptual model (an encaptic hierarchy of taxa assigned to a ranked sequence of classes or categories) and the reality which we wish to represent. First, the model is a nontruncated hierarchy, but real phylogenies form truncated hierarchies in which the endpoints (representing the extinction of terminal species) are not all equidistant from the beginning of the phylogeny (representing the origin of the ancestral species). Secondly, the model assumes that species occupy a fixed level in relation to taxa of other ranks, but this cannot be so when taxa are defined as parts of a phylogeny since there are species at all levels in the real course of phylogenies. Since my views on the nature of these problems have been presented in my previous papers (Griffiths, 1973, 1974), I will not repeat my explanation in detail here but suggest that any reader who does not understand the nature of these problems should read those papers before attempting to digest the rest
Mitophagy in degenerative joint diseases

ABSTRACT Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in aging and multiple degenerative diseases, including intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) and osteoarthritis (OA). Thus, the maintenance of mitochondria homeostasis and function is important. Mitophagy, a process that selectively clears damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria through autophagic machinery, functions to maintain mitochondrial quality control and homeostasis. IVDD and OA are similar joint diseases involving the degradation of cartilaginous tissues that are mainly caused by oxidative stress, cell apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. Over the past decade, accumulating evidence indicates the essential role of mitophagy in the pathogenesis of IVDD and OA. Importantly, strategies by the regulation of mitophagy exert beneficial effects in the pre-clinical experiments. Given the importance and novelty of mitophagy, we provide an overview of mitophagy pathways and discuss the roles of mitophagy in IVDD and OA. We also highlight the potential of targeting mitophagy for the treatment of degenerative joint diseases. Abbreviations: AD: Alzheimer disease; AF: annulus fibrosus; ADORA2A/A2AR: adenosine A2a receptor; AMBRA1: autophagy and beclin 1 regulator 1; BMSCs: bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells; BNIP3: BCL2 interacting protein 3; BNIP3L/NIX: BCL2/adenovirus E1B interacting protein 3-like; CDH6: cadherin 6; CEP: cartilaginous endplates; circRNA: circular RNA; DNM1L/DRP1: dynamin 1-like; ECM: extracellular matrix; HIF1A: hypoxia inducible factor 1: alpha subunit; IL1B: interleukin 1 beta; IMM: inner mitochondrial membranes; IVDD: intervertebral disc degeneration; MAPK8/JNK: mitogen-activated protein kinase 8; MFN1: mitofusin 1; MFN2: mitofusin 2; MIA: monosodium iodoacetate; RHOT/MIRO: ras homolog family member T; MMP: mitochondrial transmembrane potential; CALCOCO2/NDP52: calcium binding and coiled-coil domain 2; NFE2L2: nuclear factor: erythroid 2 like 2; NP: nucleus pulposus; OA: osteoarthritis; OPA1: OPA1: mitochondrial dynamin like GTPase; OPTN: optineurin; PRKN: parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase; PD: Parkinson disease; PGAM5: PGAM family member 5; PPARGC1A/PGC-1A: peroxisome proliferator activated receptor: gamma: coactivator 1 alpha; PHF23: PHD finger protein 23; PINK1: PTEN induced putative kinase 1; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SfMSCs: synovial fluid MSCs; SIRT1: sirtuin 1; SIRT2: sirtuin 2; SIRT3: sirtuin 3; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; Ub: ubiquitin; UBL: ubiquitin-like; VDAC: voltage-dependent anion channel.
A fluorescence labeling method for the study on antagonistic activities of Lactobacillus plantarum ST-III against enteric pathogens and its related mechanism

Objective To study the antagonistic activities of Lactobacillus plantarum ST-Ⅲ against the adhesion of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritis to Caco-2 cells and explicate the phenomena of bacterial adhesion and inhibition.Method Fluorescence labeling with CFDA-SE was used to study the change of adhesive ability to Caco-2 cells of the two pathogens;the mechanisms of antagonistic activities were investigated by chemical and enzymatic treatments and extraction of component on the cell surface.Result ST-Ⅲ showed significant capability to inhibit the adhesion of E.coli and S.enteritis to Caco-2 cells.ST-Ⅲ had a better antagonistic effects against E.coli than against S.enteritis in the same situations.Chemical and enzymatic treatments showed the S-layer protein or lipoteichoic acid might be involved in the adhesion of ST-Ⅲ to Caco-2 cells.After extracted,the S-layer protein showed significantly inhibitory efforts to the adhesion of E.coli,but could not inhibit the adhesion of S.enteritis. The lipoteichoic acid on ST-Ⅲ cells did not affect the adhesion of pathogens in all experiments.Conclusion The antagonistic effect of ST-Ⅲ against the adhesion of E.coli on Caco-2 cells was ascribed to competitive inhibition,whereas the adhesion of S.enteritis to Caco-2 cells was mainly resulted from steric hindrance.
Demographic Analysis of Insect Mass Rearing: A Case Study of Three Tephritids

We examine mass-production strategies for insects, using life table techniques. Harvesting of target stages and discarding of reproductives are viewed simply as the imposition of new mortality rates on a population. Demographic formulae are given for computing production rates and stage relations within a rearing facility and for determining age and size structure in released, sterile populations. The methods are applied to data relating to the rearing of three tephritid fruit flies— Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), Dacus dorsalis Hendel, and D. cucurbitae Coquillet. Both specific and general implications of the findings are briefly discussed.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF CLASS-SIZE REDUCTION IN PORTUGUESE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

This research emerges in the follow up of a research project, funded by the Portuguese Ministry of Education, which had a great impact, and which promoted a new legal regulation regarding the size of classes. The present research aims to promote a reflection toward the benefits derived from the classsize reduction, looking, in this sense, to demonstrate that the costs resulting from this are usually overvalued when they are determined on the basis of a worker's gross cost to the State, and not taking into account the corresponding net costs. For this academic exercise, it was considered the Portuguese case and the costs of a teacher for the public education system in Portugal. Keeping in mind a methodological approach designed to estimate not only gross costs, but, in the same way, the net costs of hiring a teacher at reference prices of 2015/2016, and crossing that cost with the projections of classes to be created in the Portuguese educational system, in the academic year of 2017/2018, starting from a scenario of reduction of the maximum number of students per class, it was estimated that the net costs of that measure will be in the order of 20 million euros, a significantly lower value to those usually assumed by policy makers and considered in the scientific debate on that measure of educational policy. In addition to these net costs, it is necessary to consider other factors that justify the use of a policy of reduction of classes in Portugal. These are the positive pedagogical effects on students' learning particularly in the most disadvantaged socioeconomic contexts -, the financial savings resulting from the amounts applied in programs to promote school retention, as well as a spillover effect in the medium to long-term resulting from a more educated population. If, to these factors, we still consider a scenario of a strong demographic decline in Portugal, it is demonstrated the opportunity and importance in reinforcing a policy of reducing the number of students per class in Portugal. This work aims to contribute to a better reflection on this subject, in Portugal and in other countries, sensitizing different educational actors for a closer approximation of the relationship between cost and direct and indirect benefits that may result from a policy of class-size reduction.
Effects of Water Restriction Following Feeding on Nutrient Digestibilities, Milk Yield and Composition and Blood Hormones in Lactating Holstein Cows Under Heat Stress Conditions

The effects of water restriction following feeding under heat stress conditions on nutrient digestibilities, milk yield and composition and some blood hormones in lactating Holstein cows were evaluated. The design was completely randomized with 30 high producing lactating Holstein cows (80.8±40.5 DIM) which were assigned to two treatment groups (15 cows per treatment). Treatments were free access to water (FAW) and 2 h water restriction (2hWR) following feeding. Average temperature-humidity index (THI) in the farm was over 80 throughout the experiment which defines heat stress conditions. Neutral detergent fibre, organic matter and ether extract digestibilities increased by water restriction (P<0.05); however, crude protein, acid detergent fibre, nitrogen free extract and dry matter digestibilities were not affected (P>0.05). Water intake was recorded daily during the digestibility period and was not different between FAW and 2hWR group (P>0.05). Fat corrected milk was higher in 2hWR group than FAW group (P<0.05). Milk fat was higher (P<0.05) in 2hWR group than the FAW group whereas milk protein, urea nitrogen, and solids not fat were not different among the treatment groups (P>0.05). Somatic cell counts were greater in 2hWR than FAW group (P<0.05). Free fatty acid concentration in blood was not affected by treatments (P>0.05). Blood prolactin and growth hormone were higher in 2hWR group than the FAW group (P<0.05). It is concluded that water restriction for 2 hours following feeding improved nutrient digestibility of some dietary components and increased milk fat percentage in lactating Holstein cows under heat stress conditions.
MUC1 and MUC5AC implication in Tunisian colorectal cancer patients

Background/aim Mucins, such as MUC1 and MUC5AC , are known for their protective and moisturizing role in intestinal epithelium. Their expression is tightly controlled given their essential role in normal tissue homeostasis, whereas their deregulation leads to chronic inflammation, and even cancer. This study aimed to assess the expression profiles of MUC1 and MUC5AC and their implications in colorectal carcinogenesis. Materials and methods A retrospective study of 202 patients who underwent colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery was conducted. The expression of MUC1 and MUC5AC was investigated by immunohistochemistry and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Statistical analysis of mucin expression pattern, as well as the clinicopathological criteria of the patients, was performed using the chi-square test, survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan—Meier product-limit method, and differences between the survival curves were tested using the log-rank test. Results The expression of both mucins was abnormally high in the tumor tissues for both mRNA and protein. MUC1 expression was correlated with advanced cancer stages and lymph node metastases for both the mRNA (P < 0.016 and P < 0.002, respectively) and protein level (P < 0.006 and P < 0.001, respectively). However, MUC5AC expression did not pinpoint any significant association between the clinicopathological criteria, but patients who expressed MUC5AC showed an increase in overall survival (P < 0.009). Conclusion The expression of MUC1 might be a poor prognostic biomarker in CRC and could play a role in tumor transformation and metastasis. However, MUC5AC expression might be a good prognostic in the Tunisian cohort.
Embedding two-dimensional graphene array in ceramic matrix

Ceramic matrix composites containing two-dimensional graphene array show outstanding mechanical and frictional properties. Dispersing two-dimensional (2D) graphene sheets in 3D material matrix becomes a promising route to access the exceptional mechanical and electrical properties of individual graphene sheets in bulk quantities for macroscopic applications. However, this is highly restricted by the uncontrolled distribution and orientation of the graphene sheets in 3D structures as well as the weak graphene-matrix bonding and poor load transfer. Here, we propose a previously unreported avenue to embed ordered 2D graphene array into ceramics matrix, where the catastrophic fracture failure mode of brittle ceramics was transformed into stable crack propagation behavior with 250 to 500% improvement in the mechanical toughness. An unprecedentedly low dry sliding friction coefficient of 0.06 in bulk ceramics was obtained mainly due to the inhibition of the microcrack propagation by the ordered 2D graphene array. These unique and low-cost 2D graphene array/ceramic composites may find applications in severe environments with superior structural and functional properties.
Slow-wave sleep is associated with incident hypertension in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a cross-sectional study

Objective This study aimed to examine the association between slow-wave sleep ([SWS] N3 stage) and the risk of hypertension in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or primary snorers. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study of 1145 participants who were evaluated for suspected OSA at our Sleep Medical Center were included. Among these participants, 1022 had OSA and 123 were primary snorers. Logistic regression modeling was performed to evaluate the association between the prevalence of hypertension and combined OSA and SWS based on polysomnographic measurements. Results Patients with OSA in the lowest SWS quartile (quartile 1, < 2.0%) showed a two-fold increased risk of hypertension after adjustment for confounding factors compared with primary snorers (odds ratio, 2.13 [95% confidence interval 1.54–2.06]). In logistic analysis stratified according to SWS quartiles, there was no significant difference in the risk of hypertension between patients with OSA and primary snorers in quartile 1. However, in the highest quartile (quartile 4), SWS was significantly associated with incident hypertension in patients with OSA rather than primary snorers. Conclusion SWS is associated with prevalent hypertension in patients with OSA. Notably, a low proportion of SWS confers a stronger association with incident hypertension than OSA.
Patient Care Documentation in the Secondary School Setting: Unique Challenges and Needs.

CONTEXT Athletic trainers (ATs) recognize patient care documentation as an important part of clinical practice. However, ATs using 1 electronic medical record (EMR) platform reported low accountability and lack of time as barriers to documentation. Whether ATs using paper, other EMRs, or a combined paper-electronic system exhibit similar behaviors or experience similar challenges is unclear. OBJECTIVE To explore ATs' documentation behaviors and perceived challenges while using various systems to document patient care in the secondary school setting. DESIGN Qualitative study. SETTING Individual telephone interviews. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Twenty ATs (12 women, 8 men; age = 38 ± 14 years; clinical experience = 15 ± 13 years; from National Athletic Trainers' Association Districts 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10) were recruited via purposeful and snowball-sampling techniques. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two investigators conducted semistructured interviews, which were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Following the consensual qualitative research tradition, 3 researchers independently coded transcripts in 4 rounds using a codebook to confirm codes, themes, and data saturation. Multiple researchers, member checking, and peer reviewing were the methods used to triangulate data and enhance trustworthiness. RESULTS The secondary school setting was central to 3 themes. The ATs identified challenges to documentation, including lack of time due to high patient volume and multiple providers or locations where care was provided. Oftentimes, these challenges affected their documentation behaviors, including the process of and criteria for whether to document or not, content documented, and location and timing of documentation. To enhance patient care documentation, ATs described the need for more professional development, including resources or specific guidelines and viewing how documentation has been used to improve clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS Challenges particular to the secondary school setting affected ATs' documentation behaviors, regardless of the system used to document care. Targeted professional development is needed to promote best practices in patient care documentation.
Tracking and Analyzing Public Emotion Evolutions During COVID-19: A Case Study from the Event-Driven Perspective on Microblogs

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused substantial panic worldwide since its outbreak in December 2019. This study uses social networks to track the evolution of public emotion during COVID-19 in China and analyzes the root causes of these public emotions from an event-driven perspective. Methods: A dataset was constructed using microblogs (n = 125,672) labeled with COVID-19-related super topics (n = 680) from 40,891 users from 1 December 2019 to 17 February 2020. Based on the skeleton and key change points of COVID-19 extracted from microblogging contents, we tracked the public’s emotional evolution modes (accumulated emotions, emotion covariances, and emotion transitions) by time phase and further extracted the details of dominant social events. Results: Public emotions showed different evolution modes during different phases of COVID-19. Events about the development of COVID-19 remained hot, but generally declined, and public attention shifted to other aspects of the epidemic (e.g., encouragement, support, and treatment). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the public’s feedback on COVID-19 predated official accounts on the microblog platform. There were clear differences in the trending events that large users (users with many fans and readings) and common users paid attention to during each phase of COVID-19.
Spoilage potential of a novel group of bacteria isolated from dairy products

Cold-tolerant bacteria, also known as psychrotrophic bacteria, are notorious contaminants of milk in the refrigerated dairy food chain. These organisms, especially the pseudomonads, may produce heat-resistant enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown of proteins and lipids in milk and dairy products. Such reactions result in a variety of defects in the raw or unprocessed milk that may affect the suitability of such milk for further processing. The enzymes produced may cause defects in long-life dairy products such as cheese, butter and long-life milk. In the present study, a range of 18 yellow pigmented psychrotrophic bacteria, collectively known as flavobacteria, were isolated from local dairy products. One aim of this study was to identify these bacteria to species level using molecular techniques. A second aim was to determine the spoilage potential of these organisms based on profiles generated by the BIOLOG system (that may relate to hydrolytic enzymes produced). Of the 18 isolates, 14 belonged to the genus Chryseobacterium while 4 were identified as Empedobacter isolates. The most active spoilage organisms in this group were shown to be C. bovis, C. shigense and E. brevis. These findings illustrate that enzymatically catalysed defects in dairy products should not be attributed solely to acknowledged psychrotrophic bacteria such as the pseudomonads, but that flavobacterial species may also be actively involved.