Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Maternal Smoking on Nonsyndromic Clefts: Sex-Specific Associations With Side and Laterality

Objective: To compare the incidence of right-sided versus left-sided, and unilateral versus bilateral, nonsyndromic clefting in the affected offspring of smoking and nonsmoking mothers. Design: Self-report data on periconceptual and first trimester smoking behavior were collected from 842 mothers of children with nonsyndromic orofacial clefting. Differences in the incidence of left- versus right-sided clefts, and of unilateral versus bilateral clefts, were analyzed between the children of smoking and nonsmoking mothers. Setting: Interviews and clinical examinations took place at 8 specialist centers in Germany. Patients and Participants: Children with nonsyndromic clefts were recruited during the course of surgical or orthodontic treatment, or within the context of the annual control consultation. Patients with cleft palate only or missing data were excluded. The final cohort comprised 842 patients (540 males and 302 females) with unilateral or bilateral clefts. The respective mothers were interviewed. Main Outcome Measure: Side and laterality of nonsyndromic clefts were the main outcome measures. Results: Children of smoking mothers more often had right-sided clefts than children of nonsmoking mothers (42% right-sided clefts in children of smoking mothers vs 31% of nonsmoking mothers). Children of smoking mothers more often had bilateral clefts than children of nonsmoking mothers (35% bilateral clefts in children of smoking mothers vs 29% of nonsmoking mothers). Sex-specific analyses confirmed substantially and statistically significant associations only for girls. Conclusions: The results suggest that maternal smoking is a sex-specific, exogenous determinant of laterality and side in nonsyndromic clefts.
Biological control of postharvest diseases of grape, peach, and apple with the yeasts Kloeckera apiculata and Candida guilliermondii

A yeast, strain 138 of Kloeckera apiculata, isolated from the surface of grapes, was evaluated for its activity in reducing postharvest decay of grape, peach, and apple fruits. In an artificial infection assay in which detached grapes were immersed in an aqueous suspension of yeast cells (5×10 8 cfu/ml) and spray-inoculated with 10 3 sporangiospores per milliliter of Rhizopus stolonifer, strain 138 reduced decay, whereas strain 87 (=US-7) of Candida guilliermondii did not(.)
Oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases

Oxidative stress is a deleterious condition leading to neuronal cell death. The brain is particularly vulnerable to damage mediated by reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species, due to their high concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids, high rate of oxygen consumption, high content of metals catalyzing free radical formation. And finally, the brain is relatively deficient in antioxidant systems with lower activity of glutathione peroxidase and catalase compared to other organs. There is a lot of evidence indicating that oxidative stress plays crucial role in aging as well as in the development and pathology of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A number of ageing-related neurodegenerative diseases are associated with impaired mitochondrial function, increased oxidative damage, presence of abnormal, aggregated proteins, iron dyshomeostasis, and involvement of excitotoxicity and inflammation. Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by an abnormal accumulation of oxidatively damaged macromolecules inside the cells and in the extracellular space. The abnormal production by overactivated glial cells of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and the complement system, as well as reactive oxygen species, can disrupt nerve terminals activity and cause dysfunction and loss of synapses, which correlates with memory decline. This review discusses current knowledge about the involvement of oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases pathogenesis, focusing on impaired mitochondrial function, oxidative damage, presence of abnormal, aggregated proteins, iron dyshomeostasis, and functional responses of microglia.
Angiogenesis Inhibition in Prostate Cancer: An Update

Prostate cancer (PCa), like all other solid tumors, relies on angiogenesis for growth, progression, and the dissemination of tumor cells to other parts of the body. Despite data from in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies, as well as human specimen studies indicating the crucial role played by angiogenesis in PCa, angiogenesis inhibition in clinical settings has not shown significant benefits to patients, thus challenging the inclusion and usefulness of antiangiogenic agents for the treatment of PCa. However, one of the apparent reasons why these antiangiogenic agents failed to meet expectations in PCa can be due to the choice of the antiangiogenic agents, because the majority of these drugs target vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) and its receptors. The other relevant causes might be inappropriate drug combinations, the duration of treatment, and the method of endpoint determination. In this review, we will first discuss the role of angiogenesis in PCa growth and progression. We will then summarize the different angiogenic growth factors that influence PCa growth dynamics and review the outcomes of clinical trials conducted with antiangiogenic agents in PCa patients and, finally, critically assess the current status and fate of antiangiogenic therapy in this disease.
“Being Born like This, I Have No Right to Make Anybody Listen to Me”: Understanding Different Forms of Stigma among Thai Transgender Women Living with HIV in Thailand

ABSTRACT This study explores the ways Thai transgender women are affected by internalized, perceived, vicarious and enacted stigma. Participants were eleven Thai transgender women living with HIV, who were asked about experiences of stigma in their daily lives. Various forms of verbal, psychological and physical harassment were reported. Internalized stigma and stigma within the transgender community itself were significant. Participants tended not to blame their family members or others in their social structure for their experiences of stigma. They tended to see the solution to tackle the problem of stigma mainly in changes in the behavior of transgender women themselves. This paper suggests that transgender people themselves should better understand how the structure, culture and institutions of mainstream society instill, reinforce and perpetuate stigma against, within and among them. There is a need for advocacy directed toward manifesting societal emancipation of Thai transgender people—starting with legal reform.
Additional Value of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT Comparing to MRI in Treatment Approach of Anal Cancer Patients

Accurate staging and treatment planning are imperative for precise management in Anal Cancer (ACa) patients. We aimed to evaluate the additive and prognostic value of pre-treatment 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (2-[18F]FDG PET/CT) in the staging and management of ACa compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This retrospective study was conducted on 54 patients. Pre-treatment 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT studies and MRI reports were compared considering the primary tumor, pelvic lymph nodes, and metastatic lesions. The impact of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT in the management and its prognostic value, using maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), were assessed. Discordant findings were found in 46.3% of patients (5 in T; 1 in T and N; 18 in N; and 1 in M stage). 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT resulted in up-staging in 9.26% and down-staging in 3.7% of patients. Perirectal lymph nodes were metabolically inactive in 12.9% of patients. Moreover, 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT resulted in management change in 24.1% of patients. Finally, SUVmax provided no prognostic value. 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT altered staging and management in a sizable number of patients in this study, and supports a need for a change in guidelines for it to be used as a routine complementary test in the initial management of ACa.
Human skeletal muscle metabolic responses to 6 days of high‐fat overfeeding are associated with dietary n‐3PUFA content and muscle oxidative capacity

Understanding human physiological responses to high‐fat energy excess (HFEE) may help combat the development of metabolic disease. We aimed to investigate the impact of manipulating the n‐3PUFA content of HFEE diets on whole‐body and skeletal muscle markers of insulin sensitivity. Twenty healthy males were overfed (150% energy, 60% fat, 25% carbohydrate, 15% protein) for 6 d. One group (n = 10) received 10% of fat intake as n‐3PUFA rich fish oil (HF‐FO), and the other group consumed a mix of fats (HF‐C). Oral glucose tolerance tests with stable isotope tracer infusions were conducted before, and following, HFEE, with muscle biopsies obtained in basal and insulin‐stimulated states for measurement of membrane phospholipids, ceramides, mitochondrial enzyme activities, and PKB and AMPKα2 activity. Insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal did not change following HFEE, irrespective of group. Skeletal muscle ceramide content increased following HFEE (8.5 ± 1.2 to 12.1 ± 1.7 nmol/mg, p = .03), irrespective of group. No change in mitochondrial enzyme activity was observed following HFEE, but citrate synthase activity was inversely associated with the increase in the ceramide content (r=−0.52, p = .048). A time by group interaction was observed for PKB activity (p = .003), with increased activity following HFEE in HF‐C (4.5 ± 13.0mU/mg) and decreased activity in HF‐FO (−10.1 ± 20.7 mU/mg) following HFEE. Basal AMPKα2 activity increased in HF‐FO (4.1 ± 0.6 to 5.3 ± 0.7mU/mg, p = .049), but did not change in HF‐C (4.6 ± 0.7 to 3.8 ± 0.9mU/mg) following HFEE. We conclude that early skeletal muscle signaling responses to HFEE appear to be modified by dietary n‐3PUFA content, but the potential impact on future development of metabolic disease needs exploring.
Noninvasive Monitoring of Glycemia-Induced Regulation of GLP-1R Expression in Murine and Human Islets of Langerhans

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) imaging with radiolabeled exendin has proven to be a powerful tool to quantify β-cell mass (BCM) in vivo. As GLP-1R expression is thought to be influenced by glycemic control, we examined the effect of blood glucose (BG) levels on GLP-1R–mediated exendin uptake in both murine and human islets and its implications for BCM quantification. Periods of hyperglycemia significantly reduced exendin uptake in murine and human islets, which was paralleled by a reduction in GLP-1R expression. Detailed mapping of the tracer uptake and insulin and GLP-1R expression conclusively demonstrated that the observed reduction in tracer uptake directly correlates to GLP-1R expression levels. Importantly, the linear correlation between tracer uptake and β-cell area was maintained in spite of the reduced GLP-1R expression levels. Subsequent normalization of BG levels restored absolute tracer uptake and GLP-1R expression in β-cells and the observed loss in islet volume was halted. This manuscript emphasizes the potency of nuclear imaging techniques to monitor receptor regulation noninvasively. Our findings have significant implications for clinical practice, indicating that BG levels should be near-normalized for at least 3 weeks prior to GLP-1R agonist treatment or quantitative radiolabeled exendin imaging for BCM analysis.
Photosynthetic Characteristics of Three Typical Tree Species at Different Succession Stages of a Tropical Montane Rain Forest on Hainan Island,China

In order to explore the photosynthetic characteristics of tropical montane rain forest tree species at different successional stages on Hainan Island,the diurnal variations of the seedling's photosynthesis of three representative tree species(Endospermum chinense in the primary successional stage,Elaeocarpus dubius in the middle successional stage and Parakmeria lotungensis in the old growth stage) in four relative irradiance levels were studied by the pot experiments.Endospermum chinense had the strongest ability of leaf temperature controlling,which showed lower leaf temperature than Elaeocarpus dubius and P.lotungensis in the diurnal changes.Elaeocarpus dubius had the highest photosynthetic physiology plasticity.Elaeocarpus dubius was similar to Endospermum chinense on photosynthetic rate and lower than P.lotungensis on leaf temperature under sunny days,whereas it didn't differ significantly with P.lotungensis on photosynthetic rate and leaf temperature under cloudy days.Endospermum chinense and P.lotungensis had higher water use ability than Elaeocarpus dubius,which showed lower stomatal conductance and transpiration rate and higher water use efficiency.Endospermum chinense had higher photosynthetic capacity,which showed higher photosynthetic rate than P.lotungensis. The differences of plant species on photosynthesis capacity,leaf temperature control ability,photosynthetic physiology plasticity and water use ability had important effects on succession of plant community.
Early Fall Urban Bird Communities of Hobart, Tasmania

Urban bird communities of the city of Hobart, Australia, were surveyed in the early fall of 1988. Twenty-nine species of birds were observed at nine sites around the city center and its vicinity. Sites ranged from central urban areas where vegetation was virtually absent to eucalypt woodland almost completely dominated by native vegetation. Bird species were classified into 9 types (A-I) according to their preference for certain habitat types. These types were further grouped into "towners", "suburbia", and "woodlanders". The town communities were dominated by 4 introduced species. But introduced species were rare or absent in the woodland communities. In the town communities there were linear correlations between certain bird community attributes (bird density, number of species, and index of diversity) and habitat factors (percentage covers of tree, subtree, shrub and grass layers, total foliage vegetation cover rate, bare ground rate, builling cover rate and number of buildings), but the woodland communities differed sig- nificantly from these correlations. This contrast may result from either a lack of native vegetation in the older developed areas of Hobart City, or the occupation of natives species' niches by introduced bird species.
Prevalence of normal weight obesity and its associated cardio-metabolic risk factors – Results from the baseline data of the Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program (KDPP)

Background Cardiometabolic disorders are frequently observed among those who have obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI). However, there is limited data available on the cardiometabolic profile of those who are non-obese by BMI but with a high body fat percentage (BFP), a phenotype frequently observed in the Indian population. We examined the prevalence of individuals with normal weight obesity (NWO) and the cardiometabolic profile of NWO individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes(T2D) in a south Asian population. Material and methods In the Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program, individuals aged between 30 to 60 years were screened using the Indian Diabetes Risk Score(IDRS) in 60 rural communities in the Indian state of Kerala. We used data from the baseline survey of this trial for this analysis which included 1147 eligible high diabetes risk individuals(IDRS >60). NWO was defined as BMI within the normal range and a high BFP (as per Asia-pacific ethnicity based cut-off); Non-obese (NO) as normal BMI and BFP and overtly obese (OB) as BMI ≥25 kg/m2 irrespective of the BFP. Data on demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics were collected using standardized questionnaires and protocols. Body fat percentage was assessed using TANITA body composition analyser (model SC330), based on bioelectrical impedance. Results The mean age of participants was 47.3 ± 7.5 years and 46% were women. The proportion with NWO was 32% (n = 364; 95% CI: 29.1 to 34.5%), NO was 17% (n = 200) and OB was 51% (n = 583). Among those with NWO, 19.7% had T2D, compared to 18.7% of those who were OB (p value = 0.45) and 8% with NO (p value = 0.003). Among those with NWO, mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 129 ± 20; 78 ± 12 mmHg, compared to 127 ± 17; 78±11 mmHg among those with OB (p value = 0.12;0.94) and 120 ± 16; 71±10 mmHg among with NO (p value<0.001; 0.001), respectively. A similar pattern of association was observed for LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. After adjusting for other risk factors, the odds of having diabetes (OR:2.72[95% CI:1.46–5.08]) and dyslipidemia (2.37[1.55–3.64]) was significantly more in individuals with NWO as compared to non-obese individuals. Conclusions Almost one-third of this South Asian population, at high risk for T2D, had normal weight obesity. The significantly higher cardiometabolic risk associated with increased adiposity even in lower BMI individuals has important implications for recognition in clinical practice.
Structural equation modeling of safety performance based on personality traits, job and organizational-related factors

Purpose. This study investigated the relationship between three selected personality traits and contextual factors with safety performance. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out among the operational staff of a gas refinery (n = 487) in Iran. Structural equation modeling was used to model the factors affecting safety performance based on personality traits and job and organizational-related factors including consideration of future safety consequence, safety locus of control and impulsiveness, safety climate, job insecurity and role overload, and mediator roles of safety knowledge and safety motivation. Results. Structural equation modeling results indicated that consideration of future safety consequence was directly correlated with safety performance. Impulsiveness and safety locus of control were indirectly associated with safety performance through the mediator role of safety knowledge and motivation. Furthermore, job insecurity and role overload were partially and directly correlated with safety performance. Moreover, safety climate had a significant relationship with safety performance. Conclusion. Consideration of future safety consequence is a valid personality trait for predicting safety performance. It can therefore be used as an indicator in the employee selection process. Moreover, improving employee safety performance necessitates increased safety knowledge and motivation as well as improved occupational characteristics and safety climate.
Consequences of 22q11.2 Microdeletion on the Genome, Individual and Population Levels

Chromosomal 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) (ORPHA: 567) caused by microdeletion in chromosome 22 is the most common chromosomal microdeletion disorder in humans. Despite the same change on the genome level, like in the case of monozygotic twins, phenotypes are expressed differently in 22q11.2 deletion individuals. The rest of the genome, as well as epigenome and environmental factors, are not without influence on the variability of phenotypes. The penetrance seems to be more genotype specific than deleted locus specific. The transcript levels of deleted genes are not usually reduced by 50% as assumed due to haploinsufficiency. 22q11.2DS is often an undiagnosed condition, as each patient may have a different set out of 180 possible clinical manifestations. Diverse dysmorphic traits are present in patients from different ethnicities, which makes diagnosis even more difficult. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome serves as an example of a genetic syndrome that is not easy to manage at all stages: diagnosis, consulting and dealing with.
Value of surgical resection compared to transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus: A meta-analysis of hazard ratios from five observational studies

Backgrounds/Aims Although systemic therapy is recommended in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), treatment options for advanced HCC with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) are debatable. Recent studies have recommended other treatments, such as surgical resection (SR) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS) between the two modalities using previous reports in order to compare the two treatment options. Methods A systematic review was performed on previously reported data that compared the survival benefits of SR and TACE in patients with advanced HCC with PVTT. Thereafter, the meta-analysis was performed to determine the cumulative HR between the two different treatment groups. We used the HR and 95% CI directly from the original data, when available; however, if these data were unavailable, reconstruction was performed with the secondary data from the original Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Results A total of seven studies were eligible; however, 2 were excluded from the meta-analysis. The remaining 5 studies that included 1422 patients (SR group=559, TACE group=863) were studied for the meta-analysis. The median OS was longer in the SR group (8.2-64 months in SR vs. 6.6-32 months in TACE), proving that SR offered survival benefits. Moreover, the HR for the OS in the TACE group was 1.64 (95% CI, 1.43-1.88) compared to SR group, depicting that TACE was a less favorable option compared to SR. Conclusions There is evidence that SR may be a better viable option for advanced HCC with PVTT.
Effectiveness of surgical, KF94, and N95 respirator masks in blocking SARS-CoV-2: a controlled comparison in 7 patients

Abstract Background Data on the filtration efficacies of various masks against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are limited. We thus evaluate the effectiveness of the surgical mask, the N95 respirator mask, and its equivalent (KF94 mask) in filtering SARS-CoV-2. Methods Patients hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 infection were instructed to cough five times each while wearing (1) no mask, (2) surgical mask, (3) KF94 mask, and (4) N95 mask. The coughs were separated by 20-second intervals, and the patients were rested for at least 5 min between each setting. SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in patient samples (i.e. nasopharyngeal swabs and saliva), petri dishes placed in front of the patients during coughing, and swabs from the outer and inner surfaces of the masks were analysed with PCR. Results A total of 7 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection participated in the mask test. SARS-CoV-2 was detected on the petri dishes after coughing in 3 out of 7 cases with the surgical mask or no mask. Viral particles were not found in the petri dishes after coughing while wearing the N95 mask or the KF94 mask. While viral particles were detected in both the inner and outer surfaces of the surgical masks, those were detected only in the inner surfaces of the N95 and K94 masks. Conclusion Surgical masks were less effective in filtering viral particles from coughing patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. N95 masks and its equivalents efficiently blocked SARS-CoV-2 particles from coughing patients.