Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accelerometer-Measured Daily Step Counts and Adiposity Indicators among Latin American Adults: A Multi-Country Study

The aim of the present study was to examine the sex-related associations between accelerometer-measured daily step counts and adiposity indicators in adults from eight Latin American countries. We analyzed data from 2524 adults (aged 18–65 years) from the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health. Device-measured daily step counts were measured by accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X). The outcomes were body mass index (BMI; (kg/m2), waist and neck circumference (in cm). Overall, the mean of daily steps counts, BMI, waist and neck circumference were 10699.8, 27.3, 89.6, and 35.8. Weak and negative associations were observed between daily steps counts and BMI (r = −0.17; p < 0.05) and waist circumference (r = −0.16; p < 0.05); however, step counts was not associated with neck circumference. Daily steps counts were negatively associated with BMI (β: −0.054; 95%CI: −0.077; −0.012) and waist circumference (−0.098; −0.165; −0.030) independently of age and socioeconomic level. In men, there were significant negative associations between daily steps counts with BMI (−0.075; −0.119; −0.031) and waist circumference (−0.140; −0.233; −0.048), and in women, there was no significant association with either of the body composition indicators. The findings from this study need to be examined in prospective settings that use device-measured from Latin America.
Premature ovarian insufficiency: the need for evidence on the effectiveness of hormonal therapy

Abstract Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) – the loss of ovarian function before the age of 40 years, a decade before natural menopause – is a life-changing diagnosis for women. POI causes significant short-term and long-term morbidity related to estrogen deficiency. The condition is managed by providing exogenous estrogen replacement, usually as the oral contraceptive pill or hormone therapy. These preparations have different estrogen formulations and may have differing benefits and risks. At present, there are no robust data to inform clinical recommendations and women’s decision-making about treatment that they may be taking for many years. The POISE study (Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Study of Effectiveness of hormonal therapy) has been designed to determine whether hormone therapy is superior to combined oral contraceptives on important clinical outcomes and patient-reported symptoms, based on the hypothesis that hormone therapy provides more physiological continuous hormone supplementation with natural estrogens. The study is an open and pragmatic, parallel, randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome is absolute bone mineral density assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine after 2 years of treatment. The study will also investigate cardiovascular markers, symptom relief and acceptability of treatment, and will continue to collect long-term data on fractures and cardiovascular events. Results will inform future guidance on management of POI.
Efficacy of Electromyographic-Biofeedback Supplementation Training with Patellar Taping on Quadriceps Strengthening in Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome among Young Adult Male Athletes

This study compares the effects of electromyographic-biofeedback (EMG-BF)-guided isometric quadriceps strengthening with patellar taping and isometric exercise alone in patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) among young adult male athletes. Sixty young adult male athletes with PFPS participated in the study. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: (1) EMG-BF-guided isometric exercise training with patellar taping (experimental group, n = 30), and (2) sham EMG-BF training with an isometric exercise program (control group, n = 30). Participants conducted their respective exercise programs for five days per week across four weeks. Study outcomes were pain (measured by the visual analog scale), functional disability (measured by the Kujala Anterior Knee Pain scale), and quadriceps strength (measured by an ISOMOVE dynamometer). Measurements were taken at baseline, Week 2, Week 4, and during a follow-up at Week 6. The experimental group demonstrated significantly lower VAS score at Weeks 2 and 4 compared to that of the control group (p = 0.008 and 0.0005, respectively). The score remained significantly lower at the Week 6 follow-up compared to the control group (p = 0.0005). There were no differences in knee function at Weeks 2 and 4 between the two groups (p = 0.086 and 0.171, respectively); however, the experimental group showed significantly better knee function at Week 6 compared to the control group (p = 0.002). There were no differences in quadriceps strength at Week 2 between the two groups (p = 0.259); however, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher quadriceps strength at Weeks 4 and 6 compared to the control group (p = 0.0008). Four weeks of EMG-BF supplementation training with patellar taping demonstrated significant improvements in pain intensity, functional disability, and quadriceps muscle strength in young adult male athletes with PFPS.
In Vitro Susceptibility of Multi-Drug Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Causing Nosocomial Infections to Fosfomycin. A Comparison of Determination Methods

Introduction: Over the past few decades, Klebsiella pneumoniae strains increased their pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance, thereby becoming a major therapeutic challenge. One of the few available therapeutic options seems to be intravenous fosfomycin. Unfortunately, the determination of sensitivity to fosfomycin performed in hospital laboratories can pose a significant problem. Therefore, the aim of the present research was to evaluate the activity of fosfomycin against clinical, multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated from nosocomial infections between 2011 and 2020, as well as to evaluate the methods routinely used in hospital laboratories to assess bacterial susceptibility to this antibiotic. Materials and Methods: 43 multidrug-resistant Klebsiella strains isolates from various infections were tested. All the strains had ESBL enzymes, and 20 also showed the presence of carbapenemases. Susceptibility was determined using the diffusion method (E-test) and the automated system (Phoenix), which were compared with the reference method (agar dilution). Results: For the reference method and for the E-test, the percentage of strains sensitive to fosfomycin was 65%. For the Phoenix system, the percentage of susceptible strains was slightly higher and stood at 72%. The percentage of fosfomycin-resistant strains in the Klebsiella carbapenemase-producing group was higher (45% for the reference method and E-test and 40% for the Phoenix method) than in carbapenemase-negative strains (25%, 25%, and 20%, respectively). Full (100%) susceptibility categorical agreement was achieved for the E-test and the reference method. Agreement between the automated Phoenix system and the reference method reached 86%. Conclusions: Fosfomycin appears to be the antibiotic with a potential for use in the treatment of infections with multidrug-resistant Klebsiella strains. Susceptibility to this drug is exhibited by some strains, which are resistant to colistin and carbapenems. The E-test, unlike the Phoenix method, can be an alternative to the reference method in the routine determination of fosfomycin susceptibility, as it shows agreement in terms of sensitivity categories and only slight differences in MIC values. The Phoenix system, in comparison to the reference method, shows large discrepancies in the MIC values and in the susceptibility category.
“Watching the tsunami come”: A case study of female healthcare provider experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract As health systems rapidly respond to COVID‐19, it is unclear how these changes influence the experiences and well‐being of female healthcare providers (FHCPs), including the potential for FHCPs to develop compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress. We conducted qualitative interviews (n = 15) with FHCPs at three locations (Washington, California, and New York). Interviews explored FHCP's perspectives on how care delivery changed, processes of information delivery and decision‐making, gender inclusion, and approaches to managing stress and well‐being. An inductive coding process was used to generate themes. FHCPs described significant changes to the way they delivered care, and their work environments, during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Five themes emerged that characterized the experiences of FHCPs during COVID‐19, including conflicting feelings while providing care, managing information and decisions, balancing roles, coping and well‐being, and considerations for moving forward. FHCPs experienced many impacts to their professional and personal lives during COVID‐19 that further complicated their ability to manage stress and well‐being. The themes identified through this work offer important lessons about how to support the well‐being of FHCPs and signify the widespread potential for compassion fatigue among FHCPs as a result of COVID‐19.
Attention Drifting In and Out: The Boredom Feedback Model

We synthesize established and emerging research to propose a feedback process model that explicates key antecedents, experiences, and consequences of the emotion boredom. The proposed Boredom Feedback Model posits that the dynamic process of boredom resembles a feedback loop that centers on attention shifts instigated by inadequate attentional engagement. Inadequate attentional engagement is a discrepancy between desired and actual levels of attentional engagement and is a product of external and internal influences, reflected in objective resources and cognitive appraisals. The model sheds light on several essential yet unresolved puzzles in the literature, including how people learn to cope with boredom, how to understand the relation between self-control and boredom, how the roles of attention and meaning in boredom can be integrated, why boredom is associated with both high- and low-arousal negative emotions, and what contributes to chronic boredom. The model offers testable hypotheses for future research.
Biomarkers for Cancer Cachexia: A Mini Review

Cancer cachexia is a common condition in many cancer patients, particularly those with advanced disease. Cancer cachexia patients are generally less tolerant to chemotherapies and radiotherapies, largely limiting their treatment options. While the search for treatments of this condition are ongoing, standards for the efficacy of treatments have yet to be developed. Current diagnostic criteria for cancer cachexia are primarily based on loss of body mass and muscle function. However, these criteria are rather limiting, and in time, when weight loss is noticeable, it may be too late for treatment. Consequently, biomarkers for cancer cachexia would be valuable adjuncts to current diagnostic criteria, and for assessing potential treatments. Using high throughput methods such as “omics approaches”, a plethora of potential biomarkers have been identified. This article reviews and summarizes current studies of biomarkers for cancer cachexia.
3D Manufacturing of Glass Microstructures Using Femtosecond Laser

The rapid expansion of femtosecond (fs) laser technology brought previously unavailable capabilities to laser material processing. One of the areas which benefited the most due to these advances was the 3D processing of transparent dielectrics, namely glasses and crystals. This review is dedicated to overviewing the significant advances in the field. First, the underlying physical mechanism of material interaction with ultrashort pulses is discussed, highlighting how it can be exploited for volumetric, high-precision 3D processing. Next, three distinct transparent material modification types are introduced, fundamental differences between them are explained, possible applications are highlighted. It is shown that, due to the flexibility of fs pulse fabrication, an array of structures can be produced, starting with nanophotonic elements like integrated waveguides and photonic crystals, ending with a cm-scale microfluidic system with micro-precision integrated elements. Possible limitations to each processing regime as well as how these could be overcome are discussed. Further directions for the field development are highlighted, taking into account how it could synergize with other fs-laser-based manufacturing techniques.
Rosa platyacantha Schrenk from Kazakhstan—Natural Source of Bioactive Compounds with Cosmetic Significance

Plants belonging to the Rosa genus are known for their high content of bioactive molecules and broad spectrum of healing and cosmetic activities. Rosa platyacantha Schrenk is a wild-type species abundant in the mountainous regions of Kazakhstan. The phytochemical composition as well as the bioactivity of R. platyacantha extracts have not been fully investigated to date. In this study, various parts of R. platyacantha plant, collected in Almaty region, Kazakhstan, were used to prepare five hydroalcoholic extracts (R1–R5). The extracts were compared for the content of phytochemicals and selected biological activities, which are important for the potential cosmetic application of R. platyacantha. Extract R3, prepared from flower buds, showed the most significant antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory potential, decreasing the monophenolase and diphenolase activities of tyrosinase. Extract R3 showed also collagenase inhibitory activity and cytotoxicity against human melanoma cells A375, being less cytotoxic for noncancerous skin keratinocytes HaCaT. Analysis of fractions E and F, obtained from R3 extracts, revealed that quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, and their derivatives are more likely responsible for the tyrosinase inhibitory properties of R. platyacantha extracts.
The Role of p53 Signaling in Colorectal Cancer

Simple Summary The transcription factor p53 is a crucial tumor suppressor that regulates diverse cellular responses to protect against cancer development. Deactivating p53 signaling either by altering p53 regulators or by p53 mutations occurs frequently in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Forty-three percent of CRCs harbor p53 mutations that reduce wild-type p53 tumor suppressor activity and often provide neo-morphic functions, which contribute to tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarize wild-type p53 signaling, how it can be deregulated in CRC, and the functional and phenotypical effects of p53 mutations. We also discuss current therapeutic strategies of targeting p53. Abstract The transcription factor p53 functions as a critical tumor suppressor by orchestrating a plethora of cellular responses such as DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, cellular senescence, cell death, cell differentiation, and metabolism. In unstressed cells, p53 levels are kept low due to its polyubiquitination by the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2. In response to various stress signals, including DNA damage and aberrant growth signals, the interaction between p53 and MDM2 is blocked and p53 becomes stabilized, allowing p53 to regulate a diverse set of cellular responses mainly through the transactivation of its target genes. The outcome of p53 activation is controlled by its dynamics, its interactions with other proteins, and post-translational modifications. Due to its involvement in several tumor-suppressing pathways, p53 function is frequently impaired in human cancers. In colorectal cancer (CRC), the TP53 gene is mutated in 43% of tumors, and the remaining tumors often have compromised p53 functioning because of alterations in the genes encoding proteins involved in p53 regulation, such as ATM (13%) or DNA-PKcs (11%). TP53 mutations in CRC are usually missense mutations that impair wild-type p53 function (loss-of-function) and that even might provide neo-morphic (gain-of-function) activities such as promoting cancer cell stemness, cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, thereby promoting cancer progression. Although the first compounds targeting p53 are in clinical trials, a better understanding of wild-type and mutant p53 functions will likely pave the way for novel CRC therapies.
Current Understanding of Leaf Senescence in Rice

Leaf senescence, which is the last developmental phase of plant growth, is controlled by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Leaf yellowing is a visual indicator of senescence due to the loss of the green pigment chlorophyll. During senescence, the methodical disassembly of macromolecules occurs, facilitating nutrient recycling and translocation from the sink to the source organs, which is critical for plant fitness and productivity. Leaf senescence is a complex and tightly regulated process, with coordinated actions of multiple pathways, responding to a sophisticated integration of leaf age and various environmental signals. Many studies have been carried out to understand the leaf senescence-associated molecular mechanisms including the chlorophyll breakdown, phytohormonal and transcriptional regulation, interaction with environmental signals, and associated metabolic changes. The metabolic reprogramming and nutrient recycling occurring during leaf senescence highlight the fundamental role of this developmental stage for the nutrient economy at the whole plant level. The strong impact of the senescence-associated nutrient remobilization on cereal productivity and grain quality is of interest in many breeding programs. This review summarizes our current knowledge in rice on (i) the actors of chlorophyll degradation, (ii) the identification of stay-green genotypes, (iii) the identification of transcription factors involved in the regulation of leaf senescence, (iv) the roles of leaf-senescence-associated nitrogen enzymes on plant performance, and (v) stress-induced senescence. Compiling the different advances obtained on rice leaf senescence will provide a framework for future rice breeding strategies to improve grain yield.
Surface Treatment of the Dental Implant with Hyaluronic Acid: An Overview of Recent Data

Recently, interest has grown by focusing on the evaluation of a molecule already produced in the human body such as hyaluronic acid (HA), as an application to the surface of the titanium implant. Its osteo-conductive characteristics and positive interaction with the progenitor cells responsible for bone formation, consequently, make it responsible for secondary stability. The aim of this work was to analyze the various surface treatments in titanium implants, demonstrating that the topography and surface chemistry of biomaterials can correlate with the host response; also focusing on the addition of HA to the implant surface and assessing the biological implications during early stages of recovery. Used as a coating, HA acts on the migration, adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of cell precursors on titanium implants by improving the connection between implant and bone. Furthermore, the improvement of the bioactivity of the implant surfaces through HA could therefore facilitate the positioning of the dental prosthesis precisely in the early loading phase, thus satisfying the patients’ requests. It is important to note that all the findings should be supported by further experimental studies in animals as well as humans to evaluate and confirm the use of HA in any field of dentistry.
Integration of Urinary EN2 Protein & Cell-Free RNA Data in the Development of a Multivariable Risk Model for the Detection of Prostate Cancer Prior to Biopsy

Simple Summary Prostate cancer is a disease responsible for a large proportion of all male cancer deaths but there is a high chance that a patient will die with the disease rather than from. Therefore, there is a desperate need for improvements in diagnosing and predicting outcomes for prostate cancer patients to minimise overdiagnosis and overtreatment whilst appropriately treating men with aggressive disease, especially if this can be done without taking an invasive biopsy. In this work we develop a test that predicts whether a patient has prostate cancer and how aggressive the disease is from a urine sample. This model combines the measurement of a protein-marker called EN2 and the levels of 10 genes measured in urine and proves that integration of information from multiple, non-invasive biomarker sources has the potential to greatly improve how patients with a clinical suspicion of prostate cancer are risk-assessed prior to an invasive biopsy. Abstract The objective is to develop a multivariable risk model for the non-invasive detection of prostate cancer prior to biopsy by integrating information from clinically available parameters, Engrailed-2 (EN2) whole-urine protein levels and data from urinary cell-free RNA. Post-digital-rectal examination urine samples collected as part of the Movember Global Action Plan 1 study which has been analysed for both cell-free-RNA and EN2 protein levels were chosen to be integrated with clinical parameters (n = 207). A previously described robust feature selection framework incorporating bootstrap resampling and permutation was applied to the data to generate an optimal feature set for use in Random Forest models for prediction. The fully integrated model was named ExoGrail, and the out-of-bag predictions were used to evaluate the diagnostic potential of the risk model. ExoGrail risk (range 0–1) was able to determine the outcome of an initial trans-rectal ultrasound guided (TRUS) biopsy more accurately than clinical standards of care, predicting the presence of any cancer with an area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) = 0.89 (95% confidence interval(CI): 0.85–0.94), and discriminating more aggressive Gleason ≥ 3 + 4 disease returning an AUC = 0.84 (95% CI: 0.78–0.89). The likelihood of more aggressive disease being detected significantly increased as ExoGrail risk score increased (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.21 per 0.1 ExoGrail increase, 95% CI: 1.91–2.59). Decision curve analysis of the net benefit of ExoGrail showed the potential to reduce the numbers of unnecessary biopsies by 35% when compared to current standards of care. Integration of information from multiple, non-invasive biomarker sources has the potential to greatly improve how patients with a clinical suspicion of prostate cancer are risk-assessed prior to an invasive biopsy.