Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Composition and Function of Chicken Gut Microbiota

Simple Summary Chickens evolved for millions of years to be hatched in a nest in contact with an adult hen. However, current commercial production of chickens is based on hatching chicks in a clean hatchery environment in the absence of adult hens. The ancestors of domestic chickens inhabited a living environment different from that used for current commercial production. Currently, the lifespan of broilers is around 5 weeks, the lifespan of egg layers is around one year while chickens can live for 15–20 years. This means that studies on chicken–microbiota interactions are of specific importance. The intestinal tract of commercially hatched chicks is gradually colonised from environmental sources only, however, if the chicks are provided experimentally with microbiota from a hen they can be colonised by adult-type microbiota from the very first days of life and become resistant to infections with pathogenic Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, or Salmonella. Because of such specificities in the interactions of chickens with their gut microbiota, current knowledge in this area is critically presented in this review. Abstract Studies analyzing the composition of gut microbiota are quite common at present, mainly due to the rapid development of DNA sequencing technologies within the last decade. This is valid also for chickens and their gut microbiota. However, chickens represent a specific model for host–microbiota interactions since contact between parents and offspring has been completely interrupted in domesticated chickens. Nearly all studies describe microbiota of chicks from hatcheries and these chickens are considered as references and controls. In reality, such chickens represent an extreme experimental group since control chicks should be, by nature, hatched in nests in contact with the parent hen. Not properly realising this fact and utilising only 16S rRNA sequencing results means that many conclusions are of questionable biological relevance. The specifics of chicken-related gut microbiota are therefore stressed in this review together with current knowledge of the biological role of selected microbiota members. These microbiota members are then evaluated for their intended use as a form of next-generation probiotics.
Protection Efficacy of Oral Bait Probiotic Vaccine Constitutively Expressing Tetravalent Toxoids against Clostridium perfringens Exotoxins in Livestock (Rabbits)

Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogen. Its main virulence factors are exotoxins, which are the etiological agents of enteritis necroticans and enterotoxemia caused in livestock (cattle, sheep, and rabbits). Here, we demonstrated effective immune protection for rabbits against α, β, and ε exotoxins of C. perfringens provided by an oral tetravalent bait probiotic vaccine delivering α, ε, β1, and β2 toxoids of C. perfringens. Results showed that the recombinant probiotic had good segregational stability and good colonization ability in the rabbit intestinal tract. Oral administration of the probiotic vaccine can effectively elicit significant levels of antigen-specific mucosa sIgA and sera IgG antibodies with exotoxin-neutralizing activity. Additionally, oral immunization with the probiotic vaccine effectively promoted lymphoproliferation and Th1/Th2-associated cytokine production. The protection rate of immunized rabbits with the probiotic vaccine was 80% after challenging rabbits with a combination of C. perfringens (toxinotypes A, C, and D) and exotoxin mixture, which was better than the 60% provided by a commercial inactivated C. perfringens A, C, and D trivalent vaccine. Moreover, obvious histopathological changes were observed in the intestinal tissues of rabbits in the commercial vaccine and PBS groups. The bait probiotic vaccine can provide effective protection against C. perfringens exotoxins, suggesting a promising C. perfringens vaccination strategy.
Chronic and Acute Toxicities of Aflatoxins: Mechanisms of Action

There are presently more than 18 known aflatoxins most of which have been insufficiently studied for their incidence, health-risk, and mechanisms of toxicity to allow effective intervention and control means that would significantly and sustainably reduce their incidence and adverse effects on health and economy. Among these, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has been by far the most studied; yet, many aspects of the range and mechanisms of the diseases it causes remain to be elucidated. Its mutagenicity, tumorigenicity, and carcinogenicity—which are the best known—still suffer from limitations regarding the relative contribution of the oxidative stress and the reactive epoxide derivative (Aflatoxin-exo 8,9-epoxide) in the induction of the diseases, as well as its metabolic and synthesis pathways. Additionally, despite the well-established additive effects for carcinogenicity between AFB1 and other risk factors, e.g., hepatitis viruses B and C, and the hepatotoxic algal microcystins, the mechanisms of this synergy remain unclear. This study reviews the most recent advances in the field of the mechanisms of toxicity of aflatoxins and the adverse health effects that they cause in humans and animals.
Improvement in the Anti-Tumor Efficacy of Doxorubicin Nanosponges in In Vitro and in Mice Bearing Breast Tumor Models

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline widely used in cancer therapy and in particular in breast cancer treatment. The treatment with DOX appears successful, but it is limited by a severe cardiotoxicity. This work evaluated the in vitro and in vivo anticancer effect of a new formulation of β-cyclodextrin nanosponges containing DOX (BNS-DOX). The BNS-DOX effectiveness was evaluated in human and mouse breast cancer cell lines in vitro in terms of effect on cell growth, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis induction; and in vivo in BALB-neuT mice developing spontaneous breast cancer in terms of biodistribution, cancer growth inhibition, and heart toxicity. BNS-DOX significantly inhibited cancer cell proliferation, through the induction of apoptosis, with higher efficiency than free DOX. The breast cancer growth in BALB-neuT mice was inhibited by 60% by a BNS-DOX dose five times lower than the DOX therapeutic dose, with substantial reduction of tumor neoangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Biodistribution after BNS-DOX treatment revealed a high accumulation of DOX in the tumor site and a low accumulation in the hearts of mice. Results indicated that use of BNS may be an efficient strategy to deliver DOX in the treatment of breast cancer, since it improves the anti-cancer effectiveness and reduces cardiotoxicity.
Denture Base Composites: Effect of Surface Modified Nano- and Micro-Particulates on Mechanical Properties of Polymethyl Methacrylate

The most commonly used denture base material, polymethyl methacrylate, lacks ideal mechanical properties, which are reflected in its relatively high failure rate. Several methods have been explored to reinforce the material and reduce the cost of denture repair and replacement. In this study, various surface modified filler particles at different concentrations were dispersed in conventional and high-impact denture base materials and tested for their improvement in mechanical properties. Inorganic filler particles were coated with different silane coupling agents using an ultrasonic device. The particulates were dispersed in the resin and the composites polymerised through an innovative dual-cure technique. Charpy impact test, single-edge notch three-point bend fracture toughness test and Biaxial Flexural Strength (BFS) were performed on the specimens. The results showed that mechanical properties of the denture base resin can be improved by incorporating filler particles; however, the surface characteristics, quantity and level of dispersion of the particles play critical role in the mechanical behaviour of the composites. The results of this study are a promising step towards developing more fracture-resistant denture base materials.
The Effect of Educational Interventions on Willingness to Work with Older Adults: A Comparison of Students of Social Work and Health Professions

ABSTRACT The study examined the effect of an educational intervention on the willingness of Israeli social work students to work with older adults, comparing them to students of nursing, speech therapy, and physiotherapy. A sample of 187 first-year students were divided into two groups: a research group (n=83) exposed to an educational intervention on ageing, and a control group (n=104) that received no intervention of any kind. Following the intervention, ageism among social work students in the research group decreased and positive behavior toward older adults increased. No significant differences were found among students of the health professions following the intervention. In addition, ageism mediated between knowledge of ageing and willingness to work with older adults.Furthermore, the higher the students assessed the contribution of the intervention, the lower their level of ageism, the more positive their behavior toward older adults, and the more willing they were to consider a career in geriatrics. The results suggest that introducing into the curriculum a variety of learning methods aimed at increasing knowledge of ageing and familiarity with the world of older adults is likely to encourage more students of social work and other therapeutic professions to work with the older population.
Cotranslational Folding of Proteins on the Ribosome

Many proteins in the cell fold cotranslationally within the restricted space of the polypeptide exit tunnel or at the surface of the ribosome. A growing body of evidence suggests that the ribosome can alter the folding trajectory in many different ways. In this review, we summarize the recent examples of how translation affects folding of single-domain, multiple-domain and oligomeric proteins. The vectorial nature of translation, the spatial constraints of the exit tunnel, and the electrostatic properties of the ribosome-nascent peptide complex define the onset of early folding events. The ribosome can facilitate protein compaction, induce the formation of intermediates that are not observed in solution, or delay the onset of folding. Examples of single-domain proteins suggest that early compaction events can define the folding pathway for some types of domain structures. Folding of multi-domain proteins proceeds in a domain-wise fashion, with each domain having its role in stabilizing or destabilizing neighboring domains. Finally, the assembly of protein complexes can also begin cotranslationally. In all these cases, the ribosome helps the nascent protein to attain a native fold and avoid the kinetic traps of misfolding.
Restoration of cortical symmetry and binaural function: Cortical auditory evoked responses in adult cochlear implant users with single sided deafness

Background Cochlear implantation for single-sided deafness (SSD) is the only treatment option with the potential to restore binaural hearing cues. Significant binaural benefit has been measured in adults by speech in noise and localisation tests, who receive a cochlear implant for SSD, however, little is known on the cortical changes that help provide this benefit. In the present study, detection of sound in the auditory cortex, speech testing and localisation was used to investigate the ability of a cochlear implant (CI) to restore auditory cortical latencies and improve binaural benefit in the adult SSD population. Methods Twenty-nine adults with acquired single-sided deafness who received a CI in adulthood were studied. Speech perception in noise was tested using the Bamford-Kowal-Bench speech-in-noise test, localisation ability was measured using the auditory speech sounds evaluation (AδE) localisation test and cortical auditory evoked responses, comparing N1-P2 latencies recorded from the normal hearing ear and cochlear implant were used to investigate the synchrony of the cortical pathway from the CI and normal hearing ear (NHe) with binaural hearing function. Results There was a significant improvement in speech perception in noise in all spatial configurations S0/N0 (Z = -3.066, p<0.002), S0/NHE (Z = -4.031, p<0.001), SCI/NHE (Z = -3.851, p<0.001). Localization significantly improved when tested with the cochlear implant on (p<0.001) with a shorter duration of deafness correlating to a greater improvement in localisation ability F(1:18) = 6.854; p = 0.017). There was no significant difference in N1-P2 latency recorded from the normal hearing ear and the CI. Conclusion Cortical auditory evoked response latencies recorded from the CI and NHe showed no significant difference, indicating that the detection of sound in the auditory cortex occurred simultaneously, providing the cortex with auditory information for binaural hearing.
Management of Ankle Arthritis After Severe Ankle Trauma.

OBJECTIVES There are still unanswered questions about the best treatment options for ankle arthritis after severe lower leg trauma. This study compared results in outcomes and complications for 3 groups. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study case-control study. SETTING Single institution. PATIENTS Three groups of 100 surgeries. INTERVENTION Patients underwent an ankle fusion using anterior plate, total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) for primary osteoarthritis (OA), or a TAA for post-traumatic arthritis (PTA). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Veterans Rand 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale, Visual Analog Pain Scale, and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Hindfoot score were collected preoperatively and at subsequent postoperative appointments. A patient satisfaction survey was also distributed to each patient postoperatively. RESULTS Although all scores improved from preoperative to latest postoperative, the total ankle for PTA consistently resulted in the best postoperative outcomes. Patient satisfaction survey indicated 26% of fusion, 55% of TAA-OA, and 63% of TAA-PTA experienced very good to excellent pain relief. The overall satisfaction was found to be 92.5% for the TAA-PTA patients, 90.5% for the TAA-OA patients, and 84% for the fusion patients. Revision surgeries included 2 from the TAA-OA group, 2 from the TAA-PTA group, and 1 fusion patient. CONCLUSIONS Results of comparing 3 groups who underwent an ankle fusion or a TAA demonstrate improvement in pain (P < 0.001), physical quality of life (P < 0.001), and activity (P < 0.001) and resulted in a high level of patient satisfaction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Determinants of morbidities and mortality in acromegaly

ABSTRACT Acromegaly is a systemic disease associated with increased morbidity, presenting cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, neoplastic, endocrine, articular and bone complications. Most of these comorbidities can be prevented or delayed with adequate disease treatment and, more recent studies with the use of modern treatments of acromegaly, have shown a change in the severity and prevalence of these complications. In addition, acromegaly is associated with increased mortality, but recent studies (especially those published in the last decade) have shown a different scenario than older studies, with mortality no longer being increased in adequately controlled patients and a change in the main cause of death from cardiovascular disease to malignancy. In this review, we discuss this changing face of acromegaly summarizing current knowledge and evidence on morbimortality of the disease. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2019;63(6):630-7
Certificateless pairing-free authentication scheme for wireless body area network in healthcare management system

Abstract With the current advancement in technology, the use of Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) has become popular in the healthcare management. They provide a mechanism to collect and transmit physiological data to healthcare providers in remote locations. With the need to secure healthcare data becoming a global concern, mechanisms must be put in place to ensure secure communication of physiological data collected in WBANs. This paper, presents a new authentication scheme for WBANs based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography. Sensor nodes used in WBANs are resource constraint and for that reason, the proposed scheme is both certificateless and pairing-free. We compared the efficiency of our proposed authentication scheme with other related schemes and found that our scheme had considerable efficiency in terms of communication cost and running time.
Cell Penetrating Peptide as a High Safety Anti-Inflammation Ingredient for Cosmetic Applications

Cosmeceutical peptides have become an important topic in recent decades in both academic and industrial fields. Many natural or synthetic peptides with different biological functions including anti-ageing, anti-oxidation, anti-infection and anti-pigmentation have been developed and commercialized. Current cosmeceutical peptides have already satisfied most market demand, remaining: “cargos carrying skin penetrating peptide with high safety” still an un-met need. To this aim, a cell-penetrating peptide, CPPAIF, which efficiently transported cargos into epithelial cells was exanimated. CPPAIF was evaluated with cell model and 3D skin model following OECD guidelines without using animal models. As a highly stable peptide, CPPAIF neither irritated nor sensitized skin, also did not disrupt skin barrier. In addition, such high safety peptide had anti-inflammation activity without allergic effect. Moreover, cargo carrying activity of CPPAIF was assayed using HaCaT cell model and rapid CPPAIF penetration was observed within 30 min. Finally, CPPAIF possessed transepidermal activity in water in oil formulation without disruption of skin barrier. All evidences indicated that CPPAIF was an ideal choice for skin penetrating and its anti-inflammatory activity could improve skin condition, which made CPPAIF suitable and attractive for novel cosmeceutical product development.
A Comparison of Pneumatic and Hand Stripping of Whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) Eggs for Artificial Reproduction

Simple Summary This paper describes a technique of pneumatic stripping of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) eggs with the use of oxygen, nitrogen, and air. This study demonstrates that pneumatic stripping allows the collection of high-quality whitefish eggs. Moreover, we found that gas flow rates should not exceed 0.5 L∙min−1 to minimize post-spawning mortality in whitefish. The eggs obtained by pneumatic stripping using oxygen, nitrogen, or air had high hatching rates. We assumed that air stripping is a promising approach for improvement of the whitefish stripping procedure. Abstract We describe the technique of pneumatic stripping of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) eggs with the use of oxygen, nitrogen, and air. Eggs obtained via the traditional method (by pressing the abdominal surfaces) served as a control group. It was established that the gas flow rate during pneumatic stripping should not exceed 0.5 L∙min−1, since higher air flow resulted in increased post-spawning mortality. The pneumatic stripping method of egg collection was no faster than hand stripping; however, the time required per female was more consistent. It was found that the pH of the ovarian fluid obtained during hand and pneumatic stripping was not related to the success rate of fertilization. Pneumatic stripping resulted in a higher quality of collected eggs and a higher and more consistent hatching rate as compared with the hand-stripped samples, regardless of the gas used. The results presented here lead us to recommend the pneumatic method for obtaining eggs from whitefish, since it is a simple, reproducible method and improves the reproductive performance and developmental success of the fish eggs.
Enhancing the Sensor Node Localization Algorithm Based on Improved DV-Hop and DE Algorithms in Wireless Sensor Networks

The Distance Vector-Hop (DV-Hop) algorithm is the most well-known range-free localization algorithm based on the distance vector routing protocol in wireless sensor networks; however, it is widely known that its localization accuracy is limited. In this paper, DEIDV-Hop is proposed, an enhanced wireless sensor node localization algorithm based on the differential evolution (DE) and improved DV-Hop algorithms, which improves the problem of potential error about average distance per hop. Introduced into the random individuals of mutation operation that increase the diversity of the population, random mutation is infused to enhance the search stagnation and premature convergence of the DE algorithm. On the basis of the generated individual, the social learning part of the Particle Swarm (PSO) algorithm is embedded into the crossover operation that accelerates the convergence speed as well as improves the optimization result of the algorithm. The improved DE algorithm is applied to obtain the global optimal solution corresponding to the estimated location of the unknown node. Among the four different network environments, the simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has smaller localization errors and more excellent stability than previous ones. Still, it is promising for application scenarios with higher localization accuracy and stability requirements.
The Effect of a Low GI Diet on Truncal Fat Mass and Glycated Hemoglobin in South Indians with Type 2 Diabetes—A Single Centre Randomized Prospective Study

Background: There has been no previous study that has investigated the effect of a low glycemic index (LGI) diet with local recipes of South Indian cuisine on the body fat composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Truncal obesity has been associated with the risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a low GI diet on glycemic control and body composition in people with type 2 diabetes in South India. Method: This was a prospective and randomized controlled study that was conducted over a period of 24 weeks. A total of 40 participants were recruited from the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Outpatient in Kerala, South India. All the patients had type 2 diabetes and were randomly assigned and given advice and instructions to follow either a low GI diet plan (n = 18) or their usual diet, which served as control (n = 18). The advice was reinforced throughout the study period. Dietary compliance was evaluated based on a 24 h dietary recall at weeks 3, 11, 12, 18, 23, and 24. The age of the subjects ranged from 35 to 65 years. Anthropometric, body composition, and cardio-metabolic parameters were measured according to standard procedures. T-tests were conducted to compare differences between intervention and control groups and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to evaluate associations between the variables. Results: There were significant reductions (p < 0.05) in the low GI diet compared to the control group with respect to weight, body mass index (BMI), and triceps skinfold thickness. Similarly, significant reductions were observed in the low GI diet group with respect to region, total fat, android, and gynoid fat mass and the differences between the groups were significant at p < 0.05. There was also a positive correlation between BMI and android fat mass (r = 0.745), total fat mass (r = 0.661), total truncal mass (r = 0.821), and truncal fat (r = 0.707). There was a significant reduction in glycated hemoglobin in the low GI diet group compared to the control group at p < 0.05. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that there was a significant reduction (p < 0.05) of truncal obesity and glycated hemoglobin in patients with type 2 diabetes on a local diet of South Indian cuisine with low GI compared with the control.