Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Whey Versus Casein as a Protein Source during the Weaning Period: Impact on Growth and Later Adiposity and Glucose Homeostasis in a Rat Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction

The impact of early life protein source (whey vs. casein) on short- and long-term glucose homeostasis and adiposity is unknown and was investigated in this study. At the end of the suckling period, non-IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) and IUGR pups were separated from dams and were randomized into four groups. From age 21–49 days, non-IUGR and IUGR pups were fed ad-libitum chow or a semi-synthetic diet (20% from protein; casein or whey) and from age 50–199 days, all groups were fed ad-libitum chow. Food intake, body composition, glucose, and insulin homeostasis were assessed. Among the chow groups, IUGR had slower growth and higher fasting glucose at age 42 days, as well as higher fasting and AUC glucose at age 192 days relative to non-IUGR. The whey IUGR group had a slower growth rate and higher fasting glycemia in early life (age 21–49 days) and higher HOMA-IR later in life (age 120–122 and 190–192 days) relative to casein IUGR. This study shows the potential advantage of casein relative to whey during weaning on short term energy intake, growth, and glucose homeostasis in an IUGR model and reveals, for the first time, its long term impact on insulin sensitivity, which may have implications for later metabolic health, particularly in small-for-gestational-age populations at risk of type 2 diabetes.
Molecular strategy for the direct detection and identification of human enteroviruses in clinical specimens associated with hand, foot and mouth disease

Background Diseases caused by human enteroviruses (EVs) are a major global public health problem. Thus, the effective diagnosis of all human EVs infections and the monitoring of epidemiological and ecological dynamic changes are urgently needed. Methods Based on two comprehensive virological surveillance systems of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), real-time PCR and nested RT-PCR (RT-snPCR) methods based on the enteroviral VP1, VP4-VP2 and VP4 regions were designed to directly detect all human EVs serotypes in clinical specimens. Results The results showed that the proposed serotyping strategy exhibit very high diagnostic efficiency (Study 1: 99.9%; Study 2: 89.5%), and the variance between the study was due to inclusion of the specific Coxsackie virus A6 (CVA6) real-time RT-PCR and VP4 RT-snPCR in Study 1 but not Study 2. Furthermore, only throat swabs were collected and analyzed in Study 2, whereas in Study 1, if a specific EV serotype was not identified in the primary stool sample, other sample types (rectal swab and throat swab) were further tested where available. During the study period from 2013 to 2018, CVA6 became one of the main HFMD causative agents, whereas the level of enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) declined in 2017. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrate the appropriate application of PCR methods and the combination of biological sample types that are useful for etiological studies and propose a molecular strategy for the direct detection of human EVs in clinical specimens associated with HFMD.
Feasibility of Location-Aware Handover for Autonomous Vehicles in Industrial Multi-Radio Environments

The integration of millimeter wave (mmWave) and low frequency interfaces brings an unique opportunity to unify the communications and positioning technologies in the future wireless heterogeneous networks (HetNets), which offer great potential for efficient handover using location awareness, hence a location-aware handover (LHO). Targeting a self-organized communication system with autonomous vehicles, we conduct and describe an experimental and analytical study on the LHO using a mmWave-enabled robotic platform in a multi-radio environment. Compared to the conventional received signal strength indicator (RSSI)-based handover, the studied LHO not only improves the achievable throughput, but also enhances the wireless link robustness for the industrial Internet-of-things (IIoT)-oriented applications. In terms of acquiring location awareness, a geometry-based positioning (GBP) algorithm is proposed and implemented in both simulation and experiments, where its achievable accuracy is assessed and tested. Based on the performed experiments, the location-related measurements acquired by the robot are not accurate enough for the standalone-GBP algorithm to provide an accurate location awareness to perform a reliable handover. Nevertheless, we demonstrate that by combining the GBP with the dead reckoning, more accurate location awareness becomes achievable, the LHO can therefore be performed in a more optimized manner compared to the conventional RSSI-based handover scheme, and is therefore able to achieve approximately twice as high average throughput in certain scenarios. Our study confirms that the achieved location awareness, if accurate enough, could enable an efficient handover scheme, further enhancing the autonomous features in the HetNets.
Development of multi-epitope subunit vaccine for protection against the norovirus’ infections based on computational vaccinology

Abstract Human Norovirus belongs to a family Calciviridae, and was identified in the outbreak of gastroenteritis in Norwalk, due to its seasonal prevalence known as “winter vomiting disease. ” Treatment of Norovirus infection is still mysterious because there is no effective antiviral drugs or vaccine developed to protect against the infection, to eradicate the infection an effective vaccine should be developed. In this study, capsid protein (A7YK10), small protein (A7YK11), and polyprotein (A7YK09) were utilized. These proteins were subjected to B and T cell epitopes prediction by using reliable immunoinformatics tools. The antigenic and non-allergenic epitopes were selected for the subunit vaccine, which can activate cellular and humoral immune responses. Linkers joined these epitopes together. The vaccine structure was modelled and validated by using Errat, ProSA, and rampage servers. The modelled vaccine was docked with TLR-7. The stability of the docked complex was evaluated by MD simulation. To apply the concept in a wet lab, the reverse translated vaccine sequence was cloned in pET28a (+). The vaccine developed in this study requires experimental validation to ensure its effectiveness against the disease. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Can BCG vaccine protect against COVID‐19 via trained immunity and tolerogenesis?

As the number of infections and mortalities from the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic continues to rise, the development of an effective therapy against COVID‐19 becomes ever more urgent. A few reports showing a positive correlation between BCG vaccination and reduced COVID‐19 mortality have ushered in some hope. BCG has been suggested to confer a broad level of nonspecific protection against several pathogens, mainly via eliciting “trained immunity” in innate immune cells. Secondly, BCG has also been proven to provide benefits in autoimmune diseases by inducing tolerogenicity. Being an acute inflammatory disease, COVID‐19 requires a therapy that induces early priming of anti‐viral immune responses and regulates aberrant hyperactivity of innate‐immune cells. Here, we hypothesize that BCG can offer reliable spatiotemporal protection from COVID‐19 by triggering trained immunity and tolerogenesis, through multiple cellular pathways. We propose further research on BCG‐mediated immunoprotection, especially in vulnerable individuals, as a strategy to halt the progress of the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic. Also see the video abstract here https://youtu.be/P2D2RXfq6Vg.
Diagnostic implications of bronchial lavage in patients with pleural tuberculosis.

INTRODUCTION The presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a respiratory specimen is diagnostic in patients with pleural effusion. It is difficult to obtain sputum even after induction in these patients. An alternative method of acquiring respiratory specimens is via bronchial lavage. This study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic yield of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear, AFB culture, and Xpert assay of bronchial lavage fluid in the workup of pleural tuberculosis patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS All patients who met the inclusion criteria of the study underwent thoracentesis, pleural biopsy, and bronchial lavage. Specimens of pleural fluid, pleural biopsy, and bronchial lavage fluid were sent for acid fast bacilli smear, culture, and Xpert assay. RESULT Bronchial lavage AFB smear, culture, and Xpert assay was positive in 9.5%, 17.9%, and 26.2% of patients, respectively. It gave an immediate diagnosis in 22 (26.2%) patients. CONCLUSION Bronchial lavage, though not a surrogate to pleural biopsy, offers an additional approach to the early diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis in patients not producing sputum. Besides being diagnostic, this method also has epidemiologic significance in containing the tuberculosis epidemic because detecting Mycobacterium in bronchial lavage confirms that the patient is infectious.
Charge-Transfer Plasmon Polaritons at Graphene/α-RuCl3 Interfaces

Nanoscale charge control is a key enabling technology in plasmonics, electronic band structure engineering, and the topology of two-dimensional materials. By exploiting the large electron affinity of α-RuCl3, we are able to visualize and quantify massive charge transfer at graphene/α-RuCl3 interfaces through generation of charge-transfer plasmon polaritons (CPPs). We performed nanoimaging experiments on graphene/α-RuCl3 at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures and discovered robust plasmonic features in otherwise ungated and undoped structures. The CPP wavelength evaluated through several distinct imaging modalities offers a high-fidelity measure of the Fermi energy of the graphene layer: EF = 0.6 eV (n = 2.7 × 1013 cm–2). Our first-principles calculations link the plasmonic response to the work function difference between graphene and α-RuCl3 giving rise to CPPs. Our results provide a novel general strategy for generating nanometer-scale plasmonic interfaces without resorting to external contacts or chemical doping.
Poly(meta/para-Terphenylene-Methyl Piperidinium)-Based Anion Exchange Membranes: The Effect of Backbone Structure in AEMFC Application

A series of poly(meta/para-terphenylene-methyl piperidinium)-based anion exchange membranes devoid of benzylic sites or aryl ether bonds, that are vulnerable to degradation by hydroxide ions, are synthesized and investigated for their application as novel anion exchange membranes. The copolymers are composed of both linear para-terphenyl units and kink-structured meta-terphenyl units. The meta-connectivity in terphenyl units permits the polymer backbones to fold back, maximizing the interactions among the hydrocarbon polymer chains and enhancing the peripheral formation of ion aggregates, due to the free volume generated by the kink structure. The effects of the copolymer composition between para-terphenyl and meta-terphenyl on the morphology and the electrochemical and physicochemical properties of the corresponding polymer membranes are investigated.
Dietary Sugars: Not as Sour as They Are Made Out to Be.

Over the course of evolution, Mother Nature preserved the ability of humans to make every sugar they need for metabolic functions. Glucose is the almost exclusive fuel preferred by the human brain. Human infants are born with sweet taste receptors, sugars are a significant energy source in human milk, and mammals have a direct gut-to-brain sugar-sensing system that enhances development of a preference for sugars. If sugars are as toxic as many postulate, what species advantage was conferred by this evolutionary progression? Observational studies have reported that sugar consumption is associated with various adverse health risks. However, observational studies can never prove causality, dietary intake records are known to be highly problematic, and the huge number of correlation interdependencies among environmental "exposome" variables makes it impossible to attribute causality to individual dietary components. Additionally, these studies overall have been graded as low quality, and many reported the small effect sizes are likely within the propagated methodological "noise. " With several exceptions, data from randomized controlled trials that ensured isocaloric energy intakes have failed to confirm the causal implications of the observational data. Likewise, the comprehensive UK Scientific Committee on Nutrition Report on Carbohydrates and Health also failed to confirm the vast majority of widely postulated detrimental effects of sugar consumption per se. Current data on intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages and on the risks associated with high intakes of dietary fructose remain under debate.
Assessing effects of tannin-rich sainfoin supplements for grazing dairy goats on feed protein efficiency

Abstract This research communication presents a study evaluating the effects of dried sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) supplemented to dairy goats on their milking performance and feed protein efficiency under commercial conditions. During July and August 2015, a herd of 20 Alpine goats was divided into two treatments (n = 10), balanced by milk yield and days in milk. They were supplied with either 700 g/d sainfoin pellets (condensed tannins: 4.0 g/kg DM) or 700 g/d lucerne (Medicago sativa) pellets (condensed tannins: 0.3 g/kg DM). The goats remained in one herd and were separated by treatments only during milking. In the milking parlour each goat received 350 g of the respective pellets, twice daily. During the day, the herd had 5 h access to a high-quality pasture (crude protein >200 g/kg DM), whilst during the rest of the day and the night animals were housed and offered grass hay ad libitum. The experiment lasted for seven weeks. Individual milk yields and composition were controlled in weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 after the start of the experiment. No differences between the treatments were found, either for milk, protein or urea yields, nor for protein, urea and fat concentrations. Urea to protein ratio in milk was lower with the sainfoin treatment. In conclusion, sainfoin compared to lucerne, supplied for 7 weeks to dairy goats at approximately 25% of the diet, had only weak beneficial and no adverse effects on milking performance, milk composition and feed protein efficiency under commercial conditions of pasture-based dairy production.
Early Determinants of Childhood Blood Pressure at the Age of 6 Years: The GECKO Drenthe and ABCD Study Birth Cohorts

Background There is still uncertainty about the nature and relative impact of early determinants on childhood blood pressure. This study explored determinants of blood pressure at the age of 6 years in 2 Dutch birth cohorts. Methods and Results Results of hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses in GECKO (Groningen Expert Center for Kids With Obesity) Drenthe study (n=1613) were replicated in ABCD (Amsterdam Born Children and Their Development) study (n=2052). All analyses were adjusted for child's age, sex, height, and body mass index (BMI), and maternal education and subsequently performed in the combined sample. No associations were found between maternal smoking during pregnancy and childhood blood pressure. In the total sample, maternal prepregnancy BMI was positively associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (β [95% CI], 0.09 [0.02–0.16] mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (β [95% CI], 0.11 [0.04–0.17] mm Hg). Children of women with hypertension had higher SBP (β [95% CI], 0.98 [0.17–1.79] mm Hg). Birth weight standardized for gestational age was inversely associated with SBP (β [95% CI], −6.93 [−9.25 to −4.61] mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (β [95% CI], −3.65 [−5.70 to −1.61] mm Hg). Longer gestational age was associated with lower SBP (β [95% CI] per week, −0.25 [−0.42 to −0.08] mm Hg). Breastfeeding for 1 to 3 months was associated with lower SBP (β [95% CI], −0.96 [−1.82 to −0.09] mm Hg) compared with no or <1 month of breastfeeding. Early BMI gain from the age of 2 to 6 years was positively associated with SBP (β [95% CI], 0.41 [0.08–0.74] mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (β [95% CI], 0.37 [0.07–0.66] mm Hg), but no effect modification by birth weight was found. Conclusions Higher maternal prepregnancy BMI, maternal hypertension, a relatively lower birth weight for gestational age, shorter gestational age, limited duration of breastfeeding, and more rapid early BMI gain contribute to higher childhood blood pressure at the age of 6 years.
Complexity and bias in cross‐sectional data with binary disease outcome in observational studies

A cross sectional population is defined as a population of living individuals at the sampling or observational time. Cross‐sectionally sampled data with binary disease outcome are commonly analyzed in observational studies for identifying how covariates correlate with disease occurrence. It is generally understood that cross‐sectional binary outcome is not as informative as longitudinally collected time‐to‐event data, but there is insufficient understanding as to whether bias can possibly exist in cross‐sectional data and how the bias is related to the population risk of interest. As the progression of a disease typically involves both time and disease status, we consider how the binary disease outcome from the cross‐sectional population is connected to birth‐illness‐death process in the target population. We argue that the distribution of cross‐sectional binary outcome is different from the risk distribution from the target population and that bias would typically arise when using cross‐sectional data to draw inference for population risk. In general, the cross‐sectional risk probability is determined jointly by the population risk probability and the ratio of duration of diseased state to the duration of disease‐free state. Through explicit formulas we conclude that bias can almost never be avoided from cross‐sectional data. We present age‐specific risk probability (ARP) and argue that models based on ARP offers a compromised but still biased approach to understand the population risk. An analysis based on Alzheimer's disease data is presented to illustrate the ARP model and possible critiques for the analysis results.
Genetic test for the prescription of diets in support of physical activity

Owing to the fields of nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics today we can think of devising approaches to optimize health, delay onset of diseases and reduce its severity according to our genetic blue print. However this requires a deep understanding of nutritional impact on expression of genes that may result in a specific phenotype. The extensive research and observational studies during last two decades reporting interactions between genes, diet and physical activity suggest a cross talk between various genetic and environmental factors and lifestyle interventions. Although considerable efforts have been made in unraveling the mechanisms of gene-diet interactions the scientific evidences behind developing commercial genetic tests for providing personalized nutrition recommendations are still scarce. In this scenario the current mini-review aims to provide useful insights into salient feature of nutrition based genetic research and its commercial application and the ethical issue and concerns related to its outcome. (www.actabiomedica.it)
Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells Suppress Human, but Not Murine Lymphocyte Proliferation, via Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Activity

Over recent years, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have gained immense attraction in immunotherapy, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. MSC microenvironment modulation occurs through synergy of direct cell–cell contact, and secreted soluble factors and extracellular vesicles (EV). MSC-derived EV have been suggested as cell-free immunomodulatory alternative to MSC; however, previous findings have challenged this. Furthermore, recent data suggest that evaluating the mechanism of action of human MSC (hMSC) in animal models might promote adverse immune reactions or lack of functionality due to xeno-incompatibilities. In this study, we first assessed the immunomodulatory strength of different human MSC sources on in vitro stimulated T cells and compared this to interferon-gamma (IFNγ) primed MSC conditioned medium (CM) and EV. Second, we addressed the main molecular mechanisms, and third, we assessed the MSC in vitro immunosuppressive effect across interspecies barriers. We identified human adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ASC) with strongest immunomodulatory strength, followed by bone marrow (BM) and cord blood-derived MSC (CB). Whilst CM from primed ASC managed to exert analogous effects as their cellular counterpart, EV derived thereof did not, reproducing previous findings. IFNγ-induced indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity was identified as key mechanism to suppress human lymphocyte proliferation, as in the presence of the IDO inhibitor epacadostat (Epac) a stimulation of proliferation was seen. In addition, we revealed MSC immunosuppressive effects to be species-specific, because human cells failed to suppress murine lymphocyte proliferation. In summary, ASC were the strongest immunomodulators with the IDO-kynurenine pathway being key within the human system. Importantly, the in vitro lack of interspecies immunomodulatory strength suggests that preclinical data need to be carefully interpreted especially when considering a possible translation to clinical field.
A facile one-step preparation of Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2/Li-BioMOFs resin nanocomposites with Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root juice as green capping agent and mechanical properties study

Abstract The Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2/Li-BioMOFs resin nanocomposites were prepared and introduced as a new dental resin nanocomposite. Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2/Li-BioMOFs resin nanocomposites were synthesized with individual mechanical properties in the presence of lecithin as a biostabilizer. The hydrothermal synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanostructures occurred in the presence of Glycyrrhiza glabra (liquorice) root juice that acts not only as a green capping agent but also as a reductant compound with a high steric hindrance agent. Results showed that the mechanical properties of nano-Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 structures with a concentration of 60 ppm Li-BioMOF were increased by ∼132.5 MPa and 11.5 GPa for the flexural and Young’s modulus, respectively. Based on the optical absorption ultraviolet-visible spectrum, the HAp nanocrystallites had a direct bandgap energy of 4.2 eV. The structural, morphological, and mechanical properties of the as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized with the FT-IR (Fourier-transform infra-red), UV-Vis (ultraviolet visible) spectrums, X-ray diffraction, SEM (scanning electron microscopy), and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) images, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It is suggested that HAp structures loaded on the Li-BioMOFs are as a suitable and novel substrate which can be considered as a promising biomaterial in dental resin nanocomposites significantly improved the strength and modulus. Graphical abstract Highlight For the first time Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2/Li-MOFs were synthesised as dental resin nanocomposites with hydrothermal approach. Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice) root juice acts not only as green capping agent but also act as reducing agent. Li-BioMOFsasa suitable substrate improve the hydroxyapatite mechanical properties. Li-BioMOFssubstrates for Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 nanostructures were synthesised in the presence of lecithin as bio stabiliser.