Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognitive reserve regulates the association between hearing difficulties and incident cognitive impairment evidence from a longitudinal study in China

ABSTRACT Background: Cognitive reserve (CR) can prevent the risk of incident cognitive impairment in the elderly. However, the moderator effects of CR on the link between hearing difficulties (HDs) and the risk of incident cognitive impairment are not well understood. Methods: This cohort study obtained data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey from 2008 to 2014. The baseline samples included 6309 participants aged 65 years and older at baseline. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Chinese version of the Mini Mental State Examination. A composite measure of CR was calculated based on education, occupational complexity, and leisure activities of the participants. The marginal structural model was utilized to investigate whether CR moderates the association between HD and incident cognitive impairment. Odds ratios (ORs) and accompanying 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Of the 6309 participants at baseline, 1936 (30.7%) developed cognitive impairment during the 6-year follow-up period and 2562 (40.6%) reported HD. The risk of incident cognitive impairment was 1.90-fold (95% CI 1.69–2.14) for participants developing HD compared to those without. Those with middle CR had lower OR (0.72, 95% CI 0.62–0.82) that further decreased to 0.58 (95% CI 0.49–0.69) for those with high CR. Participants with HD with low CR showed the highest OR (4.32, 95% CI 3.42–5.47). In addition, individuals with HD with low education levels or low complex occupations had the highest risk of incident cognitive impairment. Conclusions: CR moderates the negative association between HD and cognitive function. Education and occupation complexity may be more sensitive proxies for CR.
Gut Vibes in Parkinson's Disease: The Microbiota‐Gut‐Brain Axis

The complexity of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) is attributable to multifactorial changes occurring at a molecular level, influenced by genetics and environmental interactions. However, what causes the main hallmarks of PD is not well understood. Recent data increasingly suggest that imbalances in the gut microbiome composition might trigger and/or exacerbate the progression of PD.
Substance use disorders in people with intellectual disability.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW To provide an overview of studies on substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) in individuals with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning (MID-BIF). RECENT FINDINGS Many individuals with MID-BIF use tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. On average, rates of substance use and SUD are similar to or even higher than those in peers with average intelligence. Individuals with MID-BIF are overrepresented in (forensic) addiction care. Several instruments are now available for the assessment of SUD and its risk factors in this target group. Prevention and intervention programs have been shown feasible and with promising outcomes, although the evidence base is still small. Professionals in addiction care and intellectual disability care facilities show deficiencies in skills in addressing SUD in clients with MID-BIF. SUMMARY Research in this area is still in its infancy, though an increasing number of studies show promising outcomes regarding case identification, assessment, and treatment of SUD in intellectual disability. Policy and practice should be adapted to the characteristics of individuals with MID-BIF.
Nonspecific non-acute low back pain and psychological interventions: A review of evidence and current strategies

Nonspecific persistent and chronic low back pain (LBP) is one of the world′s most significant burdens. Its management continues to be challenging despite advancements in medical diagnostics and therapeutics. The purpose of this narrative review is to update evidence-based, multidisciplinary assessment and treatment strategies for nonspecific non-acute LBP with special emphasis on the growing influence of psychological principles in physiotherapists′ (PT) practice. An electronic literature search was performed to identify relevant clinical practice guidelines, from which an overarching summary was synthesized. All guidelines were consistent in their recommendations for the assessment of psychosocial factors and psychology-based interventions. In discussion, we underlined psychological processes and psychology-based strategies that are clinically relevant to, and within the professional competency and scope of PT practice.
Heterocyclic Compounds Bearing Triazine Scaffold and Their Biological Significance: A Review.

Benzene is a six-membered hydrocarbon ring system if three carbon-hydrogen units of benzene ring are replaced by nitrogen atoms then it forms triazine. Triazines are present in three isomeric forms 1,2,3-triazine, 1,2,4-triazine, and 1,3,5-triazine according to position of nitrogen atom. These are weak base having weaker resonance energy than benzene, so nucleophilic substitution is preferred than electrophilic substitution. Triazine is an interesting class of heterocyclic compounds in medicinal chemistry. Numerous synthetic derivatives of triazine have been prepared and evaluated for wide spectrum of biological activities in different models with desired findings such as antibacterial, antifungal, anti-cancer, antiviral, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, anticonvulsant, antimicrobial, insecticidal and herbicidal agents. Triazine analogs have exposed potent pharmacological activity. So, triazine nucleus may be considered as interesting core moiety for researchers for the development of future drugs.
Application of Spectroscopic UV-Vis and FT-IR Screening Techniques Coupled with Multivariate Statistical Analysis for Red Wine Authentication: Varietal and Vintage Year Discrimination

One of the most important issues in the wine sector and prevention of adulterations of wines are discrimination of grape varieties, geographical origin of wine, and year of vintage. In this experimental research study, UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopic screening analytical approaches together with chemometric pattern recognition techniques were applied and compared in addressing two wine authentication problems: discrimination of (i) varietal and (ii) year of vintage of red wines produced in the same oenological region. UV-Vis and FT-IR spectra of red wines were registered for all the samples and the principal features related to chemical composition of the samples were identified. Furthermore, for the discrimination and classification of red wines a multivariate data analysis was developed. Spectral UV-Vis and FT-IR data were reduced to a small number of principal components (PCs) using principal component analysis (PCA) and then partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were performed in order to develop qualitative classification and regression models. The first three PCs used to build the models explained 89% of the total variance in the case of UV-Vis data and 98% of the total variance for FR-IR data. PLS-DA results show that acceptable linear regression fits were observed for the varietal classification of wines based on FT-IR data. According to the obtained LDA classification rates, it can be affirmed that UV-Vis spectroscopy works better than FT-IR spectroscopy for the discrimination of red wines according to the grape variety, while classification of wines according to year of vintage was better for the LDA based FT-IR data model. A clear discrimination of aged wines (over six years) was observed. The proposed methodologies can be used as accessible tools for the wine identity assurance without the need for costly and laborious chemical analysis, which makes them more accessible to many laboratories.
Infants’ transition from milk to solid foods - the lived experiences of first-time parents

ABSTRACT Purpose: During the transition from ingesting milk to ingesting solid food, infants substantiate their eating habits. The present study focuses on this transition. Specifically, it aimed to explore first-time parents’ lived experiences of their infants’ transition from milk to solid foods. Method: The study is based on the descriptive phenomenological approach Reflective Lifeworld Research (RLR). Ten mothers and ten fathers were interviewed twice; when the infants were aged four to five months and again at seven to eight months of age. Data were analysed according to RLR principles. Results: The findings show that the transition from milk to solid food is a demanding in-between phase. The physically intimate feeding situation is replaced by unfamiliar situations in which parents and infant are physically separated and new types of food are introduced. The process of feeding requires parents’ full attention and sensitivity towards the infant’s reactions. Conclusion: The study highlights how shared parental experiences were reflected in frames for how a meal should normally proceed, including parents’ desire to create healthy eating habits and uphold harmony duringfamily meals We suggest for health professionals to present parents with a wider frame of normality, especially as concerns the concept of what constitutes “normal” eating patterns.
Neuropharmacological and Neurogenetic Correlates of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) As a Function of Ethnicity: Relevance to Precision Addiction Medicine

Background Over 100 people die daily from opioid overdose and $78.5B per year is spent on treatment efforts, however, the real societal cost is multifold greater. Alternative strategies to eradicate/manage drug misuse and addiction need consideration. The perception of opioid addiction as a social/criminal problem has evolved to evidence-based considerations of them as clinical disorders with a genetic basis. We present evaluations of the genetics of addiction with ancestry-specific risk profiles for consideration. Objective Studies of gene variants associated with predisposition to substance use disorders (SUDs) are monolithic, and exclude many ethnic groups, especially Hispanics and African Americans. We evaluate gene polymorphisms that impact brain reward and predispose individuals to opioid addictions, with a focus on the disparity of research which includes individuals of African and Hispanic descent. Methodology PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for: Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), Genome-wide association studies (GWAS); genetic variants; polymorphisms, restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP); genomics, epigenetics, race, ethnic group, ethnicity, ancestry, Caucasian/White, African American/Black, Hispanic, Asian, addictive behaviors, reward deficiency syndrome (RDS), mutation, insertion/deletion, and promotor region. Results Many studies exclude non-White individuals. Studies that include diverse populations report ethnicity-specific frequencies of risk genes, with certain polymorphisms specifically associated with Caucasian and not African-American or Hispanic susceptibility to OUD or SUDs, and vice versa. Conclusion To adapt precision medicine-based addiction management in a blended society, we propose that ethnicity/ancestry-informed genetic variations must be analyzed to provide real precision-guided therapeutics with the intent to attenuate this uncontrollable fatal epidemic.
Remediating reduced memory specificity in bipolar disorder: A case study using a Computerized Memory Specificity Training

Reduced autobiographical memory specificity (rAMS) is a vulnerability factor found across unipolar depression (UD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder (BD). A group delivered psychological therapy training called Memory Specificity Training (MeST) remediates rAMS in UD and PTSD, with additional downstream effects on related psychological processes and symptoms. Its impact in BD is unknown. In this case study, we examined the impact of a computerized version of MeST (c‐MeST) on improving AMS and related symptoms and processes in participant with rapid cycling type I BD.
Prostaglandin‐endoperoxide synthase 2 is not required for preimplantation ovine conceptus development in sheep

Conceptus development and elongation is required for successful pregnancy establishment in ruminants and is coincident with the production of interferon τ (IFNT) and prostaglandins (PGs). In both the conceptus trophectoderm and endometrium, PGs are primarily synthesized through a prostaglandin‐endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) pathway and modify endometrial gene expression and thus histotroph composition in the uterine lumen to promote conceptus growth and survival. Chemical inhibition of PG production by both the endometrium and the conceptus prevented elongation in sheep. However, the contributions of conceptus‐derived PGs to preimplantation conceptus development remain unclear. In this study, CRISPR‐Cas9 genome editing was used to inactivate PTGS2 in ovine embryos to determine the role of PTGS2‐derived PGs in conceptus development and elongation. PTGS2 edited conceptuses produced fewer PGs, but secreted similar amounts of IFNT to their Cas9 control counterparts and elongated normally. Expression of PTGS1 was lower in PTGS2 edited conceptuses, but PPARG expression and IFNT secretion were unaffected. Content of PGs in the uterine lumen was similar as was gene expression in the endometrium of ewes who received either Cas9 control or PTGS2 edited conceptuses. These results support the idea that intrinsic PTGS2‐derived PGs are not required for preimplantation embryo or conceptus survival and development in sheep.
Early exposure to antibiotics in the neonatal intensive care unit alters the taxonomic and functional infant gut microbiome

Abstract Introduction The infant gut microbiome is thought to play a key role in developing metabolic and immunologic pathways. Antibiotics have been shown to disrupt the human microbiome, but the impact they have on infants during this key window of development remains poorly understood. Through this study, we further characterize the effect antibiotics have on the gut microbiome of infants by looking at metagenomic sequencing data over time. Materials and methods Stool samples were collected on infants from a large tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit. After DNA extraction, metagenomics libraries were generated and sequenced. Taxonomic and functional analyses were then performed. Further directed specimen sequencing for fungal species was also performed. Results A total of 51 stool samples from 25 infants were analyzed: seven infants were on antibiotics during at least one of their collection time points. Antibiotics given at birth altered the microbiome (PERMANOVA R 2 = 0.044, p = .002) but later courses did not (R 2 = 0.023, p = .114). Longitudinal samples collected while off antibiotics were more similar than those collected during a transition on or off antibiotics (mean Bray–Curtis distance 0.29 vs. 0.63, Wilcoxon p = .06). Functional analysis revealed four microbial pathways that were disrupted by antibiotics given at-birth (p < .1, folate synthesis, glycerolipid metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and glycolysis). No functional changes associated with current antibiotic use were identified. In a limited sample set, we saw little evidence of fungal involvement in the overall infant microbiome. Conclusion Through this study, we have further characterized the role antibiotics have in the development of the infant microbiome. Antibiotics given at birth were associated with alterations in the microbiome and had significant impact on the functional pathways involved in folate synthesis and multiple metabolic pathways. Later courses of antibiotics led to stochastic dysbiosis and a significant decrease in Escherichia coli. Further characterization of the infant mycobiome is still needed.
Blood Glucose Levels and Mortality in Patients With Sepsis: Dose–Response Analysis of Observational Studies

Background: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between blood glucose levels and mortality in patients with sepsis. Methods: Medline and EMBASE were searched from inception to April 8, 2018. Cohort studies or case–control studies reported the association between blood glucose and mortality in patients with sepsis were selected. Study characteristics, baseline characteristics, definition of hyperglycemia, and outcomes of interest were extracted. We performed a dose–response meta-analysis to assess the effect of blood glucose level on mortality. We also conducted meta-analysis for patients with or without diabetes separately. Results: Ten cohort studies involving 26 429 patients were included, of which 5 were prospective studies and 5 retrospective studies. Dose–response analysis showed that the effect of blood glucose on mortality may differ in patients with versus without diabetes. There was a U-shaped relationship for patients with diabetes and a J-shaped relationship for patients without diabetes, with blood glucose at 145 to 155 mg/dL corresponding to lowest mortality both in patients with and without diabetes. Conclusions: Current evidence suggested U-shaped relationship between blood glucose and mortality in all patients irrespective of their diabetes status. Diabetic patients with blood glucose below 145 mg/dL may have poorer prognosis compared to patients without established diabetes.
SEROLOGY AS A TOOL TO INVESTIGATE SARCOPTIC MANGE IN AMERICAN BLACK BEARS (URSUS AMERICANUS)

Abstract: Black bears (Ursus americanus) have historically been considered an uncommon host for sarcoptic mange. However, over the last 25 yr, sarcoptic mange has been increasingly reported in black bears in the northeastern US. Syndromic monitoring is the most common surveillance approach for mange in bears, but tools to monitor exposure to Sarcoptes scabiei in bear populations have not been thoroughly evaluated under field conditions. In this study, we validated a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), designed to detect antibodies against S. scabiei in dogs, for use in black bears with a sensitivity and specificity of 95.6% and 96.6%, respectively. To further examine the performance of this assay, serial serum samples from seven black bears with confirmed sarcoptic mange were collected posttreatment to determine the persistence of detectable antibody response with the ELISA. Antibodies in black bears waned to below the limit of detection between 4 and 14 wk, suggesting that serology studies might underestimate the number of exposed black bears after antibodies have waned. State-wide serosurveys in Pennsylvania from hunter-harvested black bears in 2017 and 2018 showed a significant difference in seroprevalence between regions with high occurrence of mange (mean seroprevalence 6.7%, range of 6.6–6.8%) and low occurrence of mange (no seropositive black bears were detected). Within Pennsylvania, these data indicate that the geographic distribution of exposure to S. scabiei, based on serologic testing, generally reflects the distribution of overt disease, as determined by syndromic surveillance. Collectively, these results indicate the evaluated ELISA is an effective tool for monitoring S. scabiei exposure in bear populations and provides the framework for additional studies regarding sarcoptic mange epidemiology in black bears.
Mental health of parents of children with a developmental disability in British Columbia, Canada

Background There is evidence in the literature that parents of children who have a developmental disability experience an increased risk of mental health problems. Methods This study used population-level administrative data from the Ministry of Health, British Columbia, Canada, to assess the mental health of parents of children who have a developmental disability compared with the mental health of parents of children who do not have a developmental disability. Population-level and individual explanatory variables available in the data were included in the models. Results At a population level, the study found strong evidence that parents of children who have a developmental disability experience higher odds of depression or other mental health diagnoses compared with parents of children who do not have a developmental disability. Age of the parent at birth of the child, income and location of healthcare services were all associated with outcomes. Conclusion Parents of children who have a developmental disability may be in need of programmes and services that support their mental health.
Zafirlukast, a Cysteinyl Leukotriene Receptor 1 Antagonist, Reduces the Effect of Advanced Glycation End-Products in Rat Renal Mesangial Cells In Vitro

Background Zafirlukast is an antagonist of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1). Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are formed by the glycation of lipids and proteins in hyperglycemia, including diabetes mellitus. Zafirlukast has not previously been studied in diabetic nephropathy. This study aimed to investigate the effects of zafirlukast on rat renal mesangial cells cultured with AGEs in vitro. Material/Methods Mesangial cells were cultured in AGEs (0, 20, 50, 100 μg/ml), and with AGEs (100 μg/ml) and zafirlukast (2.5 μm, 5 μm, and 100 μm). An enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was used to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed by intracellular fluorescence measurement of 2′-7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA), and detection kits were used to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry, and Western blot was used to measure protein levels. Results In mesangial cells cultured with AGEs, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis and levels of CysLTR1 increased, and these effects were reduced by zafirlukast in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of zafirlukast as a CysLTR1 antagonist protected mesangial cells from the effects of AGE in vitro. Conclusions Zafirlukast, a CysLTR1 antagonist, reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines, markers of oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis induced by AGE in mesangial cells in a dose-dependent way. Future in vivo studies are needed to investigate the potential role for zafirlukast in models of diabetic nephropathy.
Stem cells in skeletal muscle growth and regeneration in amniotes and teleosts: Emerging themes

Skeletal muscle is a contractile, postmitotic tissue that retains the capacity to grow and regenerate throughout life in amniotes and teleost. Both muscle growth and regeneration are regulated by obligate tissue resident muscle stem cells. Given that considerable knowledge exists on the myogenic process, recent studies have focused on examining the molecular markers of muscle stem cells, and on the intrinsic and extrinsic signals regulating their function. From this, two themes emerge: firstly, muscle stem cells display remarkable heterogeneity not only with regards to their gene expression profile, but also with respect to their behavior and function; and secondly, the stem cell niche is a critical regulator of muscle stem cell function during growth and regeneration. Here, we will address the current understanding of these emerging themes with emphasis on the distinct processes used by amniotes and teleost, and discuss the challenges and opportunities in the muscle growth and regeneration fields.