Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acupuncture and weight loss in Asians

Abstract Background: Acupuncture is effective for reducing body weight; however, evidence in Asian populations is lacking. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for body weight reduction in Asians. Methods: The Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, and Chinese databases were searched for relevant studies through October 20, 2018. Publications describing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture with other treatments for the reduction of body weight were compiled. Reviewers assessed bias and collected data on trial characteristics and outcomes. The study was conducted based on the reporting items of the guidelines for systematic evaluation and meta-analysis (PRISMA). Review Manager 5.2 software was used to calculate weight mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Twelve RCTs involving 1151 subjects were included. Compared with the control groups, the acupuncture groups exhibited significantly greater reductions of body mass index (BMI) (WMD −1.23 kg/m2; 95% CI −1.94, −0.51) and waist circumference (WMD −2.56 cm; 95% CI −4.43, −0.69). In the subgroup analyses, significant differences in the reduction of BMI and the reduction of waist circumference were observed between the acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups, the acupuncture plus diet and exercise, and the diet and exercise groups, and the acupuncture and no intervention groups, but not between the acupuncture plus exercise and exercise groups. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that acupuncture is effective in the intervention of overweight/obesity in Asians; however, compared with exercise alone, acupuncture combined with exercise had no effect on the BMI or waist circumstance in the short term. Long-term studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in weight reduction in Asians.
The role of MeCP2 in learning and memory

Gene transcription is a crucial step in the sequence of molecular, synaptic, cellular, and systems mechanisms underlying learning and memory. Here, we review the experimental evidence demonstrating that alterations in the levels and functionality of the methylated DNA-binding transcriptional regulator MeCP2 are implicated in the learning and memory deficits present in mouse models of Rett syndrome and MECP2 duplication syndrome. The significant impact that MeCP2 has on gene transcription through a variety of mechanisms, combined with well-defined models of learning and memory, make MeCP2 an excellent candidate to exemplify the role of gene transcription in learning and memory. Together, these studies have strengthened the concept that precise control of activity-dependent gene transcription is a fundamental mechanism that ensures long-term adaptive behaviors necessary for the survival of individuals interacting with their congeners in an ever-changing environment.
The Tumor Microenvironment in Colorectal Cancer Therapy

The current standard-of-care for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) includes chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic or anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibodies, even though the addition of anti-angiogenic agents to backbone chemotherapy provides little benefit for overall survival. Since the approval of anti-angiogenic monoclonal antibodies bevacizumab and aflibercept, for the management of mCRC over a decade ago, extensive efforts have been devoted to discovering predictive factors of the anti-angiogenic response, unsuccessfully. Recent evidence has suggested a potential correlation between angiogenesis and immune phenotypes associated with colorectal cancer. Here, we review evidence of interactions between tumor angiogenesis, the immune microenvironment, and metabolic reprogramming. More specifically, we will highlight such interactions as inferred from our novel immune-metabolic (IM) signature, which groups mCRC into three distinct clusters, namely inflamed-stromal-dependent (IM Cluster 1), inflamed-non stromal-dependent (IM Cluster 2), and non-inflamed or cold (IM Cluster 3), and discuss the merits of the IM classification as a guide to new immune-metabolic combinatorial therapeutic strategies in mCRC.
Effects of Two CO2 Stunning Methods on the Efficacy of Stunning and Blood Stress Indicators of Turkeys under Commercial Processing Conditions

ABSTRACT The effect of CO2 gas-stunning methods (G1: 30% CO2 15 sec, 55% CO2 40 sec, 70% CO2 45 sec; G2: 30% CO2 15 sec, 80% CO2 85 sec) on the efficacy of stunning, blood stress indicators and meat quality of turkeys were assessed. A total of 375 turkeys (125 heavy males, 125 light males, and 125 light females) were used. After stunning, clinical parameters (posture-loss, wing-flapping, breathing, response to toe-pinching, eye movements, and palpebral, corneal and pupillary reflexes) and glucose, lactate and cortisol levels were assessed. The G2 method showed a higher percentage of correctly stunned birds (81.3 vs. 70.7%) and lower cortisol levels (0.44 vs. 1.22 g/dL). The weight and sex had a significant influence on the behavioral and physiological responses after stunning. The G2 method was found to be acceptable for animal welfare during stunning, based on both the percentage of animals correctly stunned and dead (92% to 100%) and the blood cortisol level after stunning.
ROR1-CAR T-cells are effective against lung and breast cancer in advanced microphysiologic 3D tumor models.

Solid tumors impose immunological and physical barriers to the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy that are not reflected in conventional pre-clinical testing against singularized tumor cells in two-dimensional culture. Here, we established microphysiologic three-dimensional (3D) lung and breast cancer models that resemble architectural and phenotypical features of primary tumors, and evaluated the anti-tumor function of ROR1-specific CAR T-cells. 3D tumors were established from A549 (non-small cell lung cancer) and MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative breast cancer) cell lines on a biological scaffold with intact basement membrane (BM) under static and dynamic culture conditions, which resulted in progressively increasing cell mass and invasive growth phenotype (dynamic>static; MDA-MB-231>A549). Treatment with ROR1-CAR T-cells conferred potent anti-tumor effects. In dynamic culture, CAR T-cells actively entered arterial medium flow, adhered to and infiltrated the tumor mass. ROR1-CAR T-cells penetrated deep into tumor tissue and eliminated multiple layers of tumor cells located above and below the BM. The microphysiologic 3D tumor models developed in this study are standardized scalable test systems that can be used either in conjunction with or in lieu of animal testing to interrogate the anti-tumor function of CAR T-cells, and to obtain proof-of-concept for their safety and efficacy prior to clinical application.
Artificial neural networks-based classification of emotions using wristband heart rate monitor data

Abstract Heart rate variability (HRV) is an objective measure of emotional regulation. This study aimed to estimate the accuracy with which an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm could classify emotions using HRV data that were obtained using wristband heart rate monitors. Four emotions were evoked during gameplay: pleasure, happiness, fear, and anger. Seven normalized HRV features (i.e., 3 time-domain features, 3 frequency-domain features, and heart rate), which yielded 29,727 segments during gameplay, were collected and analyzed first by statistics and then classified by the trained ANN model. General linear model adjusted for individual differences in HRV showed that all HRV features significantly differed across emotions, despite disparities in their magnitudes and associations. When compared to neutral status (i.e., no emotion evoked), the mean of R-R interval was significantly higher for pleasure and fear but lower for happiness and anger. In addition, pleasure evidenced the HRV features that suggested a superior parasympathetic to sympathetic activation. Happiness was associated with a prominent sympathetic activation. These statistical findings suggest that HRV features significantly differ across emotions evoked by gameplay. When further utilizing ANN-based emotion classification, the accuracy rates for prediction were above 75.0% across the 4 emotions with accuracy rates for classification of paired emotions ranging from 82.0% to 93.4%. For classifying emotion in an individual person, the trained ANN model utilizing HRV features yielded a high accuracy rate in our study. ANN is a time-efficient and accurate means to classify emotions using HRV data obtained from wristband heart rate monitors. Thus, this integrated platform can help monitor and quantify human emotions and physiological biometrics.
Direct C3 alkoxylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with alcohols via cross-dehydrogenative coupling under catalyst-free conditions.

A facile and effective alkoxylation protocol of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with primary or secondary alcohols via cross-dehydrogenative coupling under catalyst-free conditions has been disclosed. This method provides a powerful and conven-ient access to 3-alkoxylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones in good to excellent yields by utilizing PhI(OTFA)2 as oxidant, and potential drug molecules containing 3-alkoxylquinoxalin-2(1H)-one skeletons would be easily obtained.
Electrically writable silicon nanophotonic resistive memory with inherent stochasticity.

An electrically writable resistive memory with optical readout based on silicon nanophotonic structure is proposed. Hybridization of optical and surface plasmonic modes in the device enables nanoscale optical confinement to efficiently detect the resistive memory effect in a 13 nm thick SiO2 layer sandwiched between p-type silicon and gold. Electrical write and optical readout capabilities of the proposed device are experimentally demonstrated with well-defined optical and electrical hysteresis curves at a wavelength of 1550 nm. The p-type silicon carries multifold benefits-it provides low propagation loss and a defect-free interface resulting from thermally (locally) grown oxide; the combination of p-silicon, SiO2, and gold results in a self-rectifying operation to enable the realization of a memory stack. An on-off extinction ratio of 10 dB is demonstrated for a 5 mm long device. The proposed device shows an inherent stochastic property where the set (writing) voltage reduces in each set-reset cycle, which can be used for optical readout of synaptic weight for neuromorphic computations.
Facile Synthesis of SnO2/LaFeO3−XNX Composite: Photocatalytic Activity and Gas Sensing Performance

Here SnO2/LaFeO3−XNX composite was fabricated using a wet chemical method and was applied to pollutants degradation and gas sensing for the first time. The composite exhibits high performance for photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye and selectivity sensing of various gases. On the basis of the completed experiments, the improved RhB degradation and selective gas sensing performance resulted from the extended optical absorption via N2 incorporated surface states and enhanced charge separation via coupling SnO2. Using the scavengers trapping experiments, the superoxide radical (O2•−) was investigated as the major scavenger involved in the degradation of RhB over SnO2/LaFeO3−XNX composite. In this paper, the probable reaction steps involved in the RhB dye degradation over SnO2/LaFeO3−XNX composite are proposed. This work will provide reasonable strategies to fabricate LaFeO3-based proficient and stable catalysts for environmental purification. In addition, the result of the selectivity of gas performance is also presented.
The Copenhagen Sarcopenia Study: lean mass, strength, power, and physical function in a Danish cohort aged 20–93 years

Despite no international consensus on the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia, low lean mass, muscle strength, and physical function are important risk factors for disability, frailty, and mortality in older individuals, as well as in a wide range of patients with muscle loss. Here, we provide a population‐based reference material of total and regional lean body mass, muscle strength/power parameters, and physical function in a healthy cohort of Danish men and women across the lifespan.
Are Nonprofit Hospitals Addressing the Most Critical Community Health Needs That They Identify in Their Community Health Needs Assessments?

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Context: Virtually all nonprofit hospitals are in compliance with the Affordable Care Act's new Community Health Needs Assessments requirements. Objective: To assess what needs have emerged in the Community Health Needs Assessments hospitals complete nationally, the degree to which identified needs reflect the most pressing community health issues, and the extent to which hospitals address identified needs. Design: Using both bivariate and logistic regressions, we analyzed the Community Health Needs Assessments and implementation strategies of nonprofit hospitals to determine whether identified needs overlapped with county health-ranking indicators of need and whether institutional or community-level factors predicted hospital willingness to address identified needs. Participants: We included a 20% random sample of US nonprofit hospitals (n = 496). Main Outcome Measures: Our main outcome measures were whether nonprofit hospitals addressed each of the most common needs. Results: Mental health, access to care, obesity, substance abuse, diabetes, cancer, and the social determinants of health were the most commonly identified needs across the sample. The rate at which hospitals chose to address each of these needs in their implementation strategies, however, varied considerably, ranging from 56% (cancer) to 85% (obesity). We found that several institutional and community characteristics predicted hospital willingness to address each need; whether the community ranked a need as number 1 was a better predictor of hospital investment than the severity of the need, as measured by county health-rankings data. Conclusions: These findings may help inform local, state, and federal policy makers as they consider interventions aimed at encouraging hospitals to invest in improving the health of their communities.
Evaluation of the Economic Burden of Psoriatic Arthritis and the Relationship Between Functional Status and Healthcare Costs

Objective. This analysis aimed to evaluate the economic burden of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) on the UK healthcare system and estimate the relationship between functional status and direct healthcare costs. Methods. Functional status [measured using the Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index (HAQ-DI)], demographics, disease history, and healthcare resource use data were extracted from a cohort of patients at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath, UK. Each resource use item per patient was then allocated a unit cost. Linear regression models were used to predict costs as a function of HAQ-DI. Medication costs were not included in the primary analysis, which was carried out from the UK National Health Service perspective. Results. Data were available for 101 patients. Mean HAQ-DI score was 0.84 (SD 0.75) and mean age at HAQ-DI measurement was 57.8 (SD 10.7). Total annual healthcare costs per patient, excluding medication costs, ranged between £174 and £8854, with a mean of £1586 (SD £1639). A 1-point increase in HAQ-DI score was associated with an increase in total costs of £547.49 (standard error £224), with secondary care consultations appearing to be the primary factor. Subgroup analyses suggested higher cost increases in patients with HAQ-DI scores of 2–3 and with a disease duration > 10 years. Conclusion. Patients with PsA place a significant economic burden on the healthcare system. Functional status is highly correlated with costs and appears to be driven mainly by the cost of secondary care consultations. Results were similar to previous studies in rheumatoid arthritis populations.
Substrate recognition by a carbohydrate-binding module in the prototypical ABC transporter for lipopolysaccharide O-antigen from Escherichia coli O9a

Escherichia coli serotype O9a provides a model for export of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen polysaccharide (O-PS) via ABC transporters. In O9a biosynthesis, a chain-terminator enzyme, WbdD, caps the nonreducing end of the glycan with a methylphosphate moiety and thereby establishes chain-length distribution. A carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) in the ABC transporter recognizes terminated glycans, ensuring that only mature O-PS is exported and incorporated into LPS. Here, we addressed two questions arising from this model. Are both residues in the binary terminator necessary for termination and export? And is a terminal methylphosphate moiety sufficient for export of heterologous glycans? To answer the first question, we uncoupled WbdD kinase and methyltransferase activities. WbdD mutants revealed that although the kinase activity is solely responsible for chain-length regulation, both activities are essential for CBM recognition and export. Consistent with this observation, a saturation transfer difference NMR experiment revealed a direct interaction between the CBM and the terminal methyl group. To determine whether methylphosphate is the sole determinant of substrate recognition by the CBM, we exploited Klebsiella pneumoniae O7, whose O-PS repeat-unit structure differs from O9a, but, as shown here, offers the second confirmed example of a terminal methylphosphate serving in substrate recognition. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that each CBM can bind the O-PS only with the native repeat unit, revealing that methylphosphate is essential but not sufficient for substrate recognition and export. Our findings provide important new insight into the structural determinants in a prototypical quality control system for glycan assembly and export.
Perspectives on ART adherence among Zambian adults living with HIV: insights raised using HIV-related disability frameworks

ABSTRACT Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) has improved the survival of people living with HIV in Africa. Living with chronic HIV comes with new health and functional challenges and the need to manage ART adherence. The Sepo Study applied disability frameworks to better understand living with chronic HIV while using ART. The study followed 35 people (18 women, 17 men) living with HIV and on ART 6 months or longer in private and public health facilities in Lusaka, Zambia over 18-months (2012–2015). A total of 99 in-depth interviews were conducted. Conventional content analysis and NVIVOv10 were applied to analyse the data. Participants were adhering to ART at the times of the interviews and therefore less likely to report major challenges with adherence. Three main themes emerged from the data related to adherence. Firstly, ART was regarded as “giving life”, which underscored adherence. Secondly, all participants described strategies for to managehealth and functional limitations, which they attributed as side-effects or chronicity. Thirdly, participants described experiences of uncertainty, including the efficacy of new regimens, potential loss of functioning, risk of new health problems, and death. Long-term ART managment in Africa needs to integrate rehabilitation approaches to address functional limitations, uncertainties, strengthen and support for adherence.
Monte Carlo calculation of beam quality correction factors in proton beams using PENH

This work calculates beam quality correction factors () in both modulated and unmodulated proton beams using the Monte Carlo (MC) code . The latest ICRU 90 recommendations on key data for ionizing-radiation dosimetry were adopted to calculate the electronic stopping powers and to select the mean energy to create an ion pair in dry air (). For modulated proton beams, factors were calculated in the middle of a spread-out Bragg peak, while for monoenergetic proton beams they were calculated at the entrance region. Fifteen ionization chambers were simulated. The factors calculated in this work were found to agree within 0.8% or better with the experimental data reported in the literature. For some ionization chambers, the simulation of proton nuclear interactions were found to have an effect on the factors of up to 1%; while for some others, perturbation factors were found to differ from unity by more than 1%. In addition, the combined standard uncertainty in the MC calculated factors in proton beams was estimated to be of the order of 1%. Thus, the results of this work seem to indicate that: (i) the simulation of proton nuclear interactions should be included in the MC calculation of factors in proton beams, (ii) perturbation factors in proton beams should not be neglected, and (iii) the detailed MC simulation of ionization chambers allows for an accurate and precise calculation of factors in clinical proton beams.
Continuously tunable diamond Raman laser for resonance laser ionization.

We demonstrate a highly efficient, tunable, ∼5 GHz linewidth diamond Raman laser operating at 479 nm. The diamond laser was pumped by a wavelength-tunable intracavity frequency-doubled titanium sapphire (Ti:Sapphire) laser operating at around 450 nm, at a repetition rate of 10 kHz with a pulse duration of 50 ns. The Raman resonator produced a continuously tunable output with high stability, high conversion efficiency (28%), and beam quality (M2<1.2). We also demonstrate that the linewidth and tunability of the pump laser is directly transferred to the Stokes output. Our results show that diamond Raman lasers offer great potential for spectroscopic applications, such as resonance laser ionization, in an all-solid-state platform.
Ziziphora taurica subsp. taurica: Analytical Characterization and Biological Activities

The Lamiaceae family comprises many flowering plants classified into about 236 genera. The genus Ziziphora is one of the well-known genera of this family and its species are important in different fields of pharmaceutical, chemical, traditional, and folk medicines. The phytochemicals present in Ziziphora include monoterpenic essential oils, triterpenes, and phenolic substances. The aim of this paper was to study the phytochemical profile of Ziziphora taurica subsp. taurica and compare and evaluate the biological activities of its ethyl acetate (ZTT-EtOAc), methanolic (ZTT-MeOH), and aqueous (ZTT-W) extracts based on their enzyme inhibition and antioxidant capacities. Determination of total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents as well as biological activities were determined using spectrophotometric procedures. Subsequently, the individual phenolic compounds were detected by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS). In total, twenty-two different phenolic compounds were identified, including apigenin, ferulic acid, and luteolin which were the most common. ZTT-MeOH extract showed the best antioxidant activity, whereas ZTT-EtOAc extract was the most effective against tyrosinase and α-amylase. Ziziphora taurica subsp. taurica represents a potential source of natural compounds with positive effects on human health.