Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cloning, Prokaryotic Soluble Expression, and Analysis of Antiviral Activity of Two Novel Feline IFN-ω Proteins

Cats are becoming more popular as household companions and pets, forming close relationships with humans. Although feline viral diseases can pose serious health hazards to pet cats, commercialized preventative vaccines are lacking. Interferons (IFNs), especially type I IFNs (IFN-α, IFN-β, and interferon omega (IFN-ω)), have been explored as effective therapeutic drugs against viral diseases in cats. Nevertheless, there is limited knowledge regarding feline IFN-ω (feIFN-ω), compared to IFN-α and IFN-β. In this study, we cloned the genes encoding feIFN-ωa and feIFN-ωb from cat spleen lymphocytes. Homology and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that these two genes belonged to new subtypes of feIFN-ω. The recombinant feIFN-ωa and feIFN-ωb proteins were expressed in their soluble forms in Escherichia coli, followed by purification. Both proteins exhibited effective anti-vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) activity in Vero, F81 (feline kidney cell), Madin–Darby bovine kidney (MDBK), Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK), and porcine kidney (PK-15) cells, showing broader cross-species antiviral activity than the INTERCAT IFN antiviral drug. Furthermore, the recombinant feIFN-ωa and feIFN-ωb proteins demonstrated antiviral activity against VSV, feline coronavirus (FCoV), canine parvovirus (CPV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), indicating better broad-spectrum antiviral activity than the INTERCAT IFN. The two novel feIFN-ω proteins (feIFN-ωa and feIFN-ωb) described in this study show promising potential to serve as effective therapeutic agents for treating viral infections in pet cats.
Supplemental methionine and stocking density affect antioxidant status, fatty acid profiles, and growth performance of broiler chickens.

Broilers stocked in high densities may be prone to oxidative and inflammatory insults, resulting in impaired health status, growth performance, and meat quality. This study was to determine if 30% extra supplemental DL-methionine alleviated or prevented those adverse effects of a higher stocking density in broiler chickens. A total of 560 male Cornish Cross cockerels (day old) were divided into four groups: two stocking densities (9 and 12 birds/m2) and two supplementations of methionine (grower: 2.90 or 3.77 g/kg and finisher: 2.60 or 3.38 g/kg). Growth performance was recorded weekly. Blood and tissues were sampled at the end of each period. High stocking density decreased (P < 0.05) body weight and growth performance of growers and (or) finishers. Those differences were partially attenuated by the extra methionine supplementation. The high methionine elevated (P < 0.05) glutathione concentration in the thigh at both ages (> 24%). The high stocking density elevated (> 28%, P < 0.05) glutathione concentration in the plasma, breast, and thigh of growers, but decreased (P < 0.05) it in the liver of growers and thigh of finishers. Interaction effects (P < 0.05) between dietary methionine and stocking density were found on activities of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione S-transferase in the liver of growers and breast, thigh, and adipose tissue of finishers. The interaction effect was also found on activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the thigh of growers. The extra methionine decreased (P < 0.05) hepatic gene expression of heat shock protein 90 (18%) and thigh and breast malondialdehyde concentrations of the finishers (35%). In conclusion, the 30% extra DL-methionine supplementation was able to partially mitigate adverse effects caused by the higher stocking density and to improve redox status of the broilers.
Novel Fabrication Process for Integration of Microwave Sensors in Microfluidic Channels

This paper presents a novel fabrication process that allows integration of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic channels and metal electrodes on a wafer with a micrometer-range alignment accuracy. This high level of alignment accuracy enables integration of microwave and microfluidic technologies, and furthermore accurate microwave dielectric characterization of biological liquids and chemical compounds on a nanoliter scale. The microfluidic interface between the pump feed lines and the fluidic channels was obtained using magnets fluidic connection. The tube-channel interference and the fluidic channel-wafer adhesion was evaluated, and up to a pressure of 700 mBar no leakage was observed. The developed manufacturing process was tested on a design of a microwave-microfluidic capacitive sensor. An interdigital capacitor (IDC) and a microfluidic channel were manufactured with an alignment accuracy of 2.5 μm. The manufactured IDC sensor was used to demonstrate microwave dielectric sensing on deionized water and saline solutions with concentrations of 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2.5 M.
Design and testing of communication materials for a breastfeeding social media marketing campaign: Breastfeed4Ghana

Breastfeed4Ghana was a social media-based campaign implemented to address identified gaps in the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding in Ghana. This paper describes the process of campaign materials development and testing to ensure their cultural and content appropriateness. The 60 campaign materials, each consisting of an image and text message, underwent a process of creation, testing, revision, and finalization. Existing research evidence and infant and young child feeding communication tools that were culturally relevant for Ghana were used to develop the materials. All materials were tested and finalized through an iterative process that incorporated input from six focus group discussions (FGDs) with mothers, and content and technical experts. The materials were revised to ensure scientific accuracy, understandability, and cultural appropriateness of the messages, as well as alignment of the messages with the images. Finalized materials were reviewed and approved by the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority. Analysis for this paper involved summarizing and categorizing the types and sources of input as well as the research team’s responses to the input received. The 60 campaign materials received a total of 132 inputs. Most inputs came from FGDs (78.4%); and most inputs were on the campaign material images. The evidence-informed process of materials creation, use of multiple input sources, and a broad-based iterative process allowed the creation of 60 evidence-based and culturally appropriate materials for a breastfeeding social media campaign in Ghana. This paper could serve as a guide for other social media campaign efforts looking to develop culturally appropriate materials.
Prediction of Nocturnal Hypoglycemia in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes under Multiple Daily Injections Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Physical Activity Monitor

(1) Background: nocturnal hypoglycemia (NH) is one of the most challenging side effects of multiple doses of insulin (MDI) therapy in type 1 diabetes (T1D). This work aimed to investigate the feasibility of a machine-learning-based prediction model to anticipate NH in T1D patients on MDI. (2) Methods: ten T1D adults were studied during 12 weeks. Information regarding T1D management, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and from a physical activity tracker were obtained under free-living conditions at home. Supervised machine-learning algorithms were applied to the data, and prediction models were created to forecast the occurrence of NH. Individualized prediction models were generated using multilayer perceptron (MLP) and a support vector machine (SVM). (3) Results: population outcomes indicated that more than 70% of the NH may be avoided with the proposed methodology. The predictions performed by the SVM achieved the best population outcomes, with a sensitivity and specificity of 78.75% and 82.15%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: our study supports the feasibility of using ML techniques to address the prediction of nocturnal hypoglycemia in the daily life of patients with T1D on MDI, using CGM and a physical activity tracker.
Normative data for middle-aged Brazilians in Verbal Fluency (animals and FAS), Trail Making Test (TMT) and Clock Drawing Test (CDT)

ABSTRACT Normative studies of neuropsychological tests were performed in Brazil in recent years. However, additional data are needed because of the heterogeneity of education of the Brazilian population. Objective: The present study provides normative data of executive function tests for middle-aged Brazilians and investigates the influence of age, sex, education and intelligence quotient (IQ) on performance in these tests. Methods: A total of 120 healthy staff and caregivers from a hospital were randomly selected and submitted to Fluency – animals and FAS, Trail Making Test (TMT) and Clock Drawing Test (CDT). They were divided into six groups of 20: two groups for age (45-54 and 55-64 years) and three groups for years of schooling (4-7; 8-11; 12+ years). Results: Normative data are presented in mean values and percentiles. Education influenced differences in the tests, except the CDT. Post hoc analyses revealed differences between the three educational levels on the TMT and FAS. Age differences emerged on the TMT and fluency letter F. Moderate correlation was found between schooling and results on TMT and Fluency. The correlations for IQ were similar. Conclusion: This study provides normative data for middle-aged Brazilians with four or more years of schooling in frequently used cognitive tests to assess executive functions. The results confirm the strong influence of education, even in the comparison between middle and higher levels.
An Italian survey of undeclared allergens in food over the years 2014–2018

ABSTRACT Large population studies estimated that the frequency of food allergies is increasing worldwide. In the last two decades, a ‘second wave’ of the allergy epidemic has emerged as a growing public health problem. EU regulation strengthened information to consumers about allergens in pre-packed food, since December 2014 it has been extended to non-prepacked foods by the Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Commission. The present work aims to present a five-year survey on the presence of nine types of allergen in several foods, including food of animal origin and baby food. The concentration found for each irregular allergen is generally low, but some samples with no gluten indication contained a concentration above 10 mg kg−1 with the highest value of 138.5 mg kg−1 in a dietetic food, during the screening in 2017. These data underline the importance and the necessity of a complete food labelling to protect the majority of allergic individuals.
Family Structure, Relationships and Mental Health: A Case Study of High School Students in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand

The objective of this study is to examine the association between family structure, family relationships, and mental health of high school students in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. This quantitative survey is carried out using probability sampling technique. Questionnaire was distributed to 1,082 high school students from three schools under the Kanchanaburi High School Educational Service Area Office VIII and collected during academic year 2012. The multiple regression analysis shows that family factors significantly affect high school students’ mental health p< 0.05. This finding indicates that the better the family relationship, the better mental health of high school students. Accordingly, the result of this study supports the building positive (good) family relationships. Families, whose members express their love and care for each other in various ways including talk things through, hold regular family discussions, participate in family decision making and maintain their appropriate role in their family, will help improving mental health of high school students. Family activities should be organized in line with the context of daily life of each family member. In the future study, family relationship indicators should be developed in the context of activities and lifestyle of the family in each region.
Treatment selection in borderline personality disorder between dialectical behavior therapy and psychodynamic psychiatric management

Abstract Background No evidence-based therapy for borderline personality disorder (BPD) exhibits a clear superiority. However, BPD is highly heterogeneous, and different patients may specifically benefit from the interventions of a particular treatment. Methods From a randomized trial comparing a year of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to general psychiatric management (GPM) for BPD, long-term (2-year-post) outcome data and patient baseline variables (n = 156) were used to examine individual and combined patient-level moderators of differential treatment response. A two-step bootstrapped and partially cross-validated moderator identification process was employed for 20 baseline variables. For identified moderators, 10-fold bootstrapped cross-validated models estimated response to each therapy, and long-term outcomes were compared for patients randomized to their model-predicted optimal v. non-optimal treatment. Results Significant moderators surviving the two-step process included psychiatric symptom severity, BPD impulsivity symptoms (both GPM > DBT), dependent personality traits, childhood emotional abuse, and social adjustment (all DBT > GPM). Patients randomized to their model-predicted optimal treatment had significantly better long-term outcomes (d = 0.36, p = 0.028), especially if the model had a relatively stronger (top 60%) prediction for that patient (d = 0.61, p = 0.004). Among patients with a stronger prediction, this advantage held even when applying a conservative statistical check (d = 0.46, p = 0.043). Conclusions Patient characteristics influence the degree to which they respond to two treatments for BPD. Combining information from multiple moderators may help inform providers and patients as to which treatment is the most likely to lead to long-term symptom relief. Further research on personalized medicine in BPD is needed.
Anesthesia for Nonobstetric Surgery in Pregnancy

Nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy occurs in 1% to 2% of pregnant women. Physiologic changes during pregnancy may have an impact when anesthesia is needed. Anesthetic agents commonly used during pregnancy are not associated with teratogenic effects in clinical doses. Surgery-related risks of miscarriage and prematurity need to be elucidated with well-designed studies. Recommended practices include individualized use of intraoperative fetal monitoring and multidisciplinary planning to address the timing and type of surgery, anesthetic technique, pain management, and thromboprophylaxis. Emergency procedures should be performed immediately and elective surgery should be deferred during pregnancy.
An Assessment of the Application of Poloxamer/Sodium Alginate/CaCl2 Mixture after Abdominal Surgery in Dogs: Effects on Postoperative Adhesion and Safety

Received: Revised: Accepted: Online available: October 07, 2014 August 23, 2015 October 24, 2015 January 13, 2016 Poloxamer/sodium alginate/CaCl2 (PX/SA) mixture (Aniguard, Genewel, South Korea) is a temperature-sensitive anti-adhesive agent used to prevent postoperative adhesion by forming a biocompatible barrier on the surface of a wound. This study investigated the safety and the ability of PX/SA mixture to prevent postoperative adhesion in dogs. Twenty dogs were divided into two experimental models: an intestine model and a uterus-urinary bladder model. Each model was further divided into two groups. Dogs in the intestine model underwent laparotomy, with multiple intestinal wall abrasions, while dogs in the uterus-urinary bladder model underwent urinary bladder wall abrasion. The control groups were treated with normal saline, and the trial groups were treated with PX/SA mixture. After 10 days, all dogs underwent a laparoscopic exploration to evaluate their abdominal status. On postoperative day 21, the abdominal adhesions were evaluated and scored by a previously validated adhesion score system. Furthermore, the extent of fibrosis and inflammation was scored according to a histopathologic examination. The adhesion scores of the trial groups were significantly reduced in both models compared to those of the control groups. Furthermore, more fibrosis reactions were found on the adhesion areas in the control groups in both models. There were no statistically significant differences in inflammation between the two groups. In addition, no hepatic and renal toxicity or side effects of PX/SA mixture were observed. In conclusion, the use of PX/SA mixture effectively reduced the development of postoperative abdominal adhesions.
Phosphorylation Modulates the Coregulatory Protein Exchange of the Nuclear Receptor Pregnane X Receptor

The pregnane X receptor (PXR), or nuclear receptor (NR) 1I2, is a ligand-activated NR superfamily member that is enriched in liver and intestine in mammals. Activation of PXR regulates the expression of genes encoding key proteins involved in drug metabolism, drug efflux, and drug transport. Recent mechanistic investigations reveal that post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as phosphorylation, play a critical role in modulating the bimodal function of PXR-mediated transrepression and transactivation of target gene transcription. Upon ligand binding, PXR undergoes a conformational change that promotes dissociation of histone deacetylase–containing multiprotein corepressor protein complexes while simultaneously favoring recruitment histone acetyl transferase–containing complexes. Here we describe a novel adenoviral vector used to deliver and recover recombinant human PXR protein from primary cultures of hepatocytes. Using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry we report here that PXR is phosphorylated at amino acid residues threonine 135 (T135) and serine 221 (S221). Biochemical analysis reveals that these two residues play an important regulatory role in the cycling of corepressor and coactivator multiprotein complexes. These data further our foundational knowledge regarding the specific role of PTMs, namely phosphorylation, in regulating the biology of PXR. Future efforts are focused on using the novel tools described here to identify additional PTMs and protein partners of PXR in primary cultures of hepatocytes, an important experimental model system. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Pregnane X receptor (PXR), or nuclear receptor 1I2, is a key master regulator of drug-inducible CYP gene expression in liver and intestine in mammals. The novel biochemical tools described in this study demonstrate for the first time that in cultures of primary hepatocytes, human PXR is phosphorylated at amino acid residues threonine 135 (T135) and serine 221 (S221). Moreover, phosphorylation of PXR promotes the transrepression of its prototypical target gene CYP3A4 through modulating its interactions with coregulatory proteins.
Peritoneal mesothelioma

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and lethal disease of the peritoneal lining, with high variability in biologic aggressiveness. Morbidity and mortality of the disease are related to progressive locoregional effects within the abdominal cavity, such as distention, pain, early satiety, and decreased oral intake that can ultimately lead to bowel obstruction and cachexia. The standard of care for patients with resectable disease remains cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC), with potential survival outcomes greater than 5 years in appropriately selected patients. Patients with inoperable MPM can be offered systemic treatment, although the disease is usually refractory to standard chemotherapic regimens. Patients with MPM should be treated at high volume centers with strong consideration for inclusion in tumor registries and clinical trials. In 2020, research will continue to explore promising genetic and immunologic targets and focus on refinement of surgical methods to optimize CRS-HIPEC approaches.
The Power of Combined Therapies: BOTOX and Ablative Facial Laser Resurfacing

Introduction: The etiology of facial rhytides is multifactorial. Static rhytides are caused by environmental factors and heredity, whereas dynamic rhytides are caused by the repetitive action of muscles during facial expressions. A successful multifactorial therapeutic approach is to use ablative laser resurfacing to reduce the static component and BOTOX to soften the dynamic component of the facial rhytide. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the charts and photographs of 53 consecutively treated subjects to evaluate the relative strengths of the static and dynamic treatment modalities on the individual's final aesthetic result. To remove any potential for bias, the treatments were all carried out by author J.C. The photographic and chart reviews were performed by author A.C. , and the subjective patient questionnaire was completed by author A.Z. Results: Adding BOTOX to CO2 laser resurfacing improved the result objectively from 30% to 60%. However, adding BOTOX to Erbium:YAG laser resurfacing improved the result only marginally (40% to 47%). Discussion: Combined therapy with CO2 laser resurfacing and BOTOX gave the most pronounced aesthetic benefit. Combined treatments with Erbium-YAG laser resurfacing and BOTOX was a less powerful treatment blend.
Patients Value Low Local Recurrence Rates and Prevention of Re-excisions With High-Risk Tumors.

Achieving excellent outcomes for patients requires understanding patient priorities and aligning treatment decisions with these priorities. Surgical treatments for skin cancer have varied attributes suchas cost, recurrence rate, risk for disease progression, and expected cosmetic outcome. The relative importance of treatment attributes topatientsmaybequantifiedusing choice-based conjoint analysis (CBCA). Previous studies using conjoint analysis in skincancerpatients showthatpatientshighlyvalue improvements in cosmetic appearance and oncologic outcomes, such as local recurrence risk. In fact, local recurrence risk is the top priority for patients undergoing surgery for melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. However, factors such as metastatic risk and anatomic location may impact the relative value patients place on risk of local recurrence or incomplete excision. To the best of our knowledge, the interplay of these factors has not been examined.As increasingpriority continues tobe assigned to the issue of value in health care utilization, evaluation of patient priorities is crucial, especially when more than one treatment option exists. This study evaluated how variations in risk of metastasis and tumor location impact howpatients value surgical success in the long and short term (local recurrence and re-excision risks, respectively).