Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Inflammation on Ferritin, Hepcidin and the Management of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a major problem in chronic kidney disease (CKD), causing increased mortality. Ferritin stores iron, representing iron status. Hepcidin binds to ferroportin, thereby inhibiting iron absorption/efflux. Inflammation in CKD increases ferritin and hepcidin independent of iron status, which reduce iron availability. While intravenous iron therapy (IIT) is superior to oral iron therapy (OIT) in CKD patients with inflammation, OIT is as effective as IIT in those without. Inflammation reduces predictive values of ferritin and hepcidin for iron status and responsiveness to iron therapy. Upper limit of ferritin to predict iron overload is higher in CKD patients with inflammation than in those without. However, magnetic resonance imaging studies show lower cutoff levels of serum ferritin to predict iron overload in dialysis patients with apparent inflammation than upper limit of ferritin proposed by international guidelines. Compared to CKD patients with inflammation, optimal ferritin levels for IDA are lower in those without, requiring reduced iron dose and leading to decreased mortality. The management of IDA should differ between CKD patients with and without inflammation and include minimization of inflammation. Further studies are needed to determine the impact of inflammation on ferritin, hepcidin and therapeutic strategy for IDA in CKD.
Effects of Nano-Composite Adsorbents on the Growth Performance, Serum Biochemistry, and Organ Weights of Broilers Fed with Aflatoxin-Contaminated Feed

The exploration of feed mycotoxin adsorbents to mitigate the adverse effects of mycotoxins on animals has received increasing attention over the last decade. The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of nano-composite magnetic graphene oxide with chitosan (MGO-CTS) adsorbents against feed contaminated with ~20 ng/g (ppb) aflatoxin (AF). A total of three hundred 1-day-old chicks were randomly distributed into six dietary treatment groups, as follows: basal diet (broilers fed a diet with neither AF nor MGO-CTS added, T1), basal diet + 0.25% MGO-CTS (T2), basal diet + 0.50% MGO-CTS (T3), AF diet + 0.25% MGO-CTS (T4), AF diet + 0.50% MGO-CTS (T5), and AF diet (T6). The two inclusion levels (0.25 and 0.50%) of MGO-CTS significantly (p < 0.05) improved the growth performances and feed conversion ratios of the AF-treated chicks at 1–35 days of age, and the impact was more pronounced for 0.5% MGO-CTS. The AF intake markedly increased the relative weights of the liver and kidney, resulting in significant alterations in the serum biochemical parameters, such as albumins, alkaline phosphatase, and SGPT/alanine (ALT), at 35 days of age. However, the chickens fed 0.5% MGO-CTS with AF diets had apparent recovery or restoration of AF-induced organ lesions and aberrant serum profiles. A significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the total AFs was observed in the gastrointestinal tracts of the chickens fed 0.25% or 0.50% adsorbent in combination with AF feed (T4 and T5), with decreases of 28.9% and 53.5%, respectively, compared with that in the chickens fed an AF-contaminated diet (T6). The results of the study indicated that a higher concentration of MGO-CTS (0.50%) was effective in improving the overall performance of broiler chickens by preventing the adverse effects associated with aflatoxicosis.
Sleep and Mental Health in Truck Drivers: Descriptive Review of the Current Evidence and Proposal of Strategies for Primary Prevention

Background: Professional truck drivers (TDs) are exposed to stressful working (and living) conditions and are vulnerable. They report physical and mental health problems and psychological distress more frequently than the general population and their problems can affect safety on the roads. Actions to improve TDs’ health and reduce the risks of (co-)morbidity or unsafe driving are imperative. Methods: The published studies dealing with the TDs’ sleep habits and mental health were reviewed to define the scenario and organize the preventive strategies proposed thus far. Results: Awareness among TDs of the high risk for health and safety due to (often co-existing) untreated sleep and mental health problems is critical. Alcohol and prescribed or illicit drugs are often misused to compensate for depression, anxiety, job strain, fatigue, and social isolation. Polypharmacy and dependence increase the chance of unsafe behaviors on the road. The TDs’ access to healthcare services is scant, and participation in industry-sponsored wellness programs is limited. Conclusions: Primary prevention is a first unavoidable step to deal with sleep and mental health problems. Educational programs, online support and tele-health assessment/monitoring would help improve the well-being, safety and health of professional TDs and increase safety on the road.
Association of the Graft Size and Arthrofibrosis in Young Patients After Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Introduction: This study investigated the association of graft-related surgical factors and patient characteristics with the odds of arthrofibrosis after primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R). Methods: A retrospective case-control study assessed consecutive patients who underwent primary ACL-R in one tertiary pediatric hospital. Each arthrofibrosis case was matched to three controls for sex, calendar year, and age at the time of ACL-R, as well as the primary surgeon. Conditional multivariable logistic regression assessed the independent association of graft diameter, time from injury to ACL-R, concomitant knee pathologies, and body mass index. Results: Twenty arthrofibrosis cases of 1,121 ACL-R patients (incidence 1.8%) were matched to 60 controls resulting in the mean age of 14.5 years. An increase of 1 mm graft diameter was associated with 3.2-times increased odds of arthrofibrosis. Other variables were not independently associated with arthrofibrosis. Conclusion: For young patients, the decision on the graft size must consider the possibility of arthrofibrosis with a larger graft versus reinjury with a smaller graft.
Computers in Human Behavior

Relying on di ﬀ usion of innovation theory, this study examines the impacts of perceived message features and network characteristics on size (i.e., the number of retweets a message receives) and structural virality (i.e., quanti ﬁ ed distinction between broadcast and viral di ﬀ usion) of information di ﬀ usion on Twitter. The study collected 425 unique tweets posted by CDC during a 17-week period and constructed a di ﬀ usion tree for each unique tweet. Findings indicated that, with respect to message features, perceived e ﬃ cacy after reading a tweet positively predicted di ﬀ usion size of the tweet, whereas perceived susceptibility to a health condition after reading a tweet positively predicted structural virality of the tweet. Perceived negative emotion positively predicted both size and structural virality. With respect to network features, the level of involvement of brokers in di ﬀ using a tweet increased the tweet's structural virality. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed on disseminating health information via broadcasting and viral di ﬀ usion on social media.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

1Clinical and Hospital Center “Bežanijska Kosa”, Autoput s/n, Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, 4/2 Dr. Subotića Starijeg, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia 2Norwich Medical School, Bob Champion Building, James Watson Road, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK 3ABAKUSMEDICO d.o. o. , Diagnostični Center Rogaška, Prvomajska 29, 3250 Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia 42nd Department of Internal Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Transforming medico-educators into design partners to build HMK, a mathematical input keyboard for second graders

Children with severe motor disabilities experience motor fatigue when inputting mathematica formulas with applications such as Open Office or Microsoft Office. To mitigate this feeling we have implemented a user-centred design method for the design of a virtual keyboard for mathematical input called HMK. The objective of this article is to show how mediators of medico-educational can contribute to the design of HMK for college students and high school students with neuro motor handicaps.
Muscle disease in scleroderma

Purpose of review This review discusses the most updated literature of muscle disease in scleroderma in the past year. Recent findings In the past year, two studies have highlighted that fibrosis is a prevalent histopathologic feature in muscle biopsies of patients with scleroderma muscle disease. In addition, microangiopathy was a common co-feature on muscle biopsies. A fibrosing myopathy, or fibrosis predominance on muscle histopathology, is associated with a unique clinical phenotype in patients with scleroderma. When compared with those with an inflammatory myopathy, patients with a fibrosing myopathy tend to have diffuse scleroderma, lower muscle enzymes, nonirritable myopathy, and elevated cardiac enzymes. These patients are also reported to have a higher risk of cardiopulmonary complications and cardiac death when compared with those with an inflammatory myopathy. Summary Although there are clear cases of overlap myositis, it is clear that muscle disease in scleroderma is being redefined, and it is crucial to start recognizing that the muscle is an organ that can directly be affected by scleroderma. Fibrosis can occur early in scleroderma muscle disease, and a unique histologic subtype of muscle disease, fibrosing myopathy, is associated with a higher risk of mortality.
Comparison of antidiabetic drugs added to sulfonylurea monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A network meta-analysis

Aims This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of dual therapy comprising sulfonylurea (SU) plus antidiabetic drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods We searched the PubMed, Cochrane library, and Embase databases for randomized clinical trials (≥24 weeks) published up to December 28, 2017. Subsequently, we conducted pairwise and network meta-analyses to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the outcomes. Results The final analyses included 24 trials with a total of 10,032 patients. Compared with placebo, all treatment regimens were associated with a significantly higher risk of hypoglycemia, except the combinations of SU plus sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT-2i) [OR, 1.35 (95% CI: 0.81 to 2.25)] or alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (AGI) [OR, 1.16 (95% CI: 0.55 to 2.44)]. Notably, the combination of SU plus glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) was associated with the most significant increase in the risk of hypoglycemia. Furthermore, all SU-based combination regimens reduced the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose levels (FPG). However, only combinations containing SGLT-2i [MD, -1.00 kg (95% CI: -1.73 to -0.27)] and GLP-1RA [MD, -0.56 kg (95% CI: -1.10 to -0.02)] led to weight loss. Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of considering the risk of hypoglycemia when selecting antidiabetic drugs to be administered concomitantly with SU. Although all classes of antidiabetic drugs improved glucose control when administered in combination with SU, SGLT-2i might be the best option with respect to factors such as hypoglycemia and body weight.
The relationship between sociocultural factors and autobiographical memories from childhood: the role of formal schooling

ABSTRACT Cross-cultural differences in autobiographical memory (AM) are associated with cultural variations. In models of the self and parental reminiscing style, but not many studies have analysed the relationship between AM and specific cultural practices such as formal schooling. Theoreticians like [Greenfield, P. M. (2009). Linking social change and developmental change: Shifting. pathways of human development. Developmental Psychology, 45, 401–418. doi:10.1037/a0014726; Kağitçibaşi, C. (2005). Autonomy and relatedness in cultural context. Implications for self and family. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 36, 403–422. doi:10.1177/0022022105275959] and [Keller, H. (2007). Children development across cultures. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates] have considered formal schooling as an engine towards the model of independence; however, the empirical evidence in this regard is inconclusive: while some studies found evidence of a relation between formal schooling and characteristics of AM, others did not. To solve this inconsistency, the present study compared orally narrated childhood memories of Mexican adults with three different levels of education (from rudimentary literacy to university). Results support a relationship between formal schooling and AM in the predicted direction: More educated participants reported longer, more specific and more self-oriented memories than those with less schooling experience did. Some gender differences were also observed, with males generally reporting more individually and less socially oriented memories than females, except for university level participants. We conclude that these results support Greenfield’s theory about formal schooling as a sociocultural factor that promotes the cultural pathway to independence, as well as complexity and context-boundedness of gender differences in AM.
Analysis of Adversarial Attacks against CNN-based Image Forgery Detectors

With the ubiquitous diffusion of social networks, images are becoming a dominant and powerful communication channel. Not surprisingly, they are also increasingly subject to manipulations aimed at distorting information and spreading fake news. In recent years, the scientific community has devoted major efforts to contrast this menace, and many image forgery detectors have been proposed. Currently, due to the success of deep learning in many multimedia processing tasks, there is high interest towards CNN-based detectors, and early results are already very promising. Recent studies in computer vision, however, have shown CNNs to be highly vulnerable to adversarial attacks, small perturbations of the input data which drive the network towards erroneous classification. In this paper we analyze the vulnerability of CNN-based image forensics methods to adversarial attacks, considering several detectors and several types of attack, and testing performance on a wide range of common manipulations, both easily and hardly detectable.
Nitrite and nitrate chemical biology and signalling

Inorganic nitrate (NO3−), nitrite (NO2−) and NO are nitrogenous species with a diverse and interconnected chemical biology. The formation of NO from nitrate and nitrite via a reductive ‘nitrate–nitrite–NO’ pathway and resulting in vasodilation is now an established complementary route to traditional NOS‐derived vasodilation. Nitrate, found in our diet and abundant in mammalian tissues and circulation, is activated via reduction to nitrite predominantly by our commensal oral microbiome. The subsequent in vivo reduction of nitrite, a stable vascular reserve of NO, is facilitated by a number of haem‐containing and molybdenum‐cofactor proteins. NO generation from nitrite is enhanced during physiological and pathological hypoxia and in disease states involving ischaemia–reperfusion injury. As such, modulation of these NO vascular repositories via exogenously supplied nitrite and nitrate has been evaluated as a therapeutic approach in a number of diseases. Ultimately, the chemical biology of nitrate and nitrite is governed by local concentrations, reaction equilibrium constants, and the generation of transient intermediates, with kinetic rate constants modulated at differing physiological pH values and oxygen tensions.
Defining parameters of specificity for bioluminescent optogenetic activation of neurons using in vitro multi electrode arrays (MEA)

In Bioluminescent Optogenetics (BL‐OG) a biological, rather than a physical, light source is used to activate light‐sensing opsins, such as channelrhodopsins or pumps. This is commonly achieved by utilizing a luminopsin (LMO), a fusion protein of a light‐emitting luciferase tethered to a light‐sensing opsin. Light of the wavelength matching the activation peak of the opsin is emitted by the luciferase upon application of its small molecule luciferin, resulting in activation of the fused opsin and subsequent effects on membrane potential. Using optimized protocols for culturing, transforming, and testing primary neurons in multi electrode arrays, we systematically defined parameters under which changes in neuronal activity are specific to bioluminescent activation of opsins, rather than due to off‐target effects of either the luciferin or its solvent on neurons directly, or on opsins directly. We further tested if there is a direct effect of bioluminescence on neurons. Critical for assuring specific BL‐OG effects are testing the concentration and formulation of the luciferin against proper controls, including testing effects of vehicle on LMO expressing and of luciferin on nonLMO expressing targets.
Evolutionary fuzzing for genetic improvement: toward adaptive software defense

As fuzz testing strategies have become more and more sophisticated, we see a natural application of fuzz testing to Genetic Improvement techniques. In particular, the ability to generate high quality and high coverage tests with advanced fuzzers can greatly enhance the effectiveness of Genetic Improvement algorithms---especially when the algorithm is applied to bug fixing or other similar kinds of software improvement to improve qualities such as security.
Daily associations between objective sleep and consumption of highly palatable food in free‐living conditions

Prior studies have shown that individuals with shorter sleep duration and later sleep timing consume more highly palatable food (HPF). It is unclear if this relationship exists at the within‐individual level, e.g. if sleeping less or later on one night is associated with greater HPF consumption in the following day in naturalistic environments. This study examined the daily associations between naturalistic sleep and HPF consumption.
From reading to driving: priming mobile users for take-over situations in highly automated driving

Highly automated vehicles, occasionally require users to resume vehicle control from non-driving related tasks by issuing cues called take-over request (TOR). Due to being engaged in non-driving related tasks (NDRT), users have a decreased level of situational awareness of the driving context. Therefore, user interface designs for TORs should ensure smooth transitions from the NDRTs to vehicle control. In this paper, we investigated the role of decision priming cues as TORs across different levels of NDRT engagement. In a driving simulator, users performed a reading span task while driving in automated mode. They received audio-visual TORs which primed them with an appropriate maneuver (steering vs. braking), depending on the traffic situation. Our results showed that priming users with upcoming maneuvers results in faster responses and longer time to collision to obstacles. However, the level of engagement in NDRT does not affect user responses to TORs.
Climate complexity in the migratory cycle of Ammodramus bairdii

One way to understand the ecology of bird migration is to analyze how birds use their ecological niche during their annual cycle. Ammodramus bairdii is a grassland specialist sparrow that breeds in southern Canada and the northern U.S.A. and winters in the Chihuahuan Desert. A continuous and alarming decrease of its populations has been observed over the last 50 years, and studying its seasonal distribution and associated climatic niches could help improve strategies for its conservation. We analyzed the temporal use of its Grinnellian niche (GN) -set of environmental conditions under which a species can establish and persist; in this case the climatic attributes-. We modeled the GN for the reproductive and winter seasons and projected them onto each other (inter-prediction), and also onto transient migratory periods. To measure niche breadth and their overlap, minimum convex polygons (MCP) were calculated for the climatic space. The niches of each of the two seasons were tested for similarity using the PCA axes of climatic variables. The geographic areas with optimal, suboptimal and marginal conditions were identified, based on the distance to the centroid of the GN. The models for each season revealed no geographic inter-prediction among them, with the exception of winter to migratory seasons. The niche breadth of the winter was greater than that of the reproductive season, with an overlap of 22.47% and 45.18%, respectively. The similarity analyses showed a value of zero between seasons. The climate conditions for the records during the migratory months corresponded with suboptimal and marginal conditions of the sparrow’s winter niche. These results suggest that A. bairdii uses different climate conditions within ecological niches of each season during its migratory cycle.
Attributable Cost and Length of Stay Associated with Nosocomial Gram-Negative Bacterial Cultures

Few studies have estimated the excess inpatient costs due to nosocomial cultures of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and those that do are often subject to time-dependent bias. Our objective was to generate estimates of the attributable costs of the underlying infections associated with nosocomial cultures by using a unique inpatient cost data set from the U.S. ABSTRACT Few studies have estimated the excess inpatient costs due to nosocomial cultures of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and those that do are often subject to time-dependent bias. Our objective was to generate estimates of the attributable costs of the underlying infections associated with nosocomial cultures by using a unique inpatient cost data set from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that allowed us to reduce time-dependent bias. Our study included data from inpatient admissions between 1 October 2007 and 30 November 2010. Nosocomial GNB-positive cultures were defined as clinical cultures positive for Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, or Enterobacteriaceae between 48 h after admission and discharge. Positive cultures were further classified by site and level of resistance. We conducted analyses using both a conventional approach and an approach aimed at reducing the impact of time-dependent bias. In both instances, we used multivariable generalized linear models to compare the inpatient costs and length of stay for patients with and without a nosocomial GNB culture. Of the 404,652 patients included in the conventional analysis, 12,356 had a nosocomial GNB-positive culture. The excess costs of nosocomial GNB-positive cultures were significant, regardless of specific pathogen, site, or resistance level. Estimates generated using the conventional analysis approach were 32.0% to 131.2% greater than those generated using the approach to reduce time-dependent bias. These results are important because they underscore the large financial burden attributable to these infections and provide a baseline that can be used to assess the impact of improvements in infection control.