Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Defensive Medicine in the Management of Cesarean Delivery: A Survey among Italian Physicians

Background and Objectives: This study aims to contribute to the definition of the defensive medicine phenomenon between obstetricians and gynecologists, as well as to possible effects on the frequency of deliveries performed by cesarean sections (CS). Materials and Methods: a digital questionnaire was administered through a mail-list including 600 gynecological specialists (of these 168 doctors completed the test), both in public and private settings. It was made of twenty multiple choice questions, concerning their awareness about the practice of defensive medicine and the planning and execution of CS. All doctors involved received clear and complete information about the purpose of this study and about the organizations that received their answers. Analyses of variance and regression were performed to describe differences between groups and to estimate the relationships between variables. The value of p < 0.5 was considered statistically relevant. Results: our analysis revealed that most respondents are confident with the defensive medicine definition and characteristics. This survey confirmed that gynecologists fear legal actions promoted by their patients and therefore modulate their choices by implementing professional behaviors of so-called “defensive medicine”. This relates to a greater number of medical liability judgements, which more often concern omission or delayed execution of cesarean section, rather than unskillful surgical procedures. Conclusions: there are few data to support a relation between the high rate of CS and defensive medicine. Numerous scientific studies associated this CS rate with the phenomenon of defensive medicine. This practice is constantly growing in all medical areas, especially in high-risk specialties such as obstetrics and gynecology. Our study highlights physicians’ awareness of adopting defensive medicine behaviors in their clinical practice, affecting the choice of the type of delivery to be performed.
A Novel Three-Step Extraction Strategy for High-Value Products from Red Algae Porphyridium purpureum

The microalga Porphyridium accumulates high-value compounds such as phycoerythrin, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and polysaccharides, and thus, the extraction of these compounds could significantly expand the value of Porphyridium biomass. In the present study, a novel fractional extraction strategy based on the characteristics of these compounds was established using cold water, 95% ethanol, and hot water. The yield of phycoerythrin, lipids, and polysaccharides was 63.3, 74.3, and 75.2%, respectively. The phycoerythrin exhibited excellent fluorescence characteristics but had low purity. The crude lipid was dark with poor fluidity. Digalactosyldiacylglycerol and sulphoquinovosyldiacylglycerol containing C20:5 and C20:4 were the most abundant glycerolipids, while glucose, xylose, and galactose constituted the intracellular polysaccharides that had covalently bound to proteins (8.01%), uronic acid (4.13%), and sulfate (8.31%). Compared with polysaccharides and crude lipids, crude phycoerythrin showed the best antioxidant activity. Overall, the three-step fractional extraction process was feasible for Porphyridium; however, further purification is necessary for downstream applications.
The Endocannabinoid System and Cannabidiol: Past, Present, and Prospective for Cardiovascular Diseases

In the past, cannabis was commonly associated with mysticism and illegality. Fortunately, in recent years perspectives and discourses have changed. More prominence has been given to the rigorous scientific effort that led to the discovery of cannabis’ many physiological actions and endogenous signalling mechanisms. The endocannabinoid system is a complex and heterogeneous pro-homeostatic network comprising different receptors with several endogenous ligands, numerous metabolic enzymes and regulatory proteins. Therefore, it is not surprising that alterations and dysfunctions of the endocannabinoid system are observed in almost every category of disease. Such high degree of pathophysiological involvement suggests the endocannabinoid system is a promising therapeutic target and prompted the translation of resurgent scientific findings into clinical therapies. Shifting attitudes toward cannabis also raised other matters such as increased patient awareness, prescription requests, self-medication, recreational use, recognition of new knowledge gaps, renewed scientific activity, and seemingly exponential growth of the cannabis industry. This review, following a general overview of cannabis and the endocannabinoid system, assiduously describes its role within the context of cardiovascular diseases, paying particular attention to the Janus influence that endocannabinoid system modulators can have on the cardiovascular system.
Review of Influenza Virus Vaccines: The Qualitative Nature of Immune Responses to Infection and Vaccination Is a Critical Consideration

Influenza viruses have affected the world for over a century, causing multiple pandemics. Throughout the years, many prophylactic vaccines have been developed for influenza; however, these viruses are still a global issue and take many lives. In this paper, we review influenza viruses, associated immunological mechanisms, current influenza vaccine platforms, and influenza infection, in the context of immunocompromised populations. This review focuses on the qualitative nature of immune responses against influenza viruses, with an emphasis on trained immunity and an assessment of the characteristics of the host–pathogen that compromise the effectiveness of immunization. We also highlight innovative immunological concepts that are important considerations for the development of the next generation of vaccines against influenza viruses.
Two-Dimensional MFI Zeolite Nanosheets Exfoliated by Surfactant Assisted Solution Process

Two-dimensional (2D) zeolite nanosheets are important for the synthesis of high flux zeolite membranes due to their lateral size in a preferred orientation. A way to obtain 2D zeolite nanosheets is to exfoliate interlocked structures generated during the hydrothermal synthesis. The mechanical and polymer assisted exfoliation process leads to mechanical damage in nanosheets and short lateral size. In the present study, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was introduced as an exfoliation agent and dispersant, so that multilamellar interlocked silicalite-1 zeolite nanosheets successfully exfoliated into a large lateral size (individual nanosheets 500~1200 nm). The good exfoliation behavior was due to the strong penetration of PVP into multilamellar nanosheets. Sonication assisted by mild milling helps PVP molecules to penetrate through the lamellar structure, contributing to the expansion of the distance between adjacent layers and thus decreasing the interactions between each layer. In addition, the stability of exfoliated nanosheets was evaluated with a series of organic solvents. The exfoliated nanosheets were well dispersed in n-butanol and stable for 30 days. Therefore, the PVP-assisted solution-based exfoliation process provides high aspect ratio MFI zeolite nanosheets in organic solvents for a long period.
Association between Serum Testosterone Levels and Body Composition among Men 20–59 Years of Age

Introduction Sex hormones play an important role in the development and maintenance of bone and muscle mass. However, studies regarding serum testosterone levels, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia in men are relatively sparse and have led to contradictory conclusions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between serum testosterone levels and body composition, including bone mineral density (BMD), appendicular lean mass index (ALMI), and appendicular fat mass index (AFMI), among men 20–59 years of age through a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Materials and Methods Our analysis was based on the data for 3,875 men, 20–59 years of age. Weighted multiple regression analyses were used to estimate the independent association between serum testosterone levels and body composition. Weighted generalized additive models and smooth curve fittings were used to characterize the nonlinear associations between them. Results The association between the serum testosterone level and lumbar BMD was positive in each multivariable linear regression model. In the model adjusted for age and race, the serum testosterone level was negatively associated with ALMI. However, in the models adjusted for body mass index, this association became positive. In addition, the association between the serum testosterone level and AFMI was negative in each multivariable linear regression model. Conclusion Our study demonstrated a positive association of serum testosterone level with lumbar BMD and ALMI, and a negative association with AFMI, among men 20–59 years of age, suggesting that increasing testosterone levels may be beneficial to skeletal health in young and middle-aged men with low testosterone levels.
Red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) drying: Effects of different drying methods on drying kinetics, physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, and microstructure

ABSTRACT Results of an experimental study are presented and discussed for pulsed vacuum drying (PVD), infrared-assisted hot air-drying (IR-HAD), and hot air-drying (HAD) on drying kinetics, physicochemical properties (surface color, nonenzyme browning index, red pigments, rehydration ratio, water holding capacity, and ascorbic acid), antioxidant capacity (ferric reducing antioxidant power and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity), and microstructure of red pepper. As expected, the drying time decreased with an increase in drying air temperature, IR-HAD needed the shortest drying time, followed by HAD and PVD. The effective moisture diffusivity (Deff) of red pepper under PVD, HAD, and IR-HAD was computed to be in the range 1.33–5.83 × 10−10, 1.38–6.87 × 10−10, and 1.75–8.97 × 10−10 m2/s, respectively. PVD provided superior physicochemical properties of dried red pepper compared to samples dried by HAD and IR-HAD. In detail, PVD yielded higher rehydration ratio, water holding capacity, red pigment and ascorbic acid content, brighter color, lower nonenzyme browning index, and comparable antioxidant capacity compared to samples dried by HAD and IR-HAD at the same drying temperature. Furthermore, PVD promoted the formation of a more porous structure, while HAD and IR-HAD yielded less porous structure. The current findings indicate that PVD drying has the potential to produce high-quality dried red pepper on commercial scale.
Rehabilitation protocols following rotator cuff repair: a meta‐analysis of current evidence

Rotator cuff tears are a common shoulder pathology with an increasing incidence. The optimum post‐operative rehab protocol remains unclear and can consist of either conservative rehabilitation or more aggressive early range‐of‐motion. Multiple studies have assessed these treatment protocols. This meta‐analysis aims to compare post‐operative clinical outcomes following either conservative or aggressive rehabilitation post rotator cuff repair.
Bioinspiration of the vein structure of dragonfly wings on its flight characteristics

Dragonflies have excellent flight characteristics, which are inextricably related to the characteristics of their wings. Their wings not only support a variety of loads during flight but also maintain high‐efficiency flight characteristics. In this study, the forewing of a dragonfly (Pantala flavescens (Fabricius)) was used as a research object to explore the microstructure of the surface, cross section, and the vein distribution. Three‐dimensional models of three different structures of the forewing vein, including an oval‐shaped hollow tube, a circular hollow tube, and a circular solid tube, were established. Fluid dynamics analysis of these three forewing models under different angles of attack during gliding was carried out by FLUENT software, and subsequently, the influence of the dragonfly forewing vein structure on its flight characteristics was analyzed. The numerical simulation results indicated that the vein structure has a considerable influence on the lift, drag, and lift–drag ratio of the P. flavescens forewing. It was indicated that among the tested models, the forewing model with oval‐shaped hollow tubular veins has better flight efficiency and aerodynamic characteristics. The results of this study may provide the basis for a novel bionic concept of flapping wing microaircraft design.
Comprehensive characterization genetic regulation and chromatin landscape of enhancer-associated long non-coding RNAs and their implication in human cancer

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that emanate from enhancer regions (defined as enhancer-associated lncRNAs, or elncRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators in disease progression. However, their biological characteristics and clinical relevance have not been fully portrayed. Here, based on the traditional expression quantitative loci (eQTL) and our optimized residual eQTL method, we comprehensively described the genetic effect on elncRNA expression in more than 300 lymphoblastoid cell lines. Meanwhile, a chromatin atlas of elncRNAs relative to the genetic regulation state was depicted. By applying the maximum likelihood estimate method, we successfully identified causal elncRNAs for protein-coding gene expression reprogramming and showed their associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) favor binding of transcription factors. Further epigenome analysis revealed two immune-associated elncRNAs AL662844.4 and LINC01215 possess high levels of H3K27ac and H3K4me1 in human cancer. Besides, pan-cancer analysis of 3D genome, transcriptome, and regulatome data showed they potentially regulate tumor-immune cell interaction through affecting MHC class I genes and CD47, respectively. Moreover, our study showed there exist associations between elncRNA and patient survival. Finally, we made a user-friendly web interface available for exploring the regulatory relationship of SNP-elncRNA-protein-coding gene triplets (http://bio-bigdata.hrbmu.edu.cn/elncVarReg). Our study provides critical mechanistic insights for elncRNA function and illustrates their implications in human cancer.
Electrical properties and synaptic transmission in mouse intracardiac ganglion neurons in situ

The intrinsic cardiac nervous system represents the final site of signal integration for neurotransmission to the myocardium to enable local control of cardiac performance. The electrophysiological characteristics and ganglionic transmission of adult mouse intrinsic cardiac ganglion (ICG) neurons were investigated using a whole‐mount ganglion preparation of the excised right atrial ganglion plexus and intracellular microelectrode recording techniques. The passive and active electrical properties of ICG neurons and synaptic transmission including synaptic response strength and efficacy as a function of stimulation frequency were examined. The resting membrane potential and input resistance of ICG neurons were −47.9 ± 4.0 mV and 197.2 ± 81.5 MΩ, respectively. All neurons had somatic action potentials with overshoots of >+15 mV and after‐hyperpolarizations having an average of 10 mV amplitude and ~45 ms half duration. Phasic discharge activities were recorded from the majority of neurons studied and several types of excitatory synaptic responses were recorded following inputs from the vagus or interganglionic nerve trunk(s). Most postganglionic neurons (>75%) received a strong, suprathreshold synaptic input and reliably followed high‐frequency repetitive nerve stimulation up to at least 50 Hz. Nerve‐evoked synaptic transmission was blocked by extracellular Cd2+, ω‐conotoxin CVIE, or α‐conotoxin RegIIA, a selective α3‐containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist. Synaptic transmission and the electrical properties of murine ICG neurons contribute to the pattern of discharge which regulates chronotropic, dromotropic, and inotropic elements of cardiac function.
Novel Spectrophotometric Protocol for the Long-Term Characterization of the Hue of Artwork

ABSTRACT A method for the highly precise, long-term documentation of the color of artwork is described. Gaussian analysis of several ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra allowed the generation of a reduced data set of three to seven Gaussian bands. High-resolution absorption spectra were characterized as 21 or fewer numerical data. The spectral approach enables chemical identification independent from the illumination and concentration of the sample. Applications including documentation and authentication are discussed.
Pd2Se3 Monolayer: A Promising Two-Dimensional Thermoelectric Material with Ultralow Lattice Thermal Conductivity and High Power Factor

A high power factor and low lattice thermal conductivity are two essential ingredients of highly efficient thermoelectric materials. Although monolayers of transition-metal dichalcogenides possess high power factors, high lattice thermal conductivities significantly impede their practical applications. Our first-principles calculations show that these two ingredients are well fulfilled in the recently synthesized Pd2Se3 monolayer, whose crystal structure is composed of [Se2]2– dimers, Se2– anions, and Pd2+ cations coordinated in a square-planar manner. Our detailed analysis of third-order interatomic force constants reveals that the anharmonicity and soft phonon modes associated with covalently bonded [Se2]2– dimers lead to ultralow lattice thermal conductivities in Pd2Se3 monolayers (1.5 and 2.9 W m–1 K–1 along the a- and b-axes at 300 K, respectively), which are comparable to those of high-performance bulk thermoelectric materials such as PbTe. Moreover, the “pudding-mold” type band structure, caused by.
Influence of Inherently-Present Oxygen-functional Groups on Coal Fluidity and Coke Strength

The effect of various oxygen-containing compounds added and/or inherent O-species on coal fluidity and coke strength has been investigated in detail. When several O-containing compounds, which have different O-containing groups, are added independently to caking coal, the MF value almost decreases, and the extent of the decrease being ether < ketone < lactone < hydroxyl < acid anhydride < < ether/hydroxyl/lactone < carboxyl group. The COOH content in four coals used increases with decreasing C%, and the MF values decrease with increasing the content. The evolution of gaseous O-containing species (CO, CO2, and H2O) during carbonization at 3 °C/min of four coals up to 400 °C has been studied mainly with a flow-type quartz-made fixed-bed reactor to clarify the effect of the amount of O-containing gases evolved with the Gieseler fluidity of coal particles. A positive correlation is found between the amount of CO, CO2, or H2O evolved up to 400 °C and the COOH content in coal. However, a negative correlation be.
Intraprocedural PRAETORIAN score for early assessment of S‐ICD implantation: A proof‐of‐concept study

The PRAETORIAN score (PS) was developed to assess the implant position and predict defibrillation success of the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators (S‐ICD). The main critique moved to the routine use of PS has been its postprocedural timing, that limits its usefulness on procedure guidance. The aim of this proof‐of‐concept study was to assess the feasibility of an intraprocedural use of PS.
RNA-based cooperative protein labeling that permits direct monitoring of the intracellular concentration change of an endogenous protein

Abstract Imaging the dynamics of proteins in living cells is a powerful means for understanding cellular functions at a deeper level. Here, we report a versatile method for spatiotemporal imaging of specific endogenous proteins in living mammalian cells. The method employs a bifunctional aptamer capable of selective protein recognition and fluorescent probe-binding, which is induced only when the aptamer specifically binds to its target protein. An aptamer for β-actin protein preferentially recognizes its monomer forms over filamentous forms, resulting in selective G-actin staining in both fixed and living cells. Through actin-drug treatment, the method permitted direct monitoring of the intracellular concentration change of endogenous G-actin. This protein-labeling method, which is highly selective and non-covalent, provides rich insights into the study of spatiotemporal protein dynamics in living cells.
The Zoom Effect: A Google Trends Analysis

Abstract Background Increased video-chatting, stimulated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been correlated with increased appearance concerns. Initial lockdown restrictions correlated with a decrease in aesthetic/cosmetic plastic surgery case volumes. Objectives We aim to delineate public interest in aesthetic procedures surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic via Google Trends (GT). We hypothesize that because of the pandemic, public interest in plastic surgery procedures increased, especially localized above the shoulder. Methods Trends in the US for given search terms and volumes were gathered via Google Trends between January 2015 to March 2021. The search volumes were normalized, and a bivariate regression analysis of panel data was then applied to the aggregate trendlines to determine if a statistically significant change in search volume occurred following the stay-at-home orders. Results The following search terms had statistically significant (p < 0.000) increases in search volumes after February 2020: blepharoplasty, Botox, brachioplasty, breast implant removal, breast reduction, brow lift, buccal fat removal, hair transplantation, lip augmentation, mentoplasty, otoplasty, platysmaplasty, rhinoplasty, and thighplasty. Chi-squared analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association (Chi-squared = 4.812, p = 0.028) between increases in search volume and above the shoulder procedures. Conclusions Public interest in above the shoulder surgical procedures showed a statistically significant increase following February 2020 compared to below the shoulder procedures. Continued examination of specific procedure trends, as well as determining correlations with more accurate procedural datasets, will provide increased insight into consumers’ mindsets and to what extent video conferencing plays on the public’s interest in pursuing aesthetic surgery.
Therapeutic potential of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in autoimmune diseases.

Galectins are a highly conserved protein family that binds to β-galactosides. Different members of this family play a variety of biological functions in physiological and pathological processes such as angiogenesis, regulation of immune cell activity, and cell adhesion. Galectins are widely distributed and play a vital role both inside and outside cells. It can regulate homeostasis and immune function in vivo through mechanisms such as apoptosis. Recent studies indicate that galectins exhibit pleiotropic roles in inflammation. Furthermore, emerging studies have found that galectins are involved in the occurrence and development of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), type 1 diabetes (T1D) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) by regulating cell adhesion, apoptosis, and other mechanisms. This review will briefly discuss the biological characteristics of the two most widely expressed and extensively explored members of the galectin family, galectin-1 and galectin-3, as well as their pathogenetic and therapeutic roles in autoimmune diseases. These information may provide a novel and promising therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases.