Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efeitos da temperatura ambiente sobre o desempenho de suínos dos 30 aos 60 kg

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of environmental temperature on performance, carcass composition and physiological parameters of pigs from 30 to 60 kg of weight. Thirty six barrow (Landrace x Large White) with initial weight of 29.94 ± 0.49 kg, were assigned to a completely randomized experimental design with three treatments six replicates and two animals per experimental unity. The experimental period lasted 35 days. The treatments consisted of T1 Animals on heat stress (32oC) fed ad libitum; T2 Animals on thermal comfort (23oC) fed ad libitum; T3 Animals on thermal comfort (23oC) pair feeding with treatment 1. Environmental temperature reduced the feed intake however improved the feed:gain ratio and lysine efficiency utilization for gain of the animals on treatment 1 compared of those on the others treatments. Fat deposition was lesser for swine maintained in treatments 1 and 3 than for those on treatment 2. However only animals on thermal comfort with pair feeding showed a decreasing protein deposition. The animals on heat stress showed lower fasting and carcass weights than those animals on thermal comfort with ad libitum feeding. The animals on heat stress showed fasting and carcass weights higher than those with pair feeding. The treatments did not affect carcass yield and relative weights of the evaluated organs, exception for stomach, that was smaller in T3. The physiological parameters (surface temperature and respiratory rate) were negatively affected by high temperature (T1). Rectal temperature was not influenced by the treatments. It was concluded that in the growing phase high temperature decreased pig performance and maintained a protein deposition in carcass, and this effect is not limitant to decrease feed intake.
Gastrintestinal helminths Of Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766-Smith, 1839) from the caatinga area of the Paraíba State, Brazil

O cachorro-do-mato Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766), canideo de porte medio, com distribuicao em quase todo territorio brasileiro, com ocorrencia no semi-arido Nordestino. No presente estudo objetivou identificar a helmintofauna nesta especies animal, provenientes da regiao da Caatinga, estado da Paraiba. Para maior abrangencia da pesquisa, foi determinado, tambem, os indicadores ecologicos de infeccao helmintica, contribuicao favoravel para o conhecimento da biodiversidade do bioma. Para tal, foram utilizados 58 animais encontrados por atropelamento em rodovias nas proximidades do municipio de Patos, dos quais foram retirados o trato gastintestinal, e posteriormente, realizada a colheita de helmintos; todas os animais necropsiados estavam parasitados. Foram identificados diferentes classes, sendo dois Trematoda, um Cestoda, um Acantocefala e 12 Nematoda, totalizando 16 especimens. Neste estudo, uma nova especie denominada Pterygodermatites pluripectinata n. sp. foi descrita, alem da descricao de novos registros de hospedeiros e localizacoes.
Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Compared with MRI and CT in the Evaluation of Post-Renal Transplant Complications

Renal transplantation (RT) is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease, significantly improving patients’ survival and quality of life. However, approximately 3–23% of patients encounter post-operative complications, and radiology plays a major role for their early detection and treatment or follow-up planning. CT and MRI are excellent imaging modalities to evaluate renal transplant post-operative course; nevertheless, they are both associated with a high cost and low accessibility, as well as some contraindications, making them not feasible for all patients. In particular, gadolinium-based contrast can lead to the rare condition of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, and iodine-based contrast can lead to contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). CT also exposes the patients who may require multiple examinations to ionizing radiation. Therefore, considering the overall advantages and disadvantages, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is presently considered an effective first-line imaging modality for post-operative early and long-term follow-up in RT, reducing the need for biopsies and providing adequate guidance for drainage procedures. Hence, this paper aims to review the updated knowledge on CEUS compared with CT and MRI for the evaluation of RT renal transplant complications; advantages, limitations, and possible recommendations are provided.
Identification of Independent and Shared Metabolic Responses to High-Fiber and Antibiotic Treatments in Fecal Metabolome of Grow–Finish Pigs

Feeding high-fiber (HF) coproducts to grow–finish pigs as a cost-saving practice could compromise growth performance, while the inclusion of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) may improve it. The hindgut is a shared site of actions between fiber and AGPs. However, whether the metabolic interactions between them could occur in the digestive tract of pigs and then become detectable in feces have not been well-examined. In this study, wheat middling (WM), a HF coproduct, and bacitracin, a peptide antibiotic (AB), were fed to 128 grow–finish pigs for 98 days following a 2 × 2 factorial design, including antibiotic-free (AF) + low fiber (LF); AF + HF; AB + LF, and AB + HF, for growth and metabolic responses. The growth performance of the pigs was compromised by HF feedings but not by AB. A metabolomic analysis of fecal samples collected on day 28 of feeding showed that WM elicited comprehensive metabolic changes, especially in amino acids, fatty acids, and their microbial metabolites, while bacitracin caused selective metabolic changes, including in secondary bile acids. Limited metabolic interactions occurred between fiber and AB treatments. Moreover, the correlations between individual fecal metabolites and growth support the usage of fecal metabolome as a source of biomarkers for monitoring and predicting the metabolic performance of grow–finish pigs.
Processing of embedded response plans is modulated by an interplay of fronto-parietal theta and beta activity.

Even simple actions like opening a door require integration/binding and flexible re-activation of different motor elements. Yet, the neural mechanisms underlying the processing of such 'embedded response plans' are largely elusive, despite theoretical frameworks, such as the Theory of Event Coding, describing the involved cognitive processes. In a sample of N = 40 healthy participants we combine time-frequency decomposition and various beamforming methods to examine neurophysiological dynamics of such action plans - with special emphasis on the interplay of theta and beta frequency activity during the processing of these plans. We show that the integration and rule-guided reactivation of embedded response plans is modulated by a complex interplay of theta and beta activity. Pre-trial BBA is related to different functional neuroanatomical structures which are activated in a consecutive fashion. Enhanced preparatory activity is positively associated with higher binding-related BBA in the precuneus/parietal areas, indicating that activity in the precuneus/parietal cortex facilitates the execution of an embedded action sequence. Increased preparation subsequently leads to reduced working memory retrieval demands. A cascading pattern of interactions between pre-trial and within-trial activity indicates the importance of preparatory brain activity. The study shows that there are multiple roles of beta and theta oscillations associated with different functional neuroanatomical structures during the integration and reactivation of motor elements during actions.
Effects of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata) Protein Isolate on Rheological, Textural, and Structural Properties of Native Corn Starch

It is critical to understand the starch–protein interactions in food systems to obtain products with desired functional properties. This study aimed to investigate the influence of mung bean protein isolate (MBPI) on the rheological, textural, and structural properties of native corn starch (NCS) and their possible interactions during gelatinization. The dynamic rheological measurements showed a decrease in the storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G”) and an increase in the loss factor (tan δ), by adding MBPI to NCS gels. In addition, the textural properties represented a reduction in firmness after the addition of MBPI. The Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the freeze-dried NCS/MBPI gels confirmed that the NCS gel became softer by incorporating the MBPI. Moreover, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed a peak at 17.4°, and the relative crystallinity decreased with increasing MBPI concentrations. The turbidity determination after 120 h refrigerated storage showed that the addition of MBPI could reduce the retrogradation of NCS gels by interacting with leached amylose. Additionally, the syneresis of NCS/MBPI gels decreased at 14 days of refrigerated storage from 60.53 to 47.87%.
Developing ROR1 Targeting CAR-T Cells against Solid Tumors in Preclinical Studies

Simple Summary A ROR1 CAR-T cells derived from scFv of Zilovertamab with short IgG4 hinge spacer region, holds the specific cytotoxicities against a broad range of ROR1+ solid tumors with no observed toxicity in vivo. Our results have provided preclinical evidence to further develop ROR1 CAR-T adoptive therapy against solid tumors in the clinical stage. Abstract Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T-cells (CAR-T) have demonstrated promising clinical benefits against B-cell malignancies. Yet, its application for solid tumors is still facing challenges. Unlike haematological cancers, solid tumors often lack good targets, which are ideally expressed on the tumor cells, but not by the normal healthy cells. Fortunately, receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) is among a few good cancer targets that is aberrantly expressed on various tumors but has a low expression on normal tissue, suggesting it as a good candidate for CAR-T therapy. Here, we constructed two ROR1 CARs with the same antigen recognition domain that was derived from Zilovertamab but differing in hinge regions. Both CARs target ROR1+ cancer cells specifically, but CAR with a shorter IgG4 hinge exhibits a higher surface expression and better in vitro functionality. We further tested the ROR1 CAR-T in three human solid tumor xenografted mouse models. Our ROR1 CAR-T cells controlled the solid tumor growth without causing any severe toxicity. Our results demonstrated that ROR1 CAR-T derived from Zilovertamab is efficacious and safe to suppress ROR1+ solid tumors in vitro and in vivo, providing a promising therapeutic option for future clinical application.
Flexural bending to approximate cortical forces exerted by electrocorticography (ECoG) arrays

Objective. The force that an electrocorticography (ECoG) array exerts on the brain manifests when it bends to match the curvature of the skull and cerebral cortex. This force can negatively impact both short-term and long-term patient outcomes. Here we provide a mechanical characterization of a novel liquid crystal polymer (LCP) ECoG array prototype to demonstrate that its thinner geometry reduces the force potentially applied to the cortex of the brain. Approach. We built a low-force flexural testing machine to measure ECoG array bending forces, calculate their effective flexural moduli, and approximate the maximum force they could exerted on the human brain. Main results. The LCP ECoG prototype was found to have a maximal force less than 20% that of any commercially available ECoG arrays that were tested. However, as a material, LCP was measured to be as much as 24× more rigid than silicone, which is traditionally used in ECoG arrays. This suggests that the lower maximal force resulted from the prototype’s thinner profile (2.9×–3.25×). Significance. While decreasing material stiffness can lower the force an ECoG array exhibits, our LCP ECoG array prototype demonstrated that flexible circuit manufacturing techniques can also lower these forces by decreasing ECoG array thickness. Flexural tests of ECoG arrays are necessary to accurately assess these forces, as material properties for polymers and laminates are often scale dependent. As the polymers used are anisotropic, elastic modulus cannot be used to predict ECoG flexural behavior. Accounting for these factors, we used our four-point flexure testing procedure to quantify the forces exerted on the brain by ECoG array bending. With this experimental method, ECoG arrays can be designed to minimize force exerted on the brain, potentially improving both acute and chronic clinical utility.
Polymeric Hydrogelator-Based Molecular Gels Containing Polyaniline/Phosphoric Acid Systems

To expand the range of applications of hydrogels, researchers are interested in developing novel molecular hydrogel materials that have affinities for the living body and the ability to mediate electrical signals. In this study, a simple mixing method for creating a novel composite molecular gel is employed, which combines a hydrophilic conductive polymer, a polyaniline/phosphoric acid complex, and a polymer hydrogelator as a matrix. The composite hydrogel showed an improved gel-forming ability; more effective mechanical properties, with an increased strain value at the sol–gel transition point compared to the single system, which may be sufficient for paintable gel; and a better electrochemical response, due to the electrically conducting polyaniline component. These findings demonstrate the applicability of the new composite hydrogels to new potential paintable electrode materials.
Progressive, Qualitative, and Quantitative Alterations in HDL Lipidome from Healthy Subjects to Patients with Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes

Prediabetes is a clinically silent, insulin-resistant state with increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Since glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism are highly intersected and interrelated, an in-depth characterization of qualitative and quantitative abnormalities in lipoproteins could unravel the metabolic pathways underlying the progression of prediabetes to T2D and also the proneness of these patients to developing premature atherosclerosis. We investigated the HDL lipidome in 40 patients with prediabetes and compared it to that of 40 normoglycemic individuals and 40 patients with established T2D using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Patients with prediabetes presented significant qualitative and quantitative alterations, potentially atherogenic, in HDL lipidome compared to normoglycemic characterized by higher percentages of free cholesterol and triglycerides, whereas phospholipids were lower. Glycerophospholipids and ether glycerolipids were significantly lower in prediabetic compared to normoglycemic individuals, whereas sphingolipids were significantly higher. In prediabetes, lipids were esterified with saturated rather than unsaturated fatty acids. These changes are qualitatively similar, but quantitatively milder, than those found in patients with T2D. We conclude that the detailed characterization of the HDL lipid profile bears a potential to identify patients with subtle (but still proatherogenic) abnormalities who are at high risk for development of T2D and CVD.
Carotenoids in Human Skin In Vivo: Antioxidant and Photo-Protectant Role against External and Internal Stressors

The antioxidant system of the human body plays a crucial role in maintaining redox homeostasis and has an important protective function. Carotenoids have pronounced antioxidant properties in the neutralization of free radicals. In human skin, carotenoids have a high concentration in the stratum corneum (SC)—the horny outermost layer of the epidermis, where they accumulate within lipid lamellae. Resonance Raman spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy are optical methods that are used to non-invasively determine the carotenoid concentration in the human SC in vivo. It was shown by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy that carotenoids support the entire antioxidant status of the human SC in vivo by neutralizing free radicals and thus, counteracting the development of oxidative stress. This review is devoted to assembling the kinetics of the carotenoids in the human SC in vivo using non-invasive optical and spectroscopic methods. Factors contributing to the changes of the carotenoid concentration in the human SC and their influence on the antioxidant status of the SC in vivo are summarized. The effect of chemotherapy on the carotenoid concentration of the SC in cancer patients is presented. A potential antioxidant-based pathomechanism of chemotherapy-induced hand-foot syndrome and a method to reduce its frequency and severity are discussed.
Matairesinol Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Exerts Synergistic Anticancer Effects with 5-Fluorouracil in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer and exhibits a devastating 5-year survival rate. The most recent procedure for the treatment of PDAC is a combination of several conventional chemotherapeutic agents, termed FOLFIRINOX, that includes irinotecan, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). However, ongoing treatment using these agents is challenging due to their severe side effects and limitations on the range of patients available for PDAC. Therefore, safer and more innovative anticancer agents must be developed. The anticarcinoma activity of matairesinol that can be extracted from seagrass has been reported in various types of cancer, including prostate, breast, cervical, and pancreatic cancer. However, the molecular mechanism of effective anticancer activity of matairesinol against pancreatic cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we confirmed the inhibition of cell proliferation and progression induced by matairesinol in representative human pancreatic cancer cell lines (MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1). Additionally, matairesinol triggers apoptosis and causes mitochondrial impairment as evidenced by the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, disruption of calcium, and suppression of cell migration and related intracellular signaling pathways. Finally, matairesinol exerts a synergistic effect with 5-FU, a standard anticancer agent for PDAC. These results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of matairesinol in the treatment of PDAC.
Mimicking the Intestinal Host–Pathogen Interactions in a 3D In Vitro Model: The Role of the Mucus Layer

The intestinal mucus lines the luminal surface of the intestinal epithelium. This mucus is a dynamic semipermeable barrier and one of the first-line defense mechanisms against the outside environment, protecting the body against chemical, mechanical, or biological external insults. At the same time, the intestinal mucus accommodates the resident microbiota, providing nutrients and attachment sites, and therefore playing an essential role in the host–pathogen interactions and gut homeostasis. Underneath this mucus layer, the intestinal epithelium is organized into finger-like protrusions called villi and invaginations called crypts. This characteristic 3D architecture is known to influence the epithelial cell differentiation and function. However, when modelling in vitro the intestinal host–pathogen interactions, these two essential features, the intestinal mucus and the 3D topography are often not represented, thus limiting the relevance of the models. Here we present an in vitro model that mimics the small intestinal mucosa and its interactions with intestinal pathogens in a relevant manner, containing the secreted mucus layer and the epithelial barrier in a 3D villus-like hydrogel scaffold. This 3D architecture significantly enhanced the secretion of mucus. In infection with the pathogenic adherent invasive E. coli strain LF82, characteristic of Crohn’s disease, we observed that this secreted mucus promoted the adhesion of the pathogen and at the same time had a protective effect upon its invasion. This pathogenic strain was able to survive inside the epithelial cells and trigger an inflammatory response that was milder when a thick mucus layer was present. Thus, we demonstrated that our model faithfully mimics the key features of the intestinal mucosa necessary to study the interactions with intestinal pathogens.
Triatomine fauna in the state of Bahia, Brazil: What changed after 40 years of the vector-control program?

ABSTRACT Background: Neglected tropical diseases are a growing threat to global health, and endemic Chagas disease has emerged as one of the most important health problems in America. The main strategy to prevent Trypanosoma cruzi transmission is chemical control of vectors. This study presents a descriptive analysis of synanthropic triatomines before and after the implementation of a vector-control program in Bahia, Brazil. Methods: Descriptive analysis and geospatial statistics were performed on triatomine data, (1) the relative abundance and (2) proportional spatial distribution, from Bahia during two periods: (A) 1957 to 1971 and (B) 2006 to 2019. Results: We observed a decrease in the relative abundance of Panstrongylus megistus (A: n=22.032, 61.9%; B: n=1.842, 1.0%) and Triatoma infestans (A: n=1.310, 3.7%; B: n=763, 0.43%), as well as an increase in the relative abundance of T. sordida (A: n=8.314, 23.4%, B: n=146.901, 81.6%) and T. pseudomaculata (A: n=894, 2.5%, B: n=16.717, 9.3%). Conclusions: Our results indicate a clear reduction in the occurrence of P. megistus and T. infestans (last record in 2015) and an increase in the relative abundance and geographical distribution of T. sordida and T. pseudomaculata after 40 years of the vector-control program. The high frequency of other triatomine species in the municipalities of the state of Bahia and their abundance in recent years highlight the need to reinforce permanent entomological surveillance actions to prevent Chagas disease.
The Critical Effect of Bile Acids in Atherosclerosis

Abstract: Atherosclerosis (AS) is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases and is the leading cause of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Bile acids are not only the products of cholesterol metabolism, but also an important class of signaling molecules. Bile acids exert their biological effects through the bile acid receptor signaling pathways. Bile acid receptors are widely distributed in human organs and tissues. The activation of transcriptional and signaling cascades controls bile acid metabolism and synthesis, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, immune cell expression, and inflammatory responses. A large body of evidence indicates that bile acids play an important role in the initiation and development of AS, and are strongly associated with AS risk factors. The major bile acid receptors, nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (liver) and membrane receptor G protein-coupled receptor 5, exhibit anti-atherosclerotic effects. Other nuclear receptors exert different anti-atherosclerotic or pro-atherosclerotic effects. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the effects of bile acids and their receptors in AS and explore the pathway of bile acids involved in atherosclerotic lesions. The main research based on animal models or cell/tissue culture experiments is also discussed. This review provides new ideas for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for AS prevention and treatment.