Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Salivary IGF and IGF/IGFBP-3 Molar Ratio with Cervical Vertebral Maturation Stages from Pre-Adolescent to Post-Adolescent Transition Period—A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study

Background: The relevance of growth determination in orthodontics is driving the search for the most precise and least invasive way of tracking the pubertal growth spurt. Objectives: The aim was to explore whether minimally invasive salivary estimation of biomarkers Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) could be used to estimate skeletal maturity with diagnostic accuracy, especially in children and adolescent age groups. Subjects and methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 105 participants aged 6–25 years from the out-patient Department of Preventive Dental Science at Majmaah University between the period 2 January 2021 and 12 July 2021. Each subject’s lateral cephalogram radiograph was categorized based on skeletal maturity, and saliva samples were estimated for IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 using the respective ELISA kits. Two-way ANOVA with interaction was applied to examine the main effects due to cervical vertebral maturation staging (CVS), Sex and interaction effect due to CVS, and Sex on study parameters. Karl Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was calculated for finding a significant association between IGF, IGFBP3, and the IGF-1/IGFBP3 molar ratio. Results: Highest mean salivary IGF-1 was observed in the pubertal peak stage, which coincides with cervical vertebral maturity stages 3 and 4 (CVS3 and CVS4) for both males (2.57 ng/mL) and females (1.57 ng/mL) and the lowest mean level of IGF-1 for females (0.85 ng/mL) and males (1.22 ng/mL) was observed during the prepubertal stage. There exists a significant variation in IGF-1 between males and females in the pubertal stage (p < 0.01), but the difference is very narrow in the prepubertal and post-pubertal groups (p > 0.05). There was no significant interaction effect of different skeletal stages and gender on the IGFBP3 and the IGF-1/IGFBP3 molar ratio (p > 0.05), but there exists a significant interaction effect on IGF-1 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Estimation of the IGF-1 and the IGF-1/IGFBP3 molar ratio in saliva, being a non-invasive biological marker, could serve as an adjunctive tool along with radiographic assessment in estimating growth maturity in the adolescence age group. By initiating orthodontic treatment during the mandibular growth peak in adolescence, a positive outcome is ensured in managing skeletal deformities within the craniofacial complex.
Early Postoperative Parathormone and Calcium as Prognostic Factors for Postoperative Hypocalcemia

Background. Postoperative hypocalcemia is one of the most common complications after total thyroidectomy. Parathormone (PTH) and calcium levels, measured several hours after surgery, have been suggested as valuable markers for detecting patients at risk for post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. We aimed to determine if early post-surgery PTH and calcium levels can be used for the early identification of patients at risk for symptomatic hypocalcemia. Methods. PTH and calcium were measured before surgery and at 10 min and 4 h post-thyroidectomy, in 77 patients. Performance characteristics of PTH and calcium levels and their post/pre-surgery ratios were calculated. Results. Four-hour calcium was a sensitive (93.75%) but not specific (67.61%) indicator of patients at risk for symptomatic hypocalcemia. The 4-h/pre-surgery PTH ratio was the most accurate (90.81%) and the most specific (94.37%) test to identify patients at risk. Serum calcium at 4-h, 4-h/pre-surgery PTH ratio, and PTH at 10 min post-surgery had the higher diagnostic odds ratios (50.86, 32.85, and 29.04, respectively). The 4-h/pre-surgery PTH ratio also had the highest (0.694) Youden’s J statistic. Conclusions. Low serum calcium levels 4 h after thyroidectomy and the 4-h/pre-surgery PTH ratio could be valuable additions to everyday clinical practice in post-thyroidectomy patients.
7T HR FID-MRSI Compared to Amino Acid PET: Glutamine and Glycine as Promising Biomarkers in Brain Tumors

Simple Summary Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging is an imaging method that can map the distribution of multiple biochemicals in the human brain in one scan. Using stronger magnetic fields, such as 7 Tesla, allows for higher resolution images and more biochemical maps. To test these results, we compared it to positron emission tomography, the established clinical standard for metabolic imaging. This comparison mainly looked at the overlap between regions with increased signal between both methods. We found that the molecules glutamine and glycine, only mappable at 7 Tesla, corresponded better to positron emission tomography than the commonly used choline. Abstract (1) Background: Recent developments in 7T magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) made the acquisition of high-resolution metabolic images in clinically feasible measurement times possible. The amino acids glutamine (Gln) and glycine (Gly) were identified as potential neuro-oncological markers of importance. For the first time, we compared 7T MRSI to amino acid PET in a cohort of glioma patients. (2) Methods: In 24 patients, we co-registered 7T MRSI and routine PET and compared hotspot volumes of interest (VOI). We evaluated dice similarity coefficients (DSC), volume, center of intensity distance (CoI), median and threshold values for VOIs of PET and ratios of total choline (tCho), Gln, Gly, myo-inositol (Ins) to total N-acetylaspartate (tNAA) or total creatine (tCr). (3) Results: We found that Gln and Gly ratios generally resulted in a higher correspondence to PET than tCho. Using cutoffs of 1.6-times median values of a control region, DSCs to PET were 0.53 ± 0.36 for tCho/tNAA, 0.66 ± 0.40 for Gln/tNAA, 0.57 ± 0.36 for Gly/tNAA, and 0.38 ± 0.31 for Ins/tNAA. (4) Conclusions: Our 7T MRSI data corresponded better to PET than previous studies at lower fields. Our results for Gln and Gly highlight the importance of future research (e.g., using Gln PET tracers) into the role of both amino acids.
Silk Fibroin-Based Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering Applications

Tissue engineering (TE) involves the combination of cells with scaffolding materials and appropriate growth factors in order to regenerate or replace damaged and degenerated tissues and organs. The scaffold materials serve as templates for tissue formation and play a vital role in TE. Among scaffold materials, silk fibroin (SF), a naturally occurring protein, has attracted great attention in TE applications due to its excellent mechanical properties, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and bio-absorbability. SF is usually dissolved in an aqueous solution and can be easily reconstituted into different forms, including films, mats, hydrogels, and sponges, through various fabrication techniques, including spin coating, electrospinning, freeze drying, and supercritical CO2-assisted drying. Furthermore, to facilitate the fabrication of more complex SF-based scaffolds, high-precision techniques such as micro-patterning and bio-printing have been explored in recent years. These processes contribute to the diversity of surface area, mean pore size, porosity, and mechanical properties of different silk fibroin scaffolds and can be used in various TE applications to provide appropriate morphological and mechanical properties. This review introduces the physicochemical and mechanical properties of SF and looks into a range of SF-based scaffolds that have recently been developed. The typical applications of SF-based scaffolds for TE of bone, cartilage, teeth and mandible tissue, cartilage, skeletal muscle, and vascular tissue are highlighted and discussed followed by a discussion of issues to be addressed in future studies.
Concentration Quantification of TiO2 Nanoparticles Synthesized by Laser Ablation of a Ti Target in Water

In this work, we present a quantitative method for determining the concentration of metal oxide nanoparticles (NP) synthesized by laser ablation in liquid. The case study was performed with titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NP), which were synthesized by laser ablation of a Ti target in water. After synthesis, a colloidal solution was analyzed with UV-Vis spectroscopy. At the same time, the craters that remained on the Ti target after ablation were evaluated with an optical microscope to determine the volume of the ablated material. SEM microscopy was used to determine the TiO2 NP size distribution. It was found that synthesized TiO2 NP followed a Log-Normal diameter distribution with a maximum at about 64 nm. From the volume of ablated material and NP size distribution, under the assumption that most of the ablated material is consumed to form nanoparticles, a concentration of nanoparticles can be determined. The proposed method is verified by comparing the calculated concentrations to the values obtained from the Beer–Lambert law using the Mie scattering theory for the NP cross-section calculation.
Electromagnetic Wave-Absorbing and Bending Properties of Three-Dimensional Gradient Woven Composites with Triangular Sections

In order to solve defects such as poor integrity, delamination failure, and narrow absorption bandwidth, three-dimensional (3D) gradient honeycomb woven composites (GHWCs) with triangular sections were designed and prepared. Three-dimensional gradient honeycomb woven fabric was crafted with carbon fiber (CF) filaments and basalt fiber (BF) filaments as raw materials on an ordinary loom. Then, the 3D honeycomb woven fabric filled with rigid polyurethane foam was used as the reinforcement, and epoxy resin (EP) doped with carbon black (CB) and carbonyl iron powder (CIP) was conducted as the matrix. The 3D GHWC with triangular sections, which had both EM-absorbing and load-bearing functions, was prepared by the VARTM process. Through the macro test and micro characterization of 3D GHWCs with triangular sections, the overall absorbing properties and mechanical properties of the materials were analyzed. Moreover, the EM-absorbing mechanism and failure mode of the materials were clarified in this work. The results indicated that the CF filament reflective layer effectively improved the EM-absorbing and mechanical properties. Adding a CB/CIP-absorbing agent enhanced the overall EM-absorbing property but reduced the mechanical properties. The increasing number of gradient layers increased the maximum bending load, but the EM-absorbing performance first increased and then decreased. When the thickness was 15 mm, the maximum bending load was 3530 N, and the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) was −21.6 dB. The synergistic effects of EM-absorbing and mechanical properties were the best right now. In addition, this work provided a feasible strategy that adjusting the type of absorber and gradient aperture size ratio could meet the unique requirements of absorbing frequency and intensity, which has excellent application prospects in civil and military fields.
Effect of Tilt-in-Space and Reclining Angles of Wheelchairs on Normal Force and Shear Force in the Gluteal Region

Healthcare workers need to educate patients regarding proper sitting positions to prevent pressure injuries in the elderly and disabled. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in normal and shear force in the gluteal region using the combination of tilt-in-space and reclining functions of wheelchairs. Twelve healthy subjects were recruited. Protocols for 15 wheelchair tilt-in-space and reclining angles, including three reclining angles (0°, 10°, and 20°) and five tilt-in-space (0°, 5°, 10°, 15°, and 20°), were randomly assigned. To measure the amount of normal and shear force applied to the gluteal region while sitting on a wheelchair, a force plate was placed on the seat to measure the seat reaction force. For statistical analysis, a two-factor analysis of variance, with tilt-in-space and reclining, was performed for each normal and shear force. The normal force showed a significant decrease with increased reclining angle. For the shear force combined with sagittal and lateral components, the 10° tilt-in-space showed a significant decrease compared to other conditions. The combination of 20° reclining and 10° tilt-in-space angles may decrease both normal and shear force in the gluteal region while sitting. These findings may help wheelchair-dependent individuals avoid pressure injuries.
Implementation Challenges and Recommendations for Employing Peer Support Workers in Emergency Departments to Support Patients Presenting after an Opioid-Related Overdose

The placement of a peer support workers (PSWs) in emergency departments (ED) is a promising practice for supporting persons with opioid use disorder who are presenting with an overdose or related medical condition. However, this practice is underutilized. The objective of this study was to identify the challenges of employing PSWs in the ED and provide a checklist to increase the likelihood of their successful integration and retention in this environment. Qualitative methods were used to collect data from nineteen key stakeholders who worked in hospital settings. Using a social-ecological model, themes were identified at the system, hospital, and individual levels. To support integration of PSWs and buy in for the ED team, our findings indicate a need for a planning phase that includes collaboration between leadership, ED staff, and PSWs. Specifically, planning should address four areas: (1) hiring a PSW that is a good fit for the fast-paced ED setting, (2) education of ED staff on the value and role of PSWs, (3) establishing workflow protocols, and (4) providing PSWs with training and appropriate supervision.
Effect of Exogenous Enzymes Cocktail on Performance, Carcass Traits, Biochemical Metabolites, Intestinal Morphology, and Nutrient Digestibility of Broilers Fed Normal and Low-Energy Corn–Soybean Diets

Simple Summary Corn and soybean meal (SBM) are the principal sources of energy and protein in poultry feed, respectively. Decreasing feed cost per unit of production and increasing the nutritional value of feed ingredients like corn and SBM are continuous concerns for poultry producers. Corn and SBM-based diets are incompletely digested by poultry due to the presence of non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs), which can obstruct the processes of nutrient digestion and absorption. Poultry does not own endogenous enzymes capable of digesting NSPs. The use of enzyme cocktails (EC) and dietary energy sources are essential topics in the poultry industry because they could enhance nutrient utilization by reducing the harmful effects of NSPs. Therefore, evaluating the efficacy of EC that may improve the feeding value of corn–SBM diets warrants attention. The efficacy of two doses of an EC with multiple enzymatic activities at two levels of dietary metabolizable energy (ME) on the performance of broilers fed corn and SBM-based diets up to 35 days was evaluated. Our results indicate that adequately adjusting dietary ME and using the EC with xylanases, β-glucanases, cellulases, proteases, pectinases, and debranching enzymes activities could enhance the nitrogen-corrected apparent ME of corn and SBMbased diets for broiler chickens and potentially offer economic advantages to producers. Abstract Ross 308 broilers in a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement (four treatments with 12 replications of six chicks each) were fed corn and SBMbased diets with two concentrations of metabolizable energy (ME) (normal (positive control, PC) and low (negative control, NC)) and two amounts of enzyme cocktail (EC) (0% and 0.005%) for 35 days. Performance, carcass traits, serum metabolites, ileal histology, and apparent nutrient digestibility were evaluated. Compared with the non-supplemented diet, the use of EC improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) over 26–35 and 0–35 days (p < 0.01), European performance efficiency factor (EPEF) over 26–35 days (p < 0.05), dressing yield (p < 0.01), villus height (p < 0.05), nitrogen-corrected apparent ME (AMEn) (p < 0.01), and serum glucose (p < 0.05). Compared with the NC diet, feeding the PC diet improved FCR over all experimental periods (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, and p < 0.01, respectively), EPEF over 0–10 days (p < 0.05), and AMEn retention (p < 0.01). To conclude, the AMEn of broilers fed corn and SBM diets could be improved by adequately adjusting dietary ME and using a cocktail of non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, improving commercial benefits to producers.
Correspondence and Concordance of Retrospective and Concurrent Responses to Physiotherapists and Sport Psychology Questionnaire Items

Orthopedic and sport-related injuries are a major public health concern and a common reason for referral to physical therapy. The use of psychological techniques by physical therapists has been assessed in research studies primarily with retrospective self-report questionnaires that have not been validated against concurrent assessments of the same behaviors. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the results obtained from physical therapists’ retrospective self-reports of their use of psychological techniques reflect their use of the techniques assessed concurrently. Physical therapists (N = 14) completed the Physiotherapists and Sport Psychology Questionnaire (PSPQ) at the beginning of this study and a checklist based on the PSPQ at the end of the sessions with patients (N = 306). Patients also completed the checklist at the end of the sessions. Across 12 psychological techniques, the physical therapists’ retrospective (PSPQ) responses showed relatively weak correspondence (mean r = 0.31) and poor concordance with their concurrent (checklist) responses. Compared to the physical therapists’ checklist responses, the patients’ checklist responses showed weaker correspondence (mean r = 0.03) and better concordance with the physical therapists’ PSPQ responses. The findings suggest that retrospective self-reports may not accurately reflect the use of psychological techniques by physical therapists and, consequently, that physical therapists should consider documenting their use of psychological techniques as close to their implementation as possible. Suggestions for improved assessment are provided.
Silicate Inhibits the Cytosolic Influx of Chloride in Protoplasts of Wheat and Affects the Chloride Transporters, TaCLC1 and TaNPF2.4/2.5

Chloride is an essential nutrient for plants, but high concentrations can be harmful. Silicon ameliorates both abiotic and biotic stresses in plants, but it is unknown if it can prevent cellular increase of chloride. Therefore, we investigated the influx of Cl− ions in two wheat cultivars different in salt sensitivity, by epifluorescence microscopy and a highly Cl−-sensitive dye, MQAE, N-[ethoxycarbonylmethyl]-6-methoxy-quinolinium bromide, in absence and presence of potassium silicate, K2SiO3. The Cl−-influx was higher in the salt-sensitive cv. Vinjett, than in the salt-tolerant cv. S-24, and silicate pre-treatment of protoplasts inhibited the Cl−-influx in both cultivars, but more in the sensitive cv. Vinjett. To investigate if the Cl−-transporters TaCLC1 and TaNPF2.4/2.5 are affected by silicate, expression analyses by RT-qPCR were undertaken of TaCLC1 and TaNPF 2.4/2.5 transcripts in the absence and presence of 100 mM NaCl, with and without the presence of K2SiO3. The results show that both transporter genes were expressed in roots and shoots of wheat seedlings, but their expressions were differently affected by silicate. The TaNPF2.4/2.5 expression in leaves was markedly depressed by silicate. These findings demonstrate that less chloride accumulates in the cytosol of leaf mesophyll by Si treatment and increases salt tolerance.
Molecular Alterations of the Endocannabinoid System in Psychiatric Disorders

The therapeutic benefits of the current medications for patients with psychiatric disorders contrast with a great variety of adverse effects. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) components have gained high interest as potential new targets for treating psychiatry diseases because of their neuromodulator role, which is essential to understanding the regulation of many brain functions. This article reviewed the molecular alterations in ECS occurring in different psychiatric conditions. The methods used to identify alterations in the ECS were also described. We used a translational approach. The animal models reproducing some behavioral and/or neurochemical aspects of psychiatric disorders and the molecular alterations in clinical studies in post-mortem brain tissue or peripheral tissues were analyzed. This article reviewed the most relevant ECS changes in prevalent psychiatric diseases such as mood disorders, schizophrenia, autism, attentional deficit, eating disorders (ED), and addiction. The review concludes that clinical research studies are urgently needed for two different purposes: (1) To identify alterations of the ECS components potentially useful as new biomarkers relating to a specific disease or condition, and (2) to design new therapeutic targets based on the specific alterations found to improve the pharmacological treatment in psychiatry.
Overexpression of Renin-B Induces Warburg-like Effects That Are Associated with Increased AKT/mTOR Signaling

The classical secretory renin-a is known to be involved in angiotensin generation, thereby regulating not only blood pressure, but also promoting oxidative stress as well as apoptotic and necrotic cell death. In contrast, another cytosolic renin isoform named renin-b has been described, exerting protective effects under ischemia-related conditions in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Using microarray-based transcriptome analyses, we aimed to identify the signaling pathways involved in mediating cardioprotection in H9c2 cells overexpressing renin-b. By transcriptome profiling, we identified increased gene expression of several genes encoding glycolytic enzymes and glucose transporters, while the transcript levels of TCA-cycle enzymes were decreased. Complementing data from metabolic analyses revealed enhanced glucose consumption and lactate accumulation due to renin-b overexpression. Renin-b overexpression further stimulated AKT/mTOR signaling, where numerous genes involved in this pathway showed altered transcript levels. For AKT, we also detected enhanced phosphorylation levels by means of Western blotting, suggesting an activation of this kinase. Moreover, analysis of the ROS levels identified an increase in ROS accumulation in renin-b-overexpressing cells. Altogether, our data demonstrate that renin-b overexpression induces the metabolic remodeling of H9c2 cells similar to that seen under oxygen deprivation. This metabolic phenotype exerting so-called aerobic glycolysis is also known as the Warburg effect.