Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dextrose solution for priming and rinsing the extracorporeal circuit in hemodialysis patients: A prospective pilot study

Introduction: Excess sodium intake and consequent volume overload are major clinical problems in hemodialysis (HD) contributing to adverse outcomes. Saline used for priming and rinsing of the extracorporeal circuit is a potentially underappreciated source of intradialytic sodium gain. We aimed to examine the feasibility and clinical effects of replacing saline as the priming and rinsing fluid by a 5% dextrose solution. Materials and methods: We enrolled non-diabetic and anuric stable HD patients. First, the extracorporeal circuit was primed and rinsed with approximately 200–250 mL of isotonic saline during 4 weeks (Phase 1), subsequently a similar volume of a 5% dextrose solution replaced the saline for another 4 weeks (Phase 2), followed by another 4 weeks of saline (Phase 3). We collected data on interdialytic weight gain (IDWG), pre- and post-dialysis blood pressure, intradialytic symptoms, and thirst. Results: Seventeen chronic HD patients (11 males, age 54.1 ± 18.7 years) completed the study. The average priming and rinsing volumes were 236.7 ± 77.5 and 245.0 ± 91.8 mL respectively. The mean IDWG did not significantly change (2.52 ± 0.88 kg in Phase 1; 2.28 ± 0.70 kg in Phase 2; and 2.51 ± 1.2 kg in Phase 3). No differences in blood pressures, intradialytic symptoms or thirst were observed. Conclusions: Replacing saline by 5% dextrose for priming and rinsing is feasible in stable HD patients and may reduce intradialytic sodium loading. A non-significant trend toward a lower IDWG was observed when 5% dextrose was used. Prospective studies with a larger sample size and longer follow-up are needed to gain further insight into the possible effects of using alternate priming and rinsing solutions lowering intradialytic sodium loading. Trial registration: Identifier NCT01168947 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
Implementing Clinical Practice Guidelines for Tobacco Cessation in a Women's Residential Substance Use Treatment Facility

Abstract Background Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death, and over 200,000 women die each year of diseases caused by tobacco. Women with substance use disorders (SUDs) are disproportionately affected. Smoking prevalence among individuals enrolled in SUD treatment is 2–4 times higher than that of the general population, yet less than half of all treatment facilities offer tobacco treatment services. However, when individuals combine treatment, they have a greater likelihood of long-term abstinence from alcohol and other substances of use. Methods A quality improvement project was undertaken to implement the U.S. Public Health Service guideline for tobacco cessation in a women's residential substance use treatment facility. Tobacco users were advised on their health risk and recommended to cut down or quit. They were advised that help was available using nicotine replacement therapy, behavioral counseling, or both. Results Upon admission, 67% of clients received brief advice to quit, and 30% participated in an intensive treatment aimed at reducing or eliminating cigarette use. At discharge, counseling participants (n = 21) smoked an average of nine cigarettes per day, reduced from 23, which was statistically significant. Implications for Practice Interventions reduced cigarette smoking in a population at a high risk for adverse outcomes related to use. Results suggest that more clients are interested in tobacco treatment than previously estimated. Increased administrative, clinical, and pharmacy support can sustain and further assist clients with cessation efforts.
The interaction between surfactants and keratinous tissues

During cosmetic treatments, SURFACTANTS penetrate into KERATINOUS TISSUES (hair, skin and nails). Whereas some of these surfactant molecules migrate to the vital tissues, a considerable fraction remains bound to the keratin. The extent of binding depends both on the nature of the head group and the length of the hydrophobic tail of the detergent molecules. In addition to entering the amorphous region of the keratin, some of the detergents also penetrate into the crystalline microfibrils and change their structures affecting their tensile properties. Owing to an uneven distribution of detergent molecules in the tissues, an anisotropy of the elastic moduli will occur, resulting in considerable internal stresses which, in rum, might lead to a deterioration of hair, skin and nails. The chemical behavior of keratins is also influenced by the presence of absorbed detergent in their structures. Depending on the detergents and the conditions, these effects can be either protective or detrimental. The deposition of detergent molecules into keratin can be enhanced or diminished by the inclusion of appropriate ingredients into the product formulae.
CspB and CspC are induced upon cold shock in Bacillus cereus strain D2.

Bacillus cereus D2, a psychrotrophic strain, plays an essential role in the restoration of heavy metal-contaminated soils, especially at low temperatures. However, the cold shock response mechanisms of this strain are unclear. In this study, the cold shock response of B. cereus D2 was characterized; as per the Arrhenius curve, 10 °C was chosen as the cold shock temperature. Six cold shock-like proteins were found and temporarily named cold shock protein (Csp)1-6; the respective genes were cloned and identified. Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that csp1, csp2, csp3, and csp6 were overexpressed under cold shock conditions. Interestingly, after cloning the respective encoding genes into pET-28a (+) vector and their subsequent transformation into E. coli BL21 (DE3), the strains expressing Csp2 and Csp6 grew faster at 10 °C, showing a large number of bacteria. These results suggest that Csp2 and Csp6 are the major cold shock proteins in B. cereus D2. Of note, the comparison of amino acid sequences and structures showed that Csp2 and Csp6 belong to the CspB and CspC families, respectively. Additionally, we show that the number of hydrophobic residues is not a determining feature of major Csps, while, on the other hand, the formation of an α-helix in the context of a leucine residue is the most dominant difference between major, and other Bacillus and E. coli Csps.
Comparison of whole‐head and split‐head design for the clinical evaluation of anti‐dandruff shampoo efficacy

Dandruff is a common scalp condition that can be improved by regular use of shampoos containing anti‐fungal actives. The efficacy of anti‐dandruff shampoos can be assessed by measuring scalp flaking, one of the important dandruff symptoms. A randomized, double‐blind trial is often used with one of two clinical designs: whole‐head parallel design and split‐head paired design. We aimed to explore the difference in product differentiation between these two designs using the same two test shampoos and the same scalp flaking assessment method (Total Weighted Head Score Adhered Flakes—TWHS AF).
The first direct measurement of 17O(α,γ) 21Ne and its impact upon s-process abundances

An experimental campaign to perform the ﬁrst accurate measurement of the 17 O( α , γ ) 21 Ne reaction rate was carried out during May and November 2009 at the DRAGON recoil separator in the TRIUMF laboratory, Vancouver, Canada. The goals were to differentiate between two previous conﬂicting theoretical predictions, and to establish the ( α , γ )/( α ,n) reaction rate ratio. Two distinct energy regions were scanned: a higher region, E cm ∼ 1.5 MeV, where the recoil cone
Antagonism of Sigma-1 receptor blocks heavy alcohol drinking and associated hyperalgesia in male mice.

BACKGROUND Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a complex psychiatric disease characterized by high alcohol intake as well as by hyperkatifeia and hyperalgesia during withdrawal. A role for Sigma-1 Receptors (Sig-1Rs) in the rewarding and reinforcing effects of alcohol has started to emerge in recent years, as rat studies have indicated that Sig-1R hyperactivity may result in excessive alcohol drinking. Sig-1R studies in mice are very scarce, and its potential role in alcohol-induced hyperalgesia is also unknown. METHODS In this study, we investigated the role of Sig-1R in alcohol drinking and associated hyperalgesia in male mice, using an intermittent access 2-bottle choice model of heavy drinking. RESULTS The Sig-1R antagonist BD-1063 was found to dose-dependently reduce both alcohol intake and preference, without affecting either water or sucrose intake, suggesting that the effects are specific for alcohol. Notably, the ability of BD-1063 in suppressing ethanol intake correlated with the individual baseline levels of alcohol drinking, suggesting that the treatment was more efficacious in heavy drinking subjects. In addition, BD-1063 was able to reverse alcohol-induced hyperalgesia during withdrawal, as assessed using an automatic Hargreaves test, without affecting thermal sensitivity in alcohol-naïve animals or locomotor activity in either group. CONCLUSIONS These data show anti-alcohol effects of Sig-1R antagonism in heavy drinking mice as well as its efficacy in reducing alcohol-induced hyperalgesia, thereby laying the foundation for the development of novel treatments for AUD and associated pain states.
Ecoulements de fluides complexes en géométries microfluidiques

Des mesures optiques en microcanaux permettent d'obtenir de nouvelles informations sur differents fluides complexes, en lien avec des procedes de recuperation assistee du petrole. Nos experiences reposent sur une methode de microfabrication innovante en colle photoreticulable resistante en pression. Nous concevons un laboratoire sur puce pour l'etude de la degradation des polymeres sous ecoulement. Integrant une zone d'ecoulement violent et un viscosimetre dans un meme microsysteme, nous caracterisons l'influence de la masse, de la concentration, de la chimie et de la geometrie. Par ailleurs, un systeme de velocimetrie en microcanal nous permet de caracteriser la rheologie d'une phase hors equilibre de solutions semi-diluees de micelles geantes sur plus d'une decade de taux de cisaillements, mesurant independamment le glissement. Par des cartographies tridimensionnelles de cet ecoulement, nous etudions ensuite l'apparition de structurations specifiques a ces fluides a bandes de cisaillement: un effet de confinement amplifie et une instabilite d'interface, confrontes a un modele theorique avec un accord quantitatif.
Clinical factors affecting cerebral oxygenation in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis

Background: Although cerebral regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) is significantly lower in hemodialysis (HD) patients than that in healthy controls, investigations on cerebral oxygenation in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are limited. We aimed to confirm the cerebral oxygenation status and identify the factors affecting cerebral rSO2 in PD patients. Methods: Thirty-six PD patients (21 men and 15 women; mean age, 62.8 ± 12.7 years) were recruited. In addition, 27 healthy volunteers (17 men and 10 women; mean age, 43.5 ± 18.8 years) were recruited as a control group. Cerebral rSO2 was monitored at the forehead using an INVOS 5100c oxygen saturation monitor. Results: Cerebral rSO2 was significantly lower in PD patients than that in healthy controls (57.0 ± 7.3% vs 68.9 ± 8.6%, p < 0.001); moreover, cerebral rSO2 was significantly correlated with natural logarithm (Ln)-PD duration (r = −0.389, p = 0.019) and serum albumin concentration (r = 0.370, p = 0.026) in a simple linear regression analysis. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed using variables that showed a significant correlation and p < 0.20 (serum creatinine, serum sodium, Ln-C-reactive protein, and dosage of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent) with the cerebral rSO2. Cerebral rSO2 was independently associated with Ln-PD duration (standardized coefficient: −0.339) and serum albumin concentration (standardized coefficient: 0.316). Conclusions: Cerebral rSO2 was significantly affected by the PD duration and serum albumin concentration. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify whether preventing a decrease in serum albumin concentration leads to the maintenance of cerebral oxygenation in patients undergoing PD.
Translational and pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic application for the clinical development of GDC‐0334, a novel TRPA1 inhibitor

GDC‐0334 is a novel small molecule inhibitor of transient receptor potential cation channel member A1 (TRPA1), a promising therapeutic target for many nervous system and respiratory diseases. The pharmacokinetic (PK) profile and pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of GDC‐0334 were evaluated in this first‐in‐human (FIH) study. A starting single dose of 25 mg was selected based on integrated preclinical PK, PD, and toxicology data following oral administration of GDC‐0334 in guinea pigs, rats, dogs, and monkeys. Human PK and PK‐PD of GDC‐0334 were characterized after single and multiple oral dosing using a population modeling approach. The ability of GDC‐0334 to inhibit dermal blood flow (DBF) induced by topical administration of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) was evaluated as a target‐engagement biomarker. Quantitative models were developed iteratively to refine the parameter estimates of the dose‐concentration‐effect relationships through stepwise estimation and extrapolation. Human PK analyses revealed that bioavailability, absorption rate constant, and lag time increase when GDC‐0334 was administered with food. The inhibitory effect of GDC‐0334 on the AITC‐induced DBF biomarker exhibited a clear sigmoid‐Emax relationship with GDC‐0334 plasma concentrations in humans. This study leveraged emerging preclinical and clinical data to enable iterative refinement of GDC‐0334 mathematical models throughout the FIH study for dose selection in subsequent cohorts throughout the study.
Identification of 3-O-α-l-arabinosyl oleanolic acid, a triterpenoid saponin, as a new breast cancer stem cell growth inhibitor

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the anti-cancer activity of 3-O-α-L-arabinosyl oleanolic acid (3-O-L-AO), a triterpenoid saponin, isolated from the leaves of Schumacheria castaneifolia Vahl in breast cancer stem cells (bCSCs) grown in hypoxia. Anti-proliferative effects of 3-O-L-AO in bCSCs were determined using WST-1 assay. Real-time PCR was employed to evaluate the effects of 3-O-L-AO on apoptosis. Compound 3-O-L-AO exerted greater anti-proliferative effect in bCSCs grown under hypoxic conditions. Treatment of bCSCs with 3-O-L-AO resulted in a significant up-regulation of Bax and p53 and a significant down-regulation of survivin, HIF-1α and HIF-2α. Activation of caspase 3/7 activity and apoptosis-related morphological changes in bCSCs exposed to 3-O-L-AO further confirmed that 3-O-L-AO can induce apoptosis. Collectively, the results obtained indicated that 3-O-L-AO can be considered as a new anti-cancer agent to target chemo- and radio-therapy-resistant bCSCs. Graphical Abstract
Transcriptome Analysis and the Prognostic Role of NUDC in Diffuse and Intestinal Gastric Cancer

Introduction: There have been few studies about gene differences between patients with diffuse-type gastric cancer and those with intestinal-type gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to compare the transcriptomes of signet ring cell gastric cancer (worst prognosis in diffuse-type) and well-differentiated gastric cancer (best prognosis in intestinal-type); NUDC was identified, and its prognostic role was studied. Materials and Methods: We performed next-generation sequencing with 5 well-differentiated gastric cancers and 3 of signet ring cell gastric cancer surgical samples. We performed gene enrichment and functional annotation analysis using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery bioinformatics resources. Immunohistochemistry was used to validate NUDC expression. Results: Overall, 900 genes showed significantly higher expression, 644 genes showed lower expression in signet ring cell gastric cancer than in well-differentiated gastric cancers, and there was a large difference in adhesion, vascular development, and cell-to-cell junction components between the 2 subtypes. We performed variant analysis and found 52 variants and 30 cancer driver genes, including NUDC. We analyzed NUDC expression in gastric cancer tissue and its relationship with prognosis. Cox proportional hazard analysis identified T stage, N stage, and NUDC expression as independent risk factors for survival (P < 0.05). The overall survival of the NUDC-positive group was significantly higher (53.2 ± 0.92 months) than that of the NUDC-negative group (44.6 ± 3.7 months) (P = 0.001) in Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Conclusion: We found 30 cancer driver gene candidates and found that the NUDC-positive group showed significantly better survival than the NUDC-negative group via variant analysis.
Emotion regulation dynamics in daily life: Adaptive strategy use may be variable without being unstable and predictable without being autoregressive.

Recent research has demonstrated the adaptiveness of variability in emotion regulation (ER) by showing that variability between and, when controlled for depression, within ER strategies as assessed via the standard deviation was associated with less negative affect. We first replicated associations with negative affect by using the relative standard deviation, which is less confounded with the mean. Second, following research on affect dynamics, we extended this line of research by examining five additional ER dynamic measures covering ER instability, inertia, predictability, differentiation, and diversity. Reanalyzing data from five ambulatory assessment data sets (N = 717), we found that (a) the eight ER dynamic measures loaded on five factors that explained unique variance, (b) most ER dynamic measures had good reliabilities, and (c) between-strategy mean endorsement was positively, whereas between-strategy variability and ER predictability were negatively associated with negative affect. These results suggest that the variable but predictable use of emotion regulation strategies in daily life is beneficial for individuals' affective well-being in daily life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Cooperation between ENT surgeon and dentist in head and neck oncology

SUMMARY Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients require specialized care throughout the continuum of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survival. Cooperation between ENT and dentists is crucial, since all of the different anatomic areas affected by cancer have distinctive characteristics and the best results in terms of life expectancy and patients’ quality of life can only be achieved through a multidisciplinary approach. The synergic cooperation of all health care workers in the early diagnosis of HNC allows a better prognosis for such patients. As soon as dentists diagnose a Potentially Malignant Disorder (PMD), patients should undergo complete ENT screening for detection of lesions in any portion of the upper aerodigestive tract. Before and after cancer diagnosis and before any oncologic treatment, it is critical that these patients undergo an accurate and complete dental and periodontal assessment to optimize treatment and minimize complications or side effects. Multidisciplinary ablative, reconstructive and prosthetic programing in Head & Neck oncologic surgery has become imperative to offer patients the best functional and esthetic outcome. An improvement in oral function and associated quality of life is strictly related to correct prosthetic rehabilitation. Finally, after surgery and/or radiotherapy (RT), the main objectives of dental treatment in these patients are the prevention and therapy of dental diseases and the side effects of oncological therapies involving the oral cavity.
Impact of Urinary Catheterization on Postoperative Outcomes After Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery in Propensity-Matched Cohorts

Background The impact of urinary catheter avoidance in bariatric enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols is yet to be established. The purpose of the current study is to determine whether urinary catheter use in patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) procedures has an effect on postoperative outcomes. Methods An institutional database was utilized to identify adult patients undergoing primary minimally invasive RYGB surgery. Outcomes included incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) within 30 days postoperatively, 30-day readmission rates, proportion of patients discharged after postoperative day 1 (delayed discharge), length of stay (LOS), and operating room time. These were compared between propensity-matched groups with and without urinary catheter placement. Results There were no significant differences in postoperative UTI’s (2.2% for both cohorts, P = .593) or 30-day readmission rates for patients with and without urinary catheters (6.6% and 4.4%, respectively, P = .260). Mean LOS (1.7 vs. 1.5 days, P = .001) and the proportion of patients having a delayed discharge (47.3% vs. 33.7%, P = .001) was greater in patients with a catheter. Operating room time was longer in the urinary catheter group (221.8 vs. 207.9 minutes, P = .002). Discussion Avoidance of indwelling urinary catheters in RYGB surgical patients decreased delayed discharges and LOS without affecting readmission or reoperation rates. Therefore, we recommend that avoidance of urinary catheters in routine RYGB surgery be considered for inclusion into standardized ERAS protocols. Urinary catheters should continue to be utilized in select cases, however, as these were not shown to affect rate of UTIs.
Harnessing the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the production of fungal secondary metabolites

Abstract Fungal secondary metabolites (FSMs) represent a remarkable array of bioactive compounds, with potential applications as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and agrochemicals. However, these molecules are typically produced only in limited amounts by their native hosts. The native organisms may also be difficult to cultivate and genetically engineer, and some can produce undesirable toxic side-products. Alternatively, recombinant production of fungal bioactives can be engineered into industrial cell factories, such as aspergilli or yeasts, which are well amenable for large-scale manufacturing in submerged fermentations. In this review, we summarize the development of baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce compounds derived from filamentous fungi and mushrooms. These compounds mainly include polyketides, terpenoids, and amino acid derivatives. We also describe how native biosynthetic pathways can be combined or expanded to produce novel derivatives and new-to-nature compounds. We describe some new approaches for cell factory engineering, such as genome-scale engineering, biosensor-based high-throughput screening, and machine learning, and how these tools have been applied for S. cerevisiae strain improvement. Finally, we prospect the challenges and solutions in further development of yeast cell factories to more efficiently produce FSMs.