Purpose
Currently, there is no consensus concerning the possible beneficial colonic and systemic effects of prebiotic-containing infant formula. This study assesses whether the feeding of a ...galactooligosaccharides (GOS)-containing infant formula (0.44 g/dl of GOS) and the subsequent feeding of a GOS-containing follow-on formula (0.50 g/dl of GOS) have a prebiotic effect on intestinal microbiota that helps to decrease infections and allergy manifestations in healthy infants during the first year of life.
Methods
A multicentre, randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial was carried out on 365 healthy term infants enrolled before 8 weeks of age and randomly assigned to a formula with or without GOS, until 12 months of age. The incidence of infections and allergy manifestations, the antibiotics prescribed and faecal characteristics were recorded up to 12 months of age, while faecal samples were collected up to 4 months for the measurement of secretory immunoglobulin A, short-chain fatty acids and microbiota.
Results
A prebiotic effect on the faecal analysis was observed at 4 months of life. The GOS group showed a lower faecal pH (
P
= 0.019), a lower decreasing trend in secretory immunoglobulin A (
P
= 0.078), lower butyric acid concentration (
P
= 0.040) and an increase in
Bifidobacterium
counts (
P
= 0.010). Changes in faecal characteristics involved greater frequency (
P
< 0.001) and softer consistency (
P
< 0.05). The incidence of infections or allergic manifestations during the first year of life was similar in both groups, with no statistical differences (
P
> 0.05).
Conclusions
The feeding of GOS-containing infant formula produced a definite prebiotic effect consisting of changes in faecal composition and microbiota, and in faecal consistency and the frequency of defaecation. No changes in the incidence of infection or allergic manifestation during the first year of life were observed.
The recent technological advances and their applications to agriculture provide leverage for the new paradigm of smart agriculture. Remote sensing applications can help optimise resources, making ...agriculture more ecological, increasing productivity and helping farmers to anticipate events that could not otherwise be avoided. Considering that losses caused by anomalies such as diseases, weeds and pests account for 20–40 % of overall agricultural productivity, a successful research effort in this area would be a breakthrough for agriculture. In this paper, we propose a methodology with which to discover and classify anomalies in images of crops, taken from a wide range of distances, using different Convolutional Neural Network architectures. This methodology also deals with several difficulties that usually appear in this kind of problems, such as class imbalance, the insufficient and small variety of images, overtraining or lack of models generalisation. We have implemented four convolutional neural network architectures in a high-performance computing environment, and propose a methodology based on data augmentation with the addition of Gaussian noise to the images to solve the above problems. Our approach was tested using two well-established open datasets that are unalike: DeepWeeds, which provides a classification of 8 weed species native to Australia using images that were taken at a distance of 1 m, and Agriculture-Vision, which classifies 6 types of crop anomalies using multispectral satellite imagery. Our methodology attained accuracies of 98 % and 95.3% respectively, improving the state-of-the-art by several points. In order to ease reproducibility and model selection, we have provided a comparison in terms of computational time and other metrics, thus enabling the choice between architectures to be made according to the resources available. The complete code is available in an open repository in order to encourage reproducibility and promote scientific advances in sustainable agriculture.
•A convolutional deep learning model was developed for anomaly detection in agricultural images.•High and low-resolution imagery can be used as input for the model.•Data transformation and augmentation are part of our methodology.•Extensive experiments comparing 4 architectures and 2 datasets are shown.
Normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) allows the in situ perfusion of organs with oxygenated blood in donation after the circulatory determination of death (DCDD). We aimed at evaluating the impact ...of NRP on the short‐term outcomes of kidney transplants in controlled DCDD (cDCDD). This is a multicenter, nationwide, retrospective study comparing cDCDD kidneys obtained with NRP versus the standard rapid recovery (RR) technique. During 2012–2018, 2302 cDCDD adult kidney transplants were performed in Spain using NRP (n = 865) or RR (n = 1437). The study groups differed in donor and recipient age, warm, and cold ischemic time and use of ex situ machine perfusion. Transplants in the NRP group were more frequently performed in high‐volume centers (≥90 transplants/year). Through matching by propensity score, two cohorts with a total of 770 patients were obtained. After the matching, no statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of primary nonfunction (p = .261) and mortality at 1 year (p = .111). However, the RR of kidneys was associated with a significantly increased odds of delayed graft function (OR 1.97 95% CI 1.43–2.72; p < .001) and 1‐year graft loss (OR 1.77 95% CI 1.01–3.17; p = .034). In conclusion, compared with RR, NRP appears to improve the short‐term outcomes of cDCDD kidney transplants.
This multicenter, nationwide, retrospective study that uses propensity score matching shows lower delayed graft function and higher 1‐year graft survival rates for transplants using kidneys from controlled donation after circulatory determination of death donors procured with normothermic regional perfusion versus through rapid recovery.
This article estimates the frequency of cardiovascular (CV) events that occurred after diagnosis in a large Spanish cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and investigates the ...main risk factors for atherosclerosis. RELESSER is a nationwide multicenter, hospital-based registry of SLE patients. This is a cross-sectional study. Demographic and clinical variables, the presence of traditional risk factors, and CV events were collected. A CV event was defined as a myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, and/or peripheral artery disease. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the possible risk factors for atherosclerosis. From 2011 to 2012, 3658 SLE patients were enrolled. Of these, 374 (10.9%) patients suffered at least a CV event. In 269 (7.4%) patients, the CV events occurred after SLE diagnosis (86.2% women, median interquartile range age 54.9 years 43.2-66.1, and SLE duration of 212.0 months 120.8-289.0). Strokes (5.7%) were the most frequent CV event, followed by ischemic heart disease (3.8%) and peripheral artery disease (2.2%). Multivariate analysis identified age (odds ratio 95% confidence interval, 1.03 1.02-1.04), hypertension (1.71 1.20-2.44), smoking (1.48 1.06-2.07), diabetes (2.2 1.32-3.74), dyslipidemia (2.18 1.54-3.09), neurolupus (2.42 1.56-3.75), valvulopathy (2.44 1.34-4.26), serositis (1.54 1.09-2.18), antiphospholipid antibodies (1.57 1.13-2.17), low complement (1.81 1.12-2.93), and azathioprine (1.47 1.04-2.07) as risk factors for CV events. We have confirmed that SLE patients suffer a high prevalence of premature CV disease. Both traditional and nontraditional risk factors contribute to this higher prevalence. Although it needs to be verified with future studies, our study also shows-for the first time-an association between diabetes and CV events in SLE patients.
The application of Machine Learning (ML) techniques to the well-known intrusion detection systems (IDS) is key to cope with increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity attacks through an effective and ...efficient detection process. In the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), most ML-enabled IDS approaches use centralized approaches where IoT devices share their data with data centers for further analysis. To mitigate privacy concerns associated with centralized approaches, in recent years the use of Federated Learning (FL) has attracted a significant interest in different sectors, including healthcare and transport systems. However, the development of FL-enabled IDS for IoT is in its infancy, and still requires research efforts from various areas, in order to identify the main challenges for the deployment in real-world scenarios. In this direction, our work evaluates a FL-enabled IDS approach based on a multiclass classifier considering different data distributions for the detection of different attacks in an IoT scenario. In particular, we use three different settings that are obtained by partitioning the recent ToN_IoT dataset according to IoT devices’ IP address and types of attack. Furthermore, we evaluate the impact of different aggregation functions according to such setting by using the recent IBMFL framework as FL implementation. Additionally, we identify a set of challenges and future directions based on the existing literature and the analysis of our evaluation results.
•Analysis of existing of FL-enabled IDS approaches for IoT based on a set of identified criteria.•Partitioning of the recent ToN_IoT dataset to evaluate the impact of data distribution in a multi-class classifier for detecting specific types of attacks.•Quantitative analysis of the impact of non-iid data considering different aggregation methods and training rounds by using the recent IBMFL implementation.•Definition of the main challenges and future trends to be considered in the coming future for the development of FL-enabled IDS for IoT scenarios.
To study the effects of ocular hypertension (OHT) on the visual system of C57BL/6 pigmented mice, the limbal and episcleral veins of the left eye were laser photocoagulated (LP). LP increased the ...intraocular pressure during the first five days (d), reaching basal values at 7d. To investigate the effect of OHT on the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) retrograde axonal transport, hydroxistilbamidine methanesulfonate (OHSt) was applied to both superior colliculi (SCi) and the retinas were dissected 2 or 4 weeks after LP. To determine RGC survival, these same retinas were immunoreacted against Brn3a (general RGC population) and melanopsin (intrinsically photosensitive RGCs, m+RGCs). To study whether OHT affected non-RGC neurons in the ganglion cell layer (GCL), RGCs were immunodetected with Brn3a and all GCL nuclei counterstained with DAPI in a group of animals examined 4 weeks post-LP. Innervation of the SCi was examined at 10 days, 8 or 14 weeks after LP with the orthogradely transported cholera toxin subunit-B. OHT resulted in diffuse and sectorial loss of OHSt+RGCs (50% at 2 weeks and 62% at 4 weeks) and in a comparable loss of Brn3a+RGCs at the same time intervals. m+RGCs decreased to 59% at 2 weeks and to 46% at 4 weeks, such loss was diffuse, did not parallel the sectorial loss of the general RGC population and was more severe in the superior-temporal retina. In the GCL, cell loss is selective for RGCs and does not affect other non-RGC neurons. The retinotectal innervation appeared significantly reduced at 10 days (55.7%) and did not progress further up to 14 weeks (46.6%). Thus, LP-induced OHT results in retrograde degeneration of RGCs and m+RGCs, as well as in the loss of CTB-labelled retinotectal terminals.
Inherited photoreceptor degenerations are not treatable diseases and a frequent cause of blindness in working ages. In this study we investigate the safety, integration and possible rescue effects of ...intravitreal and subretinal transplantation of adult human bone-marrow-derived mononuclear stem cells (hBM-MSCs) in two animal models of inherited photoreceptor degeneration, the P23H-1 and the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat. Immunosuppression was started one day before the injection and continued through the study. The hBM-MSCs were injected in the left eyes and the animals were processed 7, 15, 30 or 60 days later. The retinas were cross-sectioned, and L- and S- cones, microglia, astrocytes and Müller cells were immunodetected. Transplantations had no local adverse effects and the CD45+ cells remained for up to 15 days forming clusters in the vitreous and/or a 2-3-cells-thick layer in the subretinal space after intravitreal or subretinal injections, respectively. We did not observe increased photoreceptor survival nor decreased microglial cell numbers in the injected left eyes. However, the injected eyes showed decreased GFAP immunoreactivity. We conclude that intravitreal or subretinal injection of hBM-MSCs in dystrophic P23H-1 and RCS rats causes a decrease in retinal gliosis but does not have photoreceptor neuroprotective effects, at least in the short term. However, this treatment may have a potential therapeutic effect that merits further investigation.
We have investigated the effects of light-emitting diode (LED)-induced phototoxicity (LIP) on cone-photoreceptors and their protection with brimonidine (BMD), brain-derived neurotrophic factor ...(BDNF), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). In anesthetized, dark adapted, adult albino rats a blue (400 nm) LED was placed perpendicular to the cornea (10 sec, 200 lux) and the effects were investigated using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) and/or analysing the retina in oriented cross-sections or wholemounts immune-labelled for L- and S-opsin and counterstained with the nuclear stain DAPI. The effects of topical BMD (1%) or, intravitreally injected BDNF (5 µg), PEDF (2 µg), CNTF (0.4 µg) or bFGF (1 µg) after LIP were examined on wholemounts at 7 days. SD-OCT showed damage in a circular region of the superotemporal retina, whose diameter varied from 1,842.4±84.5 µm (at 24 hours) to 1,407.7±52.8 µm (at 7 days). This region had a progressive thickness diminution from 183.4±5 µm (at 12 h) to 114.6±6 µm (at 7 d). Oriented cross-sections showed within the light-damaged region of the retina massive loss of rods and cone-photoreceptors. Wholemounts documented a circular region containing lower numbers of L- and S-cones. Within a circular area (1 mm or 1.3 mm radius, respectively) in the left and in its corresponding region of the contralateral-fellow-retina, total L- or S-cones were 7,118±842 or 661±125 for the LED exposed retinas (n = 7) and 14,040±1,860 or 2,255±193 for the fellow retinas (n = 7), respectively. BMD, BDNF, PEDF and bFGF but not CNTF showed significant neuroprotective effects on L- or S-cones. We conclude that LIP results in rod and cone-photoreceptor loss, and is a reliable, quantifiable model to study cone-photoreceptor degeneration. Intravitreal BDNF, PEDF or bFGF, or topical BMD afford significant cone neuroprotection in this model.
In December 2019, 27 cases of pneumonia, of unknown cause, were identified in the province of Hubei (China). The WHO declared the situation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and ...it was finally declared a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. The Spanish Government obliges the entire population to remain confined to their homes, with the exception of essential basic services, to stop the spread of COVID-19. Home isolation implies a notable physical deconditioning. Telerehabilitation methods have reported positive experiences, and we propose to study in affected patients of COVID-19, due to the general house confinement of the entire Spanish population.
Patients will be recruited in the regions of Andalusia, Murcia, and Valencia (Spain). Patients will remain confined to their homes, and there, they will carry out their assigned exercise program, which will be controlled telematically. Evaluators will attend to carry out all measurements at the beginning, during, and end of the study, telematically controlled. The patients will be randomly divided into three groups, two of them will perform a home exercise program (breathing exercises or non-specific exercises for muscle toning) and the third group will perform sedentary activities, using mental activation techniques, and will act as a sham group. We will evaluate respiratory variables and other variables of the physical state through physical tests, effort, and perceived fatigue. The data will be statistically analyzed, and the hypotheses will be tested between the groups, using the SPSS software, v.24, considering a 95% confidence interval.
We will analyze the results, in terms of the level of fatigue and perceived exertion, physical health, and maintenance of respiratory activity of two types of exercise programs, toning and respiratory, applied in patients affected by COVID-19 during the period of home confinement. We intend to investigate a field not previously studied, such as the repercussion of carrying out a toning and respiratory exercise program in these patients, in historical circumstances that no one had previously observed in Spain, since the general population has never been forced to remain confined in their homes, due to a pandemic infection, by a coronavirus (COVID-19). Observing the effects that these two home exercise programs could produce in patients infected with COVID-19, we will try to better analyze and understand the mechanisms that are associated with the worsening of breathing in this type of patient.
Brazilian Clinical Trial Registry RBR-6m69fc . Registered on March 31, 2020.
Choline and betaine intakes have been related to cardiovascular health.
We aimed to explore the relation between 1-y changes in dietary intake of choline or betaine and 1-y changes in cardiometabolic ...and renal function traits within the frame of the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea)-Plus trial.
We used baseline and 1-y follow-up data from 5613 participants (48.2% female and 51.8% male; mean ± SD age: 65.01 ± 4.91 y) to assess cardiometabolic traits, and 3367 participants to assess renal function, of the Spanish PREDIMED-Plus trial. Participants met ≥3 criteria of metabolic syndrome and had overweight or obesity BMI (in kg/m2) ≥27 and ≤40. These criteria were similar to those of the PREDIMED parent study. Dietary intakes of choline and betaine were estimated from the FFQ.
The greatest 1-y increase in dietary choline or betaine intake (quartile 4) was associated with improved serum glucose concentrations (−3.39 and −2.72 mg/dL for choline and betaine, respectively) and HbA1c levels (−0.10% for quartile 4 of either choline or betaine intake increase). Other significant changes associated with the greatest increase in choline or betaine intake were reduced body weight (−2.93 and −2.78 kg, respectively), BMI (−1.05 and −0.99, respectively), waist circumference (−3.37 and −3.26 cm, respectively), total cholesterol (−4.74 and −4.52 mg/dL, respectively), and LDL cholesterol (−4.30 and −4.16 mg/dL, respectively). Urine creatinine was reduced in quartile 4 of 1-y increase in choline or betaine intake (−5.42 and −5.74 mg/dL, respectively).
Increases in dietary choline or betaine intakes were longitudinally related to improvements in cardiometabolic parameters. Markers of renal function were also slightly improved, and they require further investigation.
This trial was registered at https://www.isrctn.com/ as ISRCTN89898870.
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