Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anaemia and Haemoglobin A1c level: Is there a case for redefining reference ranges and therapeutic goals?

Background: Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) has been adopted by physicians as a surrogate for monitoring glycemic control. There exists concern that other factors beyond serum glucose concentration may affect glycation rates and by extrapolation HbA1c levels. Study Objectives: The study attempts to discern clinical differences in HbA1c levels in patients with anaemia compared to patients without anaemia, quantifying and showing the direction of such differences. Study Design: Using a convenient sampling method and a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria, it examined (retrospectively) patterns in [Hb] and HbA1c in non1diabetics with and without anaemia. Results: The study observed a statistically significant 0.4units (8%) difference in the mean HbA1c in anaemia vs. non1anaemic populations. Reference ranges of HbA1c for non1anaemic population and anaemia subtypes was computed. Computed ranges for anaemia group and its subgroups were significantly wider compared to non1anaemia population. Modest but statistically significant correction of anaemia did not result in significant changes in HbA1c. Discussion: i. The linear relationship between [Hb] and HbA1c holds true for anaemic and non1anaemia populations. ii. Non1diabetic, anaemic have a significantly lower mean HbA1c (5.3% vs. 5.7%), but a similar upper limit of reference range due to a higher variance. iii. The variance and proposed reference ranges for anaemia group and its subtypes was greater than in non1anaemia group, perhaps due to homogenization of clinically heterogeneous entities. iv. Modest correction anaemia did not cause significant change in HbAIc, perhaps the increase in [Hb] was too modest or persistence of correction was too short to be impactful. Conclusion: It makes the case for defining HbA1c reference ranges for each anaemia subtype, as well as utilizing other surrogates for monitoring glycemic control in populations with anaemia.
Cytokeratin 7 in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Junctional Biomarker for Human Papillomavirus–Related Tumors

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV)–related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) represents a distinct subgroup of head and neck tumors. We analyze the expression of cytokeratin 7, a junctional biomarker with a SEQIKA fragment, which stabilizes HPV-16 E7 transcripts, in oropharyngeal SCCs. Methods: Archived tumor specimens and epidemiologic data were collected from patients with oropharyngeal SCCs over 10 years. Briefly, DNA was extracted from tissue blocks, and HPV testing was carried out using SPF10 HPV PCR and INNO-LiPA HPV Genotyping. Immunohistochemical staining for CK7 and p16ink4a was performed on the Ventana BenchMark Ultra Immunostainer. Analysis was by light microscopy using the H-score. CK7 expression was correlated with epidemiologic data, p16ink4a positivity, and HPV status using SPSS. Results: CK7 expression was observed specifically and uniformly in the tonsillar crypt epithelium of normal tonsils and tumor specimens. There were 226 cases of oropharyngeal SCCs, with 70 demonstrating both HPV and p16 positivity. Of 216 cases evaluated for CK7, 106 demonstrated some positivity, whereas H-score > 60 was seen in 55 of these. CK7 H-score > 60 was significantly associated with tonsillar subsite and HPV and p16 positivity. Conclusions: An association between CK7 and HPV has been demonstrated. CK7-expressing tonsillar crypt cells potentially represent an oropharyngeal subsite susceptible to HPV-related SCC. Impact: Along with the cervix and anorectum, specific oropharyngeal expression of CK7 in a site predisposed to HPV-related tumors may suggest a role for CK7 in the pathogenesis of this subgroup of tumors. Further research is warranted to characterize the association between CK7 and HPV-related head and neck SCC. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(5); 702–10. ©2017 AACR.
Reframing the approach to patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Longitudinal assessment with hazard associated with liver transplantation for HCC (HALTHCC) improves ablate and wait strategy

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are screened at presentation for appropriateness of liver transplantation (LT) using morphometric criteria, which poorly specifies risk. Morphology is the crux of measuring tumor response to locoregional therapy (LRT) using modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). This study investigated the utility of following a continuous risk score (hazard associated with liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma; HALTHCC) to longitudinally assess risk. This multicenter, retrospective study from 2002 to 2014 enrolled 419 patients listed for LT for HCC. One cohort had LRT while waiting (n = 351), compared to the control group (n = 68) without LRT. Imaging studies (n = 2,085) were collated to laboratory data to calculate HALTHCC, MORAL, Metroticket 2.0, and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) score longitudinally. Cox proportional hazards evaluated associations of HALTHCC and peri‐LRT changes with intention‐to‐treat (ITT) survival (considering dropout or post‐LT mortality), and utility was assessed with Harrell's C‐index. HALTHCC better predicted ITT outcome (LT = 309; dropout = 110) when assessed closer to delisting (P < 0.0001), maximally just before delisting (C‐index, 0.742 [0.643‐0.790]). Delta‐HALTHCC post‐LRT was more sensitive to changes in risk than mRECIST. HALTHCC score and peri‐LRT percentage change were independently associated with ITT mortality (hazard ratio = 1.105 [1.045‐1.169] per point and 1.014 [1.004‐1.024] per percent, respectively). Conclusions: HALTHCC is superior in assessing tumor risk in candidates awaiting LT, and its utility increases over time. Peri‐LRT relative change in HALTHCC outperforms mRECIST in stratifying risk of dropout, mortality, and recurrence post‐LT. With improving estimates of post‐LT outcomes, it is reasonable to consider allocation using HALTHCC and not just waiting time. Furthermore, this study supports a shift in perspective, from listing to allocation, to better utilize precious donor organs. (Hepatology 2018).
The Relationship Between Religious Affiliation, Region, Race, and Attitudes Toward Globalization

Yet, as evidenced by recentprotests directed at global institutions such as theWorld Bank, the International Monetary Fund, andthe World Trade Organization, controversy continues tosurround many aspects of globalization. On one hand, thecontroversy involves studying issues belonging to positiveanalysis, such as the economic impact of increasing tradeand capital flows and the effect of immigration on destina-tion economies. On the other hand, it also involves issuesbelonging to normative analysis, such as whether theseimpacts are consistent with the “good” life, as defined byJudeo-Christian ethics.Recent public opinion surveys show that U.S. residentsare evenly split over international trade policy, and that thisphenomenon is apparent in other nations as well (Bergsten,2001). This gap between public policy demands and poten-tial economic welfare gains creates an interesting policyproblem as special interest groups and non-governmentalorganizations become more globally organized, therebyincreasing their capabilities of influencing economic policyin several countries simultaneously (OECD 1996). Conse-quently, the disconnect between public perceptions and thepolicy recommendations of economists raises the possibil-ity of a “democratic deficit” (Johal and Ulph 2002) in thatpolicies are increasingly shaped by the lobbying efforts ofspecial interest groups rather than in the welfare interests ofthe general public. In an effort to better understand thedeterminants of various
Relation between peak knee flexion angle and knee ankle kinetics in single-leg jump landing from running: a pilot study on male handball players to prevent ACL injury

ABSTRACT Objectives: The relationship between knee kinematics and knee-ankle kinetics during the landing phase of single leg jumping has been widely studied to identify proper strategies for preventing non-contact ACL injury. However, there is a lack of study on knee-ankle kinetics at peak knee flexion angle during jumping from running. Hence, the purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between peak knee flexion angle, knee extension moment, ankle plantar flexion moment and ground reaction force in handball players in order to protect ACL from excessive stress during single leg jumping. In addition, the study also clarifies the role of calf muscles in relieving part of ACL stresses with different knee flexion angles during landing. Methods: Fifteen active male elite handball players of Saudi Arabia have participated in this study (Age = 22.6 ± 3.5years, Height = 182 ± 3.7 cm, Weight = 87.5 ± 10.2 kg). The players performed three successful landings of single-leg jump following running a fixed distance of about 450cm. The data were collected using a 3D motion capture and analysis system (VICON). Results: Pearson product moment correlation coefficients showed that greater peak knee flexion angle is related significantly to both lesser knee extension moment (r = -.623, P = .013) and vertical component of ground reaction force (VGRF) (r = -.688, P = .005) in landing phase. Moreover, increasing the peak knee flexion angle in landing phase tends to increase the ankle plantar flexion moment significantly (r = .832, P = .000). Conclusion: With an increase of the peak knee flexion angle during single leg jump landing from running, there would be less knee extension moment, low impact force and more plantar flexion moment. As such, the clinical implication of this study is that there may be a possible protective mechanism by increasing the knee flexion angle during landing phase, which tends to protect the ACL from vigorous strain and injuries.
Cementoblastic Response to High vs. Low Level of Mechanical Force in Vitro

CEMENTOBLASTIC RESPONSE TO HIGH VS. LOW LEVEL OF MECHANICAL FORCE IN VITRO Natalie Nicole Mullally, DMD Marquette University, 2010 One of the possible complications of orthodontic treatment is apical root resorption. During orthodontic treatment, as the teeth are being moved, the alveolar bone is continually being modeled to accommodate the teeth. This process activates specific cells that are responsible for bone resorption and can have the unwanted effect of resorbing the apex of the tooth root adjacent to the bone. It is unclear exactly what aspects of orthodontic treatment may trigger the resorptive process. A positive correlation, however, between root resorption and mechanical loading applied during orthodontic tooth movement has been established implicating orthodontic treatment in this adverse effect. Since cementum is the mineralized tissue covering the tooth root, it is poised to play a role in this process. Cementoblasts, sharing many characteristics of osteoblasts, have been shown to express various bone regulatory proteins such as osteopontin (OPN), receptor activator of NFκB ligand (RANKL), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and sclerostin (SOST). How the expression of these proteins varies in response to mechanical loading is unclear. As cementum has been shown to have reparative properties, it is uncertain whether a certain level of mechanical loading may have a resorptive or antiresorptive effect. Can a low level of force provide a protective effect on the tooth root, while a higher force level precipitate resorption to occur? To study the role of cementoblasts in external apical root resorption, we examined changes in ATP release and protein production of molecular bone biomarkers in OCCM-30 cells (murine cementoblastic cell line) following application of mechanical loading by fluid shear stress (FSS) for one hour at two different force levels (12 dynes/cm 2 , 18.5dynes/cm 2 ). FSS is an in vitro model for applying a mechanical load to cells. We found a significant increase in ATP release following FSS at both levels and a significant decrease of RANKL and OPN protein at 12 dynes/cm 2 . RANKL promotes the differentiation, activation and survival of osteoclasts, while OPN serves to attach osteoclast cells to bone or the root surface to begin resorption. Our findings suggest that cementoblasts play an active role in the mechanical adaptation of cementum in the process of orthodontic root resorption.
Structure and Bonding of Nanolayered Ternary Phosphides

We have studied the electronic structure and chemical bonding mechanism of nanolayered M2SbP with M = Ti, Zr and Hf using the full-relativistic of an all-electron full potential linearized augmented-plane-wave (FP-LAPW) method based on the density functional theory, within the local density approximation scheme for the exchange-correlation potential. Furthermore, we have to calculate the energy of formation for prove the existence of these compounds experimentally. Geometrical optimizations of the unit cell are in good agreement with the available theoretical and experimental data. The bulk modulus of M2SbP conserved as Ti is replaced with Zr, and increases by 8.7% as Ti is replaced with Hf, which can be understood on the basis of the increased number of valence electrons filling the p-d hybridized bonding states. The bonding is of covalentionic nature with the presence of metallic character. Analyzing the bonding in the binary MP, it can be concluded that this character is essentially conserved in M2SbP ternaries.
Evaluating Endmember and Band Selection Techniques for Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis using Post-Fire Imaging Spectroscopy

Fire impacts many vegetated ecosystems across the world. The severity of a fire is major component in determining post-fire effects, including soil erosion, trace gas emissions, and the trajectory of recovery. In this study, we used imaging spectroscopy data combined with Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA), a form of spectral mixture analysis that accounts for endmember variability, to map fire severity of the 2013 Rim Fire. We evaluated four endmember selection approaches: Iterative Endmember Selection (IES), count-based within endmember class (In-CoB), Endmember Average Root Mean Squared Error (EAR), and Minimum Average Spectral Angle (MASA). To reduce the dimensionality of the imaging spectroscopy data we used uncorrelated Stable Zone Unmixing (uSZU). Fractional cover maps derived from MESMA were validated using two approaches: (1) manual interpretation of fine spatial resolution WorldView-2 imagery; and (2) ground plots measuring the Geo Composite Burn Index (GeoCBI) and the percentage of co-dominant and dominant trees with green, brown, and black needles. Comparison to reference data demonstrated fairly high correlation for green vegetation and char fractions (r2 values as high as 0.741 for the MESMA ash fractions compared to classified WorldView-2 imagery and as high as 0.841 for green vegetation fractions). The combination of uSZU band selection and In-CoB endmember selection had the best trade-off between accuracy and computational efficiency. This study demonstrated that detailed fire severity retrievals based on imaging spectroscopy can be optimized using techniques that would be viable also in a satellite-based imaging spectrometer.
Synthesis of polyurethane/clay nanocomposites based palm oil polyol coating

In this study, we investigated the Polyurethane paint based on palm oil with the addition of nanoparticles montmorillonite as a heat-resistant. The composites with 1 wt%, 3 wt% and 5 wt% of bentonite filler content obtained by synthesizing in situ were investigated and compared to the neat polyurethane matrix material. The processing of bentonite for montmorillonite was done through several stages including: sedimentation, ultrasonication, dried, sieved with a 200 mesh sieve, then characterized. Untreated MMT were isolated and modified with CTAB. The addition of MMT into polyurethane, as much as 5% wt, can increase the heat as evidenced by the TGA test. The TGA results indicated an enhanced thermal stability, as compared to the neat polyurethane. The onset degradation of neat polyurethane and weight reduction began at a temperature of 50150°C and completely decomposed at the temperatures of 380°C and for PU MKS-MMT reduction, the initial weight started at a temperature of 150-200°C in 5 %wt and decomposed in the end at a temperature of 490°C. In this research, we also tested the gloss adhesive polyurethane with the addition of MMT; the result stated that the addition of 5%wt MMT can improve the adhesion of polyurethane. The addition of MMT in polyurethane can also enhance the gloss polyurethane compared with polyurethane coated without the addition of MMT.
Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oils from Verbenaceae Species Growing in South America

The Verbenaceae family includes 2600 species grouped into 100 genera with a pantropical distribution. Many of them are important elements of the floras of warm-temperature and tropical regions of America. This family is known in folk medicine, and its species are used as digestive, carminative, antipyretic, antitussive, antiseptic, and healing agents. This review aims to collect information about the essential oils from the most reported species of the Verbenaceae family growing in South America, focusing on their chemical composition, antimicrobial activity, and synergism with commercial antimicrobials. The information gathered comprises the last twenty years of research within the South American region and is summarized taking into consideration the most representative species in terms of their essential oils. These species belong to Aloysia, Lantana, Lippia, Phyla, and Stachytarpheta genera, and the main essential oils they contain are monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, such as β-caryophyllene, thymol, citral, 1,8-cineole, carvone, and limonene. These compounds have been found to possess antimicrobial activities. The synergism of these essential oils with antibiotics is being studied by several research groups. It constitutes a resource of interest for the potential use of combinations of essential oils and antibiotics in infection treatments.
Spine Surgeon Selection Criteria: Factors Influencing Patient Choice

Study Design. A prospective questionnaire. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors that patients consider when selecting a spine surgeon. Summary of Background Data. The rise in consumer-driven health insurance plans has increased the role of patients in provider selection. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that may influence a patient's criteria for selecting a spine surgeon. Methods. Two hundred thirty-one patients who sought treatment by one spine surgeon completed an anonymous questionnaire consisting of 26 questions. Four questions regarded demographic information; 16 questions asked respondents to rate the importance of specific criteria regarding spine surgeon selection (scale 1–10, with 10 being the most important); and six questions were multiple-choice regarding patient preferences toward aspects of their surgeon (age, training background, etc.). Results. Patients rated board certification (9.26 ± 1.67), in-network provider status (8.10 ± 3.04), and friendliness/bedside manner (8.01 ± 2.35) highest among factors considered when selecting a spine surgeon. Most patients (92%) reported that 30 minutes or less should pass between check-in and seeing their surgeon during a clinic appointment. Regarding whether their spine surgeon underwent training as a neurosurgeon versus an orthopedic surgeon, 25% reported no preference, 52% preferred neurosurgical training, and 23% preferred orthopedic training. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that board certification and in-network health insurance plans may be most important in patients’ criteria for choosing a spine surgeon. Advertisements were rated least important by patients. Patients expressed varying preferences regarding ideal surgeon age, training background, proximity, medical student/resident involvement, and clinic appointment availability. The surgeon from whom patients sought treatment completed an orthopedic surgery residency; hence, it is notable that 52% of patients preferred a spine surgeon with a neurosurgical background. In the context of patients’ increasing role in health care decision-making and provider selection, understanding the factors that influence patients’ selection of a spine surgeon is important. Level of Evidence: 3
Duration of labor and the risk of severe postpartum hemorrhage: A case-control study

Objective Our main objective was to investigate the association between duration of active labor and severe postpartum hemorrhage. We examined the effect of the total duration of active labor, the effect of each stage of active labor, and the gradient effect of duration of labor on severe postpartum hemorrhage. Methods A case-control study was generated from a source population of all women admitted for delivery at Oslo University Hospital and Drammen Hospital in Buskerud municipality during the time period January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011. The study population included all cases of severe postpartum hemorrhage (n = 859) and a random sample of controls (n = 1755). Severe postpartum hemorrhage was defined as postpartum blood loss ≥1500 mL or need for blood transfusion. Prolonged labor was defined as duration of active labor >12 hours according to the definition of the World Health Organization. We used logistic multivariable regression in the analysis. Results We observed a significantly longer mean duration of labor in women who experienced severe postpartum hemorrhage compared to controls (5.4 versus 3.8 hours, p<0.001). Women with severe postpartum hemorrhage also had a longer duration of all stages of active labor compared to controls. The association between the duration of active labor and severe postpartum changed from a linear dose-response association to a threshold association after adjusting for augmentation with oxytocin, induction of labor, primiparity, and fever during labor. Compared to controls, women with severe postpartum hemorrhage were more likely to have a prolonged labor >12 hours (adjusted odds ratio = 2.44, 95% confidence interval: 1.69–3.53, p< 0.001). Conclusion Prolonged active labor (duration >12 hours) was associated with severe postpartum hemorrhage. Increased vigilance seems required when the labor is prolonged to reduce the risk of severe postpartum hemorrhage.
Makeup-Go: Blind Reversion of Portrait Edit

Virtual face beautification (or markup) becomes common operations in camera or image processing Apps, which is actually deceiving. In this paper, we propose the task of restoring a portrait image from this process. As the first attempt along this line, we assume unknown global operations on human faces and aim to tackle the two issues of skin smoothing and skin color change. These two tasks, intriguingly, impose very different difficulties to estimate subtle details and major color variation. We propose a Component Regression Network (CRN) and address the limitation of using Euclidean loss in blind reversion. CRN maps the edited portrait images back to the original ones without knowing beautification operation details. Our experiments demonstrate effectiveness of the system for this novel task.