Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Salivary Gland Cancer Survival.

IMPORTANCE Several recent US studies have documented racial disparities in head and neck cancer outcomes, but few have investigated racial and ethnic differences in salivary gland cancer (SGCA) survival. OBJECTIVE To determine whether patient race or ethnicity affects SGCA survival. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective survival analysis of all patients with SGCA from 1988 through 2010 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Disease-specific survival according to race and ethnicity. End points assessed included age at diagnosis, sex, tumor grade, tumor size at diagnosis, extension at diagnosis, lymph node involvement at diagnosis, and treatment. Results were further analyzed by histologic subtype of SGCA. RESULTS Of 11,007 patients with SGCA, 1073 (9.7%) were black, and 1068 (9.7%), Hispanic. Whites' mean age at diagnosis was 63 years vs 53 and 52 years for blacks and Hispanics, respectively (P < .001). Twenty-year disease-specific survival rates for all SGCA histologic subtypes combined for whites, blacks, and Hispanics were 78%, 79%, and 81%, respectively. Unadjusted survival curves showed no significant difference between blacks and whites and an apparent advantage for Hispanics. However, multivariable Cox regression models controlling for patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics showed poorer disease-specific survival vs whites for blacks (hazard ratio [HR], 1.22 [95% CI, 1.03-1.46]; P = .03) but not for Hispanics (HR, 0.97 [0.79-1.19]; P = .77). The overall disease-specific survival disparity was due to poorer disease-specific survival for blacks vs whites with mucoepidermoid (P = .03) and squamous cell carcinomas (P = .05). Less surgical treatment for blacks than whites (57.26% vs 76.94%; P < .001) was a source of the survival disparity for squamous cell but not mucoepidermoid SGCA. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Black race is a risk factor for poorer disease-specific survival for patients with mucoepidermoid or squamous cell carcinoma, whereas Hispanic ethnicity has no effect. Differing treatment between black and white patients affects survival in squamous cell but not mucoepidermoid SGCA. Differences in chemotherapy treatment, comorbidities, socioeconomic status, tumor genetic factors, and environmental exposures are potential but unproven additional sources of the racial survival disparities for mucoepidermoid and squamous cell SGCA.
A probe into effect of Shoutai pill on endometrial receptivity

The effect of Shoutai pill on endometrial receptivity was analyzed. A total of 160 patients with spontaneous abortion were enrolled in this study. They were treated in the Fifth People's Hospital of Jinan (Shandong, China) from February 2014 to June 2016. The following treatment regimen was performed for the patients: after menstruation, Shoutai pill was taken as continuous medication for more than 5 menstrual cycles, the pill was taken 20 days per month, medication was stopped during menstruation, and contraceptive measures were taken during this period. Statistics were recorded of endometrial thickness and morphology, hemodynamic parameters of uterine spiral artery, including pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI), endometrial LIF levels before and after treatment, and follicular development and ovulation were strictly monitored, and statistics of pregnancy were recorded. The endometrial thickness, type A endometrium and endometrial spiral arterial PI and RI levels, endometrial LIF levels were significantly improved after treatment (P<0.05); at the same time, pregnancy rate was 85%; during this treatment, patients had no significant side effects. In conclusion, improvement of endometrial acceptability with Shoutai pills can receive good effect, significantly promote embryo implantation and enhance pregnancy rate.
Short-term risk of cardiovascular readmission following a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy

Objective Women with pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) have increased long-term cardiovascular (CV) risk. We sought to determine if they demonstrate increased short-term CV risk. Methods Using administrative records, all hospital-based deliveries in Florida from 2004 to 2010 and subsequent readmission to any Florida hospital within 3 years of index delivery were identified. Deliveries and clinical diagnoses were determined using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. HDP included pregnancies complicated by gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia. Outcomes were CV readmission (acute myocardial infarction, stroke or heart failure), non-CV readmission and any readmission within 3 years of delivery excluding subsequent deliveries. Associations were determined using multivariate logistic regression. Results Among 1 452 926 records from delivering mothers of singleton infants (mean age 27.2±6.2 years; 52% white, 23% African American (AA), 18% Hispanic), there were 4054 CV and 259 252 non-CV readmissions. Women with HDP had higher CV readmission rates (6.4 vs 2.5/1000 deliveries; P<0.001). AA women had higher rates of CV readmission than whites or Hispanics (6.8 vs 1.7 vs 1.0/1000 deliveries, respectively; P<0.001). Women with HDP had higher multivariate risk of CV readmission (OR 2.41; 95% CI 2.08 to 2.80) and any readmission (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.10 to 1.15). Compared with whites, AA women had higher risk for CV readmission (OR 3.60; 95% CI 3.32 to 3.90) after adjustment for HDP. Conclusion Women with HDP had twice the risk of CV readmission within 3 years of delivery, with higher rates among AA women. More work is needed to explore preventive strategies for HDP-associated events.
Trans-Palmitoleic Acid, Metabolic Risk Factors, and New-Onset Diabetes in U.S. Adults

BACKGROUND Palmitoleic acid (cis-16:1n-7), which is produced by endogenous fat synthesis, has been linked to both beneficial and deleterious metabolic effects, potentially confounded by diverse determinants and tissue sources of endogenous production. Trans-palmitoleate (trans-16:1n-7) represents a distinctly exogenous source of 16:1n-7, unconfounded by endogenous synthesis or its determinants, that may be uniquely informative. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether circulating trans-palmitoleate is independently related to lower metabolic risk and incident type 2 diabetes. DESIGN Prospective cohort study from 1992 to 2006. SETTING Four U.S. communities. PATIENTS 3736 adults in the Cardiovascular Health Study. MEASUREMENTS Anthropometric characteristics and levels of plasma phospholipid fatty acids, blood lipids, inflammatory markers, and glucose-insulin measured at baseline in 1992 and dietary habits measured 3 years earlier. Multivariate-adjusted models were used to investigate how demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors independently related to plasma phospholipid trans-palmitoleate; how trans-palmitoleate related to major metabolic risk factors; and how trans-palmitoleate related to new-onset diabetes (304 incident cases). Findings were validated for metabolic risk factors in an independent cohort of 327 women. RESULTS In multivariate analyses, whole-fat dairy consumption was most strongly associated with higher trans-palmitoleate levels. Higher trans-palmitoleate levels were associated with slightly lower adiposity and, independently, with higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (1.9% across quintiles; P = 0.040), lower triglyceride levels (-19.0%; P < 0.001), a lower total cholesterol-HDL cholesterol ratio (-4.7%; P < 0.001), lower C-reactive protein levels (-13.8%; P = 0.05), and lower insulin resistance (-16.7%, P < 0.001). Trans-palmitoleate was also associated with a substantially lower incidence of diabetes, with multivariate hazard ratios of 0.41 (95% CI, 0.27 to 0.64) and 0.38 (CI, 0.24 to 0.62) in quintiles 4 and 5 versus quintile 1 (P for trend < 0.001). Findings were independent of estimated dairy consumption or other fatty acid dairy biomarkers. Protective associations with metabolic risk factors were confirmed in the validation cohort. LIMITATION Results could be affected by measurement error or residual confounding. CONCLUSION Circulating trans-palmitoleate is associated with lower insulin resistance, presence of atherogenic dyslipidemia, and incident diabetes. Our findings may explain previously observed metabolic benefits of dairy consumption and support the need for detailed further experimental and clinical investigation. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.
Information Content of Coevolutionary Game Landscapes

Coevolutionary game dynamics is the result of players that may change their strategies and their network of interaction. For such games, and based on interpreting strategies as configurations, strategy-to-payoff maps can be defined for every interaction network, which opens up to derive game landscapes. This paper presents an analysis of these game landscapes by their information content. By this analysis, we particularly study the effect of a rescaled payoff matrix generalizing social dilemmas and differences between well-mixed and structured populations.
[Quasi-experiment study].

【关键词】 准试验;研究设计;流行病学 Quasi-experiment study Dou Yalan,Dai Jianghong,Huang Ailong. 1 Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health,Xinjiang Medical University,Urumqi 830011,China;2 Chongqing Medical University Corresponding author:Dai Jianghong,Email:epi102@sina.com This work was supported by a grant from the National Science and Technology Major Project of China(No. 2012ZX10001-007). 【Key words】 Quasi-experiment;Study design;Epidemiology
Stable Isotope and Signature Fatty Acid Analyses Suggest Reef Manta Rays Feed on Demersal Zooplankton

Assessing the trophic role and interaction of an animal is key to understanding its general ecology and dynamics. Conventional techniques used to elucidate diet, such as stomach content analysis, are not suitable for large threatened marine species. Non-lethal sampling combined with biochemical methods provides a practical alternative for investigating the feeding ecology of these species. Stable isotope and signature fatty acid analyses of muscle tissue were used for the first time to examine assimilated diet of the reef manta ray Manta alfredi, and were compared with different zooplankton functional groups (i.e. near-surface zooplankton collected during manta ray feeding events and non-feeding periods, epipelagic zooplankton, demersal zooplankton and several different zooplankton taxa). Stable isotope δ15N values confirmed that the reef manta ray is a secondary consumer. This species had relatively high levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) indicating a flagellate-based food source in the diet, which likely reflects feeding on DHA-rich near-surface and epipelagic zooplankton. However, high levels of ω6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and slightly enriched δ13C values in reef manta ray tissue suggest that they do not feed solely on pelagic zooplankton, but rather obtain part of their diet from another origin. The closest match was with demersal zooplankton, suggesting it is an important component of the reef manta ray diet. The ability to feed on demersal zooplankton is likely linked to the horizontal and vertical movement patterns of this giant planktivore. These new insights into the habitat use and feeding ecology of the reef manta ray will assist in the effective evaluation of its conservation needs.
The Effects of CCA Preservative Treatment and Redrying on the Bending Properties of 2 X 6 Southern Pine Lumber

Southern pine dimension lumber (commercially graded No. 2 loblolly pine 2 x 6s) was treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) preservative (0.4 or 0.6 pcf) and then air-dried or kiln-dried (160, 190, or 240 F). CCA treatment significantly reduced average bending strength, but no discernible differences were found between controls and CCA-treated groups in the extreme lower portions ( The effects of CCA treatment and redrying were highly interactive with strength-ratio grade and the presence or absence of pith. CCA treatment reduced the strength of lumber containing pith and having a strength ratio of 0.65 and containing pith was not affected by CCA treatment. The magnitude of this pith-related interaction demands recognition.
Redox-modulatory vitamins and minerals that prospectively predict mortality in older British people: the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of people aged 65 years and over

The predictive power, for total, vascular, cancer and respiratory mortality, of selected redox-modulatory (vitamin and mineral nutrient) indices measured at baseline, was studied in the British National Diet and Nutrition Survey (community-living subset) of people aged 65 years and over. Mortality status and its primary and underlying causes were recorded for 1054 (mean age 76·6 (sd 7·4) years and 49·0 % female) participants, from the baseline survey in 1994–5 until September 2008. During this interval, 74 % of the male and 62 % of the female participants died. Total mortality was significantly predicted by baseline plasma concentrations (per sd) of vitamin C (hazard ratio (HR) 0·81; 95 % CI 0·74, 0·88), α-carotene (HR 0·90; 95 % CI 0·81, 0·99), Se (HR 0·76; 95 % CI 0·69, 0·84), Zn (HR 0·79; 95 % CI 0·72, 0·87), Cu (HR 1·27; 95 % CI 1·14, 1·42) and Fe (HR 0·81; 95 % CI 0·74, 0·89). Total mortality was also significantly predicted by baseline dietary intakes (per sd) of food energy (HR 0·86; 95 % CI 0·79, 0·94), vitamin C (HR 0·88; 95 % CI 0·80, 0·94), carotenoids (HR 0·89; 95 % CI 0·83, 0·96), Zn (HR 0·89; 95 % CI 0·82, 0·96) and Cu (HR 0·91; 95 % CI 0·84, 1·00). Prediction patterns and significance for primary vascular, cancer and respiratory mortality differed in certain respects, but not fundamentally. Model adjustment for known disease or mortality risk predictors resulted in loss of significance for some of the indices; however, plasma Se and Zn, and food energy remained significant predictors. We conclude that total and primary vascular, cancer and respiratory mortality in older British people of both sexes is predicted by several biochemical indices of redox-modulatory nutrients, some of which may reflect the respondents' acute-phase status at baseline, whereas others may reflect the healthiness of their lifestyle.
Anxiety among older psychiatric patients: a hidden comorbidity?

Objectives: Our aims were to explore prevalence of anxiety among patients admitted to departments of geriatric psychiatry for treatment of various diagnoses and to examine how often anxiety was registered as a previous or ongoing diagnosis. Method: In all, 473 patients admitted to one of five departments of geriatric psychiatry were included in a quality register and examined according to a standardized protocol. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) was used to measure anxiety during the first week after admission. Diagnoses were made at discharge. Results: Using a cutoff on the GAI of 8/9, the prevalence of anxiety for the following diagnostic groups was depression 65.3%, psychosis 28%, dementia 38.8% and mania 33.3%. Of 24 patients with a primary diagnosis of anxiety, 66.7% scored above 8 on the GAI. Of 236 patients with a GAI score above 8, only 22 (9.3%) were reported to have a comorbid anxiety disorder by the treating psychiatrist. In a multiple regression analysis, we found that the severity of depression (beta 0.585, p < 0.001), being female (beta 0.096, p 0.028) and the use of antipsychotic drugs (beta 0.129, p 0.006) and anxiolytic drugs (beta 0.129, p 0.005) were associated with a higher GAI score. Conclusion: Anxiety is common in geriatric psychiatric patients, regardless of the primary diagnosis. Our findings suggest that anxiety is often a hidden comorbidity in various psychiatric disorders. A high score on the GAI was associated with the severity of depression, female gender and the use of antipsychotic and anxiolytic drugs.
Late Onset Sepsis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants in the South American NEOCOSUR Network

Background: The main aim is to determine the incidence and associated factors of late onset sepsis (LOS) in very low birth weight infants (500–1500 g), from the NEOCOSUR Network during years 2001–2013. Secondary objectives are to describe the microbiology of the first and second episode of LOS and to study the association between catheter dwell time and LOS. Methods: Demographic information and outcome data are prospectively and routinely collected across the network using predefined diagnostic criteria and online data entry. LOS was confirmed by isolation of the organism in blood or through cerebrospinal fluid in cultures. The participating countries were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Results: Overall incidence was 22.2% (3066/13,821). Infants who developed LOS were smaller by weight and gestational age; also, they feature less prenatal care and prenatal steroids, and longer hospital stays. A greater number of infants in the LOS group had 1 minute Apgar Scores ⩽3. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a positive association between LOS and necrotizing enterocolitis, mechanical ventilation requirements, patent ductus arteriosus, oxygen dependency at 36 weeks and death. The majority of first LOS episode was caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci (44.3%). An increased risk of LOS was observed in relation to catheter dwell time (6% per day of stay of central lines). Conclusions: The incidence of LOS was associated with mechanical ventilation, patent ductus arteriosus, necrotizing enterocolitis and death. LOS was an important cause of morbidity and mortality in very low birth weight infants in our network, and coagulase-negative staphylococci was the most frequent causative microorganism.
The Mediterranean Benthic Herbivores Show Diverse Responses to Extreme Storm Disturbances

Catastrophic storms have been observed to be one of the major elements in shaping the standing structure of marine benthic ecosystems. Yet, little is known about the effect of catastrophic storms on ecosystem processes. Specifically, herbivory is the main control mechanism of macrophyte communities in the Mediterranean, with two main key herbivores: the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the fish Sarpa salpa. Consequently, the effects of extreme storm events on these two herbivores (at the population level and on their behaviour) may be critical for the functioning of the ecosystem. With the aim of filling this gap, we took advantage of two parallel studies that were conducted before, during and after an unexpected catastrophic storm event. Specifically, fish and sea urchin abundance were assessed before and after the storm in monitored fixed areas (one site for sea urchin assessment and 3 sites for fish visual transects). Additionally, we investigated the behavioural response to the disturbance of S. salpa fishes that had been tagged with acoustic transmitters. Given their low mobility, sea urchins were severely affected by the storm (ca. 50% losses) with higher losses in those patches with a higher density of sea urchins. This may be due to a limited availability of refuges within each patch. In contrast, fish abundance was not affected, as fish were able to move to protected areas (i.e. deeper) as a result of the high mobility of this species. Our results highlight that catastrophic storms differentially affect the two dominant macroherbivores of rocky macroalgal and seagrass systems due to differences in mobility and escaping strategies. This study emphasises that under catastrophic disturbances, the presence of different responses among the key herbivores of the system may be critical for the maintenance of the herbivory function.
Alternative Respiratory Pathway Component Genes (AOX and ND) in Rice and Barley and Their Response to Stress

Plants have a non-energy conserving bypass of the classical mitochondrial cytochrome c pathway, known as the alternative respiratory pathway (AP). This involves type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenases (NDs) on both sides of the mitochondrial inner membrane, ubiquinone, and the alternative oxidase (AOX). The AP components have been widely characterised from Arabidopsis, but little is known for monocot species. We have identified all the genes encoding components of the AP in rice and barley and found the key genes which respond to oxidative stress conditions. In both species, AOX is encoded by four genes; in rice OsAOX1a, 1c, 1d and 1e representing four clades, and in barley, HvAOX1a, 1c, 1d1 and 1d2, but no 1e. All three subfamilies of plant ND genes, NDA, NDB and NDC are present in both rice and barley, but there are fewer NDB genes compared to Arabidopsis. Cyanide treatment of both species, along with salt treatment of rice and drought treatment of barley led to enhanced expression of various AP components; there was a high level of co-expression of AOX1a and AOX1d, along with NDB3 during the stress treatments, reminiscent of the co-expression that has been well characterised in Arabidopsis for AtAOX1a and AtNDB2.
Use of polyclonal/monoclonal antibody therapies in transplantation

ABSTRACT Introduction: For over thirty years, antibody (mAb)-based therapies have been a standard component of transplant immunosuppression, and yet much remains to be learned in order for us to truly harness their therapeutic capabilities. Current mAbs used in transplant directly target and destroy graft-destructive immune cells, interrupt cytokine and costimulation-dependent T and B cell activation, and prevent down-stream complement activation. Areas covered: This review summarizes our current approaches to using antibody-based therapies to prevent and treat allograft rejection. It also provides examples of promising novel mAb therapies, and discusses the potential for future mAb development in transplantation. Expert opinion: The broad capability of antibodies, in parallel with our growing ability to synthetically modulate them, offers exciting opportunities to develop better biologic therapeutics. In order to do so, we must further our understanding about the basic biology underlying allograft rejection, and gain better appreciation of how characteristics of therapeutic antibodies affect their efficacy.
Photocatalytic, Sonocatalytic and Sonophotocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B using MWCNTs-ZnO nanophotocatalysts

A series of ZnO nanoparticles decorated on multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-ZnO) was synthesized using a facile solvothermal method. The intrinsic characteristics of as-prepared nanocomposites were studied using a variety of techniques including powder X-Ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), surface area analyzer (BET) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Optical properties studied using UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy confirmed that the absorbance of ZnO increased in the visible-light region with the incorporation of MWCNTs. In this study, degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) as a dye pollutant was investigated in the presence of pristine ZnO nanoparticles and MWCNTs-ZnO nanocomposites using photocatalysis and sonocatalysis systems separately and simultaneously. The natural sunlight and low power ultrasound were used as an irradiation source. The experimental kinetic data followed the pseudo- first order model in both photocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic processes but the rate constant of sonophotocatalysis is higher than it at photocatalysis process. The sonophotocatalysis was always faster than the respective individual processes due to the more formation of reactive radicals as well as the increase of the active surface area of MWCNTs-ZnO photocatalyst. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) of textile wastewater was measured at regular intervals to evaluate the mineralization of wastewater.