Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The risk of cervical atypia in oral contraceptive users

Abstract Background: The interactions of oral contraceptive (OC) use, risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and associated cellular atypia are complex. We investigated the association between history of OC-use, and cytological or histopathological abnormalities in a cohort of non-HPV vaccinated originally 16–17-year-old women participating the PATRICIA trial for 4 years. Methods: The total number of hepatitis A-virus (control) vaccine recipients participating in the clinical PATRICIA trial in Finland was 2399. Nine-hundred and ninety-nine women returned questionnaires on living conditions-life habits and sexual health after completing the study. Mean age at answering the questionnaire at the end of the clinical trial was 22 years. Age at sexual debut varied between 12 and 16 years for majority of the women. Cervical cytological samples were obtained every 6 months throughout the PATRICIA trial. The relative risk of cervical atypia associated with time since start of oral contraceptives use was calculated as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using logistic regression. Results: Compared to never-users, the smoking and age-at-sexual-debut adjusted relative risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN1) in women who had started the use of oral contraceptives for more than 1 year was low (OR 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1–0.7). Risk of cytological atypia was also reduced (OR 0.6) albeit not significantly (95% CI: 0.3–1.3). Conclusions: Use of oral contraceptives does not increase the risk of cervical atypia but when established might instead be protective.
Misophonia: current perspectives

Misophonia is characterized by a negative reaction to a sound with a specific pattern and meaning to a given individual. In this paper, we review the clinical features of this relatively common yet underinvestigated condition, with focus on co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders. Currently available data on the putative pathophysiology of the condition can inform our understanding and guide the diagnostic process and treatment approach. Tinnitus retraining therapy and cognitive behavior therapy have been proposed as the most effective treatment strategies for reducing symptoms; however, current treatment algorithms should be validated in large population studies. At the present stage, competing paradigms see misophonia as a physiological state potentially inducible in any subject, an idiopathic condition (which can present with comorbid psychiatric disorders), or a symptomatic manifestation of an underlying psychiatric disorder. Agreement on the use of standardized diagnostic criteria would be an important step forward in terms of both clinical practice and scientific inquiry. Areas for future research include phenomenology, epidemiology, modulating factors, neurophysiological underpinnings, and treatment trials.
Validation of the Argentine Spanish version of Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire for adolescents with chronic conditions.

INTRODUCTION The transition of adolescents with chronic conditions to adult follow-up care is an increasingly complex process. Patients need to acquire knowledge and skills that ensure continuity of their care. The goal of this study was to validate the Argentinian Spanish version of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) 5.0 tool in adolescents and young adults with chronic conditions. POPULATION AND METHODS Descriptive, crosssectional, quantitative study. Patients with chronic conditions aged 14 years or older treated at Hospital Garrahan were included. The TRAQ is made up of 20 items divided into 5 subscales (Managing Medication, Appointment Keeping, Tracking Health Issues, Talking with Providers, Managing Daily Activities), and is designed to be self-administered. Patients completed the TRAQ, as well as an opinion survey about its use and a self-perceived autonomy scale; their physicians answered a scale about patients' health impairment due to the condition. Sociodemographic, clinical and TRAQ-related variables were recorded. RESULTS A total of 191 patients participated. The majority of patients (96.3%) understood the TRAQ 5.0 questionnaire and completed it correctly, in self-administered modality, in a short time (median: 5 minutes), with little or no help (81%). Patients who live in poverty or have a lower education level than the one expected for their age needed more help. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) for the overall score was 0.81. Construct validity was demonstrated by testing different hypotheses (all p < 0.05): discrimination by age ≥ 16 years (3.01 vs. 3.34), sex (women: 3.38 > men: 3.12) and having plans for the future (without plans: 3.01 < with plans: 3.34); correlation with self-perception scale (r= 0.49). CONCLUSION The TRAQ 5.0 tool is available for use in Argentinian adolescents with chronic conditions.
Application of Sparse Linear Discriminant Analysis and Elastic Net for Diagnosis of IgA Nephropathy: Statistical and Biological Viewpoints

Background: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis diagnosed based on renal biopsy. Mesangial IgA deposits along with the proliferation of mesangial cells are the histologic hallmark of IgAN. Non-invasive diagnostic tools may help to prompt diagnosis and therapy. The discovery of potential and reliable urinary biomarkers for diagnosis of IgAN depends on applying robust and suitable models. Applying two multivariate modeling methods on a urine proteomic dataset were obtained from IgAN patients, and comparison of the results of these methods were the purpose of this study. Methods: Two models were constructed for urinary protein profiles of 13 patients and 8 healthy individuals, based on sparse linear discriminant analysis (SLDA) and elastic net (EN) regression methods. A panel of selected biomarkers with the best coefficients were proposed and further analyzed for biological relevance using functional annotation and pathway analysis. Results: Transferrin, α1-antitrypsin, and albumin fragments were the most important up-regulated biomarkers, while fibulin-5, YIP1 family member 3, prasoposin, and osteopontin were the most important down-regulated biomarkers. Pathway analysis revealed that complement and coagulation cascades and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction pathways impaired in the pathogenesis of IgAN. Conclusion: SLDA and EN had an equal importance for diagnosis of IgAN and were useful methods for exploring and processing proteomic data. In addition, the suggested biomarkers are reliable candidates for further validation to non-invasive diagnose of IgAN based on urine examination.
Channel Characterization of Acoustic Waveguides Consisting of Straight Gas and Water Pipelines

Characterizing acoustic waveguide channels is becoming important for the development of communication and signal processing applications across diverse fields ranging from urban water supply systems to oil and gas distribution pipeline networks. These applications include sonar and transmission systems in support of leak detection, blockage location, sensing, monitoring, and signaling for example. In this paper, we provide experimental results and models for the wideband channel characterization of acoustic waveguides formed from gas and water pipelines over the 1–50 kHz frequency band. Experimental results are provided for two straight pipe systems comprising an acrylic pipe filled with air and a steel pipe filled with water. A mode-based analytical model for predicting acoustic wave propagation in rigid and elastic pipes is proposed with deterministic and stochastic characteristics both considered. Good matching is demonstrated between the model predictions and experimental results in terms of dispersion curves, channel spectrograms, and delay spread. A key finding is that acoustic waveguides filled with water should be treated as elastic pipes, and they have significantly different characteristics from those filled with gas, which can usually be treated as rigid pipes. Furthermore for the steel-water waveguide pipeline, link budget calculations and noise power spectral density measurements reveal that a communication range of more than 50 m can be obtained.
Maternal nutrient intakes from food and drinks consumed in early pregnancy in Ireland

Background The aim of this observational study was to measure food, macronutrient and micronutrient intakes of women presenting for antenatal care and assess compliance with current nutritional recommendations. Methods Women were recruited in the first trimester of pregnancy. Maternal weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Maternal energy and nutrient intakes were estimated using a validated Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire and misreporting of energy intakes (EI) determined. Results Plausible EIs were reported in 402 women. Mean age, weight and BMI were 30.8 years, 67.1 kg and 24.6 kg/m2 respectively. Median EIs were 2111 kcal, and median protein, carbohydrate and fat intakes were 17.3, 48.1 and 36.2 g/MJ/day, respectively. More than 90% of women exceeded the recommended daily allowance for saturated fat. Nearly all of the women (99%) did not meet estimated average requirements (EAR) for vitamin D. One in three women failed to achieve a dietary folate intake of 400 &mgr;g/day. Over one in five women failed to meet the EAR for iron, and 14% failed to achieve the EAR for calcium. Conclusions Our findings highlight concerning deficits in nutrient intakes among women and will help guide professional dietary advice to women attending for future obstetric care in Ireland.
Encoding sequence design for a reduced complexity time synchronization approach for OFDM systems

We here deal with a recently proposed data-aided reduced-complexity approach for OFDM time synchronization. In the considered approach, an encoding sequence generated from the preamble is differentially correlated with the received signal to estimate the frame start. In this paper, we study the off-line design of the encoding sequence. We present two efficient algorithms for deriving QPSK encoding sequence that allows replacing the differential correlation process, characterized by its high complexity, by a simple sign change. The resulting quantified encoding sequence performs well in both AWGN and multipath channels, compared to the optimal, previously used, encoding sequence. Furthermore, the complexity involved for the metric calculation, using the herein proposed encoding sequence, is reduced considerably by applying the sign change operations. The simulation results show that the use of sub-optimal sequence gives near best detection performances which are provided by the optimal sequence with lower complexity.
Auditory hallucinations across the lifespan: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Auditory Hallucinations (AH) are nowadays regarded as symptoms following a continuum; from a (transient) phenomenon in healthy individuals on one end to a symptom of (psychiatric) illnesses at the other. An accumulating number of epidemiological studies focused on the prevalence of AH in the general population, but results vary widely. The current meta-analysis aims to synthesize existing evidence on lifetime prevalence of AH across the lifespan. Methods We conducted a quantitative review and meta-analysis according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies were combined to calculate a mean lifetime general population AH prevalence rate. Moreover, prevalences were calculated for four age groups: children (5–12 years), adolescents (13–17 years), adults (18–60 years) and elderly (⩾60 years). Results We retrieved 25 study samples including 84 711 participants. Mean lifetime prevalence rate of AH was 9.6% (95% CI 6.7–13.6%). The mean lifetime prevalence was similar in children (12.7%) and adolescents (12.4%), but these two groups differed significantly from the adults (5.8%) and the elderly (4.5%). Significant heterogeneity indicated that there is still dispersion in true prevalence rates between studies, even within the different age categories. Conclusions Current meta-analysis shows that AH are quite common (up to one in ten individuals) in the general population during lifetime, with children and adolescents reporting these experiences significantly more often compared with adults and elderly. Large follow-up studies on the longitudinal course of AH are needed to reveal associated risk and resilience factors.
Optimal Estimation-Based Algorithm to Retrieve Aerosol Optical Properties for GEMS Measurements over Asia

The Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) is scheduled to be in orbit in 2019 onboard the GEO-KOMPSAT 2B satellite and will continuously monitor air quality over Asia. The GEMS will make measurements in the UV spectrum (300–500 nm) with 0.6 nm resolution. In this study, an algorithm is developed to retrieve aerosol optical properties from UV-visible measurements for the future satellite instrument and is tested using 3 years of existing OMI L1B data. This algorithm provides aerosol optical depth (AOD), single scattering albedo (SSA) and aerosol layer height (ALH) using an optimized estimation method. The retrieved AOD shows good correlation with Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) AOD with correlation coefficients of 0.83, 0.73 and 0.80 for heavy-absorbing fine (HAF) particles, dust and non-absorbing (NA) particles, respectively. However, regression tests indicate underestimation and overestimation of HAF and NA AOD, respectively. In comparison with AOD from the OMI/Aura Near-UV Aerosol Optical Depth and Single Scattering Albedo 1-orbit L2 Swath 13 km × 24 km V003 (OMAERUV) algorithm, the retrieved AOD has a correlation coefficient of 0.86 and linear regression equation, AODGEMS = 1.18AODOMAERUV + 0.09. An uncertainty test based on a reference method, which estimates retrieval error by applying the algorithm to simulated radiance data, revealed that assumptions in the spectral dependency of aerosol absorptivity in the UV cause significant errors in aerosol property retrieval, particularly the SSA retrieval. Consequently, retrieved SSAs did not show good correlation with AERONET values. The ALH results were qualitatively compared with the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) products and were found to be well correlated for highly absorbing aerosols. The difference between the attenuated-backscatter-weighted height from CALIOP and retrieved ALH were mostly closed to zero when the retrieved AOD is higher than 0.8 and SSA is lower than 0.93. Although retrieval accuracy was not significantly improved, the simultaneous consistent retrieval of AOD, SSA and ALH alone demonstrates the value of this stand-alone algorithm, given their nature for error using other methods. The use of these properties as input parameters for the air mass factor calculation is expected to improve the retrieval of other trace gases over Asia.
Exercise training protects human and rodent β cells against endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis

Prolonged exercise has positive metabolic effects in obese or diabetic individuals. These effects are usually ascribed to improvements in insulin sensitivity. We evaluated whether exercise also generates circulating signals that protect human and rodent β cells against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis. For this purpose, we obtained serum from humans or mice before and after an 8 wk training period. Exposure of human islets or mouse or rat β cells to human or rodent sera, respectively, obtained from trained individuals reduced cytokine (IL‐1β+IFN‐γ)‐ or chemical ER stressor‐induced β‐cell ER stress and apoptosis, at least in part via activation of the transcription factor STAT3. These findings indicate that exercise training improves human and rodent β‐cell survival under diabetogenic conditions and support lifestyle interventions as a protective approach for both type 1 and 2 diabetes. —Paula, F. M. M. , Leite, N. C. , Borck, P. C. , Freitas‐Dias, R. , Cnop, M. , Chacon‐Mikahil, M. P. T. , Cavaglieri, C. R. , Marchetti, P., Boschero, A. C. , Zoppi, C. C. , Eizirik, D. L. Exercise training protects human and rodent β cells against endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis. FASEB J. 32,1524–1536 (2018). www.fasebj. org
An approach for predicting the compressive strength of cement-based materials exposed to sulfate attack

In this paper, a support vector machine (SVM) model which can be used to predict the compressive strength of mortars exposed to sulfate attack was established. An accelerated corrosion test was applied to collect compressive strength data. For predicting the compressive strength of mortars, a total of 638 data samples obtained from experiment was chosen as a dataset to establish a SVM model. The values of the coefficient of determination, the mean absolute error, the mean absolute percentage error and the root mean square error were used for evaluating the predictive accuracy. The main factors affecting the predicted compressive strength were obtained by sensitivity analysis. A SVM model was calibrated, validated, and finally established. Moreover, the performance of the SVM model was compared to an artificial neural network (ANN) model. Results show that the prediction values from the SVM model were close to the experimental values; the main factors sensitive to concrete compressive strength were exposure time, water-cement ratio and sulfate ions; the performance of the SVM model was better than the ANN model. The SVM model developed in this study can be potentially used for predicting the compressive strength of cement-based materials servicing in harsh environments.
DNA demethylation pathways: Additional players and regulators

DNA demethylation can occur passively by “dilution” of methylation marks by DNA replication, or actively and independently of DNA replication. Direct conversion of 5‐methylcytosine (5mC) to cytosine (C), as originally proposed, does not occur. Instead, active DNA methylation involves oxidation of the methylated base by ten‐eleven translocations (TETs), or deamination of the methylated or a nearby base by activation induced deaminase (AID). The modified nucleotide, possibly together with surrounding nucleotides, is then replaced by the BER pathway. Recent data clarify the roles and the regulation of well‐known enzymes in this process. They identify base excision repair (BER) glycosylases that may cooperate with or replace thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) in the base excision step, and suggest possible involvement of DNA damage repair pathways other than BER in active DNA demethylation. Here, we review these new developments.
Time Trends in Physician Visits for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Before and After the Rx‐to‐OTC Switch of Proton Pump Inhibitors

The availability of non-prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines plays an important role in the United States (U.S.) healthcare system. Potential benefits to consumers of OTC drugs include increased access to effective medications, avoidance of unnecessary physician visits, as well as promoting increased patient autonomy and successful self-care.1 In addition, the availability of effective OTC medications for common conditions may be advantageous for the U.S. healthcare system by reducing the number of non-essential physician visits, while creating a more rational allocation of healthcare resources to manage more serious conditions and other healthcare priorities. Despite this theoretical benefit, the true impact of making medications available OTC on healthcare utilization is largely unknown. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Pneumococcal Pneumonia Requiring Hospitalization in US Children in the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Era

Background. The impact of PCV13 on a number of clinical aspects of pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) in children has not been reported. We compared the serotype distribution, antibiotic susceptibility, and outcomes of children with PP 4 years before and 4 years after the introduction of PCV13. Methods. We identified patients ≤18 years with PP at 8 children's hospitals in the United States (2006-2014). Pneumococcal isolates were collected prospectively. Serotyping and antibiotic susceptibility were performed in a central laboratory. Clinical and laboratory data were collected retrospectively. Annual pneumococcal pneumonia hospitalization rates per 100 000 admissions with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Dichotomous variables were analyzed by χ2 test and continuous variables with Mann-Whitney U test. Results. A total of 377 patients with PP requiring hospitalization were identified. Hospitalization rates of PP decreased from 53.6 to 23.3 per 100000 admissions post PCV13 (P < .0001). Complicated PP rates also decreased (P < .0001). Need for intensive care, mechanical ventilation, and invasive procedure remained unchanged after the introduction of PCV13. Comorbidities were more common among children with uncomplicated than complicated pneumonia (52.2% vs. 22.5%, P < .001). Overall, PCV13 serotypes 19A, 3, 7F, and 1 caused 80% of PP. Hospitalization rates of PCV13 serotype pneumonia decreased from 47.2 to 15.7 per 100000 admissions post PCV13. In 2014, the most common serotypes were 3, 19A and 35B. Conclusions. PP requiring hospitalization significantly decreased in children after PCV13 introduction. Complicated PP rates decreased steadily in 2011-2014. PCV13 serotypes 19A and 3 were still responsible for half of the cases of PP in 2011-2014.
The Ability of a Single BMD and Fracture History Assessment to Predict Fracture Over 25 Years in Postmenopausal Women: The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures

The ability of bone mineral density (BMD) and other risk factors to predict fracture risk is well‐established for as long as 5 to 10 years. However, their value to predict risk over a longer term has not been directly studied. We investigated whether a single assessment of femoral neck BMD and fracture history can predict fracture risk over 20 to 25 years. We used data from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) that assessed BMD and risk factors in 7959 women age ≥67 (mean = 73.4) in 1988–1990. Follow‐up for fractures continued for 25 years for hip fracture, and for 20 years for any nonvertebral fracture. Using age‐adjusted proportional hazards models, we analyzed the relationships between a single baseline assessment of femoral neck BMD, fracture history and age, and 20–25‐year fracture incidence. The 25‐year cumulative incidence of hip fracture was 17.9%; 20‐year incidence of any nonvertebral fracture was 46.2%. The 25‐year hip fracture incidence was highest in those ≥80 years old (22.6%) compared to 13.9% in women aged <70 years. A single femoral neck BMD measurement strongly predicted long‐term hip fracture risk to 25 years: 29.6% risk in the lowest BMD quartile versus 7.6% with the highest relative hazard (RH) = 4.9 (95% CI, 4.1 to 6.0). Femoral neck BMD predicted hip fracture with little degradation over time from RH/SD = 2.6 (2.2 to 3.0) for 0 to 5 years to RH/SD = 1.8 (1.4 to 2.4) for 20 to 25 years. Lifetime hip fracture risk was similar (∼30%) regardless of age from 67 to >80 years. History of hip fracture predicted hip fractures only slightly better than history of nonvertebral fracture (RH = 1.6 [95% CI, 1.1 to 2.2] versus RH = 1.4 [95% CI, 1.2 to 1.5], respectively). Fracture history remained strongly predictive up to 25 years. We conclude that a single BMD and fracture history assessment can predict fracture risk over 20 to 25 years. Long‐term risk of hip fracture remains extremely high in the oldest age groups, supporting risk assessment and consideration of treatment even in the oldest, highest‐risk women. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.