Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Associations of School Oral Health-Related Environments with Oral Health Behaviours and Dental Caries in Children

Creating supportive oral health-related environments in schools is an important strategy for promoting schoolchildren’s oral health. This study determined the associations between school environments and children’s oral behaviour and dental caries. The data on school oral health-related environments were obtained through observation and interviews. Oral behaviour and dental caries data were collected through interviews and oral examinations of 984 sixth grade children. χ2 and multiple logistic regression, adjusted for sociodemographic and economic status, other school environment variables, and oral behaviour were used. Providing fresh fruit with school meals was associated with low sweets consumption and low caries levels. Children’s daily sweets consumption was positively associated with sweetened milk sales in schools. Selling sweetened beverages, including sweetened milk, sweetened drinks, and soft drinks, was associated with high caries levels, while selling meat and crispy packed snacks was associated with low caries levels. Children in schools with integrated oral health education were significantly more likely to brush their teeth twice a day and to brush after lunch. In conclusion, school oral health-related environments, especially available food choices, were associated with sweets consumption behaviour and caries levels. Children in schools with integrated oral health education had better brushing habits.
Topical Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane and Umbilical Cord Eye Drops Promote Re-Epithelialization in a Murine Corneal Abrasion Model.

Purpose To evaluate morselized amniotic membrane and umbilical cord (AMUC) eye drops in promoting corneal re-epithelialization. Methods Following a 2-mm diameter central epithelial wound in one eye of 48 normal C57BL/6 mouse corneas, 10 μL of saline with (n = 24) or without (n = 24) AMUC was applied three times a day for 6 days. The corneal epithelial defect was measured using 0.1% fluorescein, while corneal epithelial regularity was measured by assessment of a reflected light off the corneal surface. Hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry was performed for Ki-67, CD45, βIII-tubulin, and keratin12. Safety and toxicity were also assessed by monitoring physical activity and body weight. Results Compared with the vehicle saline control, AMUC resulted in a significantly smaller corneal epithelial defect at 12 hours (P = 0.002), 1 day (P = 0.016), and 2 days (P = 0.04) post abrasion. Amniotic membrane and umbilical cord also achieved a more rapid complete epithelialization (3.15 ± 1.44 vs. 4.00 ± 1.63 days, P = 0.06) and induced a higher incidence of corneal regularity without affecting physical activity and body weight. Spearman correlation showed that epithelialization was significantly correlated with treatment groups (P < 0.001), time (P < 0.001), and corneal regularity (P = 0.04). Amniotic membrane and umbilical cord significantly decreased CD45+ cell infiltration in the peripheral cornea (P < 0.05) and promoted Ki-67+ cells in the central corneal epithelium (P < 0.05). Conclusion Topical AMUC significantly promotes corneal epithelialization and restores corneal regularity by reducing inflammation and promoting proliferation in a murine model of corneal abrasion without causing safety or toxicity concerns. This encouraging preclinical finding warrants a controlled human trial in the future.
Clinical features and treatment outcomes of vasoproliferative tumors in Indian participants

Purpose: The aim of the study was to describe the clinical features and treatment outcomes of vasoproliferative tumors (VPT) in Indian participants. Methods: This study design was a retrospective case series in a tertiary eye care center. Case records of patients diagnosed with VPT from 2011 to 2015 were reviewed, and their demographic details, clinical presentation, and treatment outcomes were documented. Baseline and follow-up visual acuity and tumor dimensions were statistically compared by applying paired t-test. Statistical analysis used SPSS version 14. Results: Twenty-two tumors from 19 eyes of 17 patients were included. Mean age at presentation was 43.5 years (range: 15–68 years). Mean presenting best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was + 1.10 logMAR. Sixty-eight percent eyes had secondary tumors. Most common association of secondary VPT was Coats disease followed by retinal vasculitis, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, and traumatic chorioretinopathy. Ten tumors (45%) involved the inferior quadrant. Tumor-associated features were intra/subretinal exudates, vitritis, subretinal fluid, vitreous hemorrhage, preretinal fibrosis, epiretinal membrane, and subretinal blood. Treatment included cryotherapy, intravitreal or oral steroids, laser photocoagulation, cryotherapy with encirclage, cryotherapy with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, and observation. Complications included tumor recurrence, retinal detachment, raised intraocular pressure, neovascularization of iris, and cataract. Ninety-five percent VPT regressed at mean 21 months (Median: 17 months; Range: 3–64 months). Mean final BCVA was + 1.21 logMAR. Conclusion: VPTs are commonly unilateral, unifocal, and located anterior to equator in inferior fundus. Secondary tumors are more common than primary tumors. Treatment achieves tumor regression in majority of cases.
Time series modeling of pathogen‐specific disease probabilities with subsampled data

Many diseases arise due to exposure to one of multiple possible pathogens. We consider the situation in which disease counts are available over time from a study region, along with a measure of clinical disease severity, for example, mild or severe. In addition, we suppose a subset of the cases are lab tested in order to determine the pathogen responsible for disease. In such a context, we focus interest on modeling the probabilities of disease incidence given pathogen type. The time course of these probabilities is of great interest as is the association with time‐varying covariates such as meteorological variables. In this set up, a natural Bayesian approach would be based on imputation of the unsampled pathogen information using Markov Chain Monte Carlo but this is computationally challenging. We describe a practical approach to inference that is easy to implement. We use an empirical Bayes procedure in a first step to estimate summary statistics. We then treat these summary statistics as the observed data and develop a Bayesian generalized additive model. We analyze data on hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in China in which there are two pathogens of primary interest, enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxackie A16 (CA16). We find that both EV71 and CA16 are associated with temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed, with reasonably similar functional forms for both pathogens. The important issue of confounding by time is modeled using a penalized B‐spline model with a random effects representation. The level of smoothing is addressed by a careful choice of the prior on the tuning variance.
Dendritic Cell Migration to Skin-Draining Lymph Nodes Is Controlled by Dermatan Sulfate and Determines Adaptive Immunity Magnitude

For full activation of naïve adaptive lymphocytes in skin-draining lymph nodes (LNs), presentation of peptide:MHC complexes by LN-resident and skin-derived dendritic cells (DCs) that encountered antigens (Ags) is an absolute prerequisite. To get to the nearest draining LN upon intradermal immunization, DCs need to migrate from the infection site to the afferent lymphatics, which can only be reached by traversing a collagen-dense network located in the dermis of the skin through the activity of proteolytic enzymes. Here, we show that mice with altered collagen fibrillogenesis resulting in thicker collagen fibers in the skin display a reduced DC migration to the draining LN upon immune challenge. Consequently, the initiation of the cellular and humoral immune response was diminished. Ag-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells as well as Ag-specific germinal center B cells and serum immunoglobulin levels were significantly decreased. Hence, we postulate that alterations to the production of extracellular matrix, as seen in various connective tissue disorders, may in the end affect the qualitative outcome of adaptive immunity.
Test-Retest Reliability and Agreement Between In-Person and Video Assessment of Facial Mimetic Function Using the eFACE Facial Grading System

Importance Use of a robust high-resolution instrument for grading of facial symmetry would enhance reporting the outcomes of facial reanimation interventions. The eFACE is one such tool. Objective To determine test-retest reliability of the eFACE tool over time and agreement between eFACE assessments made in person vs those made using video of facial mimetic function. Design, Setting, and Participants A prospective observational study was conducted among 75 consecutive patients with varying degrees of facial palsy who presented between July 1 and December 31, 2014, to an academic tertiary referral hospital. Facial symmetry of all patients was graded in person and via standardized photographic and video documentation of facial mimetic function at the initial visit. Three months after initial presentation, eFACE scores were reassessed by the same raters using the videos of facial mimetic function documented at the initial visit. Main Outcomes and Measures Individual and subset eFACE scores assessed by 2 facial reanimation surgeons. Results Among the 75 patients in the study (mean [SD] age, 48.18 [16.60] years; 30 men and 45 women), agreement between in-person and video assessments of facial function using the eFACE scale was excellent (static subset score: mean difference, 0.19; 95% CI, −1.51 to 1.88; P = .83; intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.89; dynamic subset score: mean difference, −0.51; 95% CI, −1.72 to 0.71; P = .41; ICC, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94 to 0.97; synkinesis subset score: mean difference, −1.14; 95% CI, −2.87 to 0.59; P = .20; ICC, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.86 to 0.93; and composite score: mean difference, −0.41; 95% CI, −1.30 to 0.47; P = .36; ICC, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92 to 0.96). Agreement between repeated eFACE assessments of video of facial function was excellent (static subset score: ICC, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87 to 0.96; dynamic subset score: ICC, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.94; synkinesis subset score: ICC, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86 to 0.96; and composite score: ICC, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93 to 0.98). Conclusions and Relevance Strong agreement exists between eFACE scores of facial function assessed in person and from video recordings. Test-retest reliability of eFACE scores is high. The eFACE is a reliable instrument for high-resolution assessment of facial mimetic function. Level of Evidence NA.
Chromosome partitioning in Escherichia coli: novel mutants producing anucleate cells

To study the chromosomal partitioning mechanism in cell division, we have isolated a novel type of Escherichia coli mutants which formed anucleate cells, by using newly developed techniques. One of them, named mukA1, is not lethal and produces normal-sized anucleate cells at a frequency of 0.5 to 3% of total cells in exponentially growing populations but does not produce filamentous cells. Results suggest that the mutant is defective in the chromosome positioning at regular intracellular positions and fails frequently to partition the replicated daughter chromosomes into both daughter cells, resulting in production of one anucleate daughter cell and one with two chromosomes. The mukA1 mutation causes pleiotropic effects: slow growth, hypersensitivity to sodium dodecyl sulfate, and tolerance to colicin E1 protein, in addition to anucleate cell formation. Cloning of the mukA gene indicates that the mukA1 mutation is recessive and that the mukA gene is identical to the tolC gene coding for an outer membrane protein.
Identification and expression analyses of WRKY genes reveal their involvement in growth and abiotic stress response in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

Despite identification of WRKY family genes in numerous plant species, a little is known about WRKY genes in watermelon, one of the most economically important fruit crops around the world. Here, we identified a total of 63 putative WRKY genes in watermelon and classified them into three major groups (I-III) and five subgroups (IIa-IIe) in group II. The structure analysis indicated that ClWRKYs with different WRKY domains or motifs may play different roles by regulating respective target genes. The expressions of ClWRKYs in different tissues indicate that they are involved in various tissue growth and development. Furthermore, the diverse responses of ClWRKYs to drought, salt, or cold stress suggest that they positively or negatively affect plant tolerance to various abiotic stresses. In addition, the altered expression patterns of ClWRKYs in response to phytohormones such as, ABA, SA, MeJA, and ETH, imply the occurrence of complex cross-talks between ClWRKYs and plant hormone signals in regulating plant physiological and biological processes. Taken together, our findings provide valuable clues to further explore the function and regulatory mechanisms of ClWRKY genes in watermelon growth, development, and adaption to environmental stresses.
Relationships between ultrasound enthesitis, disease activity and axial radiographic structural changes in patients with early spondyloarthritis: data from DESIR cohort

Background To search for association between ultrasound (US) enthesis abnormalities and disease activity, spine and sacro-iliac joints (SIJ) MRI inflammatory lesions and spine structural changes in a cohort of patients suspected for axial spondyloarthritis (SpA). Methods Patients: Of 708 patients included in the DESIR(Devenir des Spondyloarthrites Indifférenciées Récentes) cohort, 402 had an US enthesis assessment and were selected for this study. Imaging: Achilles, lateral epicondyles, superior patellar ligament, inferior patellar ligament entheses were systematically US scanned and abnormalities were summed in US structural and power Doppler (PDUS) scores. Spine radiographs, SIJ and spine MRI scans were centrally scored modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS), presence of MRI sacro-iliitis, Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada and Berlin scores. Analysis: The associations between the US structural/PDUS scores and disease activity, C reactive protein (CRP), MRI SIJ and spine inflammatory lesions and mSASSS were tested by Spearman's correlation tests. Results Among the 402 patients included (median age: 33.5 years, males: 48.5%), 55% had US enthesis structural abnormalities while 14% had PDUS abnormalities. There was no association between US scores and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, CRP or inflammatory lesions on SIJ and spine MRI. There was a correlation between US structural and PDUS scores and the mSASSS (respectively, r=0.151, p=0.005; r=0.143, p=0.007). The proportion of patients with syndesmophytes was higher in the case of US enthesophytes (26% of syndesmophytes vs 6% in the absence of US enthesophytes, p<0.0001). Conclusion While the US abnormalities do not seem to be a helpful tool for monitoring disease activity in axial SpA, US enthesophytes, strongly associated with axial syndesmophytes, might be a marker of interest for disease severity. Trial registration number NCT01648907, date of registration : 20 July 2012.
Increasing uptake of comparative effectiveness and patient-centered outcomes research among stakeholders: insights from conference discussion

The goal of comparative effectiveness research (CER) and patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) is to improve health outcomes by providing stakeholders with evidence directly relevant to decision making. In January 2017, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association Foundation, alongside the Academy for Managed Care Pharmacy, organized a conference aimed at engaging experts and opinion leaders representing clinicians, patients and payers to identify and discuss barriers and strategies to enhancing uptake and use of CER/PCOR. This report summarizes the conference discussion in the following sections: preconference survey; summary of barriers and strategies to the uptake of CER/PCOR identified by conference attendees; and future perspectives on the field.
Hybrid practices as a means to implement quality improvement: A comparative qualitative study in a Dutch and Swedish hospital

Background: Managers and scholars commonly perceive resistance from professionals as hampering the implementation of quality improvement (QI) and refer to the incompatibility of clinical and managerial approaches to QI as a reason. Yet a growing body of research indicates that, in practice, these two approaches rather blend into hybrid practices that embody different types of QI-related knowledge and values. This opens up a new perspective on implementation challenges that moves attention away from resistance against managerial QI toward difficulties for clinicians to draw together different types of knowledge and values within their clinical work. So far, little is known about how managers can support clinicians to generate hybrid QI practices. Purpose: The aim of this study was to deepen our understanding of how managers can support the generation of hybrid practices that help clinicians to integrate QI into their everyday work. Methodology/Approach: We draw on comparative qualitative research including 21 semistructured interviews, documentary analysis, and participant observation that we conducted in one Dutch and one Swedish hospital over a period of 8 months in 2011/2012. Results: Hospital managers designed hybrid forums, tools, and professional roles in order to facilitate the integration of different QI practices, knowledge, and values. This integration generated new hybrid practices and an infrastructure for QI that has potential to support clinicians in their efforts to align different demands. Practice Implications: New opportunities to implement QI emerge when we change the implementation problem from clinical resistance to the need of support for clinicians to develop hybrid QI practices. Hospital managers then have to intentionally organize for the generation of hybrid practices by designing, for example, hybrid forums, tools, and professional roles that integrate different knowledge and values in a nonhierarchical way.
Anti-TNF agents prevent endoscopic and clinical recurrence of Crohn ’ s disease after surgical resection : a systematic review and a meta-analysis

Anti-TNF Agents Prevent Endoscopic and Clinical Recurrence of Crohn’s Disease after Surgical Resection: A Systematic Review and A Meta-Analysis Background and Aim: Recent studies suggest that anti-TNF agents can prevent Crohn’s disease (CD) recurrence after surgical resection. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of randomized trials that compared anti-TNF agents with other treatment modalities for prophylaxis of post-operative CD recurrence. Methods: Electronic database including PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect were searched for relevant studies. The random effect model was used to pool the effect size across studies and presented as risk ratio (RR) of experiencing endoscopic or clinical recurrence while on an anti-TNF agent compared to not. Results: Four studies met the inclusion criteria: 3 with infliximab (IFX) and 1 with adalimumab, including patients in total (53 patients treated with an anti-TNF and 74 controls). The pooled RR of endoscopic recurrence among patients treated with an anti-TNF agent compared with other conventional therapies was 0.179 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.084-0.383, p≤0.001, risk difference was 0.624, number needed to treat [NNT] 1-2). The pooled RR of clinical recurrence among patients treated with an anti-TNF agent was 0.374 (95% CI: 0.172-0.784, p=0.013), risk difference was 0.22 (95% CI: 0.354-0.107) and an NNT of 4-5. Conclusions: Post-operative use of either infliximab or adalimumab is associated with a significant decrease in endoscopic and clinical recurrence rates after resection surgery and is more effective than other conventional therapies, including AZA and/or 5-ASA. The published studies suffer some limitations, including design limitations in some and small sample size.
On the Accurate Determination of Shock Wave Time-Pressure Profile in the Experimental Models of Blast-Induced Neurotrauma

Measurement issues leading to the acquisition of artifact-free shock wave pressure-time profiles are discussed. We address the importance of in-house sensor calibration and data acquisition sampling rate. Sensor calibration takes into account possible differences between calibration methodology in a manufacturing facility, and those used in the specific laboratory. We found in-house calibration factors of brand new sensors differ by less than 10% from their manufacturer supplied data. Larger differences were noticeable for sensors that have been used for hundreds of experiments and were as high as 30% for sensors close to the end of their useful lifetime. These observations were despite the fact that typical overpressures in our experiments do not exceed 50 psi for sensors that are rated at 1,000 psi maximum pressure. We demonstrate that sampling rate of 1,000 kHz is necessary to capture the correct rise time values, but there were no statistically significant differences between peak overpressure and impulse values for low-intensity shock waves (Mach number <2) at lower rates. We discuss two sources of experimental errors originating from mechanical vibration and electromagnetic interference on the quality of a waveform recorded using state-of-the-art high-frequency pressure sensors. The implementation of preventive measures, pressure acquisition artifacts, and data interpretation with examples, are provided in this paper that will help the community at large to avoid these mistakes. In order to facilitate inter-laboratory data comparison, common reporting standards should be developed by the blast TBI research community. We noticed the majority of published literature on the subject limits reporting to peak overpressure; with much less attention directed toward other important parameters, i.e., duration, impulse, and dynamic pressure. These parameters should be included as a mandatory requirement in publications so the results can be properly compared with others.
Simvastatin activates single skeletal RyR1 channels but exerts more complex regulation of the cardiac RyR2 isoform

Statins are amongst the most widely prescribed drugs for those at risk of cardiovascular disease, lowering cholesterol levels by inhibiting 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl (HMG)‐CoA reductase. Although effective at preventing cardiovascular disease, statin use is associated with muscle weakness, myopathies and, occasionally, fatal rhabdomyolysis. As simvastatin, a commonly prescribed statin, promotes Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles, we investigated if simvastatin directly activates skeletal (RyR1) and cardiac (RyR2) ryanodine receptors.