Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Anesthesia on Long-term Outcomes in Patients With Supratentorial High-grade Glioma Undergoing Tumor Resection: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Intravenous and inhalational anesthesia might have different associations with long-term outcome in cancer patients, with reports of adverse effects of inhalation anesthesia. However, the effects of anesthesia in patients with high-grade glioma (HGG) are not known. Methods: This study investigated 154 patients who received propofol and 140 patients who received sevoflurane for maintenance of anesthesia during HGG tumor resection. The primary outcomes were progression-free survival and overall survival. Results: Median progression-free survival was 10 months (interquartile range [IQR], 6 to 18) versus 11 months (IQR 6 to 20; P=0.674), and median overall survival was 18 months (IQR, 11 to 39) versus 18 months (IQR, 10 to 44; P=0.759) in patients maintained with propofol and sevoflurane, respectively. Higher preoperative Karnofsky performance status and postoperative chemotherapy were associated with a reduced hazard of tumor progression or death, whereas higher age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index and longer duration of anesthesia were associated with an increased hazard of progression or death. World Health Organization tumor classification IV and incomplete tumor resection were associated with an increased hazard of tumor progression but not death. Anesthesia maintenance with sevoflurane increased the risk of death in patients with Karnofsky performance status <80 compared with propofol (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.57; P=0.022). Conclusions: Compared with maintenance of anesthesia with propofol, sevoflurane did not worsen progression-free or overall survival in patients with HGG undergoing tumor resection. However, propofol might be beneficial in patients with poor preoperative Karnofsky performance status.
Smoking‐Dependent Distal‐to‐Proximal Repatterning of the Adult Human Small Airway Epithelium

&NA; Rationale: Small airways are the primary site of pathologic changes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the major smoking‐induced lung disorder. Objectives: On the basis of the concept of proximal‐distal patterning that determines regional specialization of the airway epithelium during lung development, we hypothesized that a similar program operates in the adult human lung being altered by smoking, leading to decreased regional identity of the small airway epithelium (SAE). Methods: The proximal and distal airway signatures were identified by comparing the transcriptomes of large and small airway epithelium samples obtained by bronchoscopy from healthy nonsmokers. The expression of these signatures was evaluated in the SAE of healthy smokers and smokers with COPD compared with that of healthy nonsmokers. The capacity of airway basal stem cells (BCs) to maintain region‐associated phenotypes was evaluated using the air‐liquid interface model. Measurements and Main Results: The distal and proximal airway signatures, containing 134 and 233 genes, respectively, were identified. These signatures included known developmental regulators of airway patterning, as well as novel regulators such as epidermal growth factor receptor, which was associated with the proximal airway phenotype. In the SAE of smokers with COPD, there was a dramatic smoking‐dependent loss of the regional transcriptome identity with concomitant proximalization. This repatterning phenotype was reproduced by stimulating SAE BCs with epidermal growth factor, which was up‐regulated in the SAE of smokers, during differentiation of SAE BCs in vitro. Conclusions: Smoking‐induced global distal‐to‐proximal reprogramming of the SAE represents a novel pathologic feature of COPD and is mediated by exaggerated epidermal growth factor/epidermal growth factor receptor signaling in SAE BCs.
Biofortification of common buckwheat microgreens and seeds with different forms of selenium and iodine.

BACKGROUND The biofortification of crops can counteract human diseases, including selenium (Se) and iodine (I) deficiencies in the diet. Little is known about the effects of combinations of Se and I on microgreens and seeds, or on their accumulation in these tissues. The present study aimed to evaluate Se (SeO3 2- , SeO4 2- ) and I (I- , IO3 - ) biofortification of common buckwheat microgreens and seeds with respect to the effects of the addition of Se, I and Se + I on yield and on physiological and biochemical characteristics. RESULTS In combination treatments, microgreens yield (600-800 g m-2 ) was 50-70% higher than for Se and I alone. The respiratory potential also increased by 60-120%. Fv /Fm was close to 0.8 in all samples. Se content [0.24 μg g-1 dry weight (DW)] was 50% higher for combination treatments than for Se and I alone. I content was highest for IO3 - treatment (216 μg g-1 DW) and decreased in combination treatments with Se by 50%. CONCLUSION Biofortification of buckwheat microgreens with Se and I should be performed with care because there are synergistic and antagonistic effects of these elements with respect to their accumulation. IO3 - for the biofortification of microgreens should be kept low to prevent exceeding the recommended daily intake of I. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
Determining the Biofilm Forming Gene Profile of Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates via Multiplex Colony PCR Method.

Background Among hospitalized patients, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections pose a serious health threat. The present study investigated the frequency of biofilm forming genes among clinical isolates S. aureus and their susceptibility to antibiotics. Methods The clinical samples were analyzed via standard biochemical assays for identifying different bacterium, which was then confirmed using the multiplex colony PCR method. Those samples identified as S. aureus were examined for the presence of the cna, fnbA, fnbB and pvl genes. The antibiotic susceptibility of the S. aureus isolates was then tested. Results Using the standard biochemical assay approach, 54 S. aureus strains were identified. However, when using the multiplex PCR method 50 S. aureus strains were identified among the clinical samples. The in vitro biofilm formation assays determined 3 (6%) strains of S. aureus to be strong biofilm forming, 15 (30%) of the isolates were determined to be moderate biofilm forming and, 32 (64%) were determined to be weak biofilm forming. Among the isolated strains, the specific frequencies of the biofilm forming genes were determined to be 31 (62%) for cna, 35 (70%) for fnbA, 13 (26%) for fnbB and 1 (2%) for pvl. In 11 (22%) of the isolated strains fnbA, fnbB and cna genes were all present. All strains were determined to be penicillin, amoxicillin and clavulanic acid resistant. Conclusion Due to the increase of the antibiotic resistance in biofilm producing S. aureus strains, rapid identification of antibiotic resistance can help to eliminate the infection effectively.
Septic patients in the intensive care unit present different nasal microbiotas

Aim: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate correlations among mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay and airway microbiotas in septic patients. Materials & methods: A deep-sequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA gene V4 region was performed. Results: The nasal microbiota in septic patients was dominated by three nasal bacterial types (Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus and Acinetobacter). The Acinetobacter type was associated with the lowest diversity and longest length of stay (median: 9 days), and the Corynebacterium type was associated with the shortest length of stay. We found that the Acinetobacter type in the >9-day group was associated with the highest mortality (33%). Conclusion: Septic patients have three nasal microbiota types, and the nasal microbiota is related to the length of stay and mortality.
The actin ‘A‐triad's’ role in contractile regulation in health and disease

Striated muscle contraction is regulated by Ca2+‐dependent modulation of myosin cross‐bridge binding to F‐actin by the thin filament troponin (Tn)‐tropomyosin (Tm) complex. In the absence of Ca2+, Tn binds to actin and constrains Tm to an azimuthal location where it sterically occludes myosin binding sites along the thin filament surface. This limits force production and promotes muscle relaxation. In addition to Tn‐actin interactions, inhibitory Tm positioning requires associations between other thin filament constituents. For example, the actin ‘A‐triad’, composed of residues K326, K328 and R147, forms numerous, highly favourable electrostatic contacts with Tm that are critical for establishing its inhibitory azimuthal binding position. Here, we review recent findings, including the identification and interrogation of modifications within and proximal to the A‐triad that are associated with disease and/or altered muscle behaviour, which highlight the surface feature's role in F‐actin‐Tm interactions and contractile regulation.
AEB effectiveness evaluation based on car-to-cyclist accident reconstructions using video of drive recorder

Abstract Objective: Though autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems for car-to-cyclist collisions have been under development, an estimate of the benefit of AEB systems based on an analysis of accident data is needed for further enhancing their development. Compared to the data available from in-depth accident data files, data provided by drive recorders can be used to reconstruct car-to-cyclist collisions with greater accuracy because the position of cyclists can be observed from the videos. In this study, using data from drive recorders, the performance and limitations of AEB systems were investigated. Method: Data of drive recorders involving taxi-to-cyclist collisions were collected. Using the images collected from the drive recorders of those taxis, 40 cases of 90° car-to-cyclist intersection collisions were reconstructed using PC-Crash. Then, the collisions were reconstructed again utilizing car models with AEB systems installed while changing the sensor’s field of view (FOV) and the delay time of initiating vehicle deceleration. Results: The angle of FOV has a significant influence on avoiding car-to-cyclist collisions. Using a 50° FOV with a braking delay time of 0.5 s resulted in avoiding 6 collisions, and using a 90° FOV resulted in avoiding an additional 14 collisions. Even when installing an ideal AEB system providing 360° FOV and no delay time for braking, 8 collisions were not avoided, though the impact velocities were reduced for all of these remaining collisions. These collisions were caused by the cyclists’ sudden appearance in front of cars, and the time-to-collision (TTC) when the cyclists appeared was less than 0.9 s. Conclusion: The AEB systems were effective for mitigating collisions that occurred due to driver perception delay. Because cyclists have a traveling velocity, a wide-angle FOV is effective for reduction of car-to-cyclist intersection collisions. The reduction of delay time in braking can reduce the number of collisions that are close to the braking performance limit. The collisions that remained even with an ideal AEB system in the PC-Crash simulation indicate that such collisions could still occur for autonomous cars if the traffic environment does not change.
Word form encoding is under attentional demand: evidence from dual-task interference in aphasia

ABSTRACT Although speakers can go on producing utterances while doing concurrent tasks, language planning is affected in conditions of divided attention. It is however unclear whether a concurrent task impacts only lexical selection, or if post-lexical processing is also impacted. To elucidate this question, we reasoned that if an encoding process is under attentional control, this should be even more the case when the planning process is disrupted due to brain damage: increased error rates in left-hemisphere damaged participants under dual-task conditions should therefore shed light on which encoding processes need attentional resources. Twelve participants producing either predominantly lexical or phonological errors following left-hemisphere stroke and eleven matched healthy controls underwent a dual-task picture naming paradigm with a concurrent auditory verbal and non-verbal task. The results indicate an impact of active dual-tasks on word production in both controls and aphasic participants, but a magnified effect on errors in aphasic participants with an overall increase of phonological errors under dual-task conditions. These results suggest that post-lexical encoding processes are under attentional demand.
Volume changes of maxillary sinus augmentations over time: a systematic review.

PURPOSE The objective of this study was to systematically review the available literature on three-dimensional time-dependent graft volume changes after sinus augmentation (SA) with different biomaterials in humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched for related literature. Controlled and uncontrolled studies reporting volume changes of more than 10 SAs after at least 6 months, assessed by computed tomography (CT) or cone beam CT (CBCT), were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome of interest was time-dependent percentage change in augmentation volume. RESULTS Seven controlled and five uncontrolled studies (n = 234 SAs) with a high risk of bias were included and reported on a range of graft materials. Autogenous bone (AB) was used in the particulate or block form. Bone substitutes (BS) were used either alone or in combination with other materials as composite grafts (CG). All studies reported reductions in augmentation volumes over time (AVR), generally after short observation periods (range, 6 months to 6 years). Substantial AVRs (approximately 45% in 77 SAs) were reported for AB after 6 months and up to 2 years. AVRs for solely BS or CG were relatively lower (approximately 18% to 22% in 142 SAs) after a similar time period. All studies reported a wide range of volume reductions. No significant differences in AVR were observed between different graft materials. Because of insufficient long-term data, a reliable association between volume reduction and time could not be established. CONCLUSION Some loss of augmentation volume always occurs after SA during early healing times. In general, less AVR may be expected after SA with BS or CG compared to SA with AB. Augmentation volume loss does not seem to compromise implant placement or survival.
Protective factors for older suicide attempters: Finding reasons and experiences to live

Abstract This paper describes the nature and scope of protective factors that give older people reasons and experiences to live following a suicide attempt. In order to understand more about what protective factors influenced them, we conducted a multiple-case study of seven older people who attempted suicide. The main category from the within-case analysis was the self. Between-case analysis identified four main categories: interpersonal relationships, meaningful activities and interests, community engagement, and involvement of mental health services staff. These findings offer valuable insight into the meanings behind the reasons and experiences that promote survival of older people following a suicide attempt.
Role of Crop Debris and Weeds in the Epidemiology of Bacterial Leaf Spot of Lettuce in California.

Bacterial leaf spot of lettuce (BLS), caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians, has increased in importance in California over the past 5 years. The pathogen can be seedborne, but it was not recovered from selected commercial lettuce seed lots planted during this time. Survival of X. campestris pv. vitians in association with plant debris was investigated in a 3-year field experiment in Salinas, CA. The initial lettuce spring crop was spray inoculated with X. campestris pv. vitians, which resulted in 100% disease incidence. Spring crops were followed by a 1-month summer fallow period, whereas fall crops were followed by a 5-month winter fallow period. High populations of X. campestris pv. vitians (up to 106 CFU/g) were recovered from lettuce plant debris after the 1-month summer fallow and BLS developed on all subsequent fall lettuce crops. During the winter fallow period, X. campestris pv. vitians populations associated with plant debris declined and, by 2 months after harvest, only small populations were detected. Spring crops also developed BLS, but at reduced levels. X. campestris pv. vitians was recovered from leaves of several symptomless weed species collected around commercial infested fields, but not from weeds collected around previously infested fields during fallow periods. During the course of this study, an X. campestris pv. vitians-specific polymerase chain reaction primer pair was developed.
Molecular and Morphological Toxicity of Diatom-Derived Hydroxyacid Mixtures to Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus Embryos

Oxylipins such as polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) and hydroxyacids (HEPEs) are signaling molecules derived from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are common in diatoms that constitute a major group of microalgae in freshwater and oceanic ecosystems. Although HEPEs represent the most common oxylipins produced by diatoms, little information is available on their effects on marine invertebrates, and most of the information has been obtained by testing individual HEPEs. Our previous studies reported that four hydroxyacids, i.e., 5-, 9-, 11-, and 15-HEPE, were able to induce malformations and a marked developmental delay in sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus embryos, which had not been reported for other oxylipins. Here, we tested a mixture of 5-, 9-, 11-, and 15-HEPE at different concentrations for the first time. The results showed that mixtures of HEPEs have synergistic effects that are much more severe compared to those of individual HEPEs: The HEPE mixtures induced malformations in sea urchin embryos at lower concentrations. Increasing HEPE mixture concentrations induced a marked increase in the number of delayed embryos, until all embryos were delayed at the highest concentration tested. At the molecular level, the HEPE mixtures induced variations in the expression of 50 genes involved in different functional processes, mainly down-regulating these genes at the earliest stages of embryonic development. These findings are ecologically significant, considering that during diatom blooms, sea urchins could accumulate HEPEs in concentrations comparable to those tested in the present study.
Calibrating the SAR SSH of Sentinel-3A and CryoSat-2 over the Corsica Facilities

Initially developed to monitor the performance of TOPEX/Poseidon and to follow the Jason legacy satellite altimeters at Senetosa Cape, Corsica, this calibration/validation site has been extended to include a new location at Ajaccio. This addition enables the site to monitor Envisat and ERS missions, CryoSat-2 and, more recently, the SARAL/AltiKa mission and Sentinel-3A satellites. Sentinel-3A and CryoSat-2 carry altimeters that use a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mode that is different to the conventional pulse-bandwidth limited altimeters often termed “low resolution mode” (LRM). The aim of this study is to characterize the sea surface height (SSH) bias of the new SAR altimeter instruments and to demonstrate the improvement of data quality close to the coast. Moreover, some passes of Sentinel-3A and CryoSat-2 overfly both Senetosa and Ajaccio with only a few seconds time difference, allowing us to evaluate the reliability and homogeneity of both ground sites in term of geodetic datum. The Sentinel-3A and CryoSat-2 SSH biases for the SAR mode are respectively +22 ± 7 mm and −73 ± 5 mm (for CryoSat-2 baseline C products). The results show that the stability of the SAR SSH bias time series is better than standard LRM altimetry. Moreover, compared to standard LRM data, for which the measurements closer than ~10 km from the coast were generally unusable, SAR mode altimeters provide measurements that are reliable at less than few hundred meters from the coast.
Helminths Assemblage of the bare-faced ibis, Phimosus infuscatus (Lichtenstein, 1823) (Pelecaniformes: Threskiornithidae), in southern Brazil.

Birds act as hosts for a variety of parasites, many of these are unreported. The literature provides scant information on the helminth fauna of Phimosus infuscatus. The presence of helminths were investigate in 28 birds from Pelotas, Capão do Leão, and Rio Grande in Rio Grande do Sul. The preparation and identification of helminths followed protocols. Prevalence (P%), mean intensity of infection (MII), and mean abundance (MA) were estimated. The following helminths were found: Hystrichis acanthocephalicus , Dioctophyme renale (larva), Porrocaecum heteropterum , Baruscapillaria sp. , Aproctella carinii , Paradeletrocephalus minor, and Cyathostoma sp. (Nematoda); Echinostomatidae gen. sp. , Tanaisia valida, and Athesmia sp. (Trematoda: Digenea) and Megalacanthus sp. (Cestoda). The most prevalent species were H. acanthocephalicus, P. heteropterum, Megalacanthus sp. , and Echinostomatidae gen. sp. and Megalacanthus sp. had the highest MII and MA. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of H. acantocephalicus between female and male bird hosts. We report Echinostomatidae gen. sp. , T. valida, Athesmia sp. , Cyathostoma sp. , A. carinii, P. minor, D. renale (larva), Baruscapillaria sp. , and Megalacanthus sp. for the first time in P. infuscatus in Brazil.
Drug Shortages in Canada and Selected European Countries: A Cross-Sectional, Institution-Level Comparison.

Background Drug shortages represent a complex global problem affecting patients and health care professionals on a daily basis. Objectives To identify, describe, and compare drug shortages in health care facilities in Canada and 4 European countries in early 2018. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 1 hospital in each of 5 countries: Canada, France, Belgium, Spain, and Switzerland. Over a 4-week period, shortage data were collected daily by each hospital using a standardized grid and a standard process. Results From January 8 to February 2, 2018, there were a total of 84 shortages (median duration 32 days) in the Canadian hospital, 62 shortages (median duration 9 days) in the French hospital, 46 shortages (median duration 37 days) in the Belgian hospital, 28 shortages (median duration 25 days) in the Spanish hospital, and 98 shortages (median duration 68 days) in the Swiss hospital. The number of manufacturers implicated in the shortages was 28 for the Canadian hospital, 30 for the French hospital, 19 for the Belgian hospital, 16 for the Spanish hospital, and 42 for the Swiss hospital. Most of the shortages involved parenteral drugs, with both innovative and generic manufacturers being affected. Most therapeutic classes were affected by shortages to some extent, with the top 3 classes being anti-infective agents (accounting for 21.1% of shortages overall), central nervous system drugs (11.3%), and cardiovascular drugs (8.2%). Conclusions Drug shortages occurred almost daily in all of the study hospitals. Across the 5 hospitals, the frequency of shortages varied by a factor of 3, which may imply similar variability at the national level. All stakeholders should work more diligently to prevent and manage drug shortages.