Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nordic Hamstring Strength of Highly Trained Youth Football Players and Its Relation to Sprint Performance.

Markovic, G, Sarabon, N, Boban, F, Zoric, I, Jelcic, M, Sos, K, and Scappaticci, M. Nordic hamstring strength of highly trained youth football players and its relation to sprint performance. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-We aimed to characterize Nordic hamstring (NH) strength and bilateral NH strength asymmetry in highly trained youth footballers and to investigate the relationship between NH strength and sprint performance. Twenty-two adult and 133 highly trained youth footballers in the age groups U12-U18 participated in this study. Eccentric hamstring strength was assessed using the NH device. Youth footballers (n = 119) also performed 20-m sprint test. Age-related changes in absolute and relative NH strength, and bilateral NH strength asymmetry were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variance. The linear relationship between relative NH strength and sprint performance was established using a Pearson correlation analysis. Significant age-related increases (F = 3.6-18.9; all p < 0.01) in NH strength were reported for all units except N·kg (F = 1.9; p = 0.08). The largest differences in absolute NH strength were seen between U15 and U16 groups. Bilateral NH strength asymmetry varied from 8 to 16% (F = 1.8; p = 0.09) across all age groups. A large correlation between NH strength and sprint performance was observed (r = -0.52; p < 0.01). Our results indicate that NH strength increases nonlinearly with players' age, with the highest values observed in U16 group. Furthermore, bilateral NH strength asymmetry varied nonsignificantly between 8 and 16%. Finally, 27% of variance of sprint performance of youth footballers could be explained by relative NH strength. The reported NH strength data could be used as normative standards during testing and training of youth football players. Present results also suggest that coaches should pay close attention to eccentric hamstring function in youth footballers.
A Framework for Managing the Minimal Clinically Important Difference in Clinical Trials

There is a long history of discussions about what is a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and how this term applies to clinical research. This paper deals with a practical framework for MCID and its applicability to clinical trials. A literature review on the topic confirmed the fundamental role of MCID for the clinical research, although no guide on how to best use the MCID in clinical trials was identified. We propose a framework that takes into account (1) the definition of MCID as a term when random variable is discussed, (2) a 4-level approach for classifying the MCID evidence to be considered in a clinical development program, and (3) a method of MCID evaluation, defined in a scientifically sound protocol. The proposed framework can prompt and steer stakeholders to improve the methodological sense of clinical trials based on the definition of MCID at the level of efficacy or safety, increase the quality of data derived from clinical trials and reporting of results, and allow effective planning of drug development programs.
The effect of metabolic health and obesity phenotypes on risk of hypertension

Abstract Although obesity is clearly identified as a risk factor for hypertension, the association between its different metabolic phenotypes and hypertension remains unclear. We aimed to investigate this association and compare the degree of association between metabolic health and obesity phenotypes defined by 5 representative criteria and hypertension risk. This study used data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2009 wave, and the final analysis included 7632 subjects aged 18 to 85 years with available fasting blood samples and anthropometric measurements. Body mass index was used to define nonobese and obese status in subjects (cut-off value, 25 kg/m2), and metabolic health state was respectively defined by 5 published criteria: the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP)-III, the Wildman, the Karelis, the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), and the fasting blood glucose × triglyceride (TyG) criteria. Subjects were categorized into 4 phenotypes according to their metabolic health and obesity status: metabolically healthy nonobese (MHNO), metabolically unhealthy nonobese (MUNO), metabolically healthy obese (MHO), and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO). A total of 2171 subjects (28.4% of the study population) had hypertension, and hypertension prevalence was significantly increased as weight increased for both metabolically healthy and metabolically unhealthy subjects. Within the MHO phenotypes, the prevalence ranged from 22.7% to 38.6% according to the Wildman and HOMA criteria, respectively. Compared to the MHNO phenotype, the MHO phenotype had an increased risk of hypertension, and the adjusted odds ratios for hypertension in MHO subjects were 1.94 (95% confidence interval 1.60–2.35) using the ATP-III criteria, 1.98 (1.61–2.43) using the Wildman criteria, 2.37 (1.88–2.99) using the Karelis criteria, 2.26 (1.96–2.61) using the HOMA criteria, and 2.54 (2.14–3.00) using the TyG criteria, respectively. A similar significant pattern was found in the MUO and MUNO phenotypes for risk of hypertension. Furthermore, the MUO phenotype consistently revealed the strongest degree of association with hypertension, following by the MHO and the MUNO phenotype. Both metabolically unhealthy status and obese status contributed to a higher risk of hypertension in Chinese adults. The MHO phenotype was not a benign condition and had substantial risk of hypertension compared to the MHNO phenotype. Thus, metabolic health status and obesity should be monitored together when managing hypertension risk.
Contrasting mental health correlates of physical and sexual abuse-related shame

Objective: This study represents an initial attempt to contrast behavioural and mental health correlates of shame as a result of physical abuse (PA) and sexual abuse (SA). Because they are distinctive forms of injury, it is possible that corollary shame from these injuries follows unique trajectories and ultimately results in different health challenges. Method: Self-report data from a survey on the health of youth receiving protective services for reasons of PA and SA was used. It included standardised measures, such as the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children, the Brief Symptoms Inventory, the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index, and the South Oaks Gambling Screen. New measures of abuse-related shame, maltreatment, and substance use were also employed. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine whether level of shame was linked to mental health and behaviour issues, after controlling for level of abuse. Results: Results were similar for shame as a result of PA and SA victimisation. After accounting for shared variance with abuse severity, both measures were linked to a full spectrum of mental health issues, such as depression (SA r2 = 0.30, PA r2 = 0.28), anxiety (SA r2 = 0.27, PA r2 = 0.20), post-traumatic stress (SA r2 = 0.26, PA r2 = 0.19), interpersonal sensitivity (SA r2 = 0.17, PA r2 = 0.22), and psychoticism (SA r2 = 0.19, PA r2 = 0.20), but not to gambling or substance use problems. PA-related shame was associated with suicidality (r2 = 0.05). Conclusions: Keeping in mind that this was largely a cross-sectional study and that causality cannot be inferred, the results seem to indicate that youth suffering from abuse-related shame are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems, but not to efforts to numb their problematic thoughts and feelings through gambling and substance use. Shame could serve as an early indicator of which child protection recipients are most in need of preventive efforts.
Risk factors for relaparotomy after cesarean delivery and related maternal near-miss event due to bleeding

Abstract Aim: To define the risk factors for relaparotomy after cesarean delivery (RLACD) and related maternal near-miss event due to bleeding. Methods: In this retrospective descriptive case-control study, women who underwent RLACD (n = 46) only for bleeding between 2012 and 2017 were reviewed. Factors that could predict relaparotomy and related near-miss event were evaluated. Maternal characteristics, laboratory findings and surgical features were compared with a control group (n = 230) that included noncomplicated cesarean deliveries (CD). Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent factors for relaparotomy. Results: RLACD for bleeding was required in 0.26% of patients and the incidence increased gradually over years (0.16% in 2013 versus 0.44% in 2017). Mean interval between CD and subsequent relaparotomy was 15.7 ± 3.2 hours. The sources of bleeding in descending order of frequency included; uterine fundus and placental bed (39.1%), cervix (21.7%), undetermined (17.3%), superior epigastric artery (13%), superficial epigastric artery (8.1%). Longer duration of CD (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) 1.82, 95% CI 1.02–2.53), increased number of prior CDs (aOR 2.51, 95% CI 1.09–5.78), preeclampsia (aOR 3.48, 95% CI 1.21–7.19) were found to be independent risk indicators for RLACD. Moreover, longer duration of interval between CD and relaparotomy (p = .005), longer relaparotomy duration (p = .012) and greater drop in hemoglobin level (p = .001) were found to be the predictors of maternal near-miss event. Conclusions: Patients with identified risk factors should be managed properly in order to prevent relaparotomy and near-miss event after CD. Also, urgent decision of surgical intervention might reduce the risk of maternal near-miss event.
Relationship between authentic leadership and nurses' intent to leave: The mediating role of work environment and burnout.

AIM The aim of this study was to explore the mediating effects of work environment and burnout on the relationship between authentic leadership and the intention of nurses to leave their job. BACKGROUND Authentic leadership can contribute to a good work environment. Burnout is a critical factor that affects nurses‧ intent to leave. The mediating roles of work environment and burnout on the relationship between authentic leadership and intent to leave is unclear. METHODS A cross-sectional design was used, and 946 nurses from three different levels of hospital (medical center, regional, and district), defined in terms of the number of beds and type of medical care provided, responded to four self-report questionnaires. RESULTS Work environment and burnout mediated the effect of authentic leadership on intent to leave among nurses. The mediating effects of burnout on authentic leadership was present both for junior (β = 0.073) and senior (β = 0.081) nurses. CONCLUSION Authentic leadership can affect nurses‧ intent to leave but the work environment and burnout are important mediators of this influence. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Administrators should adopt authentic leadership practices and make efforts to improve the work environment and decrease burnout in order to decrease nurses‧ intent to leave.
Success in learning similar-sounding words predicts vocabulary depth above and beyond vocabulary breadth

Abstract In lexical development, the specificity of phonological representations is important. The ability to build phonologically specific lexical representations predicts the number of words a child knows (vocabulary breadth), but it is not clear if it also fosters how well words are known (vocabulary depth). Sixty-six children were studied in kindergarten (age 5;7) and first grade (age 6;8). The predictive value of the ability to learn phonologically similar new words, phoneme discrimination ability, and phonological awareness on vocabulary breadth and depth were assessed using hierarchical regression. Word learning explained unique variance in kindergarten and first-grade vocabulary depth, over the other phonological factors. It did not explain unique variance in vocabulary breadth. Furthermore, even after controlling for kindergarten vocabulary breadth, kindergarten word learning still explained unique variance in first-grade vocabulary depth. Skill in learning phonologically similar words appears to predict knowledge children have about what words mean.
Real-time High-accuracy Three-Dimensional Reconstruction with Consumer RGB-D Cameras

We present an integrated approach for reconstructing high-fidelity three-dimensional (3D) models using consumer RGB-D cameras. RGB-D registration and reconstruction algorithms are prone to errors from scanning noise, making it hard to perform 3D reconstruction accurately. The key idea of our method is to assign a probabilistic uncertainty model to each depth measurement, which then guides the scan alignment and depth fusion. This allows us to effectively handle inherent noise and distortion in depth maps while keeping the overall scan registration procedure under the iterative closest point framework for simplicity and efficiency. We further introduce a local-to-global, submap-based, and uncertainty-aware global pose optimization scheme to improve scalability and guarantee global model consistency. Finally, we have implemented the proposed algorithm on the GPU, achieving real-time 3D scanning frame rates and updating the reconstructed model on-the-fly. Experimental results on simulated and real-world data demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art systems in terms of the accuracy of both recovered camera trajectories and reconstructed models.
When and how NK cell-induced programmed cell death benefits immunological protection against intracellular pathogen infection

NK cells are innate lymphoid cells that exert a key role in immune surveillance through the recognition and elimination of transformed cells and viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogen-infected cells without prior sensitization. Elucidating when and how NK cell-induced intracellular microbial cell death functions in the resolution of infection and host inflammation has been an important topic of investigation. NK cell activation requires the engagement of specific activating, co-stimulatory, and inhibitory receptors which control positively and negatively their differentiation, memory, and exhaustion. NK cells secrete diverse cytokines, including IFN-γ, TNF-α/β, CD95/FasL, and TRAIL, as well as cytoplasmic cytotoxic granules containing perforin, granulysin, and granzymes A and B. Paradoxically, NK cells also kill other immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, and hyper-activated T cells, thus turning off self-immune reactions. Here we first provide an overview of NK cell biology, and then we describe and discuss the life–death signals that connect the microbial pathogen sensors to the inflammasomes and finally to cell death signaling pathways. We focus on caspase-mediated cell death by apoptosis and pro-inflammatory and non-caspase-mediated cell death by necroptosis, as well as inflammasome- and caspase-mediated pyroptosis.
A Proof-of-Concept Study to Inhibit ABCG2- and ABCB1-Mediated Efflux Transport at the Human Blood–Brain Barrier

The adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporters P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) and breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2) are 2 efflux transporters at the blood–brain barrier (BBB) that effectively restrict brain distribution of dual ABCB1/ABCG2 substrate drugs, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Pharmacologic inhibition of ABCB1/ABCG2 may improve the efficacy of dual-substrate drugs for treatment of brain tumors, but no marketed ABCB1/ABCG2 inhibitors are currently available. In the present study, we examined the potential of supratherapeutic-dose oral erlotinib to inhibit ABCB1/ABCG2 activity at the human BBB. Methods: Healthy men underwent 2 consecutive PET scans with 11C-erlotinib: a baseline scan and a second scan either with concurrent intravenous infusion of the ABCB1 inhibitor tariquidar (3.75 mg/min, n = 5) or after oral intake of single ascending doses of erlotinib (300 mg, n = 7; 650 mg, n = 8; or 1,000 mg, n = 2). Results: Although tariquidar administration had no effect on 11C-erlotinib brain distribution, oral erlotinib led, at the 650-mg dose, to significant increases in volume of distribution (23% ± 13%, P = 0.008), influx rate constant of radioactivity from plasma into brain (58% ± 26%, P = 0.008), and area under the brain time–activity curve (78% ± 17%, P = 0.008), presumably because of combined partial saturation of ABCG2 and ABCB1 activity. Inclusion of further subjects into the 1,000-mg dose group was precluded by adverse skin events (rash). Conclusion: Supratherapeutic-dose erlotinib may be used to enhance brain delivery of ABCB1/ABCG2 substrate anticancer drugs, but its clinical applicability for continuous ABCB1/ABCG2 inhibition at the BBB may be limited by safety concerns.
Implementing Adaptive Separable Convolution for Video Frame Interpolation

As Deep Neural Networks are becoming more popular, much of the attention is being devoted to Computer Vision problems that used to be solved with more traditional approaches. Video frame interpolation is one of such challenges that has seen new research involving various techniques in deep learning. In this paper, we replicate the work of Niklaus et al. on Adaptive Separable Convolution, which claims high quality results on the video frame interpolation task. We apply the same network structure trained on a smaller dataset and experiment with various different loss functions, in order to determine the optimal approach in data-scarce scenarios. The best resulting model is still able to provide visually pleasing videos, although achieving lower evaluation scores.
A genetic variant in CDKN2A/2B locus was associated with poor prognosis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is among the leading causes of cancer related death. Despite of extensive efforts in identifying valid cancer prognostic biomarkers, only a very small number of markers have been identified. Several genetic variants in the 9p21 region have been identified that are associated with the risk of multiple cancers. Here, we explored the association of two genetic variants in the 9p21 region, CDKN2A/B, rs10811661, and rs1333049 for the first time in 273 subjects with, or without ESCC. We observed that the patients with ESCC had a higher frequency of a TT genotype for rs10811661 than individuals in the control group, and this polymorphism was also associated with tumor size. Moreover, a CC genotype for the rs1333049 polymorphism was associated with a reduced overall survival (OS) of patients with ESCC. In particular, patients with a CC (rs1333049) genotype had a significantly shorter OS (CC genotype: 34.5 ± 8.9 months vs. CG+GG: 47.7 ± 5.9 months; p value = 0.03). We have also shown the association of a novel genetic variant in CDKN2B gene with clinical outcome of patients with ESCC. Further investigations are warranted in a larger population to explore the value of emerging markers as a risk stratification marker in ESCC.
Thermal imaging and planimetry evaluation of the results of chronic wounds treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

BACKGROUND One of the methods to treat chronic wounds is the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO). Objective measurement of the wound surface is an important element in the process of monitoring and predicting the progress of treatment. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on ulcer wound healing in patients with chronic venous insufficiency ulcers and diabetic foot syndrome using thermal imaging and computerized planimetry. MATERIAL AND METHODS During a 3-year period, 284 digital computer planimetry measurements were gathered from 142 patients treated for leg ulcers caused by chronic venous insufficiency and ulcers from diabetic foot syndrome at HBOT Unit of the Dr Stanisław Sakiel Centre for Burns Treatment in Siemianowice Śląskie (Poland). Each patient took 30 HBOT sessions using a Haux multiplace HBO chamber at a pressure of 2.5 atmospheres absolute (ATA). The results of the treatment were monitored by thermovision and computerassisted planimetry measurements performed before and after HBOT. RESULTS Both groups of patients exhibited a reduction in the surface and perimeter of the wound after HBOT. The treatment effects were also confirmed by thermal imaging. The areas calculated from thermal imaging and planimetry are different but correlated. CONCLUSIONS It seems that a combination of thermal imaging and planimetry may enhance the diagnosis as well as provide the physician with more information about therapy effects.
Complicated Meckel's diverticulum

Abstract Complicated Meckel's diverticulum represents a common etiology of acute abdomen in children. However, this condition is less frequent in adults. We reviewed the records of adult patients who underwent the surgical removal of complicated Meckel's diverticulum between 2001 and 2017 at 2 tertiary French medical centers. We then analyzed the clinical characteristics, mode of presentation, and management for all patients. The Meckel's diverticulum was resected in 37 patients (24 males and 13 females). The mean patient age was 46.1 ± 21.4 years. The most common clinical presentations of complicated Meckel's diverticulum were diverticulitis (35.1%, n = 13), small-bowel obstruction (35.1%, n = 13), and gastrointestinal bleeding (29.8%, n = 11) (anemia, n = 1; hematochezia, n = 10). Age distribution was significantly different (P = .02) according to the 3 Meckel's diverticulum complications: patients with diverticulitis (P = .02) were statistically more frequently over 40 (P = .05), significantly older than patients with gastrointestinal bleeding who were more frequently <40 (P = .05). There was a preoperative diagnosis available for 15 of the 37 patients (40%). An exploratory laparoscopy was necessary to determine the cause of disease for the other 22 patients (60%). An intestinal resection was performed in 33 patients (89%) and diverticulectomy was performed in 4 patients (11%). There was heterotopic tissue found in only 6 patients (16%). Postoperative complications were as follows: 1 death by cardiac failure in a 92-year-old patient and 2 patients with postoperative wound infections. The follow-up time was 3 to 12 months. The correct diagnosis of complicated Meckel's diverticulum in adults is difficult due to the lack of specific clinical presentation. As a result, exploratory laparoscopy appears to play a central role in cases of acute abdomen with uncertain diagnosis.