Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utility of autologous fibrin glue and polyglycolic acid sheet for preventing delayed bleeding associated with antithrombotic therapy after gastric ESD

Abstract Background and study aims Delayed bleeding is one of the most serious adverse events of gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), especially in patients taking antithrombotic therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the utility and safety of a shielding method with autologous fibrin glue and polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheets for patients undergoing gastric ESD who are receiving antithrombotic therapy. Patients and methods One hundred twenty-three patients who were treated with gastric ESD while receiving antithrombotic therapy between December 2014 and September 2017 were enrolled in this study. Patients who received the shielding method were classified into the shielding group. Others were classified into the conventional group. Various clinico-pathological factors were retrospectively compared between the two groups. Results The shielding group consisted of 38 patients, and the conventional group consisted of the remaining 85 patients. In the shielding group, the rate of continuation of antithrombotic therapy was significantly higher (68.4 % vs 41.2 %). Incidence of delayed bleeding was lower in the shielding group (2.6 %, 1/38) than in the conventional group (14.1 %, 12/85). In the propensity score-adjusted logistic regression analysis, the delayed bleeding rate in the shielding group tended to be lower than in the conventional group (P = 0.070). Allogeneic transfusion was performed in eight patients (8/85, 9.4 %) in the conventional group and none in the shielding group (P = 0.047). No adverse event associated with endoscopic shielding were observed in the shielding group. Conclusions This study suggests that a shielding method with autologous fibrin glue and PGA sheet effectively prevents delayed bleeding after gastric ESD in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy.
A new three-dimensional subsulfide Ir2In8S with Dirac semimetal behavior.

Dirac and Weyl semimetals host exotic quasiparticles with unconventional transport properties, such as high magnetoresistance and carrier mobility. Recent years have witnessed a huge number of newly predicted topological semimetals from existing databases; however, experimental verification often lags behind such predictions. Common reasons are synthetic difficulties or the stability of predicted phases. Here, we report the synthesis of the Type-II Dirac semimetal Ir2In8S, an air-stable compound with a new structure type. This material has two Dirac crossings in its electronic structure along the Γ-Z direction of the Brillouin zone. We further show that Ir2In8S has a high electron carrier mobility of ~10,000 cm2/Vs at 1.8 K, and a large, non-saturating transverse magnetoresistance of ~6000% at 3.34 K in a 14 T applied field. Shubnikov de-Haas oscillations reveal several small Fermi pockets and the possibility of a nontrivial Berry phase. With its facile crystal growth, novel structure type, and striking electronic structure, Ir2In8S introduces a new material system to study topological semimetals and enable advances in the field of topological materials.
ACE Inhibitors Versus ARBs in Patients With NSTEMI With Preserved LV Systolic Function Who Underwent PCI With New Generation Drug-Eluting Stents

The relative superiority of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) with preserved left ventricular systolic function in the era of new generation drug-eluting stents is not well established. A total of 6436 patients with NSTEMI (ACEIs group: n = 3965 vs ARBs group: n = 2471) were enrolled. The major clinical end point was the occurrences of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (re-MI), and any repeat revascularization. After propensity score matching analysis, the cumulative incidences of MACEs (hazard ratio, 1.334; 95% confidence interval, 1.045-1.703; P = .021), any repeat revascularization, and target vessel revascularization (TVR) in the ARB group were significantly higher than that in the ACEI group. However, the cumulative incidences of all-cause death, cardiac death, re-MI, target lesion revascularization, and non-TVR were similar between the 2 groups. Hence, although the mortality and re-MI reduction benefits were similar between the 2 groups, the ACEIs group showed more prominent ability to decrease the occurrences of MACEs, any repeat revascularization, and TVR compared to the ARBs group in these patients during a 2-year follow-up period.
GnRH Antagonists Produce Differential Modulation of the Signaling Pathways Mediated by GnRH Receptors

Commercial gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists differ by 1–2 amino acids and are used to inhibit gonadotropin production during assisted reproduction technologies (ART). In this study, potencies of three GnRH antagonists, Cetrorelix, Ganirelix and Teverelix, in inhibiting GnRH-mediated intracellular signaling, were compared in vitro. GnRH receptor (GnRHR)-transfected HEK293 and neuroblastoma-derived SH-SY5Y cell lines, as well as mouse pituitary LβT2 cells endogenously expressing the murine GnRHR, were treated with GnRH in the presence or absence of the antagonist. We evaluated intracellular calcium (Ca2+) and cAMP increases, cAMP-responsive element binding-protein (CREB) and extracellular-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation, β-catenin activation and mouse luteinizing-hormone β-encoding gene (Lhb) transcription by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), Western blotting, immunostaining and real-time PCR as appropriate. The kinetics of GnRH-induced Ca2+ rapid increase revealed dose-response accumulation with potency (EC50) of 23 nM in transfected HEK293 cells, transfected SH-SY5Y and LβT2 cells. Cetrorelix inhibited the 3 × EC50 GnRH-activated calcium signaling at concentrations of 1 nM–1 µM, demonstrating higher potency than Ganirelix and Teverelix, whose inhibitory doses fell within the 100 nM–1 µM range in both transfected HEK293 and SH-SY5Y cells in vitro. In transfected SH-SY5Y, Cetrorelix was also significantly more potent than other antagonists in reducing GnRH-mediated cAMP accumulation. All antagonists inhibited pERK1/2 and pCREB activation at similar doses, in LβT2 and transfected HEK293 cells treated with 100 nM GnRH. Although immunostainings suggested that Teverelix could be less effective than Cetrorelix and Ganirelix in inhibiting 1 µM GnRH-induced β-catenin activation, Lhb gene expression increase occurring upon LβT2 cell treatment by 1 µM GnRH was similarly inhibited by all antagonists. To conclude, this study has demonstrated Cetrorelix-, Ganirelix- and Teverelix-specific biased effects at the intracellular level, not affecting the efficacy of antagonists in inhibiting Lhb gene transcription.
Adjustment of Spherical Equivalent Correction According to Cap Thickness for Myopic Small Incision Lenticule Extraction.

PURPOSE To evaluate the amount of spherical equivalent correction for three different cap thicknesses (120, 130, and 140 µm) during myopic small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and determine the association between the amount of spherical equivalent correction and several variables in each cap thickness group. METHODS In this retrospective, comparative, observational case series study, the authors compared refractive errors, keratometric values, laser setting (sphere correction, cylinder correction, spherical equivalent correction, optical zone, and cap diameter), and spherical aberration measured preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively between three different cap thickness groups: 120 µm (n = 554), 130 µm (n = 377), and 140 µm (n = 90). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the associations between the amount of spherical equivalent correction and several variables, including age, preoperative spherical equivalent, optical zone diameter, central corneal thickness, preoperative mean keratometric values, and preoperative corneal asphericity. RESULTS According to cap thickness, attempted correction is adjusted to achieve the same refractive outcomes for different cap thicknesses. There were significant differences in the amount of sphere correction and spherical equivalent correction, as well as lenticule thickness, among subgroups. Changes in keratometric values, corneal asphericity, and spherical aberration were also significantly different among subgroups (all P < .001). Changes in keratometric values, corneal asphericity, and spherical aberration significantly increased as cap thickness increased. Preoperative spherical equivalent mainly influenced the amount of spherical equivalent correction in each group. CONCLUSIONS Dioptric adjustment of spherical equivalent correction according to cap thickness is essential to obtain similar refractive outcomes in myopic SMILE procedures. [J Refract Surg. 2019;35(3):153-160. ].
The fungal mitochondrial Nad5 pan-genic intron landscape

Abstract An intron landscape was prepared for the fungal mitochondrial nad5 gene. A hundred and eighty-eight fungal species were examined and a total of 265 introns were noted to be located in 29 intron insertion sites within the examined nad5 genes. Two hundred and sixty-three introns could be classified as group I types and two group II introns were noted. One additional group II intron module was identified nested within a composite group I intron. Based on features related to RNA secondary structures, introns can be classified into different subtypes and it was observed that intron insertion-sites are biased towards phase 0 and they appear to be specific to an intron type. Intron landscapes could be used as a guide map to predict the location of fungal mtDNA mobile introns, which are composite elements that include a ribozyme component and in some instances open reading frames encoding homing endonucleases or reverse transcriptases and all of these have applications in biotechnology.
Grief over patients, compassion fatigue, and the role of social acknowledgment among psycho‐oncologists

Compassion fatigue—that is, secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout—is a traumatic emotional state experienced by health care providers and expressed in a reduced capacity to be interested in and empathic to the suffering of others. Compassion fatigue may be related to grief over patients' loss. We examined the relation between grief and compassion fatigue among psycho‐oncologists while exploring the impact of social acknowledgment on this association. We hypothesized that social acknowledgment would moderate the relation between grief and compassion fatigue.
Perpetration and Experience of Spousal Violence Among Nigerian Women: An Analysis of the 2008 and 2013 NDHS

Various socioeconomic and demographic factors have been known to be associated with spousal violence. The intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences of Nigerian women have been investigated from feminist and life course perspectives from previous studies. However, studies have also pointed to the complexities of victimhood with the presence of IPV perpetration. But there have been few studies on the impact of perpetration of violence on the experience of victimization, and this study seeks to address that gap in knowledge within the Nigerian context. It seeks to understand the dynamics of perpetration and the experience of spousal violence among Nigerian women across 2008 and 2013. The study analyzed the 2008 and 2013 Nigerian Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) data. Using binary logistic regression, the study showed that the perpetration of violence is significantly associated with a woman’s victimization experience, after controlling for socioeconomic, demographic, and abuse variables in 2008 and 2013. This study does not in any way minimize the victimization experiences of Nigerian women but simply seeks to provide data that add nuance to our understanding of spousal violence and the possible existence of bidirectional violence among Nigerian spouses.
Single-cell transcriptomics of the human retinal pigment epithelium and choroid in health and macular degeneration

Significance The retinal pigment epithelium and the choroid are complex tissues whose dysfunction can lead to irreversible visual loss. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing of both of these tissues was performed to characterize gene expression patterns specific to the retinal pigment epithelium and all major choroidal cell populations. Unique gene expression signatures of arterial, venous, and choriocapillaris vascular beds within the choroid were identified. RGCC, a gene that responds to complement and has been shown to induce endothelial apoptosis, was specifically expressed in choriocapillaris endothelial cells. This study provides potential insight into the molecular mechanisms of choroidal vascular disease and its contribution to age-related macular degeneration. The human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid are complex tissues that provide crucial support to the retina. Disease affecting either of these supportive tissues can lead to irreversible blindness in the setting of age-related macular degeneration. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on macular and peripheral regions of RPE-choroid from 7 human donor eyes in 2 independent experiments. In the first experiment, total RPE/choroid preparations were evaluated and expression profiles specific to RPE and major choroidal cell populations were identified. As choroidal endothelial cells represent a minority of the total RPE/choroidal cell population but are strongly implicated in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) pathogenesis, a second single-cell RNA-sequencing experiment was performed using endothelial cells enriched by magnetic separation. In this second study, we identified gene expression signatures along the choroidal vascular tree, classifying the transcriptome of human choriocapillaris, arterial, and venous endothelial cells. We found that the choriocapillaris highly and specifically expresses the regulator of cell cycle gene (RGCC), a gene that responds to complement activation and induces apoptosis in endothelial cells. In addition, RGCC was the most up-regulated choriocapillaris gene in a donor diagnosed with AMD. These results provide a characterization of the human RPE and choriocapillaris transcriptome, offering potential insight into the mechanisms of choriocapillaris response to complement injury and choroidal vascular disease in age-related macular degeneration.
Development and Entrainment of the Fetal Clock in the Suprachiasmatic Nuclei: The Role of Glucocorticoids

The adult circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is resilient to glucocorticoids (GCs). The fetal rodent SCN resembles that of the adult in its organization of GC-sensitive peripheral tissues. We tested the hypothesis that the fetal SCN clock is sensitive to changes in GC levels. Maternal GCs must pass through the placenta to reach the fetal SCN. We show that the maternal but not the fetal part of the placenta harbors the autonomous circadian clock, which is reset by dexamethasone (DEX) and rhythmically expresses Hsd11b2. The results suggest the presence of a mechanism for rhythmic GC passage through the placental barrier, which is adjusted according to actual GC levels. GC receptors are expressed rhythmically in the laser-dissected fetal SCN samples. We demonstrate that hypothalamic explants containing the SCN of the mPer2 Luc mouse prepared at embryonic day (E)15 spontaneously develop rhythmicity within several days of culture, with dynamics varying among fetuses from the same litter. Culturing these explants in media enriched with DEX accelerates the development. At E17, treatment of the explants with DEX induces phase advances and phase delays of the rhythms depending on the timing of treatments, and the shifts are completely blocked by the GC receptor antagonist, mifepristone. The DEX-induced phase-response curve differs from that induced by the vehicle. The fetal SCN is sensitive to GCs in vivo because DEX administration to pregnant rats acutely downregulates c-fos expression specifically in the laser-dissected fetal SCN. Our results provide evidence that the rodent fetal SCN clock may respond to changes in GC levels.
Too exhausted to go to bed: Implicit theories about willpower and stress predict bedtime procrastination.

While most people are aware of the importance of sleep for their health, well-being, and performance, bedtime procrastination is a pervasive phenomenon that can be conceptualized as a case of self-control failure (Kroese et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 2014, 1). Two daily diary studies (N1 = 185, N2 = 137) investigated beliefs about willpower and stress as interactive predictors of bedtime procrastination. Beliefs about willpower capture whether people think of their willpower as limited resource that gets easily depleted (limited theory) or as something that remains regardless of previous acts of self-control (non-limited theory). Results show that after a stressful day, people with a limited versus non-limited theory procrastinate more on going to bed, while there is no difference in bedtime procrastination on less stressful days. Thus, ironically, limited theorists who should be more concerned with recovering their resources after a stressful day sleep less the following night.
The accuracy of hippocampal volumetry and glucose metabolism for the diagnosis of patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease, using automatic quantitative clinical tools

Abstract The hippocampus is one of the earliest sites involved in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, we specifically investigated the sensitivity and specificity of hippocampal volume and glucose metabolism in patients being evaluated for AD, using automated quantitative tools (NeuroQuant – magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and Scenium – positron emission tomography [PET]) and clinical evaluation. This retrospective study included adult patients over the age of 45 years with suspected AD, who had undergone fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG-PET-CT) and MRI. FDG-PET-CT images were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. In quantitative volumetric MRI analysis, the percentage of the total intracranial volume of each brain region, as well as the total hippocampal volume, were considered in comparison to an age-adjusted percentile. The remaining brain regions were compared between groups according to the final diagnosis. Thirty-eight patients were included in this study. After a mean follow-up period of 23 ± 11 months, the final diagnosis for 16 patients was AD or high-risk mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Out of the 16 patients, 8 patients were women, and the average age of all patients was 69.38 ± 10.98 years. Among the remaining 22 patients enrolled in the study, 14 were women, and the average age was 67.50 ± 11.60 years; a diagnosis of AD was initially excluded, but the patients may have low-risk MCI. Qualitative FDG-PET-CT analysis showed greater accuracy (0.87), sensitivity (0.76), and negative predictive value (0.77), when compared to quantitative PET analysis, hippocampal MRI volumetry, and specificity. The positive predictive value of FDG-PET-CT was similar to the MRI value. The performance of FDG-PET-CT qualitative analysis was significantly more effective compared to MRI volumetry. At least in part, this observation could corroborate the sequential hypothesis of AD pathophysiology, which posits that functional changes (synaptic dysfunction) precede structural changes (atrophy).
Effectiveness of Intrastromal Corneal Ring Implantation in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Keratoconus: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE To evaluate the available evidence on the effectiveness of intrastromal corneal rings (ICRs) in the treatment of adults with keratoconus. METHODS A systematic review of electronic databases was completed through July 30, 2017. All primary research articles in which adults with keratoconus were treated with ICRs were included. Two independent reviewers assessed methodological quality and classified the studies into high, low, or undefined risk of bias. The measured variables assessed were visual acuity, refraction, keratometry, ring type, and complications. RESULTS The initial search yielded 442 scientific articles, 62 articles were read extensively, and 18 articles were assessed for eligibility and included for statistical analysis and quality assessment. A total of 1,325 eyes were analyzed, and the results were evaluated preoperatively and at 12 months of follow-up. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) improved 0.23 ± 0.28 logMAR and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) improved 0.06 ± 0.21 logMAR. Sphere improved 2.81 ± 1.54 diopters (D), cylinder improved 1.49 ± 0.83 D, and mean keratometry improved 3.41 ± 2.13 D within 12 months of follow-up. ICR implantation combined with corneal crosslinking improved UDVA, refraction, and keratometry to a greater degree than ICR implantation alone. CONCLUSIONS The studies analyzed demonstrate refractive and visual improvement of patients treated with the ICR implantation technique. However, description of the methodological process necessary to evaluate the bias effectively is insufficient. [J Refract Surg. 2019;35(3):191-200. ].
Learning curve and short-term outcomes of modularized LADG for advanced gastric cancer

Abstract Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) is a complicated procedure. To reduce the difficulty of the operation and standardize the surgical procedure, we explored a new operation mode, which we termed modularized LADG (MLADG). To further extend the new operation mode, we conducted this study to evaluate the short-term outcomes of MLADG for advanced gastric cancer, and determine the learning curve. Data from 100 consecutive patients who received LADG between October 2016 and October 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Short-term outcomes, such as operation time and intraoperative blood loss, were evaluated, and the learning curve was calculated. For MLADG, the mean operation time was 168.2 ± 13.0 minutes, the mean intraoperative blood loss was 93.6 ± 29.1 ml, the mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 28.6 ± 4.2, and conversion to open surgery occurred in only 1 case. In addition, MLADG had an acceptable postoperative complication incidence and fast postoperative recovery. After the first 20 cases, the operation skill reached a mature and stable level. Our results indicate that MLADG is an oncologically feasible and technically safe surgical procedure. For the trainees with rich experience in open distal gastrectomy, the learning curve is considered to be completed after 20 MLADG cases.