Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Body Impedance Studies in End-Stage Heart Failure

This study adds another category of patients to those amenable to body impedance analysis (BIA). BIA measurements were obtained for the first time in 23 male patients with end-stage heart failure who were waiting for heart transplantation, and the data were compared with those obtained in 69 healthy controls matched for age, sex, height and weight. The data indicate that in end-stage heart failure there is an increased reactance (p<0.01) and an altered intracellular water/extracellular water ratio (p<0.03) due to the increased intracellular water (p<0.01) and decreased extracellular water (p<0.01).
Do Subsidization and Monitoring Enhance Adherence to Prescribed Exercise?

Purpose. We studied whether partial versus full subsidization and self versus other monitoring promote adherence to physician-prescribed exercise. Method. We randomly assigned 132 participants to experimental conditions defined by two levels of subsidization and two types of monitoring. Physicians wrote prescriptions as referrals to an exercise facility. A computer recorded participants' exercise for 12 weeks. A sponsoring medical organization paid half or all of the facility's fees. Half of the participants kept records of workouts, and half reported workouts to researchers who telephoned them. Results. Fully subsidized patients averaged 21.41 workouts versus 16.67 workouts by partially subsidized patients (p < .05). Researcher-monitored participants averaged 22.14 workouts versus 15.96 workouts by self-monitored participants (p < .01). Conclusions. Full subsidization and third-party monitoring increased exercise rates. These findings encourage use of both to enhance prescribed exercise rates and continued study of factors that contribute to the efficacy of prescribed exercise.
Ring-Enhanced Malignant Meningioma Mimicking a Brain Metastasis from a Renal Cell Carcinoma

We report a case of ring-enhanced malignant meningioma mimicking a solitary brain metastasis in a patient with renal cell carcinoma. This misleading situation is rarely encountered and has not been documented previously. Considering the low incidence of brain metastases from a renal cell carcinoma staged T1–2 without systemic metastases, a clinical diagnosis requires circumspection, and both primary and metastatic tumors should be considered when a solitary brain lesion is encountered.
Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity, Obesity, and Morbidity

Purpose. To determine the relationship between urban sprawl, health, and health-related behaviors. Design. Cross-sectional analysis using hierarchical modeling to relate characteristics of individuals and places to levels of physical activity, obesity, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Setting. U.S. counties (448) and metropolitan areas (83). Subjects. Adults (n = 206,992) from pooled 1998, 1999, and 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Measures. Sprawl indices, derived with principal components analysis from census and other data, served as independent variables. Self-reported behavior and health status from BRFSS served as dependent variables. Results. After controlling for demographic and behavioral covariates, the county sprawl index had small but significant associations with minutes walked (p = .004), obesity (p < .001), BMI (p = .005), and hypertension (p = .018). Residents of sprawling counties were likely to walk less during leisure time, weigh more, and have greater prevalence of hypertension than residents of compact counties. At the metropolitan level, sprawl was similarly associated with minutes walked (p = .04) but not with the other variables. Conclusion. This ecologic study reveals that urban form could be significantly associated with some forms of physical activity and some health outcomes. More research is needed to refine measures of urban form, improve measures of physical activity, and control for other individual and environmental influences on physical activity, obesity, and related health outcomes.
Methylation of the L1 gene and integration of human papillomavirus 16 and 18 in cervical carcinoma and premalignant lesions

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical carcinoma (CC). Viral integration into the host chromosomes is associated with neoplastic progression, and epigenetic changes may occur as a result. The objective of the present study was to analyze HPV L1 gene methylation and to compare the use of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), in situ hybridization (ISH) and L1 methylation analysis as methods for detecting HPV integration. Cervical scrapes or biopsy samples positive for HPV 16 or 18, from 187 female patients with CC, squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) or no intraepithelial lesion (non-IL) were analyzed. Methylation of the L1 gene was determined using bisulfite modification followed by PCR, and HPV integration was subsequently analyzed. HPV 16 L1 gene methylation was revealed to increase with histological grade, with statistically significant differences observed as follows: Low-grade SIL vs. CC, P<0.0001 and non-IL vs. CC, P<0.0001. HPV 18 L1 gene methylation also increased according to histological grade, however, no statistically significant differences were observed. Methylation at CpG site 5608 of the HPV 16 L1 gene was associated with all grades of cervical lesions, whereas methylation at CpG site 5617 demonstrated the strongest association with CC (odds ratio, 42.5; 95% confidence interval, 4.7–1861; P<0.0001). The concordance rates between the various methods for the detection of the physical status of HPV 16 and HPV 18 were 96.1% for qPCR and ISH, 76.7% for qPCR and L1 gene methylation, and 84.8% for ISH and L1 gene methylation. In conclusion, methylation of the HPV 16 L1 gene increases significantly according to the grade of the cervical lesion, and methylation at CpG sites 5608 and 5617 of this gene may be used as prognostic biomarkers. ISH and L1 gene methylation have good concordance with qPCR with regards to the detection of HPV integration. Therefore, these are useful methods in determining the physical state of HPV.
Variations in the distal branches of the superficial fibular sensory nerve

Introduction: We evaluated anatomic variations of distal branches of the superficial fibular sensory nerve electrophysiologically. Methods: Orthodromic nerve conduction studies (NCS) of the first and third branches (M‐I, M‐III) of the medial dorsal cutaneous nerve and the fourth and fifth branches (I‐IV, I‐V) of the intermediate dorsal cutaneous nerve (IDCN) were performed. To find anomalous innervations from the dorsal sural nerve (DSN) in the IDCN territory, NCS of the fourth and fifth branches (S‐IV, S‐V) of the DSN were also performed. Results: All sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs) of M‐I and M‐III could be obtained bilaterally from 31 healthy Japanese volunteers. SNAPs of I‐IV and I‐V were recordable in 85.5% and 43.5% of feet, respectively. Anomalous innervations from the DSN were confirmed in 71.0% of S‐IV and 93.5% of S‐V. Conclusion: These results suggest that anatomical variations in the IDCN territory are very frequent in Japanese subjects. Muscle Nerve 55: 74–76, 2017
Dyadic Dynamics in Young Couples Reporting Dating Violence

This study uses a combination of observational methods and dyadic data analysis to understand how boyfriends’ and girlfriends’ perpetration of dating violence (DV) may shape their own and their partners’ problem-solving communication behaviors. A sample of 39 young heterosexual couples aged between 15 and 20 years (mean age = 17.8 years) completed a set of questionnaires and were observed during a 45-min dyadic interaction, which was coded using the Interactional Dimension Coding System (IDCS). Results suggest that neither boyfriends’ nor girlfriends’ own perpetration of DV was related to their display of positive and negative communication behaviors. However, estimates revealed significant partner effects, suggesting that negative communication behaviors displayed by girls and boys and positive communication behavior displayed by girls were associated to their partner’s DV but not to their own. Such results confirm the need to shift our focus from an individual perspective to examining dyadic influences and processes involved in the couple system and the bidirectionality of violent relationships.
Relationships between social support and student burnout: A meta‐analytic approach

This study is a meta-analysis of 19 relevant studies, with 95,434 participants, investigating the relationships between various types of social support and 3 dimensions of student burnout. The overall results indicate that social support is negatively correlated with student burnout. Specifically, school or teacher supports have the strongest negative relationship to student burnout. Social supports from parents and from peers also have a significant negative relationship with student burnout. Among the 3 dimensions of student burnout, inefficacy was more strongly related to social support than emotional exhaustion or cynicism. The results of a moderation analysis suggest that the type of schools (secondary school and postsecondary school) affected the relationships between the overall social support and student burnout. We discuss the implications to ameliorate student burnout.
Activity and Safety of Cetuximab Plus Modified FOLFOXIRI Followed by Maintenance With Cetuximab or Bevacizumab for RAS and BRAF Wild-type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Randomized Phase 2 Clinical Trial

Importance The combination of a triple-drug chemotherapy regimen with an anti–epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agent as a first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) showed promising activity along with safety concerns in single-arm phase 2 trials. The role of maintenance following chemotherapy and anti-EGFR and the optimal regimen to be adopted are not established. Objectives To evaluate the activity and safety of cetuximab plus modified FOLFOXIRI (mFOLFOXIRI) and explore the role of maintenance with cetuximab or bevacizumab in RAS and BRAF wild-type mCRC. Design, Setting, and Participants In a prospective, noncomparative, open-label, multicenter, randomized phase 2 trial, patients aged 18 to 75 years with unresectable, previously untreated RAS and BRAF wild-type (before amendment, KRAS wild-type) mCRC were recruited from 21 oncology units in Italy from October 19, 2011, to March 1, 2015 (followed up through May 31, 2017). In total, 323 patients were screened and 143 were randomized to 2 treatment arms to receive as a first-line induction a regimen of mFOLFOXIRI plus cetuximab followed by cetuximab (arm A) or bevacizumab (arm B) until disease progression. Primary analyses were conducted in a modified intention-to-treat population. Interventions mFOLFOXIRI plus cetuximab repeated every 2 weeks for up to 8 cycles, followed by maintenance with cetuximab or bevacizumab until disease progression. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was the 10-month progression-free rate (PFR); secondary end points included progression-free and overall survival, response rate, rate of metastases resection, and adverse events. Results Of 143 patients randomized, 116 (81.1%) (median [interquartile range (IQR)] age, 59.5 [53-67] years; 34 [29.3%] women) had RAS and BRAF wild-type mCRC. At a median (IQR) follow-up of 44.0 (30.5-52.1) months, 10-month PFRs were 50.8% (90% CI, 39.5%-62.2%) in arm A and 40.4% (90% CI, 29.4%-52.1%) in arm B. The overall response rate was 71.6% (95% CI, 62.4%-79.5%). Main grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (occurring in 36 patients [31%]), diarrhea (in 21 patients [18%]), skin toxic effects (in 18 patients [16%]), asthenia (in 11 patients [9%]), stomatitis (in 7 patients [6%]), and febrile neutropenia (in 3 patients [3%]). Conclusions and Relevance Although neither of the 2 arms met the primary end point, the findings indicate that a 4-month induction regimen of mFOLFOXIRI plus cetuximab is feasible and provides relevant activity results, leading to a high surgical resection rate. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02295930
Is smartphone creating a better life? Exploring the relationships of the smartphone practices, social capital and psychological well-being among college students

Along with the development of wireless communication and the rapid diffusion of handset, mobile technologies have provided individuals with unprecedented new spaces for social interactions and multiple modes of expression, and as such, they are expected to enhance individual's social capital as well as psychological well-being. This empirical study investigates the relationship between the utilisation of smartphones and social capital's formation and maintenance with an emphasis on youth uses and practices. In addition, it also explores maintained social capital by evaluating how mobile communication influences one's individual capability to keep in touch with members of a formerly inhabited community. The results from a survey of college students (N = 346) demonstrate a strong linkage between smartphone use and three different modes of social capital. The strongest relationship, revealed by Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, is between smartphone use and bridging social capital. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Adoptive transfer of murine T cells expressing a chimeric‐PD1‐Dap10 receptor as an immunotherapy for lymphoma

Adoptive transfer of T cells is a promising cancer therapy and expression of chimeric antigen receptors can enhance tumour recognition and T‐cell effector functions. The programmed death protein 1 (PD1) receptor is a prospective target for a chimeric antigen receptor because PD1 ligands are expressed on many cancer types, including lymphoma. Therefore, we developed a murine chimeric PD1 receptor (chPD1) consisting of the PD1 extracellular domain fused to the cytoplasmic domain of CD3ζ. Additionally, chimeric antigen receptor therapies use various co‐stimulatory domains to enhance efficacy. Hence, the inclusion of a Dap10 or CD28 co‐stimulatory domain in the chPD1 receptor was compared to determine which domain induced optimal anti‐tumour immunity in a mouse model of lymphoma. The chPD1 T cells secreted pro‐inflammatory cytokines and lysed RMA lymphoma cells. Adoptive transfer of chPD1 T cells significantly reduced established tumours and led to tumour‐free survival in lymphoma‐bearing mice. When comparing chPD1 receptors containing a Dap10 or CD28 domain, both receptors induced secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines; however, chPD1‐CD28 T cells also secreted anti‐inflammatory cytokines whereas chPD1‐Dap10 T cells did not. Additionally, chPD1‐Dap10 induced a central memory T‐cell phenotype compared with chPD1‐CD28, which induced an effector memory phenotype. The chPD1‐Dap10 T cells also had enhanced in vivo persistence and anti‐tumour efficacy compared with chPD1‐CD28 T cells. Therefore, adoptive transfer of chPD1 T cells could be a novel therapy for lymphoma and inclusion of the Dap10 co‐stimulatory domain in chimeric antigen receptors may induce a preferential cytokine profile and T‐cell differentiation phenotype for anti‐tumour therapies.
Understanding Engagement in HIV Risk and Prevention Research Among Black Young Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in the District of Columbia.

PURPOSE To develop optimal methods to study sexual health among black young men who have sex with men and transgender women (BYMSM/TW). METHODS We conducted a mixed-methods prospective study to identify recruitment and retention strategies for BYMSM/TW (age 16-21) in Washington D.C., and describe HIV risk behaviors and context. RESULTS Incentivized peer referral was highly productive, and 60% of BYMSM/TW were retained for 3 months. Participants reported high levels of sexual risk, homophobia, racism, and maternal support. CONCLUSION BYMSM/TW studies should utilize a combination of peer-based, in-person, and technology-based recruiting strategies. Additional research is needed to leverage mobile technology and social media to enhance retention.
Daclatasvir Plasma Concentration Assessment in HIV–HCV-Coinfected Real-Life Patients

Direct-acting anti-HCV agents (DAAs) are associated with tremendous rates of sustained virological response (SVR) including in HIV-infected patients [1]. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of DAAs is currently not recommended in clinical guidelines [2,3]. Very scant data are available about plasma concentrations of these DAAs, including daclatasvir, particularly in routine clinical practice. The aim of our observational study was to assess plasma daclatasvir concentrations in HIV–HCV-coinfected patients treated with daclatasvir plus sofosbuvir, as well as factors that may be associated with drug exposure variability. The present study included 30 HIV–HCV-coinfected patients who received daclatasvir in combination with sofosbuvir during 12 or 24 weeks between July 2014 and April 2015. Daclatasvir plasma concentrations were measured at Marseille University Hospitals in routine clinical practice at steady-state (≥1 month after treatment initiation) and on blood samples collected at the end of the dosing interval (trough concentration [Ctrough] >20 h), by a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method (UPLC-TQD®; Waters, Saint-Quentin en Yvelines, France). Quantification of the sofosbuvir metabolite (GS-331007) was unfortunately not available at the time of this study. Plasma concentrations of sofosbuvir are not reported due to its short half-life [4] and subsequent difficulty of being exactly at the time at the maximum concentration (Tmax) over a range of 0.5 to 2 h after drug intake, which limits the interest of its quantification. HCV RNA load measurements were performed at treatment baseline, at weeks 4, 8, 12 and 24 on treatment and at weeks 4, 8 and 12 posttreatment, using the Real-Time Abbott assay (Abbott Diagnostics, Wiesbaden, Germany). Details of the patients’ characteristics at baseline are presented in Table 1. The majority of the patients was chronically infected with HCV genotype-1 and had advanced liver fibrosis (METAVIR score F4). All patients had an undetectable HIV RNA in plasma. Most (70%) were treated with two nucleoside/nucleotide HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors (tenofovir/emtricitabine or abacavir/lamivudine) combined with either an integrase inhibitor (raltegravir, dolutegravir, elvitegravir/cobicistat) or a boosted protease inhibitor (atazanavir/ritonavir or darunavir/ritonavir). Daclatasvir dose was adjusted according to the antiretroviral treatment: 30 mg in association with atazanavir/ritonavir (n=3) or cobicistat (n=1), 90 mg with etravirine (n=4) and 60 mg in association with raltegravir, dolutegravir or darunavir/ritonavir (n=22). All patients completed anti-HCV treatment with 97% and 100% of end-of-treatment and sustained (week 12) virological response, respectively. HIV RNA remained undetectable in all cases throughout the course of HCV treatment. Mean (± standard deviation) daclatasvir plasma Ctrough was 235 ±218 ng/ml Letter
Data Placement for Privacy-Aware Applications over Big Data in Hybrid Clouds

Nowadays, a large number of groups choose to deploy their applications to cloud platforms, especially for the big data era. Currently, the hybrid cloud is one of the most popular computing paradigms for holding the privacy-aware applications driven by the requirements of privacy protection and cost saving. However, it is still a challenge to realize data placement considering both the energy consumption in private cloud and the cost for renting the public cloud services. In view of this challenge, a cost and energy aware data placement method, named CEDP, for privacy-aware applications over big data in hybrid cloud is proposed. Technically, formalized analysis of cost, access time, and energy consumption is conducted in the hybrid cloud environment. Then a corresponding data placement method is designed to accomplish the cost saving for renting the public cloud services and energy savings for task execution within the private cloud platforms. Experimental evaluations validate the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed method.
Recurrence of reported CDH23 mutations causing DFNB12 in a special cohort of South Indian hearing impaired assortative mating families – an evaluation

Mutations in CDH23 are known to cause autosomal‐recessive nonsyndromic hearing loss (DFNB12). Until now, there was only one study describing its frequency in Indian population. We screened for CDH23 mutations to identify prevalent and recurring mutations among South Indian assortative mating hearing‐impaired individuals who were identified as non‐DFNB1 (GJB2 and GJB6). Whole‐exome sequencing was performed in individuals found to be heterozygous for CDH23 to determine whether there was a second pathogenic allele. In our study, 19 variants including 6 pathogenic missense mutations were identified. The allelic frequency of pathogenic mutations accounts to 4.7% in our cohort, which is higher than that reported previously; three mutations (c.429+4G>A, c.2968G>A, and c.5660C>T) reported in the previous Indian study were found to recur. DFNB12 was found to be the etiology in 3.4% of our cohort, with missense mutation c.2968G>A (p.Asp990Asn) being the most prevalent (2.6%). These results suggest a need to investigate the possibility for higher proportion of CDH23 mutations in the South Indian hearing‐impaired population.
Tandem autologous/allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation with bortezomib maintenance therapy for high-risk myeloma.

We evaluated tandem autologous/allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation followed by bortezomib maintenance therapy in a prospective phase 2 trial of treatment of high-risk multiple myeloma. The high-dose conditioning regimen for autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation consisted of melphalan 200 mg/m2. The nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen for the allogeneic transplant involved low-dose total body irradiation (2 Gy) with or without fludarabine (30 mg/m2 × 3 days). Among the 31 patients enrolled, 26 (84%) proceeded to HLA-matched allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation at a median of 61 (range, 41-168) days following the autologous transplant. Twenty-one patients (68%) started bortezomib (1.6 mg/m2 IV or 2.6 mg/m2 subcutaneously every 14 days for 9 months) at a median of 79 (range, 63-103) days after allogeneic transplantation. With a median follow-up of 51 (range, 16-86) months and based on intention to treat, the 2-year and 4-year progression-free survival and overall survival estimates among 24 newly diagnosed high-risk patients were 71% and 75%, and 52% and 61%, respectively. The 7 patients enrolled with relapsed or persistent disease had a 2-year and 4-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates of 14% and 43%, and 14% and 29%, respectively. These findings suggest that for patients with newly diagnosed high-risk multiple myeloma, bortezomib maintenance therapy after tandem autologous/allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation is safe and may prevent disease progression until full establishment of a graft-versus-myeloma effect. This benefit, however, does not extend to patients who enroll after unsuccessful prior therapy. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials. gov as #NCT00793572.