Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Missing breakfast is associated with overweight and obesity in Bangladeshi adolescents

Childhood obesity has increased by 59% in developing countries over the past three decades (1) and is now a major global public health problem. Understanding the modifiable behaviours associated with energy intake and expenditure is an important part of combating the global obesity epidemic, given its established links with adverse health conditions such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Childhood socioeconomic status and executive function in childhood and beyond

Socioeconomic status (SES) predicts health, wellbeing, and cognitive ability, including executive function (EF). A body of recent work has shown that childhood SES is positively related to EF, but it is not known whether this disparity grows, diminishes or holds steady over development, from childhood through adulthood. We examined the association between childhood SES and EF in a sample ranging from 9–25 years of age, with six canonical EF tasks. Analyzing all of the tasks together and in functionally defined groups, we found positive relations between SES and EF, and the relations did not vary by age. Analyzing the tasks separately, SES was positively associated with performance in some but not all EF measures, depending on the covariates used, again without varying by age. These results add to a growing body of evidence that childhood SES is associated with EF abilities, and contribute novel evidence concerning the persistence of this association into early adulthood.
Color changes of esthetic elastomeric ligatures evaluated with the Commission Internationale d’Éclairage color system

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to assess and compare color changes in esthetic elastomeric ligatures after 30 days in situ using a spectrophotometer and the Commission Internationale d'Éclairage (CIE) color system. Materials and Methods: The sample comprised elastomeric ligatures of four color groups (n = 42): blue pearl (BP); colorless; white pearl (WP); and pearl. Four samples from each group were allocated in for quadrants of seven patients in a split-mouth model. Color measurements were performed with a spectrophotometer in the elastomeric ligatures as received (T0) and after 30 days in situ (T1). Variables L*, a*, and b* were compared between times (T1–T0) with Wilcoxon paired ranks; color changes were compared between groups with Kruskal–Wallis test; Dunn's test was used for multiple comparisons. Spearman's correlation was applied between CIELAB and CIEDE2000 calculations. Results: All groups showed color changes (T1–T0) in a* and b*, but only the Group BP had a change in L* (P < 0.01). Group C showed the greatest lightness decrease (ΔL = −2.49 ± 0.47) (P < 0.05), the smallest yellowing (Δb = 3.17 ± 0.88) (P < 0.05), and the smallest total color change (ΔE2000 = 3.19 ± 0.85), which had no statistical difference from Group WP (ΔE2000 = 3.36 ± 0.53). Correlation between ΔEab and ΔE2000 was moderate (r = 0.59; P < 0.01). Conclusions: Esthetic elastomeric ligatures became yellowish after 30 days in situ, and there were color differences between them.
Colorectal Cancer Among Gout Patients Undergoing Colonoscopy

Background/Objective The connection between gout and various cancers remains unclear. We assessed the relationship between gout and colorectal cancer in a population of veterans. Methods We reviewed the Computerized Patient Record System of the VA New York Harbor Health Care System to assess the 10-year occurrence of colorectal cancer in patients with gout undergoing colonoscopy, versus patients with osteoarthritis but no gout. Results Gout and osteoarthritis subjects were similar in age, ethnicity, body mass index, and smoking history. Among 581 gout and 598 osteoarthritis subjects with documented colonoscopies, the 10-year prevalence of colorectal cancer was significantly lower in gout (0.8%) versus osteoarthritis (3.7%) (p = 0.0008) patients. Differences in colorectal cancer rates remained significant after stratifying for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. Among gout subjects, use of colchicine and/or allopurinol, as well as the presence/absence of concomitant osteoarthritis, did not influence colorectal cancer occurrence. On subanalysis, differences in colorectal cancer occurrence between gout and osteoarthritis subjects persisted among those who underwent diagnostic (0.5% in gout vs 4.6% in osteoarthritis subjects, p < 0.001) but not screening (0.9% in gout subjects vs 1% in osteoarthritis subjects, p = 1.0) colonoscopy. There was no significant difference in nonmalignant colorectal polyp occurrence between gout and osteoarthritis subjects. Conclusions Subjects with gout had decreased colonoscopy-documented occurrence of colorectal cancer compared with osteoarthritis subjects, suggesting a possible protective effect.
Prognostic value of nutritional markers in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy: a propensity score matching study

Purpose To investigate the prognostic value of nutritional markers for survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), with or without chemotherapy. Patients and methods This retrospective study included 412 NPC patients who received IMRT-based treatment. Weight loss (WL) during treatment, hemoglobin level (Hb) and serum albumin level (Alb) before treatment were measured. The prognostic values of these markers for overall survival (OS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Propensity score matching was performed to reduce the effect of confounders. Results WL, Hb and Alb were significantly correlated with each other and inflammatory markers. Adjusted Cox regression analysis showed that critical weight loss (CWL) (WL≥5%) was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR: 2.399, 95% CI: 1.267–4.540, P=0.007) and LRFS (HR: 2.041, 95% CI: 1.052–3.960, P=0.035), while low pretreatment Hb was independently associated with poor DMFS (HR: 2.031, 95% CI: 1.144–3.606, P=0.016). However, no significant correlation was found between Alb and survival in our study cohort. The prognostic value of these markers was further confirmed in the propensity-matched analysis. Conclusion CWL, Hb and Alb have a significant impact on survival in NPC patients undergoing IMRT. They can be utilized in combination with conventional staging system to predict the prognosis of NPC patients treated with IMRT.
In Vitro Ecological Response of the Human Gut Microbiome to Bioactive Extracts from Edible Wild Mushrooms

This study presents the effect of two new products based on atomized extracts from edible wild mushrooms (RoBioMush1, RoBioMush2) on the microbiota of three target groups: clinically healthy (NG) individuals, individuals with nutritional disorders (ND), and individuals with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The microbiota fingerprints were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Modulations in the simulated microbiome were established and correlated with the presence of phenolic compounds released in the in vitro environment (a three-stage culture system GIS2 simulator, www.gissystems.ro). The high metabolizing capacity of NG and CVD correlated positively with the rest of the biological activities expressed in vitro. ND microbiota consumed a wide spectrum of monosaccharides from the products. Xylose was present in large quantities in the descending segment (minimum: 175 μg/mL for ND). The primary conclusion was that the microbiological ecosystem was modulated, as proven by the presence of specific biomarkers (e.g., ammonium levels and fingerprints of short-chain fatty acids–SCFAs), which stimulate the organism’s health status and were correlated with the restoration of a normal microbiota fingerprint.
Different pontic design for porcelain fused to metal fixed dental prosthesis: Contemporary guidelines and practice by general dental practitioners

ABSTRACT Objective: The current study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of pontic design selection by the general dental practitioners (GDPs) in the light of contemporary guidelines. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the GDPs of Karachi. A questionnaire was designed to collect data from 100 GDPs. The questionnaire included general/demographic information (practitioner's education, experience, and place of practice) and an average number of fixed prosthesis constructed by the GDP. The questionnaire was further categorized to evaluate the knowledge/practice of pontic design selection and latest recommendations. Results: For the maxillary anterior segment, the ridge lap pontic was the most common (32%) followed by the modified ridge lap (28%). In the maxillary posterior segment, the ridge lap pontic was the most common (37%) followed by sanitary design (34%). For the mandibular anterior segment, the modified ridge lap (50%) was the most common followed by ridge lap pontic (17%). In case of the mandibular posterior segment, the sanitary design (34%) was the most common followed by ridge lap pontic (30%). Conclusions: The pontic design selection for the fixed prosthesis is a neglected domain. The contemporary guidelines are not followed with full spirit by the GDPs leading to wide variations in the pontic design selection.
Excimer laser in contrast for the treatment of acute MI caused by thrombosis of underexpanded stent

The use of excimer laser with contrast for treating an underexpanded stent in the setting of subacute stent thrombosis and hemodynamic instability is described. The patients presented with acute coronary syndromes and cardiogenic shock resulting from stent thrombosis of underexpanded stents. The stents were recalcitrant to aggressive balloon dilation and in the setting of an acute myocardial infarction; rotational atherectomy is a relative contraindication. The use of concurrent contrast during laser atherectomy resulted in plaque modification and subsequent stent expansion.
Elevation of androgen receptor promotes prostate cancer metastasis by induction of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and reduction of KAT5

Androgen receptor (AR), an androgen‐activated transcription factor, belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily. AR plays an important role in the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). However, the role of AR in PCa metastasis is not fully understood. To investigate the role of AR in PCa metastasis, we examined AR expression level in primary and metastatic PCa by analyzing gene array data of 378 primary prostate tumors and 120 metastatic prostate tumors from Oncomine, as well as carrying out immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of 56 prostate cancer samples. Expression of mRNA and protein of AR as well as its target gene prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) was much higher in metastatic prostate tumors than in primary prostate tumors. Knockdown of AR with siRNA or treating with anti‐androgen Casodex reduced migration and invasion ability of C4‐2B PCa cells. Knockdown of AR increased protein expression of E‐cadherin and AR coregulator KAT5 but reduced expression of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker proteins Slug, Snail, MMP‐2, vimentin, and β‐catenin. Knockdown of KAT5 increased migration of C4‐2B cells, whereas overexpression of KAT5 suppressed cell migration. KAT5 knockdown rescues the suppressive effect of AR knockdown on migration of C4‐2B cells. Gene expression level of AR and KAT5 showed a negative correlation. PCa patients with higher AR expression or lower KAT5 expression correlated with shorter recurrence‐free survival. Our study suggested that elevation of AR expression and AR signaling in prostate tumors promotes PCa metastasis by induction of EMT and reduction of KAT5.
Effects of tolvaptan on renal function in chronic kidney disease patients with volume overload

Background Fluid overload in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is generally controlled by diuretics, with potentially harmful effects on renal function. The efficacy of tolvaptan, a vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist and aquaretic, has not been evaluated for fluid control in CKD with reduced renal function. Methods Each patient from a group of 24 CKD patients on tolvaptan 15 mg/d plus conventional diuretics (T group) was matched by age and sex with a patient from a group of 24 CKD patients on conventional nonaquaretic diuretics alone not associated to tolvaptan other than tolvaptan (C group). Changes in renal function were compared between the groups for 1 year. Results There were no significant differences in blood pressure, hemoglobin levels, cardiac function, urine specific gravity, and urinary sodium concentration between the 2 groups at the beginning of the follow-up period and 1 year after. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by the formula developed by Japanese Society of Nephrology (in mL/min/1.73 m2) decreased: C group (from 28.3±13.6 to 23.0±12.3, p=0.09), T group (from 22.7±12.4 to 19.4±12.2, p=0.18), but both did not reach significance. A 50% reduction in eGFR was observed in 4 patients in the C group and 1 in the T group (p<0.05). A subgroup analysis performed on the patients with stage 3–4 CKD demonstrated a significant reduction in eGFR in the C group (n=17, p=0.04), but not in T group (n=17, p=0.07). Conclusion These results suggest that tolvaptan may have less effects on CKD progression among stage 3–4 CKD patients who are on conventional diuretics.
Onset of Donor Warm Ischemia Time in Donation After Circulatory Death Liver Transplantation: Hypotension or Hypoxia?

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of hypoxia and hypotension during the agonal phase of donor warm ischemia time (DWIT) on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) and complications in donation after circulatory death (DCD) liver transplantation. A retrospective single‐center study of 93 DCD liver transplants (Maastricht type III) was performed. DWIT was divided into 2 periods: the agonal phase (from withdrawal of treatment [WoT] until circulatory arrest) and the asystolic phase (circulatory arrest until cold perfusion). A drop to <80% in peripheral oxygenation (SpO2) was considered as hypoxia in the agonal phase (SpO2‐agonal) and a drop to <50 mm Hg as hypotension in the agonal phase (SBP‐agonal). Peak postoperative aspartate transaminase level >3000 U/L was considered as severe hepatic IRI. SpO2 dropped within 2 minutes after WoT <80%, whereas the systolic blood pressure dropped to <50 mm Hg after 9 minutes, resulting in a longer SpO2‐agonal (13 minutes) than SBP‐agonal (6 minutes). In multiple logistic regression analysis, only duration of SpO2‐agonal was associated with severe hepatic IRI (P = 0.006) and not SBP‐agonal (P = 0.32). Also, recipients with long SpO2‐agonal (>13 minutes) had more complications with a higher Comprehensive Complication Index during hospital admission (43.0 versus 32.0; P = 0.002) and 90‐day graft loss (26% versus 6%; P = 0.01), compared with recipients with a short SpO2‐agonal (≤13 minutes). Furthermore, Cox proportional hazard modeling identified a long SpO2‐agonal as a risk factor for longterm graft loss (hazard ratio, 3.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.15‐9.48; P = 0.03). In conclusion, the onset of hypoxia during the agonal phase is related to the severity of hepatic IRI and postoperative complications. Therefore, SpO2 <80% should be considered as the start of functional DWIT in DCD liver transplantation.
Robenacoxib in the treatment of pain in cats and dogs: safety, efficacy, and place in therapy

Robenacoxib is a novel nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of coxib class developed for the control of inflammation and pain in dogs and cats. It shows high selectivity for the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme in rats, cats, and dogs. Robenacoxib is available in both injectable and tablet formulations. This review initially focuses on the preclinical pharmacology of robenacoxib in rats that includes its high affinity for COX-2 enzyme and weaker and rapidly reversible binding for COX-1 enzyme in in vitro and ex vivo models of inflammation and its pharmacokinetics in the blood and inflammatory exudate, selective tissue distribution, and safety. These basic pharmacological profiles highlight the suitability of robenacoxib for use in target species, such as cats and dogs. Since the level of expression and activity of COX enzymes is species specific, COX-2-selective inhibition and the resultant effects of coxibs must be studied in target species. The pharmacological and toxicological profiles of robenacoxib in cats and dogs have been discussed prior to reviewing its clinical efficacy and safety. Large, multicenter field trials conducted in cats and dogs demonstrated the noninferior efficacy and safety of robenacoxib compared with noncoxib NSAIDs used in dogs and cats. These trials investigated the efficacy of robenacoxib against various acute and chronic painful conditions. Robenacoxib produced superior efficacy to placebo and COX-2 preferential inhibitors in postsurgical cats. The tissue-selective anti-inflammatory activity of robenacoxib has been demonstrated in dogs with osteoarthritis. Robenacoxib has also been shown to be safe in healthy dogs and cats receiving antihypertensive drugs and loop diuretics that could cause renal injury. The developmental objective of coxibs, comparable efficacy but superior safety to less selective/nonselective NSAIDs, is well established with robenacoxib in preclinical studies. More studies need to be conducted to fully explore the benefits of robenacoxib in clinical subjects.
Endodontic irrigants: Different methods to improve efficacy and related problems

ABSTRACT Shaping and cleaning a root canal system along with the preservation of the surrounding periodontal tissues are the principal goals of an endodontic treatment. While most of the attention is paid to the mechanical aspects of a root canal treatment, an essential feature of it is the irrigation. All over the years, many materials have been used to clean the root canal of a tooth, and certainly, the sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solutions are the most used and most reliable ones. Putting them inside of a canal is mostly done using a normal syringe, but many techniques have been involved in this process, including the use of sonic/ultrasonic instruments, the use of shaping files, and even laser, to increase the efficacy of irrigant solutions, especially of NaOCl one. Each one of this technique faces some disadvantages, just as the vapor lock effect and the apical extrusion, and has a different action on features such as the reaction rate and the shear stress of an endodontic irrigant solution. In this narrative review, we describe the different features of many irrigant solutions and the different ways of upgrading their efficacy in the cleaning of a root canal system, with the use of tables to summarize the entire description, and drawing the readers' attention to a photographic illustration for a better understanding of the topic.
The Lifespan Trajectory of the Encoding-Retrieval Flip: A Multimodal Examination of Medial Parietal Cortex Contributions to Episodic Memory

The formation of episodic memories is associated with deactivation during encoding and activation during retrieval in the posteromedial cortex (PMC). We hypothesized that the encoding/retrieval (E/R) flip is a critical component of episodic memory across the lifespan because structural and metabolic changes in the PMC coincide with the fine tuning of the episodic memory system in development and the reductions of memory performance in aging. The aims of the present study were, first, to describe lifespan trajectories of PMC encoding and retrieval activity in 270 human participants (167 females) from 6 to 80 years of age. Our second goal was to construct a model for episodic memory development in which contributions from brain activity, cortical thickness (CT), and structural connectivity are accounted for. We found that modulation of neural activity in response to memory encoding and retrieval demands was not fully developed until adolescence and decreased from adulthood through old age. The magnitude of the E/R flip was related to source memory and 55% of the age-related variance in source memory performance during childhood and adolescence could be accounted for by the E/R flip, CT, and mean diffusivity together. However, only CT and the E/R flip provided unique contributions with which to explain memory performance. The results suggest that neural dynamics in the PMC is related to the development of episodic memory during childhood and adolescence. The similar trajectories of the E/R flip and episodic memory emergence and decline through development and aging further suggests that a lifelong relationship exists. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Modulation of neural activity in the posteromedial cortex (PMC) in response to memory encoding/retrieval (E/R) demands (E/R flip) does not reach its peak until adolescence and decreases from adulthood through old age. The magnitude of the E/R flip is related to source memory and 55% of the age-related variance in source memory performance during childhood and adolescence can be accounted for by the E/R flip and brain structure together. The results suggest that neural dynamics in the PMC is related to the development of episodic memory function during childhood and adolescence and the similar trajectories of the E/R flip and episodic memory performance through development and aging suggests that a lifelong relationship exists.
Performance of synthetic storm technique in estimating fade dynamics in equatorial Malaysia

In this paper, the synthetic storm technique (SST) is applied to 1‐minute rainfall rate collected from a rain gauge to predict the fade dynamics of the signal in an earth‐to‐satellite link in an equatorial climate location without the needs of satellite beacon measurements. The obtained results are compared with the statistics calculated from measured rain attenuation and with the ITU recommendation model. As for fade duration, a good agreement with measurements has been found together with a significant improvement in terms of prediction errors with respect to the ITU‐R model. Synthetic storm technique is also able to predict fade slope statistics fairly well and has equivalent performance of ITU‐R model.
Exploring the Feasibility of Use of An Online Dietary Assessment Tool (myfood24) in Women with Gestational Diabetes

myfood24 is an online 24 hr dietary recall tool developed for nutritional epidemiological research. Its clinical application has been unexplored. This mixed methods study explores the feasibility and usability of myfood24 as a food record in a clinical population, women with gestational diabetes (GDM). Women were asked to complete five myfood24 food records, followed by a user questionnaire (including the System Usability Scale (SUS), a measure of usability), and were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Of the 199 participants, the mean age was 33 years, mean booking body mass index (BMI) 29.7 kg/m2, 36% primiparous, 57% White, 33% Asian. Of these, 121 (61%) completed myfood24 at least once and 73 (37%) completed the user questionnaire; 15 were interviewed. The SUS was found to be good (mean 70.9, 95% CI 67.1, 74.6). Interviews identified areas for improvement, including optimisation for mobile devices, and as a clinical management tool. This study demonstrates that myfood24 can be used as an online food record in a clinical population, and has the potential to support self-management in women with GDM. However, results should be interpreted cautiously given the responders’ demographic characteristics. Further research to explore the barriers and facilitators of uptake in people from ethnic minority and lower socioeconomic backgrounds is recommended.