Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Forecasting postbariatric hypoglycaemia in patients after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass using model‐based algorithms fed by continuous glucose monitoring data: A proof‐of‐concept study

Postbariatric hypoglycaemia (PBH) is an increasingly recognized late complication of bariatric surgery, particularly Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Between 20% and 80% of patients after RYGB may develop the condition, which is characterized by postprandial hypoglycaemic episodes with increased severity after ingestion of carbohydrates with a high glycaemic impact. Prevalence estimates range widely, because of the current lack of standardized diagnostic criteria. Although incompletely understood, accelerated nutrient absorption alongside with excessive postprandial incretin and insulin exposure are key pathophysiological features. In the absence of an approved pharmacotherapy, dietary management is the first-line treatment of PBH. Dietary measures, however, can be very restrictive, insufficiently effective and challenging to implement in the long-term. Given these limitations, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, which provide real-time (RT) information on current glucose levels and rate of change, have the potential to support PBH management. CGM can be leveraged to develop RT predictive algorithms allowing for preventive or timely corrective actions (e.g. carbohydrate intake), which may be particularly useful for the frequently encountered patients with PBH with hypoglycaemia unawareness and related safety concerns. While hypoglycaemia forecasting has been widely studied in type 1 diabetes (T1D), the topic remains understudied in the PBH population. The first and only contribution in this field was the development of a heuristic-based predictive algorithm for a glucose-responsive glucagon delivery system in an experimental inpatient session. To address this gap, the purpose of this work was to assess the feasibility of forecasting PBH episodes by exploiting three different predictive algorithms using only CGM data.
A National Study of Zoom Fatigue and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Future Remote Work

Overuse of videoconferencing for work may contribute to what has been called "Zoom fatigue": feeling anxious, socially isolated, or emotionally exhausted due to lack of social connection. Given implications for employee well-being, this study investigated Zoom fatigue at work and its potential link to mental health symptoms. A national survey of mental health symptoms was conducted in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2020. Adults (n = 902) endorsing a shift at work to videoconferencing completed an online survey; survey criteria included an age minimum of 22 years and reported annual gross income of <$75,000. Statistical raking was employed to weight the sample using U.S. census data on geographic region, age, gender, race, and ethnicity. A three-item Zoom Fatigue Scale measuring perceived stress, isolation, and depression associated with videoconferencing at work showed good internal consistency (α = 0.85). Higher scores on this scale were related to being married, nonwhite race, post-high school education, severe mental illness, greater loneliness, lower social support, lacking money for food, and more weekly videoconference calls. Depressive symptoms demonstrated a significant association with Zoom fatigue, even when adjusting for demographic, psychosocial, and clinical covariates. The study findings indicated that employers and employees should consider a complex array of individual-level and environment-level factors when assessing how videoconferencing at work may engender stress, social isolation, and emotional exhaustion. This impact could adversely impact mental health, work productivity, and quality of life, even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Six-month outcomes of combined conventional needle goniotomy and phacoemulsification in eyes with early to moderate primary open-angle and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma and ocular hypertension

Purpose: Angle-based surgeries for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma have gained popularity in recent years. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of combined phacoemulsification and goniotomy in primary open-angle and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (POAG and PXG) and ocular hypertension (OHTN). Methods: In this interventional case series in the setting of the Glaucoma Service at the Farabi Eye Hospital, 32 eyes of 30 patients with early-to-moderate POAG and PXG and OHTN were enrolled. All eyes underwent combined phacoemulsification and needle goniotomy. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of antiglaucoma medications as well as demographic data were recorded at baseline and one day, one week, one month, three months, and six months after the surgery. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was used to compare the values of IOP and the number of medications at different time points. Kaplan–Meier graph was used to demonstrate the survival status of the eyes. Results: Mean IOP at baseline was 21.8 ± 4.6 mmHg on mean 1.2 ± 1.5 topical medications. There was a 25.2% (16.3 ± 4.5 mmHg) and 32.1% (14.8 ± 3.9 mmHg) reduction in IOP at three and six months after procedure, respectively (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the decline in medications was 66.7% (0.4 ± 0.9) and 50.0% (0.6 ± 1.1) at the same time points (P = 0.002 and P = 0.048, respectively). Post-operative complications were clot hyphema (n = 1, 3.1%), fibrinous inflammation (n = 1, 3.1%) and distorted pupil (n = 2, 6.3%). Conclusion: Combined phacoemulsification and needle goniotomy as a procedure for mild and moderate POAG and PXG and OHTN is as effective as other modified goniotomies in the setting of minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS).
Conversion of non-inferiority margin from hazard ratio to restricted mean survival time difference using data from multiple historical trials

The restricted mean survival time measure has gained a lot of interests for designing and analyzing oncology trials with time-to-event endpoints due to its intuitive clinical interpretation and potentially high statistical power. In the non-inferiority trial literature, restricted mean survival time has been used as an alternative measure for reanalyzing a completed trial, which was originally designed and analyzed based on traditional proportional hazard model. However, the reanalysis procedure requires a conversion from the non-inferiority margin measured in hazard ratio to a non-inferiority margin measured by restricted mean survival time difference. An existing conversion method assumes a Weibull distribution for the population survival time of the historical active control group under the proportional hazard assumption using data from a single trial. In this article, we develop a methodology for non-inferiority margin conversion when data from multiple historical active control studies are available, and introduce a Kaplan-Meier estimator-based method for the non-inferiority margin conversion to relax the parametric assumption. We report extensive simulation studies to examine the performances of proposed methods under the Weibull data generative models and a piecewise-exponential data generative model that mimic the tumor recurrence and survival characteristics of advanced colon cancer. This work is motivated to achieve non-inferiority margin conversion, using historical patient-level data from a large colon cancer clinical database, to reanalyze an internationally collaborated non-inferiority study that evaluates 6-month versus 3-month duration of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage III colon cancer patients.
Mutations in the chloroplast inner envelope protein TIC100 impair and repair chloroplast protein import and impact retrograde signaling

Abstract Chloroplast biogenesis requires synthesis of proteins in the nucleocytoplasm and the chloroplast itself. Nucleus-encoded chloroplast proteins are imported via multiprotein translocons in the organelle’s envelope membranes. Controversy exists around whether a 1-MDa complex comprising TIC20, TIC100, and other proteins constitutes the inner membrane TIC translocon. The Arabidopsis thaliana cue8 virescent mutant is broadly defective in plastid development. We identify CUE8 as TIC100. The tic100cue8 mutant accumulates reduced levels of 1-MDa complex components and exhibits reduced import of two nucleus-encoded chloroplast proteins of different import profiles. A search for suppressors of tic100cue8 identified a second mutation within the same gene, tic100soh1, which rescues the visible, 1 MDa complex-subunit abundance, and chloroplast protein import phenotypes. tic100soh1 retains but rapidly exits virescence and rescues the synthetic lethality of tic100cue8 when retrograde signaling is impaired by a mutation in the GENOMES UNCOUPLED 1 gene. Alongside the strong virescence, changes in RNA editing and the presence of unimported precursor proteins show that a strong signaling response is triggered when TIC100 function is altered. Our results are consistent with a role for TIC100, and by extension the 1-MDa complex, in the chloroplast import of photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic proteins, a process which initiates retrograde signaling.
Incidence of Nerve Transection in Upper Extremity Gunshot Wounds.

INTRODUCTION Reported rates of nerve injury after upper extremity (UE) gunshot wound (GSW) range from 15% to 45%. Many surgeons prefer initial observation; however, this may delay diagnosis of neurotmesis and surgical treatment. We aimed to determine the incidence of nerve transection in adults after upper extremity GSWs. METHODS This was a retrospective chart review approved by the institutional review board. Operative records of five orthopedic surgeons between 2014 to 2019 were filtered for ICD-10 and CPT codes cross-referenced to include both UE GSW assault and nerve injuries. Inclusion criteria consisted of age greater than 18 at time of injury, neurologic deficit on presentation, and surgical exploration nerve procedure. Records were reviewed for degree of nerve injury, procedure performed, and complications. Postoperative outcomes included nerve recovery, complications, and reoperation rate. RESULTS Of the 17 patients that fit the inclusion criteria, the incidence of complete nerve transection was 64.7% and the incidence of a complete or partial nerve transection was 70.6%. The most common location of GSWs was the hand (70.5%). Average time from date of injury to surgery was 26.1 days. There were 14 identifiable nerve injuries-complete transection in 11, partial transection in one, and contusion in two patients. Of patients with nerve transection, 72.7% sustained a fracture. Postoperative complications included stiffness, chronic pain, and wound infection. The re-operation rate was 29.4%. The average postoperative follow-up was 4.4 months. There was longer follow-up among nerve transection patients (5.3 months) compared to neuropraxia patients (2.68 months). CONCLUSION This study demonstrates a higher incidence of nerve transection in upper extremity GSW patients than previously reported. Predictors of nerve transection are GSWs to the hand and associated fracture.
Prevalence of Vibrio coralliilyticus in stony coral Porites sp. in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan

The purpose of this study was to assess the health of stony coral Porites sp. based on the presence of bacterial pathogens, specifically Vibrio coralliilyticus, in the Gulf of Aqaba, and to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities on Porites sp. Porites sp. specimens were collected from the Marine Science Station (MSS) and a public beach (Yamanyeh) in Jordan. Mucus, water and sediment samples were collected throughout the year. The Vibrio‐like population was higher in diseased samples than in healthy samples and was slightly higher in Yamanyeh than in MSS in all the samples. In samples from both sites, there was a seasonal variation in the Vibrio‐like population, with a decline in population as the temperature reduced. All samples contained virulent isolates clustered with V. coralliilyticus strains. Inoculation of healthy Porites sp. fragments with virulent isolates and V. coralliilyticus strain caused bleaching of the coral after 48 h. Therefore, V. coralliilyticus represents a pathogenic agent which may contribute to bleaching in Porites sp. in the Gulf of Aqaba and may not be affected considerably by anthropogenic activities. This is the first report of a bacterial pathogen of corals in Jordan; future studies should identify other coral pathogens in this region.
Self-efficacy and Use of Digital Health Care and Social Welfare Services Among Incarcerated People: Cross-sectional Survey Study

Background The digitization of health care and social welfare services creates many opportunities for the rehabilitation of incarcerated people and their preparation for release from prison. A range of digital platforms and technology solutions have been developed that offer multiple opportunities to handle private matters either by video conference, email, or some other digital format during imprisonment. However, incarcerated people have limited access to digital health care and social welfare services, and face challenges related to shortcomings in their digital skills and self-efficacy. Objective This article assessed the significance of incarcerated people’s self-efficacy in terms of their sense of control over the use of digital health care and social welfare services. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire. Research data were collected from 11 prisons in different parts of Finland, and a total of 225 incarcerated people responded to the survey. Statistical analyses were conducted using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, 2-tailed t test, linear regression analysis, and Hayes bootstrapping method. Results The results showed the significance of both general and internet-specific self-efficacy, which appear to be more important for the use of digital health care and social welfare services than factors related to a person’s socioeconomic background or sentence. Age was negatively correlated with perceived control over the use of digital health care and social welfare services. Furthermore, the study emphasized the importance of support from family and friends, as well as prison employees. Conclusions The digitalization of prisons offers many opportunities, but special consideration should be given to how the digitization of health care and social welfare services responds to the needs of incarcerated people in terms of their integration into society and the prevention of recidivism. During imprisonment, attention should be paid to strengthening the digital skills of incarcerated people, with support provided by prison employees. In addition to providing guidance on the use of individual digital services, the study recommends strengthening the general digital skills of incarcerated people, as well as developing their life management skills.
Attentional modulation of beta-power aligns with the timing of behaviorally relevant rhythmic sounds

Abstract It is largely unknown how attention adapts to the timing of acoustic stimuli. To address this, we investigated how hemispheric lateralization of alpha (7–13 Hz) and beta (14–24 Hz) oscillations, reflecting voluntary allocation of auditory spatial attention, is influenced by tempo and predictability of sounds. We recorded electroencephalography while healthy adults listened to rhythmic sound streams with different tempos that were presented dichotically to separate ears, thus permitting manipulation of spatial–temporal attention. Participants responded to stimulus-onset-asynchrony (SOA) deviants (−90 ms) for given tones in the attended rhythm. Rhythm predictability was controlled via the probability of SOA deviants per block. First, the results revealed hemispheric lateralization of beta-power according to attention direction, reflected as ipsilateral enhancement and contralateral suppression, which was amplified in high- relative to low-predictability conditions. Second, fluctuations in the time-resolved beta-lateralization aligned more strongly with the attended than the unattended tempo. Finally, a trend-level association was found between the degree of beta-lateralization and improved ability to distinguish between SOA-deviants in the attended versus unattended ear. Differently from previous studies, we presented continuous rhythms in which task-relevant and irrelevant stimuli had different tempo, thereby demonstrating that temporal alignment of beta-lateralization with attended sounds reflects top-down attention to sound timing.
Understanding the heterogeneity of anxiety in autistic youth: A person‐centered approach

The present study aimed to examine anxiety profiles among children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. It further aimed to characterize the association between the identified anxiety profiles and key clinical and developmental variables. The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale‐Parent Version (SCAS‐P) data from a large international pooled sample of 870 caregivers of autistic children and adolescents (Mage = 11.6 years, SDage = 2.77; 107 females) was used. Latent profile analysis identified a three‐anxiety profile solution exhibiting high entropy (0.80) and high latent profile probabilities, with good classification accuracy. Identified profiles fell along the severity spectrum and were named as the mild (n = 498), moderate (n = 272) and severe (n = 100) anxiety profiles. There were no statistically significant differences between the three anxiety profiles in terms of sex distribution. Participants in the mild profile were significantly younger than those in the severe profile, had significantly fewer social communication difficulties than youth in the moderate anxiety profile group and had significantly fewer restricted and repetitive behaviors and lower cognitive functioning scores compared to participants in moderate and severe anxiety profiles. This is the first study to move beyond identifying associations and group‐level differences to exploring and identifying characteristics of anxiety‐based subgroups at an individual level that differ on key clinical and developmental variables. The subgroups identified in this study are a preliminary, yet important, first step towards informing future assessment and individualized interventions aiming to support young people on the autism spectrum to reduce and manage anxiety.
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) for cancer prevention: Progress and promise

Abstract Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe. Emerging evidence suggests that consumption of a well-balanced diet containing a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can prevent the development of, halt, or reverse cancer progression. Carica papaya L. (papaya) has a wide distribution throughout many countries. Although the fruits of C. papaya are primarily consumed as food, various parts of this tree, including the bark, fruits, latex, seeds, and roots, have been used in traditional medicine for health promotion and disease mitigation. While numerous individual studies have investigated anticancer efficacies of various products and constituents of C. papaya, an up-to-date, comprehensive, and critical evaluation of available research data covering its role in the prevention and intervention of various human malignancies has not been conducted according to our knowledge. The purpose of this review is to present a systematic, comprehensive, and critical analysis of the cancer-preventive potential of C. papaya extracts, fractions, and isolated phytochemicals with a special emphasis on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action. Moreover, the bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and safety profiles of individual phytochemicals of C. papaya, as well as current limitations, challenges, and future directions of research, have also been discussed.
The “SPRINT results” need careful interpretation, and a Korean observational study is far from validate them in the real world

The SPRINT randomized controlled trial has compared two thresholds of antihypertensive therapy in patients at high cardiovascular risk without diabetes, with unsettling results. The group with systolic blood pressure target <120 mmHg reduced significantly both the total cardiovascular events and the all-cause mortality compared with the group with standard SBP <140 mmHg, threshold recommended by the International Guidelines. The authors of a large Korean cohort study of unselected participants from the “real world” claim to have confirmed the SPRINT results. They followed three large subgroups of residents with hypertension, free of CV disease at baseline and with different BP control, pretending that the subgroup with SBP <120 mmHg had better clinical results. We performed an analysis of several serious errors in the interpretation of the SPRINT and the Korean studies, and conclude that they have mislead many commentators, unaware of several pitfalls. These can ultimately cause clinical damage and lead to an increase of costs difficult to bear for the Health Systems. Correspondence to: Alberto Donzelli, MD, Area Educazione all’Appropriatezza ed EBM, ATS of the Metropolitan City of Milan, Milano, Italy; Tel: 003985783312; Email: ADonzelli@ats-milano.it Received: January 03, 2017; Accepted: January 23, 2017; Published: January 26, 2017 Background The SPRINT [1] randomized controlled trial (RCT) has compared two thresholds of antihypertensive therapy in patients at high cardiovascular (CV) risk without diabetes, with generic drugs and unsettling results. The group with systolic blood pressure (SBP) target <120 mmHg (mean reached 121.5) reduced significantly both the total CV events and the all-cause mortality compared with the group with standard SBP <140 mmHg (mean achieved about 135 mmHg), threshold recommended by both the 2013 European Guideline and the Guideline of the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) USA 2014. The authors of a cohort study on the insured Korean population [2], which benefits of universal medical visits in the mandatory national single-payer program NHIS, claim to have confirmed the SPRINT results. They followed from 2007 to the end of 2013 a cohort of 67,965 unselected participants from the “real world”, mean age 52, with three large subgroups of residents with hypertension, free of CV disease at baseline and with different BP control. Indeed, the subgroup with SBP <120 mmHg showed greater CV protection; the subgroup with SBP from 120 to <140 (corresponding to the current international BP guidelines) showed an intermediate CV protection, while the subgroup with SBP ≥140 mmHg, defined “out of control”, had the worst CV results. The authors seem oriented to apply the SPRINT BP thresholds in the “real world. ”
Epi‐immunotherapy for cancers: rationales of epi‐drugs in combination with immunotherapy and advances in clinical trials

Over the last two decades, several epi‐drugs, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and adoptive cell therapies have received clinical approval for use in certain types of cancer. However, monotherapy with epi‐drugs or ICIs has shown limited efficacy in most cancer patients. Epigenetic agents have been shown to regulate the crosstalk between the tumor and host immunity to alleviate immune evasion, suggesting that epi‐drugs can potentially synergize with immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss recent insights into the rationales of incorporating epigenetic therapy into immunotherapy, called epi‐immunotherapy, and focus on an update of current clinical trials in both hematological and solid malignancies. Furthermore, we outline the future challenges and strategies in the field of cancer epi‐immunotherapy.