Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Serum Secretoneurin Levels in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

BACKGROUND Secretoneurin is a neuropeptide expressed from endocrine, neuroendocrine, and neural tissues. Our study aimed to investigate whether there was a relationship between secretoneurin levels and the severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS Ninety patients aged over 18 years who were admitted to the emergency department with head trauma between April 2020 and October 2020 and 20 healthy volunteers (control group) were included in the study. Patients were divided into three groups according to Glasgow Coma Scale scores: Mild TBI (n=33), moderate TBI (n=28), and severe TBI (n=29). Exitus, discharge with Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) ≤ 3, and discharge with GOS >3. RESULTS The median secretoneurin levels of patients with severe TBI 31.71 (14.21-70.95) were found to be significantly higher than in those with moderate TBI [17.30 (10.71-69.27) (p=0.025), and patients with moderate TBI had a substantially higher level of secretoneurin than those with mild TBI 11.70 (6-16.25) (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the median secretoneurin levels in patients with mild TBI and the control group 10.73 (5.33-13.18) (p=0.999). The secretoneurin cut-off value of >18.13 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 83.87% and a specificity of 77.97% for poor neurologic outcomes (AUC 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77- 0.92). The secretoneurin cut-off value of >20.67 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 90.91% and a specificity of 74.68% for mortality (AUC 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.92). CONCLUSION Secretoneurin can be a useful biomarker in diagnosing patients with moderate-to-severe TBI. It may also guide physicians in predicting the clinical outcome of patients with TBI.
Targeting soluble guanylate cyclase with Riociguat has potency to alleviate testicular ischaemia reperfusion injury via regulating various cellular pathways

Testicular ischaemia reperfusion (I/R) injury results with serious dysfunctions in testis. This study aims to explore effects of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator Riociguat on experimental testicular I/R injury in rats. Twenty‐one male rats were divided into three groups (Control, IR and IRR). The control group was not exposed to any application. Bilateral testis from IR and IRR animals were rotated 720° in opposite directions for 3 h to induce experimental testicular ischaemia. Animals in IR and IRR groups were subjected to 3 h of reperfusion. Isotonic and Riociguat were administered to the animals 30 min prior reperfusion by oral gavage. At the end of experiment, animals were sacrificed and tissue samples were used for analyses. Riociguat treatment significantly decreased tissue malondialdehyde and Luminol levels compared to the IR group (p < 0.05). The pathological changes, pro‐apoptotic proteins (Bax, Caspase 3, and Caspase 9) and apoptotic index in the IR group were down regulated in Riociguat treated animals (p < 0.05). Riociguat treatment was also significantly increased anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 expression, but alleviated tissue injury via modulating pro‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐1β levels and significantly (p < 0.05) down‐regulating NF‐κB activity. Moreover, mTOR and ERK phosphorylation increased in IR group (p < 0.05), but Riociguat treatment reduced protein phosphorylation. Our experiment indicated that targeting sGC might support surgical interventions in testicular I/R injury by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptotic protein expression levels, but more detailed studies are required to explore the protective activity of Riociguat and underlying mechanisms in testicular I/R injury.
Adverse reactions to inactivated COVID-19 vaccination in patients with chronic liver disease: The effect of anxiety

ABSTRACT Studies have shown that patients with chronic liver disease are at a higher risk of contracting novel coronavirus pneumonia than healthy individuals, and many guidelines state that patients with chronic liver disease should be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination, but there are a few studies on its safety in CLD patients. We aimed to evaluate the safety of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in patients with chronic liver disease, and the effect of anxiety on adverse reactions. A questionnaire survey for self-administered post-vaccination adverse reaction monitoring was conducted from June 17, 2021, to August 11, 2021, in patients with chronic liver disease attending a tertiary care hospital in Taizhou, China. We analyzed the data from of a total of 160 participants who scanned the QR code on social media to respond to the questionnaire. The overall incidence of adverse reactions after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with chronic liver disease was 44.4% (71/160), and the most common adverse reaction was local injection site reaction, accounting for 80.3% of adverse reactions (57/71). No serious adverse reactions were reported. Approximately 53.1% of the patients had anxiety about vaccination, and 51.8% of those who felt anxious reported adverse reactions. The safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with chronic liver disease is good, and there is a strong association between adverse reactions and vaccine anxiety. Pre-vaccination education for patients with vaccine anxiety and psychological counseling may reduce reports of adverse reactions and improve patients’ confidence in the vaccine.
Last Honors and Life Experiences of Bereaved Families in the Context of COVID-19 in Kashmir: A Qualitative Inquiry About Exclusion, Family Trauma, and Other Issues

This study examined the changing character of the last honours of those who died of COVID-19 in Kashmir and the life experiences of the families of the deceased. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect information from 21 participants. Using qualitative data analysis approaches, five key themes were identified vis-à-vis the impact of COVID-19 on burial rituals and customs; effects on bereaved families, shades of grief, bereavement care, community response, and coping with loss. Based on examining the pandemic-induced changes related to customs and rituals around death, the study found that the bereaved family members were in danger of marginalization, economic burdens, psychological traumas, and overall reduced quality of life. This study would be a credible addition to the existing literature on death practices as there is a shortage of research on funeral rituals during the post-pandemic period in Kashmir.
Real-World Experience of Efficacy and Safety of Trabectedin in Patients with Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Bicentric Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are a rare and heterogenous group of tumors, with poor prognostic, judging from their frequency to relapse. Few drugs are available after the conventional first-line regimen. Since 2007, trabectedin got approval after failure of anthracyclines and ifosfamide, for advanced or metastatic STS. This led to a FDA approval in 2015, but real-world evidence is still required, complementary to the pivotal phase II and III trials. Methods: One hundred twenty-six patients with STS, treated by trabectedin between 2002 and 2019, were analyzed in this retrospective study, in two French centers. The effects of trabectedin on survival, response, and toxicity were described. All patients were tested for toxicities, and efficacy was assessed in patients exposed to at least 2 cycles of trabectedin. Results: Three median cycles were administered per patient (1–79). Among the 113 patients analyzed for efficacy, the median progression-free survival was 3.0 months (95% CI: 2.3–4.8), with an overall survival of 12.3 months (95% CI: 10.2–16.9). The rate of disease control was 46% at the end of treatment. Myxoid liposarcoma (n = 11) was the histology subtype that benefited most from this chemotherapy with median progression-free survival and overall survival of 13.3 months (95% CI: 2.3–18.7) and 27.8 months (95% CI: 3.2–64.7), respectively. Adverse events were manageable. Discussion and Conclusion: Efficacy of trabectedin is confirmed in terms of clinical benefit and low toxicity, especially for myxoid liposarcoma. Combinatory regimens are under clinical trials to optimize the place of this chemotherapy.
The Extreme Outer Regions of Disk Galaxies. I. Chemical Abundances of H II Regions

We present the first results of an ongoing project to investigate the present-day chemical abundances of the extreme outer parts of galactic disks, as probed by the emission-line spectra of a new sample of H II regions. The galaxies studied here, NGC 628, NGC 1058, and NGC 6946, are all late-type spiral galaxies, characterized by larger than average H I–to–optical sizes. Our deep Hα images have revealed the existence of recent massive star formation, traced by H II regions, out to and beyond two optical radii in these galaxies (defined by the B-band 25th magnitude isophote). Optical spectra of these newly discovered H II regions are used to investigate their densities, ionization parameters, extinctions, and, in particular, their oxygen and nitrogen abundances. Our measurements reveal gas-phase abundances of O/H ∼ 10%–15% of the solar value and N/O ∼ 20%–25% of the solar value at radii of (1.5–2)R25. Clear evidence also exists for diminished dust extinction (AV ∼ 0–0.2 mag) at large radii. The combination of our measurements of outer disk H II region abundances with those for inner disk H II regions published in the literature is a powerful probe of the shape of abundance gradients over unprecedented radial baselines. The predictions of models of chemical evolution often diverge most strongly in the outer parts of galaxies. Both the oxygen and the nitrogen-to-oxygen abundances generally decrease with increasing radius. Within the limits of the current data set, the radial abundance variations are consistent with single log-linear relationships, although the derived slopes can often differ considerably from those found if only inner disk H II regions are used to define the fit. The small number of H II regions in our present sample, together with uncertainties in the calibrations of the empirical methods used here to determine abundances, limit the ability to constrain both subtle changes in the radial gradient and intrinsic scatter at a fixed radius. Nitrogen-to-oxygen ratios appear to be consistent with a combination of primary and secondary production of nitrogen. Interestingly, both the mean level of enrichment and the N/O ratio measured in extreme outer galactic disks are similar to those values measured in some high-redshift damped Lyα absorbers, suggesting that outer disks at the present epoch are relatively unevolved.
A systematic review of gender-responsive and integrated substance use disorder treatment programs for women with co-occurring disorders

ABSTRACT Background: Integrated and gender-responsive interventions, designed to target co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders in women, may be effective in addressing gender-specific challenges. Objectives: This systematic review aims to identify integrated gender-responsive substance use disorder treatments for women, summarize evaluations of these treatments, and address gaps in the literature. Methods: We searched PsycINFO, PubMed, and MEDLINE on September 24, 2021, and March 10, 2022. Included articles were randomized-controlled trials, secondary analyses of naturalistic studies, or open-label studies of integrated and gender-responsive treatments from any year that assessed both substance use and mental health/trauma outcomes. Results: We identified N = 24 studies (participants = 3,396; 100% women) examining Seeking Safety, Helping Women Recover and Beyond Trauma, A Woman’s Path to Recovery, Modified Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model (TREM), Breaking the Cycle, VOICES, Understanding and Overcoming Substance Misuse, Women’s Recovery Group, Female Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Moment by Moment in Women’s Recovery. Across treatments there were significant improvements over time; Seeking Safety, Helping Women Recover, and TREM were associated with significantly better substance use and mental health outcomes relative to the comparison groups. Conclusions: Integrated gender-responsive treatments are a promising approach to treating women with co-occurring substance use and mental health concerns, and broad clinical implementation stands to benefit women. However, there remains a lack of studies evaluating substance use treatments in women with severe mental illness (e.g., psychotic-spectrum disorders) who differ in their needs and capacity.
Socio‐economic outcomes among long‐term childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia survivors enrolled between 1971 and 1998 in EORTC CLG studies: Results of the 58LAE study

Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate the socio‐economic outcomes of survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Methods Childhood ALL adult survivors, enrolled in EORTC trials between 1971 and 1998 in France and Belgium, were invited to fill out a questionnaire with information about their socio‐economic situation (living with a partner, having a university degree, having a job, working part time and history of having a paid job). The outcomes were compared with two matched control populations. Results Among 1418 eligible patients, 507 (35.8%) participated, including 39 (8%) and 61 (12%) patients who received a haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and a cranial radiotherapy (CRT), respectively. The median time to follow‐up was 20 years, and median age was 25 years. Survivors showed a socio‐economic level at least as good as controls. HCST and CRT were associated with a higher probability of not obtaining a bachelor degree (respectively OR = 3.49, 95% CI: 1.46–8.35 and OR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.04–5.15), HSCT was associated with unemployment (OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.09–7.65) and having a relapse was associated with a higher probability of not having a partner (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.01–3.51) adjusting for confounders. Conclusion Childhood ALL survivors showed a high level of socio‐economic participation. HCST and CRT were associated with poorer functioning.
Augmentative and alternative communication services during the COVID-19 pandemic: impact on children, their families and service providers

Abstract The closure of schools and healthcare facilities across the United States due to COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way that services are provided to children with disabilities. Little is known about how children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), their families and their service providers have been impacted by these changes. This qualitative study sought to understand the perspectives of parents and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) on how COVID-19 has affected children, families, services providers and the delivery of AAC-related communication services. For the study, 25 parents and 25 SLPs of children who used aided AAC participated in semi-structured interviews, with data analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Parents and SLPs highlighted wide disparities in how children have been impacted, ranging from views of children making more progress with communication and language than before the pandemic to worries about regression. A complex system of factors and processes may explain these differences. COVID-19 will have lasting impacts on the lives of children with complex communication needs. This research highlights the crucial role of family-service provider partnerships and access to quality AAC services for children during the pandemic and into the future.
Fluorescence guidance improves the accuracy of radiological imaging‐guided surgical navigation

Imaging‐based navigation technologies require static referencing between the target anatomy and the optical sensors. Imaging‐based navigation is therefore well suited to operations involving bony anatomy; however, these technologies have not translated to soft‐tissue surgery. We sought to determine if fluorescence imaging complement conventional, radiological imaging‐based navigation to guide the dissection of soft‐tissue phantom tumors.
Prevalence of mental health disorders in children and adolescents in the Republic of Ireland: a systematic review

Abstract Referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) have increased in recent years. Services are already under-resourced and the adverse psychological impact of Covid-19 is likely to increase demand. Accordingly, an understanding of prevalence of mental health (MH) disorders among youth is imperative to help inform and plan services. Aim: To establish prevalence of MH disorders among youth (under 18) in Ireland. Method: A systematic review using pre-defined search terms in PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase and CINAHL was conducted. Empirical studies conducted in Ireland, in youth and focusing on MH disorders were included. Results: From a total of 830 papers identified, 38 papers met inclusion criteria. Significant variation in rates of MH disorders was evident based on study methodology. Screening questionnaires for general psychopathology reported rates of 4.8–17.8% scoring above clinical cut-offs, with higher rates for ADHD (7.3%). Studies examining depression ranged from 4% to 20.8%, while rates for ‘current’ MH disorder, determined by semi-structured interview, were 15.5%, while ‘lifetime’ rates varied from 19.9% to 31.2%. Fewer than half (44%) of those identified as ‘in need’ of specialist MH services were accessing CAMHS Conclusion: Data on MH disorders among Irish youth is limited, and studies showed significant variance in rates, making service planning difficult. There is an urgent need for serial epidemiological surveys, with clear operational criteria for clinically impairing MH difficulties. Such studies are essential to understand potential demand and service planning. This is most urgent given the expected increased demand post Covid-19.
Evaluating intraocular lens power formula constant robustness using bootstrap algorithms

Bootstrapping is a modern technique mostly used in statistics to evaluate the robustness of model parameters. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for evaluation of formula constant uncertainties and the effect on the prediction error (PE) in intraocular lens power calculation with theoretical‐optical formulae using bootstrap techniques.
Physico-chemical properties of calcium silicate-based sealers in powder/liquid and ready-to-use forms

Abstract Calcium silicate-based root canal sealers have been developed in powder/liquid or premixed ready-to-use forms. The evaluation of the physico-chemical properties of a prototype powder/liquid MTApex Sealer (Ultradent) in comparison to a ready-to-use material EndoSequence BC Sealer (Brasseler) was performed. The paste/paste epoxy resin-based AH Plus (Dentsply) served as control for comparisons. The sealers were evaluated (n = 6) regarding setting time (in dry and moist environments), flow and radiopacity, following the ISO-6876/2012 standard. Also, the pH was assessed. Material’s surface and chemical characterization was evaluated using scanning-electron-microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive-spectrometry (EDS). Mixed ANOVA, Shapiro-Wilk, Levene, and post-hoc analysis with Bonferroni correction were performed at a significance level of 5%. MTApex Sealer exhibited the highest flow and EndoSequence BC Sealer had a significantly longer setting time in dry compared to the moist environment; however, for MTApex Sealer and AH Plus no significant changes occurred when additional moisture was provided. All materials exceeded 7 mm Al of radiopacity and showed a decreasing alkalinity over the 21 day-analysis. SEM/EDS evaluation resulted in peaks of calcium, silicon, and the respective radiopacifier. The prototype powder/liquid MTApex Sealer had the highest flow and similar setting time in both dry and moist environments; opposingly, EndoSequence BC Sealer was crucially influenced by external moisture. This suggests that the powder/liquid materials’ setting seems to be more predictable.
Distinct type I collagen alterations cause intrinsic lung and respiratory defects of variable severity in mouse models of osteogenesis imperfecta

Type I collagen alterations cause osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a connective tissue disorder characterized by severe bone fragility. Patients with OI can suffer from significant pulmonary manifestations including severe respiratory distress in the neonatal period and a progressive decline in respiratory function in adulthood. We and others have shown intrinsic lung defects in some mouse models of OI. In this large study, we performed histological, histomorphometric, microcomputed tomography and invasive studies on oim/+, Col1a2+/G610C, CrtapKO and oim/oim mice, mimicking mild to moderate to severe OI, with the overall goal of determining the extent of their pulmonary and respiratory mechanics defects and whether these defects correlate with the skeletal disease severity and affect each sex equally. Although with variable severity, OI lung histology consistently showed alveolar simplification with enlarged acinar airspace and reduced alveolar surface. Numerous respiratory mechanics parameters, including respiratory system resistance and elastance, tissue damping, inspiratory capacity, total lung capacity, and others, were significantly and similarly impacted in CrtapKO and oim/oim but not in oim/+ or Col1a2+/G610C compared to control mice. Our data indicate that the impact of type I collagen alterations and OI on lung morphology and function positively correlate with the severity of the extracellular matrix deficiency. Moreover, the respiratory defects were more pronounced in male compared to female mice. It will be important to determine whether our observations in mice translate to OI patients and to dissect the respective contribution of intrinsic lung defects vs. extrinsic skeletal defects to impaired lung function in OI.
Effects of Kisspeptin Administration in Women With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Key Points Question Does kisspeptin administration improve sexual and attraction brain processing in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder? Findings In this randomized clinical trial including 32 premenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, kisspeptin administration was found to modulate sexual and attraction brain processing in functional neuroimaging, psychometric, and hormonal analyses. Furthermore, kisspeptin’s modulation of brain processing correlated with psychometric measures of sexual aversion and associated distress. Meaning These findings lay the foundations for the clinical applications of kisspeptin in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder.
Presence of Spirometra mansoni, Causative Agent of Sparganosis, in South America

We report molecular identification of an adult Spirometra mansoni tapeworm retrieved from a crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) in Colombia, confirming presence of this parasite in South America. This tapeworm is the causative agent of human sparganosis, commonly reported from Southeast Asia, and represents the second congeneric species with known zoonotic potential in the Americas.
Development of bioinformatics and multi-omics analyses in organoids

Pre-clinical models are critical in gaining mechanistic and biological insights into disease progression. Recently, patient-derived organoid models have been developed to facilitate our understanding of disease development and to improve the discovery of therapeutic options by faithfully recapitulating in vivo tissues or organs. As technological developments of organoid models are rapidly growing, computational methods are gaining attention in organoid researchers to improve the ability to systematically analyze experimental results. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in organoid models to recapitulate human diseases and computational advancements to analyze experimental results from organoids.