Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Higher diet quality relates to decelerated epigenetic aging.

BACKGROUND DNA methylation-based epigenetic age measures have been used as biological aging markers and are associated with a healthy lifespan. Few population-based studies have examined the relation between diet and epigenetic age acceleration. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the relation between diet quality and epigenetic age acceleration. METHODS We analyzed data from 1995 participants (mean age, 67 years; 55% women) of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. Cross-sectional associations between the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score and 3 whole-blood DNA methylation-derived epigenetic age acceleration measures-Dunedin Pace of Aging Methylation (DunedinPoAm), GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA), and PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAA)-were examined. A mediation analysis was conducted to assess the mediating role of epigenetic age acceleration in relation to DASH and all-cause mortality. RESULTS A higher DASH score was associated with lower levels of DunedinPoAm (β = -0.05; SE = 0.02; P = 0.007), GrimAA (β = -0.09; SE = 0.02; P < 0.001), and PhenoAA (β = -0.07; SE = 0.02; P = 0.001). All 3 epigenetic measures mediated the association between the DASH score and all-cause mortality, with mean proportions of 22.1% for DunedinPoAm (Pmediation = 0.04), 45.1% for GrimAA (Pmediation = 0.001), and 22.9% for PhenoAA (Pmediation = 0.03). An interaction was observed between the DASH score and smoking status in relation to the epigenetic aging markers. The association between the DASH score and epigenetic aging markers tended to be stronger in "ever-smokers" (former and current smokers) compared to "never-smokers. " The proportions of mediation were 31.3% for DunedinPoAm, 46.8% for GrimAA, and 10.3% for PhenoAA in ever-smokers, whereas no significant mediation was observed in never-smokers. CONCLUSIONS Higher diet quality is associated with slower epigenetic age acceleration, which partially explains the beneficial effect of diet quality on the lifespan. Our findings emphasize that adopting a healthy diet is crucial for maintaining healthy aging.
Modified strict sperm morphology threshold aids in the clinical selection of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

For infertility treatment, the selection of in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is decided by multiplying indicators (including fallopian tube factors, semen count, and semen motility), except for sperm morphology. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis, from implantation to birth, over a period of 5 years. A total of 1873 couples with primary or secondary fallopian tube factors and an increased defective sperm morphology rate (DSMR) were divided into different groups to receive IVF or ICSI cycles. By comparing the outcomes, we found that the F1 group (DSMR <96%, IVF group 1) had higher cleavage rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate than the F3 group (DSMR >98%, IVF group 3; P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no significant difference in the ICSI subgroups. Furthermore, a comparison of the outcomes between IVF and ICSI showed that the S3 group (DSMR >98%, ICSI group 3) had higher cleavage rate (P < 0.001), biochemical pregnancy rate (P < 0.05), clinical pregnancy rate (P < 0.05) and live birth rate (P < 0.05) than the F3 group. However, the ICSI subgroup had a lower two pronuclei fertilization rate than the IVF subgroup (P < 0.05). Our data suggest that the sperm morphology should also be considered when selecting IVF or ICSI combined with other semen parameters before the first assisted reproductive technologies (ART) cycle, especially for males with severe sperm defects.
Promoting Classroom Social and Academic Functioning among Children at Risk for ADHD: The MOSAIC Program

ABSTRACT Objective Social and academic functioning are linked in elementary school, and both are frequently impaired in children with elevated symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study evaluated the Making Socially Accepting Inclusive Classrooms (MOSAIC) program, a classroom intervention to support children’s social and academic functioning, especially for children at risk for ADHD. Teachers delivered MOSAIC practices to the whole class and applied some strategies more frequently to target children selected for elevated ADHD symptoms and peer impairment. Method Participants were 34 general education teachers (grades K-5) and 558 children in their classrooms, randomized to MOSAIC or to a typical practice control group for one academic year. In the fall and spring, we assessed (a) peers’ sociometric judgments of children, (b) children’s self-report of supportive relationships with teachers and peers, and (c) teachers’ report of children’s social and academic competencies and impairments. Results Regarding whole class effects, relative to control group children, children in MOSAIC classrooms (target and non-target children) were rated by teachers in spring as having better competencies and lower impairment, after controlling for fall functioning. There were no main effects of MOSAIC on peer sociometrics or child perceptions of supportive relationships. Target status moderated some effects such that, in spring, target children in MOSAIC perceived greater support from their teachers but received poorer sociometrics than did target children in control classrooms. Conclusions We discuss the difficulty in changing peers’ perceptions of children with ADHD symptoms, even in the presence of improvements in other aspects of social and academic functioning.
Can prognostic nutritional index and systemic immune‐inflammatory index predict disease severity in COVID‐19?

Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and systemic immune‐inflammatory index (SII) are inflammation‐based novel markers that predict the prognosis in various patient populations. We have investigated the relationship between the disease severity in COVID‐19, and the PNI and SII scores in the present study.
Evaluating High-Functioning Young Stroke Survivors with Cognitive Complaints

ABSTRACT: Background: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a commonly used cognitive outcome in stroke trials. However, it may be insufficiently sensitive to detect impairment in high-functioning stroke survivors. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB), a 30-min comprehensive tablet-based cognitive assessment, may be a better choice to characterize cognitive issues in this cohort. Methods: We compared MoCA and NIHTB-CB performance in young stroke survivors (18–55 years) with excellent functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale 0–1) reporting subjective cognitive complaints to that of age-matched healthy controls. We recruited 53 stroke survivors and 53 controls. We performed a sensitivity analysis in those participants with normal MoCA scores (≥26). Results: Median MoCA scores were not significantly different between stroke survivors (27.0 vs. 28.0) and healthy controls. Mean T scores for NIHTB-CB fluid (44.9 vs. 54.2), crystallized (53.8 vs. 60.0), and total cognition (49.1 vs. 58.4) components were significantly lower in stroke survivors compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001 for all). In participants scoring within normal range (≥26) on the MoCA, NIHTB-CB scores for all components remained significantly lower in stroke survivors. Conclusions: In young stroke survivors with excellent functional outcomes and subjective cognitive complaints, the NIHTB-CB, but not the MoCA, was able to detect differences in cognitive performance between stroke survivors and healthy controls. The NIHTB-CB may be a suitable outcome measure for cognition in clinical trials examining higher-functioning young stroke survivors.
Lower growth arrest‐specific 5 level in endometrium is related to endometriosis via promoting cell proliferation and angiogenesis

Long noncoding RNAs are a group of more than 200 nt, nonprotein coding RNAs, some of which are dysregulated in many pathophysiological processes including endometriosis. This study aims to clarify the roles of dysregulated growth arrest‐specific 5 (GAS5) in patients with endometriosis, and unveil the underlying mechanisms. We obtained endometrium samples from 37 patients with endometriosis and 23 controls without endometriosis. Primary endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) and endothelial cells were separated from the endometrium. Levels of GAS5 were quantified using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, and levels of p27, cleaved caspase‐3, cleaved poly (ADP‐Ribose) polymerase 1, vascular endothelial growth factor A, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 3 (TIMP3), and trypsin‐modified soy protein 10 were assessed by immunoblotting. Cell viability was examined using MTT assays, and the cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Endothelial cell tube formation capacity was assayed in vitro. GAS5 and p27 levels were found lower in the endometrium samples from patients with endometriosis. Primary ESCs from patients with endometriosis had increased viability, reduced apoptosis, and a relatively uncontrolled cell cycle. Gain‐ and loss‐of‐function studies confirmed that GAS5 regulated p27 expression in ESCs. Furthermore, GAS5 level was relatively low in primary endothelial cells from patients with endometriosis and GAS5 acted as an angiogenesis inhibitor by regulating the miR‐181c‐TIMP3 axis. Thus, lower GAS5 level in endometrium might be related to endometriosis by regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and angiogenesis.
COVID‐19‐associated mucormycosis: An updated systematic review of literature

In its wake, the COVID‐19 pandemic has ushered in a surge in the number of cases of mucormycosis. Most cases are temporally linked to COVID‐19; hence, the entity is described as COVID‐19‐associated mucormycosis (CAM). The present systematic review was undertaken to provide an up‐to‐date summary of the hitherto available literature on CAM. PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched using appropriate keywords till 14 May 2021, to identify case reports/case series pertaining to mucormycosis in patients with COVID‐19. Relevant data extracted included demographic characteristics, comorbidity profile, clinical category of mucormycosis, glucocorticoid use, treatment offered and patient outcome. We identified 30 case reports/case series, pooling data retrieved from 99 patients with CAM. Most cases were reported from India (72%). The majority of the patients was male (78%) and had diabetes mellitus (85%). A prior history of COVID‐19 was present in 37% patients with mucormycosis developing after an initial recovery. The median time interval between COVID‐19 diagnosis and the first evidence of mucormycosis infection or CAM diagnosis was 15 days. Glucocorticoid use was reported in 85% of cases. Rhino‐orbital mucormycosis was most common (42%), followed by rhino‐orbito‐cerebral mucormycosis (24%). Pulmonary mucormycosis was observed in 10 patients (10%). The mortality rate was 34%; the use of adjunct surgery, which was undertaken in 81% of patients, was associated with better clinical outcomes (p < .001). In conclusion, CAM is an emerging problem necessitating increased vigilance in COVID‐19 patients, even those who have recovered. CAM portends a poor prognosis and warrants early diagnosis and treatment.
Modeling ultraviolet dose–response of Bacillus spore clusters in air

ABSTRACT This article presents a new way to model the narrow band ultraviolet (UV-C, 254.7 nm) radiation dose–response behavior of Bacillus spores in clusters based on knowledge of the UV-C dose–response behavior of the single spores. The approach is demonstrated using experimentally obtained survival rates for Bacillus atrophaeus var. globigii (BG) spores and BG spore clusters of several sizes exposed to UV-C fluence when aerosolized and when deposited on dry surfaces. These results are modeled to derive predicted survival rates for spores in clusters of arbitrary cluster diameter under similar conditions. The essential feature of the approach is accurate accounting for attenuation of incident UV fluence within the spore cluster to derive the fluence incident on individual spores within the cluster. The results suggest that UV fluence attenuation by bacterial spores may increase with increasing fluence, a phenomenon that has not been previously reported for bacterial spores. The results are of utility in estimating dispersed biological hazards and evaluating the effectiveness of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems. Copyright © 2016 American Association for Aerosol Research
Magician's Corner: 9. Performance Metrics for Machine Learning Models.

I the previous articles, we showed how to process images and train classification models, segmentation models, generative adversarial networks, as well as image denoising models. We also provided a guide on how to visualize model training metrics with TensorBoard and how to connect a model to your picture archiving and communication system. In this article, we will show you how to evaluate the performance of your models by delving into some details about classification and segmentation metrics and show how to calculate them. Performance metrics are useful during model training and validation. We also provide an interactive way for you to see how a custom threshold influences these metrics. To follow this guide, open Colab by clicking on this link: https://colab.research. google.com. Make sure to use Google Chrome as your web browser. You should be prompted to open a file when you start it, but otherwise, select the File > Open Notebook menu option, select the “Github” tab at the top, enter “RSNA” into the search field, and then select the repository “RSNA/MagiciansCorner. ” Select the entry called “Magicians_Corner_9_ Performance_Metrics_for_Machine_Learning. ipynb” to load the notebook. Click the arrow at the left of the first cell to run cell 1 (you may need to accept that it is not Google code).
Prospective risk of stillbirth and neonatal complications for monochorionic diamniotic and dichorionic diamniotic twins after 24 weeks of gestation

Our study compared the prospective risks of intrauterine fetal death (IUFD), neonatal death (NND), perinatal death (PND), and neonatal morbidities in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) and dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancies.
Promoting Equity for Women in Medicine - Seizing a Disruptive Opportunity.

for addressing long-standing issues that have led to the underrepresentation of women in influential positions in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). 1 The report emphasized the ways in which cultural differences among disciplines and issues related to intersectionality contribute to the complexity associated with confronting gender inequity and to the lack of women in these fields. The tenuous position of women in medicine — including a relative lack of progress over 35 years — has since been confirmed.2 Given the past year’s understandably urgent focus on clinical and research efforts related to Covid19, attention has seemingly turned away from work aimed at promoting gender equity, diversity, and inclusion. There is growing evidence that pandemic-associated disruptions have had a disproportionate effect on women’s personal and professional lives and could have lasting, negative consequences for their career trajectories.3,4 In 2021, the NASEM released a new report focusing on Covid-19 and the careers of women in STEMM (on which we were coauthors),5 which also uses an intersectional lens and highlights the layering of social stressors that have affected women of color and women who are members of other marginalized groups. Moving forward, we believe it will be important to continue to examine leadership decisions and new roles created because of the pandemic that may have widened the gender gap in academic medicine. The disruptions associated with the pandemic have presented both challenges and opportunities for ensuring equity and reaping the benefits of diversity. One important challenge has been increased caregiving needs, both in the workplace and at home. These demands have exacerbated a preexisting barrier to women’s professional advancement, given societal expectations that women serve as caregivers and professional norms that inadequately value caregiving-related contributions. Gender-based differences in the time that academic physicians dedicate to parenting and other extraprofessional caregiving responsibilities existed before the pandemic closed schools and child care facilities and increased older adults’ needs. Differences in caregiving roles in the workplace have also existed for decades, Promoting Equity for Women in Medicine — Seizing a Disruptive Opportunity
Influence of social media on how college students perceive healthy relationships and consent

Abstract Objective: Because of the high rates of sexual assault on college campuses, it is important to examine factors that influence perceptions of healthy relationships and consent, including social media. Because college students are heavy users of social media, it is imperative to consider how social media can influence their participation in risky behavior, including the attitudes and norms around sex and relationships. Participants: Undergraduate college students were recruited to participate in a study that sought to understand how college students navigate romantic and sexual relationships. Methods: Participants (N = 392) completed a survey that assessed social media use, and how they perceived healthy relationship behavior and consent. Results: Results showed social media had more of an influence on perceptions of healthy relationships. However, the influence of social media on consent and healthy relationships is inconsistent across platforms; emphasizing the need for further research.
Disparities in clinical features and outcomes of peripartum cardiomyopathy in high versus low prevalent regions in Nigeria

The prospective, multicentre Peripartum Cardiomyopathy in Nigeria (PEACE) registry originally demonstrated a high prevalence of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) among patients originating from Kano, North‐West Nigeria. In a post hoc analysis, we sought to determine if this phenomenon was characterized by a differential case profile and outcome among PPCM cases originating elsewhere.
Interpersonal Counseling for College Students: Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

OBJECTIVE University counseling centers struggle to meet the growing demand for mental health treatment by students in distress. More acutely distressed students typically receive priority, whereas those with mild to moderate depression often face longer wait times and fewer available therapy sessions. For this reason, interpersonal counseling for college students (IPC-C) was created as a brief manualized psychotherapy, suitable for students with mild to moderate depression, that maintains the core components of interpersonal counseling and integrates components from interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents and other developmentally appropriate techniques. This article describes a pilot trial of IPC-C. METHODS IPC-C is delivered in three to six psychotherapy sessions focused on alleviating depressive symptoms and increasing social support. Ten participants from two university counseling centers were recruited to receive IPC-C. The inclusion criterion was a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score of 5-14, indicating mild to moderate depression. Participants completed the PHQ-9 at each session, the College Adjustment Test at baseline and termination, and the IPC Satisfaction Scale at termination. RESULTS Nine of the 10 participants completed the study, attending an average of five therapy sessions each. Participants agreed that the number of sessions was appropriate and indicated satisfaction with the IPC-C intervention. Participants exhibited significantly reduced depression severity (Cohen's d=2.45) and significantly improved college adjustment (d=0.92). CONCLUSIONS In this pilot trial, IPC-C was found to be a feasible and acceptable intervention for university-based treatment of young adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. IPC-C holds promise as a potentially effective intervention for this population and warrants further study in a randomized trial.
ASFold-DNN: Protein Fold Recognition Based on Evolutionary Features With Variable Parameters Using Full Connected Neural Network

Protein fold recognition contribute to comprehend the function of proteins, which is of great help to the gene therapy of diseases and the development of new drugs. Researchers have been working in this direction and have made considerable achievements, but challenges still exist on low sequence similarity datasets. In this study, we propose the ASFold-DNN framework for protein fold recognition research. Above all, four groups of evolutionary features are extracted from the primary structures of proteins, and a preliminary selection of variable parameter is made for two groups of features including ACC<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\_$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mo>_</mml:mo></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="qin-ieq1-3089168.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>HMM and SXG<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\_$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mo>_</mml:mo></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="qin-ieq2-3089168.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>HMM, respectively. Then several feature selection algorithms are selected for comparison and the best feature selection scheme is obtained by changing their internal threshold values. Finally, multiple hyper-parameters of Full Connected Neural Network are fully optimized to construct the best model. DD, EDD and TG datasets with low sequence similarities are chosen to evaluate the performance of the models constructed by the framework, and the final prediction accuracy are 85.28, 95.00 and 88.84 percent, respectively. Furthermore, the ASTRAL186 and LE datasets are introduced to further verify the generalization ability of our proposed framework. Comprehensive experimental results prove that the ASFold-DNN framework is more prominent than the state-of-the-art studies on protein fold recognition. The source code and data of ASFold-DNN can be downloaded from <uri>https://github.com/Bioinformatics-Laboratory/project/tree/master/ASFold</uri>.
A Retrospective Review of 589 Percutaneous Tracheostomies in a Canadian Community Teaching Hospital

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to review the complication rate of percutaneous tracheostomies performed by a single surgeon in a community teaching hospital. Methods: This retrospective study reviewed the patients who underwent percutaneous tracheostomy with bronchoscopic guidance in a community hospital setting between 2009 and 2017. Patients older than the age of 18 requiring percutaneous tracheostomy were chosen for this retrospective study. Patients who were medically unstable, had no palpable neck landmarks, and inadequate neck extension were excluded. Indications for percutaneous tracheostomy included patients who had failed to wean from mechanical ventilation, required pulmonary toileting, or in whom airway protection was required. Results: Of the 600 patients who received percutaneous tracheostomy, 589 patients were included in the study. Intraoperative complication (2.6%) and postoperative complication rates (11.4%) compared similarly to literature reported rates. The most common intraoperative complications were bleeding, technical difficulties, and accidental extubation. Bleeding, tube obstruction, and infection were the most common postoperative complications. Overall burden of comorbidity, defined by Charlson Comorbidity Index, and coagulopathy were also found to be associated with higher complication rates. The decannulation rate at discharge was 46.3%. Conclusion: Percutaneous tracheostomy is a safe alternative to open tracheostomies in the community setting for appropriately selected patients.