Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endovascular treatment for anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion ischemic stroke with low ASPECTS: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients presenting with Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) 0–5 has not yet proven safe and effective by clinical trials. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess whether EVT in AIS patients presenting with low ASPECTS is beneficial. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of available studies in accordance with the PRISMA statement. Data sources and Methods: We have searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and reference lists of articles published until 28 May 2022 with the aim to calculate (1) modified Rankin scale (mRS) score 0–3 at 3 months, (2) mRS score 0–2 at 3 months, (3) symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and (3) mortality at 3 months. Results: Overall, 24 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis, comprising a total of 2539 AIS patients with ASPECTS 0–5 treated with EVT. The pooled proportion of EVT-treated patients achieving mRS 0–3 at 3 months was calculated at 38.4%. The pooled proportion of EVT-treated patients achieving mRS 0–2 at 3 months was 25.7%. Regarding safety outcomes, sICH occurred in 12.8% of patients. The 3-month pooled mortality was 30%. In pairwise meta-analysis, patients treated with EVT had a higher likelihood of achieving mRS 0–3 at 3 months compared with patients treated with best medical therapy (BMT, OR: 2.41). sICH occurred more frequently in EVT-treated patients compared with the BMT-treated patients (OR: 2.30). Mortality at 3 months was not different between the two treatment groups (OR: 0.71). Conclusion: EVT may be beneficial for AIS patients with low baseline ASPECTS despite an increased risk for sICH. Further data from randomized-controlled clinical trials are needed to elucidate the role of EVT in this subgroup of AIS patients. Registration: The protocol has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Ongoing Systematic Reviews PROSPERO; Registration Number: CRD42022334417.
The Serum Uric Acid to Serum Creatinine Ratio is an Independent Risk Factor for Diabetic Kidney Disease

Purpose A retrospective study was designed to evaluate whether the serum uric acid to serum creatinine ratio (SUA/SCr) can be used as an indicator of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and macroangiopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients and Methods We screened 2227 patients diagnosed with T2DM, and 450 patients were finally included. They were assigned to three groups based on the tertile of SUA/SCr (Group Tertile 1, Tertile 2, Tertile 3). Demographic information and biochemical parameters were collected from Electronic Patient Record (EPR). Results The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values were lowest in Group Tertile 1 and highest in Group Tertile 3 (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) among the three groups (P > 0.05). Partial correlation analyses revealed that SUA/SCr levels were significantly and positively correlated with eGFR, SUA, body mass index, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alanine transaminase, triglycerides, C-peptide, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fatty liver, while they were negatively correlated with SCr, blood urea nitrogen, cystatin-c, age, male sex, DM duration and hypertension history (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that SUA/SCr was an independent risk factor for eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² (P < 0.05). The ROC curve showed that the cutoff value of SUA/SCr for the identification of eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² was 3.434. In patients with normal UACR, SUA/SCr levels of patients with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² were lower than those with eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m² (P < 0.05). Regression analysis did not show SUA/SCr associate to macrovascular disease after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusion SUA/SCr is an independent risk factor for DKD in patients with T2DM and may be helpful for identifying normoalbuminuric DKD.
Slow gas microflow past a sphere: Analytical solution based on moment equations

The regularized 13-moment equations are solved analytically for the microflow of a gas past a sphere in the case of low Mach numbers. The result is given in fully explicit expressions and shows nontrivial behavior for all fluid fields including stress, heat flux, and temperature. Various aspects of the flow such as temperature polarization and total force are reproduced correctly for moderate Knudsen number. The analytical solution allows studying the rise of Knudsen layers and their interaction and coupling to the fluid variables in the bulk. Additionally, based on the regularized 13-moment equations system, hybrid boundary conditions are given for the standard Stokes equations in order to enable them to predict nonequilibrium effects in the flow past a sphere.
Access, charge and quality of tele-dermatology e-consults in China: A standardized patients study

Objective Direct-to-consumer telemedicine is rapidly changing the way that patients seek medical care. This study provided the first report on access, cost and quality of text- and image-based tele-dermatology e-consults, in China. Methods We adopted the Standardized Patients approach to evaluate the services of tele-dermatology e-consults in two metropolitan cities, that is, Beijing and Hangzhou, in China. We measured quality from four dimensions: service process, diagnosis accuracy, prescription and treatment comprehensiveness, based on China's national clinical guidelines. We performed logistic regressions to investigate factors that were associated with high-quality care. Results For 114 physicians eligible for inclusion, we succeeded in 87 (76%) validated visits. The median waiting time was 100 minutes (IQR 19–243 minutes) and the median length of consultation was 636 minutes (about 10 hours, IQR 188–1528 minutes). Per visit costs varied from $0 to $38, with a median of $8 (IQR 4–9). Among all, 15% of visits showed high quality in service process, 84% arrived in the correct diagnosis, 24% provided high-quality prescriptions and 71% provided comprehensive treatment. Providing images was associated with high quality in service process (OR 7.22, 95% CI 1.49–34.88). Visits in metropolitan Beijing and on non-work days had better prescription quality than that in metropolitan Hangzhou (OR 6.05, 95% CI 1.75–20.95) and that on workdays (OR 3.75, 95%CI 1.27–11.04), respectively. Conclusions Tele-dermatology e-consults seem to be easy to access and less expensive in China. However, great efforts are warranted to ensure that service processes and prescriptions adhere to clinical guidelines.
Secondary Buckling of Circular Plates

It is shown by using a formal perturbation expansion, that unsymmetric equilibrium states branch from axisymmetric buckled states of the uniformly compressed and clamped circular plate. The process is called secondary buckling and the edge thrusts at which the branchings occur are called the secondary buckling loads. In the neighborhoods of the secondary buckling loads that are studied, the secondary states exist for thrusts less than the secondary buckling loads. The minimum secondary buckling load is approximately 7.5 times the primary buckling load of the plate. The linear boundary value problems that are obtained in the application of the perturbation method are solved numerically.
rpoB Mutations are Associated with Variable Levels of Rifampin and Rifabutin Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Objective To assess the relationship between the variant rpoB mutations and the degree of rifampin (RIF)/rifabutin (RFB) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). Methods We analyzed the whole rpoB gene in 177 M. tuberculosis clinical isolates and quantified their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) using microplate-based assays. Results The results revealed that of the 177 isolates, 116 were resistant to both RIF and RFB. There were 38 mutated patterns within the sequenced whole rpoB gene of the 120 isolates. Statistical analysis indicated that mutations, S450L, H445D, H445Y, and H445R, were associated with RIF and RFB resistance. Of these mutations, S450L, H445D, and H445Y were associated with high-level RIF and RFB MIC. H445R was associated with high-level RIF MIC, but not high-level RFB MIC. D435V and L452P were associated with only RIF, but not RFB resistance. Q432K and Q432L were associated with high-level RFB MIC. Several single mutations without statistical association with rifamycin resistance, such as V170F, occurred exclusively in low-level RIF but high-level RFB resistant isolates. Additionally, although cross-resistance to RIF and RFB is common, 21 RIF-resistant/RFB-susceptible isolates were identified. Conclusion This study highlighted the complexity of rifamycin resistance. Identification of the rpoB polymorphism will be helpful to diagnose the RIF-resistant tuberculosis that has the potential to benefit from a treatment regimen including RFB.
A New Normality Illuminated by Past and Present! A Qualitative Study: Experiences and Challenges of Everyday Life in Patients With Advanced Heart or Lung Failure

The aim of this study was to gain insight into the phenomena of everyday life as experienced and coped with by patients living with advanced heart or lung failure. We employed a qualitative design using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach. Data derived from 10 nursing consultations in a holistic setting. Ricoeur’s theory of interpretation inspired the text analysis. The study emphasizes time (past, present, and future) as an overall everyday life theme, playing an essential role associated with improvements or poor outcomes related to physical, mental, and intersubjective challenges. Patients accepted and lived with the challenges, experiencing changes, as transition, but also coped with their new normal, which involved improvements or poor outcomes, some invisible to the community. Assumptions about everyday life changed significantly, the changes possibly essential for intersubjective relations. A reflective approach, can help patients to evolve, using knowledge from the past and present to cope with the future.
Clinical Characteristics, Microbiology, and Risk Factors for Mortality of Pre-Engraftment and Post-Engraftment Bloodstream Infection in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients

Background Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a common and serious complication that may lead to high mortality during the different phases after hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). We investigated BSI in patients undergoing HSCT to provide an appropriate clinical anti-infection experience and improve the prognosis of recipients with BSI after HSCT. Methods A total of 105 patients with BSI after HSCT at our center from January 2015 to June 2020 were included in this retrospective study. We analyzed the clinical and microbiological data, and the risk factors for mortality at 3 months after BSI. Results Of the 1141 HSCT recipients, 105 (9.2%) patients presented with 122 episodes of BSI, of which we isolated 85 (65.9%) gram-negative bacteria, 32 (24.8%) gram-positive bacteria and 12 (9.3%) fungi. Multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) were more than 70% of all pathogens and carbapenem-resistant organisms (CRO) were 25.6%. There were 55 episodes of BSI in the pre-engraftment phase and 67 episodes in the post-engraftment phase. The mortality of post-engraftment BSI was significantly higher than that of pre-engraftment (56.7% vs 32.7%, p = 0.005). Through multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for all-cause mortality at 3 months after BSI were higher levels of procalcitonin (PCT), failure to cover appropriate antibiotics timely, and CRO BSI in pre-engraftment period or multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDRGNB) BSI in post-engraftment period. Conclusion Although the incidence of BSI was lower after HSCT, MDR-dominated BSI had a high mortality rate. Rapid identification of infection or pathogens’ classification with various testing methods and the more sensible and timely antibiotic cover are critical to the outcome of BSI after HSCT.
Bone health in RASopathies

The RASopathies are a group of disorders due to pathogenic variants in genes involved in the Ras/MAPK pathway, many of which have overlapping clinical features (e.g., neurofibromatosis type 1, Costello syndrome, cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome and Noonan syndrome) including musculoskeletal manifestations. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are reported in many of the RASopathies suggesting a shared pathogenesis. Even though osteopenia and osteoporosis are often detected and fractures have been reported, the clinical impact of bone mineralization defects on the skeleton of the various syndromes is poorly understood. Further knowledge of the role of the Ras/MAPK pathway on the bone cellular function, and more detailed musculoskeletal phenotyping will be critical in helping to develop therapies to improve bone health in the RASopathies.
Dexamethasone versus prednisone/prednisolone in the management of pediatric patients with acute asthmatic exacerbations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective Acute asthmatic exacerbation is a common condition for pediatric emergency visits. Recently, dexamethasone has increasingly been used as an alternative to prednisone. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of dexamethasone (DEX) against prednisone/prednisolone (PRED) in managing pediatric patients with acute asthmatic exacerbation. Data sources Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for articles from their inception to August 2022 by two independent reviewers using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) system. The review was registered prospectively with PROSPERO (CRD42022353462). Study selections From 316 studies screened, seventeen studies met the eligibility criteria, with 5967 pediatric patients experiencing an asthma exacerbation requiring treatment with either DEX (n = 2865) or PRED (n = 3102). Baseline patient characteristics (age, sex, PRAM (pediatric respiratory assessment measure), previous corticosteroid and beta-agonist inhaler) were comparable between groups. Results After treatment administration, the DEX group had fewer vomiting incidents (OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.51, I2 = 58%) and reduced noncompliance events (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.34, I2 = 0%) when compared to the PRED group. Regarding emergency-department (ED)-related outcomes, there were no differences in hospital admission rates (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.58, 1.19, I2 = 15%), time spent in the ED (MD= −0.11 h, 95% CI: −0.52; 0.30, I2 = 82%) or relapse occurrences (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.30, 1.49, I2 = 52%) between both groups. Conclusion Although there were no differences between the DEX and PRED groups in terms of hospital admission rates, time spent in the ED or relapse events, pediatric patients receiving DEX experienced lower noncompliance and vomiting rates.
Raman spectra of nano-structured carbon films synthesized using ammonia-containing feed gas

We examined the Raman spectra of nanostructured carbon films grown using the ammonia-containing feed gas at two excitation wavelengths, 514.5 and 1064 nm. The increase of the ammonia concentration in the feed gas resulted in two prominent changes: the complete morphology change (from nanoparticle dominance to nanotube dominance) and the degradation of the graphitic sheet quality. However, the Raman spectra preserved strong resemblance to those of graphite and glassy carbon and showed only systematic variation in the peak position, width, and the intensities. We noted that the ammonia-concentration-dependent broadening of D and G bands, the up-shift of D band, and the increase of the intensity ratio I(D)/I(G) of these films could be interpreted as the signature for the increase of disorder in the graphitic structure and/or the reduction of the graphitic crystallite size in accordance with the similar observation from other carbon-based films. We attributed the observed excitation-energy-dependent shift of .
Chaos from a hysteresis and switched circuit

This paper considers a simple piecewise linear hysteresis circuit. We define one-dimensional return map and derive its analytic formula. It enables us to give a sufficient condition for chaos generation and to analyse bifurcation phenomena rigorously. Especially, we have discovered period-doubling bifurcation with symmetry breaking. Some of theoretical results are verified by laboratory measurements.
64Cu Treatment Planning and 67Cu Therapy with Radiolabeled [64Cu/67Cu]MeCOSar-Octreotate in Subjects with Unresectable Multifocal Meningioma: Initial Results for Human Imaging, Safety, Biodistribution, and Radiation Dosimetry

Visual Abstract Our aim was to report the use of 64Cu and 67Cu as a theranostic pair of radionuclides in human subjects. An additional aim was to measure whole-organ dosimetry of 64Cu and 67Cu attached to the somatostatin analog octreotate using the sarcophagine MeCOSar chelator (SARTATE) in subjects with somatostatin receptor–expressing lesions confined to the cranium, thereby permitting normal-organ dosimetry for the remainder of the body. Methods: Pretreatment PET imaging studies were performed up to 24 h after injection of [64Cu]Cu-SARTATE, and normal-organ dosimetry was estimated using OLINDA/EXM. Subsequently, the trial subjects with multifocal meningiomas were given therapeutic doses of [67Cu]Cu-SARTATE and imaged over several days using SPECT/CT. Results: Five subjects were initially recruited and imaged using PET/CT before treatment. Three of the subjects were subsequently administered 4 cycles each of [67Cu]Cu-SARTATE followed by multiple SPECT/CT imaging time points. No serious adverse events were observed, and no adverse events led to withdrawal from the study or discontinuation from treatment. The estimated mean effective dose was 3.95 × 10−2 mSv/MBq for [64Cu]Cu-SARTATE and 7.62 × 10−2 mSv/MBq for [67Cu]Cu-SARTATE. The highest estimated organ dose was in spleen, followed by kidneys, liver, adrenals, and small intestine. The matched pairing was shown by PET and SPECT intrasubject imaging to have nearly identical targeting to tumors for guiding therapy, demonstrating a potentially accurate and precise theranostic product. Conclusion: 64Cu and 67Cu show great promise as a theranostic pair of radionuclides. Further clinical studies will be required to examine the therapeutic dose required for [67Cu]Cu-SARTATE for various indications. In addition, the ability to use predictive 64Cu-based dosimetry for treatment planning with 67Cu should be further explored.
Rank-One Prior: Real-Time Scene Recovery

Scene recovery is a fundamental imaging task with several practical applications, including video surveillance and autonomous vehicles, etc. In this article, we provide a new real-time scene recovery framework to restore degraded images under different weather/imaging conditions, such as underwater, sand dust and haze. A degraded image can actually be seen as a superimposition of a clear image with the same color imaging environment (underwater, sand or haze, etc.). Mathematically, we can introduce a rank-one matrix to characterize this phenomenon, i.e., rank-one prior (ROP). Using the prior, a direct method with the complexity <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(N)$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mrow><mml:mi>O</mml:mi><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mi>N</mml:mi><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="sun-ieq1-3226276.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> is derived for real-time recovery. For general cases, we develop ROP<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^+$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:msup><mml:mrow/><mml:mo>+</mml:mo></mml:msup></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="sun-ieq2-3226276.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> to further improve the recovery performance. Comprehensive experiments of the scene recovery illustrate that our method outperforms competitively several state-of-the-art imaging methods in terms of efficiency and robustness.
Issues associated with possible implementation of Non‐Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) in first‐tier screening: A rapid scoping review

In recent years, as the implementation and use of Non‐Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) have increased, the cost of the test has been decreasing. The cost of NIPT is expected to fall further in the upcoming years. As a result of the decreasing cost of NIPT, many jurisdictions may change their prenatal screening policies toward abandoning serum‐based screening and instead, implement and support NIPT as the first‐tier screening for all women. There are several concerns in replacing first‐trimester screening with NIPT. In this scoping review, we aimed to map the existing knowledge about possible issues in the systematic implementation of NIPT as the primary method of first‐tier screening and to assess if any jurisdiction has altered its policy and discontinued serum‐based prenatal screening in exchange for NIPT. The Medline database (Ovid) and Google Scholar was searched and all the studies discussing, investigating, or reporting on the systematic implementation of NIPT as the primary method of first‐tier screening were included. All the studies went through a two‐stage screening process and included full‐text articles were reviewed. We did not find any articles indicating a country or region that replaced traditional prenatal screening by NIPT. The included articles were charted, and the data about the possible issues in the systematic implementation of NIPT as the primary method of first‐tier screening are summarized narratively and presented in tables in four categories. The findings of this scoping review may be informative for stakeholders and policymakers regarding recent changes in NIPT implementation policies around the world and may aid with developing policy for NIPT implementation with a broader perspective.
Investigation of oval defects in InGaAs/GaAs strained-layer heterostructures using cathodoluminescence and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) has been widely used to grow epitaxial films, particularly when precise control over the epitaxial layer thickness or abrupt junctions are required. However, oval defects have been found in MBE-grown lattice-mismatched InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures. These act as a primary source of misfit dislocation generation. As a result, it is essential to understand the nature of these oval defects. In this study, we investigate the nature of oval defects using cathodoluminescence (CL) and wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDS).