Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Circulating levels of angiogenic factors and their association with preeclampsia among pregnant women at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Uganda

Preeclampsia (PE) is a major cause of maternal and new-born morbidity and mortality. Angiogenic factors contribute a major role in the vascular dysfunction associated with PE. We investigated the circulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble Feline McDonough Sarcoma (fms)—like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt1), their association with PE and diagnostic performance of disease among pregnant women in Uganda. Using a case-control study design, 106 women with PE and 106 with normal pregnancy were enrolled. Demographic and clinical characteristics, and anticoagulated blood samples were collected from participants. Plasma VEGF, PlGF and sFlt1 levels were measured using Luminex and enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Conditional logistic regression was used to explore association of angiogenic factors with PE and receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to investigate PE diagnostic performance. Levels of VEGF and PIGF were significantly lower in cases compared to controls (VEGF: median = 0.71 pg/ml (IQR = 0.38–1.11) Vs 1.20 pg/ml (0.64–1.91), p-value<0.001 and PlGF: 2.20 pg/ml (1.08–5.86) Vs 84.62 pg/ml (34.00–154.45), p-value<0.001). Plasma levels of sFlt1 were significantly higher in cases than controls (median = 141.13 (71.76–227.10) x103 pg/ml Vs 19.86 (14.20–29.37) x103 pg/ml). Increasing sFlt1 levels were associated with increased likelihood of PE (aOR = 4.73; 95% CI, 1.18–19.01; p-value = 0.0287). The sFlt1/PlGF ratio and sFlt1 had a better performance for diagnosis of PE, with AUC = 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93–0.98) followed by PlGF with AUC = 0.94 (95% CI, 0.91–0.97). Therefore, sFlt1, sFlt1/PlGF ratio and PlGF are potential candidates for incorporation into algorithms for PE diagnosis in the Ugandan population.
Nitrogen efficiency in oats on grain yield with stability

O nitrogenio e o nutriente mais absorvido pela aveia; em condicoes climaticas desfavoraveis diminui sua eficiencia, gerando reducao e instabilidade na produtividade. Objetivou-se, no estudo, a melhoria da eficiencia de uso do nitrogenio na produtividade de graos de aveia pelo valor economico do produto e do insumo e por modelos que dimensionam a estabilidade considerando sistemas de sucessao de alta e reduzida liberacao de N-residual em anos favoraveis e desfavoraveis ao cultivo. O estudo foi conduzido nos anos de 2013, 2014 e 2015 em dois sistemas de sucessao (soja/aveia; milho/aveia) em delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados com oito repeticoes, para as doses de N-fertilizante de 0, 30, 60 e 120 kg ha-1. A dose de N-fertilizante pela maxima eficiencia economica em aveia deve ser considerada observando-se as tendencias meteorologicas do ano de cultivo. A otimizacao de uso do nitrogenio por modelos que determinam a estabilidade e uma proposta inovadora para aumentar a eficiencia de adubacao sobre a produtividade. A dose de 60 kg ha-1 de N-fertilizante promove a maior eficiencia com previsibilidade e produtividade, independente de ano agricola e do sistema de sucessao.
Perianal Solitary Fibrous Tumor in a Rare Anatomical Presentation: A Case Report and Literature Review

Patient: Male, 78-year-old Final Diagnosis: Solitary fibrous tumor Symptoms: Growth Medication:— Clinical Procedure: Excision biopsy Specialty: Pathology • Surgery Objective: Rare disease Background: Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) account for <2% of all soft tissue tumors and are slow-growing neoplasms of mesenchymal origin, which have been reported in various locations. They are frequently observed at the pleura and a perianal location is extremely rare. They show no predisposition by sex, are mainly benign, and usually occur between the 5th and 7th decades of life. Case Report: We report the case of an 80-year-old man with no comorbidities except hypertension, who presented with an asymptomatic perineal mass. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a solid tumor measuring 3.5×2.5 cm identified in the perineal midline. It was very close to the anal sphincter, showing no extension to the rectum or anus. The tumor was completely excised with negative margins. The postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged home, free of any symptoms. The pathological examination showed a benign completely excised SFT, and no further treatment was necessary. At the 6-month and 1-year follow-ups, there was no sign of recurrence. Conclusions: A comprehensive review of all the reported cases of perianal SFTs shows that the majority of these tumors present with no symptoms and have a favorable prognosis. Diagnosis is possible only after a pathological examination. The criterion standard of treatment is complete excision with negative margins. Once excised, the tumors have low rates of recurrence and metastasis. Tumors very close to the anal sphincter and with malignant potential need to be operated on with extra care to obtain clear margins without disrupting the continence mechanism.
Evaluation of night eating syndrome in individuals with and without obesity.

BACKGROUND There are publications with contrasting results on the relationship between night eating syndrome and obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and relationship between night eating syndrome (NES) in obese and non-obese participants. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between 1 January 2018 and 1 May 2018, 420 people ages 18-65 years who applied to İzmir Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital Family Medicine and Endocrinology outpatient clinics for any reason enrolled in this study. Body mass index (BMI = weight [kg]/height² [m²]) was calculated by measuring participants' height and weight. BMI values between 18.50 and 24.99 were normal weight, between 25.0 and 29.99 were overweight, between 30.0 and 39.99 were obese, and 40.0 and above were considered morbidly obese. Participants' sociodemographic data, the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered by face-to-face interview technique. RESULTS The average age of the participants was 42 ± 13 years and 68.6% were female. The mean body mass index (BMI) of the participants was 31.8 ± 8.2. The prevalence of NES was determined: 10% of the participants had NES. The higher frequency of NES in patients with morbid obesity was found to be statistically significant compared to those without morbid obesity (p < 0.05). The mean BDS score was 23.5 ± 10.86 (min: 0, max: 46) in the NES group and 12.18 ± 88.95 (min: 0, max: 49) in the non-NES group. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of BDS scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Because obesity has an important place in primary health care services, it is important to know the relationship between NES and depression. Recognition of NES and consideration of planned follow-up and treatment in the applicants will help to treat obesity more effectively.
Pro-Neurotensin/Neuromedin N and Risk of Incident Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes Mellitus in the REGARDS Cohort.

CONTEXT The peptide neurotensin is implicated in insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus (DM), and cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE We studied the association of neurotensin's stable precursor, pro-neurotensin/neuromedin N (pro-NT/NMN) with incident metabolic syndrome (MetS) and DM. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS We included 3,772 participants from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study who completed the baseline exam (2003-2007), the follow-up exam (2013-2016), and had pro-NT/NMN measured by immunoassay. Weighted logistic regression models were fitted to incident DM, incident MetS, and each MetS component, separately, incorporating demographics, metabolic risk factors, HOMA-IR, and diet scores. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incident MetS was defined by ≥3 harmonized criteria at follow-up in those with <3 at baseline. Incident DM was defined by use of hypoglycemic drugs/insulin, fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, or random glucose ≥200 mg/dL, in those without these at baseline. RESULTS Median [IQR] plasma pro-NT/NMN was 160 [118-218] pmol/L. 564 (of 2,770 without baseline MetS) participants developed MetS and 407 (of 3,030 without baseline DM) developed DM. Per standard deviation (SD) higher log-Pro-NT/NMN, the demographic-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of incident MetS was 1.22 (1.11-1.35); 1.16 (1.00-1.35) for incident low HDL, and 1.25 (1.11-1.40) for incident dysglycemia. The association of pro-NT/NMN with MetS was attenuated in the model adding HOMA-IR (OR per SD log-pro-NT/NMN 1.14, 95% CI 1.00-1.30). There was no association with incident DM (OR per SD log-pro-NT/NMN 1.06, 95% CI 0.94-1.19). CONCLUSIONS Pro-NT/NMN was associated with MetS and two components, dysglycemia and low HDL, likely explained by insulin resistance.
The impact of frailty on clinical outcomes in colorectal cancer surgery: a systematic literature review

The majority of colorectal cancer is diagnosed in people aged >65 years, yet the elderly are less likely to undergo curative surgery. Chronological age is poorly correlated with post‐operative outcomes and is not an acceptable measure of risk. Conversely, frailty is a strong predictor of poor post‐operative outcomes and presents an opportunity for optimisation. This systematic review aims to assess the evidence between frailty and outcomes in patients of all ages undergoing colorectal cancer resections and to compare the predictive value of frailty status to that of age alone.
Immunofluorescence Image Feature Analysis and Phenotype Scoring Pipeline for Distinguishing Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition

Abstract Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential biological process, also implicated in pathological settings such as cancer metastasis, in which epithelial cells transdifferentiate into mesenchymal cells. We devised an image analysis pipeline to distinguish between tissues comprised of epithelial and mesenchymal cells, based on extracted features from immunofluorescence images of differing biochemical markers. Mammary epithelial cells were cultured with 0 (control), 2, 4, or 10 ng/mL TGF-β1, a well-established EMT-inducer. Cells were fixed, stained, and imaged for E-cadherin, actin, fibronectin, and nuclei via immunofluorescence microscopy. Feature selection was performed on different combinations of individual cell markers using a Bag-of-Features extraction. Control and high-dose images comprised the training data set, and the intermediate dose images comprised the testing data set. A feature distance analysis was performed to quantify differences between the treatment groups. The pipeline was successful in distinguishing between control (epithelial) and the high-dose (mesenchymal) groups, as well as demonstrating progress along the EMT process in the intermediate dose groups. Validation using quantitative PCR (qPCR) demonstrated that biomarker expression measurements were well-correlated with the feature distance analysis. Overall, we identified image pipeline characteristics for feature extraction and quantification of immunofluorescence images to distinguish progression of EMT.
Return to play, performance, and value of National Basketball Association players following Achilles tendon rupture

ABSTRACT Background: Achilles tendon ruptures are devastating injuries for National Basketball Association (NBA) players: prior studies have demonstrated decreased performance following return-to-play, but none have evaluated the effect of injury on rate-adjusted contextual statistics to assess the true change in performance. Additionally, there exists a paucity of data on the independent impact on defensive performance following return. Hypothesis: Compared to both control-matched peers and preoperative careers, we hypothesize that player production based on rate-adjusted contextual statistics will significantly decline following Achilles tendon rupture. Study design: Retrospective Cohort Study Methods: Publicly available NBA injury data on Achilles tendon rupture were reviewed from the 1996 –1997 to the 2016–2017 seasons. Controls were matched based on height, position, age, and rate-adjusted statistics. Extracted data included Value over Replacement Player Rating, Box Plus–Minus, Win Shares, offensive rating, defensive rating, and time to return-to-play, and was collected for the season before and two seasons following injury. Results: Twenty-five NBA players with surgically treated complete Achilles ruptures met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The return-to-play rate from Achilles tendon ruptures from 1996–1997 to 2016–2017 was 80%, with a mean recovery period of 311.0 ± 100.9 days. After 2 years, performance significantly declined for Value over Replacement Player Rating, Box Plus–Minus, and offensive rating compared to controls and cases. However, there was no significant effect on defensive rating (P = 0.38). After two seasons, returning players had a Value over Replacement Player Rating that was 24.1% below pre-injury levels, contributed 1.4 fewer points per 100 possessions by Box Plus–Minus, and yielded 2.4 fewer wins by Win Shares. Conclusions: Achilles tendon rupture results in significant decreases in offensive production and career longevity. The injury does not have a significant impact on defensive production. Clinical relevance: Achilles tendon ruptures significantly affect basketball players ability to return-to-play, and their in-game performance. Level of evidence: 3
Risk of prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection in health care workers-an idiographic meta-analysis from a Chinese perspective

Background China is one of the countries sharing the major burden of tuberculosis (TB) in the world. Health care workers (HCWs) are subject to a high risk of occupational latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI)—an asymptomatic state of TB disease. However, the heterogenic composition of healthcare professionals in terms of nature of their work leads to the inconsistency in predicting the prevalence of LTBI amongst them. Furthermore, the global statistics do not account for the analysis conducted within the Chinese population. Our study reflects a systemic and epidemiological meta-analysis to investigate the risk of contracting LTBI by the HCWs of China. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify studies reporting LTBI prevalence or incidence among HCWs and a control groups in China. Risk of infection, as well as subgroup analysis was calculated by pooled effect estimates. Review Manager 5.0 was used to perform the meta-analyses. Results Twenty studies containing 9,654 HCWs met the inclusion criteria. The average prevalence of LTBI among HCWs was 51.5%, ranging from 27.9–88.8%. HCWs had a higher risk of prevalence of LTBI than the control groups [odds ratio (OR), 1.78, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.46–2.16]. In the subgroup analysis, the prevalence of LTBI in HCWs with respect to the control groups was observed to be highest in Eastern China (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.35–3.11). Furthermore, the pooled OR for LTBI was 1.90 and 1.65 separately from the results of the tuberculin skin test (TST) and the interferon-gamma release assay. Lastly, upon comparing the HCWs with the control groups from the community and the nosocomial source, it was observed that the pooled OR favored for the prevalence of LTBI, which was primarily community-sourced (3.12 and 1.54). HCWs had an increased risk of prevalence of LTBI than the control groups, both in general hospitals and TB specific hospitals (pooled OR 2.4 and 1.57). Conclusions Risk of LTBI infection among HCWs is relatively high in China, especially in the eastern region, predisposed by the cumulative exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the community and the general hospitals. Overall, our data reflects an alarming risk posed to our HCWs, and calls for immediate reforms at the policy levels, so as to implement effective screening and treatment of affected HCWs in China.
A nanodomain-anchored scaffolding complex is required for the function and localization of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase alpha in plants

Abstract Phosphoinositides are low-abundant lipids that participate in the acquisition of membrane identity through their spatiotemporal enrichment in specific compartments. Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) accumulates at the plant plasma membrane driving its high electrostatic potential, and thereby facilitating interactions with polybasic regions of proteins. PI4Kα1 has been suggested to produce PI4P at the plasma membrane, but how it is recruited to this compartment is unknown. Here, we pin-point the mechanism that tethers Arabidopsis thaliana phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase alpha1 (PI4Kα1) to the plasma membrane via a nanodomain-anchored scaffolding complex. We established that PI4Kα1 is part of a complex composed of proteins from the NO-POLLEN-GERMINATION, EFR3-OF-PLANTS, and HYCCIN-CONTAINING families. Comprehensive knockout and knockdown strategies revealed that subunits of the PI4Kα1 complex are essential for pollen, embryonic, and post-embryonic development. We further found that the PI4Kα1 complex is immobilized in plasma membrane nanodomains. Using synthetic mis-targeting strategies, we demonstrate that a combination of lipid anchoring and scaffolding localizes PI4Kα1 to the plasma membrane, which is essential for its function. Together, this work opens perspectives on the mechanisms and function of plasma membrane nanopatterning by lipid kinases.
Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Trajectory of Emerging Echovirus 30, Europe

In 2018, an upsurge in echovirus 30 (E30) infections was reported in Europe. We conducted a large-scale epidemiologic and evolutionary study of 1,329 E30 strains collected in 22 countries in Europe during 2016–2018. Most E30 cases affected persons 0–4 years of age (29%) and 25–34 years of age (27%). Sequences were divided into 6 genetic clades (G1–G6). Most (53%) sequences belonged to G1, followed by G6 (23%), G2 (17%), G4 (4%), G3 (0.3%), and G5 (0.2%). Each clade encompassed unique individual recombinant forms; G1 and G4 displayed >2 unique recombinant forms. Rapid turnover of new clades and recombinant forms occurred over time. Clades G1 and G6 dominated in 2018, suggesting the E30 upsurge was caused by emergence of 2 distinct clades circulating in Europe. Investigation into the mechanisms behind the rapid turnover of E30 is crucial for clarifying the epidemiology and evolution of these enterovirus infections.
Macrolide-Resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infections in Children, Ohio, USA

Emergence of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MRMp) challenges empiric macrolide therapy. Our goal was to determine MRMp rates and define characteristics of children infected with macrolide-sensitive M. pneumoniae (MSMp) versus MRMp in Ohio, USA. We cultured PCR-positive M. pneumoniae specimens and sequenced M. pneumoniae–positive cultures to detect macrolide resistance mutations. We reviewed medical records to compare characteristics of both groups. We identified 14 (2.8%) MRMp and 485 (97.2%) MSMp samples. Patients in these groups had similar demographics and clinical characteristics, but patients with MRMp had longer hospitalizations, were more likely to have received previous macrolides, and were more likely to have switched to alternative antimicrobial drugs. MRMp-infected patients also had ≈5-fold greater odds of pediatric intensive care unit admission. Rates of MRMp infections in children in central Ohio are low, but clinicians should remain aware of the risk for severe illness caused by these pathogens.
Effects of ethnic density on the risk of compulsory psychiatric admission for individuals attending secondary care mental health services: evidence from a large-scale study in England

Abstract Background Black, Asian and minority ethnicity groups may experience better health outcomes when living in areas of high own-group ethnic density – the so-called ‘ethnic density’ hypothesis. We tested this hypothesis for the treatment outcome of compulsory admission. Methods Data from the 2010–2011 Mental Health Minimum Dataset (N = 1 053 617) was linked to the 2011 Census and 2010 Index of Multiple Deprivation. Own-group ethnic density was calculated by dividing the number of residents per ethnic group for each lower layer super output area (LSOA) in the Census by the LSOA total population. Multilevel modelling estimated the effect of own-group ethnic density on the risk of compulsory admission by ethnic group (White British, White other, Black, Asian and mixed), accounting for patient characteristics (age and gender), area-level deprivation and population density. Results Asian and White British patients experienced a reduced risk of compulsory admission when living in the areas of high own-group ethnic density [odds ratios (OR) 0.97, 95% credible interval (CI) 0.95–0.99 and 0.94, 95% CI 0.93–0.95, respectively], whereas White minority patients were at increased risk when living in neighbourhoods of higher own-group ethnic concentration (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11–1.26). Higher levels of own-group ethnic density were associated with an increased risk of compulsory admission for mixed-ethnicity patients, but only when deprivation and population density were excluded from the model. Neighbourhood-level concentration of own-group ethnicity for Black patients did not influence the risk of compulsory admission. Conclusions We found only minimal support for the ethnic density hypothesis for the treatment outcome of compulsory admission to under the Mental Health Act.
Overnight affective dynamics and sleep characteristics as predictors of depression and its development in women

Abstract Study Objectives We examined (1) differences in overnight affective inertia (carry-over of evening affect to the next morning) for positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) between individuals with past, current, and no depression; (2) how sleep duration and quality influence overnight affective inertia in these groups, and (3) whether overnight affective inertia predicts depression development. Methods We used data of 579 women from the East-Flanders Prospective Twin Survey. For aim 1 and 2, individuals with past (n = 82), current (n = 26), and without (lifetime) depression (n = 471) at baseline were examined. For aim 3, we examined individuals who did (n = 58) and did not (n = 319) develop a depressive episode at 12-month follow-up. Momentary PA and NA were assessed 10 times a day for 5 days. Sleep was assessed daily with sleep diaries. Affective inertia was operationalized as the influence of evening affect on morning affect. Linear mixed-effect models were used to test the hypotheses. Results Overnight affective inertia for NA was significantly larger in the current compared to the non-depressed group, and daytime NA inertia was larger in the past compared to the non-depressed group. Overnight NA inertia was differently associated with shorter sleep duration in both depression groups and with lower sleep quality in the current compared to the non-depressed group. Overnight affective inertia did not predict depression development at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions Current findings demonstrate the importance of studying complex affect dynamics such as overnight affective inertia in relation to depression and sleep characteristics. Replication of these findings, preferably with longer time-series, is needed.