Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peripheral Neurectomy With Customized Nerve Reconstruction for Periorbital Neuropathic Pain: Initial Experience and Clinical Outcomes

Purpose: To describe a novel, minimally invasive surgical technique to treat severe, intractable periorbital neuropathic pain. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with severe, treatment-refractory periorbital pain who underwent transection of affected sensory trigeminal branches with nerve repair was performed. Collected data included etiology and duration of neuropathic pain, comorbidities, prior treatment history, surgical technique including site of transected sensory nerves and type of nerve repair, preoperative and postoperative pain scores as well as follow-up duration. Differences between preoperative and postoperative values were analyzed by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: A total of 5 patients with severe periorbital neuropathic pain underwent transection of affected supraorbital, supratrochlear, infratrochlear, infraorbital, zygomaticotemporal, and zygomaticofacial nerves with customized nerve reconstruction. All 5 had improvement of periorbital pain after surgery, with 3 (60%) noting complete resolution of pain and 2 (40%) experiencing partial pain relief over a median follow-up period of 9 months (interquartile range [IQR], 6–19 months). Of the 3 patients who had complete resolution of pain, all reported continued pain relief. Median McGill pain scores significantly decreased from 8.4 (IQR, 8.2–10.0) preoperatively to 0.0 (IQR, 0.0–4.8; p < 0.001) postoperatively. All patients reported satisfaction with the surgical procedure and stated that they would undergo the procedure again if given the option. One patient with history of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) had reactivation of herpes zoster at postoperative month 3, which was self-limited, without worsening of her neuropathic pain. Another patient with PHN required a staged procedure to achieve complete pain relief. Conclusion: Peripheral neurectomy with customized reconstruction of involved sensory nerves can successfully reduce and even eradicate periorbital neuropathic pain that was previously recalcitrant to combination pharmacotherapy and prior neurolysis procedures. Peripheral neurectomy with customized nerve reconstruction may reduce and even completely resolve periorbital neuropathic pain that was previously refractory to combination pharmacotherapy and neurolysis.
The diet-microbiota axis: a key regulator of intestinal permeability in human health and disease

ABSTRACT The intestinal barrier orchestrates selective permeability to nutrients and metabolites while excluding noxious stimuli. Recent scientific advances establishing a causal role for the gut microbiota in human health outcomes have generated a resurgent interest toward intestinal permeability. Considering the well-established role of the gut barrier in protection against foreign antigens, there is mounting evidence for a causal link between gut permeability and the microbiome in regulating human health. However, an understanding of the dynamic host–microbiota interactions that govern intestinal barrier functions remains poorly defined. Furthermore, the system-level mechanisms by which microbiome-targeted therapies, such as probiotics and prebiotics, simultaneously promote intestinal barrier function and host health remain an area of active investigation. This review summarizes the recent advances in understanding the dynamics of intestinal permeability in human health and its integration with gut microbiota. We further summarize mechanisms by which probiotics/prebiotics influence the gut microbiota and intestinal barrier functions.
Uncertainty Quantification for Deep Learning in Ultrasonic Crack Characterization

Deep learning for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) has received a lot of attention in recent years for its potential ability to provide human level data analysis. However, little research into quantifying the uncertainty of its predictions has been done. Uncertainty quantification (UQ) is essential for qualifying NDE inspections and building trust in their predictions. Therefore, this article aims to demonstrate how UQ can best be achieved for deep learning in the context of crack sizing for inline pipe inspection. A convolutional neural network architecture is used to size surface breaking defects from plane wave imaging (PWI) images with two modern UQ methods: deep ensembles and Monte Carlo dropout. The network is trained using PWI images of surface breaking defects simulated with a hybrid finite element / ray-based model. Successful UQ is judged by calibration and anomaly detection, which refer to whether in-domain model error is proportional to uncertainty and if out of training domain data is assigned high uncertainty. Calibration is tested using simulated and experimental images of surface breaking cracks, while anomaly detection is tested using experimental side-drilled holes and simulated embedded cracks. Monte Carlo dropout demonstrates poor uncertainty quantification with little separation between in and out-of-distribution data and a weak linear fit (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R=0.84$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) between experimental root-mean-square-error and uncertainty. Deep ensembles improve upon Monte Carlo dropout in both calibration (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R=0.95$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) and anomaly detection. Adding spectral normalization and residual connections to deep ensembles slightly improves calibration (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R=0.98$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) and significantly improves the reliability of assigning high uncertainty to out-of-distribution samples.
Islet autoantibody positivity in an adult population with recently diagnosed diabetes in Uganda

Aims This study aimed to investigate the frequency of islet autoantibody positivity in adult patients with recently diagnosed diabetes in Uganda and its associated characteristics. Methods Autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GADA), zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8-A), and tyrosine phosphatase (IA-2A) were measured in 534 adult patients with recently diagnosed diabetes. Islet autoantibody positivity was defined based on diagnostic thresholds derived from a local adult population without diabetes. The socio-demographic, clinical, and metabolic characteristics of islet autoantibody-positive and negative participants were then compared. The differences in these characteristics were analysed using the x2 test for categorical data and the Kruskal Wallis test for continuous data. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of islet autoantibody positivity. Results Thirty four (6.4%) participants were positive for ≥1 islet autoantibody. GADA, IA-2A and ZnT8-A positivity was detected in 17 (3.2%), 10 (1.9%), and 7 (1.3%) participants, respectively. Compared with those negative for islet autoantibodies, participants positive for islet autoantibodies were more likely to live in a rural area (n = 18, 52.9% Vs n = 127, 25.5%, p = 0.005), to be initiated on insulin therapy (n = 19, 55.9% Vs n = 134, 26.8%, p<0.001), to have a lower median waist circumference (90 [80–99] cm Vs 96 [87–104.8], p = 0.04), waist circumference: height ratio (0.55 [0.50–0.63] vs 0.59 [0.53–0.65], p = 0.03), and fasting C-peptide concentration (0.9 [0.6–1.8] Vs 1.4 [0.8–2.1] ng/ml, p = 0.01). On multivariate analysis, living in a rural area (odds ratio or OR 3.62, 95%CI 1.68–7.80, p = 0.001) and being initiated on insulin therapy (OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.67–7.83, p = 0.001) were associated with islet autoantibody positivity. Conclusion The prevalence of islet autoantibody positivity was relatively low, suggesting that pancreatic autoimmunity is a rare cause of new-onset diabetes in this adult Ugandan population. Living in a rural area and being initiated on insulin therapy were independently associated with islet autoantibody positivity in this study population.
Hand Tumors: An Individual Surgeon's Retrospective Review.

Background Tumors of the hand are encountered frequently and represent a variety of pathologic diagnoses, both benign and malignant. Even within a single pathologic type, presentation can vary. This study reviews hand tumors encountered by an individual surgeon and described presenting features to better aid in clinical decision making. Methods A retrospective chart review of patients presenting with a hand tumor between January 2005 and December 2017 from an individual surgeon's perspective was performed. Pertinent data were extracted by researchers and statistical analysis was completed with GraphPad Prism (GraphPad Software, Inc). Results A total of 101 patients aged 14 months to 87 years (mean age, 40.52 years) were included. Within this patient group, soft tissue tumors accounted for 97%, malignant neoplasm 2%, and bone tumors 1%. Ganglion cysts were most common (54.5%) followed by hemangiomas (9.9%), giant cell tumors (6.9%), granulomas (5.9%), and fibromas (5%). A total of 54.5% of patients reported pain and 43.5% reported decreased range of motion (ROM). Conclusions In this patient cohort, ganglion cyst was the most common tumor type and presented with pain and deficits in ROM. This is contrary to the asymptomatic presentation of such cases in the literature. Other common tumors were hemangiomas, giant cell tumors, granulomas, and fibromas. Malignant tumors were rare, as expected, and both cases presented without pain or tenderness.
Neonatal Scn1b-null mice have sinoatrial node dysfunction, altered atrial structure, and atrial fibrillation

Loss-of-function (LOF) variants in SCN1B, encoding the voltage-gated sodium channel β1/β1B subunits, are linked to neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Scn1b-null mice have spontaneous seizures and ventricular arrhythmias and die by approximately 21 days after birth. β1/β1B Subunits play critical roles in regulating the excitability of ventricular cardiomyocytes and maintaining ventricular rhythmicity. However, whether they also regulate atrial excitability is unknown. We used neonatal Scn1b-null mice to model the effects of SCN1B LOF on atrial physiology in pediatric patients. Scn1b deletion resulted in altered expression of genes associated with atrial dysfunction. Scn1b-null hearts had a significant accumulation of atrial collagen, increased susceptibility to pacing induced atrial fibrillation (AF), sinoatrial node (SAN) dysfunction, and increased numbers of cholinergic neurons in ganglia that innervate the SAN. Atropine reduced the incidence of AF in null animals. Action potential duration was prolonged in null atrial myocytes, with increased late sodium current density and reduced L-type calcium current density. Scn1b LOF results in altered atrial structure and AF, demonstrating the critical role played by Scn1b in atrial physiology during early postnatal mouse development. Our results suggest that SCN1B LOF variants may significantly impact the developing pediatric heart.
Response to supraphysiological testosterone is predicted by a distinct androgen receptor cistrome

The androgen receptor (AR) is a master transcription factor that regulates prostate cancer (PC) development and progression. Inhibition of AR signaling by androgen deprivation is the first-line therapy with initial efficacy for advanced and recurrent PC. Paradoxically, supraphysiological levels of testosterone (SPT) also inhibit PC progression. However, as with any therapy, not all patients show a therapeutic benefit, and responses differ widely in magnitude and duration. In this study, we evaluated whether differences in the AR cistrome before treatment can distinguish between SPT-responding (R) and -nonresponding (NR) tumors. We provide the first preclinical evidence to our knowledge that SPT-R tumors exhibit a distinct AR cistrome when compared with SPT-NR tumors, indicating a differential biological role of the AR. We applied an integrated analysis of ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq to the pretreatment tumors and identified an SPT-R signature that distinguishes R and NR tumors. Because transcriptomes of SPT-treated clinical specimens are not available, we interrogated available castration-resistant PC (CRPC) transcriptomes and showed that the SPT-R signature is associated with improved survival and has the potential to identify patients who would respond to SPT. These findings provide an opportunity to identify the subset of patients with CRPC who would benefit from SPT therapy.
Association between health care access and food insecurity among lower-income older adults with multiple chronic conditions in Washington State, USA

Abstract Objective: Lower-income older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) are highly vulnerable to food insecurity. However, few studies have considered how health care access is related to food insecurity among older adults with MCC. The aims of this study were to examine associations between MCC and food insecurity, and, among older adults with MCC, between health care access and food insecurity. Design: Cross-sectional study data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. Setting: Washington State, USA. Participants: Lower-income adults, aged 50 years or older (n 2118). MCC was defined as having ≥ 2 of 11 possible conditions. Health care access comprised three variables (unable to afford seeing the doctor, no health care coverage and not having a primary care provider (PCP)). Food insecurity was defined as buying food that did not last and not having money to get more. Results: The overall prevalence of food insecurity was 26·0 % and was 1·50 times greater (95 % CI 1·16, 1·95) among participants with MCC compared to those without MCC. Among those with MCC (n 1580), inability to afford seeing a doctor was associated with food insecurity (prevalence ratio (PR) 1·83; 95 % CI 1·46, 2·28), but not having health insurance (PR 1·49; 95 % CI 0·98, 2·24) and not having a PCP (PR 1·10; 95 % CI 0·77, 1·57) were not. Conclusions: Inability to afford healthcare is related to food insecurity among older adults with MCC. Future work should focus on collecting longitudinal data that can clarify the temporal relationship between MCC and food insecurity.
"Off-piste pedagogy": construction site visits for undergraduate civil engineers

Undertaking construction site visits with undergraduate civil engineers can assist students to acclimatise to the realities of construction contracting practice. Construction site visits allow students to meet project personnel and observe the construction technology whilst benefiting from additional learning associated with risk and commercial issues in real-time. Whilst the provision of construction site visits can present various logistical problems related to the site and university custom, they do provide a number of educational benefits. The data collection required students to complete post visit questionnaires designed to elicit both positive and negative attributes associated with each visit. This paper provides an analysis of the questionnaires returned by the students enrolled on a civil engineering course. Recommendations are made for academics and practitioners on what may be done to ensure a successful site visit and the authors discuss opportunities for contextual learning before, during and after construction site visits are undertaken
Validating transdermal alcohol biosensors: a meta‐analysis of associations between blood/breath‐based measures and transdermal alcohol sensor output

Abstract Background and aims Transdermal alcohol sensors carry immense promise for the continuous assessment of drinking but are inconsistent in detecting more fine‐grained indicators of alcohol consumption. Prior studies examining associations between transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) and blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC) have yielded highly variable correlations and lag times. The current review aimed to synthesize transdermal validation studies, aggregating results from more than three decades of research to characterize the validity of transdermal sensors for assessing alcohol consumption. Methods Databases were searched for studies listed prior to 1 March 2022 that examined associations between transdermal alcohol sensor output and blood and breath‐based alcohol measures, resulting in 31 primarily laboratory‐derived participant samples (27 precise effect sizes) including both healthy and clinical populations. Correlation coefficients and lag times were pooled using three‐level random‐effects meta‐regression. Independent raters coded study characteristics, including the body position of transdermal sensors (ankle‐ versus arm/hand/wrist‐worn device) and methodological bias (e.g. missing data). Results Analyses revealed that, in this primarily laboratory‐derived sample of studies, the average correlation between TAC and BAC was large in magnitude [r = 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.80, 0.93], and TAC lagged behind BAC by an average of 95.90 minutes (95% CI = 55.50, 136.29). Device body position significantly moderated both TAC–BAC correlation (b = 0.11, P = 0.009) and lag time (b = −69.41, P < 0.001). Lag times for ankle‐worn devices were approximately double those for arm/hand/wrist‐worn devices, and TAC–BAC correlations also tended to be stronger for arm/hand/wrist‐worn sensors. Conclusions This meta‐analysis indicates that transdermal alcohol sensors perform strongly in assessing blood/breath alcohol concentration under controlled conditions, with particular promise for the newer generation of wrist‐worn devices.
A poor diet quality is associated with more gas-related symptoms and a decreased quality of life in French adults

Abstract This study evaluated the association between dietary patterns, gas-related symptoms (GRS) and their impact on quality of life (QoL) in a representative sample (n 936) of the French adult population. During the 2018–2019 ‘Comportements et Consommations Alimentaires en France’ survey (Behaviors and Food Consumption in France), online evaluation of GRS in adult participants was performed using the validated Intestinal Gas Questionnaire (IGQ), which captures the perception of GRS and their impact on QoL via six symptom dimensions scores (range 0–100; 100 = worse) and a global score (mean of the sum of the six symptom dimensions scores). Socio-demographics, lifestyle parameters and dietary habits (7-d e-food diary) were also collected online. Quality of diet was determined using the Nutrient-Rich Food 9.3 (NRF9.3) score (range 0–900; 900 = best). Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were applied to identify factors associated with IGQ global score. K-means was used to identify clusters of subjects based on their dietary records. Data from 936 adults who completed both the IGQ and the food diary showed a mean IGQ global score of 11·9 (sd 11·2). Younger age and female sex were associated with a higher IGQ global score. Only 7 % of subjects reported no symptom at all and nearly 30 % of study participants reported a high impact of GRS on their QoL. Two dietary clusters were identified: cluster 1, characterised by a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables, lower sugars intake and higher NRF9.3 score and cluster 2, characterised by higher intake of sugars, lower intake in dietary fibres and lower NRF9.3 score. The IGQ global score was lower in cluster 1 and higher in cluster 2 v. the total sample average (P < 0·001). The prevalence of GRS in the French adult population is high and is associated with impaired QoL and dietary patterns. A change in food habits towards healthier patterns could help reducing the burden of GRS.
Beach-Chair Versus Lateral Decubitus Positioning for Arthroscopic Posterior Shoulder Labral Repair: A Retrospective Comparison of Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background: Both beach-chair and lateral decubitus patient positioning are often utilized for shoulder arthroscopy, with each offering its unique advantages and disadvantages. The surgical position is often selected according to each surgeon's preference, with no clear superiority of one position over the other. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to compare clinical and patient-reported outcomes between patients who underwent arthroscopic posterior labral repair in the beach-chair versus the lateral decubitus position. We hypothesized that patient positioning would not affect clinical and patient-reported outcomes. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A list of all patients diagnosed with the Current Procedural Terminology codes 29806 and 29807 between 2015 and 2019 was obtained from the medical records. Patients were only included if arthroscopic posterior labral repair with or without concomitant superior labral anterior to posterior repair was confirmed. Data collected for eligible patients included the number of anchors used, perioperative and postoperative complications, redislocations, subjective instability, reoperation, and revision. Patients were also contacted to complete several patient-reported outcome surveys. Preoperative data, perioperative data, and postoperative outcomes were compared between patients who underwent surgery in the beach-chair versus lateral decubitus position. Results: Overall, 126 patients were included—69 patients underwent surgery in the lateral decubitus position and 57 in the beach-chair position—with a mean follow-up of 2.6 ± 1.7 years. There were no significant pre- or perioperative differences between groups. Rates of postoperative dislocations, subjective instability, reoperations, revisions, all complications, and return to sports rates also did not differ between groups (all, P > .05). Finally, there was no difference between groups regarding postoperative pain, function, and subjective instability scores (all, P > .05). Results of the multivariate regression analysis showed that increased age was a weak independent risk factor for subjective recurrent posterior shoulder instability (odds ratio, 1.04; P = .036). Conclusion: Surgical positioning for arthroscopic posterior shoulder labral repair did not affect postoperative clinical and patient-reported outcomes. Both beach-chair and lateral decubitus position provided good outcomes for posterior shoulder labral repair, with an overall recurrence rate of 8.7%. Increased age was a weak independent risk factor for subjective recurrent instability.