Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High prevalence of BRAF V600E mutations in Korean patients with ameloblastoma: Clinicopathological significance and correlation with epithelial‐mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND BRAF V600E mutations are activating mutations that have recently been detected in ameloblastoma. However, their prevalence has not been reported in East Asian patients with ameloblastoma and their clinicopathological significance remains unclear. In this study, we examined the prevalence and clinicopathological significance of BRAF V600E mutations in Korean patients with ameloblastoma. In addition, we investigated the relationship between BRAF V600E mutations and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which has not been studied in ameloblastoma. METHODS Thirty ameloblastoma tissue samples were collected, and DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction, and Sanger sequencing were performed to detect BRAF V600E mutations. Immunohistochemistry was carried out using antibodies against two epithelial-mesenchymal transition-inducing transcription factors, Twist and Snail. Associations of BRAF V600E mutations with clinicopathological factors and expression of Twist and Snail were statistically analyzed. RESULTS We found a high frequency (90.0%) of BRAF V600E mutations, and mutation status was not associated with clinicopathological factors including age, tumor location, and recurrence. Positive expression of Twist and Snail was observed in 33.3% and 56.7% of cases, respectively, and associated with recurrence (P = 0.020 and 0.010, respectively). There was no correlation between BRAF V600E mutation status and expression of Twist and Snail (P = 1.000, for both). CONCLUSIONS A higher prevalence of BRAF V600E mutations was identified in Korean patients with ameloblastoma compared with previous studies, which indicates that BRAF-targeted therapies can be widely used for refractory ameloblastomas. Furthermore, our findings suggest that BRAF V600E mutations and epithelial-mesenchymal transition may act independently in the development of ameloblastoma.
Fatigue and recovery measured with dynamic properties versus isometric force: effects of exercise intensity

ABSTRACT Although fatigue can be defined as an exercise-related decrease in maximal power or isometric force, most studies have assessed only isometric force. The main purpose of this experiment was to compare dynamic measures of fatigue [maximal torque (Tmax), maximal velocity (Vmax) and maximal power (Pmax)] with measures associated with maximal isometric force [isometric maximal voluntary contraction (IMVC) and maximal rate of force development (MRFD)] 10 s after different fatiguing exercises and during the recovery period (1–8 min after). Ten young men completed six experimental sessions (3 fatiguing exercises×2 types of fatigue measurements). The fatiguing exercises were: 30 s all-out intensity (AI), 10 min at severe intensity (SI) and 90 min at moderate intensity (MI). Relative Pmax decreased more than IMVC after AI exercise (P=0.005) while the opposite was found after SI (P=0.005) and MI tasks (P<0.001). There was no difference between the decrease in IMVC and Tmax after the AI exercise, but IMVC decreased more than Tmax immediately following and during the recovery from the SI (P=0.042) and MI exercises (P<0.001). Depression of MRFD was greater than Vmax after all fatiguing exercises and during recovery (all P<0.05). Despite the general definition of fatigue, isometric assessment of fatigue is not interchangeable with dynamic assessment following dynamic exercises with large muscle mass of different intensities, i.e. the results from isometric function cannot be used to estimate dynamic function and vice versa. This implies different physiological mechanisms for the various measures of fatigue. Summary: Novel evidence that isometric and dynamic measures of neuromuscular fatigue following cycling at different intensities are not interchangeable because they do not share the same physiological mechanisms.
The Investigation into the Toxic Potential of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Utilizing Rat Pheochromocytoma and Human Neural Stem Cells

Magnetic iron oxide (Magnetite, Fe3O4) nanoparticles are widely utilized in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and drug delivery applications due to their superparamagnetism. Surface coatings are often employed to change the properties of the magnetite nanoparticles or to modulate their biological responses. In this study, magnetite nanoparticles were fabricated through hydrothermal synthesis. Hydrophobicity is often increased by surface modification with oleic acid. In this study, however, hydrophobicity was introduced through surface modification with n-octyltriethoxysilane. Both the uncoated (hydrophilic) and coated (hydrophobic) individual nanoparticle sizes measured below 20 nm in diameter, a size range in which magnetite nanoparticles exhibit superparamagnetism. Both types of nanoparticles formed aggregates which were characterized by SEM, TEM, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The coating process significantly increased both individual particle diameter and aggregate sizes. We tested the neurotoxicity of newly synthesized nanoparticles with two mammalian cell lines, PC12 (rat pheochromocytoma) and ReNcell VM (human neural stem cells). Significant differences were observed in cytotoxicity profiles, which suggests that the cell type (rodent versus human) or the presence of serum matters for nanoparticle toxicology studies. Differences in nanoparticle associations/uptake between the two cell types were observed with Prussian Blue staining. Finally, safe concentrations which did not significantly affect neuronal differentiation profiles were identified for further development of the nanoparticles.
Taekwondo Enhances Cognitive Function as a Result of Increased Neurotrophic Growth Factors in Elderly Women

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of regular taekwondo (TKD) training on physical fitness, neurotrophic growth factors, cerebral blood flow (CBF) velocity, and cognitive function in elderly women. Thirty-seven women aged 65 or older were randomly assigned to either TKD (n = 19) or control (n = 18) group. TKD training was performed at 50–80% maximum heart rate (HRmax) for 60 min, five times per week for 16 weeks. All participants underwent the following examinations before and after the intervention: Senior Fitness Test; serum levels of neurotrophic growth factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1); systolic, diastolic, and mean blood flow velocity and pulsatility index of the middle cerebral artery using Doppler ultrasonography; Mini-Mental State Examination for dementia screening (MMSE-DS); and Stroop Color and Word Test (word, color, and color-word). In the TKD group, lower body strength and flexibility, aerobic endurance levels, BDNF, VEGF, and IGF-1 serum levels as well as the color-word test scores were significantly increased after as compared to before the intervention (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in cerebral blood flow velocities and the MMSE-DS score (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that regular TKD training may be effective in improving not only fitness but also cognitive function in elderly women. The latter effect may be due to increased neurotrophic growth factor levels.
Tooth Sensitivity After Dental Bleaching With a Desensitizer-containing and a Desensitizer-free Bleaching Gel: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the risk and intensity of tooth sensitivity (TS) after dental bleaching with a desensitizer-containing and a desensitizer-free bleaching gel in adult patients. Color change and risk of gingival sensitivity was also evaluated. METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database (LILACS), Brazilian Library in Dentistry (BBO), EMBASE and Cochrane Library, and System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe (SIGLE) without restrictions to identify randomized clinical trials. Abstracts from the annual conference of the International Association for Dental Research (1990-2016), unpublished and ongoing trials registries, dissertations, and theses were also searched. The quality of the evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations: Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. DATA: After duplicates were removed, 1352 articles were identified. After title and abstract screening, only 47 studies remained for qualitative evaluation. Most of the studies had unclear risk of bias. No difference between groups were observed for the risk ratio of TS (risk ratio = 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.74-1.33); intensity of TS (standardized difference in means [SMD] = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.79-0.70); color change in shade guide units (SMD - 0.04; 95% CI = 0.50-0.42); color change in ΔE* (SMD = 0.41 (95% CI = 0.07-0.89); and risk ratio of gingival irritation (SMD = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.81-1.36). Except for the risk of TS, graded as moderate quality of evidence, all other outcomes were rated as low and very low quality. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating desensitizers in the bleaching gel did not reduce the risk of TS, and the quality of this evidence was considered moderate. On the other hand, the intensity of TS, color change, and risk of gingival irritation was similar between groups, but the quality of the evidence for these outcomes was graded as low or very low, thus reducing the level of confidence in these outcomes.
Formal comment on: Parent reports of adolescents and young adults perceived to show signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoria

I have read with great attention the article by Lisa Littman published in PLOS ONE [1]. Further study on the forms of presentation of gender dysphoria in childhood and adolescence is imperative since we still lack consensus regarding the best diagnostic and treatment approaches for this matter. Dr. Littman’s main objectives were “to (1) collect data about parents’ observations, experiences, and perspectives about their AYA children showing signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoria that began during or after puberty, and (2) develop hypotheses about factors that may contribute to the onset and/or expression of gender dysphoria among this demographic group” [1]. One possibility to address the purpose that the study originally proposes is to follow a group of gender variant young people evaluated by mental health professionals in a longitudinal way, to assess if those who persist demanding gender affirmation differ (in terms of contact and social influence, or other factors) from those who do not persist. Another (much simpler) approach could involve a cross-sectional design, in which transgender youth answered questions concerning their networks and peer influence. In contrast to those possible approaches, Dr. Littman’s research provides only indirect evidence of the role of the influence of social and media contagion on young people’s gender identity. Littman’s article recruited parents online. Some of the websites that posted recruitment information about the study might attract parents who are more likely to question their child’s gender self-identification and the current best healthcare approaches. No youth were enrolled. Several studies have pointed out the importance of involving young people in studies of their health [2]. From a bioethical point of view, despite several dilemmas [3], this need is guided by the principle of the best interest of children and their right to be represented in the matters that affect them [4]. In this regard, with respect to medical procedures related to gender in childhood (in trans and intersex cases), the WHO among other agencies [5], already recognized the need to take children’s voices into account in order to avoid coercive treatments: "the best interests of the child should always be the primary concern, giving due weight to the views of children in accordance with their age and maturity, and taking into account their evolving capacity for decision-making" (p13). Evidence also points to a low correlation between parents’ and children’ self-evaluation in several domains of mental health [6]. For example, regarding quality of life, a systematic review verified that parent and children do not agree in the evaluation for children non-observable states (such as emotions) [6]. The authors point to the need for collecting information from both parts. The same seems to be true in the assessment of children’s anxiety [7]. This
Tribological Properties of Molybdenum Disulfide and Helical Carbon Nanotube Modified Epoxy Resin

In this study, epoxy resin (EP) composites were prepared by using molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and helical carbon nanotubes (H-CNTs) as the antifriction and reinforcing phases, respectively. The effects of MoS2 and H-CNTs on the friction coefficient, wear amount, hardness, and elastic modulus of the composites were investigated. The tribological properties of the composites were tested using the UMT-3MT friction testing machine, non-contact three-dimensional surface profilometers, and nanoindenters. The analytical results showed that the friction coefficient of the composites initially decreased and then increased with the increase in the MoS2 content. The friction coefficient was the smallest when the MoS2 content in the EP was 6%, and the wear amount increased gradually. With the increasing content of H-CNTs, the friction coefficient of the composite material did not change significantly, although the wear amount decreased gradually. When the MoS2 and H-CNTs contents were 6% and 4%, respectively, the composite exhibited the minimum friction coefficient and a small amount of wear. Moreover, the addition of H-CNTs significantly enhanced the hardness and elastic modulus of the composites, which could be applied as materials in high-temperature and high-pressure environments where lubricants and greases do not work.
Nurses anaesthetists’ versus patients’ assessment of anxieties in an ambulatory surgery setting

Background Failure to assess patients’ anxiety perioperatively by means of a validated instrument makes the assessment arbitrary. Studies are lacking about how well nurse anaesthetists estimate patients’ preoperative worries. Purpose To compare the nurse anaesthetists’ estimations of patients’ preoperative anxieties with the patients’ own assessment of their anxieties. Design Quantitative prospective design. Methods Eighty-five pairs of patients and nurse anaesthetists in two ambulatory surgery units in a university hospital in Sweden were included. Patients’ perioperative anxieties were graded using the Numeric Visual Analogue Anxiety Scale. Results The nurse anaesthetist overestimated the patients’ level of preoperative anxiety in 53% of patients and underestimated patients’ anxieties in 31% of the patients. Consensus was seen in 16% of the pairs. In fifty-six pairs (65%), the difference between the estimation of level of patients’ anxiety according to Numeric Visual Analogue Anxiety Scale was between −3 (overestimation) and +3 levels (underestimation). Median levels of anxiety were estimated as 3 within the patient group and 4 among the nurse anaesthetists. Conclusions Systematic assessment of patients’ level of anxiety could lead to identifying patients with severe anxiety levels and to offer more individualised treatment. The patients’ own estimation must form the basis for the discussion and treatment.
Genome-Wide Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Tunisian Durum Wheat Landraces Based on DArTseq Technology

Tunisia, being part of the secondary center of diversity for durum wheat, has rich unexploited landraces that are being continuously lost and replaced by high yielding modern cultivars. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of 196 durum wheat lines issued from landraces collected from Tunisia using Diversity Array Technology sequencing (DArTseq) and to understand possible ways of introduction in comparing them to landraces from surrounding countries. A total of 16,148 polymorphic DArTseq markers covering equally the A and B genomes were effective to assess the genetic diversity and to classify the accessions. Cluster analysis and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) allowed us to distinguish five distinct groups that matched well with the farmer’s variety nomenclature. Interestingly, Mahmoudi and Biskri landraces constitute the same gene pool while Jenah Zarzoura constitutes a completely different group. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that the genetic variation was among rather than within the landraces. DAPC analysis of the Tunisian, Mediterranean and West Asian landraces confirmed our previous population structure and showed a genetic similarity between the Tunisian and the North African landraces with the exception of Jenah Zarzoura being the most distant. The genomic characterization of the Tunisian collection will enhance their conservation and sustainable use.
β2‐Adrenoceptors indirectly support impaired β1‐adrenoceptor responsiveness in the isolated type 2 diabetic rat heart

What is the central question of this study? Are there specific contributions of β1‐ and β2‐adrenoceptor subtypes to the impaired β‐adrenoceptor responsiveness of the type 2 diabetic heart? What is the main finding and its importance? In hearts isolated from the Zucker diabetic fatty rat model of type 2 diabetes, we showed that the β1‐adrenoceptors are the main subtype to regulate heart rate, contraction and relaxation. Notably, the β2‐adrenoceptor subtype actions seem to support function in the diabetic heart indirectly.
Tracking Changes of Chinese Pre-Service Teachers’ Aerobic Fitness, Body Mass Index, and Grade Point Average Over 4-years of College

Although increasing attention has been given to student academic achievement, usually measured by grade point average (GPA), and fitness in children and adolescents, much fewer studies have been conducted in higher education settings, especially in China. This study investigated the longitudinal associations of aerobic fitness (AF), body mass index (BMI), and GPA in Chinese pre-service teachers at a university. A longitudinal research design was employed to track changes in AF, BMI, and GPA, for a total of 1980 students for four years. Multi-level growth models were used to examine the interactive changes of the above three variables. It was found that GPA and BMI increased each year, while AF declined dramatically at the fourth year. The three-way interaction among GPA, gender, and BMI was significant, suggesting females who were overweight/obese had lower GPA. The data from the current study suggested that AF did not impact students’ GPA. Class standing (i.e., the fourth year) and gender (i.e., females) need to be taken into consideration when designing interventions to improve student overall fitness and academic performance in Chinese pre-service teacher populations.
An Insight into the Utility of Sub-Categorisation of Atypia of Undetermined Significance for Risk Stratification: A Retrospective Study on an Indian Cohort with Histopathological Correlation

Background: Atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) criterion in thyroid fine-needle aspirates (FNAs) has been a heterogeneous entity with much inter-observer variation. Sub-categorisation of AUS/FLUS has been observed to play an effective role in risk stratification. We aimed to validate AUS/FLUS sub-categorisation in correlation with the spectrum of malignancy. Study Design: Subjects included patients with AUS/FLUS diagnosed between January 2015 and December 2016. AUS/FLUS cases were sub-categorised into those exhibiting (1) architectural atypia, (2) cytological atypia, (3) architectural and cytological atypia, (4) AUS with Hürthle cells, and (5) AUS not otherwise specified (AUS-NOS). Each sub-category was correlated with their corresponding incidence of malignancy in surgical resections. Result: The overall incidence of AUS/FLUS in our centre was 13% (132/1,018). On retrospective review of 117 patients with AUS/FLUS, smears with cytological atypia showed a higher incidence of malignancy (78.3%) than those with architectural atypia (75.3%). AUS/FLUS cases with both cytological and architectural atypia had a malignancy rate of 71.4%. Conclusion: AUS/FLUS cases with cytological atypia had a higher risk of malignancy than those with architectural atypia. The sub-categorisation of AUS/FLUS is diagnostically important for the proper risk stratification of patients.
VisNet: Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Forecasting Atmospheric Visibility

Visibility is a complex phenomenon inspired by emissions and air pollutants or by factors, including sunlight, humidity, temperature, and time, which decrease the clarity of what is visible through the atmosphere. This paper provides a detailed overview of the state-of-the-art contributions in relation to visibility estimation under various foggy weather conditions. We propose VisNet, which is a new approach based on deep integrated convolutional neural networks for the estimation of visibility distances from camera imagery. The implemented network uses three streams of deep integrated convolutional neural networks, which are connected in parallel. In addition, we have collected the largest dataset with three million outdoor images and exact visibility values for this study. To evaluate the model’s performance fairly and objectively, the model is trained on three image datasets with different visibility ranges, each with a different number of classes. Moreover, our proposed model, VisNet, evaluated under dissimilar fog density scenarios, uses a diverse set of images. Prior to feeding the network, each input image is filtered in the frequency domain to remove low-level features, and a spectral filter is applied to each input for the extraction of low-contrast regions. Compared to the previous methods, our approach achieves the highest performance in terms of classification based on three different datasets. Furthermore, our VisNet considerably outperforms not only the classical methods, but also state-of-the-art models of visibility estimation.