Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Digital Communication Technology: Does Offering a Choice of Modality Improve Medication Adherence and Outcomes in a Persistent Asthma Population?

BACKGROUND Use of digital communication technology has shown potential to improve asthma adherence and outcomes. Few studies have looked at patient preference around mode of medication reminders used to improve and maintain asthma medication adherence. OBJECTIVE To determine if, in a population already receiving automated medication reminders, offering a choice for preferred mode of reminder (text, email, phone) would improve their adherence and asthma outcomes over a 1-year period. METHODS This was a pragmatic, randomized controlled trial conducted at Kaiser Permanente Colorado involving 7522 adult patients with persistent asthma. Study patients were randomized to receive usual care or their choice of medication reminder. Differences between the 2 groups in both medication adherence and asthma outcomes were then assessed over the following year. RESULTS Only 30% of those offered a choice of medication reminder modality responded by making a choice, with 52% preferring text messaging. There was less of a decrease in adherence rate over the 1-year period in those who made a choice regarding the mode of medication refill reminder. There was no difference in asthma outcomes between those who did make a choice compared with those who did not make a choice regarding the mode of medication refill reminder. CONCLUSION In a patient population already receiving medication reminders, offering a choice about what type of technology-enabled asthma medication reminder patients wanted did not improve outcomes but did enable a subgroup to better maintain their medication adherence.
The effectiveness of different nitrification inhibitor formulations in limiting nitrate accumulation in a Southland pastoral soil

Abstract In pastoral dairy grazing systems, the high localised nitrogen (N) concentration in urine patches has been identified as a major source of nitrate nitrogen (NO3‐N) available for leaching. Our study was initiated to investigate the effectiveness of different formulations of a nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), in limiting NO3‐N accumulation in a typical Southland pastoral soil. Various formulations of DCD (Super U, DCD‐urea granules, DCD in zoelite granules and DCD in solution), both in the presence and absence of artificial urine, were applied to small plots in late October 2003. With the exception of Super U, all the DCD formulations evaluated were effective in limiting the nitrification of ammonium‐nitrogen (NH4‐N) to NO3‐N in soil for in excess of 100 days. Thus, applying DCD in a granular form or in conjunction with granular fertiliser can be an effective way to limit NO3‐N build‐up in the soil profile. Total pasture production over the duration of the trial was increased by the DCD application in the N‐fertilised treatments by between 8 and 21%, but no significant differences in pasture production were noted for treatments that included an application of artificial urine. The DCD application had the added benefit of limiting nitrate accumulation in the herbage to safe levels for ingestion by grazing animals, as well as a trend to increase herbage magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) concentrations, so counteracting the possible detrimental effects of high potassium (K) concentrations where urine had been applied to a Southland pastoral soil.
Clinical Performance and Analytical Sensitivity of Three SARS-CoV-2 Nucleic Acid Diagnostic Tests

ABSTRACT Hundreds of RT-qPCR kits are available in the market for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, some of them with emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food Drug Administration (FDA) or their country of origin agency, but also many of them without any independent clinical performance evaluation. We performed a clinical evaluation for two Chinese SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR kits available in South America, COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Test Kit (eDiagnosis Biomedicine, Wuhan, China) and 2019-nCoV Nucleic Acid Diagnostic Kit (Sansure Biotech, Changsha, China), for RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis using the FDA EUA 2019-nCoV CDC kit (IDT, Coralville, IA) as gold standard. We found an excellent clinical performance and analytical sensitivity for both kits with sensitivity values of 100% and 95.3% and estimated limit of detection of 500 copies/mL and 1,000 copies/mL, for eDiagnosis and Sansure Biotech kits, respectively. COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Test Kit (eDiagnosis) and 2019-nCoV Nucleic Acid Diagnostic Kit (Sansure Biotech) are both made in China and hold EUA by the Chinese CDC. Also, Sansure Biotech kit has EUA by the FDA. In conclusion, our results endorse the use of these two commercially available kits imported to Ecuador for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, as they had the similar clinical performance as the gold standard from the CDC.
Regulation of integrin αIIbβ3 activation by distinct regions of its cytoplasmic tails

The short cytoplasmic tails regulate activation of integrin adhesion receptors via clasping/unclasping of their membrane-proximal helices. Using integrin αIIbβ3 as a model, we show that a previously reported activating mutation αIIb(R995D) that perturbs the electrostatic interface in the clasp only partially activates αIIbβ3 and that extensive activation of the receptor is achieved by complete deletion of αIIb CT or triple mutations in αIIb(V990A/F992A/R995D) that disrupt both electrostatic and hydrophobic interfaces in the clasp. The results provide quantitative evidence for an equilibrium-based integrin activation process where shifting the equilibrium to the fully activated state requires total unclasping of the cytoplasmic tails. We further demonstrate that while the C-terminal region of the αIIb tail minimally influences αIIbβ3 activation, the C-terminal region of the β3 tail is critically involved. A disease-causing mutation of S752P in this region, but not S752A, suppressed partial activation induc.
Analytical Characterization of the Corrosion Mechanisms of WC-Co by Electrochemical Methods and Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy

WC-Co exhibit a rather high susceptibility to corrosion in aqueous solutions, which is a result of complex reaction mechanisms. The local distribution of the surface reactions is thus of considerable interest. Electrochemical measurements provide only a one-sided information about the corrosion processes. For this purpose, comparative studies of elemental solution analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) were carried out. The use of a flow cell allowed simultaneous online detection of dissolving elements. Surface characterization by XPS was used to determine the influence of solution contact on the surface composition. In order to elucidate the local aspects of the WC-Co corrosion behaviour, conventional electrochemical results (potentiodynamic polarization measurements) were compared to experiments, performed with a micro-capillary technique, which provides a focused view on the local corrosion situation. From these different methods, a more conclusive model presentation of the reaction mechanisms, taking place on WC-Co in aqueous solution, is proposed.
Development of a Job-Exposure Matrix for Ultrafine Particle Exposure: The MatPUF JEM.

OBJECTIVE Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are generated from common work processes and have thus existed for a long time. Far more prevalent than engineered nanoparticles, they share common toxicological characteristics with them. However, there is no existing retrospective assessment tool specific to UFPs, for example, for epidemiological purposes. Thus, we aimed to develop a job-exposure matrix dedicated to UFPs. METHOD Fifty-seven work processes were identified as well as the chemical composition of UFPs emitted, following a literature review and the input of an expert panel. These work processes were associated with occupational codes as defined by the ISCO 1968 classification. The probability and frequency of UFP exposure were assessed for each combination of occupational code and process. Summarized probabilities and frequencies were then calculated for all ISCO occupational codes associated with several processes. Variations in exposure over time or across industrial sectors were accounted for in the assessment of each occupational code. RESULTS In the ISCO classification, 52.8% of the occupational codes (n = 835) assessed were associated with exposure to UFPs, consisting mainly of carbonaceous, metallic, and mineral families (39.5%, 22 and, 15.8%, respectively). Among them, 42.6% involved very probable exposure, and at a high frequency (regularly or continuously). CONCLUSION These results suggest that occupational exposure to UFPs may be extensive at the workplace and could concern a wide variety of workers. Pending the integration of a third parameter assessing the intensity of UFP exposure, the MatPUF JEM already constitutes a promising and easy-to-use tool to study the possible adverse health effects of UFPs at work. It may also guide prevention policies in the occupational environments concerned, including those involving engineered nanoparticles.
Impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on invasive pneumococcal disease in children under 5 years of age in the Czech Republic

Introduction The aim of this study is to analyse the impact of vaccination of infants with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) on the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children under 5 years of age in the Czech Republic. Material and methods The present study includes all IPD cases reported in children aged 0–4 years within the surveillance program in 2007–2017. The impact of PCV is analysed for five categories of IPD: cases caused by all serotypes, cases caused by PCV7 serotypes (4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F), cases caused by three additional PCV10 serotypes (1, 5, and 7F), cases caused by three additional PCV13 serotypes (3, 6A, and 19A), and cases caused by non-PCV serotypes. To assess the impact of PCV, the study period was divided into the pre-vaccination period 2007–2008 and post-vaccination period 2009–2017, which was divided into three three-year parts: 2009–2011, 2012–2014, and 2015–2017. Analysis of differences between periods was based on the Poisson regression model where the population numbers were handled as an offset. Results The annual incidence of IPD in children under 5 years of age caused by all serotypes has had a downward trend since 2007: it dropped from 8.52/100 000 in 2007 to 2.67/100 000 in 2017, with slight increases in 2010 and 2013. All three post-vaccination periods show significantly lower (p<0.001) incidences in comparison to the pre-vaccination period, but they do not statistically significantly differ from each other. Conclusions IPD surveillance data in the Czech Republic show that after the introduction of PCV vaccination of infants, there has been a significant decrease in the IPD incidence of children under 5 years of age. Continued IPD surveillance is essential to monitor for possible post-vaccination serotype replacement.
Pharmaceutical development of IPI‐504, an Hsp90 inhibitor and clinical candidate for the treatment of cancer

IPI‐504 (retaspimycin hydrochloride) is an Hsp90 inhibitor that is the subject of multiple clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. IPI‐504 is an aqueous soluble (>200 mg/ml) hydroquinone hydrochloride salt of 17‐(allylamino)‐17‐demethoxygeldanamycin (17‐AAG), a quinone derivative also undergoing clinical evaluation, albeit with suboptimal formulations that address its inferior aqueous solubility (∼50 µg/ml). IPI‐504 interconverts with 17‐AAG in vivo through oxidation‐reduction reactions that result in a dynamic redox equilibrium. The development challenges associated with redox active molecules are significant due to the pH, oxygen, and temperature sensitivities associated with such chemotypes. The API and sterile drug product manufacturing processes thus warrant the monitoring and control of these key variables. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical development challenges associated with cancer agents that are often fast‐tracked due to unmet medical needs mandate a rapid development cycle with associated regulatory hurdles. Drug Dev Res 71: 429–438, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mitochondrial, lysosomal and DNA damages induced by acrylamide attenuate by ellagic acid in human lymphocyte

Acrylamide (AA), is an important contaminant formed during food processing under high temperature. Due to its potential neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity effects, this food contaminant has been recognized as a human health concern. Previous studies showed that acrylamide-induced toxicity is associated with active metabolite of acrylamide by cytochrome P450 enzyme, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage. In the current study, we investigated the role of oxidative stress in acrylamide’s genotoxicity and therapeutic potential role of ellagic acid (EA) in human lymphocytes. Human lymphocytes were simultaneously treated with different concentrations of EA (10, 25 and 50 μM) and acrylamide (50 μM) for 4 h at 37°C. After 4 hours of incubation, the toxicity parameters such cytotoxicity, ROS formation, oxidized/reduced glutathione (GSH/GSSG) content, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, lysosomal membrane integrity, mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm) collapse and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were analyzed using biochemical and flow cytometry evaluations. It has been found that acrylamide (50 μM) significantly increased cytotoxicity, ROS formation, GSH oxidation, lipid peroxidation, MMP collapse, lysosomal and DNA damage in human lymphocytes. On the other hand, cotreatment with EA (25 and 50 μM) inhibited AA-induced oxidative stress which subsequently led to decreasing of the cytotoxicity, GSH oxidation, lipid peroxidation, MMP collapse, lysosomal and DNA damage. Together, these results suggest that probably the co-exposure of EA with foods containing acrylamide could decrease mitochondrial, lysosomal and DNA damages, and oxidative stress induced by acrylamide in human body.
A supercritical fluid workflow for the quality assessment of herbal drugs and commercial preparations from Rhodiola rosea

Abstract Introduction Preparations from the Rhodiola rosea are experiencing an increase in popularity: extracts of dried roots and rhizomes are used as adaptogen to treat stress, fatigue, and weakness. To meet high pharmaceutical standards, fast and reliable methods to assess phytochemical variations in respect of quality control are needed. Objective The aim of this study was to extract and quantify seven characteristic secondary metabolites of R. rosea , namely p‐tyrosol (1), rosin (2), rosiridin (3), salidroside (4), rosarin (5), rosavin (6), and tricin‐5‐O‐β‐d‐glucopyranoside (7) in 24 herbal drugs and seven commercial preparations using a newly established supercritical fluid workflow. Methods The developed protocol allowed for an exhaustive extraction of compounds 1–7 using 60% carbon dioxide (CO2) and 40% methanol. The constituents were analysed on an ultra‐high‐performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC) instrument using a charged surface hybrid fluoro‐phenyl (CSH FP) column (3.0 mm × 100 mm, 1.7 μm; mobile phase: CO2 and methanol). Results The seven compounds were separated in a remarkably short time (< 3.5 minutes). For their quantitation, good results in terms of selectivity, linearity (R 2 ≥ 0.99), precision (intraday ≤ 3.03%, interday ≤ 5.17%) and accuracy (recovery rates 96.6–102.4%) were achieved using selected ion recording on a Quadrupole Dalton (QDa) mass detector. Conclusion The quantitative analysis of the investigated herbal drugs showed a highly differing metabolite pattern which was also observed in the investigated commercial products. None of the commercial dietary products met the declared content of rosavins and salidroside. The developed and validated protocol offers a novel and reliable method to assess the quantitative composition of Rhodiola herbal drugs and preparations.
Associations between eating disorders and illicit drug use among college students.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the associations between a positive eating disorder screen and any lifetime eating disorder diagnosis and illicit drug use among a large, diverse sample of college students. METHOD We analyzed data from the national (United States), cross-sectional 2018-2019 Healthy Minds Study (HMS; n = 42,618; response rate: 16%). HMS collects information on the physical, mental, and social health of college students. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association between a positive eating disorder screen (measured using the SCOFF) and any self-reported lifetime eating disorder diagnosis and self-reported illicit drug use in the past 30 days (any illicit drug use and use of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, stimulants, ecstasy, opioids, benzodiazepines), while adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS Among the sample, 54.34% (n = 28,608) were female and the mean age of participants was 23.30 (SE ± 0.05) years. Logistic regression analyses revealed unique associations between a positive eating disorder screen and any lifetime eating disorder diagnosis and illicit drug use among the sample of college student participants. A positive eating disorder screen was most strongly associated with methamphetamine use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.43-10.78), and any lifetime eating disorder diagnosis was most strongly associated with benzodiazepine use (AOR 3.42, 95% CI 2.28-5.13). DISCUSSION Illicit drug use is common among college students who screen positive for an eating disorder and report any lifetime eating disorder diagnosis. The co-occurring nature of eating disorders and illicit drug use may complicate treatment and lead to compounded adverse health outcomes.
Quantitative Measurement of the Mechanical Contribution to Tapping-Mode Atomic Force Microscopy Images of Soft Materials

In atomic force microscopy, tapping-mode (also called intermittent contact mode) operation is known for its ability to image soft materials without inducing severe damage. For soft materials, the determination of the relative contributions of the topography and the local mechanical properties to the recorded image is of primary importance. In this paper, we report a systematic comparison between images and approach−retract curve data. We show that this experimental comparison allows the origin of the contrast that produces the image to be straightforwardly evaluated. The method provides an unambiguous quantitative measurement of the contribution of the local mechanical response to the image. To achieve this goal, experimental results are recorded on a model system, a triblock copolymer, with a nanophase separation between elastomer and glassy domains. In this particular case, we show that most of the contrast in the height and phase images is due to variations of the local mechanical properties.
Machine Scoring of Medical Students’ Written Clinical Reasoning: Initial Validity Evidence

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Purpose Developing medical students’ clinical reasoning requires a structured longitudinal curriculum with frequent targeted assessment and feedback. Performance-based assessments, which have the strongest validity evidence, are currently not feasible for this purpose because they are time-intensive to score. This study explored the potential of using machine learning technologies to score one such assessment—the diagnostic justification essay. Method From May to September 2018, machine scoring algorithms were trained to score a sample of 700 diagnostic justification essays written by 414 third-year medical students from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine classes of 2012–2017. The algorithms applied semantically based natural language processing metrics (e.g., coherence, readability) to assess essay quality on 4 criteria (differential diagnosis, recognition and use of findings, workup, and thought process); the scores for these criteria were summed to create overall scores. Three sources of validity evidence (response process, internal structure, and association with other variables) were examined. Results Machine scores correlated more strongly with faculty ratings than faculty ratings did with each other (machine: .28–.53, faculty: .13–.33) and were less case-specific. Machine scores and faculty ratings were similarly correlated with medical knowledge, clinical cognition, and prior diagnostic justification. Machine scores were more strongly associated with clinical communication than were faculty ratings (.43 vs .31). Conclusions Machine learning technologies may be useful for assessing medical students’ long-form written clinical reasoning. Semantically based machine scoring may capture the communicative aspects of clinical reasoning better than faculty ratings, offering the potential for automated assessment that generalizes to the workplace. These results underscore the potential of machine scoring to capture an aspect of clinical reasoning performance that is difficult to assess with traditional analytic scoring methods. Additional research should investigate machine scoring generalizability and examine its acceptability to trainees and educators.
Fluoride release from two types of fluoride-containing orthodontic adhesives: Conventional versus resin-modified glass ionomer cements—An in vitro study

Introduction Development of white spot lesions (WSLs) during orthodontic treatment is a common risk factor. Fixation of the orthodontic appliances with glass ionomer cements could reduce the prevalence of WSL’s due to their fluoride release capacities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences of fluoride release properties from resin-modified and conventional glass ionomer cements (GICs). Methods The resin-modified GICs Fuji ORTHO LC (GC Orthodontics), Meron Plus QM (VOCO), as well as the conventional GICs Fuji ORTHO (GC Orthodontics), Meron (VOCO) and Ketac Cem Easymix (3M ESPE) were tested in this study. The different types of GICs were applied to hydroxyapatite discs according to the manufacturer’s instructions and stored in a solution of TISAB III (Total Ionic Strength Adjustment Buffer III) and fluoride-free water at 37°C. Fluoride measurements were made after 5 minutes, 2 hours, 24 hours, 14 days, 28 days, 2 months, 3 months and 6 months. One factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for the overall comparison of the cumulative fluoride release (from measurement times of 5 minutes to 6 months) between the different materials with the overall level of significance set to 0.05. Tukey’s post hoc test was used for post hoc pairwise comparisons in the cumulative fluoride release between the different materials. Results The cumulative fluoride release (mean ± sd) in descending order was: Fuji ORTHO LC (221.7 ± 10.29 ppm), Fuji ORTHO (191.5 ± 15.03 ppm), Meron Plus QM (173.0 ± 5.89 ppm), Meron (161.3 ± 7.84 ppm) and Ketac Cem Easymix (154.6 ± 6.09 ppm) within 6 months. Analysis of variance detected a significant difference in the cumulative fluoride release between at least two of the materials (rounded p-value < 0.001). Pairwise analysis with Tukey’s post hoc test showed a significant difference in the cumulative fluoride release for all the comparisons except M and MPQM (p = 0.061) and KCE and M (p = 0.517). Conclusion Fluoride ions were released cumulatively over the entire test period for all products. When comparing the two products from the same company (Fuji ORTHO LC vs. Fuji ORTHO from GC Orthodontics Europe GmbH and Meron Plus QM vs. Meron from VOCO GmbH, Mannheim, Germany), it can be said that the resin-modified GICs have a higher release than conventional GICs. The highest individual fluoride release of all GICs was at 24 hours. A general statement, whether resin-modified or conventional GICs have a higher release of fluoride cannot be made.