Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Real-Life Outcomes in Schizophrenia Patients according to Compliance

Objective To describe and compare demographics, outcomes and comorbidities in schizophrenia patients by treatment compliance. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of hospital- or office-based psychiatrists who saw ≥6 schizophrenia patients per week and were responsible for treatment decisions. Recruited physicians completed a patient record form (PRF) for their first 10 consulted schizophrenia patients aged ≥18. These patients voluntarily completed a patient self-completion form (PSC). Compliance was measured by subjective physician assessment. Drivers of and outcomes associated with compliance were identified by regression analyses. Results A total of 150 physicians completed PRFs for 1489 patients (706 sometimes compliant (SC), 636 always compliant (AC)). A total of 680 patients completed a PSC (327 SC, 295 AC). AC patients were less likely to be male (52.2% vs. 58.6%; P = 0.021) and unemployed (odds ratio (OR) 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82–1.00; P < 0.001) or to have had a treatment regimen change (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.40–0.80; P = 0.001) than SC patients. AC patients were less likely to have had more comorbidities (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.82–1.00; P = 0.045) and hospitalizations in the past 12 months (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.43–0.80; P = 0.001) than SC patients. Overall, AC patients had better clinical and humanistic outcomes. Weight gain was a common side effect for all patients; SC patients with weight gain had poorer outcomes than those without weight gain. Conclusion Schizophrenia patients that were SC experienced poorer clinical outcomes and quality of life. Weight gain may exacerbate these poorer outcomes.
Fatty Acid Profile and Metabolism Are Related to Human Sperm Parameters and Are Relevant in Idiopathic Infertility and Varicocele

Objectives Fatty acids (FA) modulate oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and inflammatory processes in spermatogenesis. Methods The amount of 17 different FAs and the level of F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs) and cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) were compared and correlated to sperm characteristics; these last ones were evaluated by light and electronic microscopy in varicocele and idiopathic infertile patients. Results Total n-3 polyunsaturated acids (PUFAs) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), one of the n-3 PUFAs, were significantly reduced in idiopathic infertile men compared to controls (P < 0.05). In the whole studied population, oleic acid and total monounsaturated acids (MUFAs) correlated negatively with sperm concentration, progressive motility, normal morphology, vitality, and fertility index and positively with sperm necrosis. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) amount was positively correlated with the percentage of sperm necrosis and cPLA2 level and negatively with sperm concentration. Sperm vitality was negatively correlated with the saturated fatty acids (SFAs). In infertile groups, cPLA2 was negatively correlated with DHA and n-3 PUFAs (both P < 0.05) and positively with EPA (P < 0.05). In the varicocele group, sperm vitality was negatively correlated with palmitoleic acid and total n-6 PUFAs (P < 0.05); sperm apoptosis was positively correlated with the total SFA percentage (P < 0.05). Conclusions FA composition in sperm membrane and the metabolism of sperm FAs are interrelated parameters, both relevant in sperm maturation processes and fertility.
Clinical experience of 23 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the external auditory canal

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the external auditory canal (EAC) is a rare tumor. The present study aimed to describe the clinical features and survival of patients with ACC of the EAC. The present retrospective study included 23 patients (mean age, 51.4±15.4 years; 12 males) diagnosed with ACC of the EAC between January 2010 and September 2017 at The First Affiliated Hospital of The Third Military Medical University (Chongqing, China). The median disease course was 24 months. The presenting features were earache in 16 patients, otorrhea in 7 patients, hearing loss in 5 patients, feeling of aural fullness in 2 patients and EAC mass in 4 patients. Tumor stage was T1 in 13 patients, T2 in 3 patients, T3 in 3 patients and T4 in 4 patients. Among patients with T1 tumors, 5 underwent en bloc external EAC resection; 3 underwent local EAC resection; 1 underwent en bloc EAC resection and superficial parotidectomy; 1 underwent subtotal temporal bone resection for postoperative recurrence; Among patients with T4 tumors, 1 underwent extended temporal bone resection, right parotidectomy, right resection of middle cranial fossa tumors and right resection of temporomandibular joint capsule. 1 underwent subtotal temporal bone resection. Among these 15 patients who underwent surgery, 2 received postoperative radiotherapy, 1 received postoperative chemotherapy, 5 received postoperative chemo-radiotherapy, and 7 did not receive postoperative chemo-radiotherapy. The 3- and 5-year cumulative survival rates of the 23 patients were 47.8% and 17.4%, respectively. Survival may have been improved in patients who received postoperative chemo-radiotherapy and early diagnosis may be the key to improving survival.
Expression of SLC17A9 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinical significance

The present study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of solute carrier family 17 member 9 (SLC17A9) in cancer tissues of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ninety-eight patients with HCC were admitted to our hospital from January 2010 to December 2014. Their clinical data was retrospectively analyzed. The expression of SLC17A9 in HCC cancer tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier curve, log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model analysis were used to analyze the tumor-free survival rate and overall survival rate. SLC17A9 expression was associated with Edmondson grade (P=0.04) and distant metastasis (P=0.03). The tumor-free survival (P=0.03) and overall survival (P=0.01) of SLC17A9-high expression patients were significantly lower than those in SLC17A9-low expression patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that SLC17A9 expression (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.27–2.47, P=0.02) was an independent risk factor for tumor-free survival in patients with HCC, and the expression of SLC17A9 (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 0.99–3.77, P=0.04) was an independent risk factor for overall survival in patients with HCC. In conclusion, SLC17A9 can be used as a new molecular marker to predict the poor prognosis of patients with HCC.
The impact of frame numbers on cardiac ECG-gated SPECT images with interpolated extra frames using echocardiography

Background: Cardiac echocardiography and cardiac ECG-gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are the most common modalities for left ventricle (LV) volumes and function assessment. The temporal resolution of SPECT images is limited and an ECG provides better temporal resolution. This study investigates the impact of frame numbers on images in terms of qualitative and quantitative assessments. Methods: In this study, 5 patients underwent echocardiography and cardiac ECG-gated SPECT imaging, and 5 standard views of the LV were recorded to determine LV walls boundaries and volumes. Also, 2 original images with 8 frames and 16 frames per cardiac cycle were recorded simultaneously in a single gantry orbit. Using the data extracted from the LV model, 8 extra new frames were created with interpolation between existing frames of the original 8-frame image. Three series of images (8 and 16 original and 16 interpolated) were reconstructed separately. LV volumes and ejection fraction (EF) were calculated using Quantitative Gated SPECT (QGS) software. Results: Compared to the original 8-frame gating, original 16-frame gated images resulted in larger end-diastole volume (EDV) (mean ± SD: 68.6 ± 27.11 mL vs 66.2±25.41 mL, p<0.001), smaller end-systole volume (ESV) (mean ± SD: 24.6±8.7 mL vs 26±7.3 mL, p<0.001), and higher EF (64% vs 60.2%, p<0.001). The results for the interpolated series were also different from the original images (closer to the original 16-frame series rather than 8-frame). Conclusion: Changing the frame number from 8 to 16 in cardiac ECG-gated SPECT images caused a significant change in LV volumes and EF. Frame interpolation with sophisticated algorithms can be used to improve the temporal resolution of SPECT images.
Polyethylene Glycol 35 as a Perfusate Additive for Mitochondrial and Glycocalyx Protection in HOPE Liver Preservation

Organ transplantation is a multifactorial process in which proper graft preservation is a mandatory step for the success of the transplantation. Hypothermic preservation of abdominal organs is mostly based on the use of several commercial solutions, including UW, Celsior, HTK and IGL-1. The presence of the oncotic agents HES (in UW) and PEG35 (in IGL-1) characterize both solution compositions, while HTK and Celsior do not contain any type of oncotic agent. Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are non-immunogenic, non-toxic and water-soluble polymers, which present a combination of properties of particular interest in the clinical context of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI): they limit edema and nitric oxide induction and modulate immunogenicity. Besides static cold storage (SCS), there are other strategies to preserve the organ, such as the use of machine perfusion (MP) in dynamic preservation strategies, which increase graft function and survival as compared to the conventional static hypothermic preservation. Here we report some considerations about using PEG35 as a component of perfusates for MP strategies (such as hypothermic oxygenated perfusion, HOPE) and its benefits for liver graft preservation. Improved liver preservation is closely related to mitochondria integrity, making this organelle a good target to increase graft viability, especially in marginal organs (e.g., steatotic livers). The final goal is to increase the pool of suitable organs, and thereby shorten patient waiting lists, a crucial problem in liver transplantation.
Remdesivir Treatment for Severe COVID-19 in Third-Trimester Pregnancy: Case Report and Management Discussion

Abstract We report a case of COVID-19 in third-trimester pregnancy, who required support in an intensive care unit and received remdesivir. After discharge, she had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery at term. COVID-19 in pregnancy may be managed without emergent delivery; a multispecialty team is critical in caring for these patients.
Targeting Endothelial Dysfunction in Eight Extreme-Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19 Using the Anti-Adrenomedullin Antibody Adrecizumab (HAM8101)

Recently, the stabilization of the endothelium has been explicitly identified as a therapeutic goal in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Adrecizumab (HAM8101) is a first-in-class humanized monoclonal anti-Adrenomedullin (anti-ADM) antibody, targeting the sepsis- and inflammation-based vascular and capillary leakage. Within a “treatment on a named-patient basis” approach, Adrecizumab was administered to eight extreme-critically ill COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The patients received a single dose of Adrecizumab, which was administered between 1 and 3 days after the initiation of mechanical ventilation. The SOFA (median 12.5) and SAPS-II (median 39) scores clearly documented the population at highest risk. Moreover, six of the patients suffered from acute renal failure, of whom five needed renal replacement therapy. The length of follow-up ranged between 13 and 27 days. Following the Adrecizumab administration, one patient in the low-dose group died at day 4 due to fulminant pulmonary embolism, while four were in stable condition, and three were discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU). Within 12 days, the SOFA score, as well as the disease severity score (range 0–16, mirroring critical resources in the ICU, with higher scores indicating more severe illness), decreased in five out of the seven surviving patients (in all high-dose patients). The PaO2/FiO2 increased within 12 days, while the inflammatory parameters C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and interleukin-6 decreased. Importantly, the mortality was lower than expected and calculated by the SOFA score. In conclusion, in this preliminary uncontrolled case series of eight shock patients with life-threatening COVID-19 and ARDS, the administration of Adrecizumab was followed by a favorable outcome. Although the non-controlled design and the small sample size preclude any definitive statement about the potential efficacy of Adrecizumab in critically ill COVID-19 patients, the results of this case series are encouraging.
Crosscultural Validation of the Community Integration Questionnaire–Revised in an Italian Population

Objective The aims of this study are the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the Community Integration Questionnaire–Revised (CIQ-R) in Italian in a group of individuals with no clinical evidence of disability. Methods The test's internal consistency and validity were assessed by following international guidelines. The test's internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the test's concurrent validity compared with the Short Form-12 (SF-12) health survey. Results The CIQ-R was administrated to 400 people with no clinical evidence of disease, impairment, or disability, aged between 18 and 64. Cronbach's α reported a value of 0.82 in the home integration subscale. The test also showed a good test-retest reliability, with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.78, and a significant correlation between the total score of the CIQ-R and the Physical Component Summary (PCS) of the SF-12 (r = 0.118), between the “social integration” subscale's score and PCS12 (r = 0.121) and between the “Electronic Social Networking integration” subscale's score and PCS12 (r = 0.184), with p < 0.05. Conclusion This is the first study to report the results of the translation and validation of the CIQ-R in Italian. The CIQ-R is an important tool for Italian professionals and can be useful in both clinical practice and research for measuring the level of community integration among the healthy population.
Professional quality of life amongst nurses in psychiatric observation units

Background Professional quality of life amongst nurses in psychiatric observations units may be affected by working conditions such as an overflow of mental health care users (MHCUs), a shortage of nurses, lack of specialised staff and inadequate infrastructure to accommodate MHCUs amongst others. Aim The aim of the study was to investigate the professional quality of life amongst nurses in psychiatric observation units. Setting The study was conducted in psychiatric observation units in eight hospitals in the Metropole District Health Services in the Western Cape. Method A quantitative descriptive survey design using the Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL version 5) questionnaire was conducted with an all-inclusive sample of 175 nurses. The ProQoL has two scales, namely, the compassion satisfaction and the compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue includes two subscales, burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Ethics to conduct the study was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee at the university and the Department of Health in the Western Cape. Results A response rate of 93% (n = 163) was obtained. Respondents reported moderate compassion satisfaction. Psychiatric nurse specialists and registered nurses reported lower compassion satisfaction than enrolled nurses and nursing assistants. This came with moderate levels of burnout and high levels of secondary traumatic stress, with enrolled nurses and enrolled nursing assistants reporting lower levels than the other professional groups. Conclusion Psychiatric nurse specialists and registered nurses experienced higher burnout and secondary traumatic stress and lower compassion satisfaction than the lower categories of nurses.
A novel monoclonal antibody against human B7-1 protects against chronic graft-vs.-host disease in a murine lupus nephritis model

Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common complication that causes mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The B7-1/B7-2 and CD28/cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 co-stimulatory pathway serves a key role in autoimmune disease and organ transplantation. The aim of the present study was to generate and characterize a monoclonal antibody (mAb; clone 4E5) against human B7-1 and to investigate its potential use for the treatment of LN. The results demonstrated that the 4E5 mAb was successfully generated and able to recognize both human and mouse B7-1. After injection of this mAb into a mouse model with chronic graft-vs.-host disease (cGVHD)-induced lupus-like disease, the expression of CD21, CD23, CD80 and CD86 on B220+ B-cells in the spleen, and the concentrations of serum autoantibodies and urine protein, were decreased. Direct immunofluorescence analysis of the kidneys revealed that immunoﬂuorescence of immune complex deposits was weaker in the 4E5-treated mice and electron microscopy analyses of renal tissues indicated that pathological injury of the kidneys of 4E5-treated mice was decreased compared with that in the model control mice. The results of the present study demonstrated that inhibition of the B7-1/CD28 co-stimulatory signaling pathway with the 4E5 mAb may represent a promising strategy to decelerate the progression of LN that is induced by cGVHD with potential for use in the treatment of other autoimmune diseases.
GATA3 and APOBEC3B are prognostic markers in adrenocortical carcinoma and APOBEC3B is directly transcriptionally regulated by GATA3

Recent evidence has implicated APOBEC3B (Apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic subunit 3B) as a source of mutations in breast, bladder, cervical, lung, head, and neck cancers. However, the role of APOBEC3B in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and the mechanisms through which its expression is regulated in cancer are not fully understood. Here, we report that APOBEC3B is overexpressed in ACC and it regulates cell proliferation by inducing S phase arrest. We show high APOBEC3B expression is associated with a higher copy number gain/loss at chromosome 4 and 8 and TP53 mutation rate in ACC. GATA3 was identified as a positive regulator of APOBEC3B expression and directly binds the APOBEC3B promoter region. Both GATA3 and APOBEC3B expression levels were associated with patient survival. Our study provides novel insights into the function and regulation of APOBEC3B expression in addition to its known mutagenic ability.
Prevalence of symptomatic urinary tract infections and asymptomatic bacteriuria in Iraqi pregnant women of Babylon Governorate

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common infections among pregnant women. It can be lead to poor maternal and perinatal outcomes. Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence rate of symptomatic UTIs and asymptomatic bacteriuria of pregnant women in the Babylon Governorate and to determine its association with sociodemographic, obstetrical, and other factors. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study between March 2018 and June 2018 involves examining 300 pregnant women at primary health centers; Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital of Hilla city, with and without symptoms of UTI were employed for this study. Midstream urine samples were taken, and general urine examination was performed. Results: The results of this study revealed that the overall prevalence of UTI among pregnant was 64.6% which include (symptomatic bacteriuria 8.0%, asymptomatic bacteriuria 6.3%, and UTI 50.3%). The higher rate of UTI was found in lower age, multiparous women, and during the second trimester. Factors such as socioeconomic status, history of UTI, dysuria, and positive laboratory results were found to be significantly associated with UTI. Conclusion: UTI is still the common health problem in pregnant women especially during their second trimester. Urinalyses are essential for all pregnant women during the antenatal period. The screening will be assisted to early detection and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria which prevent complication for mother and baby.
Predictive value and changes of miR-34a after concurrent chemoradiotherapy and its association with cognitive function in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

This study explored the changes and predictive value of miR-34a in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), and its association with cognitive function. Fifty NPC patients admitted to Shunde Hospital, and another fifty healthy individuals were assigned into treated group and control group, respectively. Patients in the treated group received 3 courses of CCRT. The relative expression of miR-34a in the two groups was detected, and the cognitive function of patients was assessed. Diagnostic and predictive values of miR-34a in advanced NPC were analyzed. The expression of miR-34a in the control group was significantly higher than that in the treated group (t=13.364, P<0.001), with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.979. The expression of miR-34a was significantly upregulated after treatment (t=4.559, P<0.001). After treatment, there were 32 complete remission (CR) patients and 18 partial remission (PR) patients. According to efficacy, CR patients were classified as significant group and PR patients as general group. The expression of miR-34a in the significant group was higher than that in the general group before treatment (t=4.704, P<0.001), with an AUC of 0.852. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score was significantly decreased after treatment (t=13.042, P<0.001). The expression of miR-34a was positively correlated with the MoCA score after treatment, that is, MoCA score gradually increased with the upregulation of miR-34a expression (r=0.379, P=0.006). There is a positive correlation between miR-34a and cognitive function of patients. Moreover, the expression of miR-34a can be used as a potential predictor of the efficacy of CCRT in patients with NPC.
Sequencing for an interdisciplinary molecular tumor board in patients with advanced breast cancer: experiences from a case series

Purpose: High throughput panel sequencing to tailor therapy in precision oncology promises to improve outcome in patients with metastatic breast cancer. However, data that clearly show any benefit from such an approach is still pending. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of advanced breast cancer patients that underwent panel sequencing for suggestion of target related drugs. We aimed to (i) determine the frequency of actionable mutations per patient and to (ii) assess the clinical impact of results on treatment options. Results: A total of 52 patients underwent panel sequencing of archived tumor tissue. Every sample showed at least one affected gene, accounting for actionable mutations in 45 of 52 patients (87%). New treatment options that would not have been used as indicated by standard predictive markers (such as hormonal receptor status or HER2-status) were found in 22 of 52 patients (42%). We detected therapeutic relevant pathogenic germline variants in 9,6% (5/52) of the patients. Conclusions: Using a high throughput-panel sequencing approach to identify actionable mutations in patients with metastatic breast cancer, we identified potential target-related treatment options in a large proportion of our patients, some of which would not have been considered without this data. Prospective clinical trials with compounds targeting the identified actionable mutations are needed to determine which treatments can indeed improve survival or quality of life by limiting exposure to ineffective drugs in advanced breast cancer.