Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A morphological study of age-related changes in medullary characteristics of proximal humerus

To the Editor: Proximal humeral fracture (PHF) predominantly occurs in patients older than 60 years old with severe osteoporosis. Although a majority of PHFs can be treated non-operatively, the complicated ones require surgical fixation. In older individuals, the loss of trabecular structure and the calcar region in the proximal humeral medullary cavity makes them prone to comminuted fracture and loss of medial hinge support, leading to a high rate of implant failure and reoperation. Recent studies have shown that endosteal augments incorporated into the locking plate construct might provide better medullary support and mechanical stability. However, the endosteal augments used in PHF fixation are of different shapes, modes, and positions, which can lead to implant failure and reduction loss. This may be because of a lack of understanding of the morphological changes that take place in the proximal humerus at different ages. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed and compared the anatomical degeneration pattern of the medullary canal between older and younger patients to have a better understanding of the medullary morphology of proximal humerus anatomically and the application of endosteal support clinically.
Axon terminals control endolysosome diffusion to support synaptic remodelling

Endolysosomes present in the presynaptic terminal move by diffusion constrained by F-actin and increase their mobility during the remodelling of synaptic connectivity to support a local degradative activity. Endolysosomes are acidic organelles formed by the fusion of endosomes with lysosomes. In the presynaptic compartment they contribute to protein homeostasis, the maintenance of vesicle pools and synaptic stability. Here, we evaluated the mobility of endolysosomes found in axon terminals of olfactory sensory neurons of Xenopus tropicalis tadpoles. F-actin restricts the motion of these presynaptic acidic organelles which is characterized by a diffusion coefficient of 6.7 × 10−3 μm2·s−1. Local injection of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) in the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb disrupts the structure of synaptic F-actin patches and increases the presence and mobility of endolysosomal organelles found in axon terminals. The increased motion of endolysosomes is localized to the presynaptic compartment and does not promote their access to axonal regions for retrograde transportation to the cell body. Local activation of synaptic degradation mechanisms mediated by SPARC coincides with a loss of the ability of tadpoles to detect waterborne odorants. Together, these observations show that the diffusion of presynaptic endolysosomes increases during conditions of synaptic remodelling to support their local degradative activity.
Complete response to immunotherapy in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma

Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is an uncommon aggressive tumor. Locally advanced disease is usually diagnosed at presentation. Multidisciplinary approach is essential and aims to ensure optimal trimodal strategy. Induction chemotherapy is preferred in order to select patients who will benefit from chemoradiotherapy or surgery. Immunotherapy is not indicated in patients with recurrent SNUC. We describe an impressive response in a young man previously treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy and demolitive surgery who had metastatic bone and lung disease. We also report data on PD-L1, next-generation sequencing, and neutrophil/platelets ratio.
Patch test reactivity to iodopropynyl butylcarbamate between 2011 and 2018 in Melbourne, Australia

REFERENCES 1. Inada A, Oyama S, Niinomi I, Wakabayashi T, Iwanaga K, Hosohata K. Association of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis with antiepileptic drugs in pediatric patients: subgroup analysis based on a Japanese spontaneous database. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2019;44(5):775-779. 2. Mori F, Blanca-Lopez N, Caubet JC, et al. Delayed hypersensitivity to antiepileptic drugs in children. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2021;32(3):425-436. 3. Tachibana K, Hamada T, Tsuchiya H, et al. Ethosuximide-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome: beneficial effect of early intervention with high-dose corticosteroid therapy. J Dermatol. 2018;45(5): 592-595. 4. Santavuori P. Absence seizures: valproate or ethosuximide? Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 1983;Suppl 97:41-48. 5. Van Tendeloo E, Gutermuth J, Grosber M. Positive patch testing with omeprazole in Stevens-Johnson syndrome: a case report. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021;35(1):e74-e75.
20-Week Study of Clinical Outcomes of Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Prophylaxis and Treatment

Objectives and Setting. As the lethal COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, the need for effective modalities of alleviation remains urgent. This includes modalities that can readily be used by the public to reduce disease spread and severity. Such preventive measures and early-stage treatments may temper the immediacy of demand for advanced anti-COVID measures (drugs, antibodies, vaccines) and help relieve strain also on other health system resources. Design and Participants. We present results of a clinical study with a multi-component OTC “core formulation” regimen used in a multiply exposed adult population. Analysis of clinical outcome data from our sample of over 100 subjects − comprised of roughly equal sized regimen-compliant (test) and non-compliant (control) groups meeting equivalent inclusion criteria − demonstrates a strong statistical significance in favor of use of the core formulations. Results. While both groups were moderate in size, the difference between them in outcomes over the 20-week study period was large and stark: Just under 4% of the compliant test group presented flu-like symptoms, but none of the test group was COVID-positive; whereas 20% of the non-compliant control group presented flu-like symptoms, three-quarters of whom (15% overall of the control group) were COVID-positive. Conclusions. Offering a low cost, readily implemented anti-viral approach, the study regimen may serve, at the least, as a stopgap modality and, perhaps, as a useful tool in combatting the pandemic.
Outcomes of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma with different managements: a retrospective investigation.

OBJECTIVE Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) is an extremely rare tumor, and no standard treatment has been established yet. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the outcomes of different managements for HEH patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS From March 2014 to November 2019, a retrospective investigation was performed among 50 HEH patients to summarize the outcomes of different managements. Their medical records were collected, and the outcome of each management was evaluated based on radiological images. RESULTS Of the 50 HEH patients examined, 80% were asymptomatic, and 94% had multiple intrahepatic lesions. Extrahepatic metastases were detected in 54% of patients, and 82% of patients were radiologically misdiagnosed. 16 (88.9%) of 18 patients with initial observation had progressive disease (PD). Of 12 patients with curatively intended surgery or radiofrequency ablation (RF), 10 (83.3%) of them had a recurrence. Six treated patients with interferon-α had results of 4 partial responses (PR), 1 complete response (CR), and 1 stable disease (SD). Of 6 patients with thalidomide, 4 patients had PD, and 2 patients had SD. Four patients treated with chemotherapy had 3 PD and 1 SD. Five patients treated with targeted therapy had 2 PR, 2 PD, and 1 SD. CONCLUSIONS During our observation, we found that HEH patients had a high chance of PD. The risk of recurrence after surgery or RF was high. The encouraging result of interferon-α therapy makes it a promising treatment for HEH.
Rotavirus vaccines performance: dynamic interdependence of host, pathogen and environment

ABSTRACT Introduction As of January 2021, rotavirus vaccination programs have been implemented in 109 countries and their use has resulted in a positive impact on rotavirus-related diarrheal hospitalizations and mortality in children below 5 years of age. Despite these successes, several countries in Africa and Asia where disease burden is high have not yet implemented rotavirus vaccination at all or at a scale sufficient enough to demonstrate impact. This could be, among other reasons, due to poor vaccine coverage and the modest levels of efficacy and effectiveness of the vaccines in these resource-limited settings. Areas covered We review various factors related to the human host (malnutrition, maternally derived antibodies and breastfeeding, genetic factors, blood group, and co-administration with oral polio vaccine), rotavirus pathogen (force of infection, strain diversity and coinfections), and the environment (related to the human microbiome) which reflect complex and interconnected processes leading to diminished vaccine performance in resource-limited settings. Expert opinion Addressing the limiting factors for vaccine efficacy is needed but likely to take a long time to be resolved. An immediate solution is to increase the immunization coverage to higher values generating an overall effect of adequate proportion of protected population to reduce the prevalence of rotavirus disease. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY What is the context? Rotavirus is contagious and causes severe diarrhea in children below 5 years of age. It caused 128,500 deaths and 258 million episodes of diarrhea in 2016. Vaccines protecting children from rotavirus are given orally and have been implemented in 109 countries and used for more than a decade. They considerably decreased the number of hospitalizations and deaths. Several Asian and African countries experience rotavirus infections in large numbers and lag behind in implementing rotavirus vaccination programs. In these countries, rotavirus vaccines only prevent a smaller percentage of severe cases. The reasons for this reduction in vaccination impact are not widely known. What is new? We reviewed the literature to identify the reasons that could explain the differences in vaccination impact worldwide. Factors that might influence the impact of vaccination include Infected children (malnutrition, breastfeeding, blood group, and co-administration with oral polio vaccine); Circulating virus(es) (force of infection, number of new strains, and coinfections with other pathogens) Environment: human microbiome (microorganisms at the surface and in the body; that could be altered by diet, method of childbirth, or hygiene). Why is this important? In summary, rotavirus vaccination has reduced rotavirus-associated hospitalizations and deaths; however, more research is needed to understand the factors influencing the impact of vaccination in order to optimize them. (see Figure 1 – Graphical PLS).
Effects of storage temperature on quality of pitaya

The effects of storage temperature on the qualities such as weight loss,content of soluble solid,total sugar,titratable acid and Vc of pitaya were studied during storage.The results showed that the weight loss rate increased and the content of soluble solid,total sugar,titratable acid and Vc of pitaya were on a delining curve.Storage temperature at(3 ± 0.5) ℃ could mitigate rapid weight loss and decay,reduce decreasing of soluble solids,total sugar,titratable acid and Vc during the whole storage period,which prolonged the freshness period of pitaya.The optimal storage temperature was selected to be(3 ± 0.5) ℃ acording to comprehensive assessment of storage effects.
Effect of longitudinal and torsional ultrasound on corneal endothelial cells: experimental study in rabbit eyes

A study using live rabbits, with subsequent analysis of excised corneas stained with trypan blue/alizarin red, showed that torsional ultrasound led to less corneal endothelial cell damage than classical longitudinal ultrasound. Purpose: To compare corneal endothelial damage from longitudinal and torsional ultrasound during phacoemulsification. Setting: John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Design: Experimental study. Methods: 9 New Zealand white rabbits underwent bilateral surgery. After incision, the Intrepid Balanced Tip of the Centurion Ozil handpiece was inserted into the anterior chamber, and the following settings were used: 50 mL/min flow, 70 mm Hg intraocular pressure, 600 mm Hg vacuum, and 60% longitudinal (1 eye) or torsional (contralateral eye) ultrasound for 30 seconds. Cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) was noted. After euthanasia and enucleation, the corneas were removed, stained with trypan blue/alizarin red, and photographed (400× photographs from 5 specific areas and 1 overview photograph from each corneal button). The ImageJ program was used to evaluate cell damage and loss in the photographs obtained from each cornea. Results: Cavitation bubbles around the phacoemulsification tip were generally observed in the longitudinal group. CDE was 17.4 ± 0.58 and 6.93 ± 0.15 in the longitudinal and torsional groups, respectively (P = .003). The percentage of intact cells was statistically higher in the torsional group (94.22% ± 5.99% vs 56.85% ± 22.29%), and the percentage of lost cells was statistically higher in the longitudinal group (42.10% ± 22.02% vs 4.97% ± 6.23%) (P = .003). This was observed in the analysis of the 400× photographs and the overview photographs. Conclusions: This study suggests that torsional ultrasound was associated with significantly less corneal endothelial cell damage than classical longitudinal tip motion, providing further insight on mechanisms of corneal endothelial damage during phacoemulsification.
Reduced adaptive thermogenesis during acute protein-imbalanced overfeeding is a metabolic hallmark of the human thrifty phenotype.

BACKGROUND The human thrifty phenotype is characterized by a greater decrease in 24-h energy expenditure (24EE) during fasting due to relatively higher eucaloric 24EE in sedentary conditions, both of which are indicative of greater propensity to weight gain. Thriftiness is also associated with a smaller increase in 24EE (i.e., reduced adaptive thermogenesis) during overfeeding. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether short-term measures of adaptive thermogenesis during overfeeding with low/normal/high protein content characterize thriftiness. METHODS In this secondary cross-sectional analysis of a single-arm crossover study, 24EE was measured using whole-room indirect calorimetry during energy balance, fasting, and different overfeeding conditions (low/3% protein, high/30% protein, and 3 normal/20% protein diets) with 200% of eucaloric requirements in 77 healthy individuals [63 men; BMI (in kg/m2): 26.4 ± 4.3; body fat by DXA: 27.7% ± 9.4%, mean ± SD] with normal glucose regulation. Relations between the 24EE during energy balance (adjusted for body composition) and 24EE during each overfeeding diet were analyzed using separate linear regression models. Participants were arbitrarily categorized as thrifty/spendthrift based on the median value (-177 kcal/d) of the difference in 24EE between fasting and energy balance conditions. RESULTS Differences in 24EE during low/high-protein overfeeding diets (regression line slope = 0.76 and 0.68, respectively, both P < 0.05 compared with slope = 1) but not during the normal-protein overfeeding diets (all P > 0.05 compared with slope = 1) were dependent on baseline 24EE during energy balance. Specifically, individuals with higher eucaloric 24EE (thriftier phenotype) showed smaller increases in 24EE during protein-imbalanced overfeeding. Analyzed by group, thrifty individuals had smaller increases in 24EE by 42 and 237 kcal/d during low- and high-protein overfeeding, respectively, compared with spendthrift individuals who showed greater increases in 24EE by 100 and 302 kcal/d (P ≤ 0.03 compared with thrifty group). CONCLUSIONS During acute overfeeding conditions with low/high-protein content, thrifty participants have limited capacity to increase 24EE, indicating that impaired adaptive thermogenesis during protein-imbalanced diets further characterizes the thrifty phenotype and its susceptibility to weight gain. This trial was registered at clinicalTrials.gov as NCT00523627.
Comparing oral health-related quality of life, oral function and orofacial aesthetics among a group of adolescents with and without malocclusions

Abstract Objective The aim was to analyze how malocclusion relates to perception of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL), oral function and orofacial aesthetics among a group of adolescents in Sweden. Material and methods Thirty patients with a need for orthodontic treatment (IOTN-DHC grade 4 and 5) and 30 patients with normal occlusion (IOTN-DHC grade 1), aged 13–17 years, were included in the study. A questionnaire containing three parts was used; The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-S14), Jaw Functional Limitational scale (JFLS-20) and Orofacial Aesthetic scale (OES). Malocclusions, orthodontic treatment need and confounders, such as earlier dental treatment and temporomandibular disorders, were registered. Results Adolescents with malocclusions were more often embarrassed by their mouth and teeth compared to controls (p < .05). Aesthetically, adolescents with malocclusions were more negatively affected by the appearance of the mouth and teeth as well as the over-all facial appearance (p < .05). Conclusions Malocclusions clearly affects the adolescents with need for orthodontic treatment in this study. It influences their OHRQOL in the psychosocial impact dimension. Aesthetically they perceive their oral and facial appearance as worse compared to controls. Although embarrassed and unpleased with their oral appearance they still rate themselves as having a good oral health with low jaw function limitations.
Early initiation of hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) using individualised, pharmacokinetics‐guided dosing can produce sustained and nearly pancellular expression of fetal haemoglobin in children with sickle cell anaemia

Hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) is an effective treatment for sickle cell anaemia (SCA), but clinical responses depend primarily upon the degree of fetal haemoglobin (HbF) induction and the heterogeneity of HbF expression across erythrocytes. The number and characteristics of HbF‐containing cells (F‐cells) are not assessed by traditional HbF measurements. Conventional hydroxyurea dosing (e.g. fixed doses or low starting doses with stepwise escalation) produces a moderate heterocellular HbF induction, but haemolysis and clinical complications continue. Robust, pancellular HbF induction is needed to minimise or fully inhibit polymerisation of sickle haemoglobin. We treated children with hydroxyurea using an individualised, pharmacokinetics‐guided regimen starting at predicted maximum tolerated dose (MTD). We observed sustained HbF induction (mean >30%) for up to 6 years, which was not dependent on genetic determinants of HbF expression. Nearly 70% of patients had ≥80% F‐cells (near‐pancellular), and almost half had ≥90% F‐cells (pancellular). The mean HbF/F‐cell content was ~12 pg. Earlier age of initiation and better medication adherence were associated with high F‐cell responses. In summary, early initiation of hydroxyurea using pharmacokinetics‐guided starting doses at predicted MTD can achieve sustained near‐pancellular or pancellular HbF expression and should be considered an achievable goal for children with SCA treated with hydroxyurea at optimal doses.
Pregnancy outcomes following in vitro fertilization using fresh or frozen embryo transfer

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing IVF using fresh and/or frozen embryo transfer. Methods In this retrospective patient record study, we reviewed 2,872 infertile women’s files, who were candidates for IVF. The patients were classified into two groups, including those who underwent fresh embryo transfer (n=1628) and/or frozen embryo transfer (FET) (n=1244). Results Fertility was achieved in 313 (19.23%) and 356 (28.62%) patients, who underwent fresh ET and FET, respectively. The rates of clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live births were significantly higher in the FET group than the fresh ET group. The incidence of multiple pregnancies, perinatal mortality, abortion in the first trimester, preterm delivery, and low birth weight were significantly higher among fresh ET group [38 (35.51%), 15 (14.50%), 72 (23.01%), 26 (8.30%), and 33 (10.54%), respectively] than in the FET group [25 (15.33%), 6 (6.87%), 63 (17.69%), 14 (3.93%), and 20 (5.61%); p<0.05]. In addition, the incidence of ectopic pregnancies, abortion in the second trimester, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and placenta previa were higher in the fresh ET group, but not significantly so (p>0.05). Conclusions Women who underwent IVF via FET showed more successful fertility and pregnancy outcomes compared to those who underwent IVF by fresh ET.
Connexins in the development and physiology of stem cells

ABSTRACT Connexins (Cxs) form gap junction (GJ) channels linking vertebrate cells. During embryogenesis, Cxs are expressed as early as the 4–8 cell stage. As cells differentiate into pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and during gastrulation, the Cx expression pattern is adapted. Knockdown of Cx43 and Cx45 does not interfere with embryogenic development until the blastula stage, questioning the role of Cxs in PSC physiology and development. Studies in cultivated and induced PSCs (iPSCs) showed that Cx43 is essential for the maintenance of self-renewal and the expression of pluripotency markers. It was found that the role of Cxs in PSCs is more related to regulation of transcription or cell-cell adherence than to formation of GJ channels. Furthermore, a crucial role of Cxs for the self-renewal and differentiation was shown in cultivated adult mesenchymal stem cells. This review aims to highlight aspects that link Cxs to the function and physiology of stem cell development. Graphical abstract
Transition metals (Fe, Co, and Ni) encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes as bi-functional catalysts for oxygen electrode reactions

The development of efficient and cheap bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to be applied in rechargeable metal–air batteries and unitized generative fuel cells (URFCs) operated with alkaline electrolytes is highly crucial and challenging. Here we report high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts of transition metal nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (M/N-CNTs, M = Fe, Co, and Ni). The optimized Co/N-CNT hybrid shows the highest efficient bifunctional catalytic activity and excellent stability towards both the ORR and OER. The oxygen electrode activity parameter ΔE (the criteria for judging the overall catalytic activity of bifunctional electrocatalysts) value for Co/N-CNTs is 0.78 V, which surpasses those of Pt/C and RuO2 catalysts and most of the non-precious metal based bifunctional electrocatalysts reported in the previous literature studies. Furthermore, excellent long-term catalytic durability holds great promise in fields of renewable energy applications.