Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of increased alcohol use and alcohol use disorders in adult victims of terrorist attacks: a systematic and meta-analytic review

ABSTRACT Background: Previous studies have reviewed the evidence on the increase in alcohol consumption after a terrorist attack. However, an increase does not necessarily imply the presence of an alcohol use disorder. Objectives: To conduct a systematic and meta-analytic review of the literature on the prevalence of increased alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorders in adult exposed to terrorism. Methods: A search of PsycINFO, MEDLINE and PTSDpubs identified 29 studies published up to March 2023 in which 38 adult samples totaling 282,753 persons exposed to terrorism were assessed. Using inverse variance heterogeneity models, pooled prevalence rates of increased alcohol use and alcohol use disorders were calculated. Results: 6% (95% CI [2.9, 9.5]) of the adults exposed to a terrorist attack increased their alcohol consumption. The prevalence of increased alcohol use varied depending on the degree of exposure (p = .006, R2 = .18) and the procedure for measuring increases (p = .043, R2 = .37). The prevalence of alcohol use disorders in adults exposed to a terrorist attack was 5.5% (95% CI [3.7, 7.5]), a rate that was not higher than that obtained in the general population and varied depending on the type of alcohol disorder (p = .015, R2 = .30). Conclusions: A relevant number of adults exposed to terrorist attacks will subsequently increase their alcohol consumption, but this increase is not associated with an increase in the prevalence of alcohol use disorders. Effects of terrorism on people’s health are potentially widespread, but concerns of excessive alcohol use after terrorist attacks may be unwarranted.
Impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Coronavirus Disease 2019, and Social Unrest on Adult Psychiatric Admissions in Hong Kong

Abstract In Hong Kong, two infectious disease outbreaks occurred in 2003 (SARS) and 2020 (COVID-19), and a large-scale social unrest happened in 2019. These were stressful societal events that influenced the mental well-being of the public. We aimed to explore the impact of these events on psychiatric admissions in Hong Kong. Socioeconomic and population-based psychiatric hospital admission data were retrieved from the government and Hospital Authority. Negative binomial time-series regression analysis was applied and we found overall significant reductions of psychiatric admissions during both the SARS and COVID-19 periods (−7.4% to −16.8%). Particularly, the admissions for unipolar disorders (−16.2% to −39.7%) and neuroses (−20.9% to −31.9%) were greatly reduced during the infection outbreaks. But an increase of admissions for schizophrenia (12.0%) was seen during the social unrest period. These findings support introducing early and targeted community mental health care strategies to the vulnerable people during the stressful societal events.
Stable Isotope-Based Paleoaltimetry

AbstractThe quantitative estimation of paleoaltitude has become an increasing focus of Earth scientists because surface elevation provides constraints on the geodynamic mechanisms operating in mountain belts, as well as the influence of mountain belt growth on regional and global climate. The general observation of decreasing δ18O and δ2H values in rainfall as elevation increases has been used in both empirical and theoretical approaches to estimate paleoelevation. These studies rely on the preservation of ancient surface water compositions in authigenic minerals to reconstruct the elevation at the time the minerals were forming. In this review we provide a theory behind the application of stable isotope-based approaches to paleoaltimetry. We apply this theory to test cases using modern precipitation and surface water isotopic compositions to demonstrate that it generally accords well with observations. Examples of the application of paleoaltimetry techniques to Himalaya-Tibet and the Andes are discussed .
Predicting Soil Expansion Force during Static Pipe Bursting Using Cavity Expansion Solutions

AbstractThe prediction of total pull force is critical for static pipe-bursting installation. As a major component of the total pull force, soil expansion prediction is also important; however, there are currently limited methods available for such prediction. In this paper, three cavity expansion solutions were used to predict soil expansion pressure acting upon the expander (bursting head) during static pipe bursting. The determined soil expansion pressure was then used to calculate the expansion force required for pipe bursting with or without consideration of the soil collapse. Calculated results were then compared with those from laboratory pipe-bursting experiments to evaluate the feasibility of the calculation methods. The comparison indicated that the large-strain cavity expansion solution reasonably predicted the soil expansion force. The small-strain solution significantly overestimated the soil expansion force. Additionally, considering soil collapse during pipe bursting resulted in a remarkabl.
Multicenter evaluation of the Vetscan Imagyst system using Ocus 40 and EasyScan One scanners to detect gastrointestinal parasites in feces of dogs and cats

The Vetscan Imagyst system (Zoetis) is a novel, artificial intelligence–driven detection tool that can assist veterinarians in the identification of enteric parasites in dogs and cats. This system consists of a sample preparation device, an automated digital microscope scanner, and a deep-learning algorithm. The EasyScan One scanner (Motic) has had good diagnostic performance compared with manual examinations by experts; however, there are drawbacks when used in veterinary practices in which space for equipment is often limited. To improve the usability of this system, we evaluated an additional scanner, the Ocus 40 (Grundium). Our objectives were to 1) qualitatively evaluate the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system with the Ocus 40 scanner for identifying Ancylostoma, Toxocara, and Trichuris eggs, Cystoisospora oocysts, and Giardia cysts in canine and feline fecal samples, and 2) expand the assessment of the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system paired with either the Ocus 40 or EasyScan One scanner to include a larger dataset of 2,191 fecal samples obtained from 4 geographic regions of the United States. When tested with 852 canine and feline fecal samples collected from different geographic regions, the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system combined with the Ocus 40 scanner was correlated closely with manual evaluations by experts. Sensitivities were 80.0‒97.0% and specificities were 93.7‒100.0% across the targeted parasites. When tested with 1,339 fecal samples, the Vetscan Imagyst system paired with the EasyScan One scanner successfully identified the targeted parasite stages; sensitivities were 73.6‒96.4% and specificities were 79.7‒100.0%.
Genu Valgum in Pediatric Patients Presenting With Patellofemoral Instability

Background: Lower extremity valgus is a commonly described factor associated with patellofemoral instability (PFI) and, if identified before skeletal maturity, can be treated with guided growth. The prevalence of valgus alignment in the pediatric and adolescent PFI population is largely unknown. Purpose: The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of valgus alignment in adolescent patients presenting with PFI; with secondary assessment of high-grade valgus (zone II or III), coronal asymmetry, and associations of these findings with body mass index (BMI). Study design: A retrospective cohort study. Methods: A total of 279 consecutive patients (349 knees) with a diagnosis of PFI presenting to a single orthopedic pediatric sport medicine surgeon were identified. A retrospective chart review was performed to collect demographic and clinical data, chronologic and bone age, sex, BMI, mechanism of injury, and the presence of osteochondral fracture. Full-length standing hip-to-ankle alignment radiographs were graded for knee alignment mechanical zone utilizing standard linear femoral head center to talar center assessment. In addition, mechanical axis deviation, mechanical lateral distal femoral angle and medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) were also calculated. Results: Mean patient age was 14.0±2.5 years. There were 162 (58.1%) females and mean BMI was 24.3±6.4. Seventy patients (25.1%) had bilateral PFI. Standing alignment radiographs were available for 81.4% of knees (n=284). Valgus alignment was present in 172 knees with PFI (60.6%). High-grade valgus, defined as zone 2 or greater, was present in 66 knees (23.3%). Overall, 48.9% had asymmetry of coronal alignment (n=139). The mean mechanical lateral distal femoral angle was 85.4±2.8 and the mean MPTA was 88.2±2.6. There was a greater MPTA in female patients (88.8±2.4 vs. 87.5±2.7, P<0.001). A higher BMI (24.87±6.95, P=0.03) was associated with valgus alignment. Conclusions: There is a high (60%) prevalence of lower extremity valgus in adolescent patients presenting with PFI, with nearly 1 in 4 presenting with high-grade valgus. The treatment team should be aware of this association as it may be an important consideration in the pediatric and adolescent PFI populations. Level of Evidence: Level III.
Lung ultrasound score in dogs and cats: A reliability study

Abstract Background Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a noninvasive tool for examining respiratory distress patients. The lung ultrasound score (LUSS) can be used to quantify and monitor lung aeration loss with good reliability. Hypothesis/Objectives Assess the reliability of a new LUSS among raters with different levels of experience and determine how well the same raters agree on identifying patterns of LUS abnormalities. Animals Forty LUS examinations of dogs and cats and 320 videos were reviewed from a digital database. Methods Retrospective reliability study with post hoc analysis. Protocolized LUS were randomly selected; intrarater and interrater reliability of the LUSS and pattern recognition agreement among 4 raters with different levels of experience in LUS were tested. Results The intrarater intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) single measurement, absolute agreement, and 2‐way mixed effects model was 0.967 for the high‐experience rater (H‐Exp), 0.963 and 0.952 for the medium‐experience raters (M‐Exp‐1; M‐Exp‐2), and 0.950 for the low‐experience rater (L‐Exp). The interrater ICC average measurement, absolute agreement, and 2‐way random effects model among the observers was 0.980. The Fleiss' kappa (k) values showed almost perfect agreement (k = 1) among raters in identifying pleural effusion and translobar tissue‐like pattern, strong agreement for A‐lines (k = 0.881) and B‐lines (k = 0.806), moderate agreement (k = 0.693) for subpleural loss of aeration, and weak agreement (k = 0.474) for irregularities of the pleural line. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Our results indicate excellent intra‐ and interrater reliability for LUS scoring and pattern identification, providing a foundation for the use of the LUSS in emergency medicine and intensive care.
Efficacy of a modified twin block appliance compared with the traditional twin block appliance in children with hyperdivergent mandibular retrognathia: protocol for a single-centre, single-blind, randomised controlled trial

Introduction Compensatory mouth breathing, caused by nasopharyngeal obstructive diseases, is the main cause of hyperdivergent mandibular retrognathia in children. Such deformities require effective growth guidance before pubertal growth peaks. The traditional mandibular advancement device, twin block (TB), can guide the forward development of the mandible. However, the side effect of increasing the vertical dimension of the lower facial third, worsens the facial profile of children with divergent growth trends. To solve this problem, a modified TB (LLTB) appliance was designed to control the vertical dimension by intruding incisors and inhibiting the elongation of posterior teeth during the advancement of the mandible, which could avoid the side effects of traditional appliances and effectively guide the growth of the mandible in a normal direction. Methods and analysis The study was designed as a single-centre, single-blind, randomised, parallel controlled trial. We aim to enrol 60 children aged 9–14 years with hyperdivergent skeletal class II malocclusion, using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The participants were will be randomly assigned to receive either the TB or LLTB treatment. The primary outcome will be a change in the angle of the mandibular plane relative to the anterior cranial base. The secondary outcomes will include changes in the sagittal maxillomandibular relation, occlusal plane, facial height, morphology of the mandible and upper airway width. Safety endpoints will also be evaluated. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee of Shanghai Stomatological Hospital. Both participants and their guardians will be fully informed of the study and sign an informed consent form before participating in the trial. The results will be publicly available in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Trial registration number ChiCTR2000035882.
microRNA‐365 attenuated intervertebral disc degeneration through modulating nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation by targeting EFNA3

Abstract This present study is aimed to investigate the role of microRNA‐365 (miR‐365) in the development of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were transfected by miR‐365 mimic and miR‐365 inhibitor, respectively. Concomitantly, the transfection efficiency and the expression level of miRNA were detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Meanwhile, NP cells apoptosis was measured through propidium iodide (PI)‐AnnexinV‐fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) apoptosis detection kit. Subsequently, immunofluorescence (IF) staining was performed to assess the expression of collagen II, aggrecan and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP‐13). In addition, bioinformatic prediction and Luciferase reporter assay were used to reveal the target gene of miR‐365. Finally, we isolated the primary NP cells from rats and injected NP‐miR‐365 in rat IDD models. The results showed that overexpression of miR‐365 could effectively inhibit NP cells apoptosis and MMP‐13 expression and upregulate the expression of collagen II and aggrecan. Conversely, suppression of miR‐365 enhanced NP cell apoptosis and elevated MMP‐13 expression, but decreased the expression of collagen II and aggrecan. Moreover, the further data demonstrated that miR‐365 mediated NP cell degradation through targeting ephrin‐A3 (EFNA3). In addition, the cells apoptosis and catabolic markers were increased in NP cells when EFNA3 upregulated. More importantly, the vivo data supported that miR‐365‐NP cells injection ameliorated IDD in rats models. miR‐365 could alleviate the development of IDD by regulating NP cell apoptosis and ECM degradation, which is likely mediated by targeting EFNA3. Therefore, miR‐365 may be a promising therapeutic avenue for treatment IDD through EFNA3.
Effect of Plastic Mulch and Different Irrigation Practices on Soil Properties, Nutrient Contents and Their Availability in Maize

Mulching favors the plant growth by improving the soil physical practices, adding organic matter, by reducing the moisture losses and moderating the temperatures. Due to these associated benefits with mulching, a field study was carried out at Institute of soil and environmental sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, to evaluate, the suitability of mulching with different irrigation methods, in flat, ridge and raised bed planting methods. Results of this study revealed the significant effect of mulching on soil physical indices such as porosity, soil bulk density, soil strength and organic matter. Maximum soil organic carbon (0.49%) was observed in furrow irrigated ridge sowing with plastic mulch (FIFM). The observation of least soil bulk density (1.40 Mg m -3 ) and soil strength (416.7 kPa) in furrow irrigated raised bed sowing with plastic mulch, indicates it a suitable management practice. However soil, maximum soil porosity (0.47 m 3 m -3 ) was recorded in furrow irrigated raised bed sowing, with plastic mulch. Soil organic carbon contents were increased to 11.36%. Significant increase in nutrient uptake of nitrogen (15 kg ha -1 ), phosphorus (3.7 kg ha -1 ) and potassium (10.48 kg ha -1 ) was observed in flood irrigated flat sowing with plastic mulch treatment.
Reexamination of Yuknessia from the Cambrian of China and first report of Fuxianospira from North America

Abstract. Yuknessia Walcott, 1919 recently was transferred from the green algae to the Phylum Hemichordata on the basis of new details observed for the type species, Y. simplex, from the Burgess Shale Formation (Cambrian Stage 5) of British Columbia. This has prompted reexamination of material attributed to Yuknessia from various Cambrian localities in South China. Findings preclude both a Yuknessia and a hemichordate affinity for all of the Chinese study material, and most of this material is formally transferred to Fuxianospira Chen and Zhou, 1997, a taxon common in the Chengjiang biota. Comparable material from the Cambrian Marjum, Wheeler, and Burgess Shale formations of North America is also assigned to Fuxianospira, and this reassignment expands both the paleogeographic and stratigraphic range of this taxon. All aspects of the study specimens, including details obtained from scanning electron microscopy, are consistent with an algal affinity, as proposed in the original descriptions of the Chinese material.
Controls on Carbon Cycling in Upland Blanket Peat Soils

Peatlands are a globally important, terrestrial store of carbon and the UK is recognised as an internationally significant holder of peatlands. Of all the kinds of peatland found in the UK, blanket bogs are dominant, representing 87% of the UK’s peatland area. The UK’s peatlands, in contrast to many other areas of boreal/temperate peat, are relatively accessible and as such have been subject to land-management pressures for many thousands of years. These management pressures have led to the deterioration of many peatlands in the UK, with only 1% of England’s peatlands being considered ‘pristine’ in a Natural England report (Natural England, 2010). Climate change and increasing land-use pressures are predicted to affect all UK peatlands in coming years. As such, studies of the drivers of carbon cycling on UK peatlands are being undertaken in order to help in the construction of models to predict the dynamics of peatland carbon balance. These models will subsequently enable land-managers and policy makers to take informed decisions regarding peatland management and carbon storage. One such model of peatland carbon balance is the Durham Carbon Model, which uses a mass balance between fluxes of carbon in and out of a peatland in order to estimate its net carbon budget. While the Durham Carbon Model is able to deal with the effects of some aspects of land-management on peatland carbon balance, there remain a number of important drivers as yet unaccounted for in the model. As such, the remit of this thesis was to conduct in-situ, experiments in order to provide additional data on peatland carbon cycling with a view to incorporating these drivers into the model. Specifically, this research examines three areas as yet unaccounted for in the Durham Carbon Model: altitude, vegetation and diurnal processes. These factors are considered relative to CO2 flux and, in some cases, soil pore water dissolved organic carbon concentration. Additional experiments were also performed to determine whether empirical models of CO2 flux can be physically interpretable. Results obtained for this thesis suggest that the most important factor in predicting CO2 flux on blanket peat soils is vegetation type and vegetation mediated processes, i.e. photosynthetic controls on respiration. Moreover, the relationship between respiration and photosynthesis was found across a range of other factors and temporal scales. In addition to vegetation, altitude was found to significantly affect CO2 for some vegetation types. Therefore, both of these factors are to be incorporated into the Durham Carbon Model. Experiments suggested that empirical models of CO2 flux can be physically interpretable. The results of the diurnal experiment gave evidence to support the hypothesis that some component of the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration is temporally lagged, perhaps by 3 hours. However, the results were not unequivocal and thus further work is needed to fully examine some of the results presented herein.
A Sauropod Dinosaur Pes from the Latest Cretaceous of North America and the Validity of Alamosaurus sanjuanensis (Sauropoda, Titanosauria)

ABSTRACT Complete sauropod pedes are rare in the fossil record, which has limited their use in systematics. We describe a nearly complete, large sauropod pes from the Maastrichtian-age Naashoibito Member of the Kirtland Formation of New Mexico, U.S.A. , that bears synapomorphies of some eusauropod clades, such as the presence of metatarsal I with a wide shaft and laterally deflected pedal unguals. Novel pedal characters presented herein, such as the presence of an embayment on the proximomedial corner of metatarsal IV, suggest that the Naashoibito specimen likely belongs to a titanosauriform. Based on its provenance, the Naashoibito specimen likely belongs to the derived titanosaur Alamosaurus sanjuanensis, which is the only recognized Late Cretaceous titanosaur in North America. However, formal referral to Alamosaurus awaits discovery of overlapping materials with the holotype or definitively referred remains. The holotypic scapula of Alamosaurus sanjuanensis is diagnostic, providing a basis for referral of some other Maastrichtian North American titanosaur specimens to the genus. Confirmation of these referrals and the description of the pes presented herein augment the data relevant to the systematic problems that have historically surrounded Alamosaurus.
Association of LOX gene G473A polymorphism with the occurrence of allergic rhinitis and efficacy of montelukast sodium in children

ABSTRACT Allergic rhinitis (AR) is very common in adolescents, and current treatment options are complex and unsatisfactory. The objective of this study was to analyze the association of lysyl oxidase (LOX) gene G473A polymorphism with susceptibility to AR in children. In addition, we analyzed the therapeutic effect of montelukast sodium on AR. Forty-five children with AR (research group, 8.16±2.88 years old) and 51 healthy children (control group, 8.22±3.87 years old) during the same period were selected. The LOX gene G473A polymorphism was detected with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The effect of G473A polymorphism in the occurrence of AR was assessed by logistic regression analysis. In addition, the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin (IL-6), and IL-8 were measured to observe the relationship between G473A polymorphism and inflammatory factors. Finally, montelukast sodium was given to children with AR to investigate the effect of G473A polymorphism on clinical outcomes. The number of G473A polymorphisms in the research group was not significantly different from the control group for GA-type (P = 0.521). However, the number of GG-type polymorphisms was less while the number of type AA was more than the control group (P = 0.044 and 0.046). Children carrying the AA gene had an approximately 4-fold increased risk of AR, while those carrying the GG gene had a decreased risk (P < 0.001). Moreover, children carrying the GG gene had lower levels of CRP, IL-6, and IL-8 and better clinical outcomes, while those carrying the AA gene had higher levels of inflammatory factors and worse outcomes (P<0.05). LOX gene G473A polymorphism is closely associated with AR pathogenesis and may have an important research value in antagonizing the therapeutic effect of montelukast sodium.