Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selenium metabolism and regulation of immune cells in immune‐associated diseases

Selenium, as one of the essential microelements, plays an irreplaceable role in metabolism regulation and cell survival. Selenium metabolism and regulation have great effects on physiological systems especially the immune system. Therefore, selenium is tightly related to various diseases like cancer. Although recent research works have revealed much about selenium metabolism, the ways in which selenium regulates immune cells' functions and immune‐associated diseases still remain much unclear. In this review, we will briefly introduce the regulatory role of selenium metabolism in immune cells and immune‐associated diseases.
Comparisons between biopsy-proven versus clinically diagnosed cardiac sarcoidosis

Objectives Diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) without histological evidence remains controversial. This study aimed to compare characteristics and outcomes of histologically proven versus clinically diagnosed cases of CS, which were adjudicated using Heart Rhythm Society or Japanese Circulation Society criteria. Methods A total of 512 patients with CS (age: 62±11 years, female: 64.3%) enrolled in the multicentre registry were studied. Histologically confirmed patients were classified as ‘biopsy-proven CS’, while those with the presence of strongly suggestive clinical findings of CS without histological evidence were classified as ‘clinical CS’. Primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death, heart failure hospitalisation and ventricular arrhythmia event. Results In total, 314 patients (61.3%) were classified as biopsy-proven CS, while 198 (38.7%) were classified as clinical CS. Patients classified under clinical CS were associated with higher prevalence of left ventricular dysfunction, septal thinning, and positive findings in fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography or Gallium scintigraphy than those under biopsy-proven CS. During median follow-up of 43.7 (23.3–77.3) months, risk of primary outcome was comparable between the groups (adjusted HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.88 to 1.75, p=0.22). Similarly, the risks of primary outcome were comparable between patients with clinical isolated CS who did not have other organ/tissue involvement, and biopsy-proven isolated CS (adjusted HR: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.56 to 2.70, p=0.61). Conclusions A substantial number of patients were diagnosed with clinical CS without confirmatory biopsy. Considering the worse clinical outcomes irrespective of the histological evidence, the diagnosis of clinical CS is justifiable if imaging findings suggestive of CS are observed.
Holistic review and meta-analysis of independent impact of the residual SYNTAX score on prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Abstract Objectives. The appropriate extent of revascularization following primary intervention is unknown. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of residual Syntax score (rSS) to predict the outcomes and provide guide to optimal management of revascularization following primary intervention. Designs. Previously published studies from 2007 to 2020 assessing the prognostic impact of rSS after ACS were included for this meta-analysis. The primary endpoint was defined as the major adverse clinical events (MACE) in multivariable analysis. The risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the RevMan 5.4 software. Results. A total of 8,157 participants complicated with ACS from 12 clinical studies were included in this analysis. Based on the wide range of rSS studies available, we classified it into two major groups: rSS < 8 and rSS ≥ 8. In multivariate analysis, the rSS was an independent risk marker for MACE [RR = 1.04 (95%CI; 1.00–1.08)], all-cause mortality [RR = 1.05 (1.03–1.07)] and cardiovascular death [RR = 1.05 (1.03–1.07)]. Patients with incomplete revascularization (ICR) showed higher prevalence of MACE along with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular morality, and recurrent myocardial infarction without significant heterogeneity [RR = 1.60 (1.03–1.07), 2.30 (1.57–3.38), 3.57 (2.09–6.10) and 1.70 (1.38–2.09), respectively]. The patients with rSS ≥ 8 presented higher frequency of all-cause mortality [RR = 2.99 (2.18–4.09)], cardiovascular death [RR = 3.32 (2.22–4.95)], and recurrent myocardial infarction [RR = 1.64 (1.34–2.02)]. Conclusion. The meta-analysis indicated that an rSS value of 8 could be a reasonable cut-off for incomplete revascularization after ACS and is an efficient tool to guide revascularization. In future, detailed research should focus on investigation of the optimal value of the rSS score.
Bereavement outcomes in family members of those who died in acute care hospitals before and during the first wave of COVID-19: A cohort study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths worldwide, leading to symptoms of grief among the bereaved. Neither the burden of severe grief nor its predictors are fully known within the context of the pandemic. Aim: To determine the prevalence and predictors of severe grief in family members who were bereaved early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Prospective, matched cohort study. Setting/Participants: Family members of people who died in an acute hospital in Ottawa, Canada between November 1, 2019 and August 31, 2020. We matched relatives of patients who died of COVID (COVID +ve) with those who died of non-COVID illness either during wave 1 of the pandemic (COVID −ve) or immediately prior to its onset (pre-COVID). We abstracted decedents’ medical records, contacted family members >6 months post loss, and assessed grief symptoms using the Inventory of Complicated Grief-revised. Results: We abstracted data for 425 decedents (85 COVID +ve, 170 COVID −ve, and 170 pre-COVID), and 110 of 165 contacted family members (67%) consented to participate. Pre-COVID family members were physically present more in the last 48 h of life; the COVID +ve cohort were more present virtually. Overall, 35 family members (28.9%) had severe grief symptoms, and the prevalence was similar among the cohorts (p = 0.91). Grief severity was not correlated with demographic factors, physical presence in the final 48 h of life, intubation, or relationship with the deceased. Conclusion: Severe grief is common among family members bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of the cause or circumstances of death, and even if their loss took place before the onset of the pandemic. This suggests that aspects of the pandemic itself contribute to severe grief, and factors that normally mitigate grief may not be as effective.
Physical work demands and expected labor market affiliation (ELMA): Prospective cohort with register-follow-up among 46 169 employees

Objective This study aimed to estimate the impact of high physical work demands on expected labor market affiliation (ELMA) among men and women of different ages in the general working population. Methods After participating in the Danish Work Environment and Health study (2012, 2014, and/or 2016), 46 169 employees were followed for two years in national registers. Using multi-state modeling, taking all day-to-day transition probabilities of labor market affiliation into account (work, unemployment, sickness absence, temporary out, and permanently out), and performing multilevel adjustment, we estimated the prospective association between physical work demands (ergonomic index including 7 factors) and ELMA. Results During 104 896 person-years of follow-up, we identified of 439 045 transitions. Using low physical work demands as reference, higher physical work demands were associated with fewer days of active work (2–35 days) during 730 days of follow-up, and more days of sickness absence (4–26 days) and unemployment (ranging 1-9 days) among men and women of aged 40–49 and 50–64 years. Among men and women aged 18–39 years, high physical work demands only had minor and inconsistent impact on ELMA. Conclusions Analyzing multiple and highly detailed patterns of transition probabilities concerning labor market affiliation, we showed that reducing physical work demands is likely to increase the active working time and prevent high societal cost of sickness absence and unemployment, especially among middle-aged and older workers.
A functional platform for the selection of pathogenic variants of PMM2 amenable to rescue via the use of pharmacological chaperones

Different strategies are being investigated for treating PMM2‐CDG, the most common congenital disorder of glycosylation. The use of pharmacochaperones (PCs) is one of the most promising. The present work characterizes the expression, stability, and enzymatic properties of 15 previously described clinical variants of the PMM2 protein, four novel variants, the Pmm2 mouse variant p.Phe115Leu, and its p.Phe119Leu human counterpart, with the aim of extending the potential use of pharmacochaperoning treatment. PMM2 variants were purified as stable homodimers, except for p.Asp65Gly, p.Ile120Thr, and p.Thr237Lys (no expression detected), p.Thr226Ser and p.Val231Met (aggregates), and p.Glu93Ala, p.Phe119Leu, and p.Phe115Leu (partial dissociated). Enzyme activity analyses identified severe variants and milder ones. Pure dimeric mutant proteins showed a reduction in thermal stability except for p.Asn216Asp. The thermal stability of all the unstable mutants was recovered in the presence of the PC compound VIII. This study adds to the list of destabilizing human variants amenable to rescue by small chemical compounds that increase the stability/activity of PMM2. The proposed platform can be reliably used for assessing the disease‐causing effects of PMM2 missense variants, for assessing the correlation between genotype and phenotype, for confirming new clinical defects, and for identifying destabilizing mutations amenable to rescue by PCs.
Effects of vertical vibration on sitting comfort in civil aviation during the cruising flight

Abstract This paper investigated the effects of vertical vibration on sitting comfort in civil aviation, with particular attention to high-frequency components (i.e. 30‒100 Hz). We generated 24 vibration stimuli at four positions (i.e. the co-pilot, front, middle, and rear seat positions) in the aircraft cabin, with magnitudes ranging from 0.05 to 2 ms−2 r.m.s. and durations of 10 s. Twenty-four subjects (12 males and 12 females) judged the vibration discomfort using a category-ratio method. We found a significant effect of high-frequency vibration on comfort: vibration stimuli at the middle and rear seats contained more energy at high frequencies and caused significantly greater discomfort than those at the co-pilot and the front seats. However, this effect became less significant with increasing magnitudes of vibration stimuli. The discomfort predicting models provided more accurate results by amplifying weighting factors for high-frequency vibration than those using standardised weightings (i.e. W b and W k weightings). Practitioner summary: The severity of high-frequency vibration for sitting comfort was usually underestimated. We investigated vibration discomfort at various seat positions in an aircraft cabin. Vibration at the middle and rear seats contained more high-frequency components and caused more discomfort. This work provided accurate predicting models of discomfort using the modified weighting.
Structural equation modeling of pedestrian behavior at footbridges in Ghana

Abstract This study was undertaken to fill the information gap by exploring pedestrian behavior at footbridges in the Greater Accra and Kumasi Metropolitan areas of Ghana. Further, the study modelled the behavior of 69,840 pedestrians at the footbridges using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Pedestrians were observed as users and non-users of seven selected footbridges in the morning (7:00 am–9:00 am), afternoon (11:00 am–1:00 pm), and evening (3:00 pm–5:00 pm) periods for seven consecutive days (Monday to Sunday). Selected footbridges were characterized by traffic generators as schools, shopping malls, bus stops, office complexes, and restaurants in different matrices. The results showed that 30.7% of the observed pedestrians did not use the footbridges, males and young pedestrians were more likely not to use the footbridges as opposed to females and the elderly with more than half of observed pedestrians carrying luggage or load. Footbridge users were more likely to talk and hold phones than non-users and the elderly were more likely to run and ride compared to young pedestrians. Officials of the National Road Safety Authority should carry out effective public education on pedestrian safety targeting males and young pedestrians to encourage the use of pedestrian footbridges.
Seeing the past in a new light: change in reports of childhood abuse and neglect before and after inpatient psychotherapy and its relevance for change in depression symptoms

ABSTRACT Objective As changes in mental representations have been discussed as mechanisms of change in psychotherapy, the question arises whether recollections of childhood abuse and neglect are altered as well and how they relate to symptom changes. Method Individuals in psychosomatic inpatient treatment (N = 488, 60.5% women) filled out the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Changes in both were investigated with correlations and t-tests. Linear regression analysis was used to test whether CTQ changes predicted symptom changes. Network analysis was performed to ascertain structural connections between somatic and emotional-cognitive depression symptoms and CTQ subscales before and after treatment. Results After treatment (duration in days: M = 52.83, SD = 20.94), patients reported fewer depression symptoms (d = 0.84), while CTQ scores increased slightly (d = 0.11). Changes in the CTQ predicted recovery from depression symptoms in a statistically significant way (β = .133, p = .001). We did not observe changes in the overall network structure between baseline assessment and discharge. Conclusion The findings suggest that the evaluation of past experiences can change over multiple weeks of psychotherapy. Further, these updated mental representations, indicating a greater recognition of past adversity, may contribute to symptom relief.
The relative age effect in the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA): a mixed methods approach

ABSTRACT Background Background: In the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Talent Academies (TAs) and senior teams cater for high-performing players. However, only two previous studies have quantified the relative age effect (RAE; i.e., a selection bias favouring those born near the beginning of the cut-off date) in these cohorts. Additionally, no studies have explored stakeholder understanding of the RAE using qualitative methods. Aim This study aimed to: (a) quantify the RAE in TAs and senior teams, and (b) investigate stakeholder perspectives of the talent development environment, providing practical insight into the RAE. Methods A mixed methods sequential explanatory study design was employed. Phase one involved a retrospective analysis of longitudinal data for the frequency and distribution of births using TA (n = 12,445) and senior (n = 8,752) players. Phase two comprised two focus groups of key stakeholders [coaches (n = 4) and Talent Development Leaders (n = 4)] at TA and senior level. Results Analysis revealed a significant difference between TA birth quarter (BQ) distributions compared with expected distributions (P < 0.001; BQ1 = 30.4% vs. BQ4 = 17.6%), whereas at senior level, there were no significant differences observed (χ2 (df = 3) = 3.812, P = 0.282). In phase two, inductive analysis revealed three higher-order themes: (a) understanding of the RAE, (b) selection criteria, and (c) player characteristics. Conclusion The GAA are encouraged to reflect on the practice of chronological age band grouping, investigate possible solutions to limit the effects of the RAE, and offer support programmes to educate key stakeholders.
‘When I use the electric wheelchair, I can be myself’ – real-life stories about occupational identity construction

Abstract Background Young and adult users of electric wheelchairs (EWs) describe how EWs have personal, functional, emotional, and symbolic values and are considered by some to be part of the self. Aim The aim of this study was to increase our understanding of how occupational identity is constructed in the daily practices of EW users. Material and methods Context-based, in-depth oral stories and filmed sequences of daily practice enactments of persons who have used an EW since childhood were the basis for the narrative analysis. Findings The findings elucidate how the informants enact and tell about their identity-development in response to daily and relational practices, and its relevance to the informant’s sense of self, belonging, competence, life-prospects, conduct, and awareness of shifting values, and this was likewise demonstrated in different appearances and roles related to social recognition. A model illustrating the findings is proposed. Conclusions and significance Contextual values and exploring experiences, such as possibilities to develop competences and roles, along with encountering social recognition, but also hindering regulations and adversities, influence the development of occupational identities. Findings in this study can contribute to increased understanding, conscious political decisions, as well as a more person-centred approach within healthcare.
Efficacy of platelet rich fibrin with and without metformin in the treatment of periodontal osseous defects: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective The systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Metformin (MF) with Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) over PRF alone in the treatment of periodontal osseous defects. Materials and Methods An extensive electronic search for articles published up to September 2021 was conducted on ‘Embase’, ‘PubMed’ and other library databases accompanied with manual searching. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), comparing MF plus PRF Vs PRF alone in periodontal osseous defects were identified in which periodontal pocket depth (PPD), Clinical attachment level (CAL) and Intrabony defect depth (IBD Depth) were the outcome measures. Results Four studies compared MF plus PRF vs . PRF alone in periodontal osseous defects. Meta-analysis was carried out for PPD reduction, CAL gain and IBD Depth changes. A standardized mean difference (SMD) of 1.86 for PPD reduction, 1.95 for CAL gain and 1.31 for IBD Depth reduction in all the studies was observed and the findings were statistically significant favouring test group. Conclusion The systematic review indicates supplemental benefits of combination therapy of MF + PRF over monotherapy in resolving periodontal osseous defects. In our quest to achieve maximum regeneration in periodontal osseous defects, combination therapies such as MF + PRF have reported to be better treatment choices over other modalities.
Far-from-equilibrium universality in the two-dimensional Heisenberg model

Significance Universal scaling in far-from-equilibrium regimes typically emerges in systems quenched across a finite-temperature phase transition or close to nonthermal fixed points of bosonic systems. Such dynamical regimes have been extensively studied in the context of interacting Bose gases and O(n) field theories. Recent experiments in cold atomic gases have opened additional pathways to explore the dynamics of quantum magnets with exquisite control of symmetries and dimensionality. Relevant to this generation of experiments, we introduce a different paradigm for nonequilibrium scaling in spin systems quenched at the critical dimension dc=2 wherein symmetry-protected, gapless modes with long-range character dominate the spatial–temporal scaling. This yields a nonequilibrium universality class qualitatively distinct from previously studied U(1) and O(n) theories.
The omics strategy: the use of systems vaccinology to characterize immune responses to childhood immunization

ABSTRACT Introduction Vaccines have had a transformative impact on child health. Despite this impact, the immunological processes involved in protective responses are not entirely understood and vaccine development has been largely empirical. Recent technological advances offer the opportunity to reveal the immunology underlying vaccine response at an unprecedented resolution. These data could revolutionize the way vaccines are developed and tested and further augment their role in securing the health of children around the world. Areas covered Systems level information and tools are now being deployed by vaccinologists at all stages of the vaccine development pathway; however, this review will specifically describe some of the key findings that have be gleaned from multi-omics datasets collected in the context of childhood immunization. Expert opinion Despite the success of vaccines, there remains hard-to-target pathogens, refractory to current vaccination strategies. Moreover, zoonotic diseases with pandemic potential are a threat to global health, as recently illustrated by COVID-19. Systems vaccinology holds a great deal of promise in revealing a greater understanding of vaccine responses and consequently modernizing vaccinology. However, there is a need for future studies – particularly in vulnerable populations that are targets for vaccination programmes – if this potential is to be fulfilled.
Early Predictors of Colchicine Resistance in Familial Mediterranean Fever.

OBJECTIVE To explore early features that can predict colchicine resistance in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients. METHODS It included FMF cases who fulfilled the Yalcinkaya-Ozen criterion and were on colchicine for at least 6 months. Data were collected from medical files and interpreted with respect to clinical parameters including, the auto-inflammatory diseases activity index (AIDAI) and FMF severity score. FMF50 score assessed the treatment response. Laboratory findings and genetic analysis of MEFV mutations were evaluated according to the standard technique. Patients were classified into two groups according to their response to colchicine. Both groups were compared and significant variables entered into a logistic regression model to detect independent predictors. The diagnostic accuracy of these predictors was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS 120 FMF children were included. After the exclusion of sixteen-non-complaint patients (13.3%), colchicine responders were 66 (63.4%) (group I), and colchicine resistant (group II) were 38 (36.5%). The fever duration after colchicine, number of attacks before/after colchicine, skin rash/erysipelas-like erythema, myalgia/protracted febrile myalgia, AIDIA before/after treatment, FMF severity score, and the maximum colchicine dose were higher in group II. Furthermore, high CRP and neutropenia were frequent in group II. However, different MEFV mutations including, M694V were similar between the two groups. Eight variables were detected in the regression analysis model and independent predictors were utilized to generate a scoring model. CONCLUSION : This study constructed a prediction model for colchicine nonresponse based on clinical and laboratory profiles. This model will be valuable for the treatment decisions of FMF children.