Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Multicenter Comparison of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Followed by Reduced-Intensity Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation with Tandem Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma.

Background: Autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) after high-dose chemotherapy is regarded as the standard therapeutic approach for multiple myeloma (MM) even if virtually all patients ultimately relapse following this procedure. Recently, tandem ASCT significantly improved overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) compared with single ASCT. Another strategy is to use reduced-intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation (RISCT) earlier in the course of disease in chemosensitive patients. In the current study, we retrospectively analyzed the outcomes after a planned tandem ASCT or RISCT in the patients who previously underwent ASCT. Patients and methods: One-hundred twenty-six patients who received a high dose (140 to 200 mg/m 2 ) of melphalan as the conditioning regimen of the first ASCT were analyzed. Ninety-six patients (median age, 50.5 years) received a second ASCT, whereas 30 patients (median age, 46.5 years) underwent a RISCT (related in 28 patients and unrelated in 2 patients). The median interval between the first and second transplant was 131 days in tandem ASCT group and 157.5 days in RISCT group. The conditioning regimen for the tandem ASCT and RISCT consisted of high-dose melphalan ± total body irradiation (TBI) and fludarabine + melphalan or TBI, respectively. The two groups were evenly matched with regard to other disease characteristics. Results: After a median follow-up of 664 days (range, 143–2904) from the first ASCT, the median event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in all 126 patients were 878 days and 1838 days, respectively. The median EFS in the second ASCT vs. RISCT group were 844 days (95% CI, 714–973) and 1342 days (95% CI, 813–1870), respectively (P=0.262). The median OS in the tandem ASCT vs. RISCT group were 2160 days (95% CI, 1847–2832) and 1575 days (95% CI, 1202–1947), respectively (P=0.132). Disease-related mortality was not significantly different between the second ASCT vs. RISCT groups (73.3% vs. 60.0%, P=0.325) as well as treatment-related mortality between the 2 groups (26.7% vs. 40%, P=0.358). On multivariate analysis, an achieving a good response (≥ VGPR) after the induction treatment predicted a better EFS compared to a poor response (≤ PR) (RR; 0.245, P=0.01). A good response after first ASCT or the second transplant was associated with a better EFS by univariate analysis but not by multivariate analysis (RR; 0.927, P=0.830 or RR; 0.772, P=0.453, respectively). Conclusion: In this retrospective analysis, ASCT followed by RISCT was not superior to the tandem ASCT, either EFS or OS. Disease-related deaths were not different between the 2 groups. Patients whose disease is sensitive to induction chemotherapy and who obtain a good response after the induction treatment benefited the most from this tandem transplant therapy.
Inter-limb asymmetries are associated with decrements in physical performance in youth elite team sports athletes

Actually, there is scarce literature looking for the relationship between inter-limb asymmetries and performance in youth elite team sports. The main purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships between inter-limb asymmetries and physical performance in youth elite team-sports players. A secondary objective was to evaluate the presence of between-sexes differences in inter-limb asymmetries in elite youth team sports players. Eighty-one young elite team-sports athletes (age: u-14 to u-18) performed the star excursion balance test in the anterior direction (SEBT ANT), a single leg vertical countermovement jump test (SLCMJ), the one leg hop test for distance (OLHT), a 30 m sprint test, and the V-cut test. Inter-limb asymmetries were calculated for SEBT ANT, SLCMJ and OLHT. Pearson r was used to analyse the relationships between inter-limb asymmetries and physical performance. Results showed significant (p < 0.05) but small (r = 0.26) relationships between SLCMJ asymmetries and 30 m sprint time for the total group. Significant negative correlations with small to moderate magnitude of correlation were also found between SLCMJ asymmetries and SLCMJ performance on the lowest performing limb for the total group (p < 0.05; r = -0.26), males (p < 0.01; r = -0.48) and females (p < 0.05; r = -0.30). Moreover, significant negative correlations with moderate and large magnitude were also present between OLHT asymmetries and OLHT performance on the lowest performing limb for the total group (p < 0.01; r = -0.44), males (p < 0.01; r = -0.56) and females (p < 0.01; r = -0.64). No correlations were observed between asymmetries and either the V-cut test or SEBT ANT performance. No correlation were observed between SEBT ANT asymmetries and physical performance. In addition, when comparing asymmetry values between sexes there were no significant differences in vertical (p = 0.06) and horizontal (p = 0.61) jumping tests. However, there were significant differences in asymmetry between sexes in the ANT SEBT (p = 0.04). In conclusion, the current study indicated that jumping asymmetries were associated with decrements in sprint speed and jumping performance. Therefore, assessing inter-limb asymmetries would be recommended to improve training interventions for youth elite team-sports athletes.
Prevalence of hearing loss and need for aural rehabilitation in 85-year-olds: a birth cohort comparison, almost three decades apart

Abstract Objective Many individuals >80 years have difficulties with speech communication due to age-related hearing loss and would benefit from aural rehabilitation. As the proportion of older people increases, there is a need to investigate the prevalence of “disabling hearing loss” to calculate future rehabilitation need. The aims are to determine the prevalence of hearing loss in an unscreened birth cohort of 85-year olds, and to identify differences in audiometric results between two birth cohorts, born 28–29 years apart. Design This is a population-based, cross-sectional study that is part of the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies. Study sample Hearing thresholds were measured and compared between 85-year olds born in 1930 (n = 286) and 1901–1902 (n = 249). Results Based on the WHO criteria, the prevalence of “disabling hearing loss” was 45% for men and 43% for women in the latest birth cohort. Hearing thresholds (0.5–4 kHz) for men improved compared with the earlier birth cohort. No such difference was observed for women. Conclusion The prevalence of age-related hearing loss over three decades has decreased among 85-year-old men, but has been retained in women. The improvement for men occurred predominantly in the low-mid frequencies. An increased need for aural rehabilitation is expected due to demographic changes.
Outcome of the 2016 United States presidential election and the subsequent sex ratio at birth in Canada: an ecological study

Objectives The sex ratio at birth (proportion of boys to girls) generally shows slight male preponderance but may decrease in response to societal stressors. Discrete adverse events such as terrorist attacks and disasters typically lead to a temporary decline in the sex ratio 3–5 months later, followed by resolution over around 5 months thereafter. We hypothesised that the unexpected outcome of the 2016 US presidential election may have been a societal stressor for liberal-leaning populations and thereby precipitated such an effect on the sex ratio in Canada. Design Ecological study. Setting Administrative data for Ontario (Canada’s most populous province). Participants All births in Ontario from April 2010 to Oct 2017 inclusive (n=1 079 758). Primary and secondary outcome measures We determined the sex ratio at birth in Ontario for each month from April 2010 to October 2017 and performed segmented regression analysis to evaluate the seasonally adjusted sex ratio for the following three time periods: before the November 2016 election; after the election to before the anticipated impact; and from anticipated impact to 5 months thereafter. Results In the 12 months following the election, the lowest sex ratio occurred in March 2017 (4 months post election). Compared with the preceding months, the sex ratio was lower in the 5 months from March to July 2017 (p=0.02) during which time it was rising (p=0.01), reflecting recovery from the nadir. Both effects were seen in liberal-leaning regions of Ontario (lower sex ratio (p=0.006) and recovery (p=0.002) in March–July 2017) but not in conservative-leaning areas (p=0.12 and p=0.49, respectively). Conclusion The 2016 US presidential election preceded a temporary reduction in the sex ratio at birth in Canada, with the time course of changes therein matching the characteristic pattern of a discrete societal stressor.
Pre-/analytical factors affecting whole blood and plasma glucose concentrations in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)

Blood glucose is vital for many physiological pathways and can be quantified by clinical chemistry analyzers and in-house point-of-care (POC) devices. Pre-analytical and analytical factors can influence blood glucose measurements. This project aimed to investigate pre-analytical factors on whole blood and plasma glucose measurements in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) by evaluating the effects of storage (refrigeration) up to 48h after sampling and of packed cell volume (PCV) on whole blood glucose analysis by POC glucometer (time series n = 13); and by evaluating the effects of storage (room temperature and refrigeration) on plasma glucose concentrations using a dry slide chemistry analyzer (DCA) at various conditions: immediate processing and delayed plasma separation from erythrocytes at 24h and 48h (time series n = 14). The POC glucometer had overall strong agreement with the DCA (CCC = 0.76, r = 0.84, Cb = 0.90), but consistently overestimated glucose concentrations (mean difference: +0.4 mmol/L). The POC glucometer results decreased significantly over time, resulting in a substantial decline within the first 2h (0.41±0.47 mmol/L; 8±9%) that could potentially alter clinical decisions, thereby highlighting the need for immediate analysis using this method. The effects of PCV on glucose could not be assessed, as the statistical significance was associated with one outlier. Storage method significantly affected plasma glucose measurements using DCA, with room temperature samples resulting in rapid decreases of 3.57±0.89 mmol/L (77±9%) over the first 48h, while refrigerated samples provided consistent plasma glucose results over the same time period (decrease of 0.26±0.23 mmol/L; 6±5%). The results from this study provide new insights into optimal blood sample handling and processing for glucose analysis in sea turtles, show the suitability of the POC glucometer as a rapid diagnostic test, and confirm the reliability of plasma glucose measurements using refrigeration. These findings emphasize the need to consider pre-/analytical factors when interpreting blood glucose results from loggerhead sea turtles.
Effectiveness of interventions based on lazarus and folkman transactional model on improving stress appraisal for hemodialysis patients in Tehran

Today, we witness an increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease, which is a very stressful process. In order to cope with the stress caused by this disease, the first step is to appraise the stressful situation correctly. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of training on the basis of Lazarus and Folkman transactional model on stress appraisal for hemodialysis (HD) patients. The present quasi-experimental study was conducted on 116 filed HD patients in two dialysis centers in Tehran. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control groups. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed. After performing the intervention, the primary and secondary appraisals’ scores were investigated before and three months after the intervention. The data were analyzed using independent /? -test, paired /-test, and covariance at a significant level of 0.05 using software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0. The mean age of participants in the study was 52.86 years. In this study, the difference between the mean score of the primary appraisal and substructure of perceived susceptibility, motivational relevance, self-blame (casual focus), and secondary appraisal and self-efficacy substructure after the intervention was significant in the experimental group. However, these differences were not significant in the control group. According to the study results, it can be concluded that the use of training based on Lazarus and Folkman tran- sactional model can be useful for improving the correct appraisal of individuals for stressful situations.
THE CORRELATION FACILITATING AND INHIBITING FACTORS ON PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS ACTIVITIES OF FEMALE STUDENTS IN KERMAN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

Introduction: One of the most important achievements of our society is to provide the various sport fields for women in the country. But it still does not meet the sport for women and their need for physical activity. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation of facilitating and inhibiting factors on participation in sports activities of female students in Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive-correlation study, the population of study included all female students from Kerman University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2012-13 (N=1550). A sample of 310 students was drawn through stratified random sampling. In order to collect data from two-part questionnaires: “Facilitating and Inhibiting Factors on Participation in Sports Activities Questionnaire” was used. Face and content validity have been confirmed by 7 experts in planning and management of sport and sociology and reliability in a pilot study was for the facilitating factors 0.76 and for the inhibiting factors 0.79. Data was analyzed using SPSS/16. Findings: There were significant correlation between facilitator factors and personal, psychological, social, administrative, economic and facility-related components with participating in sports activities (P<0.05). There was a significant correlation between inhibitory factors and administrative and facility-related components with participating in sports activities (P<0.05). However, there were not significant correlation between personal, psychological, social, and economic components with participating in sports activities. Conclusion: The management and sport facilities and equipment factors are important for the participation of female students. Establishing appropriate, diverse facilities for sports and recreation as well as providing an encouraging and delightful environment can contribute to sports participation among female students. It is recommended that managers and decision makers in student sport provide the sports facilities in a favorable environment and fresh for female students.
Prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus in a group of adults with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Background The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has become a global pandemic. With the improvement of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment regimens, life-expectancy of HIV-positive individuals has increased. HIV literature suggests that head and neck manifestations may be the first indication of supressed immunity. Therefore, research regarding the effects of HIV and new treatment regimens on auditory function remains a priority. Objectives To describe the audiological characteristics and determine the prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus in a group of HIV-positive individuals on ARV treatment residing in a rural province. Methods The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive research design. Participants were recruited from the clinic and pharmacy waiting areas of a medical centre in a rural area of Limpopo province, South Africa. Two participant groups, an HIV-positive group (N1 = 60) and an HIV-negative group (N2 = 32) were included in the study. The test battery comprised a comprehensive case history and a routine audiological test battery, which included otoscopy, tympanometry and pure tone audiometry (250 Hz to 8000 Hz). Results No statistically significant difference was found regarding the prevalence of hearing loss in the two participant groups (p = 0.709). However, the prevalence of tinnitus was significantly higher in the HIV-positive group (p = 0.05). Conclusion The insignificant difference in the audiological test battery results found between the two participant groups may be due to improved ARV treatment regimens and management strategies employed at the medical centre. However, the increased prevalence of tinnitus in the HIV-positive group may also be attributed to the ARV regimen and/or the result of subtle damage to the auditory system, which was not identified by the current audiological test battery. More insight may be obtained about the effects of HIV on hearing by employing a longitudinal research design and inclusion of a more ototoxicity sensitive test battery.
Development of Countenance Application Oriented on Combining ANEKA-Tri Hita Karana as A Mobile Web to Evaluate the Computer Knowledge and Morality

The principal objective of this study was to introduce the existence on development of Countenance evaluation application that can be used to evaluate the moral and quality of students’ computer knowledge by using evaluation indicators which oriented to combining between ANEKA values with the Tri Hita Karana concept. This research was developed by using the Borg & Gall method, which focuses on the stages of creating a mobile web-based evaluation application, field trial stage, and revision stage of field trial results. The subjects involved in creating the application as much as three peoples, subjects involved in the field trial as much as 94 peoples, and subjects involved in the revision of field trial as much as three peoples. The instruments that were used in conducting the assessment on the field trial was in questionnaires form. The technique that was used to analyze the collected data from field trials results using quantitative descriptive techniques by determining the average of percentage from application quality that was compared to a standard score of application quality that refers to eleven’s scale. The study results showed that the quality of the evaluation application belongs to a very good category, so it was ready to be implemented, and it is no need to be done the major revision.
Risk SNP-Mediated Enhancer–Promoter Interaction Drives Colorectal Cancer through Both FADS2 and AP002754.2

This study provides an oncogenic regulatory circuit among several oncogenes including E2F1, FADS2, and AP002754.2 underlying the association of rs174575 with the colorectal cancer risk, which is driven by long-range enhancer-promoter interaction loops. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 100 colorectal cancer risk loci, most of the biological mechanisms associated with these loci remain unclear. Here we first performed a comprehensive expression quantitative trait loci analysis in colorectal cancer tissues adjusted for multiple confounders to test the determinants of germline variants in established GWAS susceptibility loci on mRNA and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) expression. Combining integrative functional genomic/epigenomic analyses and a large-scale population study consisting of 6,024 cases and 10,022 controls, we then prioritized rs174575 with a C>G change as a potential causal candidate for colorectal cancer at 11q12.2, as its G allele was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (OR = 1.26; 95% confidence interval = 1.17–1.36; P = 2.57 × 10–9). rs174575 acted as an allele-specific enhancer to distally facilitate expression of both FADS2 and lncRNA AP002754.2 via long-range enhancer–promoter interaction loops, which were mediated by E2F1. AP002754.2 further activated a transcriptional activator that upregulated FADS2 expression. FADS2, in turn, was overexpressed in colorectal cancer tumor tissues and functioned as a potential oncogene that facilitated colorectal cancer cell proliferation and xenograft growth in vitro and in vivo by increasing the metabolism of PGE2, an oncogenic molecule involved in colorectal cancer tumorigenesis. Our findings represent a novel mechanism by which a noncoding variant can facilitate long-range genome interactions to modulate the expression of multiple genes including not only mRNA, but also lncRNA, which provides new insights into the understanding of colorectal cancer etiology. Significance: This study provides an oncogenic regulatory circuit among several oncogenes including E2F1, FADS2, and AP002754.2 underlying the association of rs174575 with colorectal cancer risk, which is driven by long-range enhancer–promoter interaction loops. Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals. org/content/canres/80/9/1804/F1.large. jpg. Graphical Abstract
Silence superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1): a promising therapeutic target for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and incurable neurodegenerative disorder that targets upper and lower motor neurons and leads to fatal muscle paralysis. Mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene are responsible for 15% of familial ALS cases, but several studies have indicated that SOD1 dysfunction may also play a pathogenic role in sporadic ALS. SOD1 induces numerous toxic effects through the pathological misfolding and aggregation of mutant SOD1 species, hence a reduction of the levels of toxic variants appears to be a promising therapeutic strategy for SOD1-related ALS. Several methods are used to modulate gene expression in vivo; these include RNA interference, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Areas covered: This paper examines the current approaches for gene silencing and the progress made in silencing SOD1 in vivo. It progresses to shed light on the key results and pitfalls of these studies and highlights the future challenges and new perspectives for this exciting research field. Expert opinion: Gene silencing strategies targeting SOD1 may represent effective approaches for familial and sporadic ALS-related neurodegeneration; however, the risk of off-target effects must be minimized, and effective and minimally invasive delivery strategies should be fine-tuned.