Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of oral premedication with tramadol, pregabalin or clonidine on shivering after spinal anaesthesia in patients undergoing hysteroscopic procedures

Background: Shivering is a common complication of neuraxial anaesthesia. We compared the efficacy of tramadol, clonidine and pregabalin in preventing post-spinal anaesthesia shivering in hysteroscopic procedures. Methods: A prospective, randomized, triple-blind, controlled clinical trial involving 120 ASA I–II women, aged 18–60 years. The patients were randomly allocated to receive either oral clonidine 0.2 mg (group C), tramadol 100 mg (group T), pregabalin 150 mg (group P) or placebo (group O) 90 minutes before spinal anaesthesia. The body temperature was monitored at the forehead and tympanic membrane. The primary outcome was the occurrence of perioperative shivering. The secondary outcomes were the side effects and meperidine requirements to treat shivering. Results: All groups had comparable demographic data. Group C showed the lowest incidence, severity and number of intraoperative and postoperative shivering attacks. The time to the first shivering attack was significantly longer in group C than the other groups and in group T than groups P and O. The severity of shivering attacks was comparable among groups C, T and P while being significantly lower than group O. Meperidine requirements were significantly lower in group C. Groups C, T and P had a significantly higher sedation score than group O. The incidences of dizziness, nausea and vomiting were highest in group T. Conclusions: Tramadol, pregabalin and clonidine seem to be effective oral premedications to reduce the incidence, frequency and severity of post-spinal shivering but clonidine proved to be more effective and tolerable.
Prediction of pelvic tumour coverage by magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU) from referral imaging

Abstract Background Patient suitability for magnetic resonance-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU) ablation of pelvic tumors is initially evaluated clinically for treatment feasibility using referral images, acquired using standard supine diagnostic imaging, followed by MR screening of potential patients lying on the MRgHIFU couch in a ‘best-guess’ treatment position. Existing evaluation methods result in ≥40% of referred patients being screened out because of tumor non-targetability. We hypothesize that this process could be improved by development of a novel algorithm for predicting tumor coverage from referral imaging. Methods The algorithm was developed from volunteer images and tested with patient data. MR images were acquired for five healthy volunteers and five patients with recurrent gynaecological cancer. Subjects were MR imaged supine and in oblique-supine-decubitus MRgHIFU treatment positions. Body outline and bones were segmented for all subjects, with organs-at-risk and tumors also segmented for patients. Supine images were aligned with treatment images to simulate a treatment dataset. Target coverage (of patient tumors and volunteer intra-pelvic soft tissue), i.e. the volume reachable by the MRgHIFU focus, was quantified. Target coverage predicted from supine imaging was compared to that from treatment imaging. Results Mean (±standard deviation) absolute difference between supine-predicted and treatment-predicted coverage for 5 volunteers was 9 ± 6% (range: 2–22%) and for 4 patients, was 12 ± 7% (range: 4–21%), excluding a patient with poor acoustic coupling (coverage difference was 53%). Conclusion Prediction of MRgHIFU target coverage from referral imaging appears feasible, facilitating further development of automated evaluation of patient suitability for MRgHIFU.
The Impact of Service Firm’s Environmentally Friendly Reputation in the Context of Revenue Management

In revenue management practice, customers’ perceived fairness is a critical issue. Prior research examined the effect of revenue management on customers’ perceptions of fairness by implementing two different conditions: fencing and framing. In this study, the authors evaluated the role of a service firm’s environmentally friendly reputation under the conditions of fencing and framing. Results indicated that an environmentally friendly reputation only moderated the effect of framing on perceived fairness. In particular, when the firm had a poor reputation, framing as a discount rather than framing as a surcharge increased customers’ fairness perceptions. When the firm had a good reputation, however, customers’ perception of fairness did not differ across two framing conditions. The findings of this study help firms to understand how customers perceive fairness in revenue management practice.
Prevalence of Depression Symptoms in US Adults Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Key Points Question What is the burden of depression symptoms among US adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic compared with before COVID-19, and what are the risk factors associated with depression symptoms? Findings In this survey study that included 1441 respondents from during the COVID-19 pandemic and 5065 respondents from before the pandemic, depression symptom prevalence was more than 3-fold higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than before. Lower income, having less than $5000 in savings, and having exposure to more stressors were associated with greater risk of depression symptoms during COVID-19. Meaning These findings suggest that there is a high burden of depression symptoms in the US associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and that this burden falls disproportionately on individuals who are already at increased risk.
Russet Susceptibility in Apple Is Associated with Skin Cells that Are Larger, More Variable in Size, and of Reduced Fracture Strain

Russeting is an economically important surface disorder in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh). Indirect evidence suggests an irregular skin structure may be the cause of the phenomenon. The objective of this study was to characterize epidermal and hypodermal cell morphology and the mechanical properties of the skins of apple cultivars of differing russet susceptibility. Dimensions of epidermal and hypodermal cells were determined using microscopy. Stiffness (S), maximum force (Fmax), and maximum strain (εmax) at failure were quantified using uniaxial tensile tests of skin strips. Particularly during early fruit development, epidermal cells (EC) and hypodermal cells (HC) in russet non-susceptible cultivars occurred in greater numbers per unit area than in russet-susceptible ones. The EC and HC were lower in height, shorter in length, and of reduced tangential surface area. There were little differences in S or Fmax between non-susceptible and susceptible cultivars. However, the εmax were higher for the skins of non-susceptible cultivars, than for those of susceptible ones. This difference was larger for the young than for the later growth stages. It is concluded that russet-susceptible cultivars generally have larger cells and a wider distribution of cell sizes for both EC and HC. These result in decreased εmax for the skin during early fruit development when russet susceptibility is high. This increases the chances of skin failures which is known to trigger russeting.
Is bioabsorbable screw an alternative choice for displaced medial epicondylar fractures in adolescents

Abstract In adolescent patients, cannulated lag screw (CLS) is a widely accepted choice for fixation of the medial epicondylar fracture of the humerus (MEFH). Absorbable implants, including rod, screw, and mini-plate, have been reported in children. However, to the best of our understanding, this study is the first head-to-head comparative study of CLS versus bioabsorbable screw (BS) in the treatment of MEFH. Patients of MEFH operated at our institute, from January 2010 to January 2016, were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into 2 groups, the CLS group and the BS group, as per the type of implant the patient received. The CLS group consisted of 35 patients, whereas the BS group consisted of 30 patients. Demographic data, including sex, age at the time of surgery, operated side, and implant material, were collected from the hospital database. Elbow range of motion (ROM), radiographic manifestation was recorded during the out-patient visit. The elbow joint function was evaluated according to the Broberg and Morrey elbow scale and Mayo elbow performance index score. Thirty patients, including 18 males and 12 females, were included in the CLS group, whereas 35 patients, including 21 males and 14 females, were included in the BS group. At 6-month follow-up, elbow range of motion, Broberg and Morrey elbow scale and Mayo elbow performance index scale showed no significant difference between the 2 groups. The carrying angle was within the normal range in both groups. There was no nonunion or malunion in either group. The rate of hypoplasia or hyperplasia was low in both groups, 3.3% in CLS and 2.9% in BS. The rate of implant prominence was significantly higher in the CLS group (33.3%) than BS (0%). Both CLS and BS are safe and effective choices for displaced MEFH in adolescents. The BS can produce a satisfactory clinical outcome and is comparable to the CLS. Besides, the BS has the advantage of not needing second surgery for implant removal.
Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Foodborne Pathogens and Indicator Bacteria from Edible Offal and Muscle Meats in Nashville, Tennessee

This study investigated the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in retail edible offal and muscle meats in Nashville, Tennessee. A total of 348 retail meats (160 edible offal and 188 muscle) were analyzed for Salmonella enterica serovar, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, and enterococci. Bacteria was identified using biochemical and PCR methods. Salmonella enterica serovar (4.4% and 4.3%), Campylobacter (1.9% and 1.1%), E. coli (79.4% and 89.4%), and enterococci (88.1% and 95.7%) was detected in offal and muscle meats, respectively. Chicken liver (9.7%) was most frequently contaminated with Salmonella enterica serovar, followed by ground chicken (6.9%) and chicken wings (4.2%). No Salmonella enterica serovar was detected in beef liver, beef tripe, and ground beef. The prevalence of Campylobacter was 6.9%, 2.3%, and 1.4% in beef liver, ground beef, and ground chicken, respectively. None of the meats were positive for E. coli O157:H7. Resistance of isolates was significantly (p < 0.05) highest in erythromycin (98.3%; 99.1%), followed by tetracycline (94%; 98.3%), vancomycin (88.8%; 92.2%) as compared to chloramphenicol (43.1%; 53.9%), amoxicillin/clavulanic (43.5%; 45.7%), and ciprofloxacin (45.7%; 55.7%) in offal and muscle meats, respectively. Imipenem showed the lowest resistance (0%; 0.9%). A total of 41 multidrug-resistant patterns were displayed. Edible offal could be a source of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genetic polymorphism and the risk of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract Background: As indicated by numerous studies, there exists a relationship between the polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy (DN) in various populations; nonetheless, the findings remain inconsistent. Therefore, we carried out a meta-analysis to determine the relationship between the MTHFR gene polymorphism and DN susceptibility. Materials and method: Related studies were identified from PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database (time period: from building the library to October 2019). The strength of the association was examined using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: The findings illustrated that the C677T gene polymorphism was significantly associated with an enhanced susceptibility to DN compared to that with diabetes mellitus in allelic (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.34–2.00, P < .001), dominant (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.40–2.46, P < .001), codominant (heterozygote: OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.27–2.21, P < .001; homozygote: OR = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.82–3.57, P < .001), and recessive (OR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.50–2.38, P < .001) models of the overall population. Moreover, as compared with the healthy controls, a significantly augmented susceptibility to DN was found in all 5 genetic comparison models (allelic: OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.58–2.67, P < .001; dominant: OR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.73–3.69, P < .001; codominant: OR = 3.78, 95% CI = 2.50–5.70, P < .001; recessive: OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.96–2.97, P < .001). Furthermore, stratifying data by ethnicity revealed substantially augmented vulnerability to DN in not only Caucasian but also Asian populations. Conclusion: The present study suggests that the C677T polymorphism was associated with an augmented susceptibility to DN.
Structural basis for the core-mannan biosynthesis of cell wall fungal-type galactomannan in Aspergillus fumigatus

Fungal cell walls and their biosynthetic enzymes are potential targets for novel antifungal agents. Recently, two mannosyltransferases, namely core-mannan synthases A (CmsA/Ktr4) and B (CmsB/Ktr7), were found to play roles in the core-mannan biosynthesis of fungal-type galactomannan. CmsA/Ktr4 is an α-(1→2)-mannosyltransferase responsible for α-(1→2)-mannan biosynthesis in fungal-type galactomannan, which covers the cell surface of Aspergillus fumigatus. Strains with disrupted cmsA/ktr4 have been shown to exhibit strongly suppressed hyphal elongation and conidiation alongside reduced virulence in a mouse model of invasive aspergillosis, indicating that CmsA/Ktr4 is a potential novel antifungal candidate. In this study we present the 3D structures of the soluble catalytic domain of CmsA/Ktr4, as determined by X-ray crystallography at a resolution of 1.95 Å, as well as the enzyme and Mn2+/GDP complex to 1.90 Å resolution. The CmsA/Ktr4 protein not only contains a highly conserved binding pocket for the donor substrate, GDP-mannose, but also has a unique broad cleft structure formed by its N- and C-terminal regions and is expected to recognize the acceptor substrate, a mannan chain. Based on these crystal structures, we also present a 3D structural model of the enzyme–substrate complex generated using docking and molecular dynamics simulations with α-Man-(1→6)-α-Man-(1→2)-α-Man-OMe as the model structure for the acceptor substrate. This predicted enzyme–substrate complex structure is also supported by findings from single amino acid substitution CmsA/Ktr4 mutants expressed in ΔcmsA/ktr4 A. fumigatus cells. Taken together, these results provide basic information for developing specific α-mannan biosynthesis inhibitors for use as pharmaceuticals and/or pesticides.
Cross-Cultural Comparisons in Implicit and Explicit Age Bias

Most research documenting bias against older adults has been conducted in individualistic and industrialized cultures. In the current study, we examined cultural variation in attitudes toward older adults and subjective age in a large sample of 911,982 participants (Mage = 27.42, SD = 12.23; 67.6% women) from 68 different countries (Msize = 12,077; Mdnsize = 425.5). We hypothesized that age bias would be lower among those living in highly collectivistic countries. We found that living in collectivistic countries was associated with less implicit and explicit age bias, and greater feelings of warmth toward older adults compared with highly individualistic countries. Given the impact of age bias and prejudice on both the targets and perpetrators of bias, further research is needed to examine the causes of and interventions for bias against older adults.
Potential for Bacteriophage Cocktail to Complement Commercial Sanitizer Use on Produce against Escherichia coli O157:H7

The increasing concern for food safety has created a need to evaluate novel techniques to eliminate or control pathogens, resulting in safe food. In this study, four bacteriophages of bovine origin, specific to E. coli O157:H7, were successfully isolated and characterized. A microplate reader assay demonstrated the efficacy of the bacteriophage (phage) cocktail against E. coli O157:H7 resulting in a significant reduction (p < 0.01) in the target pathogen population. The phage cocktail demonstrated significant efficacy (p < 0.05) against E. coli O157:H7 in the presence of the most utilized sanitizers in the United States, namely 100 parts per million (ppm) free chlorine and 100-ppm peroxyacetic acid. Survival in the sanitizer concentrations demonstrates the potential use of phage cocktail and sanitizer synergistically to enhance sanitation operations in the food industry.
New Arctic Bacterial Isolates with Relevant Enzymatic Potential

Fragments of wood drifting in the vicinity of Spitzbergen were used for the isolation of microorganisms, carried out using atypical carbon sources: colloidal chitin, cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose, xylan, casein, tributrin and olive oil. Purified cultures were subjected to a three-step identification: with classical methods, using MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper whole-cell protein fingerprinting, and molecular analysis of 16S rDNA. Subsequently, a preliminary assessment of the enzymatic potential of isolates was carried out. As a result, cellulolytic activity was observed in more than 50% of the bacterial strains, exhibiting activity of 0.30–0.40 U/mL. Over 53% of the isolates demonstrated xylanolytic activity, of which the highest reached from 0.40 to 0.90 U. Polygalacturonase activity of 0.003–1.6 was also demonstrated in half of the bacterial strains studied. Proteolytic activity of isolates did not exceed 0.3 U. An important highlight was the ability of fluorescent dye production by certain strains, grown on skim milk-agar, but also on pure meat extract.
Perceived Substance Use Norms Among Jailed Women with Alcohol Use Disorders.

BACKGROUND Social norms regarding substance use predict substance use behaviors. In a sample of jailed women with alcohol use disorders (AUDs), we compared (i) jailed women's perceptions of the US women population's rates of substance use, with US women's actual rates of substance use; (ii) jailed women's perceived rates of substance use by US women, with their perceptions of use by their own friends; and (iii) US women's actual rates of substance use, with observed sample substance use rates. METHODS Participants were 205 jailed women who met criteria for an AUD. We used the 1-sample or dependent-samples t-test to make the comparisons. RESULTS Participants overestimated US women's rates of substance use and incarceration rates. They perceived their friends' substance use as less common than US women's. The jailed women reported higher rates of their own substance use than actual rates by US women. In addition, jailed women self-reported less cannabis use, but more alcohol and cocaine use and cigarette smoking, than they perceived their friends to have used. The more women perceived their friends as drinking, the less they had a goal to drink less or abstain from drinking postincarceration; in contrast, perceptions of US women's drinking were not related to personal goals for drinking. CONCLUSIONS Interventions that correct misperceptions about substance use norms may have utility for jailed women with AUDs.
Health Behavior Changes During COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent “Stay-at-Home” Orders

The COVID-19 pandemic, and resultant “Stay-at-Home” orders, may have impacted adults’ positive health behaviors (sleep, physical activity) and negative health behaviors (alcohol consumption, drug use, and tobacco use). The purpose of this study was to investigate how these health behaviors changed (increased/improved or decreased/worsened) at the early stages of the pandemic, what participant characteristics were associated with health behavior changes, and why these behavioral changes may have occurred. A convenience sample of 1809 adults residing in the United States completed a 15-min self-report questionnaire in April and May 2020. Multinomial logistic regressions and descriptive statistics were used to evaluate how, for whom, and why these health behaviors changed. Participants were primarily female (67.4%), aged 35–49 years (39.8%), college graduates (83.3%), non-tobacco users (74.7%), and had previously used marijuana (48.6%). Overall, participants primarily reported a decrease in physical activity, while sleep and all of the negative health behaviors remained the same. Changes in negative health behaviors were related (p < 0.05) to sex, age, parental status, educational status, job status, BMI, and depression scores. Changes in positive health behaviors were related (p < 0.05) to sex, parental status, job status, and depression scores. Having more time available during the pandemic was the most commonly cited reason for changing health behaviors (negative and positive). Public health efforts should address the potential for long-term health consequences due to behavior change during COVID-19.
Extended CT Void Analysis in FDM Additive Manufacturing Components

Additive manufacturing (AM) is the term for a number of processes for joining materials to build physical components from a digital 3D model. AM has multiple advantages over other construction techniques, such as freeform, customization, and waste reduction. However, AM components have been evaluated by destructive and non-destructive testing and have shown mechanical issues, such as reduced resistance, anisotropy and voids. The build direction affects the mechanical properties of the built part, including voids of different characteristics. The aim of this work is an extended analysis of void shape by means of X-ray computed tomography (CT) applied to fused deposition modeling (FDM) samples. Furthermore, a relation between the tensile mechanical properties and digital void measurements is established. The results of this work demonstrate that void characteristics such as quantity, size, sphericity and compactness show no obvious variations between the samples. However, the angle between the main void axis and the mechanical load axis α shows a relation for FDM components: when its mean value μ(α) is around 80 (degrees) the yield strength and Young’s modulus are reduced. These results lead to the formulation of a novel criterion that predicts the mechanical behavior of AM components.