Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A kinetic model of persulfate–bisulfite‐initiated acrylonitrile polymerization

The molecular weight distribution has been derived for a homopolymer polymerized in a continuous-feed reactor under homogeneous conditions. The derived equations are then compared with data obtained on polymers of acrylonitrile–co(vinyl acetate) prepared under heterogeneous conditions with the potassium peroxydisulfate–sodium bisulfite–iron redox system. The termination reaction is assumed to be effected completely by recombination of active radicals with no disproportionation. The only transfer reaction considered is the transfer-to-activator reaction The transfer and termination reactions produce polymers with different acid groups as endgroups. Each molecule, on the average, contains one sulfonate group, whereas the concentration of sulfate groups depends upon the extent of the transfer-to-activator reaction. The basic dye acceptance of the polymer depends on the number of acid groups in the polymer and hence on the activator and catalyst concentrations. Analysis of the basic dye acceptance and conversion data at a variety of catalyst and activator concentrations yields the following parameters at 50°C: kp/k = 1.01 (1./mole sec)1/2, ktr/kp = 0.2063, and k1 [see eq. (1)] = 50.7 l. /mole sec. Owing to the heterogeneous nature of the polymerization, the weight-average molecular weight of the polymer depends only on the activator concentration and the conversion and not directly on the catalyst concentration as predicted.
Prevalence and predictors of vaccine hesitancy in an urbanized agglomeration of New Delhi, India.

BACKGROUND The immunization program has been an important part of Indian public health policy for three decades; yet only 62% of children are being fully immunized. Vaccine hesitancy is a major contributor to the immunization gap that needs to be addressed. METHODS A cross-sectional descriptive study of prevalence and predictors of vaccine hesitancy was conducted in 350 households having at least one child in the age group of 13-24 months. Statistical analysis was done using chi-square test and logistic regression. RESULTS The prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was 28.9%. Fear of needles, concern about pain during vaccination, lack of family support, and apprehension regarding side effects were ascertained as reasons for vaccine hesitancy. The type of family, time taken to reach the health facility and antenatal care received by the mother were significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSION The prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was found to be high. In 2019, the World Health Organization earmarked vaccine hesitancy as one of the major roadblocks to better global health. A better understanding of the subject can help public health agencies enhance vaccination coverage, not just in children but also as a tool to protect entire populations in this age of re-emerging epidemics.
Is 20/20 visual outcome a reality in rubella cataract? - Prognostic factors in children with cataract associated with congenital rubella syndrome

Purpose: The aim of this study ws to evaluate prognostic factors associated with final visual outcome in patients with congenital cataract associated with congenital rubella syndrome. Methods: A prospective interventional analysis of preoperative systemic and ocular features of 56 eyes of 28 seropositive infants of less than 12 months presenting to us with bilateral cataract was performed. All infants were surgically treated with cataract extraction, posterior capsulorhexis, and anterior vitrectomy followed by visual rehabilitation. Intraocular lens implantation was done in children after 2 years of age. Outcome data were collected till children reached the fifth chronological age. Chi-square test was used as a test of significance for qualitative data. Results: Of the 56 eyes, 44.6% eyes had vision better than 20/60. Important preoperative factors related to poor visual prognosis were morphology of cataract (P = 0.004), microphthalmos (P < 0.001), features suggestive of iris hypoplasia (P < 0.001), optic atrophy (P < 0.001), nystagmus (P = 0.02), and associated neurological anomalies (P = 0.0023). We found no significant statistical association between postoperative visual outcome and isolated rubella retinopathy, cloudy cornea, cardiological, and ontological abnormalities. Conclusion: Cataract associated with rubella is a common cause of congenital cataract in developing countries. Determining prognostic factors helps us in parent counseling and planning treatment protocols. Nevertheless, early detection and treatment with adequate multidisciplinary approach remains priority for improving long-term visual outcomes.
Microbiological evaluation of an experimental denture cleanser containing essential oil of Lippia sidoides

Abstract The antimicrobial activity of an experimental solution containing essential oil of Lippia sidoides for denture cleaning was evaluated by (1) minimum inhibitory (MIC) and fungicidal/bactericidal concentration (MFC/MBC) tests against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomona aeruginosa; (2) the metabolic activity of C. albicans biofilm formed on flat-bottom microplates and denture base specimens based on the reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT); and (3) scanning electron microscopy, to evaluate the fungal biofilm morphology. The solution showed antimicrobial action against the pathogens tested (C. albicans - MIC and MFC: 19.53 µg ml−1, S. aureus - MIC and MBC: 78.12 µg ml−1, P. aeruginosa - MIC: 625 µg ml−1, MBC: 2,500 µg ml−1), reduced the metabolic activity of C. albicans biofilm up to 97%, and caused cell wall damage at low concentrations (195.3–390.6 µg ml−1) and in short time periods (20 min). Therefore, the experimental solution has the potential to be used as an alternative in the prevention and treatment of denture-induced infections.
A meta-analysis of fluconazole for the prevention of invasive fungal infection in preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE The present aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fluconazole for prophylactic use in preterm infants with very low birth weight (VLBW) by using an evidence-based methodology. METHODS A computerized literature search was conducted in PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the ISI Web of Knowledge databases, the Chinese Biomedical (CBM) database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the WanFang database, and the VIP Chinese science and technology journal database to find all the randomized controlled trials conducted between January 2000 and December 2019 that studied the prevention of invasive fungal infection (IFI) by fluconazole in preterm infants with VLBW. A meta-analysis was conducted using the RevMan 5.3 and GRADEprofiler 3.2. 2 software. RESULTS A total of 14 studies (including 1,930 preterm infants with VLBW) were included. The meta-analysis found that the prophylactic use of fluconazole significantly reduced the incidence of IFI (RR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.24-0.64, P < 0.05), overall mortality (RR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.61-0.97, P < 0.05), and fungal colonization rate (RR = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.25-0.41, P < 0.05) in preterm infants with VLBW. There was no significant effect on some common complications and neurological development in preterm infants. The application of fluconazole would not lead to the development of fungal resistance in the short term and would have no significant adverse effects. CONCLUSION The prophylactic use of fluconazole significantly reduced the incidence of IFI, overall mortality, and fungal colonization in preterm infants; however, the impact of prophylactic use of fluconazole on preterm infants needs to be evaluated in a large number of clinical studies because of the limited data.
Safety and efficacy of bone-modifying agents among multiple myeloma patients: A retrospective cohort study

Objective To determine the incidence of skeletal-related events among multiple myeloma patients who received chemotherapy without a bone-modifying agent (zoledronic acid and denosumab) versus those who received chemotherapy with a bone-modifying agent. The secondary objective was to determine the incidence of skeletal-related events in patients without any prior history of skeletal-related events and who were treated with zoledronic acid every four weeks versus those who received zoledronic acid at an extended interval of every twelve weeks. Additional secondary objectives included the incidence of nephrotoxicity, hypocalcemia and osteonecrosis of the jaw in all patients. Methods This institutional review board-approved, retrospective cohort study included patients 18 to 89 years old with a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, who were being treated with chemotherapy between July 1, 2016 and October 31, 2019. Safety and efficacy were assessed through analysis of pertinent data collected: patient demographics, baseline skeletal-related events, development of new skeletal-related events, number and type of bone-modifying agent doses administered, and drug-related toxicities such as nephrotoxicity, hypocalcemia, and osteonecrosis of the jaw. Results A total of 73 patients were included. New skeletal-related events occurred in 12 patients (27%) in the chemotherapy without a bone-modifying agent group and in 5 patients (17%) in the chemotherapy with a bone-modifying agent group (OR = 0.56, 95% CI [0.172–1.8]; P = 0.32). The incidence of skeletal-related events was similar among patients receiving zoledronic acid every four weeks versus every twelve weeks in patients without a prior skeletal-related event (N = 0 vs. N = 2 respectively; P = 0.47). There were no statistically significant differences observed in each of the three secondary safety endpoints: incidence of hypocalcemia, nephrotoxicity and osteonecrosis of the jaw. Conclusion Multiple myeloma patients receiving chemotherapy without a bone-modifying agent had higher rates of skeletal-related events compared to those being treated with chemotherapy and a bonemodifying agent. Our results highlight the benefit of utilizing bonemodifying agents for the prevention of skeletal-related events in all multiple myeloma patients being treated with chemotherapy.
Effect of Telemetric Interventions on Glycated Hemoglobin A1c and Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Systematic Meta-Review

Background Diabetes mellitus is a chronic burden, with a prevalence that is increasing worldwide. Telemetric interventions have attracted great interest and may provide effective new therapeutic approaches for improving type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) care. Objective The objective of this study was to analyze the clinical effectiveness of telemetric interventions on glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) specifically and T2DM management generally in a systematic meta-review. Methods A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, and EMBASE databases from January 2008 to April 2020. Studies that addressed HbA1c, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, BMI, diabetes-related and health-related quality of life, cost-effectiveness, time savings, and the clinical effectiveness of telemetric interventions were analyzed. In total, 73 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 10 systematic reviews/meta-analyses, 9 qualitative studies, 2 cohort studies, 2 nonrandomized controlled studies, 2 observational studies, and 1 noncontrolled intervention study were analyzed. Results Overall, 1647 citations were identified. After careful screening, 99 studies (n=15,939 patients; n=82,436 patient cases) were selected by two independent reviewers for inclusion in the review. Telemetric interventions were categorized according to communication channels to health care providers: (1) “real-time video” interventions, (2) “real-time audio” interventions, (3) “asynchronous” interventions, and (4) “combined” interventions. To analyze changes in HbA1c, suitable RCTs were pooled and the average was determined. An HbA1c decrease of –1.15% (95% CI –1.84% to –0.45%), yielding an HbA1c value of 6.95% (SD 0.495), was shown in studies using 6-month “real-time video” interventions. Conclusions Telemetric interventions clearly improve HbA1c values in both the short term and the long term and contribute to the effective management of T2DM. More studies need to be done in greater detail.
Postpartum Salpingectomy Compared With Standard Tubal Ligation After Vaginal Delivery.

OBJECTIVE To compare operative outcomes of postpartum salpingectomy and tubal ligation after vaginal delivery. METHODS This retrospective cohort study identified patients who underwent tubal sterilization between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2019, at a large academic hospital, using the electronic medical record. All patients who delivered vaginally and underwent tubal sterilization during their delivery admissions were included. The primary outcome was total operative time. Secondary outcomes included estimated blood loss, perioperative complications, and readmission within 6 weeks postpartum. Patients who underwent bilateral tubal ligation were compared with those who underwent bilateral salpingectomy using Pearson's χ2 test, Fisher exact, and Student's t test. RESULTS A total of 317 eligible patients were identified. One hundred and six (94%) salpingectomies were completed using a bipolar electrocautery device. Operative time was 3 minutes shorter in the salpingectomy group, 30 minutes (interquartile range 24-38) compared with 33.5 (26-42) minutes, P=. 032. Patients who underwent salpingectomy were more likely to have estimated blood loss of 5 mL or less (our institutional shorthand for minimal blood loss) than women who underwent bilateral tubal ligation (78 [69%] vs 112 [55%], P=.015). There were no significant differences in perioperative complications between the groups. CONCLUSION When using electrocautery, bilateral salpingectomy can be completed in the immediate postpartum period after vaginal delivery with equivalent operative times to bilateral tubal ligation.
Synaptic excitation underlies processing of paired stimulation in the mouse inferior colliculus

The inferior colliculus (IC) receives inputs from the ascending auditory pathway and helps localize the sound source by shaping neurons' responses. However, the contributions of excitatory or inhibitory synaptic inputs evoked by paired binaural stimuli with different inter‐stimulus intervals to auditory responses of IC neurons remain unclear. Here, we firstly investigated the IC neuronal response to the paired binaural stimuli with different inter‐stimulus intervals using in vivo loose‐patch recordings in anesthetized C57BL/6 mice. It was found that the total acoustic evoked spikes remained unchanged under microsecond interval conditions, but persistent suppression would be observed when the time intervals were extended. We further studied the paired binaural stimuli evoked excitatory/inhibitory inputs using in vivo whole‐cell voltage‐clamp techniques and blockage of the auditory nerve. The amplitudes of the contralateral excitatory inputs could be suppressed, unaffected or facilitated as the interaural delay varied. In contrast, contralateral inhibitory inputs and ipsilateral synaptic inputs remained almost unchanged. Most IC neurons exhibited the suppression of contralateral excitatory inputs over the interval range of dozens of milliseconds. The facilitative effect was generated by the summation of contralateral and ipsilateral excitation. Suppression and facilitation were completely abolished when ipsilateral auditory nerve was blocked pharmacologically, indicating that these effects were exerted by ipsilateral stimulation. These results suggested that the IC would inherit the binaural inputs integrated at the brainstem as well as within the IC and synaptic excitations, modulated by ipsilateral stimulation, underlie the binaural acoustic response.
30-day mortality after hip fracture surgery: Influence of postoperative factors

Purpose The 30-day mortality rate after hip fracture surgery has been considered as an indirect indicator of the quality of care. The aim of this work is to analyse preoperative and postoperative factors potentially related to early 30-day mortality in patients over 65 undergoing hip fracture surgery. Methods Prospective cohort study including all consecutive primary hip fracture patients over 65 admitted to Trauma and Orthopaedics department from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Bed-ridden, non- surgically treated patients, and high energy trauma or tumoral aetiology fractures were excluded. A total of 943 patients were eligible (attrition rate: 2.1%). Follow-up included 30-days after discharge. We noted the 30-day mortality after hip fracture surgery, analysing 130 potentially related variables including biodemographic, fracture-related, preoperative, and postoperative clinical factors. Qualitative variables were assessed by χ2, and quantitative variables by non-parametric tests. Odds ratio determined by binary logistic regression. We selected preventable candidate variables for multivariate risk assessment by logistic regression. Results A total of 923 patients were enrolled (mean age 86.22±6.8, 72.9% women). The 30-day mortality rate was 6.0%. We noted significant increased mortality on men (OR = 2.381[1.371–4.136], p = 0.002), ageing patients (ORyear = 1.073[1.025–1.122], p = 0.002), and longer time to surgery (ORday = 1.183[1.039–1146], p<0.001), on other 20 preoperative clinical variables, like lymphopenia (lymphocyte count <103/μl, OR = 1.842[1.063–3.191], p = 0.029), hypoalbuminemia (≤3.5g/dl, OR = 2.474[1.316–4.643], p = 0.005), and oral anticoagulant intake (OR = 2.499[1.415–4.415], p = 0.002), and on 25 postoperative clinical variables, like arrhythmia (OR = 13.937[6.263–31.017], p<0.001), respiratory insufficiency (OR = 7.002[3.947–12.419], p<0.001), hyperkalaemia (OR = 10.378[3.909–27.555], p<0.001), nutritional supply requirement (OR = 3.576[1.894–6.752], p = 0.021), or early arthroplasty dislocation (OR = 6.557[1.206–35.640], p = 0.029). We developed a predictive model for early mortality after hip fracture surgery based on postoperative factors with 96.0% sensitivity and 60.7% specificity (AUC = 0.863). Conclusion We revealed that not only preoperative, but also postoperative factors have a great impact after hip fracture surgery. The influence of post-operative factors on 30-day mortality has a logical basis, albeit so far they have not been identified or quantified before. Our results provide an advantageous picture of the 30-day mortality after hip fracture surgery.
A field method for cryopreservation of whole blood from a finger prick for later analysis with flow cytometry.

OBJECTIVES Flow cytometry is a powerful tool for investigating immune function, allowing for the quantification of leukocytes by subtype. Yet it has not been used extensively for field work due to perishable reagents and the need for immediate analysis of samples. To make flow cytometry more accessible, we devise and evaluate a field protocol for freezing capillary blood. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected finger prick blood samples from 110 volunteers, age 18 to 42. Blood samples were analyzed immediately for 18 cell surface markers. Aliquots of whole blood were frozen in the vapor phase of a liquid nitrogen tank with 10% dimethyl sulfoxide in medium. Samples were analyzed on a Guava EasyCyte HT flow cytometer after 2, 4, or 14 weeks. RESULTS Major lymphocyte fractions in frozen samples were correlated with fresh values (T-cells: r = 0.82; Natural Killer [NK] cells: r = 0.64; CD4: r = 0.67; CD8: r = 0.82; Naïve CD4: r = 0.73, Naïve CD8: r = 0.71; B-cells: r = 0.73; all p < 0.001), and mean values were similar to those from fresh samples. However, correlations for smaller subsets of CD4 and B cells were generally poor. Some differences resulted from changes in non-specific binding for some antibody-conjugate pairs. Cryopreservation also resulted in a reduction in granulocytes more than lymphocytes. DISCUSSION Our results suggest that antibody/fluorochrome combinations should be validated before use on frozen samples, and that functional changes in cells may affect some cell markers. However, this simple freezing protocol utilizing finger pricks, whole blood, and a liquid nitrogen shipping tank is viable for obtaining samples for flow cytometry under field conditions.
Ranking the suitability of common urban tree species for controlling PM2.5 pollution

Pollution caused by particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) is now a major environmental problem in many Asian cities. Planting more trees has been suggested as an unconventional approach to alleviate the problem. In this study, we developed a ranking approach to evaluate the PM2.5 removal efficiency, negative impacts on air quality, and the suitability to urban environments of commonly occurring urban tree species. The results showed that the most frequently occurring tree species in global cities were not the best performers in removing PM2.5. Among the ten most frequently occurring tree species, only London plane (Platanus acerifolia (Aiton) Wild. ), silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) and honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) were ranked above average. However, there is great potential for improving the removal of PM2.5 from urban air by using species that have high PM2.5 removal efficiency, especially conifer species. Use of conifer species requires choosing the correct gender and matching trees with appropriate sites. The results from this study can assist environmental management agencies in the selection of tree species for urban greening projects focusing on PM2.5 control.
Mutations in the IFNγ-JAK-STAT Pathway Causing Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Melanoma Increase Sensitivity to Oncolytic Virus Treatment

Purpose: Next-generation sequencing studies and CRISPR-Cas9 screens have established mutations in the IFNγ-JAK-STAT pathway as an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) resistance mechanism in a subset of patients with melanoma. We hypothesized ICI resistance mutations in the IFNγ pathway would simultaneously render melanomas susceptible to oncolytic virus (OV) therapy. Experimental Design: Cytotoxicity experiments were performed with a number of OVs on a matched melanoma cell line pair generated from a baseline biopsy and a progressing lesion with complete JAK2 loss from a patient that relapsed on anti-PD-1 therapy, in melanoma lines following JAK1/2 RNA interference (RNAi) and pharmacologic inhibition and in Jak2 knockout (KO) B16-F10 mouse melanomas. Furthermore, we estimated the frequency of genetic alterations in the IFNγ-JAK-STAT pathway in human melanomas. Results: The melanoma line from an anti-PD-1 progressing lesion was 7- and 22-fold more sensitive to the modified OVs, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1-dICP0) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV-Δ51), respectively, compared with the line from the baseline biopsy. RNAi, JAK1/2 inhibitor studies, and in vivo studies of Jak2 KOs B16-F10 melanomas revealed a significant increase in VSV-Δ51 sensitivity with JAK/STAT pathway inhibition. Our analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data estimated that approximately 11% of ICI-naïve cutaneous melanomas have alterations in IFNγ pathway genes that may confer OV susceptibility. Conclusions: We provide mechanistic support for the use of OVs as a precision medicine strategy for both salvage therapy in ICI-resistant and first-line treatment in melanomas with IFNγ-JAK-STAT pathway mutations. Our study also supports JAK inhibitor–OV combination therapy for treatment-naïve melanomas without IFN signaling defects. See related commentary by Kaufman, p. 3278