Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Malnutrition Prevalence and Burden on Healthcare Resource Use Among Spanish Community-Living Older Adults: Results of a Longitudinal Analysis

Purpose Little is known about the economic burden that malnutrition or its risk imposes on community-dwelling older adults. Using cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, we assessed the impact of malnutrition risk on healthcare utilization and costs in a cohort of older adults living in Spanish community. Patients and Methods Data from 1660 older (range 66–98 years), community-living adults participating in the Toledo Study on Healthy Ageing, waves 2 (year 2011–2013) and 3 (year 2015), were analyzed. Nutritional status categories were defined according to the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, using a two-step approach. First, screening for malnutrition risk. Once positive, individuals were classified as malnourished according to some phenotypic (body mass index, grip strength, and unintentional weight loss) and etiologic (disease burden/inflammation and reduced food intake or assimilation) criteria. Outcomes assessed included healthcare resources (hospital admissions, number of hospitalizations, length of hospital stay per hospitalization, and number of medications). Results Fifteen percent of the population was found to be at risk of malnutrition, while 12.6% was malnourished. Overall, patients from both groups were older, had lower functional status, and had more comorbidities compared to well-nourished counterparts (p<0.05). Results of our cross-sectional analysis showed that being at-risk/malnourished was associated with greater medication utilization, higher rates of hospital admission and longer stays, and higher hospitalization costs. However, when adjusting for covariates, malnutrition/risk was associated only with higher hospitalization costs (range: 11–13%). Longitudinal analysis results indicated that malnutrition/risk was significantly associated with more frequent hospitalizations, longer lengths of stay, higher hospitalization costs, and polypharmacy at follow-up. Conclusion Malnutrition or its risk, found in over one of four older adults in the Toledo community, was associated with higher healthcare resource use and increased costs. Such findings suggest that malnutrition risk-screening for older adults, and provision of nutrition counseling and care when needed, hold potential to improve their health and to lower costs of care in the Spanish healthcare system.
Optimizing the Communication with Cancer Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Patient Perspectives

Background During curfew, patients are self-isolated at home and worried. Patient–doctor interactions may be disrupted and therefore need to be replaced by alternative effective communication methods. Purpose To describe the preferences of cancer patients with respect to communication methods and the use of patient-accessible electronic health records (PAEHRs). To record the impact on cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic and the knowledge and attitude of the patients towards it. Patients and Methods We created a self-administered electronic survey that was piloted and evaluated for its clinical relevance. Using convenient sampling methods, we surveyed the cancer patients in our Oncology Center. Results We received 385 responses between April 15 and April 30, 2020. The preferred method for communication was a phone call with a 92% response rate followed by the electronic patient portal, mobile application, telemedicine and text message in 75%, 76%, 73%, and 72%, respectively. The majority (97%) preferred the use of PAEHRs for appointments, 95% for drug delivery and to view laboratory tests, and 92% in requesting medical reports. In our survey, 22% of patients with cancer reported that their medical cancer care had not been affected by COVID-19. They reported that trusted sources of information during COVID-19 included the Ministry of Health with 98% and doctors with 94%. Sixty-one percent know that they are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection and 91% of respondents supported the notion of digital transformation in the caring of cancer patients. Conclusion Our study revealed a general acceptance of patients to telecommunication as substitute to in-person interaction with their physicians. Interaction between cancer patients and health care providers should not be disrupted but should be augmented with more effective platforms to improve health care outcomes.
Exercise Programs for Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sarcopenia is an age-related condition that is characterized by progressive and generalized loss of muscle mass and function. Exercise treatment has been the most commonly used intervention among elderly populations. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the available literature related to the effects of exercise interventions/programs on muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance in older adults with sarcopenia. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE and the Web of Science for randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials exploring exercise in older adults with sarcopenia published through July 2019 without any language restrictions. Pooled analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.3, with standardized mean differences (SMDs) and fixed-effect models. A total of 3898 titles and abstracts were initially identified, and 22 studies (1041 individuals, 80.75% females, mean age ranged from 60.51 to 85.90 years) were included in the meta-analysis. The exercise programs in the studies consisted of 30 to 80 min of training, with 1 to 5 training sessions weekly for 6 to 36 weeks. Muscle strength (grip strength [SMD 0.57, 95 % CI 0.42 to 0.73, P <0.00001] and timed five chair stands [SMD -0.56, 95 % CI -0.85 to -0.28, P < 0.0001]) and physical performance (gait speed [SMD 0.44, 95 % CI 0.26 to 0.61, P < 0.00001] and the timed up and go test [SMD -0.97, 95 % CI -1.22 to -0.72, P < 0.00001]) showed significant improvement following exercise treatment, while no differences in muscle mass (ASM [SMD 0.15, 95 % CI -0.05 to 0.36, P = 0.15] and ASM/height2 [SMD 0.21, 95 % CI -0.05 to 0.48, P = 0.12]) were detected. Exercise programs showed overall significant positive effects on muscle strength and physical performance but not on muscle mass in sarcopenic older adults.
High-Speed Extraction and HPLC Fingerprinting of Medicinal Plants – II. Application to Harman Alkaloids of Genus Passiflora

Although the presence of harman alkaloids in the genus Passiflora has been established in a few species, their presence in the medicinally significant P. incarnata (passion flower) is still debatable. Powdered samples from 91 Passiflora species were subjected to accelerated speed extraction and analyzed for their content of five harman alkaloids by reversed-phase HPLC with photodiode array detection. The utilized analytical method was capable of detecting harman alkaloids in more than 50% of the analyzed samples at ppm levels. A library of HPLC chromatograms has also been generated as a tool for fingerprinting and authentication of the studied Passiflora species.
Challenges to Online Medical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted all aspects of our lives, including education and the economy, as we know it. Governments have issued stay-at-home directives, and as a result, colleges and universities have been shut down across the world. Hence, online classes have become a key component in the continuity of education. The present study aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online education at the College of Medicine (COM) of Alfaisal University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Between March and April 2020, we emailed a survey to 1,289 students and faculty members of the COM. We obtained 208 responses (16.1%); 54.8% of the respondents were females, and 66.8% were medical students; 14.9% were master’s students, and 18.3% were faculty. Among the respondents, 41.8% reported having little or no online teaching/learning experience before the pandemic, and 62.5% preferred blending online and face-to-face instruction. The reported challenges to online medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic included issues related to communication (59%), student assessment (57.5%), use of technology tools (56.5%), online experience (55%), pandemic-related anxiety or stress (48%), time management (35%), and technophobia (17%). Despite these challenges, most of the respondents (70.7%) believed that the COVID-19 pandemic has boosted their confidence in the effectiveness of online medical education. Consequently, 76% of participants intended to integrate the online expertise garnered during the pandemic into their practice. In short, the modern study demonstrated a largely positive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online medical education.
EFFECTS OF GIBBERELLIC ACID ON RIPENING AND RIND PUFFING IN SUNBURST MANDARIN

Foliar sprays of gibberellic acid (GA,) were used to control puffing of 'Sunburst' mandarin and to delay the har vest season under central Florida conditions. The application of 25 mg-L1 GA3 to trees of 'Sunburst' mandarin prior to color break, 6-8 weeks before the normal harvest season, delayed color change in the flavedo and prevented peel puffing. Peel thickness and weight were reduced and fruit firmness was higher in GA? - treated fruits. The treatment also retarded the loss of juice in mature fruits. Based on these results, the har vest season could be extended from November-December into
One-year outcomes of 27G core-pars plana vitrectomy of idiopathic epiretinal membrane

The present study aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of 27G core-pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for idiopathic epiretinal membrane (IERM). A retrospective analysis was performed on 38 eyes from 38 patients with IERM with a mean age of 62.73±5.61 years. 27G core-PPV was combined with IERM and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. Pre-operative and post-operative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and lens density were measured. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography were performed to determine the patients' macular area. Ultrasound biomicroscopy and B-mode ultrasound were subsequently performed to observe any complications and the follow-up period ranged from 1 week to 12 months post-operatively. A total of 36 patients achieved visual improvement of ≥2 Snellen lines, of which 33 patients exhibited improvements within 1 week and the lens density remained unchanged. The mean central macular thickness significantly decreased at 12 months post-operatively (P≤0.05); however, it was not observed to be correlated with BCVA (r=0.41; P>0.05). The foveal avascular zone of the affected eye was significantly smaller than that of the healthy fellow eye (P≤0.05) and negatively correlated with post-operative BCVA (r=-0.72; P≤0.05). Superficial retinal capillary density and deep retinal capillary density decreased post-operatively (both P≤0.05) and no complications were observed. Taken together, the results of the present study indicate that application of 27G core-PPV with ILM peeling is minimally invasive for IERM and facilitates rapid post-operative BCVA recovery.
Role of methyltransferase-like enzyme 3 and methyltransferase-like enzyme 14 in urological cancers

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications can be found in eukaryotic messenger RNA (mRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and microRNA (miRNA). Several studies have demonstrated a close relationship between m6A modifications and cancer cells. Methyltransferase-like enzyme 3 (METTL3) and methyltransferase-like enzyme 14 (METTL14) are two major enzymes involved in m6A modifications that play vital roles in various cancers. However, the roles and regulatory mechanisms of METTL3 and METTL14 in urological cancers are largely unknown. In this review, we summarize the current research results for METTL3 and METTL14 and identify potential pathways involving these enzymes in kidney, bladder, prostate, and testicular cancer. We found that METTL3 and METTL14 have different expression patterns in four types of urological cancers. METTL3 is highly expressed in bladder and prostate cancer and plays an oncogenic role on cancer cells; however, its expression and role are opposite in kidney cancer. METTL14 is expressed at low levels in kidney and bladder cancer, where it has a tumor suppressive role. Low METTL3 or METTL14 expression in cancer cells negatively regulates cell growth-related pathways (e.g., mTOR, EMT, and P2XR6) but positively regulates cell death-related pathways (e.g., P53, PTEN, and Notch1). When METTL3 is highly expressed, it positively regulates the NF-kB and SHH-GL1pathways but negatively regulates PTEN. These results suggest that although METTL3 and METTL14 have different expression levels and regulatory mechanisms in urological cancers, they control cancer cell fate via cell growth- and cell death-related pathways. These findings suggest that m6A modification may be a potential new therapeutic target in urological cancer.
Cognitive Impairments in Early-Detoxi ﬁ ed Alcohol-Dependent Inpatients and Their Associations with Socio-Demographic, Clinical and Psychological Factors: An Exploratory Study

Purpose: Cognitive impairment is common among patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, neuropsychological assessment is not usually included as routine practice in alcohol rehabilitation programs. The aim of this study was to describe qualitatively the cognitive de ﬁ cits in early-detoxi ﬁ ed AUD patients undergoing rehabilitation and to explore relevant associations with socio-demographic, clinical and psychological factors. Patients and Methods: Forty-one patients with a diagnosis of AUD were consecutively recruited from a residential rehabilitation hospital in Northern Italy. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Brief Neuropsychological Examination 2 (ENB-2). Anxiety, depression and severity of alcohol dependence were also evaluated using validated self-report questionnaires. Alcohol relapse was investigated 1 month after discharge. Results: Overall, 31.7% of AUD patients showed cognitive impairments according to the global score scale. However, 70.7% had an impaired performance on at least one test of the ENB-2, with particular regard to executive function, visuospatial and memory domains. Age, education and abstinence at admission were the most relevant factors associated with cognitive de ﬁ cits in this clinical population. Conclusion: The detection of cognitive impairments is essential in order to adapt alcohol rehabilitation treatment to patients with cognitive de ﬁ cits and enhance clinical outcomes.
Comparative Effects of Curcumin versus Nano-Curcumin on Insulin Resistance, Serum Levels of Apelin and Lipid Profile in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Background and Purpose Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by insulin resistance and abnormalities in insulin production. Apelin is associated with insulin resistance. According to the anti-diabetic properties of curcumin, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of curcumin and nano-curcumin intake on insulin resistance and serum levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), Apelin, and lipid profile (cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL and VLDL) in T2DM rats. Materials and Methods Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into six groups: Control, diabetic, diabetic treated with two doses of curcumin (100 and 200 mg/kg) and diabetic treated with two doses of nano-curcumin (100 and 200 mg/kg). Induction of T2DM was performed by intraperitoneal injection of Nicotinamide (110 mg/kg) and Streptozotocin (45 mg/kg) in the fasting state. Rats received different doses of nano-curcumin and curcumin by gavage (daily) for 28 days. At the end of the intervention period, insulin resistance and serum levels of FBS, apelin and lipid profiles were measured. Results Insulin resistance and serum levels of FBS, Apelin, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and VLDL were significantly decreased in diabetic rats treated with curcumin and nano-curcumin (p<0.05) so that nano-curcumin in reducing lipid profile is more effective than curcumin (P<0.05). Serum level of HDL in nano-curcumin groups was significantly higher than diabetic and curcumin groups (p<0.05). Also, with increasing insulin resistance, serum level of apelin increased (P<0.05). Conclusion The therapeutic effects of curcumin and nano-curcumin were effective in decreasing insulin resistance, serum levels of FBS, apelin and lipid profile. The dose of 100 mg/kg nano-curcumin was more effective in reducing lipid profile.
Regional, vertical and seasonal distribution of phytoplankton and photosynthetic pigments in Lake Baikal

A 3-year phytoplankton study was carried out in Lake Baikal (Siberia) as part of the CONTINENT project and in conjunction with a 60-year long monitoring programme by the Irkutsk State University. A combination of microscopy and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) pigment analysis was used. All over the lake, the dominant functional group (by biovolume) was the vernal diatom blooms, due to the dominance of endemic Cyclotella species. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) was significantly highest at the Selenga and Barguzin inflows (2.39 � 0.34 and 2.49 � 0.18 nmol L ‐1 ,m ean� 95% CI, respectively) and higher in the South than in the North (1.43 � 0.26 and 0.96 � 0.13 nmol L � 1 ). This variation of Chl a reflected changes in the phytoplankton composition. Diatoms and Chrysophyceae were the major contributors to the total Chl a except in the South (Chlorophyceae) and Selenga Delta (cyanobacterial picoplankton). There were also indications of species composition changes due to enhanced P-loading from the Selenga River. However, canonical analyses indicated that temperature and stratification were the major driving forces for regional distribution patterns and seasonal succession. It seems likely that further global warming will cause a shift in the species and group composition towards small cells at the expense of the large endemic diatom flora.
A Markov Random Field Based Approach to 3D Mosaicing and Registration Applied to Ultrasound Simulation

A novel Markov Random Field (MRF) based method for the mosaicing of 3D ultrasound volumes is presented in this dissertation. The motivation for this work is the production of training volumes for an affordable ultrasound simulator, which offers a low-cost/portable training solution for new users of diagnostic ultrasound, by providing the scanning experience essential for developing the necessary psycho-motor skills. It also has the potential for introducing ultrasound instruction into medical education curriculums. The interest in ultrasound training stems in part from the widespread adoption of point-of-care scanners, i.e. low cost portable ultrasound scanning systems in the medical community. This work develops a novel approach for producing 3D composite image volumes and validates the approach using clinically acquired fetal images from the obstetrics department at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS). Results using the Visible Human Female dataset as well as an abdominal trauma phantom are also presented. The process is broken down into five distinct steps, which include individual 3D volume acquisition, rigid registration, calculation of a mosaicing function, group-wise non-rigid registration, and finally blending. Each of these steps, common in medical image processing, has been investigated in the context of ultrasound mosaicing and has resulted in improved algorithms. Rigid and non-rigid registration methods are analyzed in a probabilistic framework and their sensitivity to ultrasound shadowing artifacts is studied. The group-wise non-rigid registration problem is initially formulated as a maximum likelihood estimation, where the joint probability density function is comprised of the partially overlapping ultrasound image volumes. This expression is simplified using a block-matching methodology and the resulting discrete registration energy is shown to be equivalent to a Markov Random Field. Graph based methods common in computer vision are then used for optimization, resulting in a set of transformations that bring the overlapping volumes into alignment. This optimization is parallelized using a fusion approach, where the registration problem is divided into 8 independent sub-problems whose solutions are fused together at the end of each iteration. This
Management Strategies of Acute Retinal Necrosis: Current Perspectives

Abstract Acute retinal necrosis is a rare yet devastating disease, with significant ocular morbidity. Over the past several decades, initial treatment regimens have shifted from intravenous antivirals requiring hospital admission to the routine use of oral antivirals with intravitreal antivirals for immediate local control. Given the rarity of this disease process and a lack of large-scale research trials, debate continues over recommended practice guidelines. In this paper, we review current diagnostic criteria and recommend a treatment algorithm based on available evidence.
High leaf mass per area Oryza genotypes invest more leaf mass to cell wall and show a low mesophyll conductance

Abstract The intraspecific variations of leaf structure and anatomy in rice leaves and their impacts on gas diffusion are still unknown. Researches about the tradeoff between structural compositions and intracellular chemical components within rice leaves are still lacking. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the varietal differences in leaf structure and leaf chemical compositions, and the tradeoff between leaf structural tissues and intracellular chemical components in rice leaves. Leaf structure, leaf anatomy, leaf chemical composition concentrations and gas exchange parameters were measured on eight Oryza sativa L. genotypes to investigate the intraspecific variations in leaf structure and leaf anatomy and their impacts on gas exchange parameters, and to study the tradeoff between leaf structural compositions (cell wall compounds) and intracellular chemical components (non-structural carbohydrates, nitrogen, chlorophyll). Leaf thickness increased with leaf mass per area (LMA), while leaf density did not correlate with LMA. Mesophyll cell surface area exposed to intercellular airspace (IAS) per leaf area, the surface area of chloroplasts exposed to IAS and cell wall thickness increased with LMA. Cell wall compounds accounted for 71.5 % of leaf dry mass, while mass-based nitrogen and chlorophyll concentrations decreased with LMA. Mesophyll conductance was negatively correlated with LMA and cell wall thickness. High LMA rice genotypes invest more leaf mass to cell wall and possess a low mesophyll conductance.
Fertilization, Survival, and Growth of Crassostrea hongkongensis ♀ × Crassostrea ariakensis ♂ Hybrids in Northern China

ABSTRACT Hybrids between Crassostrea hongkongensis and Crassostrea ariakensis were produced to evaluate their aquaculture potential in northern China. Fertilization success was asymmetrical; C. hongkongensis eggs can be fertilized by C. ariakensis sperm, but not vice versa. Molecular genetics analysis revealed that hybrid progeny were true hybrids. Larval growth of hybrids was intermediate between C. hongkongensis and C. ariakensis, whereas larval survival in hybrid families ranged from 0.3–37%. The progeny of C. hongkongensis did not survive during an outdoor overwinter phase, whereas hybrids and C. ariakensis showed similar survival rates (>72%). Mean shell height of hybrid adults at day 360 was 54% larger than that of C. hongkongensis adults, and was 25% larger than that of C. ariakensis adults. Morphology of the hybrid adult was similar to that of C. hongkongensis. On the basis of high overwinter survival and faster growth than either parental species, we suggest that the hybrid between C. hongkongensis and C. ariakensis may substitute for C. hongkongensis as a cultured species in northern China.