Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Progress in the overall understanding of typhoid fever: implications for vaccine development

ABSTRACT Introduction Typhoid fever continues to have a substantial impact on human health, especially in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Access to safe water, and adequate sanitation and hygiene remain the cornerstone of prevention, but these are not widely available in many impoverished settings. The emergence of antibiotic resistance affects typhoid treatment and adds urgency to typhoid control efforts. Vaccines provide opportunities to prevent and control typhoid fever in endemic settings. Areas covered Literature search was performed looking for evidence concerning the global burden of typhoid and strategies for the prevention and treatment of typhoid fever. Cost of illness, available typhoid and paratyphoid vaccines and cost-effectiveness were also reviewed. The objective was to provide a critical overview of typhoid fever, in order to assess the current understanding and potential future directions for typhoid treatment and control. Expert commentary Our understanding of typhoid burden and methods of prevention has grown over recent years. However, typhoid fever still has a significant impact on health in low and middle-income countries. Introduction of typhoid conjugate vaccines to the immunization schedule is expected to make a major contribution to control of typhoid fever in endemic countries, although vaccination alone is unlikely to eliminate the disease.
Muscle Hypertrophy: A Narrative Review on Training Principles for Increasing Muscle Mass

ABSTRACT DEVELOPING MUSCLE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA HAS THE POTENTIAL TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE FOR MANY ATHLETES. BECAUSE EMERGING EVIDENCE CHALLENGES TRADITIONAL BELIEFS REGARDING THE PRESCRIPTION OF HYPERTROPHY-FOCUSED TRAINING PROGRAMS, THIS REVIEW PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT LITERATURE RELATING, SPECIFICALLY, TO PROGRAMMING VARIABLES. EVIDENCE-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE DESIGN OF EFFECTIVE RESISTANCE-TRAINING PROGRAMS, WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING AN ATHLETE'S SKELETAL MUSCLE MASS.
Corona Virus (COVID-19) “Infodemic” and Emerging Issues through a Data Lens: The Case of China

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a humanitarian emergency, which started in Wuhan in China in early December 2019, brought into the notice of the authorities in late December, early January 2020, and, after investigation, was declared as an emergency in the third week of January 2020. The WHO declared this as Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 31th of January 2020, and finally a pandemic on 11th March 2020. As of March 24th, 2020, the virus has caused a casualty of over 16,600 people worldwide with more than 380,000 people confirmed as infected by it, of which more than 10,000 cases are serious. Mainly based on Chinese newspapers, social media and other digital platform data, this paper analyzes the timeline of the key actions taken by the government and people over three months in five different phases. It found that although there was an initial delay in responding, a unique combination of strong governance, strict regulation, strong community vigilance and citizen participation, and wise use of big data and digital technologies, were some of the key factors in China’s efforts to combat this virus. Being inviable and non-measurable (unlike radioactive exposure), appropriate and timely information is very important to form the basic foundation of mitigation and curative measures. Infodemic, as it is termed by WHO, is a key word, where different stakeholder’s participation, along with stricter regulation, is required to reduce the impact of fake news in this information age and social media. Although different countries will need different approaches, focusing on its humanitarian nature and addressing infodemic issues are the two critical factors for future global mitigation efforts.
Dietary diversity and fish consumption of mothers and their children in fisher households in Komodo District, eastern Indonesia

Small-scale coastal fisheries contribute directly and indirectly to the food and nutrition security of marine-dependent households. Fishers can apportion part of their catch for household consumption or use the income earned to purchase staples and other desired foods. Fish are an important animal-source food rich in micronutrients essential for cognitive development of children and for adult health, and a valuable addition to rice-based diets. Furthermore, the engagement of women in fisheries value chains and increased control over income may facilitate decision-making which improves nutrition outcomes for women and their children. Despite these contributions, food insecurity remains prevalent in many low and middle income fish-producing countries. This paper reports findings from an exploration of the interplaying factors leading to food and nutrition insecurity in three marine-dependent coastal communities in eastern Indonesia, focusing on the consumption pathway, that is, the contribution of fish to the diets and nutrition of women and children. The research was undertaken as a mixed-methods case study. The study found that over 50% of mother-child pairs failed to meet the minimum recommended dietary diversity, and, while fish was the main animal-source food in diets, the introduction of fish to infant and young child diets was delayed due to fears of allergies and illnesses. Moreover, access to nutrient-dense foods was affected by variable and insufficient income from fisheries-based livelihoods, isolation from markets, and the broader food environment. Given the shift towards ‘nutrition-sensitive interventions’ to improve the livelihoods and well-being of fisher households, these results highlight the need for analysis of the intra-household sharing of fish within fisher households, culturally-appropriate strategies to improve the quality of family and especially complementary foods, and efforts to increase physical access to nutrient-dense foods.
Initial Experience of Ramucirumab Treatment After Lenvatinib Failure for Patients With Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background/Aim: The outcomes of ramucirumab after lenvatinib failure for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels of ≥400 ng/ml are unknown. Patients and Methods: Of 12 patients treated with ramucirumab after lenvatinib failure, 10 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. Results: The disease control rate of 80% at 6 weeks and the median time to progression of 3.1 months were the same by both the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and the modified RECIST. AFP reduction was seen in 5 patients at 2 weeks and in 3 patients at 6 weeks. The incidence of grade 3 adverse events was low at 10%. The albumin–bilirubin scores within 6 weeks did not worsen. Conclusion: Ramucirumab might have potential therapeutic efficacy and safety in advanced HCC patients after lenvatinib failure. Further studies are needed to confirm the outcomes of ramucirumab after lenvatinib failure.
Cephalometric and Dental Measures as Diagnostic Tools for the Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a breathing disorder that could be associated with craniofacial and dental phenotype. Objective: To identify features of craniofacial and dental phenotype associated with high suspicion of OSA in adults. Methods: Lateral X-ray and dental casts were acquired from 126 adults (77 females and 49 males). Sleep Questionnaires were applied to identify high suspicion of OSA. Questionnaires answers for each subject were correlated with cephalometric and dental cast measures. Results: Suspicion of OSA was observed in 47.6% of the individuals. Bivariate analysis showed that patients with class II malocclusion have more probability to present OSA (OR=2.5; CI: 1.11 - 6.19; p=0.048) while skeletal class I patients having a 60% less chance of presenting suspicion of OSA (OR=0.4; CI: 0.14-1.07; p=0.045). Conclusions: These findings suggest association between Class II malocclusion and suspicion of OSA. Nevertheless, further research is needed to determine which craniofacial and dental phenotypic features contribute to the development of OSA.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Review.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignancy of the stem cell precursors of the myeloid lineage (red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells other than B and T cells). Like other malignancies, it is due to genetic variations that lead to neoplastic changes and clonal proliferation. AML remains a rare malignancy, accounting for only 1.2% of all new cancer diagnoses in the United States per year, but it accounts for close to one third of all leukemias diagnosed. * For much of the 20th and early 21st century treatment paradigms were unchanged with survival curves remaining stagnant for many decades. Recent changes in our understanding of the genetic variations in the disease have led to some promising new therapies with hopes for improved outcomes in the future. Below we review the definitions, diagnosis and classification of AML and how this affects the evolving treatment paradigm of AML.
Comparison of complications in cranioplasty with various materials: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective: Meta-analysis to evaluate complications in the use of autogenous bone and bone substitutes and to compare bone substitutes, specifically HA, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and titanium materials. Methods: Search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Google scholar to identify all citations from 2010 to 2019 reporting complications regarding materials used in cranioplasty. Results: 20 of 2266 articles met the inclusion criteria, including a total of 2913 patients. The odds of overall complication were significantly higher in the autogenous bone group (n = 214/644 procedures, 33.2%) than the bone substitute groups (n = 116/436 procedures, 26.7%, CI 1.29–2.35, p < 0.05). In bone substitutes groups, there was no significant difference in overall complication rate between HA and Ti (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.47–3.14, p = 0.69). PEEK has lower overall complication rates (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30–0.87, p = 0.01) and lower implant exposure rates (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.06–0.53, p = 0.002) than Ti, but there was no significant difference in infection rates and postoperative hematoma rates. Conclusions: Cranioplasty is associated with high overall complication rates with the use of autologous bone grafts compared with bone substitutes. PEEK has a relatively low overall complication rates in substitutes groups, but still high infection rates and postoperative hematoma rates. Thus, autologous bone grafts should only be used selectively, and prospective long-term studies are needed to further refine a better material in cranioplasty.
Adult-Onset Atopic Dermatitis: Presentations and Progress

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disease characterized by barrier dysfunction and immune dysregulation that affects approximately 20% of children and 2-5% of adults worldwide. Traditionally, AD has been considered a disease of childhood with many cases resolving before adulthood. However, in recent years, the prevalence of adult AD is increasingly recognized to be substantial, but it is uncertain whether this increase is due to increased childhood-persistent or relapsed AD, or new adult-onset AD. This highlights a need for further investigation into the adult AD population and evaluation of phenotypes in the adult-onset cohort. In this literature review, we examine five studies focused on adult-onset AD phenotype, conducted between 2013 and 2017. The most commonly reported body regions affected in adult-onset AD were the hands, eyelids, neck, and flexural surfaces of the upper limbs. These vary from childhood-onset AD findings, which are less specific to body regions other than flexural areas. These findings have implications for diagnostic accuracy and treatment of AD, including considerations for therapeutic choices and inclusion and exclusion criteria in clinical trials.
Significant response to apatinib monotherapy in heavily pretreated advanced HER2-positive breast cancer: a case report and literature review

ABSTRACT Although HER2-targeted therapy has been shown to prolong the survival of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, most patients eventually progress due to drug resistance. Novel treatment options are urgently needed to overcome resistance to HER2-targeted therapy. The VEGF/VEGFR (Vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors) pathway is essential in tumor angiogenesis, which may be a promising target in HER2-positive breast cancer providing a rationale for the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting VEGFR. Here, we present a case of a heavily pretreated advanced breast cancer patient who did not respond to HER2-targeted therapy and developed resistance to multiple lines of HER2-targeted treatment. The patient was treated with apatinib at a dose of 500 mg daily, and obtained partial remission (PR) with a progression-free-stage (PFS) of 6 months. Our case indicates that apatinib might have anti-tumor activity in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer with HER2-targeted resistance. This case is of value which may provide new insights into strategies for HER2-targeted therapy resistance options in the clinic.
The development of the Japanese version of the compassionate engagement and action scales

The last few years have seen increasing research on self-report measures of compassion. The Compassionate Engagement and Action Scale (CEAS) is rooted in an evolutionary approach to compassion, which focuses on the competencies of compassion those are engagement with distress or suffering, and taking action to alleviate and prevent it. This study sought to validate the CEAS in a Japanese population using a cross-sectional design. A total of 279 students (82 males, 191 females, 6 unknown) answered self-report questionnaires, including the Japanese version of CEAS. We found single-factor structures for compassion for others scales, compassion from others scales, and compassion for self scales. All scales were found to have acceptable internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity, and construct validity. Even though some limitations, these results indicate that the Japanese version of CEAS is an adequately constructed and useful measure to assess compassionate engagement and action toward others, from others, and for the self with Japanese population.
Molecular Profiling for Predictors of Radiosensitivity in Patients with Breast or Head-and-Neck Cancer

Nearly half of all cancers are treated with radiotherapy alone or in combination with other treatments, where damage to normal tissues is a limiting factor for the treatment. Radiotherapy-induced adverse health effects, mostly of importance for cancer patients with long-term survival, may appear during or long time after finishing radiotherapy and depend on the patient’s radiosensitivity. Currently, there is no assay available that can reliably predict the individual’s response to radiotherapy. We profiled two study sets from breast (n = 29) and head-and-neck cancer patients (n = 74) that included radiosensitive patients and matched radioresistant controls. We studied 55 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 33 genes by DNA genotyping and 130 circulating proteins by affinity-based plasma proteomics. In both study sets, we discovered several plasma proteins with the predictive power to find radiosensitive patients (adjusted p < 0.05) and validated the two most predictive proteins (THPO and STIM1) by sandwich immunoassays. By integrating genotypic and proteomic data into an analysis model, it was found that the proteins CHIT1, PDGFB, PNKD, RP2, SERPINC1, SLC4A, STIM1, and THPO, as well as the VEGFA gene variant rs69947, predicted radiosensitivity of our breast cancer (AUC = 0.76) and head-and-neck cancer (AUC = 0.89) patients. In conclusion, circulating proteins and a SNP variant of VEGFA suggest that processes such as vascular growth capacity, immune response, DNA repair and oxidative stress/hypoxia may be involved in an individual’s risk of experiencing radiation-induced toxicity.
Highlight article: Genetic interaction between two VNTRs in the MAOA gene is associated with the nicotine dependence

Nicotine dependence is an addiction to tobacco products and a global public health concern that in part would be influenced by our genetics. Smokers are reported to have reduced MAOA activity, but the results from genetic associations with this gene have been inconclusive. Two functionally relevant variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) domains, termed uVNTR and dVNTR, in the MAOA gene are well characterized transcriptional regulatory elements. In the present study, we analyzed uVNTR and dVNTR polymorphisms in the MAOA gene in the Vietnamese male population of smokers and non-smokers in order to assess the association of MAOA with the nicotine dependence measured by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Individual analysis of VNTRs separately identified uVNTR to be associated with the F6 question of the FTND indicating the stronger addiction to nicotine. No associations were found between the dVNTR and smoking behavior. The combination of dVNTR and uVNTR, that predicts low expression of MAOA (10–3 haplotypes), was significantly associated with the higher nicotine dependence (FTND score), longer smoking duration, and more persistent smoking behavior (fewer quit attempts). In conclusion, our study confirms that low MAOA expression is genetically predictive to the higher nicotine dependence. Impact statement The present study combined the analysis of two transcriptional regulators, uVNTR and dVNTR, in the MAOA gene that is an enzyme responsible for the monoamine degradation and identified genetic interaction between these VNTRs in association with the nicotine dependence. The main impact is that when analyzing different populations in the genetic studies, the functionally meaningful variants should be combined rather than addressing individual elements separately (a mini polygenic risk score for a particular gene/locus). This combination is very rarely analyzed and therefore the study sets an example. Another impact is that we analyzed the genetic variability in the Asian population and therefore our data present a piece of information from underrepresented populations.
Age of Diagnosis and Comorbid PLMD Predict Poor Response of REM Behavior Disorder to Clonazepam

Previous studies have shown the therapeutic effects of clonazepam for rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD), but they had several limitations such as the lack of clear definition of treatment outcomes and little information about adjuvant therapy. The aims of this study were to evaluate the treatment outcomes with clonazepam and to explore possible determinants of treatment response. We performed a retrospective medical chart review of 171 patients with RBD. All the participants underwent overnight polysomnography and completed questionnaires. The positive treatment response was defined as the absence of disruptive behaviors causing sleep-related injuries during the last year of follow-up. Among the 171 patients presented with disruptive behaviors, 155 (90.6%) experienced positive treatment responses. Of the responders, 18 (11.6%) received adjunctive medication due to insufficient therapeutic effect of clonazepam monotherapy. After adjusted analysis, an earlier age of diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64–0.86, P < .001) and comorbid periodic limb movement during sleep (OR = 4.96, 95% CI = 1.05–23.33, P = .043) were related to poor treatment response. Clinicians should recognize the predictors of poor treatment response and consider combination therapy for better prevention of sleep-related injuries in those who show unsatisfactory responses to clonazepam monotherapy.
The Effect of Proximal Lunate Morphology “Zapico Classification” on Kienböck’s Disease

Background: The Kienböck’s disease (KD), even today, has many obscurities. Its etiologies as well as classiﬁcations are under constant change and debate, therefore we decided to deﬁne the eﬀect of proximal lunate morphology on KD and its usefulness in evaluating the course of the disease. Objectives: Thepurposeof thisstudyistocomparethe3diﬀerentmorphologiesof theproximallunateasdeﬁnedbyAntuna-Zapico (A-Z) in KD patients with a control group of normal individuals, and also compare the morphologies in diﬀerent aspects like ulnar variance(UV),radialinclinationandradialvolartilt,lunatesizesinradiologicalviews,malesandfemales,symptomdurationbefore seeking medical treatment, lunate fragmentation, and also Lichtman’s stages of the disease. Methods: Unaﬀected wrist X-rays of 107 KD patients (71 male 36 female), 17 - 53 years old, since 2011 to 2016, compared with 100 age and sex matched normal individuals divided in 3 lunate morphologies “as Antuna-Zapico has proposed”; noticing also the wrist indexes and the disease stages according to Lichtman’s classiﬁcation. Results: The prevalence of 3 diﬀerent A-Z classiﬁcation morphologies were; 18 (16.8%) Type1, 77 (72%) Type 2, and 12 (11.2%) Type 3 in the case group that wasn’t statistically diﬀerent from the control group, with 15 (15%) Type 1, 73 (73%) Type 2, and 12 (12%) Type 3 (P = 0.9), even separately as male (P = 0.4) and females (P = 0.5). Case and controls were diﬀerent in ulnar variance UV, (P = 0.001), however, diﬀerent morphologies had a diﬀerent UV inside the case group (P = 0.4). All 3 morphologies were seen in all diﬀerent Lichtman’s stages with no correlation to the speciﬁc stage or morphology (P = 0.2). In the case group, no correlation was found between diﬀerent morphologies and lunate width (P = 0.5), diameter (P = 0.4), radial tilt (P = 0.8), volar tilt (P = 0.8). Conclusions: Proximal lunate morphology, as depicted by A-Z, has no eﬀect on the course of the disease and doesn’t play any key role in the etiology. Its prevalence is the same as the general population.
Social deprivation among socio-economic contrasted french areas: Using item response theory analysis to assess differential item functioning of the EPICES questionnaire in stroke patients

Background Multiple approaches have been proposed to measure low socio-economic status. In France the concept of precariousness, akin to social deprivation, was developed and is widely used. EPICES is a short questionnaire that was developed to measure this concept. This study aimed to evaluate Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in the EPICES questionnaire between contrasted areas: mainland France, French West Indies (FWI) and French Guiana (FG). Methods The population was taken from the INDIA study, which aimed to evaluate the impact of social inequalities on stroke characteristics and prognosis. Eligible people were patients referred to neurology or emergency departments for a suspicion of stroke. We assessed the DIF using hybrid ordinal logistic regression method, derived from item response theory. Results We analysed 1 553 stroke patients, including 768 from FWI (49.5%), 289 from FG (18.6%) and 496 from mainland (31.9%). We identified five items with a moderate to large DIF in area comparisons: “meeting with a social worker”, “complementary health insurance”, “home-owning”, “financial difficulties” and “sport activities”. Correlation between EPICES score and the latent variable was strong (r = 0.84). Conclusion This is the first attempt to assess the DIF of the EPICES score between different French populations. We found several items with DIF, which can be explained by individual interpretation or local context. However, the DIFs did not lead to a large difference between the latent variable and the EPICES score, which indicates that it can be used to assess precariousness and social deprivation between contrasted areas.