Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
White Blood Cell Count and Serum Cytokine Profile in Tropical Hardwood Workers in Kumasi

Background Occupational exposure to wood dust particles has long been reported of its associated varying degrees of negative health effects due to different extractive chemicals present in the various timber species. However, tropical hardwood is also reported to have higher levels of extractive chemicals of antihistamine, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. In Ghana, woodworkers have for years been exposed to wood dust from mixed tropical hardwood species, with little or no protective equipment such as nose masks, yet with less significant respiratory conditions. This study seeks to investigate the serum cytokine profile in tropical hardwood workers in Kumasi to provide a better understanding of the immunoregulatory pattern activated in the woodworkers. Method The study was carried out among woodworkers, teachers, and security men located in Kumasi. A cross-sectional sampling of adult male workers was selected to participate in the study (86 woodworkers and 89 nonwoodworkers). Participants donated blood collected by venepuncture into EDTA tubes and spun to separate serum for cytokine assay. Cytokines including IFN-gamma, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, and IL-17 were assayed using the Human Premixed Multianalyte Kit (R&D System, Inc., Minneapolis, USA) following the manufacturer's procedure. The cytokine levels were quantified using the Luminex∗200 analyser. Results The mean concentration levels for the various cytokines were significantly different (p < 0.05) between woodworkers and nonwoodworkers except IL-2. There were significantly increased levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines expressed in the woodworkers more than the nonwoodworkers. Conclusions The results from this study reveal that exposed woodworkers of mixed tropical hardwood species show a high level of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in their serum than nonwoodworkers.
The Effect of Supplementing Mushroom Growing Substrates on the Bioactive Compounds, Antimicrobial Activity, and Antioxidant Activity of Pleurotus ostreatus

Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom contains important bioactive compounds and has several biological activities; however, mushroom growing substrates have major influence on chemical and functional characteristics of the mushroom. Hence, the study aimed to evaluate the influence of supplementing mushroom growing substrates with wheat bran (WB) towards yield/productivity, bioactive compounds, and antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of P. ostreatus. The mushroom was cultivated on sugarcane substrates supplemented with increasing levels of WB (0%–20%). The mushroom extracts were screened for bioactive compounds using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Antimicrobial activity was carried out using microplate assay, while antioxidant potential was investigated using reducing power assay. The addition of supplements on mushroom growing substrates had an influence on mushroom yield; hence, higher supplementation (18% and 20%) produced higher yield. The GC-MS revealed several bioactive compounds with known activity, such as vitamin E, phenol, fatty acids, and terpenoids. Concentration-dependent antioxidant activity was observed; hence, extracts at higher concentrations gave significantly higher reducing power. The P. ostreatus extract had antimicrobial activity against all the tested organisms, with S. aureus showing high susceptibility to most of the extracts. However, mushrooms grown on bagasse substrates supplemented with 14% (0.02 mg/ml) and 20% WB (0.08 mg/ml) proved to have better antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli. The difference in susceptibility demonstrates that substrates type and composition could have an influence on bioactive compounds found within mushrooms, also influencing medicinal properties of edible mushroom. Thus, supplementing mushroom growing substrates not only improve yield, but also can contribute to bioactive compounds with medicinal potential.
Shaoyao Gancao Decoction Ameliorates Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy via Suppressing TRPV1 and TLR4 Signaling Expression in Rats

Purpose Paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) is increasingly becoming one of the most widespread adverse effects in the treatment of cancer patients, and further precipitate neuroinflammation in the nervous system. Interestingly, Shaoyao Gancao Decoction (SGD), a traditional Chinese analgesic prescription, has emerged as a primary adjuvant to chemotherapy in relieving side effects, especially in the case of PIPN. However, the underlying mechanism of SGD functioning in PIPN remains elusive. Accordingly, the current study set out to explore the potential axis implicated in the functioning of SGD in PIPN. Methods First, network pharmacology was adopted to predict the role of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) protein in treating PIPN with SGD. Subsequently, the effects of SGD treatment on mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were evaluated in rat PIPN models. Based on the bioinformatics information and current literature, paclitaxel activates toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) induces the sensitization of TRPV1 mechanistically. Thereafter, TLR4-myeloid-differentiation response gene 88 (MyD88) signaling and TRPV1 expression patterns in dorsal root ganglias (DRGs) were measured by means of Western blotting, qPCR and immunofluorescence. Results Initial bioinformatics reared a total of 105 bioactive compounds and 1075 target genes from SGD. In addition, 40 target genes intersected with PIPN were considered as potential therapeutic genes. Based on the network analysis, SGD was found to exert its analgesic effect by reducing the expression of TRPV1. Further experimentation validated that SGD exerted an analgesic effect on thermal hyperalgesia in PIPN models, such that this protective effect was associated with the suppression of TRPV1 and TLR4-MyD88 Signaling over-expression. Conclusion Collectively, our findings indicated that SGD ameliorates PIPN by inhibiting the over-expression of TLR4-MyD88 Signaling and TRPV1, and further highlights the use of SGD as a potential alternative treatment for PIPN.
Toxicity and outcomes after external beam irradiation for prostate cancer in patients with prior holmium laser enucleation of the prostate: Early experience

Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is commonly performed in patients with significant bladder outlet obstruction. However, there are few reports on the toxicity of external beam irradiation (RT) for prostate cancer in patients after prior HoLEP. In this study, we evaluate the side effects and treatment outcomes of RT after HoLEP.
Analysis of potential biomarkers of response to IL‐12 therapy

IL‐12 is a proinflammatory cytokine capable of inducing a wide range of effects on both innate and adaptive immune responses. Its stimulatory effects on T cells and NK cells have led to its classification as a potential inducer of antitumor immunity. Clinical trials have been attempting to harness its immune‐stimulating capacity since the 1990s and have had much success despite notable toxicity issues early on. Several methods of IL‐12 delivery have been employed including i.v. , s.c. , and local administrations as well as plasmid and gene therapies. However, despite differing methods, dosages, and cancer types utilized in these clinical trials, there are still many patients who do not respond to IL‐12 therapy. This creates an opportunity for further investigation into the immunologic differences between responding and nonresponding patients in order to better understand the variable efficacy of IL‐12 therapy. This review focuses on a limited collection of IL‐12 clinical trials, which further analyzed these individual subsets and detected biologic variables correlating with differential patient responses. A comprehensive review of these potential biomarkers identified 7 analytes that correlated with beneficial patient responses in 3 or more clinical trials. These were increased levels of IFN‐γ, IP‐10, TNF‐α, MIP‐1α, MIG, and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, with a decrease in VEGF, bFGF, FoxP3+ T regulatory cells, and M2 macrophages. These potential biomarkers highlight the possibility of identifying immunologic determinants of patient response to IL‐12 therapy to conserve valuable resources and benefit patients.
Temporal changes in the epidemiology of sepsis‐related intensive care admissions from the emergency department in Australia and New Zealand

The Australasian Resuscitation in Sepsis Evaluation (ARISE) study researched septic shock treatment within EDs. This study aims to evaluate whether: (i) conduct of the ARISE study was associated with changes in epidemiology and care for adults (≥18 years) admitted from EDs to ICUs with sepsis in Australia and New Zealand; and (ii) such changes differed among 45 ARISE trial hospitals compared with 120 non‐trial hospitals.
An Introduction to Mathematical Statistics and Its Applications: Fifth Edition

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Advances in Modal Logic, Volume 3

We study a propositional bimodal logic consisting of two S4 modalities (cid:3) and [ a ], together with the interaction axiom scheme (cid:1) a (cid:2) (cid:3) ϕ → (cid:3) (cid:1) a (cid:2) ϕ . In the intended semantics, the plain (cid:3) is given the McKinsey-Tarski interpretation as the interior operator of a topology, while the labelled [ a ] is given the standard Kripke semantics using a reﬂexive and transitive binary relation R a . The interaction axiom expresses the property that the R a relation is lower semi-continuous with respect to the topology. The class of topological Kripke frames characterised by the logic includes all frames over Euclidean space where R a is the positive ﬂow relation of a diﬀerential equation. We establish the completeness of the axiomatisation with respect to the intended class of topological Kripke frames, and investigate tableau calculi for the logic, although tableau completeness and decidability are still open questions.
Error Decay of (almost) Consistent Signal Estimations from Quantized Random Gaussian Projections

This paper provides new error bounds on "consistent" reconstruction methods for signals observed from quantized random sensing. Those signal estimation techniques guarantee a perfect matching between the available quantized data and a reobservation of the estimated signal under the same sensing model. Focusing on dithered uniform scalar quantization of resolution $\delta>0$, we prove first that, given a random Gaussian frame of $\mathbb R^N$ with $M$ vectors, the worst case $\ell_2$-error of consistent signal reconstruction decays with high probability as $O(\frac{N}{M}\log\frac{M}{\sqrt N})$ uniformly for all signals of the unit ball $\mathbb B^N \subset \mathbb R^N$. Up to a log factor, this matches a known lower bound in $\Omega(N/M)$. Equivalently, with a minimal number of frame coefficients behaving like $M = O(\frac{N}{\epsilon_0}\log(\frac{\sqrt N}{\epsilon_0}))$, any vectors in $\mathbb B^N$ with $M$ identical quantized projections are at most $\epsilon_0$ apart with high probability. Second, in the context of Quantized Compressed Sensing with $M$ random Gaussian measurements and under the same scalar quantization scheme, consistent reconstructions of $K$-sparse signals of $\mathbb R^N$ have a worst case error that decreases with high probability as $O(\frac{K}{M}\log\frac{MN}{\sqrt K^3})$ uniformly for all such signals. Finally, we show that the strict consistency condition can be slightly relaxed, e.g., allowing for a bounded level of error in the quantization process, while still guaranteeing a proximity between the original and the estimated signal. In particular, if this quantization error is of order $O(1)$ with respect to $M$, similar worst case error decays are reached for reconstruction methods adjusted to such an approximate consistency.
Subtyping primary aldosteronism by inconclusive adrenal vein sampling: A derivation and validation study in a tertiary centre

Indices based on aldosterone/cortisol (A/C) concentration in the successfully cannulated adrenal vein (AV) and in the inferior vena cava (IVC) (AV/IVC) appear to be possible markers to verify the subtype of primary aldosteronism (PA) in the case of inconclusive results of adrenal vein sampling (AVS). The variability of results in previous studies encouraged us to calculate AV/IVC and adrenal A/C cutoff values that could predict the aetiology of PA.
Raising a Child with Craniosynostosis: Psychosocial Adjustment in Caregivers

Objective While knowledge of the psychosocial impact of craniofacial conditions is growing, literature regarding the impact on parents remains limited. Parents of children born with a health condition may be at risk of experiencing a range of psychosocial challenges. This study conducted an initial investigation of psychosocial adjustment of parents of individuals with craniosynostosis to inform support provision for families. Setting An online UK-wide mixed-methods survey was distributed to members of Headlines Craniofacial Support. Design Quantitative data including standardized measures were analysed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests, and inductive content analysis was used for open-ended questions. Participants Mothers (n = 109) and fathers (n = 9) of individuals ages 3 months to 49 years with single suture (63%) or syndromic (33%) craniosynostosis participated. Results Compared to the general population, parents of individuals with craniosynostosis reported higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression; lower levels of resilience and optimism. Qualitative responses provided insight into parents’ experiences of birth, diagnosis, healthcare provision, familial wellbeing, and relationships. Parents reported several unmet information and support needs, alongside a range of positive outcomes. Conclusions This study illustrates the potential long-term psychosocial implications for parents raising children with craniosynostosis. There is a need for routine psychological screening for family members and provision of appropriate psychological support for those at risk for distress. Non-specialist health professionals may benefit from additional training about craniofacial conditions so they are better equipped to support and refer families.
Systematic evaluation of the predictive gene expression signatures of immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic melanoma

Advances in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have transformed the standard of care for many types of cancer including melanoma. ICIs have improved the overall outcome of melanoma patients; however, a significant proportion of patients suffer from primary or secondary tumor resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop predictive biomarkers to better select patients for ICI therapy. Numerous biomarkers that predict the response of melanoma to ICIs have been investigated, including biomarker signatures based on genomics or transcriptomics. Most of these predictive biomarkers have not been systematically evaluated across different cohorts to determine the reproducibility of these signatures in metastatic melanoma. We evaluated 28 previously published predictive biomarkers of ICIs based on gene expression signatures in eight previously published studies with available RNA‐sequencing data in public repositories. We found that signatures related to IFN‐γ‐responsive genes, T and B cell markers, and chemokines in the tumor immune microenvironment are generally predictive of response to ICIs in these patients. In addition, we identified that these predictive biomarkers have higher predictive values in on‐treatment samples as compared to pretreatment samples in metastatic melanoma. The most frequently overlapping genes among the top 18 predictive signatures were CXCL10, CXCL9, PRF1, RANTES, IFNG, HLA‐DRA, GZMB, and CD8A. From gene set enrichment analysis and cell type deconvolution, we estimated that the tumors of responders were enriched with infiltrating cytotoxic T‐cells and other immune cells and the upregulation of genes related to interferon‐γ signaling. Conversely, the tumors of non‐responders were enriched with stromal‐related cell types such as fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, as well as enrichment with T helper 17 cell types across all cohorts. In summary, our approach of validating and integrating multi‐omics data can help guide future biomarker development in the field of ICIs and serve the quest for a more personalized therapeutic approach for melanoma patients.
Reliability of data on percent consonants correct and its associated quality indicator in the Swedish cleft lip and palate registry.

BACKGROUND Data in national health care quality registries must be valid and reliable in order to enable open comparisons of results. AIM To assess the reliability of data on percent consonants correct (PCC) and its associated quality indicator ≥86% correct consonants in the Swedish quality registry for patients born with cleft lip and palate (CLP) registry. METHODS Six independent speech-language pathologists re-assessed the audio recordings of 96 five-year-olds with PCC data in the CLP registry. Target consonants of a single-word picture-naming test were phonetically transcribed, and PCC was calculated. The reliability of PCC data was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The reliability of the quality indicator ≥86% correct consonants was assessed with point-by-point percentage agreement and Cohen's kappa. RESULTS Intra- and inter-judge agreement for PCC was excellent with ICCs above 0.9, and so was the agreement of data from the CLP registry and the six judges' re-assessments. The percentage agreement between all judges and the CLP registry for the quality indicator ≥86% correct consonants was poor (67%). However, in 88% of the cases, results from four judges and the CLP registry agreed, corresponding to good agreement. The mean of all kappa values for six judges and the CLP registry corresponded to good agreement (0.72). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate the PCC data in the CLP registry and the quality indicator ≥86% correct consonants to be reliable. When differences in outcome between treatment centres are detected, the raw data collected should always be re-examined before drawing definitive conclusions.
Systematic review on e-cigarette and its effects on weight gain and adipocytes

Smoking and obesity are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. E-cigarette which was first introduced in 2000s is perceived as an effective alternative to conventional tobacco smoking. Limited knowledge is available regarding the risks and benefits of e-cigarettes. This study systematically reviews the current literature on the effects of e-cigarettes on body weight changes and adipocytes. The search was performed using OVID Medline and Scopus databases and studies meeting the inclusion criteria were independently assessed. This review included all English language, empirical quantitative and qualitative papers that investigated the effects of e-cigarettes on bodyweight or lipid accumulation or adipocytes. Literature searches identified 4965 references. After removing duplicates and screening for eligibility, thirteen references which involve human, in vivo and in vitro studies were reviewed and appraised. High prevalence of e-cigarette was reported in majority of the cross sectional studies conducted among respondent who are obese or overweight. More conclusive findings were identified in in vivo studies with e-cigarette causing weight decrease. However, these observations were not supported by in vitro data. Hence, the effect of e-cigarette on body weight changes warrants further investigations. Well-designed population and molecular studies are needed to further elucidate the role of e-cigarettes in obesity.
Relative dose intensity of obinutuzumab-chlorambucil in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a multicenter Italian study

Obinutuzumab (G) in combination with chlorambucil (Chl) has been approved in Italy in 2017 as frontline treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and comorbidities, following results of the CLL11 trial 1 and real-life studies. 2-4 Few studies have focused on reduction of relative dose intensity (RDI) in CLL. 5,6 The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of reduced RDI of G-Chl on the overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), time to next treatment (TTNT), and overall survival (OS); we also wanted to identify patients at higher risk for dose reductions. We collected and retrospec-tively analyzed data of 130 patients diagnosed with CLL and comorbidities from the Italian centers with the highest use of the G-Chl regimen outside clinical trials between 2017 and 2020. Patients ’ characteristics are shown in supplemental Table 1. The study was conducted according to the Helsinki Declara-tion, Good Clinical Practice, and the applicable national regulations; all patients provided written informed consent, and the study was approved by the Institutional Ethical Committee of the Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS. The RDI was calculated as the ratio between the dose actually delivered over time and the expected correct dose: a dose reduction of 20% was considered the best
Deep brain stimulation in dystonia: factors contributing to variability in outcome in short and long term follow-up

Purpose of review Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently the most effective treatment for medically refractory dystonia with globus pallidus internus (GPi) usually the preferred target. Despite the overall success of DBS in dystonia, there remains variability in treatment outcome in both short and long-term follow-up, due to various factors. Factors contributing to variability in outcome comprise ’Dystonia Related’ including dystonia classification, semiology, duration, body distribution, orthopaedic deformity, aetiology and genetic cause. The majority of these factors are identifiable from clinical assessment, brain MRI and genetic testing, and therefore merit careful preoperative consideration. ’DBS related’ factors include brain target, accuracy of lead placement, stimulation parameters, time allowed for response, neurostimulation technology employed and DBS induced side-effects. In this review, factors contributing to variability in short and long-term dystonia DBS outcome are reviewed and discussed. Recent findings The recognition of differential DBS benefit in monogenic dystonia, increasing experience with subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS and in DBS for Meige syndrome, elucidation of DBS side effects and novel neurophysiological and imaging techniques to assist in predicting clinical outcome. Summary Improved understanding of factors contributing to variability of DBS outcome in dystonia may assist in patient selection and predicting surgical outcomes.