Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Vitro and In Vivo Preclinical Testing of Pericyte‐Engineered Grafts for the Correction of Congenital Heart Defects

Background We have previously reported the possibility of using pericytes from leftovers of palliative surgery of congenital heart disease to engineer clinically certified prosthetic grafts. Methods and Results Here, we assessed the feasibility of using prosthetic conduits engineered with neonatal swine pericytes to reconstruct the pulmonary artery of 9‐week‐old piglets. Human and swine cardiac pericytes were similar regarding anatomical localization in the heart and antigenic profile following isolation and culture expansion. Like human pericytes, the swine surrogates form clones after single‐cell sorting, secrete angiogenic factors, and extracellular matrix proteins and support endothelial cell migration and network formation in vitro. Swine pericytes seeded or unseeded (control) CorMatrix conduits were cultured under static conditions for 5 days, then they were shaped into conduits and incubated in a flow bioreactor for 1 or 2 weeks. Immunohistological studies showed the viability and integration of pericytes in the outer layer of the conduit. Mechanical tests documented a reduction in stiffness and an increase in strain at maximum load in seeded conduits in comparison with unseeded conduits. Control and pericyte‐engineered conduits were then used to replace the left pulmonary artery of piglets. After 4 months, anatomical and functional integration of the grafts was confirmed using Doppler echography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and histology. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using neonatal cardiac pericytes for reconstruction of small‐size branch pulmonary arteries in a large animal model.
Meibomian Gland Dropout, not Distortion, Can Distinguish Dry Eyes from Normal Eyes in Contact Lens Wearers

ABSTRACT Purpose To examine the effectiveness of using meibomian gland (MG) dropout and distortion for dry eye disease (DED) diagnosis in a young population with long-term contact lens (CL) wear. Methods Seventy-three CL-wearers and 68 non-CL-wearers (20–28 years old) participated in the study. The diagnosis of DED was based on an ocular surface disease index ≥ 13, and a noninvasive breakup time < 10 seconds or positive corneal fluorescein staining. The MG dropout and distortion in each subject were quantified with non-invasive meibography. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were created to evaluate the effectiveness of using MG dropout and distortion to determine the presence of DED in CL-wearers and non-CL-wearers. Results In non-CL-wearers, the MG distortion was significantly higher in DED subjects than in normal subjects (3.83 ± 1.81 versus 1.59 ± 1.04). In CL-wearers, MG distortion was not significantly different (5.12 ± 4.11 versus 5.51 ± 3.15 in normal and DED subjects respectively). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for MG distortion was 0.783 in the non-CL-wearers, but 0.507 in CL-wearers. In non-CL-wearers, MG dropout was significantly higher in DED subjects than in normal subjects (0.22 ± 0.08 versus 0.15 ± 0.06). In CL-wearers, MG dropout was also significantly higher in DED subjects than in normal subjects (0.29 ± 0.11 versus 0.22 ± 0.08). The AUC for MG dropout used to classify DED was 0.740 in the non-CL-wearers and 0.715 in CL-wearers. Conclusions MG dropout was effective in distinguishing subjects with DED from normal subjects in both CL wearers and non-CL wearers. MG distortion can only distinguish DED subjects from normal ones in non-CL wearers, but not in CL wearers.
Prototype of Wearable Technology Applied to the Monitoring of the Vertebral Column

<span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">O principal objetivo desta pesquisa é o desenvolvimento de um modelo de tecnologia que permita o monitoramento da coluna vertebral, registrando movimentos nos pacientes afetados pelo tratamento auxiliar da lombalgia. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">Assim, um modelo de tecnologia vestível com sensores que monitoram os movimentos da coluna vertebral e registra os dados no aplicativo para smartphone foi desenvolvido nesta pesquisa para uso posterior por profissionais de saúde. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">O protótipo foi avaliado por meio de uma amostra de 33 voluntários, observando uma funcionalidade do produto, uma avaliação clínica da coluna vertebral, uma identificação de hábitos comportamentais na caracterização da amostra. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">A viabilidade das tecnologias embarcadas computacionais em produtos de vestuário é evidenciada por esta pesquisa como um campo de estudo em uso, facilitando a coleta de dados do usuário no dia a dia. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
Developmental and molecular characterization of novel staminodes in Aquilegia.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The ranunculid model system Aquilegia is notable for the presence of a fifth type of floral organ, the staminode, which appears to be the result of sterilization and modification of the innermost two whorls of stamens. Previous studies have found that the genetic basis for the identity of this new organ is the result of sub- and neofunctionalization of floral organ identity gene paralogs, however, we do not know the extent of developmental and molecular divergence between stamens and staminodes. METHODS We used histological techniques to describe the development of the Aquilegia coerulea 'Origami' staminode relative to the stamen filament. These results have been compared to four other Aquilegia species and the closely related genera Urophysa and Semiaquilegia. As a complement, RNA-seq has been conducted at two developmental stages to investigate the molecular divergence of the stamen filaments and staminodes in A. coerulea 'Origami'. KEY RESULTS Our developmental study has revealed novel features of staminode development, most notably a physical interaction along the lateral margin of adjacent organs that appears to mediate their adhesion. In addition, patterns of abaxial/adaxial differentiation are observed in staminodes but not stamen filaments, including asymmetric lignification of the adaxial epidermis in the staminodes. The comparative transcriptomics are consistent with the observed lignification of staminodes and indicate that stamen filaments are radialized due to over-expression of adaxial identity while the staminodes are expanded due to the balanced presence of abaxial identity. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a model in which the novel staminode identity program interacts with the abaxial/adaxial identity pathways to produce two whorls of laterally expanded organs that are highly differentiated along their abaxial/adaxial axis. While the ecological function of Aquilegia staminodes remains to be determined, these data are consistent with a role in protecting the early carpels from herbivory and/or pathogens.
Aromatase Inhibitors and the Risk of Cardiovascular Outcomes in Women With Breast Cancer

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: The association between aromatase inhibitors and cardiovascular outcomes among women with breast cancer is controversial. Given the discrepant findings from randomized controlled trials and observational studies, additional studies are needed to address this safety concern. Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked to the Hospital Episode Statistics and Office for National Statistics databases. The study population consisted of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer initiating hormonal therapy with aromatase inhibitors or tamoxifen between April 1, 1998, and February 29, 2016. We usedCox proportional hazards models with inverse probability of treatment and censoring weighting to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs comparing new users of aromatase inhibitors with new users of tamoxifen for each of the study outcomes (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular mortality). Results: The study population consisted of 23 525 patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer, of whom 17 922 initiated treatment with either an aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen (8139 and 9783, respectively). The use of aromatase inhibitors was associated with a significantly increased risk of heart failure (incidence rate, 5.4 versus 1.8 per 1000 person-years; HR, 1.86 [95% CI, 1.14–3.03]) and cardiovascular mortality (incidence rate, 9.5 versus 4.7 per 1000 person-years; HR, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.11–2.04]) compared with the use of tamoxifen. Aromatase inhibitors were associated with elevated HRs, but with CIs including the null value, for myocardial infarction (incidence rate, 3.9 versus 1.8 per 1000 person-years; HR, 1.37 [95% CI, 0.88–2.13]) and ischemic stroke (incidence rate, 5.6 versus 3.2 per 1000 person-years; HR, 1.19 [95% CI, 0.82–1.72]). Conclusions: In this population-based study, aromatase inhibitors were associated with increased risks of heart failure and cardiovascular mortality compared with tamoxifen. There were also trends toward increased risks, although nonsignificant, of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. The increased risk of cardiovascular events associated with aromatase inhibitors should be balanced with their favorable clinical benefits compared with tamoxifen.
Assessing the Microbial Communities in Four Different Daqus by Using PCR-DGGE, PLFA, and Biolog Analyses

Abstract Daqu made from raw wheat, barley or pea is used as an inoculum for the fermentation of Chinese Baijiu. In this study, the microbial communities of four different types of Daqus (sauce-flavor Wuling Daqu, sauce and strong-flavor Baisha Daqu, strong-flavor Deshan Daqu, and light-flavor Niulanshan Daqu) were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, and Biolog EcoPlates analysis (Biolog). Clear differences were seen between the microbial communities of the four Daqus. PCR-DGGE showed differences in the number and brightness of bands between the Daqus, indicating the presence of unique bacterial species in Deshan Daqu, Wuling Daqu, and Niulanshan Daqu. Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Bacillus thermoamylovorans, and some unclassified bacteria were unique to Wuling Daqu, Deshan Daqu, and Niulanshan Daqu, respectively. Moreover, some bacterial species were observed in all four Daqus. A total of 26 PLFAs between C12 to C20 were detected from the four Daqus by PLFA analysis. Wuling Daqu had the highest total and fungal biomasses, Baisha Daqu had the highest bacterial biomass, and Niulanshan Daqu had the highest ratio of fungal biomass to bacterial biomass. The Biolog results indicated differences in the carbon source use and mode of the four Daqus, and also demonstrated that each Daqu had varying abilities to utilize different types of carbon sources. The cluster analysis of the three methods showed that the microbial communities of the four Daqus were different. This study also demonstrates the applicability of the three analytical methods in the evaluating of the microbial communities of Daqus.
Patient safety in ambulatory care from the patient's perspective: a retrospective, representative telephone survey

Objectives Data on patient safety problems (PSPs) in ambulatory care are scarce. The aim of the study was to record the frequency, type, severity and point of origin of PSPs in ambulatory care in Germany. Design Retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting Computer-assisted telephone interviews with randomly recruited citizens aged ≥40 years in Germany who were asked about their experiences with PSPs in ambulatory care. Participants 10 037 citizens ≥40 years. Measures A new questionnaire was developed to record patient experiences with PSPs in ambulatory care. The study reported here targets patient experiences in the last 12 months. The questionnaire focuses on PSPs in seven areas of medical treatment: anamnesis/diagnostic procedures; medication; vaccination, injection, infusion; aftercare; outpatient surgery; office administration; other areas. For each PSP reported, detailed questions were asked about the specialist group concerned, and, on the most serious harm, the severity of the harm and its consequences. The target parameters are presented as proportions with 95% CIs. Results 1422 of the respondents (14%) reported 2589 PSPs. The areas most frequently affected by PSPs were anamnesis/diagnostic procedures (61%) and medication (15%). General practitioners accounted for 44% of PSPs, orthopaedists for 15% and internists for 10%. 75% of PSPs were associated with harm, especially unnecessarily prolonged pain or deterioration of health; 35% of PSPs led to permanent harm. 804 PSPs (32%) prompted patients to see another doctor for additional treatment; 255 PSPs (10%) required inpatient treatment. Conclusion PSPs experienced by patients are widespread in ambulatory care in Germany. The study reveals in which areas of medical treatment efforts to prevent PSPs could make the greatest contribution to improving patient safety. It also demonstrates the valuable contribution of patient reports to the analysis of PSPs.
Hospital mortality and long-term mortality among hospitalized patients with various admission serum ionized calcium levels

ABSTRACT Background We conducted a single-center historical cohort study to evaluate the association between admission serum ionized calcium and mortality in hospitalized patients. Methods We included hospitalized patients from January 2009 to December 2013 who had available serum ionized calcium at the time of admission. We assessed the in-hospital and 1-year mortality risk based on admission serum ionized calcium using multivariate logistic and Cox proportional hazard analysis, respectively. To test non-linear association, we categorized serum ionized calcium into six groups; ≤4.39, 4.40–4.59, 4.60–4.79, 4.80–4.99, 5.00–5.19, ≥5.20 mg/dL and selected serum ionized calcium of 4.80–4.99 mg/dL as a reference group. Results We studied a total of 33,255 hospitalized patients. The mean admission serum ionized calcium at 4.8 ± 0.4 mg/dL. Hospital and 1-year mortality observed in 1,099 (3%) and 5,239 (15.8%), respectively. We observed a U-shaped association between admission serum ionized calcium and in-hospital and 1-year mortality. Ionized calcium lower threshold for increased in-hospital and 1-year mortality rates was ≤4.59 and ≤4.39 mg/dL, respectively. Ionized calcium upper threshold for increased in-hospital and 1-year mortality rates was ≥5.20 mg/dL. Conclusion Both hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia were associated with increased short- and long-term mortality with a U-shape relationship.
Adiposity and insulin resistance as mediators between age at menarche and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the association between age at menarche and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and whether the association is mediated by adiposity and insulin resistance (IR) in rural Chinese women. METHODS This cross-sectional study analyzed data for 7,460 women (median age 56 y) from a rural Chinese area from 2013 to 2014. Data were collected by standardized interviews and anthropometric and laboratory measurements. Adiposity was measured by body mass index (BMI), and IR was measured by the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) index. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence limits (CLs) for the association between age at menarche and T2DM. Mediation analysis was performed to explore the contribution of BMI and HOMA-IR to the association between age at menarche and T2DM. RESULTS Among 7,460 women, 840 (11.26%) had T2DM. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the odds of T2DM with the latest age at menarche 18 years or older versus 13 years was reduced (OR = 0.65, 95% CL: 0.47, 0.91), and age at menarche was negatively associated with T2DM (per additional year of menarche, OR = 0.95, 95% CL: 0.91, 0.99). BMI and HOMA-IR completely mediated the association between age at menarche and T2DM (total indirect effect: OR = 0.973, 95% CL: 0.961, 0.986; direct effect: OR = 0.974, 95% CL: 0.930, 1.021). CONCLUSIONS Late menarche may be negatively associated with T2DM. The potential mechanism is adiposity and IR completely mediating the association between age at menarche and T2DM.
Mortality in patients with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia: a registry-based study

Abstract Objectives Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in patients with dementia. In the elderly population, comorbidities frequently coexist with dementia and mortality in dementia is high. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of BPSD on mortality in severe dementia. Methods This study of 11,448 individuals was based on linked information from the Swedish BPSD registry, the National Patient Register and the Cause of Death register. BPSD was assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Cox proportional hazards regressions were performed for survival analysis. To study different degrees of BPSD, data was categorized into groups: no (NPI, 0 points), mild (NPI, 1–3 points on ≥1 item), moderate (NPI, 4–8 points on ≥1 item) and severe (NPI, 9–12 points on ≥1 item) BPSD based on the highest score on any of the BPSD assessed (NPI items). Results The presence of moderate or severe BPSD was associated with a stepwise increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio (HR), 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08–1.60 and HR 1.74; 95% CI 1.44–2.12, respectively) compared with individuals with no BPSD. In addition, there was an association between total NPI score and mortality (HR 1.01; 95% CI 1.007–1.010). The results remained significant after multivariable adjustment for age, sex, dementia diagnosis, medication, previous myocardial infarction, hip fracture and stroke. Conclusions The results show a stepwise increase in mortality risk with increased BPSD, highlighting the importance of adequate management of BPSD to reduce mortality in dementia.
Forecasting Trafﬁc with a Convolutional GRU Decoder Conditioned on Adapted Historical Data

We propose a method for performing multi-step temporal prediction of spatial trafﬁc demand. The method is based on encoding the recent history with a convolutional GRU, obtaining a hidden state vector that is used to initialize a second convolutional GRU. The second GRU is conditioned on time-matching historical data, after being adapted to match the scale of the recent history. Our fully convolutional method is much more efﬁ-cient than the recent methods in the ﬁeld of trafﬁc prediction and does not need additional data, such as weather or public holiday data. The method outperforms the literature methods by a sizable margin, especially when predicting further into the future.
The Use of Communication Technology to Affect Patient Outcomes in the Intensive Care Unit

Effective two-way patient-provider communication is challenging and is even more difficult when patients are communication vulnerable. The results of being unheard and unacknowledged can contribute to negative feelings and may manifest as symptoms of anxiety and depression. Researchers explored symptoms of anxiety and depression when using a team-developed, patient-centered, and nurse-led intervention called Speak for Myself—Voice (formerly published as Speak for Myself) in five intensive care units at a Magnet status, university-affiliated medical center in East Tennessee. This was an equivalent control group design. The data were analyzed with a mixed-effect analysis of variance (between and within groups) with repeated measures to see if the treatment group changed differently than the control group across time (48 hours). This study report adds information about anxiety and depression in patients who are communication vulnerable and using communication technology.
Role of DJ‐1 in Modulating Glycative Stress in Heart Failure

Background DJ‐1 is a ubiquitously expressed protein typically associated with the development of early onset Parkinson disease. Recent data suggest that it also plays a role in the cellular response to stress. Here, we sought to determine the role DJ‐1 plays in the development of heart failure. Methods and Results Initial studies found that DJ‐1 deficient mice (DJ‐1 knockout; male; 8–10 weeks of age) exhibited more severe left ventricular cavity dilatation, cardiac dysfunction, hypertrophy, and fibrosis in the setting of ischemia‐reperfusion–induced heart failure when compared with wild‐type littermates. In contrast, the overexpression of the active form of DJ‐1 using a viral vector approach resulted in significant improvements in the severity of heart failure when compared with mice treated with a control virus. Subsequent studies aimed at evaluating the underlying protective mechanisms found that cardiac DJ‐1 reduces the accumulation of advanced glycation end products and activation of the receptor for advanced glycation end products—thus, reducing glycative stress. Conclusions These results indicate that DJ‐1 is an endogenous cytoprotective protein that protects against the development of ischemia‐reperfusion–induced heart failure by reducing glycative stress. Our findings also demonstrate the feasibility of using a gene therapy approach to deliver the active form of DJ‐1 to the heart as a therapeutic strategy to protect against the consequences of ischemic injury, which is a major cause of death in western populations.
Sinus Floor Augmentation Using Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 With Hydroxyapatite: Volume Assessment.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of using bone morphogenetic protein-2 with hydroxyapatite granules (BMP-2/hydroxyapatite) during augmentation of maxillary sinus floor, with respect to changes in volume, relative to conventional bone graft materials. METHOD AND MATERIALS Twenty of 25 patients in the BMP-2/hydroxyapatite group, and 16 of 33 patients in the conventional materials group met the criteria for inclusion in this study. Computed tomography scans were performed preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at follow-up, approximately 6 months postoperatively. Changes in volume and height of both grafted materials were measured using 3-dimensional reconstruction software; these changes were compared between groups. RESULTS The mean (standard deviation) volumetric changes were 0.25 (0.11) cc and -0.07 (0.35) cc, and the mean rates of volumetric changes were 26.44% (7.78%) and -2.92% (30.92%) in BMP-2/hydroxyapatite and conventional materials groups, respectively. The mean height changes were 0.34 (0.73) mm and -0.63 (1.07) mm, and the mean rates of height changes were 3.67% (7.57%) and -5.95% (9.98%) in BMP-2/hydroxyapatite and conventional materials groups, respectively. CONCLUSION Compared with the conventional materials group, the BMP-2/hydroxyapatite group showed better maxillary sinus floor augmentation results in terms of volumetric changes and grafted material densities, and can provide predictably reliable outcomes.