Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High rate and large intercentre variability in retreatment of retinopathy of prematurity in infants born <24 gestational weeks

Objective Prematurity is a major risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). We aimed to elucidate ROP prevalence, treatment and retreatment in infants born before 24 gestational age (GA) weeks in a Swedish cohort. Methods and analysis Infants with completed ROP screening, born at <24 GA weeks, 2007–2018 in Sweden were included. Data of GA, birth weight (BW), sex, neonatal morbidities, maximal ROP stage, aggressive posterior ROP (APROP), ROP treatments, treatment modality and treatment centre were retrieved. Results In total, 399 infants, with a mean GA of 23.2 weeks (range 21.9–23.9) and a mean BW of 567 g (range 340–874), were included. ROP was detected in 365 (91.5%) infants, 173 (43.4%) were treated for ROP and 68 of 173 (39.3%) were treated more than once. As the first treatment, 142 (82.0%) received laser and 29 (16.1%) received intravitreal injection of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF). Retreatment was performed after first laser in 46 of 142 (32.4%) and in 20 of 29 (69.0%) after first anti-VEGF treatment. Retreatment rate was not associated with GA, BW or sex but with APROP, treatment method (anti-VEGF) and treatment centre where the laser was performed (p<0.001). Twenty eyes progressed to retinal detachment, and two infants developed unilateral endophthalmitis after anti-VEGF treatment. Conclusion Infants, born at <24 weeks’ GA, had high rates of treatment-warranting ROP and retreatments. Treatment centre highly influenced the retreatment rate after laser indicating that laser treatment could be improved in some settings.
Effect of finishing and polishing systems on the surface roughness and color change of composite resins

Background This study is to examine the surface roughness and color changes occurring on composite resins following the application of different finishing and polishing systems. Material and Methods In our study, a total of 200 samples were prepared from composites resin (6×2 mm) containing supra-nano, submicron hybrid, nanohybrid, nano-ceramic and microhybrid filler. They were polished with diamond, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide finishing and polishing systems. The initial color values of composite samples were measured with a spectrophotometer and surface roughness values with a profilometer. After that, samples were immersed of coffee solution and color measurements were repeated on the 1st and 7th day. The differences between surface roughness (Ra) and color change values (∆Eab) were evaluated using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test (p<0.05). Results Finishing and polishing systems produced a statistically significant difference between the surface roughness values of nano-ceramic, submicron hybrid and microhybrid composite resin samples (p<0.05). Supra nano composite, which showed the lowest surface roughness after all finishing and polishing systems, showed the least color change after 7 days compared to other composite groups (p<0.05). The microhybrid composite with the highest surface roughness was the most color changing composite group (p<0.5). Conclusions The spiral finishing and polishing system containing diamond particles was the system to provide the least color difference on all composite groups. However, color differences of all composite resin groups were found to exceed the perceptibility threshold (PT) and acceptability threshold (AT). Key words:Composite resin, color stability, surface roughness.
Dermatomyositis Flare With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy for Melanoma

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) medications have seen expanded use in the management of numerous malignancies. These therapies encompass a unique spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Rheumatological irAEs from ICIs have been described in various case reports; however, limited literature exists regarding the treatment of patients with pre-existing myositis. We describe a case of myositis flare after initiation of nivolumab for metastatic melanoma in a patient who had previously achieved remission of dermatomyositis.
The Study for Synchronization between Two Coupled FitzHugh-Nagumo Neurons Based on the Laplace Transform and the Adomian Decomposition Method

The synchronization between two coupled FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) neurons with or without external current is studied by using the Laplace transform and the Adomian decomposition method. Different from other researches, the synchronization error system is expressed as sets of Volterra integral equations based on the convolution theorem in the Laplace transform. Then, it is easy to analytically obtain the conditions that synchronization errors disappear based on the successive approximation method in integral equation theorem, the correctness of which is verified by numerical simulations. Furthermore, the synchronous dynamics of the two coupled FHN neurons also can be written in the form of Volterra integral equations, which is more convenient to analytically solve by using the Adomian decomposition method. It is found that the occurrence of synchronization between the two FHN neurons only depends on the coupling strength and is irrelevant to the external current. Only synchronous rest state in the two FHN neurons without external current can be achieved, while synchronous spikes appear if the external current is not zero.
A Functional Adenosine Deaminase Polymorphism Associates with Evening Melatonin Levels and Sleep Quality

Increased adenosine levels throughout the day promote sleepiness. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the adenosine deaminase ADA gene (rs73598374) has been shown to affect sleep regulation. The extent to which lower ADA enzymatic activity is associated with the homeostatic sleep factor, melatonin, is uncertain. To test this possibility, we assessed the relationship between the ADA polymorphism and evening melatonin levels, as well as self-reported sleep behavior. Given the close relationship between mood and sleep behavior, we further tested the impact of ADA genotype on self-reported mood. We show that relative to the GG homozygotes, the A allele carriers (higher adenosine levels) had significantly higher evening melatonin levels as well as significantly better sleep quality. We further show the correlations between sleep and mood measures were altered by ADA genotype, with a stronger relationship observed in the GG (lower adenosine) group. Combined, these findings advance our understanding of the biochemistry of melatonin production by showing that there is a relationship between ADA genotype and melatonin levels. The differential relationships between sleep and psychological health between the genotype groups may reveal novel insights about the development of genotype-specific progression of various psychological disorders such as chronic anxiety and stress.
Soil microbial diversity in organic and non-organic pasture systems

Understanding the effects of organic pasture management on the soil microbiome is important for sustainable forage production since soil microbiome diversity contributes to improved nutrient cycling, soil structure, plant growth, and environmental resiliency; however, the soil microbiome response to pasture management is largely unknown. This study assessed the soil microbial diversity, richness, and community structure following 10 years of pasture management (organic or non-organic) of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm in July and August from 2017–2018 and soil nutrient properties (nutrients, carbon, nitrogen, and pH) quantified and correlated with soil microbial diversity. Overall, greater soil bacterial species richness (P ≤ 0.05) occurred in organic relative to non-organic (conventional) systems. Management affected bacterial species richness (Chao1), with greater richness occurring in organic pasture soils and less richness occurring in non-organic systems (P ≤ 0.05). Similarly, management affected bacterial evenness (Simpson’s index), with a more diverse community occurring in organically managed soils relative to non-organic pastures (P ≤ 0.05). Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis showed statistically significant and biologically consistent differences in bacterial taxa in organic compared with non-organic soils. Therefore, there was a shift in bacterial community structure in organic relative to non-organic soils (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, soil nutrients (Fe, Mg, Ni, S, Al, K, Cd, and Cu), pH, C, and N were correlated with one or more dominant bacterial phyla (Gemmatimonadetes, Planctomycetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria). Overall, pasture management affected soil microbial diversity, with greater diversity occurring in organic than non-organic systems, likely owing to applications of organic poultry litter in organic systems compared to non-organic management (use of inorganic-fertilizers and herbicides). Results indicate that when pastures are converted to organic production systems, soil microbial richness and diversity may increase, thereby resulting in enhanced soil microbiome diversity and overall ecosystem services.
Outcome measurements following palatal soft tissue graft harvesting: A review

Background Free gingival graft (FGG) and connective tissue graft (CTG) are two of the most commonly techniques performed in periodontal and peri-implant plastic surgery. Although several outcome measurements have been proposed for evaluation of palatal wound healing and patient morbidity, a comprehensive review about these variables is lacking. The objective of this review is to present comprehensive information about outcome measurements related to postoperative palatal wound healing and postoperative patient-reported morbidity after FGG or CTG procedures. Material and Methods An electronic search of English language dental literature in the Medline database via PubMed access was conducted from May 1994 to May 2020 following the PRISMA guidelines. Electronic search strategy complemented by hand search of impacting related dental journals, and the reference list of all included studies were used to complete data collection considering only clinical trials. Finally, inclusion criteria were applied to identify articles after full-text evaluation. Results A total of 111 articles were identified. After the exclusion of 34 articles based on title and abstract evaluation, 77 articles were full text screened. Following, 46 articles were excluded since they evaluated other surgical areas. Finally, 31 studies were selected and included for final evaluation. Outcome measurements were classified in variables collected by indexes and systems assessed professionally and patient-centered measurements. Visually-assessed measurements include indexes, photographs, bleeding and use of laboratory-aided measurements. Patients-centered outcomes comprise pain, discomfort and quality-of life, among others. Conclusions The most commonly used outcome measurements related to postoperative palatal wound healing are hydrogen peroxide test, tissue color match, visual inspection, and bleeding evaluation. Pain perception, analgesic consumption, discomfort sensation, burning sensation, and changes in feeling habits are the most commonly used outcome measurements related to postoperative patient-reported morbidity. Key words:Morbidity, patient comfort, periodontics, tissue harvesting, wound healing.
Mobility of Herbicides in Soil Columns Under Saturated- and Unsaturated-Flow Conditions

Under unsaturated-flow conditions, bromacil (5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil) was considerably more mobile than buthidazole {3-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]-4-hydroxyl-1-methyl-2-imidazolidinone}. Because of their high water solubilities, both herbicides were much more mobile than atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine), prometon [2,4-bis (isopropylamino)-6-methoxy-s-triazine], or diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea]. Under saturated-flow conditions, buthidazole was leached through Lakeland loamy sand in slightly greater amounts than tebuthiuron {N-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]-N,N′-dimethylurea} or CN-10-3510 (formerly VEL 3510) {1-β,β-dimethoxyl-1-methyl-3-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3, 4-thiadiazol-2-yl] urea}. Distribution of the three herbicides in the leached soil was similar and relatively uniform. In Lakeland loamy sand, 30 times as much tebuthiuron was leached under saturated-flow conditions as under unsaturated-flow conditions. Intermittent saturated-unsaturated-flow conditions resulted in four times as much leaching of tebuthiuron as unsaturated flow alone. Only one-tenth as much tebuthiuron leached under intermittent saturated-unsaturated-flow conditions as under saturated-flow conditions. Tebuthiuron added to Lakeland soil and oven-dried was retained in significantly greater amounts than when added to moist Lakeland soil. Low amounts of tebuthiuron leached through Lakeland loamy sand, Portsmouth sandy loam, and Rains silt loam, but high amounts leached through Davidson clay. Greater amounts of the herbicide were retained in the surface zones of the three former soils, but the inverse was the case for the Davidson soil.
Prognostic Utility of the Combination of Platelet Count with Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Aged Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Method This was a study recording 637 patients who were diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction. Our patients were grouped according to the combination of platelet count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. The prognostic role of the combination of platelet count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on mortality was assessed by the univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Result Our study population was divided into three parts according to the median values of platelet count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. It was indicated that platelet count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were correlative mutually to a certain degree (p=0.010). The Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the combination of high platelet count and high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio had a greater risk of death in short- and long-term endpoints (log-rank p=0.046, p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, by multivariate analysis, both high platelet count and high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio groups were an independent predictor (hazard ratio: 2.132, 95% confidence interval: 1.020–4.454, p=0.044) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio: 2.791, 95% confidence interval: 1.406–5.538, p=0.003). Conclusion The combination of platelet count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio could be a useful predictor for the prediction of in-hospital and long-term mortality in aged patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Diagnostic Value of High-Sensitivity Troponin T for Subclinical Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Patients with Sepsis

Background Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is common in sepsis. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is a useful emerging tool for evaluating the intrinsic left ventricular systolic function. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) is the most sensitive biomarker of myocardial injury. However, there are limited data regarding the association between hs-cTnT level and left ventricular systolic dysfunction based on STE in septic patients. We performed this prospective study to evaluate the diagnostic value of hs-cTnT level for subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction measured by STE in septic patients according to the sepsis-3 definition. Methods Patients with sepsis based on sepsis-3 definition admitted to the intensive care unit were prospectively performed STE and hs-cTnT level within 24 hours after the onset of sepsis. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic variables were collected. Left ventricular systolic dysfunction was defined as a global longitudinal strain of ≥−15%. Results During a 19-month period, 116 patients were enrolled in the study. The elevated hs-cTnT level was seen in 86.2% of septic patients, and 43.1% of patients had LVSD on STE. The median hs-cTnT level and the proportion of elevated hs-cTnT level (>14 ng/L) were significantly higher in patients with LVSD than in patients without LVSD. The area under the ROC curves of hs-cTnT to detect LVSD was 0.73 (P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, hs-cTnT (HR, 1.002; 95% CI, 1.000 to 1.004; P = 0.025) and septic shock (HR, 7.6; 95% CI, 2.25 to 25.76; P = 0.001) were independent predictors of LVSD. Conclusion Our study indicated that the serum hs-cTnT level might be a useful biomarker for detecting LVSD in septic patients.
Valorization of Mexican agriculture by preservation and drying by instant autovaporization : case of green pepper

The present research work had as main objective to contribute to the comprehension, development and improvement of the traditional drying and freezing process applied to peppers. In the case of drying process, the fundamental study of the main transfer phenomena occurred during hot air drying and the identification of the limiting process, showed that even if there exist simultaneity of the four processes of heat and mass transfer, the whole process take place in causality series. Therefore, it has been highlighted the internal mass transfer as the mainly limiting process. In this manner, with the aim to intensify the drying operation, the “Swell drying” process, the hot air drying coupling to the Instant Controlled Pressure Drop (DIC process) was studied.The application of “swell drying” process on peppers, allowed enhancing the drying kinetics by increasing the effective diffusivity of water and the starting accessibility at the surface of the products. Furthermore, thanks to the new expanded structure, this process allowed to increase the shelf life of products by decreasing their water activity and increasing their specific surface area. Moreover, the functional properties (ability of rehydration and water holding capacity) and nutritional properties (antioxidant content and antioxidant capacity), were also improved. Regarding the freezing process, in order to intensify it, a stage of partial dehydration followed by the DIC treatment was inserted previous freezing. This coupling of processes, allowed to increase the antioxidant extraction and the antioxidant capacity of the products, being special important for flavonoids. Finally, with these results it can be concluded that the DIC process, coupling to traditional drying and freezing could play an important role on the valorization and transformation of peppers.
Outpatient continuous-infusion benzylpenicillin combined with either gentamicin or ceftriaxone for enterococcal endocarditis.

BACKGROUND Treatment regimens requiring multiple daily dosing for enterococcal endocarditis are challenging to deliver in the outpatient setting. Continuous-infusion benzylpenicillin via a 24 h elastomeric infusor, combined with either once-daily gentamicin or ceftriaxone, requires only one nursing encounter daily and is commonly used in New Zealand. OBJECTIVES To assess the therapeutic success and adverse antibiotic effects of these regimens. METHODS A retrospective observational case series from multiple hospitals of patients aged 15 years or over with enterococcal endocarditis diagnosed between July 2013 and June 2019 who received at least 14 days of outpatient continuous-infusion benzylpenicillin combined with either gentamicin or ceftriaxone for synergy. RESULTS Forty-three episodes of enterococcal endocarditis in 41 patients met inclusion criteria. The primary synergy antibiotic was gentamicin in 20 episodes and ceftriaxone in 23 episodes. For the 41 initial treatment courses, 31 (76%) patients were cured, 3 (7%) patients developed relapsed endocarditis during or following antibiotic treatment and 7 (17%) patients continued with long-term suppressive oral amoxicillin following IV antibiotic treatment. There was no difference in the relapse rate between the two groups (P = 0.59). Seven (35%) adverse antibiotic effects were documented in the gentamicin group and none in the ceftriaxone group (P < 0.01). Two deaths (5%) occurred within the 6 month follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS Outpatient treatment of enterococcal endocarditis with continuous-infusion benzylpenicillin combined with either once-daily gentamicin or ceftriaxone following a period of inpatient treatment is usually effective. A significantly higher rate of adverse effects was seen with gentamicin, favouring ceftriaxone as the initial synergy antibiotic.
Infection of humanized mice with a novel phlebovirus presented pathogenic features of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a tick-borne emerging phlebovirus with high mortality rates of 6.0 to 30%. SFTSV infection is characterized by high fever, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, hemorrhage and multiple organ failures. Currently, specific therapies and vaccines remain elusive. Suitable small animal models are urgently needed to elucidate the pathogenesis and evaluate the potential drug and vaccine for SFTSV infection. Previous models presented only mild or no pathogenesis of SFTS, limiting their applications in SFTSV infection. Therefore, it is an urgent need to develop a small animal model for the investigation of SFTSV pathogenesis and evaluation of therapeutics. In the current report, we developed a SFTSV infection model based on the HuPBL-NCG mice that recapitulates many pathological characteristics of SFTSV infection in humans. Virus-induced histopathological changes were identified in spleen, lung, kidney, and liver. SFTSV was colocalized with macrophages in the spleen and liver, suggesting that the macrophages in the spleen and liver could be the principle target cells of SFTSV. In addition, histological analysis showed that the vascular endothelium integrity was severely disrupted upon viral infection along with depletion of platelets. In vitro cellular assays further revealed that SFTSV infection increased the vascular permeability of endothelial cells by promoting tyrosine phosphorylation and internalization of the adhesion molecule vascular endothelial (VE)–cadherin, a critical component of endothelial integrity. In addition, we found that both virus infection and pathogen-induced exuberant cytokine release dramatically contributed to the vascular endothelial injury. We elucidated the pathogenic mechanisms of hemorrhage syndrome and developed a humanized mouse model for SFTSV infection, which should be helpful for anti-SFTSV therapy and pathogenesis study.