Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of a Preoperative Transdermal Fentanyl Patch on Proinflammatory Cytokine and Pain Levels During the Postoperative Period: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: The main objectives of this article were to assess the effect of preoperative transdermal fentanyl patch (TFP) on interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 levels and pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Materials and Methods: Patients received a TFP (25 μg/h) (patch group, n=30) or a placebo patch (control group, n=30) applied 14 hours before operation. After surgery, control group received intravenous continuous fentanyl (25 μg/h) with loading dose (25 μg). IL-6 and IL-8 levels were measured at admission and 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. Pain score and consumption of rescue analgesic were evaluated too. Results: At 24 hours postoperatively, IL-6 and IL-8 reached a peak and then decreased. The peak IL-6 levels were 21.92(±6.22) and 24.91(±6.81) pg/mL in the patch and control group. The significant differences of IL-6 between groups were shown at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively (P=0.032, 0.0001). There were no significant differences in IL-8 levels and pain score. Conclusions: Preoperative TFP attenuated the increase in IL-6 levels after surgery and provided similar analgesia to continuous fentanyl infusion. Preemptive TFP may have influence on proinflammatory reactions and pain control after surgery.
Being moved by meaningfulness: appraisals of surpassing internal standards elicit being moved by relationships and achievements

ABSTRACT People can be moved and overwhelmed, a phenomenon typically accompanied by goose-bumps and tears. We argue that these feelings of being moved are not limited to situations that are appraised as pro-social but elicited when someone surpasses an internal standard. In line with these predictions, people were moved by relationships and success (Study 1), by reunion, separation, success and failure (Study 2) and by social, environmental and sports achievements (Study 3). In all three studies, the elicitation of these feelings was partially mediated by appraisals of surpassing social or achievement standards. In line with this, ratings of meaningfulness were closely associated with feelings of being moved and moving stimuli elicited behavioural intentions such as spending time with family and friends, helping others and/or achieving something in life. Thus, moving situations may remind us about what we perceive as meaningful and thereby help us to act accordingly.
What Have We Learned About Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Emergence in Humans? A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract Background: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first identified in humans in 2012. A systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize current knowledge and identify critical knowledge gaps. Materials and Methods: We conducted a systematic review on MERS-CoV using PRISMA guidelines. We identified 407 relevant, peer-reviewed publications and selected 208 of these based on their contributions to four key areas: virology; clinical characteristics, outcomes, therapeutic and preventive options; epidemiology and transmission; and animal interface and the search for natural hosts of MERS-CoV. Results: Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4/CD26) was identified as the human receptor for MERS-CoV, and a variety of molecular and serological assays developed. Dromedary camels remain the only documented zoonotic source of human infection, but MERS-like CoVs have been detected in bat species globally, as well as in dromedary camels throughout the Middle East and Africa. However, despite evidence of camel-to-human MERS-CoV transmission and cases apparently related to camel contact, the source of many primary cases remains unknown. There have been sustained health care-associated human outbreaks in Saudi Arabia and South Korea, the latter originating from one traveler returning from the Middle East. Transmission mechanisms are poorly understood; for health care, this may include environmental contamination. Various potential therapeutics have been identified, but not yet evaluated in human clinical trials. At least one candidate vaccine has progressed to Phase I trials. Conclusions: There has been substantial MERS-CoV research since 2012, but significant knowledge gaps persist, especially in epidemiology and natural history of the infection. There have been few rigorous studies of baseline prevalence, transmission, and spectrum of disease. Terms such as “camel exposure” and the epidemiological relationships of cases should be clearly defined and standardized. We strongly recommend a shared and accessible registry or database. Coronaviruses will likely continue to emerge, arguing for a unified “One Health” approach.
Steroid-Free Immune Suppression Impairs Glycemic Control in a Healthy Cynomolgus Monkey

The need for chronic immune suppression (IS) is one of the hurdles precluding widespread use of islet cell transplantation to restore glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes. We report the case of a healthy nonhuman primate (NHP) treated on and off for over 2.5 years with steroid-free IS, consisting of daclizumab induction and maintenance therapy with rapamycin and low dose tacrolimus. Treatment for 1 year resulted in a striking destabilization of glycemic control, with concomitant decreases in fasting c-peptide and insulin levels. Although these changes gradually reversed during a wash out period of 7 months, retreatment with the same therapy led to accelerated deterioration in glycemic control. Intravenous glucose tolerance and percentage of glycosylated hemoglobin testing further supported a dramatic effect on metabolic control. IS also led to decreases in weight during treatment. Histological evaluation of the pancreas revealed islet hyperplasia, with varying sizes and endocrine cell ratios that differed from normal islet composition, and parenchymal infiltration with adipose tissue. These deleterious effects of IS on glucose control and endocrine components in the native pancreas of a healthy NHP suggest that IS agents commonly utilized for islet transplantation may contribute to failure in islet allograft function in long-term transplant patients.
Comparison of microwave ablation and radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background: Microwave ablation (MWA) has several advantages over radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of MWA with those of RFA for HCC from the perspectives of percutaneous and laparoscopic approaches. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane library, and China Biology Medicine databases were searched. Studies comparing the efficacy and safety of MWA with those of RFA in patients with HCC were considered eligible. Complete ablation (CA), local recurrence (LR), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and the major complication rate were compared between MWA and RFA. Results: Four randomized controlled trials and 10 cohort studies were included. For percutaneous ablation, no significant difference was found between MWA and RFA regarding CA, LR, DFS, OS, and the major complication rate. A subgroup analysis of tumors measuring ≥3 cm revealed no difference in CA and LR for percutaneous ablation. For laparoscopic ablation, a significantly lower LR rate and a non-significant trend toward a higher major complication rate were observed for the MWA group (odds ratio [OR] 2.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16–4.02, p = .01 for LR; OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.04–1.03, p = .05 for major complication rate). CA, DFS, and OS were similar between the two groups. Conclusions: Percutaneous (P)-MWA had similar therapeutic effects compared with P-RFA for HCC. Patients undergoing laparoscopic MWA had a lower LR rate; however, their major complication rate appeared to be higher. The superiority of MWA over RFA remains unclear and needs to be confirmed by high-quality evidence.
Co-occurrence of schizophrenia and smoking: a qualitative study.

Among people with mental illnesses, the prevalence of smoking is highest among those with schizophrenia, ranging from 58% to 90%. 1 Compared with the general population, those with schizophrenia live on average 10 fewer years.2 The causes of this disparity are multifactorial; smoking accounts for most excess mortality among those with schizophrenia.3 Although the smoking rate among the general population is declining, no such trend is observed in psychiatric populations. A meta-analysis reported that individuals with schizophrenia have great difficulty in quitting smoking and have significantly lower smoking cessation rate than the general population or smokers with other psychiatric illnesses.1 Few qualitative studies have explored the experiences of tobacco use and cessation from the perspectives of psychiatric populations. Only one qualitative study explored the beliefs and attitudes on smoking behaviours among persons with schizophrenia.4 Factors that influence smoking and quitting in Chinese people with schizophrenia are underexamined. This may lead to failure in designing and implementing effective smoking cessation programmes to the specific needs of this population. The present study aimed to identify and examine the subjective experiences of tobacco use and quitting in Chinese people with schizophrenia. Hong Kong Med J 2019;25(Suppl 2):S21-7 HHSRF project number: 10111861
Fabrication and a detailed study of antibacterial properties of α-Fe2O3/NiO nanocomposites along with their structural, optical, thermal, magnetic and cytotoxic features

Nanomaterials have specific properties which are uncommon in their bulk counterparts. Because of these unique characteristics, nanotechnology has been explored for various applications by the scientific community and it can play a crucial role in providing solutions of current major healthcare problems. In the present work, we describe the fabrication of a novel inorganic alternative of traditional antibiotics, which can effectively counter the pathogenic bacteria including multi drug resistant bacterial strains. For this purpose, nanocomposites of Fe/Ni oxide with different molar concentrations of nickel have been prepared via wet-chemical approach along with the α-Fe2O3 and NiO nanoparticles. The bactericidal efficiency of the prepared samples were tested against pathogenic strains of B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli and S. typhi using two distinct methods. In addition to this, structural, physical and chemical properties of the nanomaterials were studied using XRD, TEM, EDAX, Raman, VSM and TGA-DTA. Also, the cytotoxicity of synthesized samples was assessed using MTT assay against human cell lines MCF-10A (normal) and MCF7 (cancer).
Epidemiology and pathological mechanisms of tick-borne encephalitis

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a member of the genus Flavivirus within the family Flaviviridae, causes fatal encephalitis with severe sequelae in humans. TBEV is prevalent over a wide area of the Eurasian continent including Europe, Russia, Far-Eastern Asia, and Japan. While it was previously thought that TBEV was not endemic in Japan, the first confirmed case of serologically diagnosed TBE was reported in 1993 in the southern area of Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. In addition, TBEV has been isolated from dogs, wild rodents and ticks in the area. Our epizootiological survey indicated that endemic foci of TBEV were maintained in Hokkaido and other areas of Honshu. TBEV can be divided into three subtypes based on phylogenetic analyses. The Japanese isolates were classified as the Far Eastern subtype, which causes severe neural disorders with a higher mortality rate up to 30%. However, how viral replication and pathogenicity contribute to the neurological manifestations remains unclear. Recent studies have revealed distinctive mechanisms of TBEV pathogenicity and viral genetic factors associated with virulence. This review discusses the recent findings regarding the epidemiology and pathogenesis of TBEV.
Cell migration on microposts with surface coating and confinement

Understanding cell migration in a 3D microenvironment is essential as most cells encounter complex 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) in vivo. Although interactions between cells and ECM have been studied previously on 2D surfaces, cell migration studies in 3D environment are still limited. To investigate cell migration under various degrees of confinements and coating conditions, 3D platforms with micropost arrays and controlled fibronectin (FN) protein coating were developed. MC3T3-E1 cells spread and contacted the top surface of microposts if FN was coated on top. When FN was coated all over the microposts, cells were trapped between microposts with 3 μm spacing and barely moved. As the spacing between microposts increased from 3 to 5 μm, cells became elongated with limited cell movement of 0.18 μm/min, slower than the cell migration speed of 0.40 μm/min when cells moved on top. When cells were trapped in between the microposts, cell nuclei were distorted and actin filaments formed along the sidewalls of microposts. With the addition of a top cover to introduce cell confinement, the cell migration speed was 0.23 and 0.84 μm/min when the channel height was reduced from 20 to 10 μm, respectively. Cell traction force was monitored at on the top and bottom microposts with 10 μm channel height. These results show that the MC3T3-E1 cell morphology, migration speed, and movement position were affected by surface coating and physical confinement, which will provide significant insights for in vivo cell migration within a 3D ECM.
Highly stretchable patternable conductive circuits and wearable strain sensors based on polydimethylsiloxane and silver nanoparticles

Patterned circuits on highly stretchable conductive films are critical in the practical application of next-generation flexible and wearable devices. Currently, most patterned circuits do not exhibit highly stretchable properties, and a lithography process in vacuum is required. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and liquid polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are mixed together to form liquid conductive adhesives (CAs). Various stretchable patterned circuits are prepared using this CA to achieve all required functions. Six basic patterns, including rhombus, straight lines, serpentine, triangle, ellipses, and fold line, are studied for their stretchable and electrical properties. The film is found to maintain excellent conductivity after withstanding tensile strain of up to 320% and more than 10 000 stretching-releasing cycles of 0%–150%. More than 86% of visible lights can be penetrated through the film due to the transparent substrates. Functional and wearable devices are manufactured, and devices fabricated from rhombus-pattern circuits are found to exhibit stable electrical conductivity when subjected to very high tensile strains. According to the sensitivity of the straight-line patterned circuit to strain, a repeatable use sensitive strain sensor is studied. Also, two types of artificial electrical skin are demonstrated.
Fueling for the Field: Nutrition for Jumps, Throws, and Combined Events.

Athletes participating in the athletics (track and field) events of jumps, throws, and combined events (CEs; seven-event heptathlon and 10-event decathlon) engage in training and competition that emphasize speed and explosive movements, requiring optimal power-weight ratios. While these athletes represent a wide range of somatotypes, they share an emphasis on Type IIa and IIx muscle fiber typing. In general, athletes competing in jumps tend to have a lower body mass and may benefit from a higher protein (1.5-1.8 g PRO·kg-1·day-1) and lower carbohydrate (3-6 g CHO·kg-1·day-1) diet. Throwers tend to have a higher body mass, but with considerable differences between events. Their intense, whole-body training program suggests higher PRO requirements (1.5-2.2 g PRO·kg-1·day-1), while CHO needs (per kg) are similar to jumpers. The CE athletes must strike a balance between strength and muscle mass for throws and sprints, while maintaining a low enough body mass to maximize performance in jumps and middle-distance events. CE athletes may benefit from a higher PRO (1.5-2 g PRO·kg-1·day-1) and moderate CHO (5-8 g CHO·kg-1·day-1) diet with good energy availability to support multiple daily training sessions. Since they compete over 2 days, well-rehearsed competition-day fueling and recovery strategies are imperative for CE athletes. Depending on their events' bioenergetic demands, athletes in throws, jumps, and CE may benefit from the periodized use of ergogenic aids, including creatine, caffeine, and/or beta-alanine. The diverse training demands, physiques, and competitive environments of jumpers, throwers, and CE athletes necessitate nutrition interventions that are periodized throughout the season and tailored to the individual needs of the athlete.
Increased predominance of HIV-1 CRF01_AE and its recombinants in the Philippines

The growth rate of new HIV infections in the Philippines was the fastest of any countries in the Asia-Pacific region between 2010 and 2016. To date, HIV-1 subtyping results in the Philippines have been determined by characterizing only partial viral genome sequences. It is not known whether recombination occurs in the majority of unsequenced genome regions. Near-full-length genome (NFLG) sequences were obtained by amplifying two overlapping half genomes from plasma samples collected between 2015 and 2017 from 23 newly diagnosed infected individuals in the Philippines. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the newly characterized sequences were CRF01_AE (14), subtype B (3), CRF01/B recombinants (5) and a CRF01/CRF07/B recombinant (1). All 14 CRF01_AE formed a tight cluster, suggesting that they were derived from a single introduction. The time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) for CRF01_AE in the Philippines was 1995 (1992–1998), about 10–15 years later than that of CRF01_AE in China and Thailand. All five CRF01/B recombinants showed distinct recombination patterns, suggesting ongoing recombination between the two predominant circulating viruses. The identification of partial CRF07_BC sequences in one CRF01/CRF07/B recombinant, not reported previously in the Philippines, indicated that CRF07_BC may have been recently introduced into that country from China, where CRF07_BC is prevalent. Our results show that the major epidemic strains may have shifted to an increased predominance of CRF01_AE and its recombinants, and that other genotypes such as CRF07_BC may have been introduced into the Philippines.
Three week versus six week immobilisation for stable Weber B type ankle fractures: randomised, multicentre, non-inferiority clinical trial

Abstract Objective To determine whether treatment of isolated stable Weber B type ankle fractures with a cast or a simple orthotic device for three weeks produces non-inferior outcomes compared with conventional immobilisation in a cast for six weeks. Design Randomised, pragmatic, non-inferiority, clinical trial with blinded outcome assessment. Setting Two major trauma centres in Finland, 22 December 2012 to 6 June 2016. Participants 247 skeletally mature patients aged 16 years or older with an isolated Weber B type fibula fracture and congruent ankle mortise in static ankle radiographs. Interventions Participants were randomly allocated to conventional six week cast immobilisation (n=84) or three week treatment either in a cast (n=83) or in a simple orthosis (n=80). Main outcome measures The primary, non-inferiority, intention-to-treat outcome was the Olerud-Molander Ankle Score at 12 months (OMAS; range 0-100; higher scores indicate better outcomes and fewer symptoms). The predefined non-inferiority margin for the primary outcome was −8.8 points. Secondary outcomes were ankle function, pain, quality of life, ankle motion, and radiographic outcome. Follow-up assessments were performed at 6, 12, and 52 weeks. Results 212 of 247 randomised participants (86%) completed the study. At 52 weeks, the mean OMAS was 87.6 (SD 18.3) in the six week cast group, 91.7 (SD 12.9) in the three week cast group, and 89.8 (SD 18.4) in the three week orthosis group. The between group difference at 52 weeks for the three week cast versus six week cast was 3.6 points (95% confidence interval −1.9 to 9.1, P=0.20), and for the three week orthosis versus six week cast was 1.7 points (−4.0 to 7.3, P=0.56). In both comparisons, the confidence intervals did not include the predefined inferiority margin of −8.8 points. The only statistically significant between group differences observed in the secondary outcomes and harms in the two primary comparisons were slight improvement in ankle plantar flexion and incidence of deep vein thrombosis, both in the three week orthosis group versus six week cast group. Conclusion Immobilisation for three weeks with a cast or orthosis was non-inferior to conventional cast immobilisation for six weeks in the treatment of an isolated stable Weber B type fracture. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01758835.
Cellular interactions constrain tumor growth

Significance A mathematical model relating tumor heterogeneity at the cellular level to tumor growth at the macroscopic level is described based on a statistical mechanics framework. The model takes into account the number of accessible states available to each cell as well as their long-range coupling (population cooperation) to other cells. We show that the degree to which cell populations cooperate determines the number of independent cell states, which in turn dictates the macroscopic (volumetric) growth law. It follows that targeting cell-to-cell interactions or functional coupling among cell populations could be a way of mitigating and controlling tumor growth. A tumor is made up of a heterogeneous collection of cell types, all competing on a fitness landscape mediated by microenvironmental conditions that dictate their interactions. Despite the fact that much is known about cell signaling, cellular cooperation, and the functional constraints that affect cellular behavior, the specifics of how these constraints (and the range over which they act) affect the macroscopic tumor growth laws that govern total volume, mass, and carrying capacity remain poorly understood. We develop a statistical mechanics approach that focuses on the total number of possible states each cell can occupy and show how different assumptions on correlations of these states give rise to the many different macroscopic tumor growth laws used in the literature. Although it is widely understood that molecular and cellular heterogeneity within a tumor is a driver of growth, here we emphasize that focusing on the functional coupling of states at the cellular level is what determines macroscopic growth characteristics.