Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation between the DAI and ICON Indices used for Assessment of Orthodontic Treatment need in Croatian Schoolchildren

Abstract Introduction The aims were: evaluation of the correlation between the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) and Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need (ICON); the assessment of orthodontic treatment need for schoolchildren in a population with two indices, separately for schoolchildren with mixed and permanent dentition; the estimation of the population share that could not receive orthodontic treatment because of the presence of caries and/or gingivitis. Methods A total of 2652 Zagreb school children (7 - 19 years old, 52.4% of them were females) completed a questionnaire regarding previous orthodontic treatment and the type of appliance used. Their oral cavity was also inspected. The DAI and ICON indices were used for the assessment of malocclusion prevalence. Results The subjects with mixed dentition had a greater need for orthodontic treatment, when compared to subjects with permanent dentition, when using the DAI index (p<0.001). When using the ICON index, 11.7% of subjects with mixed dentition had very severe malocclusion, as opposed to 5.8% of subjects with permanent dentition. The DAI and ICON scores correlated positively linearly (r=0.521; p<0.001). A higher prevalence of both gingivitis and caries was recorded more often in boys; caries more often in the group with the mixed dentition, and gingivitis in the group with permanent dentition (p<0.05). Conclusion The DAI and ICON indices have moderate agreement in assessment of malocclusion severity scores. One third of all schoolchildren with various degrees of both ICON and DAI indices have gingivitis, and half of them have caries.
Seasonal changes in neuronal turnover in a forebrain nucleus in adult songbirds

Neuronal death and replacement, or neuronal turnover, in the adult brain are one of many fundamental processes of neural plasticity. The adult avian song control circuit provides an excellent model for exploring mature neuronal death and replacement by new neurons. In the song control nucleus, HVC of adult male Gambel's white‐crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelli) nearly 68,000 neurons are added each breeding season and die during the subsequent nonbreeding season. To accommodate large seasonal differences in HVC neuron number, the balance between neuronal addition and death in HVC must differ between seasons. To determine whether maintenance of new HVC neurons changes within and between breeding and nonbreeding conditions, we pulse‐labeled two different cohorts of new HVC neurons under both conditions and quantified their maintenance. We show that the maintenance of new HVC neurons, as well as new nonneuronal cells, was higher at the onset of breeding conditions than at the onset of nonbreeding conditions. Once a steady‐state HVC volume and neuronal number were attained in either breeding or nonbreeding conditions, neuronal and nonneuronal maintenance were similarly low. We found that new neuronal number correlated with a new nonneuronal number within each cohort of new neurons. Together, these data suggest that sex steroids promote the survival of an initial population of new neurons and nonneuronal cells entering HVC. However, once HVC is fully grown or regressed, neuronal and nonneuronal cell turnover is regulated by a common mechanism likely independent of direct sex steroid signaling.
Substantial heat tolerance acclimation capacity in tropical thermophilic snails, but to what benefit?

ABSTRACT The theory for thermal acclimation of ectotherms suggests that (1) heat tolerance is traded off for thermal acclimation in thermophilic species and that (2) plasticity is constrained in tropically distributed ectotherms, which commonly experience relatively thermally stable environments. We observed substantial heat tolerance plasticity in a test of this theory using tropical, thermophilic marine intertidal snails that inhabit extremely hot and highly variable thermal environments. The implication of these results is that plasticity selection is largely driven by habitat temperature conditions irrespective of basal heat tolerance or latitude. However, heat tolerance of field-fresh snails was comparable with that of laboratory warm-acclimated snails, suggesting that snails in the field may often be unable to improve heat hardening with further environmental warming. These findings suggest that field referencing is crucial to using laboratory-measured acclimation capacity when inferring climate warming vulnerability in ectotherms, and overall they question how well current thermal biology theory predicts the outcomes of global change in intertidal environments. Summary: Tropical snails from thermally variable intertidal habitats exhibit substantial heat tolerance acclimation, contradicting the widely held expectations about tropical species lacking plasticity and basal heat tolerance constraining plasticity.
Nuclear Neuroimaging in Social Anxiety Disorder: A Review

In psychiatric research, nuclear imaging complements MRI. A recent neuroimaging review of social anxiety disorder focused predominantly on MRI, omitting the contribution of nuclear imaging methods. Nuclear imaging investigations of neural activity are sparse but have generally yielded results consistent with studies performed using MRI. Evidence for disturbances in neurotransmitter systems in social anxiety disorder is limited but suggestive of both serotonergic and dopaminergic dysfunction. Research focusing on additional molecular targets using existing and novel tracers, combined with recent technologic innovations and trends in collaborative methodology, may shape future nuclear imaging endeavors in this field.
The Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Thyroid Function in Hypothyroid Patients: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial

Background: Data on the effects of vitamin D supplementation on thyroid function in hypothyroid patients are scarce. Objective: This study was done to evaluate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on thyroid function in hypothyroid patients. Material and Methods: This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 201 hypothyroid patients aged 20–60 years old. Subjects were randomly assigned into two groups to intake either 50,000 IU vitamin D supplements (n = 102) or placebo (n = 99) weekly for 12 weeks. Markers of related with thyroid function were assessed at first and 12 weeks after the intervention. Results: After 12 weeks of intervention, compared to the placebo, vitamin D supplementation resulted in significant increases in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (+26.5 ± 11.6 vs. 0.0 ± 0.0 ng/mL, P < 0.001) and calcium (+0.4 ± 0.7 vs. 0.1 ± 0.6 mg/dL, P = 0.002), and a significant decrease in serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (−0.4 ± 0.6 vs. +0.1 ± 2.0 μIU/mL, P = 0.02). A trend towards a greater decrease in serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels was observed in vitamin D group compared to placebo group (−3.8 vs. +1.9, P = 0.07). We did not observe any significant changes in serum T3, T4, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and albumin levels following supplementation of vitamin D compared with the placebo. Conclusion: Overall, the current study demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation among hypothyroid patients for 12 weeks improved serum TSH and calcium concentrations compared with the placebo, but it did not alter serum T3, T4, ALP, PTH, and albumin levels.
Telepsychiatry in a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service

Abstract Objectives: To carry out a survey on the use of video conferencing equipment by a rural child psychiatric multidisciplinary team and to determine what impact the introduction of this equipment had on service provision. Method: Several aspects were studied including user satisfaction and estimations of cost saving, on the basis of avoidance of travel to and from the regional base in Galway. A questionnaire was also developed to determine whether alternative contact would have been made if if this new technology were not in place. Results: The results of the initial six months following commencement were investigated. Use of the equipment was attempted 17 times during this period. Most members of the child psychiatry team participated in its use. Visual problems accounted for 66.7% of reported technical difficulty and 88.9% of users rated their level of satisfaction with the equipment as ‘Satisfied’ or ‘Very Satisfied’. Conclusions: Apart from the start-up cost implications of installing this equipment, it satisfied its aim of increasing contact between the rural service and St Anne's Children Centre in Galway. The equipment was easy to use and for the most part reliable.
Data Mining of a Remote Behavioral Tracking System for Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background Complications from type 2 diabetes mellitus can be prevented when patients perform health behaviors such as vigorous exercise and glucose-regulated diet. The use of smartphones for tracking such behaviors has demonstrated success in type 2 diabetes management while generating repositories of analyzable digital data, which, when better understood, may help improve care. Data mining methods were used in this study to better understand self-monitoring patterns using smartphone tracking software. Objective Associations were evaluated between the smartphone monitoring of health behaviors and HbA1c reductions in a patient subsample with type 2 diabetes who demonstrated clinically significant benefits after participation in a randomized controlled trial. Methods A priori association-rule algorithms, implemented in the C language, were applied to app-discretized use data involving three primary health behavior trackers (exercise, diet, and glucose monitoring) from 29 participants who achieved clinically significant HbA1c reductions. Use was evaluated in relation to improved HbA1c outcomes. Results Analyses indicated that nearly a third (9/29, 31%) of participants used a single tracker, half (14/29, 48%) used two primary trackers, and the remainder (6/29, 21%) of the participants used three primary trackers. Decreases in HbA1c were observed across all groups (0.97-1.95%), but clinically significant reductions were more likely with use of one or two trackers rather than use of three trackers (OR 0.18, P=.04). Conclusions Data mining techniques can reveal relevant coherent behavior patterns useful in guiding future intervention structure. It appears that focusing on using one or two trackers, in a symbolic function, was more effective (in this sample) than regular use of all three trackers.
Fat cell lipolysis and future weight gain

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus has been increasing worldwide and are considered to be related to physical inactivity and dysregulated eating behavior. Although environmental factors are important in the progression of obesity, the contribution of adipose tissue dysfunction and related genetic factors have been less clear. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Efficacy and Safety of High-Specific-Activity 131I-MIBG Therapy in Patients with Advanced Pheochromocytoma or Paraganglioma

Patients with metastatic or unresectable (advanced) pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) have poor prognoses and few treatment options. This multicenter, phase 2 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of high-specific-activity 131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (HSA 131I-MIBG) in patients with advanced PPGL. Methods: In this open-label, single-arm study, 81 PPGL patients were screened for enrollment, and 74 received a treatment-planning dose of HSA 131I-MIBG. Of these patients, 68 received at least 1 therapeutic dose (∼18.5 GBq) of HSA 131I-MIBG intravenously. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with at least a 50% reduction in baseline antihypertensive medication use lasting at least 6 mo. Secondary endpoints included objective tumor response as assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.0, biochemical tumor marker response, overall survival, and safety. Results: Of the 68 patients who received at least 1 therapeutic dose of HSA 131I-MIBG, 17 (25%; 95% confidence interval, 16%–37%) had a durable reduction in baseline antihypertensive medication use. Among 64 patients with evaluable disease, 59 (92%) had a partial response or stable disease as the best objective response within 12 mo. Decreases in elevated (≥1.5 times the upper limit of normal at baseline) serum chromogranin levels were observed, with confirmed complete and partial responses 12 mo after treatment in 19 of 28 patients (68%). The median overall survival was 36.7 mo (95% confidence interval, 29.9–49.1 mo). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were nausea, myelosuppression, and fatigue. No patients had drug-related acute hypertensive events during or after the administration of HSA 131I-MIBG. Conclusion: HSA 131I-MIBG offers multiple benefits, including sustained blood pressure control and tumor response in PPGL patients.
Empirical Evaluation of a Conceptual Model for the Perceived Value of Health Services

Abstract Introduction Perceived value and its antecedents and consequences have been claimed to be important in industries with higher customer involvement. The aim of this paper is therefore to empirically assess the conceptual model, with perceived service value as its central component. It also investigates how it affects loyalty and satisfaction, how it is influenced by its antecedents, and to compare with other studies investigating partial relationship between variables. Methods A total of 800 patients were enrolled in the main study, and the data was analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. By modelling linear structural equations, we assessed reliability and established the convergent and discriminant validity of the questionnaire in the same way as in the pilot study. Results In the conceptual model for testing our hypotheses, we also included the relationship between patient satisfaction and loyalty. In this manner, the fitting of data to the model was significantly improved. After including the additional relationship, global fit indices had the following values: Chi-square=349.6 (sig.=0.00), df=143, RMSEA=0.05, NFI=0.96, CFI=0.97. All relationships between the constructs were statistically significant, thus confirming all our hypotheses. Conclusions The major conclusion of this paper is that an especially higher reputation and higher perceived service quality can contribute to perceived service value and therefore to more satisfied patients. The research approach has a few limitations. In the future, the model of perceived service value can be extended with variables such as emotions, patient trust, and commitment as well.
Management of Hyperglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes, 2018. A Consensus Report by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)

The American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes convened a panel to update the prior position statements, published in 2012 and 2015, on the management of type 2 diabetes in adults. A systematic evaluation of the literature since 2014 informed new recommendations. These include additional focus on lifestyle management and diabetes self-management education and support. For those with obesity, efforts targeting weight loss, including lifestyle, medication, and surgical interventions, are recommended. With regards to medication management, for patients with clinical cardiovascular disease, a sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor or a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist with proven cardiovascular benefit is recommended. For patients with chronic kidney disease or clinical heart failure and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, an SGLT2 inhibitor with proven benefit is recommended. GLP-1 receptor agonists are generally recommended as the first injectable medication.
Future Living Arrangements Preferences of Middle-Aged Individuals in Turkey

Turkiye demografik dinamikleri nedeniyle hizla yaslanan bir ulkedir. Turkiye’de kulturel degerler baskin olarak “aile odakli”dir. Yaslilar geleneksel olarak aile ve cevre tarafindan bakilmaktadirlar. Gunumuzde Turkiye’de, yasli nufusun buyuk cogunlugu aile hanehalklarinda yasamaktadir. Yaslilarin oncemli bir bolumun cocuklariyla birlikte yasamasina karsin toplumsal degisikliklerle birlikte bu yerlesim modeli de degismektedir. Gunumuzde yasli yetiskinler giderek bagimsiz yasamayi tercih etmektedir ("cocuksuz ciftler" veya "tek kisilik haneler" seklinde). Bu arastirma, ailevi ve sosyoekonomik kaynaklarin ve kulturel tercihlerin orta yasli bireylerin gelecekteki yasam aranjmanlarina dair tercihlerine olan etkisini betimlemeye calismaktadir. Veriler, “2011 Turkiye Aile Yapisi” arastirmasindan alinmistir. Yaslilik donemine iliskin yasam aranjmanlari ile ilgili faktorleri incelemek icin Multinominal Lojistik Regresyon modelleri kullanilmistir. Analiz birimi en az bir cocuk sahibi olan 50-59 yaslarindaki bireylerdir. Bulgular, daha yuksek sosyoekonomik kaynaklara ve daha modern veya sekuler bir bakis acisina sahip olan bireylerin, “huzurevi” veya “evde bakim” opsiyonlarini “cocuklarla birlikte yasama”ya tercih ettiklerini gostermektedir. Ote yandan, ailevi kaynaklari daha yuksek olan ve daha geleneksel bakis acisina sahip bireylerin, cocuklariyla birlikte yasama aranjmanini daha muhtemel olarak tercih ettikleri gozlemlenmistir. Ailevi ve sosyoekonomik kaynaklarin ve kulturel egilimlerin yaslilik donemi yasam tercihlerini anlamli derecede etkilemektedir. Turkiye’de suregelen nufus yaslanmasi ve sosyal degisim egilimleri dikkate alindiginda; bireylerin yaslilik donemi bakim ihtiyaclari ve yasam aranjmanlarina iliskin talep ve beklentilerinin bir on veya yirmi yil icinde ihtimam gerektiren bir konu haline gelecegi dusunulmektedir.
Viabahn stent graft compared with prosthetic surgical above-knee bypass in treatment of superficial femoral artery disease

Abstract The prosthetic surgical above-knee bypass (pAKB) is a standard therapy in superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusive disease in absence of suitable vein. Viabahn graft has been established as a promising alternative. Since limited comparative data are available, we conducted a retrospective study to compare long-term outcomes of these 2 therapies in a real-world setting. Records of 52 patients (60 limbs), who were treated by pAKB (29 limbs) or Viabahn (31 limbs) were reviewed. Patients were followed up by clinical assessment, physical examination, and resting ankle brachial index (ABI) after 3, 6, 12 months and yearly thereafter. Long-term data were available for 97% in the Viabahn and 93% for pAKB after 73 ± 3.7 months (mean ± standard error [SE]). Long-term primary and secondary patencies in Viabahn group were 40% and 70%, respectively, after 63 ± 2.8 months (mean ± SE). Total lesion length was 19 ± 11.06 cm (mean ± SE), graft size was 6 ± 0.72 mm (mean ± SE). Hospital stay was 4.8 ± 0.72 days (mean ± SE). Limb salvage was achieved in 90%. Patients in the pAKB group showed a total lesion length of 24.39 ± 1.97 cm (mean ± SE), graft size was 7 ± 0.99 mm (mean ± SE). Long-term analysis after 83 ± 6.8 months (mean ± SE) revealed a primary patency of 78% with a secondary patency of 94%. Hospital stay was 10.4 ± 1.27 days (mean ± SE). Limb salvage was ensured in 97%. Long-term primary patency was lower for Viabahn (P = .044), secondary patency (P = .245), and leg salvage (P = .389) were not significantly different. However, hospital stay was shorter (P = .0002) for Viabahn. Long-term analysis of Viabahn revealed a significantly lower primary patency, a similar secondary patency, limb salvage, and significantly shorter hospital stay when compared with pAKB. Our data suggest that pAKB is still a valuable option in patients suitable for an open operation. However, Viabahn can be used as a less invasive treatment in high risk patients.
Loss of CHD1 causes DNA repair defects and enhances prostate cancer therapeutic responsiveness

The authors note that they regret having chosen the incorrect representative image of +Dox in Fig 1B. The experimental setup was similar to Fig EV1B except that the staining was for human CHD1. The I-SceI expression was induced by Doxycycline which is indicated as Dox in the figure and mentioned in the Materials and Methods (section “Cell culture and siRNA transfection”). The corrected figure is shown here.
Acidic pH promotes nucleus pulposus cell senescence through activating the p38 MAPK pathway

Background: Nucleus pulposus (NP) cell senescence is an important cellular feature within the degenerative disc. It is known that a very acidic niche exists in the degenerative disc, which participates in regulating disc cell viability and matrix metabolism. Objective: The present study was aimed to investigate the role and potential signaling transduction pathway of an acidic pH in regulating NP cell senescence. Methods: Rat NP cells were cultured in an acidic pH of 7.2 close to that in a healthy disc (Control group) or in an acidic pH of 6.2 close to that in a severe degenerative disc (Experiment group) for 10 days. Additionally, the experimental NP cells were incubated along with the inhibitor SB203580 to analyze the role of p38 MAPK pathway in this process. Results: Compared with the control NP cells, experimental NP cells showed a suppressed cell proliferation potency, an increased G0/G1 phase fraction whereas a decreased S-phase fraction and a declined telomerase activity, an up-regulated expression of senescence-related molecules (p16 and p53), and a down-regulated expression of matrix-related moleucles (aggrecan and collagen II). Further analysis showed that inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway partly reversed effects of acidic pH of 6.2 on the experimental NP cells. Conclusion: The very acidic niche identified in a severe degenerative disc promotes NP cell senescence through regulating the p38 MAPK pathway. The present study provides a new mechanism that drives NP cell senescence during disc degeneration.
Age-Related Hearing Loss

Age-related hearing loss first affects the ability to hear high-frequency sounds, such as speech. Affected people find it increasingly difficult to understand what others are saying, particularly when there is background noise (such as at a party). However, because the hearing loss is gradual, many people do not realize they cannot hear as well as they used to. They may turn up the television volume or start speaking louder without being aware of it.
Men’s Participation and Performance in the Boston Marathon from 1897 to 2017

Abstract This study examined men’s participation and performance in the Boston Marathon. Data from all 368,940 official male finishers in the Boston Marathon from 1897 through 2017 were analyzed using different analyses and regression models for all runners, annual top hundred finishers, annual top ten finishers and annual winners. Effect of calendar year on race time was examined alone, in a uni-variable model, and together with country of origin and weather conditions (average air temperature and precipitation) in a multi-variable model. The mean race time of all finishers increased across calendar years, in line with the participation, but it decreased when we considered the annual winners, 10 and 100 fastest. Kenyans and Ethiopians were the fastest nationalities (p<0.001) when we considered all finishers and the annual top 100 fastest but not when the annual 10 fastest were considered. Air temperature≤8 °C improved (p<0.001) race times compared to air temperature>8°C. Precipitation (>0 mm) improved performance for the annual 100 fastest and annual 10 fastest (p=0.013–0.031) but not for all finishers. Our findings improved the knowledge about the evolution of male marathoners across calendar years, considering as main effects country of origin and particular weather conditions.