Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Atrial fibrillation prevalence, awareness and management in a nationwide survey of adults in China

Objective To determine AF prevalence and gaps in atrial fibrillation (AF) awareness and management in China. Methods We conducted a community-based survey of 47 841 adults (age ≥45 years) in seven geographic regions of China between 2014 and 2016. Participants underwent a structured questionnaire, a standard 12-lead ECG, physical examination and blood sampling. AF prevalence, defined by either ECG detection or self-report, was estimated according to sampling weights, non-response and age and sex distribution of the population. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate associations among sociodemographic, clinical and geographic factors with the AF prevalence, awareness and treatment. Results The weighted AF prevalence was 1.8% (95% CI 1.7% to 1.9%), but varied from 0.9% to 2.4% across geographical regions and equates to being present in an estimated 7.9 (95% CI 7.4 to 8.4) million people in China. Among men and women, the AF prevalence increased from 0.8% and 0.6% in the age group 45–54 years to 5.4% and 4.9% in the age group ≥75 years, respectively. Proportions of people who were aware of having AF decreased overall from 65.3% in 45–54 year-olds to 53.9% in ≥75 year-olds and varied between sex (men 58.5%, women 68.8%) and residency status (urban 78.3%, rural 35.3%). Only 6.0% of patients with high-risk AF received anticoagulation therapy. Conclusions AF prevalence is higher than previously reported in China, with low awareness and large treatment gaps. Large-scale efforts are urgently needed to reduce AF adverse consequences.
Anomalous splitting of the hole states in silicon quantum dots with shallow acceptors

Hole wavefunctions and energy spectra have been calculated in a silicon quantum dot with a shallow acceptor. Within the framework of the envelope function approach we have found anomalously strong splitting of the energy levels caused by the Coulomb and the spin–orbit interactions as compared to bulk silicon. If the quantum dot has been doped with boron, the short range part of the Coulomb field turns out to be weak, and the long range hydrogenic part plays a crucial role in the energy splitting. In the case where the dot is doped with any other element of the third group, the role of the short range Coulomb interaction becomes determinative. The latter provides stronger energy splitting compared to that in the model of hydrogen-like impurity. In both cases the energy of the splitting substantially exceeds the typical bulk values for these acceptors due to the quantum confinement effect. We have also analysed the charge distribution in the dot and the hole spectrum, depending on the acceptor position inside the nanocrystal.
Anaerobic Digestion for Producing Renewable Energy—The Evolution of This Technology in a New Uncertain Scenario

Anaerobic digestion is a well-known technology with wide application in the treatment of high-strength organic wastes. The economic feasibility of this type of installation is usually attained thanks to the availability of fiscal incentives. In this review, an analysis of the different factors associated with this biological treatment and a description of alternatives available in literature for increasing performance of the process were provided. The possible integration of this process into a biorefinery as a way for producing energy and chemical products from the conversion of wastes and biomass also analyzed. The future outlook of anaerobic digestion will be closely linked to circular economy principles. Therefore, this technology should be properly integrated into any production system where energy can be recovered from organics. Digestion can play a major role in any transformation process where by-products need further stabilization or it can be the central core of any waste treatment process, modifying the current scheme by a concatenation of several activities with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the conversion. Thus, current plants dedicated to the treatment of wastewaters, animal manures, or food wastes can become specialized centers for producing bio-energy and green chemicals. However, high installation costs, feedstock dispersion and market distortions were recognized as the main parameters negatively affecting these alternatives.
Inhibition of adenosine kinase attenuates myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury

Increased adenosine helps limit infarct size in ischaemia/reperfusion‐injured hearts. In cardiomyocytes, 90% of adenosine is catalysed by adenosine kinase (ADK) and ADK inhibition leads to higher concentrations of both intracellular adenosine and extracellular adenosine. However, the role of ADK inhibition in myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains less obvious. We explored the role of ADK inhibition in myocardial I/R injury using mouse left anterior ligation model. To inhibit ADK, the inhibitor ABT‐702 was intraperitoneally injected or AAV9 (adeno‐associated virus)—ADK—shRNA was introduced via tail vein injection. H9c2 cells were exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. ADK was transiently increased after myocardial I/R injury. Pharmacological or genetic ADK inhibition reduced infarct size, improved cardiac function and prevented cell apoptosis and necroptosis in I/R‐injured mouse hearts. In vitro, ADK inhibition also prevented cell apoptosis and cell necroptosis in H/R‐treated H9c2 cells. Cleaved caspase‐9, cleaved caspase‐8, cleaved caspase‐3, MLKL and the phosphorylation of MLKL and CaMKII were decreased by ADK inhibition in reperfusion‐injured cardiomyocytes. X‐linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), which is phosphorylated and stabilized via the adenosine receptors A2B and A1/Akt pathways, should play a central role in the effects of ADK inhibition on cell apoptosis and necroptosis. These data suggest that ADK plays an important role in myocardial I/R injury by regulating cell apoptosis and necroptosis.
Associations of aspirin and non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with colorectal cancer mortality after diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Aspirin-use reduces colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence, but there is limited evidence regarding associations of aspirin and non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with CRC-specific survival. METHODS This prospective analysis includes women and men from the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort who were cancer-free at baseline (1992 or 1993) and diagnosed with CRC during incidence follow-up through 2015. Detailed information on aspirin and non-aspirin NSAID-use was self-reported on questionnaires at baseline, in 1997, and every 2 years thereafter. Pre- and post-diagnosis data were available for 2,686 and 1,931 participants without distant-metastases, respectively, among whom 512 and 251 died from CRC during mortality follow-up through 2016. Secondary analyses examined associations between pre-diagnosis aspirin-use and stage at diagnosis (distant-metastatic versus localized or regional). All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Long-term regular use of aspirin (>15 times per month) before diagnosis was associated with lower CRC-specific mortality (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR)= 0.69; 95% CI = 0.52-0.92). Post-diagnosis regular aspirin use was not statistically significantly associated with risk of CRC-specific mortality overall (HR = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.62-1.09), although participants who began regular aspirin use only after their diagnosis were at lower risk than participants who did not use aspirin at both the pre-and post-diagnosis periods (HR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.36-0.98). Long-term aspirin use before diagnosis was also associated with lower odds of diagnosis with distant metastases (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.53-0.99). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that long-term aspirin use before a diagnosis of non-metastatic colorectal cancer may be associated with lower CRC-specific mortality after diagnosis, consistent with possible inhibition of micro-metastases before diagnosis.
A Bayesian analysis of a Test and Vaccinate or Remove study to control bovine tuberculosis in badgers (Meles meles)

A novel five year Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) wildlife research intervention project in badgers (Meles meles) commenced in 2014 in a 100km2 area of Northern Ireland. It aimed to increase the evidence base around badgers and bovine TB and help create well-informed and evidence-based strategies to address the issue of cattle-to-cattle spread and spread between cattle and badgers. It involved real-time trap-side testing of captured badgers and vaccinating those that tested negative for bTB (BadgerBCG–BCG Danish 1331) and removal of those that tested bTB positive using the Dual-Path Platform VetTB test (DPP) for cervids (Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Medford, NY USA). Four diagnostic tests were utilised within the study interferon gamma release assay (IGRA), culture (clinical samples and post mortem), DPP using both whole blood and DPP using serum. BCG Sofia (SL222) was used in the final two years because of supply issues with BadgerBCG. Objectives for this study were to evaluate the performance of the DPP in field conditions and whether any trend was apparent in infection prevalence over the study period. A Bayesian latent class model of diagnostic test evaluation in the absence of a gold standard was applied to the data. Temporal variation in the sensitivity of DPP and interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) due to the impact of control measures was investigated using logistic regression and individual variability was assessed. Bayesian latent class analysis estimated DPP with serum to have a sensitivity of 0.58 (95% CrI: 0.40–0.76) and specificity of 0.97 (95% CrI: 0.95–0.98). The DPP with whole blood showed a higher sensitivity (0.69 (95% CrI: 0.48–0.88)) but similar specificity (0.98 (95% Crl: 0.96–0.99)). The change from BCG Danish to BCG Sofia significantly impacted on DPP serum test characteristics. In addition, there was weak evidence of increasing sensitivity of IGRA over time and differences in DPP test sensitivity between adults and cubs. An exponential decline model was an appropriate representation of the infection prevalence over the 5 years, with a starting prevalence of 14% (95% CrI: 0.10–0.20), and an annual reduction of 39.1% (95% CrI: 26.5–50.9). The resulting estimate of infection prevalence in year 5 of the study was 1.9% (95% CrI: 0.8–3.8). These results provide field evidence of a statistically significant reduction in badger TB prevalence supporting a TVR approach to badger intervention. They give confidence in the reliability and reproducibility in the DPP Whole Blood as a real time trap-side diagnostic test for badgers, and describe the effect of vaccination and reduced infection prevalence on test characteristics.
Innate Immune Sensing of Viruses and Its Consequences for the Central Nervous System

Viral infections remain a global public health concern and cause a severe societal and economic burden. At the organismal level, the innate immune system is essential for the detection of viruses and constitutes the first line of defense. Viral components are sensed by host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). PRRs can be further classified based on their localization into Toll-like receptors (TLRs), C-type lectin receptors (CLR), retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs), NOD-like receptors (NLRs) and cytosolic DNA sensors (CDS). TLR and RLR signaling results in production of type I interferons (IFNα and -β) and pro-inflammatory cytokines in a cell-specific manner, whereas NLR signaling leads to the production of interleukin-1 family proteins. On the other hand, CLRs are capable of sensing glycans present in viral pathogens, which can induce phagocytic, endocytic, antimicrobial, and pro- inflammatory responses. Peripheral immune sensing of viruses and the ensuing cytokine response can significantly affect the central nervous system (CNS). But viruses can also directly enter the CNS via a multitude of routes, such as the nasal epithelium, along nerve fibers connecting to the periphery and as cargo of infiltrating infected cells passing through the blood brain barrier, triggering innate immune sensing and cytokine responses directly in the CNS. Here, we review mechanisms of viral immune sensing and currently recognized consequences for the CNS of innate immune responses to viruses.
Brain Asymmetry Detection and Machine Learning Classification for Diagnosis of Early Dementia †

Early identification of degenerative processes in the human brain is considered essential for providing proper care and treatment. This may involve detecting structural and functional cerebral changes such as changes in the degree of asymmetry between the left and right hemispheres. Changes can be detected by computational algorithms and used for the early diagnosis of dementia and its stages (amnestic early mild cognitive impairment (EMCI), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)), and can help to monitor the progress of the disease. In this vein, the paper proposes a data processing pipeline that can be implemented on commodity hardware. It uses features of brain asymmetries, extracted from MRI of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database, for the analysis of structural changes, and machine learning classification of the pathology. The experiments provide promising results, distinguishing between subjects with normal cognition (NC) and patients with early or progressive dementia. Supervised machine learning algorithms and convolutional neural networks tested are reaching an accuracy of 92.5% and 75.0% for NC vs. EMCI, and 93.0% and 90.5% for NC vs. AD, respectively. The proposed pipeline offers a promising low-cost alternative for the classification of dementia and can be potentially useful to other brain degenerative disorders that are accompanied by changes in the brain asymmetries.
Derivation and Application of Molecular Signatures to Prostate Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges

Simple Summary Prostate cancer continues to exert a significant public health burden across the globe with hundreds of thousands of new diagnoses per year. There have been many advances in prostate cancer treatment that have dramatically improved the outlook for a lot of patients, especially by targeting a key factor in prostate cancer development called the androgen receptor. However, with increasing of targeted therapies we see a shift in the spectrum of treatment resistance disease. Molecular signatures are essentially maps of the potential for tumor evolution. By analyzing patient and pre-clinical model derived data, we may put together lists of genetic determinants of cancer progression and predict if patients will be prone to develop aggressive disease. In this manuscript we are reviewing some of the ways that these signatures are generated and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of their utility in personalized medicine. Abstract Prostate cancer is a high-incidence cancer that requires improved patient stratification to ensure accurate predictions of risk and treatment response. Due to the significant contributions of transcription factors and epigenetic regulators to prostate cancer progression, there has been considerable progress made in developing gene signatures that may achieve this. Some of these are aligned to activities of key drivers such as the androgen receptor, whilst others are more agnostic. In this review, we present an overview of these signatures, the strategies for their derivation, and future perspectives on their continued development and evolution.
Silicon Suboxides as Driving Force for Efficient Light-Enhanced Hydrogen Generation on Silicon Nanowires.

Efficient light-stimulated hydrogen generation from top-down produced highly doped n-type silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in water-containing medium under white light irradiation is reported. It is observed that SiNWs with AgNPs generate at least 2.5 times more hydrogen than SiNWs without AgNPs. The authors' results, based on vibrational, UV-vis, and X-ray spectroscopy studies, strongly suggest that the sidewalls of the SiNWs are covered by silicon suboxides, by up to a thickness of 120 nm, with wide bandgap semiconductor properties that are similar to those of titanium dioxide and remain stable during hydrogen evolution in a water-containing medium for at least 3 h of irradiation. Based on synchrotron studies, it is found that the increase in the silicon bandgap is related to the energetically beneficial position of the valence band in nanostructured silicon, which renders these promising structures for efficient hydrogen generation.
Cost-effectiveness of bilateral vs. single internal thoracic artery grafts at 10 years

Abstract Aims Using bilateral internal thoracic arteries (BITAs) for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been suggested to improve survival compared to CABG using single internal thoracic arteries (SITAs) for patients with advanced coronary artery disease. We used data from the Arterial Revascularization Trial (ART) to assess long-term cost-effectiveness of BITA grafting compared to SITA grafting from an English health system perspective. Methods and results Resource use, healthcare costs, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were assessed across 10 years of follow-up from an intention-to-treat perspective. Missing data were addressed using multiple imputation. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated with uncertainty characterized using non-parametric bootstrapping. Results were extrapolated beyond 10 years using Gompertz functions for survival and linear models for total cost and utility. Total mean costs at 10 years of follow-up were £17 594 in the BITA arm and £16 462 in the SITA arm [mean difference £1133 95% confidence interval (CI) £239 to £2026, P = 0.015]. Total mean QALYs at 10 years were 6.54 in the BITA arm and 6.57 in the SITA arm (adjusted mean difference −0.01 95% CI −0.2 to 0.1, P = 0.883). At 10 years, BITA grafting had a 33% probability of being cost-effective compared to SITA, assuming a cost-effectiveness threshold of £20 000. Lifetime extrapolation increased the probability of BITA being cost-effective to 51%. Conclusions BITA grafting has significantly higher costs but similar quality-adjusted survival at 10 years compared to SITA grafting. Extrapolation suggests this could change over lifetime.
Formative Evaluation of a Home-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Adolescent Girls—The HERizon Project: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background. This is a formative evaluation study of the HERizon Project, a home-based multi-component physical activity (PA) intervention for adolescent girls in the UK and Ireland. Although not intended, this study coincided with the initial COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Methods. A total of 42 female participants, aged 13 to 16 years old (mean = 14.2, SD = 1.1), were randomly allocated to: (i) the HERizon group (n = 22) or (ii) the wait-list control group (n = 20). Participants in the six-week HERizon group were asked to complete three PA sessions each week and engage in weekly behaviour change support video calls. The primary outcome measure was self-reported habitual PA. Secondary outcomes measures included cardiorespiratory fitness (20 m shuttle run), muscular strength (standing long jump), muscular endurance (push up test), and psychosocial outcomes (Perceived Competence Scale, Body Appreciation Scale, Self-Esteem Questionnaire, Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire). Quantitative and qualitative process evaluation data were also collected. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and after the six-week intervention. Results. There was no significant change in habitual PA between groups (LMM group*time interaction: p = 0.767). The HERizon group had significantly increased cardiorespiratory fitness (p = 0.001), muscular endurance (p = 0.022), intrinsic motivation (p = 0.037), and body appreciation (p < 0.003) in comparison to the wait-list control group. All participants in the intervention group completed the intervention and compliance to the intervention was high (participants completed 18 ± 2 sessions). Conclusions. Although no change in PA was observed, HERizon resulted in improved physical fitness and psychosocial outcomes. These preliminary findings, alongside positive findings for feasibility and acceptability, highlight potential benefits from the home-based intervention, thus further investigation is warranted.
Alpha-Tocopherol Metabolites (The Vitamin E Metabolome) and Their Interindividual Variability during Supplementation

The metabolism of α-tocopherol (α-TOH, vitamin E) shows marked interindividual variability, which may influence the response to nutritional and therapeutic interventions with this vitamin. Recently, new metabolomics protocols have fostered the possibility to explore such variability for the different metabolites of α-TOH so far identified in human blood, i.e., the “vitamin E metabolome”, some of which have been reported to promote important biological functions. Such advances prompt the definition of reference values and degree of interindividual variability for these metabolites at different levels of α-TOH intake. To this end, a one-week oral administration protocol with 800 U RRR-α-TOH/day was performed in 17 healthy volunteers, and α-TOH metabolites were measured in plasma before and at the end of the intervention utilizing a recently validated LC-MS/MS procedure; the expression of two target genes of α-TOH with possible a role in the metabolism and function of this vitamin, namely pregnane X receptor (PXR) and the isoform 4F2 of cytochrome P450 (CYP4F2) was assessed by immunoblot in peripheral blood leukocytes. The levels of enzymatic metabolites showed marked interindividual variability that characteristically increased upon supplementation. With the exception of α-CEHC (carboxy-ethyl-hydroxychroman) and the long-chain metabolites M1 and α-13′OH, such variability was found to interfere with the possibility to utilize them as sensitive indicators of α-TOH intake. On the contrary, the free radical-derived metabolite α-tocopheryl quinone significantly correlated with the post-supplementation levels of α-TOH. The supplementation stimulated PXR, but not CYP4F2, expression of leucocytes, and significant correlations were observed between the baseline levels of α-TOH and both the baseline and post-supplementation levels of PXR. These findings provide original analytical and molecular information regarding the human metabolism of α-TOH and its intrinsic variability, which is worth considering in future nutrigenomics and interventions studies.
A combination of infraclavicular and suprascapular nerve blocks for total shoulder arthroplasty: A case series

Shoulder arthroplasty is associated with significant post‐operative pain. Interscalene plexus block is the gold standard for pain management in patients undergoing this surgery, however, alternatives are currently being developed. We hypothesized that a combination of anterior suprascapular nerve block and lateral sagittal infraclavicular block would provide effective post‐operative analgesia. Primary aims for this study were to document numeric rating scale (NRS) pain score and use of oral morphine equivalents (OMEq) during the first 24 hours after surgery. Secondary aim was to determine the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis.