Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gene expression and prognosis of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein family members in non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases are classified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Currently, there is no standard method to predict the survival of patients with NSCLC. Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) function as modulators of IGF signaling and are attracting increasing attention for their role in NSCLC. However, the prognostic values of individual IGFBPs in NSCLC, particularly at the mRNA level, remain unknown. In the present study, the distinct expression patterns and prognostic values of IGFBP family members in patients with NSCLC through bioinformatics analysis were reported using a series of databases, including Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, cBioPortal, GeneMANIA, and the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. In patients with NSCLC, IGFBP2 and IGFBP3 were significantly upregulated, while IGFBP6 was downregulated. High IGFBP1/2/4 expression was correlated with poor overall survival (OS) in all NSCLC types, especially adenocarcinoma; however, high IGFBP2/5 expression was significantly correlated with favorable OS only in patients with squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, aberrant IGFBP1/2/3/4/5 mRNA levels were associated with the prognosis of subsets of NSCLC with different clinicopathological features. These results indicated that various IGFBPs can serve as useful prognostic biomarkers and as potential targets for NSCLC therapies.
Clinical Significance and Cut-Off Scores for the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale in Chronic Insomnia Disorder: A Replication in a Clinical Sample

ABSTRACT Background: In contrast to pre-sleep cognitive arousal, self-reported pre-sleep somatic arousal is a rather elusive construct for which little validity has been provided. Thus, the clinical significance of somatic symptoms during the pre-sleep period remains unknown. Participants: 248 patients (45.0 ± 16.7 years old, 65.3% female) with a diagnosis of chronic insomnia disorder, out of 388 consecutive patients evaluated at the Behavioral Sleep Medicine (BSM) program of Penn State Hershey Sleep Research & Treatment Center. Methods: Participants completed the Pre-sleep Arousal Scale assessing cognitive (PSAS-C) and somatic (PSAS-S) arousal as well as the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test (FIRST), Arousal Predisposition Scale (APS), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). Multivariable stepwise regression assessed which clinical factors were independently associated with greater PSAS-C and PSAS-S scores. Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined the predictive value for identifying sleep reactivity (FIRST≥18) and clinical anxiety (DASS-A ≥ 10) and clinically useful cutoff scores. Results: The strongest correlates of PSAS-S were DASS-A (β = 0.64) and chronic pain (β = 0.11), while those of PSAS-C were FIRST (β = 0.29) and a history of stroke (β = 0.10). A PSAS-S score of 14.8 (AUC = 0.87, 95%CI = 0.83–0.91) and a PSAS-C score of 24.5 (AUC = 0.82, 95%CI = 0.76–0.88) showed the best balance in specificity and sensitivity to identify clinical anxiety and sleep reactivity, respectively. Conclusions: Self-reported pre-sleep somatic symptoms are a marker of comorbid anxiety and, potentially chronic pain, impacting nighttime sleep. The optimal cutoff scores of 14 and 20 proposed herein can help clinicians with case formulation, with tailoring BSM treatments and their targets.
Androgens augment pulmonary responses to ozone in mice

Ozone causes airway hyperresponsiveness, a defining feature of asthma, and is an asthma trigger. In mice, ozone‐induced airway hyperresponsiveness is greater in males than in females, suggesting a role for sex hormones in the response to ozone. To examine the role of androgens in these sex differences, we castrated 4‐week‐old mice. Controls underwent sham surgery. At 8 weeks of age, mice were exposed to ozone (2ppm, 3 h) or room air. Twenty‐four hours later, mice were anesthetized and measurements of airway responsiveness to inhaled aerosolized methacholine were made. Mice were then euthanized and bronchoalveolar lavage was performed. Castration attenuated ozone‐induced airway hyperresponsiveness and reduced bronchoalveolar lavage cells. In intact males, flutamide, an androgen receptor inhibitor, had similar effects to castration. Bronchoalveolar lavage concentrations of several cytokines were reduced by either castration or flutamide treatment, but only IL‐1α was reduced by both castration and flutamide. Furthermore, an anti‐IL‐1α antibody reduced bronchoalveolar lavage neutrophils in intact males, although it did not alter ozone‐induced airway hyperresponsiveness. Our data indicate that androgens augment pulmonary responses to ozone and that IL‐1α may contribute to the effects of androgens on ozone‐induced cellular inflammation but not airway hyperresponsiveness.
Elevated Cardiac Troponin in Clinical Scenarios Beyond Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease

In this systematic review article, we aim to summarize the most up-to-date evidence regarding elevations of cardiac troponin, especially in clinical scenarios other than obstructive coronary artery disease. The accurate interpretation of raised cardiac troponin is challenging because it relies on unconfirmed postulations and dogmatic knowledge (e.g., the exclusive provenience of cardiac troponin from cardiac myocytes), based on which every troponin elevation is assumed to definitely indicate myocardial damage. Indeed, the investigation of the pathophysiologic mechanism leading to the release in the bloodstream of cardiac biomarkers should be the first step of the diagnostic process to fully understand the clinical significance of the elevated serum levels and identify the best management. A prominent effort should be put in place to identify the contribution of potential confounding factors, both cardiac and non-cardiac in etiology, with the ability to affect synthesis and clearance of cardiac biomarkers. Regardless of the underlying cause, it is well established that cardiovascular biomarkers are increasingly useful to further risk stratification and prognosticate patients. Accordingly, we sought to clarify the meaning and impact of elevated cardiac troponin in those frequently encountered real-world scenarios presenting clinicians with a diagnostic dilemma, with the final goal of facilitating the diagnosis and help optimize individually tailored treatment strategies.
Comparison of Temporalis Fascia and Transcanal Composite Chondroperichondrial Tympanoplasty Techniques

The purpose of this study was to compare the success rates and hearing outcomes of transcanal composite chondroperichondrial cartilage graft with that of underlay temporal muscle fascia (TMF) graft for myringoplasty. In this retrospective study, the medical records of patients who underwent type 1 myringoplasty between September 2015 and February 2018 at Otorhinolaryngology Department of Erzurum Ataturk University were reviewed. Demographic properties, preoperative otological findings, preoperative pure ton audiogram findings, postoperative pure ton audiogram findings, and duration of surgeries were reviewed from medical records. The patients with lack of one or more of these information at medical records or lost to at least 3 months of follow-up were excluded from the study. According to the graft material used in the operation, the patients were divided into 2 groups. The patients operated with cartilage graft by transcanal composite chondropericondrial cartilage graft myringoplasty (TCM) technique was regarded as first group, while patients operated with temporal fascia was regarded as the second group (TMF). Both groups were compared according to preoperative and postoperative air–bone gap (ABG), graft acceptance rate, and duration of operation using SPSS version 20.0 software. A total of 113 patients whose medical records met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Of these, 59 underwent TCM and 54 underwent TMF myringoplasty. Tympanic membrane perforation closure success rate was higher in the cartilage group (94.9%) than in the fascia group (83.3%; P = .046). In the former, preoperative and postoperative ABG was 19.5 ± 5 and 10.8 ± 4.8 dB, respectively. In the latter, the corresponding values were 20.7 ± 5.4 and 11.5 ± 5.4 dB, respectively (P < .05). Duration of surgery was 29.5 ± 3.4 minutes in the TCM group and 61.5 ± 6.0 minutes in the TMF group (P < .05). Transcanal cartilage myringoplasty could be considered as an appropriate surgical option because of its simplicity, shorter operation time, and rapid patient recovery, with no significant difference in terms of hearing outcomes compared to temporal fascia.
A Protocol to Deliver Intensive Behavioral Therapy (IBT) for Obesity in Primary Care Settings: The MODEL‐IBT Program

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated coverage of intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) for obesity in 2011, providing beneficiaries 14 to 15 brief, individual counseling visits in 6 months. CMS offered general recommendations for delivering IBT but did not provide an evidence‐based treatment protocol, which was the objective of the present research.
Scaling up effective treatment of hypertension—A pathfinder for universal health coverage

High blood pressure is the world’s leading cause of death, but despite treatment for hypertension being safe, effective, and low cost, most people with hypertension worldwide do not have it controlled. This article summarizes lessons learned in the first 2 years of the Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) hypertension management program, operated in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners. Better diagnosis, treatment, and continuity of care are all needed to improve control rates, and five necessary components have been recommended by RTSL, WHO and other partners as being essential for a successful hypertension control program. Several hurdles to hypertension control have been identified, with most related to limitations in the health care system rather than to patient behavior. Treatment according to standardized protocols should be started as soon as hypertension is diagnosed, and medical practices and health systems must closely monitor patient progress and system performance. Improvement in hypertension management and control, along with elimination of artificial trans fat and reduction of dietary sodium consumption, will improve many aspects of primary care, contribute to goals for universal health coverage, and could save 100 million lives worldwide over the next 30 years.
Development of Buccal Patches for Delivery of Darifenacin from Beta-Cyclodextrin Complexes

Drug-cyclodextrin complexes improve aqueous solubility and dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs. Solubilisation followed by buccal delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs can be advantageous for increasing drug absorption. Darifenacin is an antispasmodic used against urinary incontinence and specifically blocks M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in smooth muscle. M3 receptors are mainly located in exocrine glands, smooth muscle and vascular endothelium. The oral absorption of darifenacin is poor owing to its low solubility. It also has poor bioavailability (15-19%) due to a high rate of first-pass metabolism. Complexation with beta-cyclodextrin was carried out to enhance solubility. The best results were obtained by co-grinding in a 1:1 molar ratio of drug: β-cyclodextrin. The solid inclusion complexes were characterized by DSC, X-ray diffractometry and FTIR. Inclusion complexes showed higher dissolution rates than the pure drug. Controlledrelease mucoadhesive patches were prepared with two hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) polymers, K100M CR and K15. The patches were assessed for surface pH, folding endurance, swelling, mucoadhesive properties, in-vitro residence time, vapor transmission test and in-vitro (cellophane, egg membrane) and exvivo (goat buccal mucosa) release. Formulations Ha2 (2%) HPMC K100M CR and Pa4 (4%) HPMC K15 showed good mucoadhesive strength, in-vitro and exvivo residence times, with controlled release for 10 hours. Keywords: Darifenacin. Cyclodextrin. Complexation. Buccal. Patch.
The presence of a social stimulus reduces cocaine-seeking in a place preference conditioning paradigm

Background: One challenge in the treatment of substance use disorders is to re-engage the interest toward non-drug-related activities. Among these activities, social interaction has had a prominent role due to its positive influence on treatment outcome. Aims and methods: Our aim was to study whether the presence of a social stimulus during the cocaine-induced conditioned place preference test was able to reduce the time spent in the drug-paired compartment. For that purpose, mice were trained for four days on a conditioned place preference task with one compartment paired with cocaine and the opposite with saline. On the test day, we introduced an unfamiliar juvenile male mouse into the saline-conditioned compartment (inside a pencil cup) to analyse the animal preference towards the two rewarding stimuli (cocaine vs mouse). Additionally, to discard the possible effect of novelty, as well as the housing condition (social isolation) on social preference, we decided to include a novel object during the test session, as well as perform the same conditioned place preference protocol with a group of animals in social housing conditions. Results: The social stimulus was able to reduce the preference for cocaine and enhance the active interaction with the juvenile mouse (sniffing) compared to the empty pencil cup paired with the drug. The introduction of a novel object during the test session did not reduce the preference for the cocaine-paired compartment, and interestingly, the preference for the social stimulus was independent of the housing condition. c-Fos immunohistochemistry revealed a different pattern of activation based on cocaine-paired conditioning or the presence of social stimulus. Conclusions: These results suggest that social interaction could constitute a valuable component in the treatment of substance use disorders by reducing the salience of the drug.
Erdafitinib for the treatment of urothelial cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction: Fibroblast growth-factor receptor (FGFR) inhibition is a promising strategy of treatment in urothelial cancer (UC). FGFR3 mutations or fusions (mut/fus) are common in luminal-1 UC subtype, which exhibits poor responses to immunotherapy. Erdafitinib is a potent and selective pan-FGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Based on the results of the phase 2 BLC2001 trial (NCT02365597), in which erdafitinib showed an overall response rate of 40% in metastatic UC with FGFR3 mut/fus, it is the first approved targeted therapy in metastatic UC. Areas covered: This review covers the preclinical and clinical evidence for erdafitinib, summarizes the results of other FGFR inhibitors tested in UC and explores future perspectives of FGFR inhibition in UC. Expert opinion: In the era of precision medicine, erdafitinib approval marks a step forward in UC. Erdafitinib qualifies as a compelling comparator in the salvage therapy setting. Special attention must be paid to typical adverse class-effects of FGFR inhibitors. In the near future, in order to achieve an optimal selection of molecularly-altered tumors, it will be important to assess the performance of different diagnostic tools and to investigate the role of liquid biopsy. Combinations with immunotherapy represent a novel therapeutic opportunity being tested in ongoing trials.
lncRNA-u50535 promotes the progression of lung cancer by activating CCL20/ERK signaling

The ligand/receptor pair C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20)/C-C motif chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) is considered to be highly activated in lung cancer and significantly accelerates lung cancer progression through activation of ERK signaling. In addition, it has been shown that long non-coding RNA-u50535 (lncRNA-u50535) upregulates CCL20 expression and facilitates cancer progression in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the effects of lncRNA-u50535 in lung cancer progression and whether lncRNA-u50535 regulates CCL20/CCR6/ERK signaling in lung cancer remain ill-defined. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of lncRNA-u50535 on CCL20/CCR6/ERK signaling in lung cancer progression. The results demonstrated that lncRNA-u50535 expression was upregulated in lung cancer tissues and cell lines compared with normal tissues and cells. Knockdown of lncRNA-u50535 decreased lung cancer cell proliferation and migration, induced G0/G1 phase arrest and promoted cell apoptosis. Western blot and luciferase reporter gene assays demonstrated that lncRNA-u50535 overexpression increased the translation and transcription of CCL20. In addition, knockdown of lncRNA-u50535 decreased CCL20, CCR6 and p-ERK levels. The effects of lncRNA-u50535 on cell proliferation and cell apoptosis were weakened when CCL20 was silenced. Overall, the present study demonstrated that lncRNA-u50535 may function as an oncogene in lung cancer progression by regulating CCL20/ERK signaling.
Emissions of volatile organic compounds from polymer-based consumer products: comparison of three emission chamber sizes.

The ISO 16000 standard series provide guidelines for emission measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from building materials. However, polymer-based consumer products such as toys may also release harmful substances into indoor air. In such cases, the existing standard procedures are unsuitable for official control laboratories due to high costs for large emission testing chambers. This paper aims at developing and comparing alternative and more competitive methods for the emission testing of consumer products. The influence of the emission chamber size was investigated as smaller chambers are more suited to the common size of consumer products and may help to reduce the costs of testing. Comparison of the performance of a 203 l emission test chamber with two smaller chambers with the capacity of 24 l and 44 ml, respectively, was carried out by using a polyurethane reference material spiked with 14 VOCs during the course of 28 days. The area-specific emission rates obtained in the small chambers were always similar to those of the 203 l reference chamber after a few hours. This implies that smaller chambers can provide at least useful numbers on the extent of polymer-based consumer product emissions into indoor air, thereby supporting meaningful exposure assessments.
The Relationship Between Adult Attachment and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors: A Systematic Review

We aimed to (1) determine the extent of the relationship between attachment and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB), (2) investigate whether any gender differences exist, and (3) conduct a theoretical synthesis of the included studies. A systematic search of the databases Web of Science; EBSCO Host Medical and Psychology-related resources, which includes CINAHL, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and PsycINFO; and EMBASE was conducted, with 52 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. While secure attachment acts as protective factor, insecure attachment orientations appear to be vulnerability factors compromising an individual’s capacity to cope with relationship issues, increasing suicide risk. There is insufficient evidence about gender differences. The theoretical synthesis suggests that attachment, interacting with other psychological traits in response to negative life events, acts as a vulnerability or protective factor for STB. Implications for treatment are also discussed.
Tailoring Nanoporous Structure in Bi2Te3 Thin Film for Improved Thermoelectric Performance.

Thin film thermoelectrics (TEs) with unique advantages have triggered great interest in thermal management and energy harvesting technology for ambient temperature microscale system. Although they have exhibited a good prospect, the unsatisfactory performances still seriously hamper their widespread application. Tailoring porous structure has been demonstrated to be a facile strategy to significantly reduce thermal conductivity and enhance the figure of merit (ZT) of bulk TE materials, however, which is yet challenging for thin film TEs. Here, the nanoporous Bi2Te3 thin films with faceted pore shape and various porosity, pore size and pore interval are carefully designed and fabricated by evacuating over-stoichiometry Te. The dependence of the carrier mobility and lattice thermal conductivity on the pore characters are deliberately investigated. In the case of the pore interval longer than the electron mean free path, the porous structure greatly reduces the lattice thermal conductivity without affecting the electrical conductivity obviously. Phonon specular backscattering that highly related to the pore characters is suggested to be mainly responsible for the thermal conductivity reduction, resulting in ~60% enhancement in ZT at room temperature, i.e. from ~0.42 for the dense film to ~0.67 for the nanoporous film. The enhanced ZT value is comparable to that of commercial bulk TEs and can be further improved by optimizing the carrier concentrations. This work provides a general approach to fabricate high-performance chalcogenide TE thin film materials.
HER2 assessment by bright‐field dual in situ hybridization in cell blocks of recurrent and metastatic breast carcinoma

Breast cancer recurrences or metastases often are diagnosed using cytology material. Cell blocks (CBs) with adequate cellularity are crucial for the determination of accurate hormonal and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status and to guide treatment. In the current study, the authors evaluated the concordance of HER2 status between bright‐field dual in situ hybridization (DISH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) performed on formalin‐fixed CBs of recurrent and metastatic breast cancers.
Incident command post exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and particulate matter during a wildfire

Abstract Wildland firefighters engaged in fire suppression activities are often exposed to hazardous air pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and particulate matter (PM2.5) during wildfires with no respiratory protection. Although the most significant exposures to smoke likely occur on the fireline, wildland firefighters may also be exposed at the incident command post (ICP), an area designated for wildfire suppression support operations. Our objective was to characterize exposures of PAHs and PM2.5 near an ICP during a wildfire event in California. We collected area air samples for PAHs and PM2.5, during the first 12 days of a wildfire event. PAH area air samples were actively collected in 12-hr shifts (day and night) using XAD4-coated quartz fiber filters and XAD2 sorbent tubes and analyzed for 17 individual PAHs. Hourly area PM2.5 concentrations were measured with an Environmental Beta Attenuation Monitor. Most PAH concentrations generally had similar concentrations during the day and night. PM2.5 concentrations were higher during the day, due to increased fire activity, than at night. The highest concentrations of the 17 PAHs measured were for naphthalene, phenanthrene, and retene. The location of an ICP may be a critical factor in reducing these potential exposures to firefighters during wildfire events. Additionally, exposures could be reduced by utilizing clean air tents or sleeping trailers with HEPA filtration or setting up smaller camps in less smokey areas closer to the fireline for firefighters. Although measured exposures to PAHs for firefighters from smoke are lower at an ICP, these exposures still contribute to the overall cumulative work exposures.