Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Difference in racket head trajectory and muscle activity between the standard volley and the drop volley in tennis

Among tennis coaches and players, the standard volley and drop volley are considered basically similar, but muscles need to be relaxed (deactivation) just at the moment of impact when hitting the drop volley. However, this is not evidence-based. The aim of this study was to clarify racket head trajectory and muscle activity during the drop volley and to compare them with those of the standard volley. We hypothesized that 1) the racket head would move less forward for the drop volley than for the standard volley and 2) the wrist and elbow muscles be relaxed for the drop volley at the time of ball impact. Eleven male college students with sufficient tennis experience volunteered to participate in this study. Wireless EMG sensors recorded activation of the four arm muscles. Each subject performed the standard volley or the drop volley with both a forehand and a backhand from a position near the net. Four high speed video cameras (300 Hz) were set up on the court to measure ball speed and racket head trajectory. Returned ball speed of the drop volley was significantly lower than that of the standard volley (p < 0.05). The racket head moved less forward than in the standard volley, supporting the first hypothesis. Muscle activity of the drop volley, just before and after ball impact for both the forehand and backhand, was lower than that of the standard volley. However, the activity was in the form of a gradual increase as impact time approached, rather than a sudden deactivation (relaxation), which did not support the second hypothesis. For the drop volley, lower muscle activity in the forearm enabled a softer grip and thus allowed a “flip” movement of the racket to diminish the speed of the returned ball.
ECG Signal Classification Based on Fusion of Hybrid CNN and Wavelet Features by D-S Evidence Theory

At present, cardiovascular disease is regarded as one of the dangerous diseases that threaten human life. The morbidity and lethality caused by cardiovascular disease are constantly increasing every year. In this paper, we propose a two-stream style operation to handle the electrocardiogram (ECG) classification: one for time-domain features and another for frequency-domain features. For the time-domain features, convolutional neural networks (CNN) are constructed for feature learning and classification of ECG signals. For the frequency-domain features, support vector regression (SVR) machines are designed to perform the regression prediction on each signal. Finally, the D-S evidence theory is adopted to perform the decision fusion strategy on the time-domain and frequency-domain classification results. We confirm a recognition performance of 99.64% from the experiment result for the D-S evidence theory recognition system upon the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. The analysis of various methods of ECG classification shows that the model delivers superior performance promotion across all these scenarios.
Fit Accuracy of Removable Partial Denture Frameworks Fabricated with CAD/CAM, Rapid Prototyping, and Conventional Techniques: A Systematic Review

Objective Analyzing and comparing the fit and accuracy of removable partial denture (RPDs) frameworks fabricated with CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping methods with conventional techniques. Materials and Methods The present systematic review was carried out according to PRISMA guidelines. The search was carried out on PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane collaboration, Science direct, and Scopus scientific engines using selected MeSH keywords. The articles fulfilling the predefined selection criteria based on the fit and accuracy of removable partial denture (RPD) frameworks constructed from digital workflow (CAD/CAM; rapid prototyping) and conventional techniques were included. Results Nine full-text articles comprising 6 in vitro and 3 in vivo studies were included in this review. The digital RPDs were fabricated in all articles by CAD/CAM selective laser sintering and selective laser melting techniques. The articles that have used CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping technique demonstrated better fit and accuracy as compared to the RPDs fabricated through conventional techniques. The least gaps between the framework and cast (41.677 ± 15.546 μm) were found in RPDs constructed through digital CAD/CAM systems. Conclusion A better accuracy was achieved using CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping techniques. The RPD frameworks fabricated by CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping techniques had clinically acceptable fit, superior precision, and better accuracy than conventionally fabricated RPD frameworks.
Blood small extracellular vesicles derived miRNAs to differentiate pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma from chronic pancreatitis

Abstract Background The differential diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) from chronic pancreatitis (CP) is clinically challenging due to a lack of minimally invasive diagnosis methods. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) derived from small extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the blood have been reported as a promising diagnosis biomarker for various types of cancer. However, blood small EV miRNA signatures and their diagnostic value to differentiate between PDAC and CP remain to be determined. Methods In this study, 107 patients with PDAC or CP were recruited, and 90 patients were finally enrolled for a training cohort (n = 48) and test cohort (n = 42). Small RNA sequencing was used to assess the expression of blood small EV miRNAs in these patients. Results The linear model from the differentially expressed blood small EV miR‐95‐3p divided by miR‐26b‐5p showed an average sensitivity of 84.1% and an average specificity of 96.6% to identify PDAC from CP in the training cohort and the test cohort, respectively. When the model was combined with serum carbohydrate antigen 19‐9 (CA19‐9), the average sensitivity increased to 96.5%, and the average specificity remained at 96.4% of both cohorts, which demonstrated the best performance of all the published biomarkers for distinguishing between PDAC and CP. The causal analysis performed using the Bayesian network demonstrated that miR‐95‐3p was associated with a “consequence” of “cancer” and miR‐26b‐5p as a “cause” of “pancreatitis. ” A subgroup analysis revealed that blood small EV miR‐335‐5p/miR‐340‐5p could predict metastases in both cohorts and was associated with an overall survival (p = 0.020). Conclusions This study indicated that blood small EV miR‐95‐3p/miR‐26b‐5p and its combination with serum levels of CA19‐9 could separate PDAC from CP, and miR‐335‐5p/miR‐340‐5p was identified to associate with PDAC metastasis and poor prognosis. These results suggested the potentiality of blood small EV miRNAs as differential diagnosis and metastases biomarkers of PDAC.
A Rare Case of Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis with Spontaneous Renocolic Fistula and IVC Thrombosis

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGPN) is a rare disorder affecting the kidney which can fistulise to the colon in exceptional cases. We herein report a case of XGPN with renocolic fistula and large vessel thrombosis presenting with sepsis and pulmonary embolism. Preoperative diagnosis and strategic planning resulted in successful management. A 64-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and a septic condition, corroborated by venous thromboembolism. Workup diagnosed a left renal abscess with calicocolic fistula. Scintigraphy confirmed a nonfunctioning left kidney. The patient underwent inferior vena cava filter placement and staged surgery. The first, damage control procedure was a loop ileostomy. Ten days later, when the patient's conditions improved, she underwent left nephrectomy and left colectomy with primary anastomosis. Finally, a year later, the ileostomy was closed. At follow-up, the patient was well, with unremarkable renal function. Scrupulous diagnostics, multidisciplinary decision making, and staged intervention have been key to optimal outcome.
Cut-off points to screening for sarcopenia in community-dwelling older people residents in Brazil

Background At a time when the world’s population is aging, one of the most important challenges for the healthcare field is to control the decline of the musculoskeletal system. This decline consists of a reduction in muscle mass and function, which is called sarcopenia and is associated with adverse health outcomes. Although there has been an increase in the number of publications on sarcopenia and its consequences, the reported prevalence varies widely, since these depend on the characteristics of the population studied, the definitions found in the literature and the cut-off points adopted. In this perspective, the heterogeneity in the classification and the different reference values has a critical impact on the epidemiology of sarcopenia, since neither the procedures, the components and the cut-off points are consistent. Objectives To develop cut-off points for the screening of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older people residents in the northeast of Brazil and compare the prevalences between the values defined by the consensus and the values of the population studied. Methods Community-dwelling older men and women living in three cities in the countryside of Rio Grande do Norte were evaluated. Cutoff points were defined for the variables used to screen for sarcopenia (handgrip strength, SMI, gait speed and SPPB) using the 20th percentile of their population distributions. Results The sample was composed of 1,290 older people (62.5% female and 37.5% male), with an average of 69.5 (± 6.05) years of age. Regarding the cutoff points, the handgrip values were defined as 25.3 kg and 16 kg for men and women, respectively. Considering the SMM adjusted according to their height, the values of 7.88 kg/m2 were adopted for men and 5.52 kg/m2 for women. When adjusting by BMI we obtained 0.73 kg/BMI for men and 0.41 kg/BMI for women. For gait speed it was defined 0.71 m/s for men and 0.63 m/s for women. In the case of SPPB, the result was the same for both genders (≤8). When applying the values found in the studied population, a variation in prevalence was observed for both men and women, depending on the cut-off points and consensus used. Conclusion The cutoff values found in our population were lower than those adopted by international consensus (EWGSOP2, IWGS and FNIH), except for HGS in woman and SMI/m2 for men. Therefore, using specific cutoff points for different populations can provide an accurate assessment of the presence of sarcopenia and better target health prevention strategies for the older people living in the community.
Association between Oral Pathology, Carotid Stenosis, and Oral Bacterial DNA in Cerebral Thrombi of Patients with Stroke

Methods Thrombus aspirates and control arterial blood were taken from 71 patients (70.4% male; mean age, 67.4 years) with acute ischemic stroke. Tooth pathology was registered using CT scans. Carotid stenosis was estimated with CTA and ultrasonography. The presence of bacterial DNA from aspirated thrombi was determined using quantitative PCR. We also analyzed the presence of these bacterial DNAs in carotid endarterectomies from patients with peripheral arterial disease. Results Bacterial DNA was found in 59 (83.1%) of the thrombus aspirates (median, 8.6-fold). Oral streptococcal DNA was found in 56 (78.9%) of the thrombus aspirates (median, 5.1-fold). DNA from A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis was not found. Most patients suffered from poor oral health and had in median 19.0 teeth left. Paradoxically, patients with better oral health had more oral streptococcal DNA in their thrombus than the group with the worst pathology (p = 0.028). There was a trend (OR 7.122; p = 0.083) in the association of ≥50% carotid artery stenosis with more severe dental pathology. Oral streptococcal DNA was detected in 2/6 of carotid endarterectomies. Conclusions Stroke patients had poor oral health which tended to associate with their carotid artery stenosis. Although oral streptococcal DNA was found in thrombus aspirates and carotid endarterectomy samples, the amount of oral streptococcal DNA in thrombus aspirates was the lowest among those with the most severe oral pathology. These results suggest that the association between poor oral health and acute ischemic stroke is linked to carotid artery atherosclerosis.
Utility of ultrasound guided versus conventional fine needle aspiration cytology in diagnosing breast malignancies among patients with palpable breast lumps at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza Tanzania

Introduction breast lump is the commonest presentation for both benign and maligant breast conditions. Both ultrasound guided and conventional fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) have been used for diagnosing of breast malignancy among patients with palpable breast lumps. This study compared diagnostic utility of ultrasound guided versus conventional FNAC in diagnosing breast malignancies among patients with palpable breast lumps at Bugando Medical Centre. Methods this was a hospital based cross sectional study with a follow up component that combined both retrospective data (from January 2017 to June 2018) and prospective data (from July 2018 to June 2019). Results during the study, total of 354 patients (male; female = 1: 32) were enrolled in the study. A total of 134 (37.9%) patients had malignant lesions while 220 (62.1%) of patients had benign lesions confirmed on histology. The diagnostic utility (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy) for conventional FNAC was 86.7%, 95.7%, 93.5%, 91.1% and 92.0% with an 8% error margin versus ultrasound guided FNAC all were 100% with a 0% error margin respectively. Conclusion both ultrasound guided and conventional FNAC show almost perfect agreement with histology. However, ultrasound guided FNAC has a higher diagnostic utility relative to conventional FNAC in diagnosing breast malignancies.
TLR3 Serves as a Prognostic Biomarker and Associates with Immune Infiltration in the Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma Microenvironment

Background Clear cell renal cancer (KIRC) is one of the most common cancers globally, with a poor prognosis. TLRs play a vital role in anticancer immunity and the regulation of the biological progress of tumour cells. However, the precise role of TLRs in KIRC is still ambiguous. Methods Various bioinformatics analysis and clinical validation of tissues were performed to evaluate the prognostic value of TLRs and their correlation with immune infiltration in KIRC. Results The expression of TLR2/3/7/8 was increased at both mRNA and protein levels in KIRC. TLRs in KIRC were involved in the activation of apoptosis, EMT, RAS/MAPK, and RTK pathways, as well as the inhibition of the cell cycle and the hormone AR pathway. Drug sensitivity analysis revealed that high expression of TLR3 and low expression of TLR7/9/10 were resistant to most of the small molecules or drugs from CTRP. Enrichment analyses showed that TLRs were mainly involved in innate immune response, toll-like receptor signalling pathway, NF-kappa B signalling pathway, and TNF signalling pathway. Furthermore, a high-level TLR3 expression was associated with a favourable prognosis in KIRC. Validation research further confirmed that TLR3 expression was increased in KIRC tissues, and high TLR3 levels were associated with poor overall survival. Moreover, TLR3 in KIRC showed a positive association with an abundance of immune cells, including B-cells, CD4+ T-cells, CD8+ T-cells, macrophage, neutrophils, and dendritic cells, and the expression of the immune biomarker sets. Several TLR3-associated kinase, miRNA, or transcription factor targets were also identified in KIRC. Conclusion Our results indicate that TLR3 serves as a prognostic biomarker and associated with immune infiltration in KIRC. This work lays a foundation for further studies on the role of TLR3 in the carcinogenesis and progression of KIRC.
Classification and Treatment Strategies of Concomitant Fibular Column Injuries in Tibial Plateau Fractures

Background About 1/3 of tibial plateau fractures are associated with proximal fibula fractures, but most proximal fibula fractures are often ignored. The aim of this study was to precisely explain the classification and treatment strategies of six injury types of the fibular column associated with tibial plateau fractures. Methods Patients with ipsilateral proximal fibula and tibial plateau fractures treated in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed from Aug 2007 to Mar 2020. Two experienced surgeons and two radiologists divided fibular column injury into 6 injury types according to the AO classification and four-column nine-segment classification. The treatment scheme (surgically treated or conservatively treated) was also recorded. Results In total, 355 proximal fibula fractures were included. Type 2 fibular head fracture was the most common type of injury in 122, and the segregate of superior tibiofibular syndesmosis was the rarest type in 3. In avulsion injury proximal of fibular pattern, the proportion of patients who need surgical intervention is the highest. Conclusions Six injury types in the four-column nine-segment classification covered all types of bony and soft tissue injuries of the fibular column and concisely explained the injury mechanism. The classification is helpful for the precise judgement and decision-making of the concomitant fibular column injuries in tibial plateau fractures.
A Genotype–Phenotype Analysis of the Bardet–Biedl Syndrome in Puerto Rico

Background Bardet–Biedl syndrome is a complex heterogeneous ciliopathy caused by genetic mutations. Although establishing genotype–phenotype correlations has been challenging, some regional variations have been previously reported. Due to its relative geographic isolation, Puerto Rico has a greater prevalence of Bardet–Biedl syndrome than do other regions. We sought to characterize the most frequent genotypic variations in a local cohort of Bardet–Biedl syndrome patients and report any genotypic–phenotypic trends. Methods Twenty-seven patients from an ophthalmology clinic in Puerto Rico with genetically confirmed Bardet–Biedl syndrome took a questionnaire inquiring about their most common symptoms. Ophthalmological information was obtained from patient records. The frequencies of the genotypic variations and symptoms were calculated. Results In the study population, BBS1 was the most prevalent mutated gene, followed by BBS7. In the BBS1 group, we found homozygotes for c.1169T>G (p.Met390Arg) and c.1645G>T (p.Glu549*), and compound heterozygotes for c.1169T>G (p.Met390Arg) and c.1645G>T (p.Glu549*), with one patient having c.1645G>T (p.Glu549*) and c.432+1G>A (splice donor). All the BBS7 patients were homozygous for c.632C>T (p.Thr211Ile). Compared to BBS7, we found that BBS1 patients generally had a milder ocular and systemic phenotype. However, when analyzing different BBS1 variants, patients with mutations in c.1645G>T (p.Glu549*), both compound heterozygous and homozygous, had more severe systemic phenotypes, overall. Conclusion Our study was the first detailed genotype–phenotype analysis of the Bardet–Biedl syndrome in Puerto Rico. Genetic mutations in BBS1 and BBS7 seem to be the most common culprits behind Bardet–Biedl syndrome in this population. Although patients diagnosed with BBS1 are likely to display milder systemic features, this was not the case with our BBS1 patients having the c.1645G>T (p.Glu549*) mutation. Further studies should focus on the c.1645G>T (p.Glu549*) mutation’s impact on the BBS1 gene and protein product.
Explore the Value of Adding Induction Chemotherapy to Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in T3-4N0M0 Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients: A Retrospective Study

Purpose Patients with T3-4N0M0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) are a unique subgroup of locoregional advanced NPC, which generally have a better prognosis than others and are often excluded in most randomized controlled clinical trials focusing on locoregional advanced NPC. The management of this population is still controversial. This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of T3-4N0M0 NPC patients treated with sequential induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (IC+CCRT) or chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) alone. Patients and Methods We included 362 patients diagnosed with T3-4N0M0 NPC from two hospitals between December 2005 and December 2014. All patients were received IC + CCRT (n=146) or CCRT (n=216). Locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were retrospectively estimated. Results The median follow-up was 95 (range: 11–168) months. Univariable analyses have shown that 5-year LRFFS, DFS and OS in the IC+CCRT group and the CCRT group were 87.4% vs 93.4% (P = 0.035), 80.4% vs 87.0% (P = 0.047) and 86.3% vs 93.0% (P = 0.040). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that only the T stage was the independent prognostic factor for LRFFS, DFS, and OS in the entire group analysis. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with T3 tumors who received IC+CCRT had significantly lower LRFFS, DFS, and OS than those treated with CCRT. For T4 patients, the outcomes had no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion This retrospective study showed that T3N0M0 patients who received CCRT had better prognosis than those treated with IC+CCRT. In terms of T4N0M0 disease, treatment outcomes are similar in both treatment groups. However, these results require further confirmation of large sample size, prospectively, randomized controlled trials.
Meat quality in pigs fed mixtures with low-tannin faba bean

Meat quality in pigs fed mixtures with low-tannin faba bean. The aim of the study was to evaluate slaughter values of carcasses and meat (Musculus longissimus lumborum, Musculus semimembranosus) quality in pigs fed mixtures with faba beans. Research included 48 fatteners, which were divided into three feeding groups. Pigs in group I were fed mixtures in which extracted soybean meal was used as the only highprotein raw material, whereas animals in groups II and III were fed mixtures with 5/10% or 10/20% of low-tannin faba bean in grower/finisher mixtures respectively. It was proved, that introduction of faba bean into mixtures increased of meatiness and loin “eye” area and decreased of carcass fatness. The significant increase in the share of the most valuable exogenous fatty acids (C18:2n-6, C18:3n-3) in muscles of animals from groups II and III were found. Musculus longissimus lumborum in pigs fed mixtures with faba beans were characterized by significantly better water holding capacity WHC (P ≤0.01).