Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Safety and Efficacy of Maxitrol in Pediatric Age Group Below Two Years With Adenoid Hypertrophy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction Adenoid hypertrophy, a common condition in children, represents one of the common indications for surgery in pediatrics. Medical treatment alone is not effective, and most of the time patients are managed by surgical removal of the adenoid. The aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of intranasal Maxitrol® drops (Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Basel, Switzerland) in pediatric patients with adenoid hypertrophy aged less than two years and to document any side effects during its use. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital (KASCH). We reviewed the charts of 86 pediatric patients aged less than two years who were diagnosed with adenoid hypertrophy between 2015 and 2018. Patients were grouped according to the type of intervention (use of Maxitrol®, and no use). The follow-up time was up to one year. Results Out of 86 patients, 55 (63.9%) patients had adenoid hypertrophy alone and 31 (36.1%) had adenoid hypertrophy plus another disease. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea symptoms (p=0.026) and grade of adenoid (p=0.040) showed a significant relationship with surgery booking after one year. The probability of booking for surgery for those who used Maxitrol® was 1.394 times higher than for those who were not using it (odds ratio [OR]=1.394; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.549-3.537). Suppression of growth and eye complications were not reported in any of our patients. Conclusion In this small sample, the use of Maxitrol® in the pediatric age group below two years with adenoid hypertrophy was safe and effective in relieving nasal symptoms; however, eventually, surgery was needed in most of our patients. Suppression of growth and eye complications were not reported in any of our patients during the follow-up time.
Current Opinion on the use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants for the Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism among Medical Inpatients

Abstract Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a known cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among acutely ill medical patients. Although VTE prophylaxis is part of post-discharge clinical care in surgical patients, there is controversy regarding its use in acutely ill medical patients and the current guideline statements suggest against its routine use. Recent clinical trials (APEX, MAGELLAN and MARINER) compared the safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants (including betrixaban and rivaroxaban) with the standard of the care, enoxaparin, to identify the risk–benefit tradeoff. In this review, we summarized the key findings from these trials and substudies and recent updates in society guidelines regarding VTE prevention. In addition, we discussed the potential barriers, cost-effectiveness, and COVID-19 with respect to the implementation of extended-duration or post-discharge usage of direct oral anticoagulants.
Analysis of Chemisorbed Tribo-Film for Ceramic-on-Ceramic Hip Joint Prostheses by Raman Spectroscopy

To understand the possible lubricant mechanism in ceramic-on-ceramic hip joint prostheses, biochemical reactions of the synovial fluid and the corresponding frictional coefficients were studied. The experiments were performed in a hip joint simulator using the ball-on-cup configuration with balls and cups made from two types of ceramics, BIOLOX®forte and BIOLOX®delta. Different lubricants, namely albumin, γ-globulin, hyaluronic acid and three model synovial fluids, were studied in the experiments and Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the biochemical responses of these lubricants at the interface. BIOLOX®delta surface was found less reactive to proteins and model fluid lubricants. In contrast, BIOLOX®forte ball surface has shown chemisorption with both proteins, hyaluronic acid and model fluids imitating total joint replacement and osteoarthritic joint. There was no direct correlation between the measured frictional coefficient and the observed chemical reactions. In summary, the study reveals chemistry of lubricant film formation on ceramic hip implant surfaces with various model synovial fluids and their components.
Upper Lumbar Intradural Disc Herniation: A Rare Case Report and Etiologic Analysis

Background Intradural disc herniation (IDH) is a rare type of disc degeneration that infrequently affects the upper lumbar spine. Pre- and intraoperative diagnosis and surgical management of IDH are challenging. The present case study provides insight into these aspects of upper lumbar IDH and discusses possible mechanisms. Case Description A 63-year-old female with a history of chronic lower back and leg pain presented with an acute lumbar sprain that had occurred 1 month prior. The pain progressed and spread to the front of the left thigh, which affected her ability to lift her leg when ascending/descending stairs. Sagittal gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a disc protruding into the ventral dural sac showing a hawk-beak sign, and the posterior edge of the disc annulus and local posterior longitudinal ligament was broken. Total L2 laminectomy was performed, and the dorsal side of the dural sac was exposed and incised to enable exploration of the ventral side of the dura. We found two free fragments protruding into the inner wall of the dura through the left ventral dura mater defect. After carefully and completely removing the mass, we repaired the defect and performed internal fixation. Postoperative pathologic analysis confirmed that the mass was nucleus pulposus tissue from the degenerated disc. The patient’s pain significantly improved after surgery, and she was able to walk normally at the 1-month follow-up. Conclusion Upper lumbar IDH is an extremely rare type of disc degeneration. An enhanced MRI scan can provide diagnostic evidence, but the final diagnosis requires surgical exploration of the path of herniation and pathologic examination of the mass lesion.
Global Disaster Risk Matters

This article examines the cross-country asset pricing implications of disaster risk concerns. We construct a new disaster risk index, relying on six news-implied rare disaster proxies of Manela and Moreira (2017) , and show that this index is a powerful predictor for stock returns and other asset returns in international markets both in and out of sample. By further disentangling a global common component from our rare disaster index, we find evidence supporting theories that emphasize globally shared disaster risk as the important driving force of asset price fluctuations. Moreover, we conduct a return decomposition analysis and find that the global disaster risk drives stock returns primarily through the discount rate channel. This paper was accepted by Karl Diether, finance.
As(III) and As(V) Adsorption by Hydrous Zirconium Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized by a Hydrothermal Process Followed with Heat Treatment

Hydrous zirconium oxide (ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O) were synthesized by a low-cost hydrothermal process followed with heat treatment. ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O nanoparticles ranged from 6 nm to 10 nm and formed highly porous aggregates, resulting in a large surface area of 161.8 m(2) g(-1). The batch tests on the laboratory water samples demonstrated a very high degree of As(III) and As(V) removal by ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O nanoparticles. The adsorption mechanism study demonstrated that both arsenic species form inner-sphere surface complexes on the surface of ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O nanoparticles. Higher arsenic removal effect of these ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O nanoparticles were demonstrated, compared with commercially available Al(2)O(3) and TiO(2) nanoparticles. Ionic strength and competing ion effects on the arsenic adsorption of these ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O nanopartides were also studied. Testing with natural lake water confirmed the effectiveness of ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O nanopartides in removing arsenic species from natural water, and the immobilization of ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O nanoparticles on glass fiber cloth minimized the dispersion of nanoparticles into the treated body of water. The high adsorption capacity of ZrO(2)center dot xH(2)O nanoparticles is shown to result from the strong inner-sphere surface complexing promoted by the high surface area, large pore volume, and surface hydroxyl groups of zirconium oxide nanoparticles.
The Application of Differential Thermal Analysis to the Study of Reaction Kinetics

反応速度論的研究に示差熱解析を用いるKissingerの方法を100atmにおげる芳香族化合物の液桐接触水添反応に応用した。 昇温速度φを1.08～2.80℃/minで変化させ, 示差温度が最高になる点の試料室の凪度を棚定して, ベンゼンおよびジフェニルニーチルの水添反応に対する種々の速度論的矧鎮がDTAデータから褐られた。 ベンゼンに対して, 回分式等温実験およびDTAより得られた結果はそれぞれE=18.3, 20.0kcal/mol; lnA=18.6, 21.9; n=1.0, 1. 1であった。
Study on surface-enhanced fluorescence of gold nanorods coated with polyelectrolyte multilayers

Polyelectrolyte multilayer formed through electrostatic attraction was assembled on gold nanorods.Gold nanorods without polymer layer quenched the fluorescence of fluorescein,and its quenching yield was 91.5%. Gold nanorods with polyelectrolyte layers enhanced the fluorescence of fluorescein.The corrected enhancement factor reached 102.
Seasonal Disease in the United States Has the Hallmarks of an Entrained Circannual Clock

Infectious human diseases are often characterized by seasonal variation in incidence which produces recurring annual peaks with precise timing. Changing weather conditions such as temperature and humidity are known to affect virus transmission, but we consider the possibility that an intrinsic rhythm in susceptibility, entrained to annual cues, also contributes to seasonality. These two mechanisms produce different predictions about how the timing and amplitude of seasonal disease depend on environmental forcing. Using databases of health insurance claims and weather across U.S. counties, we find that the timing of winter-peaking diseases, but not their amplitude, scales with latitude. This latitude scaling is shared across many diagnosis codes involving multiple pathogens. Regression against simple models suggests an underlying limit cycle that, in temperate zones, is entrained to annual changes in irradiance, possibly a human circannual clock.
Decoding LncRNAs

Simple Summary Advances in RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) have led to the identification of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Molecular studies on these molecules have shown that lncRNAs act as important regulators of gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level, in both physiological and pathological conditions, yet cell functions of many of identified lncRNAs remain unknown. Here we summarize the achievements on lncRNAs studies including identification of lncRNA interactomes, structural studies and creating reporters for lncRNA activity. We also collect recent data on the involvement of lncRNAs in diseases, the clinical applications of these molecules and discuss major problems remaining the area of lncRNAs pointing future challenges. Abstract Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been considered as unimportant additions to the transcriptome. Yet, in light of numerous studies, it has become clear that ncRNAs play important roles in development, health and disease. Long-ignored, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), ncRNAs made of more than 200 nucleotides have gained attention due to their involvement as drivers or suppressors of a myriad of tumours. The detailed understanding of some of their functions, structures and interactomes has been the result of interdisciplinary efforts, as in many cases, new methods need to be created or adapted to characterise these molecules. Unlike most reviews on lncRNAs, we summarize the achievements on lncRNA studies by taking into consideration the approaches for identification of lncRNA functions, interactomes, and structural arrangements. We also provide information about the recent data on the involvement of lncRNAs in diseases and present applications of these molecules, especially in medicine.
In Vitro Assessment of the Drug–Drug Interaction Potential of Verinurad and Its Metabolites as Substrates and Inhibitors of Metabolizing Enzymes and Drug Transporters

Verinurad is a selective uric acid transporter 1 (URAT1) inhibitor in development for the treatment of chronic kidney disease and heart failure. In humans, two major acyl glucuronide metabolites have been identified: direct glucuronide M1 and N-oxide glucuronide M8. Using in vitro systems recommended by regulatory agencies, we evaluated the interactions of verinurad, M1, and M8 with major drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters and the potential for clinically relevant drug–drug interactions (DDIs). The IC50 for inhibition of CYP2C8, CYP2C9, and CYP3A4/5 for verinurad was ≥14.5 µM, and maximum free plasma concentration (Iu,max)/IC50 was <0.02 at the anticipated therapeutic Cmax and therefore not considered a DDI risk. Verinurad was not an inducer of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, or CYP3A4/5. Verinurad was identified as a substrate of the hepatic uptake transporter organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP) 1B3. Since verinurad hepatic uptake involved both active and passive transport, there is a low risk of clinically relevant DDIs with OATP, and further study is warranted. Verinurad was a substrate of the efflux transporters P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), and renal transporter organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), although it is not considered a DDI risk in vivo because of dose-proportional pharmacokinetics (P-gp and BCRP) and limited renal excretion of verinurad (OAT1). M1 and M8 were substrates of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) 2 and MRP4 and inhibitors of MRP2. Apart from verinurad being a substrate of OATP1B3 in vitro, the potential for clinically relevant DDIs involving verinurad and its metabolites as victims or perpetrators of metabolizing enzymes or drug transporters is considered low. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Drug transporters and metabolizing enzymes have an important role in the absorption and disposition of a drug and its metabolites. Using in vitro systems recommended by regulatory agencies, we determined that, apart from verinurad being a substrate of organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B3, the potential for clinically relevant drug–drug interactions involving verinurad and its metabolites M1 and M8 as victims or perpetrators of metabolizing enzymes or drug transporters is considered low.
Effects of Whole-Body Vibration and Balance Training on Female Athletes with Chronic Ankle Instability

We explored the effects of 6-week whole-body vibration (WBV) and balance training programs on female athletes with chronic ankle instability (CAI). This randomized controlled study involved female athletes with dominant-leg CAI. The participants were randomly divided into three groups: WBV training (Group A), balance training (Group B), and nontraining (control group; Group C). Groups A and B performed three exercise movements (double-leg stance, one-legged stance, and tandem stance) in 6-week training programs by using a vibration platform and balance ball, respectively. The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), a joint position sense test, and an isokinetic strength test were conducted. In total, 63 female athletes with dominant-leg CAI were divided into three study groups (all n = 21). All of them completed the study. We observed time-by-group interactions in the SEBT (p = 0.001) and isokinetic strength test at 30°/s of concentric contraction (CON) of ankle inversion (p = 0.04). Compared with the control group, participants of the two exercise training programs improved in dynamic balance, active repositioning, and 30°/s of CON and eccentric contraction of the ankle invertor in the SEBT, joint position sense test, and isokinetic strength test, respectively. Furthermore, the effect sizes for the assessed outcomes in Groups A and B ranged from very small to small. Female athletes who participated in 6-week training programs incorporating a vibration platform or balance ball exhibited very small or small effect sizes for CAI in the SEBT, joint position sense test, and isokinetic strength test. No differences were observed in the variables between the two exercise training programs.
Oxidative Dysregulation in Early Life Stress and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Comprehensive Review

Traumatic stress may chronically affect master homeostatic systems at the crossroads of peripheral and central susceptibility pathways and lead to the biological embedment of trauma-related allostatic trajectories through neurobiological alterations even decades later. Lately, there has been an exponential knowledge growth concerning the effect of traumatic stress on oxidative components and redox-state homeostasis. This extensive review encompasses a detailed description of the oxidative cascade components along with their physiological and pathophysiological functions and a systematic presentation of both preclinical and clinical, genetic and epigenetic human findings on trauma-related oxidative stress (OXS), followed by a substantial synthesis of the involved oxidative cascades into specific and functional, trauma-related pathways. The bulk of the evidence suggests an imbalance of pro-/anti-oxidative mechanisms under conditions of traumatic stress, respectively leading to a systemic oxidative dysregulation accompanied by toxic oxidation byproducts. Yet, there is substantial heterogeneity in findings probably relative to confounding, trauma-related parameters, as well as to the equivocal directionality of not only the involved oxidative mechanisms but other homeostatic ones. Accordingly, we also discuss the trauma-related OXS findings within the broader spectrum of systemic interactions with other major influencing systems, such as inflammation, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and the circadian system. We intend to demonstrate the inherent complexity of all the systems involved, but also put forth associated caveats in the implementation and interpretation of OXS findings in trauma-related research and promote their comprehension within a broader context.
Post-Diagnostic Statin Use Reduces Mortality in South Korean Patients with Dyslipidemia and Gastrointestinal Cancer

Background: Statins play a role in lowering serum cholesterol and are known to have pleiotropic effects in a variety of diseases, including cancer. Despite the beneficial effects of statins in dyslipidemia patients, the treatment rate for dyslipidemia in Korea remains low, and evidence supporting the continued use of statins is lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of continued statin use and dosage on patient mortality after diagnosis of dyslipidemia and gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Methods: We used data from the National Health Insurance Sampling (NHIS) cohort to evaluate patients diagnosed with dyslipidemia from 2002 to 2015. A total of 901 GI cancer patients with dyslipidemia and 62,727 non-cancer dyslipidemia patients were included in the study. During the study period, each patient’s medication possession ratio (MPR) after diagnosis was evaluated as a measure of continued statin use. Statin dosage was measured based on a defined daily dose (DDD). Finally, we used Cox-proportional hazard ratios to identify associations between the continual use of statins and mortality in patients with dyslipidemia and GI cancer. Results: In our study, mortality decreased with increasing MPR and reached significance in MPRs exceeding 50% for GI cancer patients and 75% for dyslipidemia patients compared to patients that did not use statins. Moreover, patients with high MPRs had significantly reduced 5-year mortality compared to non-users, and cause-specific mortality analyses revealed that high MPR was associated with decreased colorectal cancer death. We did not find a significant dose–response relationship between statins and mortality. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that continued statin use after diagnosis is associated with reduced patient mortality. Altogether, these results support the continued use of statins in dyslipidemia patients with and without GI cancer and highlight the importance of patient education by healthcare providers.
Effect of Solvent on Fluorescence Emission from Polyethylene Glycol-Coated Graphene Quantum Dots under Blue Light Illumination

To explore aggregate-induced emission (AIE) properties, this study adopts a one-pot hydrothermal route for synthesizing polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated graphene quantum dot (GQD) clusters, enabling the emission of highly intense photoluminescence under blue light illumination. The hydrothermal synthesis was performed at 300 °C using o-phenylenediamine as the nitrogen and carbon sources in the presence of PEG. Three different solvents, propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PGMEA), ethanol, and water, were used for dispersing the PEG-coated GQDs, where extremely high fluorescent emission was achieved at 530–550 nm. It was shown that the quantum yield (QY) of PEG-coated GQD suspensions is strongly dependent on the solvent type. The pristine GQD suspension tends to be quenched (i.e., QY: ~1%) when dispersed in PGMEA (aggregation-caused quenching). However, coating GQD nanoparticles with polyethylene glycol results in substantial enhancement of the quantum yield. When investigating the photoluminescence emission from PEG-coated GQD clusters, the surface tension of the solvents was within the range of from 26.9 to 46.0 mN/m. This critical index can be tuned for assessing the transition point needed to activate the AIE mechanism which ultimately boosts the fluorescence intensity. The one-pot hydrothermal route established in this study can be adopted to engineer PEG-coated GQD clusters with solid-state PL emission capabilities, which are needed for next-generation optical, bio-sensing, and energy storage/conversion devices.
Allicin Could Potentially Alleviate Oral Cancer Pain by Inhibiting “Pain Mediators” TNF-alpha, IL-8, and Endothelin

To evaluate the effects of allicin on mediators of pain secreted by oral cancer cells in vitro, single-cell suspensions were prepared by enzymatic method from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Cancer stem cells were isolated by the CD133+ selection method with magnetic cell sorting. Stemness markers were checked in both cancer cells and cancer stem cells by RT-PCR. Comparative analysis of pain mediators TNF-alpha, IL-8, and endothelin at both RNA and protein levels for normal epithelial cells, cancer cells, and cancer stem cells was carried out with and without allicin treatment. CD133 and CD44 expression levels were checked in cancer cells and cancer stem cells flow cytometrically. Allicin inhibited both gene and protein expression of TNF-alpha, IL-8, and endothelin in both cancer cells and cancer stem cells. Allicin is more likely to be a promising treatment in alleviating the levels of pain and inflammation in OSCCs.
The Roles of Various Prostaglandins in Fibrosis: A Review

Organ fibrosis is a common pathological result of various chronic diseases with multiple causes. Fibrosis is characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix and eventually leads to the destruction of the tissue structure and impaired organ function. Prostaglandins are produced by arachidonic acid through cyclooxygenases and various prostaglandin-specific synthases. Prostaglandins bind to homologous receptors on adjacent tissue cells in an autocrine or paracrine manner and participate in the regulation of a series of physiological or pathological processes, including fibrosis. This review summarizes the properties, synthesis, and degradation of various prostaglandins, as well as the roles of these prostaglandins and their receptors in fibrosis in multiple models to reveal the clinical significance of prostaglandins and their receptors in the treatment of fibrosis.