anthonyyazdaniml/gliner-biomed-curated-corpus huggingface dataset:
PURPOSE: The Region of Southern Denmark has recently established four late effects clinics to help cancer survivors suffering from complex and severe late effects. This study aimed to capture and analyze the full range of physical, mental, and psychosocial issues using patient-reported outcomes. Moreover, we aimed to describe demographic data and the type and severity of the late effects.
METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted among cancer survivors referred to a late effects clinic. Before their first appointment, patients completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life cancer survivorship core questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-SURV100). We compared mean scores of the EORTC QLQ-SURV100 scales that were comparable to the scales/items from the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire with norm data for the Danish population and EORTC reference values.
RESULTS: All patients referred to the clinic within its first 2 years were included (n = 247). The mean age was 57 [23-85] years and 74% were females. The most common cancer diagnoses was breast cancer (39%). The five most commonly reported late effects were fatigue (66%), pain (51%), cognitive impairment (53%), sleep problems (42%), and neuropathy (40%). A total of 236 of the patients entering the clinic completed QLQ-SURV100. They reported significantly worse mean scores on all scales compared to the Danish norm population and EORTC reference values for pretreatment cancer patients, p < 0.001. Effect sizes were moderate or large for all scales.
INTERPRETATION: In this study, we collected demographic data and described the late effects presented by the patents referred to the clinic. Moreover, we captured and analyzed the full range of physical, mental, and psychosocial issues using QLQ-SURV100. Patients referred to the Late Effects Clinic (LEC) had a number of late effects and reported a significantly lower health-related quality of life compared to the general Danish population and patients who have just been diagnosed with cancer, suggesting the aim of helping patients suffering from late effects gain a better quality of life is in dire need.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the learning curve of percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (PETD) and interlaminar unilateral biportal endoscopic discectomy (UBED) in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH).
METHODS: Between 2018 and 2023, 120 consecutive patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) treated by endoscopic lumbar discectomy were retrospectively included. The PETD group comprised 87 cases, and the UBED group comprised 33 cases. Cumulative sum analysis was used to evaluate the learning curve, with the occurrence of complications or unresolved symptoms defined as surgical failure, and variables of different phases of the learning curve being compared.
RESULTS: The learning curve analysis identified the cutoff point at 40 cases in the PETD group and 15 cases in the UBED group. In the mastery phase, both PETD and UBED demonstrated a significant reduction in operation times (approximately 38 min for PTED and 49 min for UBED). In both PETD and UBED groups, the surgical failure rates during the learning and mastery phases showed no statistically significant differences. The visual analogue scale at the last follow-up was significantly lower than before surgery in both the PETD and UBED groups.
CONCLUSION: PETD and UBED surgery are effective in the treatment of LDH with a low incidence of complications. However, achieving mastery in PETD necessitates a learning curve of 40 cases, while UBED requires a minimum of 15 cases to reach proficiency.
PURPOSE:To obtain two layer type cosmetic containing a liquid crystal and capable of being mixed quickly in shaking and rapidly making each layer transparent in standing and giving effects useful to skin by combining a cholesteric liquid crystal with a sort of surfactant. CONSTITUTION:The objective two layer type lotion obtained by blending a cholesteric liquid crystal composition such as cholesteryl 12-hydroxy-stearate with at least one kind of compound used as a surfactant and selected from a group of polyoxyethylene hardened castor oil (5-80 E.O.), polyoxyethylenephitosterol ether (5-30 E.O.), polyoxyethylene-phitostanol ether (5-30 E.O.), polyoxyethylene cholesterol ether (5-30 E.O.) and polyoxyethylene cholestanol ether (5-30 E.O.), preferably used at a blend amount of 0.1-10wt.% based on an amount of liquid crystal and preferably further containing ethanol at an amount of 5-90wt.%.
PURPOSE: A composition containing salicin and glucosidase for skin whitening is provided to ensure high whitening effect and to minimize side effect due to formulation instability and skin irritation. CONSTITUTION: A cosmetic composition for skin whitening contains salicin and glucosidase as an active ingredient. The content of salicin is 0.01-10.0 wt% based on the total composition. The content of glucosidase is 75-150 units based on 3 wt% of salicin. Beta-salicin is natural salicin or synthetic salicin. The natural salicin is prepared by extracting Salix koreensis andersson bark. Salicin and glucosidase are used by mixing together before applying onto the skin.
A carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFR/PEEK) hip stem with a special antibiotic elution mechanism is under development to treat periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). The antibiotic elution characteristics of intramedullary implants were experimentally investigated, and the efficacy of revision surgery using a therapeutic stem in treating ovine PJI was examined. To evaluate elution characteristics, the intramedullary vancomycin-loaded CFR/PEEK cylindrical implants were inserted in the distal femur of nine sheep, and the vancomycin elution rate was measured at 2, 7, and 21 days. To evaluate therapeutic efficacy, the PJI model with staphylococcus aureus was attempted to create for five sheep. Moreover, the therapeutic vancomycin-loaded CFR/PEEK stem was implanted during one-stage revision surgery. Three weeks after revision surgery, the treatment efficacy was evaluated based on bacterial cultures and wound findings. In addition, the vancomycin elution rate from the stem was measured. On average, the cylindrical implants eluted approximately 70% vancomycin in 21 days. Of the five sheep attempting to create a PJI model, three were successfully infected with S. aureus as intended for verification of treatment efficacy. In all three joints, negative bacterial cultures and no purulence were observed 3 weeks after revision surgery. The vancomycin elution rates from the stems were >70%. Efficient elution of vancomycin was confirmed by the experimental implant inserted into the bone marrow and the stem in actual PJI treatment. Using a novel therapeutic stem with an antibiotic elution mechanism in one-stage revision surgery, successful treatment was demonstrated in all S. aureus-induced PJIs.
Previously hospitalized Covid-19 survivors who have been admittet to the hospital with or because of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Time from infection date start is \> 6 months. The group is anticipated to encompass 2.182 privously hospitalized adult patients.
Metabolic abnormalities contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and its complications. Yet, the understanding of the interactions between critical metabolic pathways that underlie obesity remains to be improved, in part owing to the lack of comprehensive metabolomics studies that reconcile data from both hydrophilic and lipophilic metabolome analyses that can lead to the identification and characterization of key signaling networks. Here, the study conducts a comprehensive metabolomics analysis, surveying lipids and hydrophilic metabolites of the plasma and omental adipose tissue of obese individuals and the plasma and epididymal adipose tissue of mice. Through these approaches, it is found that a significant accumulation of ceramide due to inhibited sphingolipid catabolism, while a significant reduction in the levels of uridine monophosphate (UMP), is critical to pyrimidine biosynthesis. Further, it is found that UMP administration restores sphingolipid homeostasis and can reduce obesity in mice by reversing obesity-induced inhibition of adipocyte hypoxia inducible factor 2a (Hif2α) and its target gene alkaline ceramidase 2 (Acer2), so as to promote ceramide catabolism and alleviate its accumulation within cells. Using adipose tissue Hif2α-specific knockout mice, the study further demonstrates that the presence of UMP can alleviate obesity through a HIF2α-ACER2-ceramide pathway, which can be a new signaling axis for obesity improvement.
An implantable device for delivering a drug includes a housing and a source of drug contained within the housing. An orifice mechanism is located at the housing and communicates with the source of drug. The orifice mechanism includes an inner member having a proximal end and a distal end and a winding helically wound around the inner member. The winding and the inner member define a first channel for carrying the drug therethrough. An inlet is at the proximal end of the winding and an outlet is at the distal end of the winding. The drug is carried by the orifice mechanism and dispensed outside of the housing.
BACKGROUND: Handpumps are used by millions of people as their main source of water. Although handpumps represent only a basic form of water provision, there have been continuous efforts to improve the performance of these systems as they are likely to remain in use for many years to come. The introduction of a professional maintenance service in southern Kenya has shown an order of magnitude improvement in operational performance over community-based management, with 90% of handpump faults repaired within 3 days of being reported. One driver behind these efforts is the assumption that a more reliable water supply will lead to a reduction in water-related disease. However, it is not clear if operational improvements lead to health gains. Despite limited empirical evidence, some modeling studies suggest that even short periods of drinking contaminated water can lead to disproportionate negative health impacts.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether the improvements in operational performance from the rapid professional maintenance of rural handpumps lead to improved household health outcomes.
METHODS: From a sample of households using handpumps as their primary water source in Kwale County, Kenya, we measured the 2-week prevalence of World Health Organization-defined diarrhea in children, reported by the adult respondent for each household. We compared the rates before and after a period during which the households' handpumps were being professionally maintained. We then conducted a cross-sectional analysis, fitting logistic regression models with reported diarrhea as the dependent variable and speed of repair as the independent exposure of interest, adjusting for household socioeconomic characteristics; dwelling construction; and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)-related factors. We fitted an additional model to examine select interactions between covariates.
RESULTS: Reported diarrhea in children was lower in households whose pumps had been repaired within 24 hours (adjusted odds ratio 0.35, 95% CI 0.24-0.51). This effect was robust to the inclusion of multiple categories of covariates. No reduction was seen in households whose pump repairs took more than 24 hours. Analysis of interaction terms showed that certain interventions associated with improved WASH outcomes were only associated with reductions in diarrhea in conjunction with socioeconomic improvements.
CONCLUSIONS: Only pump repairs consistently made within 24 hours of failure led to a reduction in diarrhea in the children of families using handpumps. While the efficacy of reduction in diarrhea is substantial, the operational challenges of guaranteeing same-day repairs limits the effectiveness of even best-in-class pump maintenance. Maintenance regimes that cannot bring handpump downtimes close to zero will struggle to generate health benefits. Other factors that reduce diarrhea prevalence have limited effect in isolation, suggesting that WASH interventions will be more effective when undertaken as part of more holistic poverty-reduction efforts.
The cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays important roles in limiting infection but is also linked to sepsis. The mechanisms underlying these paradoxical roles are unclear. Here, we show that TNF limits the antimicrobial activity of Paneth cells (PCs), causing bacterial translocation from the gut to various organs. This TNF-induced lethality does not occur in mice with a PC-specific deletion in the TNF receptor, P55. In PCs, TNF stimulates the IFN pathway and ablates the steady-state unfolded protein response (UPR), effects not observed in mice lacking P55 or IFNAR1. TNF triggers the transcriptional downregulation of IRE1 key genes Ern1 and Ern2, which are key mediators of the UPR. This UPR deficiency causes a significant reduction in antimicrobial peptide production and PC antimicrobial activity, causing bacterial translocation to organs and subsequent polymicrobial sepsis, organ failure, and death. This study highlights the roles of PCs in bacterial control and therapeutic targets for sepsis.
This subproject aims to improve treatment outcome in patients with tobacco use disorder (TUD) by enhancing cognitive control. Evidence from the first funding period (1st FP) indicates that enhancing cognitive control using cognitive remediation training (CRT, in our case chess-based) can improve outcomes of a standard smoking cessation program. The current project will harness three means to build on this success of enhancing cognitive control by: 1. using our tried-and-tested chess-based training, 2. improving sleep using high-intensity interval training (HIIT), 3. increasing sleep-dependent consolidation of the chess-based training (see Figure 1). We hypothesize that chess-based training and sleep enhance treatment outcome, both together and on their own. To test our hypotheses, we will combine smoking cessation treatment with the aforementioned approaches as app-based add-ons (chess-based training and HIIT). This will not only allow us to apply the training in a cost-efficient way out-side the lab, it may also increase patients' compliance.
Subjects randomized to this group will receive a 6 week Assistive Device Training program in the use of their assistive device. They will have mobility assessments taken at baseline, after the training program has been completed, and 3 months later. During this time, their falls will be recorded monthly using prospective falls calendars. Members of this group will also receive MRI scans at baseline and after the completion of the training program.
The present invention relates to a composition for preventing or treating atopic dermatitis containing an extract of colored potato peel as an active ingredient. More specifically, the present invention relates to: an external application, an oral formulation, an intravenous injection agent for preventing, treating, or alleviating atopic dermatitis; and a method for producing the same. According to the present invention, the extract of the colored potato peel reduces an IgE content in the blood, a thymic stromal lymphopoietin level (TSLP), and a TH2 cytokine level. The extract alleviates atopic dermatitis in a mouse having atopic dermatitis. Therefore, the composition can be advantageously used for an agent for preventing or treating atopic dermatitis. Peel waste generated when colored potatoes are processed can be used as a functional material.
Echolocation is a vital method of spatial orientation for many visually impaired individuals who are willing to and able to learn it. Blind echolocators use a variety of sounds, such as mouth clicks, cane taps, or specialized sound-emitting devices, to perceive their surroundings. In our study, we examined the effectiveness of several different sounds used in echolocation by conducting trials with 12 blind and 14 sighted volunteers. None of the participants had received formal training in echolocation, though a number identified as self-taught experts. The sounds tested included those played from a loudspeaker, generated by a mechanical clicker, or made by the participants themselves. The task given to the participants was to identify the direction and distance to an obstacle measuring 1x2 meters in an outdoor environment, with the obstacle placed in one of nine possible positions. Our findings indicated that the blind participants displayed significantly better echolocation skills when compared to the sighted participants. The results of the blind participants were also strongly divided into two distinct subgroups-totally blind participants performed much better than those which were legally blind, but had some residual vision. In terms of sound comparisons, we found that sounds with a center frequency near 3-4kHz and a wide spectrum provided higher accuracy rates than those with lower frequency peaks. Sighted participants performed best with 3kHz and 4kHz percussion sounds, while the blind group performed best with blue and pink noise. The loudspeaker generated tones generally yielded better results than those generated by the participant (using a mechanical clicker, mouth clicks or hand claps). These results may be useful in developing training programs that teach echolocation as well as artificial sounds to improve echolocation effectiveness.
BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is common malignancy among men worldwide. To date only few molecular markers are available to predict its course and outcome. SPARC is considered to be promising prognostic marker of PCa due to its involvement in various cancer processes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: study was conducted on PCa surgical primary tumor samples, obtained from 84 patients. Level of SPARC mRNA expression was estimated using RT-qPCR. To identify SPARC protein (osteonectin) in prostate tissue, immunohistochemical analysis was conducted. Bioinformatical analysis was performed on UALCAN and TNMplot resources.
RESULTS: bioinformatical analysis demonstrated that SPARC mRNA levels are decreased in PCa samples, in comparison to normal tissue. In patients with lymph node metastases its levels are 1.26 times higher; p = 4.66E-02, than in N0 category. Ex vivo study demonstrated that SPARC expression was elevated on both mRNA and protein levels in PCa patients with lymph node metastases (by 2.34 and 1.91, respectively, p < 0.05). We established higher levels of SPARC mRNA and protein in PCa patients with T3 tumors, as well as high Gleason score. Estimation of survival rates demonstrated that PCa patients with a high level of SPARC mRNA and protein have decreased overall 2-year survival.
CONCLUSIONS: SPARC protein was overexpressed on mRNA and protein levels in patients with presence of lymph node metastases and higher Gleason score of tumors. Also, both mRNA and protein upregulation were associated with worse survival rates. The current study has therefore provided further evidence that SPARC is indeed linked to the prognosis and aggressiveness of human PCa.
Enhanced methods have been discovered, using either sonication or homogenization followed by increased temperature and pressure, to solubilize compounds using diterpene glycosides and to produce a powder form of the compound-solubilizer complex than can be reconstituted in water. Without the diterpene glycoside, the compounds were insoluble or sparingly soluble in water, including some fat-insoluble vitamins. Water solutions of these compounds were made using a diterpene glycoside solubilizer, for example, rubusoside. The compound-solubilizer complex was then dehydrated to a stable powder that could then be reconstituted with water. A reconstituted drug-solubilizer complex (curcumin-rubusoside) was shown to be effective on reconstitution. In addition, the diterpene glycoside, rubusoside, was shown to be an inhibitor of permeability glycoprotein (P-gp), and will thus increase gastrointestinal absorption of certain drugs administered with rubusoside.
Introduction International research suggests free online postal self-sampling for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing is an acceptable alternative to clinic-based testing. A user-pays online STI testing service exists in Aotearoa New Zealand, but acceptability among priority populations is unknown. Aim To explore Māori and Pacific young people's perspectives on online postal self-sampling for STI testing (as prospective service users). Methods Four wānanga (knowledge-sharing forum) were held between November 2022 and May 2023 with Māori and Pacific participants aged 15-24 years who were recruited via youth-focused community organisations. Three facilitators guided discussions about STI testing and use of an online service. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse data generated from audio-recorded discussions, group work notes and facilitator field notes. Results None of the 38 participants were aware of online STI testing and all considered it cost-prohibitive. Perceptions of online testing were mixed, and discussion about concerns outweighed perceived benefits. Three themes were identified: (i) potential to support autonomy (perceived benefits and positive features of self-sample collection kits); (ii) barriers and process-related concerns; and (iii) tailoring online STI testing to young people's needs (facilitating engagement with online testing). Discussion For online STI testing to be an accessible alternative to clinic-based testing for priority populations, cost, low awareness and other barriers in the testing pathway need to be addressed. Clinician follow-up on positive results and free treatment would be critical to ensure the cycle of best practice care is completed. Regardless of where testing is accessed, investment is needed to support young people's knowledge of when, why and how to access a sexual health check.