Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding How Sexual and Gender Minority Stigmas Influence Depression Among Trans Women and Men Who Have Sex with Men in India.

PURPOSE Few studies have assessed how sexual and gender minority stigmas affect the mental health of trans women and self-identified men who have sex with men (MSM) in India, populations with a high HIV burden. We tested whether social support and resilient coping act as mediators of the effect of sexual and gender minority stigmas on depression as proposed by Hatzenbuehler's psychological mediation framework, or as moderators based on Meyer's minority stress theory. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey among trans women (n = 300) and MSM (n = 300) recruited from urban and rural sites in India. Standardized scales were used to measure depression (outcome variable), transgender identity stigma/MSM stigma (predictor variables), and social support and resilient coping (tested as moderators and parallel mediators). The mediation and moderation models were tested separately for trans women and MSM, using Hayes' PROCESS macro in SPSS. RESULTS Participants' mean age was 29.7 years (standard deviation 8.1). Transgender identity stigma and MSM stigma were significant predictors (significant total and direct effects) of depression, as were social support and resilient coping. Among trans women and MSM, social support and resilient coping mediated (i.e., significant specific indirect effects), but did not moderate, the effect of stigma on depression, supporting the psychological mediation framework. CONCLUSION Sexual and gender minority stigmas are associated with depression, with social support and resilient coping as mediators. In addition to stigma reduction interventions at the societal level, future interventions should focus on improving social support and promoting resilience among trans women and MSM in India.
Comparison of Gunshot Entrance Morphologies Caused by .40-Caliber Smith & Wesson, .380-Caliber, and 9-mm Luger Bullets: A Finite Element Analysis Study

Firearms can cause fatal wounds, which can be identified by traces on or around the body. However, there are cases where neither the bullet nor gun is found at the crime scene. Ballistic research involving finite element models can reproduce computational biomechanical conditions, without compromising bioethics, as they involve no direct tests on animals or humans. This study aims to compare the morphologies of gunshot entrance holes caused by.40-caliber Smith & Wesson (S&W), . 380-caliber, and 9×19-mm Luger bullets. A fully metal-jacketed.40 S&W projectile, a fully metal-jacketed.380 projectile, and a fully metal-jacketed 9×19-mm Luger projectile were computationally fired at the glabellar region of the finite element model from a distance of 10 cm, at perpendicular incidence. The results show different morphologies in the entrance holes produced by the three bullets, using the same skull at the same shot distance. The results and traits of the entrance holes are discussed. Finite element models allow feasible computational ballistic research, which may be useful to forensic experts when comparing and analyzing data related to gunshot wounds in the forehead.
Bistability and Bacterial Infections

Bacterial infections occur when the natural host defenses are overwhelmed by invading bacteria. The main component of the host defense is impaired when neutrophil count or function is too low, putting the host at great risk of developing an acute infection. In people with intact immune systems, neutrophil count increases during bacterial infection. However, there are two important clinical cases in which they remain constant: a) in patients with neutropenic-associated conditions, such as those undergoing chemotherapy at the nadir (the minimum clinically observable neutrophil level); b) in ex vivo examination of the patient's neutrophil bactericidal activity. Here we study bacterial population dynamics under fixed neutrophil levels by mathematical modelling. We show that under reasonable biological assumptions, there are only two possible scenarios: 1) Bacterial behavior is monostable: it always converges to a stable equilibrium of bacterial concentration which only depends, in a gradual manner, on the neutrophil level (and not on the initial bacterial level). We call such a behavior type I dynamics. 2) The bacterial dynamics is bistable for some range of neutrophil levels. We call such a behavior type II dynamics. In the bistable case (type II), one equilibrium corresponds to a healthy state whereas the other corresponds to a fulminant bacterial infection. We demonstrate that published data of in vitro Staphylococcus epidermidis bactericidal experiments are inconsistent with both the type I dynamics and the commonly used linear model and are consistent with type II dynamics. We argue that type II dynamics is a plausible mechanism for the development of a fulminant infection.
Multi-label visual classification with label exclusive context

We introduce in this paper a novel approach to multi-label image classification which incorporates a new type of context — label exclusive context — with linear representation and classification. Given a set of exclusive label groups that describe the negative relationship among class labels, our method, namely LELR for Label Exclusive Linear Representation, enforces repulsive assignment of the labels from each group to a query image. The problem can be formulated as an exclusive Lasso (eLasso) model with group overlaps and affine transformation. Since existing eLasso solvers are not directly applicable to solving such an variant of eLasso in our setting, we propose a Nesterov's smoothing approximation algorithm for efficient optimization. Extensive comparing experiments on the challenging real-world visual classification benchmarks demonstrate the effectiveness of incorporating label exclusive context into visual classification.
Radiomic subtyping improves disease stratification beyond key molecular, clinical, and standard imaging characteristics in patients with glioblastoma

Background The purpose of this study was to analyze the potential of radiomics for disease stratification beyond key molecular, clinical, and standard imaging features in patients with glioblastoma. Methods Quantitative imaging features (n = 1043) were extracted from the multiparametric MRI of 181 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma prior to standard-of-care treatment (allocated to a discovery and a validation set, 2:1 ratio). A subset of 386/1043 features were identified as reproducible (in an independent MRI test-retest cohort) and selected for analysis. A penalized Cox model with 10-fold cross-validation (Coxnet) was fitted on the discovery set to construct a radiomic signature for predicting progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS). The incremental value of a radiomic signature beyond molecular (O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase [MGMT] promoter methylation, DNA methylation subgroups), clinical (patient's age, KPS, extent of resection, adjuvant treatment), and standard imaging parameters (tumor volumes) for stratifying PFS and OS was assessed with multivariate Cox models (performance quantified with prediction error curves). Results The radiomic signature (constructed from 8/386 features identified through Coxnet) increased the prediction accuracy for PFS and OS (in both discovery and validation sets) beyond the assessed molecular, clinical, and standard imaging parameters (P ≤ 0.01). Prediction errors decreased by 36% for PFS and 37% for OS when adding the radiomic signature (compared with 29% and 27%, respectively, with molecular + clinical features alone). The radiomic signature was-along with MGMT status-the only parameter with independent significance on multivariate analysis (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusions Our study stresses the role of integrating radiomics into a multilayer decision framework with key molecular and clinical features to improve disease stratification and to potentially advance personalized treatment of patients with glioblastoma.
Smoking prevalence among doctors and nurses-2013 New Zealand census data.

AIMS To examine recent smoking trends among doctors and nurses in New Zealand. METHODS Analysis of smoking prevalence in the 2013 New Zealand Census and comparison with previous census data. RESULTS The 2013 census included 7,065 male and 5,619 female doctors, and 2,988 male and 36,138 female nurses. Non-response to smoking questions was less than 3%. In 2013, 2% of male and female doctors and 9% of male and 8% of female nurses were regular cigarette smokers. This compared with 4% male and 3% female doctors, and 20% male and 13% female nurses in 2006. Psychiatric nurses had the highest smoking prevalence (15% male, 18% female). More Māori doctors (6.8%) and nurses (19.3%) smoked. Around 96% of young (<25 years) doctors and 87% of young nurses had never been regular smokers. CONCLUSIONS By 2013, New Zealand doctors had achieved the Smokefree 2025 goal of minimal (<5%) smoking prevalence and all nurses except psychiatric nurses were on track to do so. This suggests smokefree cultures can be established among substantial occupational groups. However, smoking among Māori nurses was relatively high. Targeted workplace smoking cessation support may be an efficient means to reduce smoking among key occupational groups, and may help reduce population smoking prevalence.
Baclofen Self-Poisoning in the Era of Changing Indication: Multicentric Reports to a French Poison Control Centre

Aims Baclofen has gained interest in treating alcohol use disorder patients. These patients are at risk of voluntary drug intoxications. Understanding the context of baclofen's widespread use for alcohol use disorder, a recent evaluation of the epidemiology, morbidity and mortality of baclofen self-poisoning episodes is necessary. Methods All baclofen self-poisoning reported to the Western France Poison Control Centre between January 2008 and December 2015 were included for analysis in this retrospective study. Baclofen poisoning cases were compared to the 31,859 non-baclofen voluntary poisoning cases declared over the same period. Results Number of baclofen poisoning grew from 8 cases in 2008 to 91 cases in 2015, attributable to patients purposely treated for alcohol use disorder. Overall, 190 cases were considered: 111 patients (59%) had Glasgow coma score (GCS) ≤12 at hospital admission and 77 had GCS > 12 (41%). Eighty patients required mechanical ventilation (42.6%). Neurological severity (GCS ≤ 12) was associated with seizures (n = 24, 22% vs. n = 2, 3%, P < 0.001). Two patients were deceased at first medical evaluation and three died in the hospital (mortality rate 2.6%). Non-baclofen cases had lower rate of endotracheal intubation (n = 1833, 6%, P < 0.001) and mortality rate (n = 299, 0.1%, P = 0.02). Conclusions Baclofen self-poisoning cases has risen in recent years due to baclofen intake for alcohol use disorder therapies. The risk-benefit ratio may be evaluated before baclofen is safely prescribed.
Cognitive Effects of Multi-Domain Interventions Among Pre-Frail and Frail Community-Living Older Persons: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Cognitive, physical, and nutritional interventions may produce different cognitive effects for different groups of older persons. We investigated simultaneously the cognitive outcomes of cognitive, physical, and nutritional interventions singly and in combinations in older persons with the physical frailty phenotype at particular risk of cognitive decline. Method Pre-frail and frail participants were randomly allocated to 24 weeks nutritional supplementation (N = 49), physical training (N = 48), cognitive training (N = 50), combination intervention (N = 49), or usual care control (N = 50). Cognitive domain and global functions were assessed at baseline (0M), 6 month (6M), and 12 month (12M). Results The control group showed declines in z-scores (from -0.100 to -0.244) of all domains. The cognitive training compared to control group showed the greatest increase in global cognition at 6M (0.094 vs -0.174, p = .006) and 12M (0.099 vs -0.142, p = .002), immediate memory at 6M (0.164 vs -0.211, p = .010) and 12M (0.182 vs -0.142, p = .040), delayed memory at 6M (p = .010), and attention at 6M (p = .025). Nutritional intervention showed benefits at 6M for immediate memory (p = .028) and delayed memory (p = .024), but physical training showed no positive effects. The combination group showed the greatest increase for visuospatial construction at 6M (0.215 vs -0.141, p = .010) and 12M (0.166 vs -0.180, p = .016), and for global cognition at 12M (p = .016) and language at 12M (p = .023). Conclusion Among frail older persons, cognitive training conferred the greatest cognitive benefits. Nutritional and physical interventions singly were associated with modest short-term or no cognitive benefits, but their combined effects on visuospatial construction should be further investigated.
A nonlinear thermal stress analysis of surface mount solder joints

A set of nonlinear finite-element (FE) cyclic thermal stress analyses of leaded ceramic chip carriers (LCCC) was performed. The FE models included the geometric and elastic compliance effects associated with the LCCC cavity, Kovar lid, copper solder pads and thermal joints, the orthotropic printed wiring board (PWB), and a constraining thermal core. The effect of nonlinear and rate-dependent constitutive characteristics of the solder alloy on the distribution of cyclic stress, strain, and energy-dissipation behavior was studied. It is shown that the inclusion of rate effects in the material behavior has a paramount effect on the stress, strain, and energy-dissipation predictions. The difference is due to the creep relaxation leading to redistribution of the load, which was not predicted by an elastic-plastic material model alone. Acceleration factors were calculated from the results of analyses performed for an accelerated thermal test cycle case and a specific real-life thermal cycle case. <<ETX>>
Social Instability in Laying Quail: Consequences on Yolk Steroids and Offspring's Phenotype

Individual phenotypic characteristics of many species are influenced by non-genetic maternal effects. Female birds can influence the development of their offspring before birth via the yolk steroid content of their eggs. We investigated this prenatal maternal effect by analysing the influence of laying females' social environment on their eggs' hormonal content and on their offspring's development. Social instability was applied to groups of laying Japanese quail females. We evaluated the impact of this procedure on laying females, on yolk steroid levels and on the general development of chicks. Agonistic interactions were more frequent between females kept in an unstable social environment (unstable females) than between females kept in a stable social environment (stable females). Testosterone concentrations were higher in unstable females' eggs than in those of stable females. Unstable females' chicks hatched later and developed more slowly during their first weeks of life than those of stable females. The emotional reactivity of unstable females' chicks was higher than that of stable females' chicks. In conclusion, our study showed that social instability applied to laying females affected, in a non-genetic way, their offspring's development, thus stressing the fact that females' living conditions during laying can have transgenerational effects.
Early Mesopotamian urbanism: a new view from the north

For many years, the southern Mesopotamia of Ur and Uruk, ancient Sumer, has been seen as the origin centre of civilisation and cities: ‘The urban implosion of late-fourth- and early-third-millennium Mesopotamia resulted in a massive population shift into large sites’ said Nissen in 1988. ‘These new city-states set the pattern for Mesopotamia as the heartland of cities’ (Adams 1981; Yoffee 1998). And for Stone & Zimansky (2005) ‘Remains of the world's first cities are the most noteworthy feature of the landscape in southern Iraq’. But at Tell Brak Joan Oates and her team are turning this model upside down. A long campaign of study, culminating in the new discoveries from 2006 reported here, show that northern Mesopotamia was far along the road to urbanism, as seen in monumentality, industrialisation and prestige goods, by the late fifth millennium BC. The ‘world's earliest cities’ are as likely to have been in north-eastern Syria as southern Iraq, and the model of a core from the south developing a periphery in the north is now ripe for revision.
The Neuroscience of Growth Mindset and Intrinsic Motivation

Our actions can be triggered by intentions, incentives or intrinsic values. Recent neuroscientific research has yielded some results about the growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. With the advances in neuroscience and motivational studies, there is a global need to utilize this information to inform educational practice and research. Yet, little is known about the neuroscientific interplay between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. This paper attempts to draw on the theories of growth mindset and intrinsic motivation, together with contemporary ideas in neuroscience, outline the potential for neuroscientific research in education. It aims to shed light on the relationship between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation in terms of supporting a growth mindset to facilitate intrinsic motivation through neural responses. Recent empirical research from the educational neuroscience perspective that provides insights into the interplay between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation will also be discussed.
The Use of Intervention Mapping to Develop a Tailored Web-Based Intervention, Condom-HIM

Background Many HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) prevention interventions are currently being implemented and evaluated, with little information published on their development. A framework highlighting the method of development of an intervention can be used by others wanting to replicate interventions or develop similar interventions to suit other contexts and settings. It provides researchers with a comprehensive development process of the intervention. Objective The objective of this paper was to describe how a systematic approach, intervention mapping, was used to develop a tailored Web-based intervention to increase condom use among HIV-positive men who have sex with men. Methods The intervention was developed in consultation with a multidisciplinary team composed of academic researchers, community members, Web designers, and the target population. Intervention mapping involved a systematic process of 6 steps: (1) needs assessment; (2) identification of proximal intervention objectives; (3) selection of theory-based intervention methods and practical strategies; (4) development of intervention components and materials; (5) adoption, implementation, and maintenance; and (6) evaluation planning. Results The application of intervention mapping resulted in the development of a tailored Web-based intervention for HIV-positive men who have sex with men, called Condom-HIM. Conclusions Using intervention mapping as a systematic process to develop interventions is a feasible approach that specifically integrates the use of theory and empirical findings. Outlining the process used to develop a particular intervention provides clarification on the conceptual use of experimental interventions in addition to potentially identifying reasons for intervention failures.
Effects of the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica on olive plants growth in glasshouse conditions

SummaryThe influence of ten initial population levels (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.2, 6.4, 12.8 and 25.6 second stage juveniles/cm3 soil) of Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica on olive cultivar Zard growth was studied in two pot trials. Ten month old self-rooted olive cuttings were individually transplanted into 2 000 cm3 pot and inoculated with the defined initial populations, of both nematode species. Plants were grown in glasshouse for 13 months, then they were uprooted and plant growth (percent growth increase of main shoot length, number of nodes on main shoot, top and root fresh and dry weights and root length) and nematode parameters (root gall index, J2/g root, final nematode population density and reproduction rate Pf/Pi) were recorded. Results showed that cv. Zard was more susceptible to M. javanica than to M. incognita. A significant reduction of main shoot length growth 37.6 % and 10.7 % was observed at 0.1 and 12.8 juveniles/cm3 soil of M. javanica and M. incognita, respectively, in comparison to uninfested plants. Root systems of olive plants grown in M. incognita or M. javanica infested soils were galled within the gall index range 1.4–6. No significant differences were observed in the number of nodes on main shoot, top and root fresh weights and root dry weight at high levels of M. incognita Pi. A tolerance limit (T) of 0.4 juveniles/cm3 soil was estimated for olive plants cv. Zard to M. javania. The use of resistant olive rootstock or selected cultivars is recommended to minimize or to limit damage of nematode infections in nurseries and to prevent secondary attacks of soil borne plant pathogens especially Verticillium dahliae.
Multi-Platform Whole-Genome Microarray Analyses Refine the Epigenetic Signature of Breast Cancer Metastasis with Gene Expression and Copy Number

Background We have previously identified genome-wide DNA methylation changes in a cell line model of breast cancer metastasis. These complex epigenetic changes that we observed, along with concurrent karyotype analyses, have led us to hypothesize that complex genomic alterations in cancer cells (deletions, translocations and ploidy) are superimposed over promoter-specific methylation events that are responsible for gene-specific expression changes observed in breast cancer metastasis. Methodology/Principal Findings We undertook simultaneous high-resolution, whole-genome analyses of MDA-MB-468GFP and MDA-MB-468GFP-LN human breast cancer cell lines (an isogenic, paired lymphatic metastasis cell line model) using Affymetrix gene expression (U133), promoter (1.0R), and SNP/CNV (SNP 6.0) microarray platforms to correlate data from gene expression, epigenetic (DNA methylation), and combination copy number variant/single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays. Using Partek Software and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis we integrated datasets from these three platforms and detected multiple hypomethylation and hypermethylation events. Many of these epigenetic alterations correlated with gene expression changes. In addition, gene dosage events correlated with the karyotypic differences observed between the cell lines and were reflected in specific promoter methylation patterns. Gene subsets were identified that correlated hyper (and hypo) methylation with the loss (or gain) of gene expression and in parallel, with gene dosage losses and gains, respectively. Individual gene targets from these subsets were also validated for their methylation, expression and copy number status, and susceptible gene pathways were identified that may indicate how selective advantage drives the processes of tumourigenesis and metastasis. Conclusions/Significance Our approach allows more precisely profiling of functionally relevant epigenetic signatures that are associated with cancer progression and metastasis.