Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low serum bilirubin levels associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic, progressive disease that can cause cardiovascular complications and atherosclerosis. We evaluated the relationship between serum bilirubin levels and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), as a surrogate marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, in patients with OSA. Methods We enrolled 84 consecutive patients with OSA. The patients underwent ultrasonography, polysomnography, and echocardiography. Blood samples were obtained from all of the subjects, which were used for biochemical comparisons. The patients were divided into groups according to cIMT values (<0.9 vs. >0.9 mm). Results The patient population consisted of 84 OSA patients (mean age: 54.2 + 8.0 years, 62.9% male). The OSA patients with cIMT ≥0.9 had significantly elevated high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), Oxygen desaturation index, apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), and significantly lower total and indirect bilirubin levels. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that total bilirubin, hsCRP, and AHI were the independent predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis. There was a negative correlation between total bilirubin and cIMT. Conclusions This study showed that high hsCRP and low serum total bilirubin levels could be paving the way for the development of subclinical atherosclerosis. Simple measures such as total bilirubin may provide predictive information regarding the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with OSA.
Value of information in retrofitting of flood defenses

Dikes and levees play a crucial role in flood protection. The main causes of levee failures are of geotechnical nature; geotechnical failure modes are also the main contributors to the probability of failure of flood defences due to the typically large uncertainties in ground conditions. Hence, information on ground conditions and soil properties is crucial in safety assessments and retrofitting designs of levees. The present paper demonstrates how we can reduce these uncertainties and how we can provide input for rational decision making on investments in monitoring and site investigation. If working in a framework with an explicit target reliability, the value of such information can be expressed in terms of the savings that can be achieved in retrofitting costs. The key ingredients of the approach are Bayesian posterior analysis for reliability updating by incorporating the information from various sources and Bayesian (pre-posterior) decision analysis for estimating the uncertainty and expected values of the consequences and costs of the considered decision options. The optimal strategy is the one with the least expected cost to meet the pre-set reliability target (e.g. by a safety standard). Several examples and case studies addressing different sources of information, such as field observations and piezometer monitoring during floods or site investigation by Cone Penetration Tests (CPT), illustrate the impact of reliability updating and suggest that investments in inspection and monitoring are often worthwhile, especially when the prior uncertainties are large.
Validity of regression meta-analyses versus pooled analyses of mixed effect linear models

Meta-analysis is a class of techniques for combining the results of many small studies to reach a unified inference for a parameter of interest, for example a parameter quantifying treatment effectiveness. Often, the statistician has from each individual study only an estimator of the parameter of interest, together with an estimator of standard error, and the separate estimates are treated as data and fitted within a so-called `meta-regression' model, with study as a categorical predictor and the parameter of interest regarded as a common mean, and with error term consisting of a constant-variance error plus an independent study effect with standard deviation equal to the separate estimated study standard error. Occasionally, patient-level data including covariates are available from all of the component studies, in which case a pooled patient-level analysis can be conducted including fixed covariate effects, plus study effects as random intercepts, and possibly also including random treatment-by-study interactions. Comparisons are sometimes published in biomedical settings between the meta-analysis results and the results of pooled mixed (generalized) linear model analyses. This paper reports theoretical and simulation results regarding the biases of meta-analysis estimates versus pooled model estimates when the latter are correct, showing that in {\it linear\/} models, these biases are generally small, especially when treatment-allocation is balanced and covariate and error distributions are symmetric.
Love Unshackled: Identifying the Effect of Mobile App Adoption in Online Dating

The proliferation of smartphones and other mobile devices has led to numerous companies investing significant resources in developing mobile applications, in every imaginable domain. As apps proliferate, understanding the impact of app adoption on key outcomes of interest and linking this understanding to the underlying mechanisms that drive these results is imperative. In this paper, we explore the changes in user behavior induced by adoption of a mobile application, in terms of engagement and matching outcomes in the online dating context. We also identify three mechanisms that are somewhat unique to the mobile environment, but are hitherto unestablished in the literature, that drive this shift in behavior: ubiquity, impulsivity, and disinhibition. Our main identification strategy uses propensity score matching combined with difference-in-differences, coupled with a rigorous falsification test to confirm the validity of our identification strategy. Our results demonstrate that mobile app adoption induces users to become more socially engaged as measured by key engagement metrics such as visiting significantly more profiles, sending significantly more messages, and importantly, achieving more matches. We also discover various mechanisms facilitating this increased engagement: ubiquity of mobile use—users log in more, and login across a wider range of hours in the day. We find that men act more impulsively, in that they are less likely to check the profile of a user who messaged them before replying to them. This effect is not visible for women who continue to be deliberate in their checking before replying even after adoption of the mobile app. Finally, we find that both men and women exhibit disinhibition, in that users initiate actions to a more diverse set of potential partners than they did before on dimensions of race, education, and height.
Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Neural Lineages as In Vitro Models for Screening the Neuroprotective Properties of Lignosus rhinocerus (Cooke) Ryvarden

In the biomedical field, there is growing interest in using human stem cell-derived neurons as in vitro models for pharmacological and toxicological screening of bioactive compounds extracted from natural products. Lignosus rhinocerus (Tiger Milk Mushroom) is used by indigenous communities in Malaysia as a traditional medicine to treat various diseases. The sclerotium of L. rhinocerus has been reported to have medicinal properties, including various bioactivities such as neuritogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective activities of L. rhinocerus sclerotial extracts. Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived neural lineages exposed to the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone (DEX), were used as the in vitro models. Excess glucocorticoids have been shown to adversely affect fetal brain development and impair differentiation of neural progenitor cells. Screening of different L. rhinocerus sclerotial extracts and DEX on the hESC-derived neural lineages was conducted using cell viability and neurite outgrowth assays. The neuroprotective effects of L. rhinocerus sclerotial extracts against DEX were further evaluated using apoptosis assays and Western blot analysis. Hot aqueous and methanol extracts of L. rhinocerus sclerotium promoted neurite outgrowth of hESC-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) with negligible cytotoxicity. Treatment with DEX decreased viability of NSCs by inducing apoptosis. Coincubation of L. rhinocerus methanol extract with DEX attenuated the DEX-induced apoptosis and reduction in phospho-Akt (pAkt) level in NSCs. These results suggest the involvement of Akt signaling in the neuroprotection of L. rhinocerus methanol extract against DEX-induced apoptosis in NSCs. Methanol extract of L. rhinocerus sclerotium exhibited potential neuroprotective activities against DEX-induced toxicity in hESC-derived NSCs. This study thus validates the use of human stem cell-derived neural lineages as potential in vitro models for screening of natural products with neuroprotective properties.
Dynamic of Fruit Growth and Internal Fruit Quality of Apricot Trees Grafted on Rootstock or with Interstem

This study was carried out to investigate impacts of Myrobalan rootstock and Blackthorn interstem on fruit growth, physico-chemical features and bioactive compounds of two apricot cultivars (‘Harcot’ and ‘Roksana’) in 2010 and 2011. Fruits of both cultivars on Myrobalan and/or Blackthorn grew with a classic double sigmoid curve from full bloom time to harvest. During growth and development periods, average fruit weight of both cultivars significantly increased, but differences between rootstock and interstem were not found. Myrobalan induced higher values of most fruit physical features (fruit thickness, sphericity, aspect ratio, surface area, fruit volume, flesh firmness) and some chemical attributes (soluble solids content and titratable acidity), whereas Blackthorn induced only higher ripening index values. Regarding cultivars, ‘Roksana’ possessed better physical features, except flesh firmness, and higher soluble solids content, ripening index value, total flavonoids content and total antioxidant capacity. Present results confirm the better adaptation of Myrobalan rootstock with ‘Roksana’ and ‘Harcot’ scion cultivar to sandy loam and acidic soil than Blackthorn interstem.
Female Audit Committee Members and Their Influence on Audit Fees

We test the relationship between female representation on the audit committee and audit fees for 624 Australian companies in the year 2011. A positive relationship is found, leading to the conclusion that female presence on audit committees influences the quality of the external audit. Further, we find that gender is the significant audit committee characteristic in predicting audit quality and that women on the audit committee strengthen the positive relationship between firm size and audit fees, and between risk and audit fees. Conversely, we find that female representation dampens the positive relationship between complexity and audit fees.
ASSESSING ONLINE REGISTRATION SYSTEM’S (ORS) SUCCESS: AN APPLICATION OF DELONE AND MCLEAN’S MODEL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS SUCCESS

The study applied DeLone and McLean’s IS success model in the mandatory context of online registration system (ORS) in one Jordanian university. Six dimensions were used to asses ORS success from the perspective of system users, i.e. students (information quality, system quality, service quality, user satisfaction, net benefits and intention to use). Consistent with DeLone and McLean’s suggestion, the study focused on the “intention to use”, rather than “use”, dimension to accommodate the mandatory nature of ORS. Quantitative data was collected, through a questionnaire instrument, from a sample of 1360 undergraduate students studying in different faculties at the university. Statistical analysis of the study’s model was conducted using “SmartPLS” software, version 2.0. M3. Empirical analysis has underlined the multidimensional and interdependent nature of ORS success. Furthermore, empirical examination of the model’s hypotheses has indicated that students’ “intention to use” ORS is dependent on system quality, service quality, user satisfaction and net benefits.
Cardiac activity in the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819) as a biomarker for assessing sea water quality in Boka Kotorska Bay, South Adriatic Sea

This paper presents the results of the sea water quality assessments based on the heart rate monitoring (cardiac responses) of indigenous Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mussels were sampled from three different sites in the Boka Kotorska Bay varied on anthropogenic pressure. Heart rate recovery time (Trec)and coefficient of variation of heart rate (CVHR) were tested in compliance with the standardized test procedure using a short-term reduction of water salinity as stress treatment to study adaptive potential of tested mussels. Results indicate the highest values of both parameters in Port Bijela, Trec = 77.3 ± 7.2 min; CVHR = 10%, indicating that water quality on this site is worse compare to Stoliv and Dobrota. ANOVA performed on results of Trec showed that values on Port Bijela are statistically significant higher compare to Stoliv and Dobrota. The lowest values of Trec are obtained on Stoliv (47.3 ± 3.8 min) what implies good water quality on this location. ANOVA showed that although higher values of Trec were obtained in Dobrota (53.3 ± 4.8 min) compare to Stoliv, those differences are not statistically significant. The proposed express method could help the authorities to plan and carry out contemporary activities to maintain high ecological status of marine coastal areas and to minimize significant risk to animal’s and human health in the case of suddenly occurred emergency situations in the region or none permitted wastewater discharges.
Multiple meanings of a developmental perspective on psychopathology

This review starts with a discussion of what is meant by developmental change. It is concluded that development is an inherently “fuzzy” concept but that it constitutes a useful framework for research into psychopathology. Some of the major changes over the last four decades in the approach taken for the study of development are noted. Ten key developmental issues are discussed: (1) prenatal influences; (2) sensitive period effects; (3) mechanisms mediating long-term effects of experiences; (4) age of onset differences; (5) sex differences; (6) normality and disorder; (7) connections among different psychological domains; (8) psychopathological progressions; (9) resilience; and (10) gene – environment interplay. It is concluded that developmental research is a rich field of high potential but it needs to be process-oriented rather than norm-oriented, it needs to focus on interconnections between brain and mind, and it needs to have a major interest in individual differences.
Predicting antigen specificity of single T cells based on TCR CDR3 regions

It has recently become possible to assay T-cell specificity with respect to large sets of antigens as well as T-cell receptor sequence in high-throughput single-cell experiments. We propose multiple sequence-data specific deep learning approaches to impute TCR to epitope specificity to reduce the complexity of new experiments. We found that models that treat antigens as categorical variables outperform those which model the TCR and epitope sequence jointly. Moreover, we show that variability in single-cell immune repertoire screens can be mitigated by modeling cell-specific covariates.
Histological Changes of Maternal Risperidone and Folic acid on the Cerebellar Cortex of the Offspring of the Albino Rat

Background: Risperidone is atypical, second-generation antipsychotic and folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin.Objective: Assessment of the effect of risperidone on the development of the cerebellar cortex of albino rats, and evaluation of the protective potential of folic acid. Material and Methods: The study involved treatment of 60 pregnant rats and examination of 180 of their offspring. The pregnant rats were divided equally into five groups (I–V), each of which was subdivided equally into two subgroups (A and B). Rats in the A subgroups were gavaged with a daily dose of 1 ml distilled water (subgroup IA), 0.58 ml distilled water (subgroup IIA), 0.072 mg Folic acid (subgroup IIIA), 0.108 mg risperidone (subgroup IVA) or 0.108 mg risperidone with 0.072 mg folic acid (subgroup VA), throughout pregnancy. Rats in the B subgroups received the same regimen throughout pregnancy and for 21 days after delivery. The cerebella of all studied offspring were subjected for light microscopic examination. In addition, the cerebella of 21 day old offspring were used for electron microscopic examination and morphometric study.Results: Risperidone induced signs of delayed development and degenerative changes in the cerebellar cortex. The degenerative changes were; cytoplasmic vacuoles, dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, swollen mitochondria with destructed cristae, degenerated mitochondria and nuclear changes. Co-administration of folic acid with risperidone ameliorated the delayed development and the degenerative changes.Conclusion: Treatment of the pregnant rats with risperidone induced delayed development and degenerative changes in the cerebellar cortex of their offspring. The co-administration of folic acid with risperidone led to an amelioration of these deleterious effects. So, in pregnant and lactating women treated with risperidone, co-supplementation with folic acid is advisable.
Toxicity of coastal coccolithophores (Prymnesiophyceae, Haptophyta)

Over the last decade, certain coccolithophores have been the subject of extensive multidisciplinary research. Several species of coccolithophore, belonging mainly to the families Pleurochrysidaceae and Hymenomonadaceae, inhabit inshore coastal waters where they may occasionally bloom and hence impact aquaculture resources. The toxicity to Artemia salina larvae of 11 species of coccolithophore (nine coastal and two oceanic members of the order Coccolithales) was tested. For the nine coastal species, tests were conducted with rapidly growing and stationary phase cultures at a range of cellular concentrations and for two different exposure times (24 and 48 h). Five of the coastal species (four in the genus Pleurochrysis as well as Jomonlithus littoralis) were found to be toxic to A. salina nauplii. Allelopathic effects of a cell-free filtrate of a culture of a toxic coccolithophore were also tested on three flagellate microalgal species: Scrippsiella trochoidea, Tetraselmis sp. and Isochrysis galbana. Negative effects of the filtrate on growth rates and motility of S. trochoidea and Tetraselmis sp. were recorded, suggesting that the toxin of the coccolithophore tested could be an exotoxin similar to that produced by other non-calcifying members of the Prymnesiophyceae. The fact that certain coccolithophores were found to be toxic to invertebrates and were shown to exhibit allelopathic activity could imply negative effects at different trophic levels in coastal areas.
Detection of Enterovirus D68 in wastewater samples from the United Kingdom during outbreaks reported globally between 2015 and 2018

Detection of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) in wastewater samples from the UK between December 2014 and December 2018 showed a marked seasonal distribution with a high proportion of samples containing EV-D68 during periods when identification of this virus in clinical samples was most common. This includes a recent upsurge of EV-D68 detection in respiratory samples from the United Kingdom between August and December 2018 associated with cases of acute flaccid myelitis, following similar reports in the USA. Phylogenetic analysis of EV-D68 sewage strains demonstrated that strains belonging to distinct genetic clades followed the same temporal distribution as that observed for EV-D68 clinical strains in the UK and that they showed very close genetic relationship with EV-D68 strains circulating elsewhere in the world during the same periods. The results demonstrated a clear association between detecting EV-D68 in wastewater and finding it in clinical samples which was somehow unexpected given that EV-D68 is rarely detected in stool samples. We conclude that the use of environmental surveillance is a valuable tool to detect and monitor outbreaks due to EV-68 infection.
Effects of hygiene guidance associated or not to provision of hygiene devices on habits of denture wearers

Appropriate hygiene of dentures contributes to the maintenance of oral and systemic health. However, most of denture wearers had never been instructed on how to perform daily oral/denture care. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of a guidance material associated or not to the provision of hygiene devices and its effect on the habits of denture wearers. Forty- eight complete denture wearers were randomly divided into three groups. Group N received no guidance on how to clean and wear their dentures, group G received an illustrated leaflet and verbal complementary instructions and group GK received the same guidance as group G and a hygiene kit for denture cleaning. After a six to ten week period they responded to a ‘hygiene and wearing habits’ questionnaire. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis considering p < 0.05. Brushing was the most frequent cleaning method, the majority of groups N and G used toothpaste. Participants of group G and GK presented low percentages of individuals with hygiene and wearing routine considered improper. The differences between groups in hygiene and wearing routine were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The proposed guidance material yielded better results when associated to provision of hygiene devices for denture cleaning.
Direct detection and identification of mycobacteria in bovine samples by PCR assay

ARTICLE INFO Bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a zoonotic disease causing approximately 6% of total human deaths. Its economic losses are not only a reduction of 10-20% in milk production and weight, but also infertility and condemnation of meat. Many serological tests are applied for detection of tuberculosis. ELISA test has the highest sensitivity and specificity than the other serological tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Several forms of new technology were brought into the diagnostic approach to mycobacterial infection. The aim of this work was to detect bovine tuberculosis by application of different traditional tests and PCR. Tuberculin skin test was applied on 2650 cattle, only 63(2.4%) were positive. Forty eight (76.2%) of the slaughtered positive animals showed visible lesions (VL) while the other 15 (23.8%) had non-visible lesions (NVL). Bacteriological examination of 10 selected tuberculin positive samples revealed M. bovis from 6 processed samples (60%) while PCR and ELISA assays revealed positive in 8 cases (80%) and 7 cases (70%), respectively. It was concluded that PCR test is more sensitive and specific test to confirm the infection with tuberculosis. Article history: