Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retinal re-detachments after removal of silicone oil: Frequency and timings in a retrospective clinical study.

OBJECTIVE To analyse anatomical outcome after removal of silicone oil endotamponade in complicated cases of retinal detachment with reference to frequency and timings, and to study factors affecting the outcome. METHODS The retrospective study was conducted at one public-sector and one private-sector hospital in Karachi, and comprised data related to patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil endotamponade for complicated retinal detachment and subsequent removal of silicone oil between 1996 and 2015. The surgery had been carried out by both active and passive methods. Outcome variable was retinal re-detachment. Timings and frequency of re-detachment were noted and regression analysis for pre-dictive factors was carried out. RESULTS The study comprised 355 eyes relayed to as many patients. Of the total, 239(67.30%) were males and 116(32.70 %) were females. Overall mean age was 43.29} 17.15years. Mean duration of silicone oil endotamponade was 5}1.34 months. Indications of injection were retinal detachment complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy in 290(81.69%) eyes and proliferative diabetic retinopathy in 65(18.31%). Retinal re-detachment was seen in 51(14.36%) cases. Among them, 15(29.41%) were seen on the table, and 40(78%) within the first 3 months. Duration of silicone oil tamponade, technique of removal, type of silicone oil used and number of previous surgeries had no predictive value on anatomical outcome (p>0.05 each). CONCLUSIONS Re-detachment of retina is still a major clinical issue after the removal of silicone oil despite current advances in vitreoretinal surgery.
Vitamin D Supplementation and Cognition in People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Control Trial

Aim Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of cognitive decline which adversely impacts self-management of the disease. Evidence also supports a relationship between low serum 25(OH)D levels and poor cognition. The purpose of this trial was to assess vitamin D supplementation on cognitive executive functioning in persons living with type 2 diabetes. Methods This was a double-blinded RCT where participants were randomized to receive either weekly vitamin D3 supplementation (50,000 IUs) or a matching comparator (5,000 IUs) for three months. The primary outcome was a battery of neuropsychological tests. Serum 25(OH)D was measured by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Repeated assessments of cognitive measures were collected over 12 weeks using alternative testing forms to minimize practice effects. Results Thirty participants were randomized to either the low-dose allocation (n = 15) or the high-dose allocation (n = 15). Most participants were female (83%) and identified as Black (57%). For all cognition measures, there was no statistically significant finding between participants who received high-dose vitamin D supplementation and those who received low-dose supplementation. However, when assessing cognitive function in both groups over time, minimal improvement on the Symbol-Digits, the Stroop Interference Test, and the Trail Making Test Part B was observed. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first randomized control trial to examine the effects of vitamin D supplementation on cognitive function in people with type 2 diabetes. However, no significant differences in cognitive outcomes between participants who received high-dose therapy and those who received low dose were found.
Effect Of Potassium Humate On Walnut Seedling Growth

This study was carried out in Ordu (Türkiye), in 1999 and 2000 years. In this study, it was researched that the effects of KHumate (Potassium Humate 120 g/L; polymeric polyhydroxy acids, humic and fulvic acids) on diameter and length growth of walnut seedlings. As a result of this study, the doses were significant in seedling growth in both of 1999 and 2000 years. Doses X Periods interaction for diameter growth was significant. The highest length growth was obtained in total 1.50 ml (0.50 ml and three times in the growing period) K-Humate / seedling treatment. The highest diameter growth was obtained in same dose and first period (June 15-July 15).
The effect of Cold Plasma (Combined Argon/Helium Gases) on Microbial Contamination and Physicochemical Properties of Minced Sheep Meat

Red meat, due to high protein content and the balanced combination of vital nutrients such as essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, plays a significant role in the human diet. One of the characteristics of sheep meat is the high content of fat (6%), which makes it more palatable [1]. Minced meat, compared to non-minced meat, is much more vulnerable to microbial contamination. When the microbial contamination level in minced meat reaches to 10 10 CFU per gram, the organoleptic changes would appear [2].
An Experimental Study of the Effect of Partial Premixing Level on the Interaction between the Flame Kernel and Flow Field

Flame kernels in spark-ignited combustion systems dominate the flame propagation and combustion stability, performance and emissions. The aim of the present work is to investigate the flow field associated with flame kernel propagation history in partial premixing natural gas turbulent flames. The main parameters under investigation are the degree of partial premixing and jet velocity. Three different degrees of partial premixing and five values of jet velocity between10 and 20 m/s have been selected for the present work at an equivalence ratio of 2. The mean flow field and turbulence intensity are measured using two-dimensional Planar Imaging Velocimetry (PIV). A pulsed Nd: YAG laser is used for flame ignition. The turbulent flow field is captured after the ignition at several time intervals between, 150, and 2500 μs after ignition. The results show that the flame kernel does not show any significant effect on the scale of mean flow field. On the other hand, the flame kernel increases the global turbulence intensity in flames in comparison with the isothermal cases. The flame kernel propagation is associated with a steep increase in the centerline turbulence intensity of the jet flow. An increase in the degree of partial premixing and/or the jet velocity increases the centerline turbulence intensity accompanying the flame kernel propagation. This leads to break-up of the degree of partial premixing of the flame structure, and hence, decreased flame stability. Also, the higher the degree of partial premixing or the higher the jet velocity leads to more rapid flame kernel extinction. The results show that the rate of flame kernel propagation is very fast at the early stage of the kernel propagation up to the first 300 μs and then it slows down afterwards.
Controlling the Regulators: How Party Control of Government Shapes Environmental Regulation in the 21st Century

In an increasingly polarized political environment, the consequences of state elections for policy have increased in magnitude. But most knowledge about state policy responsiveness to the parties’ programs comes from studies of legislative outputs, which make up only a fraction of the work of government. How does party control of government influence policy implementation, enforcement, and bureaucratic outputs? This question is particularly important in the environmental policy area, wherein scholars have highlighted political influence over administrative policy at the federal level and states have a great deal of leeway within a national regulatory framework. I use the case of the Clean Air Act’s (CAA) Title V permitting program to assess the parties’ influence over state-level regulatory enforcement. I apply a regression discontinuity design to assess whether Republican control of state houses and governors’ mansions causes a change in the number of enforcement actions state agencies report between 2000 and 2017. The findings suggest that governors and state legislatures influence enforcement, albeit through different channels. The paper provides new evidence of political influence over administrative policy, and for partisan influence in environmental politics. ∗Ph.D. Candidate Departments of Political Science and Urban Studies & Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, parrishb@MIT.EDU.
Enhancement of Cellular Adhesion and Proliferation in Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells by the Direct Addition of Recombinant Collagen I Peptide to the Culture Medium

Abstract Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have considerable potential for a wide range of clinical applications and regenerative medicine and cell therapy. As a consequence, there is considerable interest in developing robust culture methods for producing large number of MSCs for use in repair of injured tissues or treatment of diseases. In general, tissue culture plates or flasks that have been precoated with substrates derived from animal tissues are used in the production of MSCs. However, these substrates can potentially cause serious problems due to contamination of the MSCs with animal-derived components. In this study, we evaluated the use of a type I collagen-based recombinant peptide (RCP) for MSC culture in an attempt to avoid the problems associated with animal cell-derived substances. This RCP is xeno free, has an increased RGD (Arg–Gly–Asp) sequence, and has high molecular weight uniformity. The effect of RCP on promotion of cellular adhesion and proliferation of MSCs was investigated in cultures in which RCP was included in the culture medium. The effects of RCP on promotion of cellular adhesion and proliferation of MSCs were investigated by comparing cultures in which the additive was present in the culture medium and those where the culture plates were coated with RCP. In addition, changes in gene expression profiles during cell culture were monitored by real time-polymerase chain reaction. Our analyses showed that RCP enhanced cellular adhesion and proliferation in cultures in which the additive was included in the culture medium. Our findings indicate that adding RCP to the culture medium could save time and cost in MSC culture. Our gene expression analysis indicated that RCP enhanced expression of genes encoding proteins associated with the extracellular matrix and cell adhesion.
Evaluating the use of robotic and virtual reality rehabilitation technologies to improve function in stroke survivors: A narrative review

This review evaluates the effectiveness of robotic and virtual reality technologies used for neurological rehabilitation in stroke survivors. It examines each rehabilitation technology in turn before considering combinations of these technologies and the complexities of rehabilitation outcome assessment. There is high-quality evidence that upper-limb robotic rehabilitation technologies improve movement, strength and activities of daily living, whilst the evidence for robotic lower-limb rehabilitation is currently not as convincing. Virtual reality technologies also improve activities of daily living. Whilst the benefit of these technologies over dose-controlled conventional rehabilitation is likely to be small, there is a role for both technologies as part of a broader rehabilitation programme, where they may help to increase the intensity and amount of therapy delivered. Combining robotic and virtual reality technologies in a rehabilitation programme may further improve rehabilitation outcomes and we would advocate randomised controlled trials of these technologies in combination.
Design of a Helical-Stabilized, Cyclic, and Nontoxic Analogue of the Peptide Cm-p5 with Improved Antifungal Activity

Following the information obtained by a rational design study, a cyclic and helical-stabilized analogue of the peptide Cm-p5 was synthetized. The cyclic monomer showed an increased activity in vitro against Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis, compared to Cm-p5. Initially, 14 mutants of Cm-p5 were synthesized following a rational design to improve the antifungal activity and pharmacological properties. Antimicrobial testing showed that the activity was lost in each of these 14 analogues, suggesting, as a main conclusion, that a Glu–His salt bridge could stabilize Cm-p5 helical conformation during the interaction with the plasma membrane. A derivative, obtained by substitution of Glu and His for Cys, was synthesized and oxidized with the generation of a cyclic monomer with improved antifungal activity. In addition, two dimers were generated during the oxidation procedure, a parallel and antiparallel one. The dimers showed a helical secondary structure in water, whereas the cyclic monomer only showed this conformation in SDS. Molecular dynamic simulations confirmed the helical stabilizations for all of them, therefore indicating the possible essential role of the Glu–His salt bridge. In addition, the antiparallel dimer showed a moderate activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a significant activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Neither the cyclic monomer nor the dimers were toxic against macrophages or THP-1 human cells. Due to its increased capacity for fungal control compared to fluconazole, its low cytotoxicity, together with a stabilized α-helix and disulfide bridges, that may advance its metabolic stability, and in vivo activity, the new cyclic Cm-p5 monomer represents a potential systemic antifungal therapeutic candidate.
Are you angry at me? Negative interpretations of neutral facial expressions are linked to child maltreatment but not to posttraumatic stress disorder

ABSTRACT Background: Individuals with a high prevalence of child maltreatment, e.g. those with borderline personality disorder, tend to see neutral facial expressions as negative. Objective: Our aim was to assess whether this bias is present in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and whether it is linked to child maltreatment. Methods: Thirty-nine PTSD participants, 44 traumatized and 35 non-traumatized healthy controls watched 300 one-second movies showing 30 neutral and 270 emotional facial expressions, and indicated whether they interpreted each as a neutral or as one of nine emotional expressions. Results: PTSD individuals did not perform differently than the two control groups in the recognition and interpretation of neutral facial expressions (p’s < .300). Higher levels of childhood sexual and emotional abuse, and physical neglect were linked to more interpretations of neutral facial expressions as contempt (p’s < .043), and (for sexual abuse and physical neglect) to more interpretations of neutral facial expressions as anger (p’s < .014). Comparisons of statistical model fits suggested that childhood sexual abuse was the most relevant predictor of recognition accuracy in our sample. Alexithymia, state dissociation, interpersonal trauma, and number of experienced trauma types were not associated with deficits in the interpretation of neutral expressions. Conclusions: Child maltreatment, especially sexual abuse, may shape the interpretation of neutral facial expressions. Future research should explore whether the observed biases extend to real-life situations. If so, therapists might improve the therapeutic relationship with patients with a history of child maltreatment by paying more attention to their own non-verbal communication and their patients’ responses to it. Furthermore, similarly to individuals with high depressive and high social anxiety symptoms, facial expression recognition training might counteract negativity bias in individuals with a history of childhood (sexual and emotional) abuse, and (physical) neglect. HIGHLIGHTS • Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) do not show abnormalities in the recognition and interpretation of neutral facial expressions. • Childhood sexual and emotional abuse, and physical neglect are linked to more interpretations of neutral facial expressions as contempt and anger. • Childhood sexual abuse seems to be the most relevant predictor of recognition accuracy for neutral expressions.
Increasing Retention of Adult Learners in Telecourses through the Incorporation of Learning-Centered Instructional Strategies and the Use of Multiple Modalities for Content Delivery and Interaction.

A project was undertaken to increase retention in a health education telecourse by incorporating a competency-based orientation to distance learning and learner-centered instructional strategies into the telecourse, and by using multiple media for content delivery and interaction. A general orientation to distance learning was developed that addressed seven competencies: transition to technology-mediated instruction; use of technology tools; effective communication; problem solving; collaboration; research techniques; and reflection. The telecourse was delivered via four media (cable television, print, on-campus meetings, and a course World Wide Web page), and all assignments were designed to reinforce development of the seven competencies. Student retention data and responses to participant surveys established that the new retention strategies achieved the following results: (1) withdrawal of more students earlier in the semester (following the general orientation to distance learning) and a higher retention rate for telecourse students using the Internet for course support; (2) increased student satisfaction with instructor preparedness, quality of interaction, instructor feedback, and self-responsibility for learner-centered instruction; and (3) higher collective grade-point average for the course (from 2.45 to 3.19). Appended are the following five items: original and revised telecourse readiness questionnaires; telecourse evaluation; rubric of competency standards; orientation objectives; and memorandum containing frequently asked questions. (Contains 97 references.) (MN) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Increasing Retention of Adult Learners in Telecourses Through the Incorporation of Learning-Centered Instructional Strategies and the Use of Multiple Modalities for Content Delivery and Interaction
Clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment patterns of pelvic organ prolapse in South Korea

Introduction We investigated the clinicopathologic features, method of treatment, and complications related to the conservative treatment and surgical treatment of patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Methods We retrospectively analyzed 288 patients who were diagnosed with POP from January 2007 to December 2017. The patients were divided into two groups according to the treatment method (Group A received conservative treatment and Group B received surgical treatment). The patients' clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment method, and post-treatment complications were compared between groups A and B. Results Of the total 288 patients, 83 and 205 patients were assigned to Groups A and B, respectively. The most common symptom was a bearing-down sensation (n = 205, 71.2%), which was reported in 51 (61.4%) and 154 (75.1%) patients from Groups A and B, respectively. Among underlying diseases, hypertension was the most common in both groups (40 and 102 patients in Groups A and B, respectively). Overall, 205 patients underwent surgery, 23 underwent vaginal pessary, and 60 performed pelvic floor muscle exercises. The incidence of treatment-related complications was not significantly different between Groups A and B (13.3% vs. 17.6%, p = 0.37). Perioperative complications were noted in 20 (17.8%) patients and vault prolapse requiring subsequent surgery was noted in 16 (14.1%) patients. Conclusion As surgical treatment is associated with recurrence and complications, conservative treatment methods can be initially considered for patients with POP. In this study, there was no difference in the incidence of complications between surgical and conservative treatments. Thus, if required, surgical treatment can be safely performed in patients with POP.
Isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria with phytase activity from sourdough

Abstract Wholemeal bread is strongly recommended due to its nutritional value. However, whole‐grain foods contain a high level of phytic acid, an antinutritional factor that decreases the mineral bioavailability. The objective of this study was isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria with phytase activity to find a suitable starter for bread‐making. Wheat–legume sourdoughs were prepared by the back‐slopping procedure. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the sourdough of wheat flour–mung bean, and their phytase activity was tested in the solid and liquid media. Out of the nine phytase‐active isolates in the solid medium, only three isolates produced extracellular phytase in the liquid medium with activity ranging from 16.3 to 53.2 (U/ml). These isolates belonged to species Weissella confusa mk.zh95 and Pediococcus pentosaceus. The highest phytase activity was found for Weissella confusa mk.zh95. Weissella confusa mk.zh95 is considered an interesting source of phytase during cereals and legumes fermentation which improves the bioavailability of minerals.
A Shift in Porcine Circovirus 3 (PCV‐3) History Paradigm: Phylodynamic Analyses Reveal an Ancient Origin and Prolonged Undetected Circulation in the Worldwide Swine Population

The identification of a new circovirus (Porcine circovirus 3, PCV‐3) has raised a remarkable concern because of some analogies with Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV‐2). Preliminary results suggest an extremely recent PCV‐3 emergence and high mutation rate. Retrospective studies prove its circulation at least since the early 1990s, revealing that PCV‐3 could have been infecting pigs for an even longer period. Therefore, a new evaluation, based on an updated collection of PCV‐3 sequences spanning more than 20 years, is performed using a phylodynamic approach. The obtained results overrule the previous PCV‐3 history concept, indicating an ancient origin. These evidences are associated with an evolutionary rate far lower (10−5–10−6 substitution/site/year) than the PCV‐2 one. Accordingly, the action of selective pressures on PCV‐3 open reading frames (ORFs) seems to be remarkably lower compared to those acting on PCV‐2, suggesting either a reduced PCV‐3 plasticity or a less efficient host‐induced natural selection. A complex and not‐directional viral flow network is evidenced through phylogeographic analysis, indicating a long lasting circulation rather than a recent emergence followed by spreading. Being recent emergence has been ruled out, efforts should be devoted to understand whether its recent discovery is simply due to improved detection capabilities or to the breaking of a previous equilibrium.
Pinpointing nitrogen oxide emissions from space

Power plant exhausts can be identified and quantified from satellite observations. Satellite observations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) provide valuable information on the location and strength of NOx emissions, but spatial resolution is limited by horizontal transport and smearing of temporal averages due to changing wind fields. In this study, we map NOx emissions on high spatial resolution from TROPOMI observations of NO2 combined with wind fields based on the continuity equation. The divergence of horizontal fluxes proves to be highly sensitive for point sources like exhaust stacks. Thus, NOx emissions from individual power plants can be resolved and quantified even on top of considerably high urban pollution from the Saudi Arabian capital city Riyadh. This allows us to catalog NOx emissions from large point sources globally, as demonstrated for South Africa and Germany, with a detection limit of about 0.11 kg/s down to 0.03 kg/s for ideal conditions.