Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of sex hormones on BCG‐induced trained immunity

The anti‐tuberculosis vaccine Bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) is a well‐known immune modulator that induces nonspecific protective effects against heterologous infections through induction of innate immune memory, also termed “trained immunity. ” In randomized trials in low weight newborns, BCG vaccination reduced neonatal mortality due to decreased incidence of sepsis and respiratory infections. In many studies, sex‐differential nonspecific effects of vaccines have been observed, but the mechanisms behind these differential effects are unknown. We investigated whether the important sex hormones estrogen and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) influence BCG‐induced trained immunity in human primary monocytes. Although addition of estradiol and DHT to BCG inhibited the production of proinflammatory cytokines after direct stimulation of human monocytes, they did not influence the induction of trained immunity by BCG. In addition, estradiol or DHT did not induce training or tolerance in monocytes themselves. We conclude that these important sex hormones are unlikely to explain the sex‐differential effects after BCG vaccination. Future studies should focus on the investigation of alternative mechanisms as an explanation for sex‐differential nonspecific effects of BCG vaccination.
Clinical and biochemical effects of erbium, chromium: yttrium, scandium, gallium, garnet laser treatment as a complement to periodontal treatment

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of erbium, chromium: yttrium, scandium, gallium, garnet (Er, Cr: YSGG) laser treatment as a complementary to scaling and root planning (SRP) during the treatment of chronic periodontitis and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-35 (IL-35) levels. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with chronic periodontitis were divided into two equal groups at random to receive SRP alone and SRP followed by Er, Cr: YSGG laser treatment, which are control and test groups, respectively. Clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), gingival index (GI), and plaque index (PI) were measured for all patients in both groups at baseline and again at the end of the 1st, 3rd, and 6th months following the treatment. Levels of GCF IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-35 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: After periodontal treatment, CAL, PD, BOP, GI, and PI, which are clinical parameters analyzed, decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in both test and control groups. GCF volume, IL-1 β, IL-6, and IL-35, levels in both groups proved statistically significant reductions compared to the baseline (P < 0.05), but no substantial variations were detected among both groups. Conclusion: According to these results, we can suggest that IL-35 may be related to the pathogenesis of periodontitis and that Er, Cr: YSGG laser can be used as an adjunct to SRP in periodontal treatment.
Expression and regulation of metallothioneins in myometrium and fetal membranes

Metallothioneins (MTs) play important roles in regulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and hormone signaling. These processes play a major role in labor at term and preterm. The aims of this study were to characterize (a) temporal‐ and labor‐associated changes and (b) the effect of pro‐inflammatory and pro‐labor insults on the expression of MT1 isoforms, MT2A, MT3, and MT4 in fetal membranes and myometrium.
Pharmacological characterization of hetrombopag, a novel orally active human thrombopoietin receptor agonist

Nonpeptide thrombopoietin receptor (TPOR/MPL) agonists, such as eltrombopag, have been used to treat thrombocytopenia of various aetiologies. Here, we investigated the pharmacological properties of hetrombopag, a new orally active small‐molecule TPOR agonist, in preclinical models. Hetrombopag specifically stimulated proliferation and/or differentiation of human TPOR‐expressing cells, including 32D‐MPL and human hematopoietic stem cells, with low nanomolar EC50 values through stimulation of STAT, PI3K and ERK signalling pathways. Notably, hetrombopag effectively up‐regulated G1‐phase–related proteins, including p‐RB, Cyclin D1 and CDK4/6, normalized progression of the cell cycle, and prevented apoptosis by modulating BCL‐XL/BAK expression in 32D‐MPL cells. Moreover, hetrombopag and TPO acted additively in stimulating TPOR‐dependent signalling, promoting cell viability, and preventing apoptosis. Orally administered hetrombopag specifically promoted the viability and growth of 32D‐MPL cells in hollow fibres implanted into nude mice with much higher potency than that of the well‐known TPOR agonist, eltrombopag, in association with activation of TPOR‐dependent signal transduction in vivo. Taken together, our findings indicate that, given its favourable pharmacological characteristics, hetrombopag may represent a new, orally active, small‐molecule TPOR agonist for patients with thrombocytopenia.
Application of a Health Literacy Framework to Explore Patients’ Knowledge of the Link between HPV and Cancer

Abstract The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection and causes most oropharyngeal (e.g., throat) and anogenital (e.g., anal, cervical) cancers. Research indicates low knowledge about the link between HPV and cancer among the general population, and similar low knowledge of HPV among individuals diagnosed with HPV-associated cancers. This is important because HPV status can have implications for treatment, prognosis, and future sexual decisions. Using a health literacy framework, this study explored how patients diagnosed with HPV-associated cancers accessed, understood, appraised, and applied HPV information. We conducted 27 in-depth interviews with patients seeking care at a comprehensive cancer center; and data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis. Findings revealed that patients’ primary source of HPV information was medical providers (access); and many patients exhibited limited understanding of HPV and its role in their cancer diagnosis (understand). Most patients (17 of 27) did not mention HPV as the cause of their cancer. Many patients displayed difficulty connecting HPV with their lifestyles (appraise); and few discussed plans to engage in HPV prevention practices going forward (apply). Future research should focus on strategies to improve understanding of HPV which could increase vaccine uptake, reduce stigma, and enhance informed decision-making among HPV-associated cancer patients.
Morphometric Reconstruction of Coronary Vasculature Incorporating Uniformity of Flow Dispersion

Experimental limitations in measurements of coronary flow in the beating heart have led to the development of in silico models of reconstructed coronary trees. Previous coronary reconstructions relied primarily on anatomical data, including statistical morphometry (e.g., diameters, length, connectivity, longitudinal position). Such reconstructions are non-unique, however, often leading to unrealistic predicted flow features. Thus, it is necessary to impose physiological flow constraints to ensure realistic tree reconstruction. Since a vessel flow depends on its diameter to fourth power, diameters are the logical candidates to guide vascular reconstructions to achieve realistic flows. Here, a diameter assignment method was developed where each vessel diameter was determined depending on its downstream tree size, aimed to reduce flow dispersion to within measured range. Since the coronary micro-vessels are responsible for a major portion of the flow resistance, the auto regulated coronary flow was analyzed in a morphometry-based reconstructed 400 vessel arterial microvascular sub-tree spanning vessel orders 1–6. Diameters in this subtree were re-assigned based on the flow criteria. The results revealed that diameter re-assignment, while adhering to measured morphometry, significantly reduced the flow dispersion to realistic levels while adhering to measured morphometry. The resulting network flow has longitudinal pressure distribution, flow fractal nature, and near-neighboring flow autocorrelation, which agree with measured coronary flow characteristics. Collectively, these results suggest that a realistic coronary tree reconstruction should impose not only morphometric data but also flow considerations. The work is of broad significance in providing a novel computational framework in the field of coronary microcirculation. It is essential for the study of coronary circulation by model simulation, based on a realistic network structure.
Understanding Land Surface Temperature Differences of Local Climate Zones Based on Airborne Remote Sensing Data

The local climate zones (LCZ) scheme has attracted the interest of climate researchers as it enables the standardized study of urban heat islands by combining thermal and physical parameters of built and natural structures. Most recent work on LCZ has concentrated on understanding air temperature differences, adapting the scheme to different contexts and improving satellite-based classification methods. However, studies using very high-resolution imagery, including 3-D descriptors and analyzing their land surface temperature (LST) variability are scarcer. Since a correct delineation of LCZ implies significant temperature differences among classes, the aims of this study are 1) to test a GIS-based method for the classification of LCZ based on cut-off values valid to the Australian context; and 2) to examine the quality of classifications by analyzing the LST variability among LCZ using high-resolution airborne remote sensing data. Results show that diurnal and nocturnal mean LSTs significantly differ among most LCZs. Welch's ANOVA and subsequent post hoc tests for pairwise comparisons also demonstrate that these differences prevail for 71.8% of zones during the daytime and 73.6% of zones at night. Overall, LCZs A, 8, and 3 are the most distinguishable zones during the daytime and LCZs D, G, 1, 4, and 5 are well differentiated at night. In contrast, LCZs 1 and 4 are the least distinguishable at daytime and LCZs 10, A, and E are not well differentiated at night. The present study has successfully validated the present airborne-based classification method which is contingent on further accuracy assessment and improvements.
Association Between Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Signs of Temporomandibular Disorders in the General Population.

AIMS To estimate the association between signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a representative sample from the general population of northeastern Germany. METHODS Signs of TMD were assessed with a clinical functional analysis that included palpation of the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) and masticatory muscles. PTSD was assessed with the PTSD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ed 4. The change-in-estimate method for binary logistic regression models was used to determine the final model and control for confounders. RESULTS After the exclusion of subjects without prior traumatic events, the sample for joint pain consisted of 1,673 participants with a median age of 58.9 years (interquartile range 24.8), and the sample for muscle pain consisted of 1,689 participants with a median age of 59.1 years (interquartile range 24.8). Of these samples, 84 participants had pain on palpation of the TMJ, and 42 participants had pain on palpation of the masticatory muscles. Subjects having clinical PTSD (n = 62) had a 2.56-fold increase in joint pain (odds ratio [OR] = 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14 to 5.71, P = .022) and a 3.86-fold increase (OR = 3.86; 95% CI: 1.51 to 9.85, P = .005) in muscle pain compared to subjects having no clinical PTSD. CONCLUSION These results should encourage general practitioners and dentists to acknowledge the role of PTSD and traumatic events in the diagnosis and therapy of TMD, especially in a period of international migration and military foreign assignments.
DeepHPS: End-to-end Estimation of 3D Hand Pose and Shape by Learning from Synthetic Depth

Articulated hand pose and shape estimation is an important problem for vision-based applications such as augmented reality and animation.In contrast to the existing methods which optimize only for joint positions, we propose a fully supervised deep network which learns to jointly estimate a full 3D hand mesh representation and pose from a single depth image.To this end, a CNN architecture is employed to estimate parametric representations i.e. hand pose, bone scales and complex shape parameters. Then, a novel hand pose and shape layer, embedded inside our deep framework, produces 3D joint positions and hand mesh. Lack of sufficient training data with varying hand shapes limits the generalized performance of learning based methods. Also, manually annotating real data is suboptimal. Therefore, we present SynHand5M: a million-scale synthetic benchmark with accurate joint annotations, segmentation masks and mesh files of depth maps. Among model based learning (hybrid) methods, we show improved results on two of the public benchmarks i.e. NYU and ICVL. Also, by employing a joint training strategy with real and synthetic data, we recover 3D hand mesh and pose from real images in 30ms.
An Approximate Closed-Form Transfer Function Model for Multiconductor Transmission Lines

This brief presents an intuitive, simple, and widely applicable approximate closed-form transfer function model for multiconductor transmission lines (MTLs). Rigorous closed-form transfer functions are derived from the telegrapher’s equation and approximated for a wide range of MTLs that satisfy validity conditions. Theoretical error bounds are also proposed and tightly estimate the approximation errors. The approximate formulas are simple yet accurate, and can be intuitively interpreted by a simple voltage-controlled voltage source circuit model. In demonstration, we show that the proposed model allows designers intuitively to understand and accurately to analyze complex MTLs.
The Association between Plasma Levels of Trimethylamine N-Oxide and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Chinese Patients with or without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aim Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) has been demonstrated as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Our objective was to determine the plasma levels of TMAO in Chinese coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods A total of 132 control participants, 243 CHD patients, and 175 CHD patients with T2DM were enrolled. Plasma levels of TMAO in all patients were measured and analyzed. Results The plasma levels of TMAO were significantly higher in CHD patients than in control subjects (3.08 ± 0.13 μM versus 1.49 ± 0.05 μM; P < 0.01). In addition, plasma levels of TMAO were remarkably increased in CHD patients with T2DM compared with CHD patients (7.63 ± 0.97 μM versus 3.08 ± 0.13 μM; P < 0.01). The receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that the area under the curve of TMAO was 0.794 and 0.927 to predict CHD or CHD-T2DM patients (P < 0.01). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that TMAO was an independent predictor in CHD patients with or without T2DM. The level of TMAO was correlated with high-sensitive troponin I (hs-TnI) and creatine kinase MB (CKMB). Conclusions TMAO was an independent predictor of CHD in Chinese patients; moreover, the TMAO levels were highly associated with diabetes in CHD patients.
GAP-8: A RISC-V SoC for AI at the Edge of the IoT

Current ultra-low power smart sensing edge devices, operating for years on small batteries, are limited to low-bandwidth sensors, such as temperature or pressure. Enabling the next generation of edge devices to process data from richer sensors such as image, video, audio, or multi-axial motion/vibration has huge application potential. However, edge processing of data-rich sensors poses the extreme challenge of squeezing the computational requirements of advanced, machine-Iearning-based near-sensor data analysis algorithms (such as Convolutional Neural Networks) within the mW-range power envelope of always-ON battery-powered IoT end-nodes. To address this challenge, we propose GAP-8: a multi-GOPS fully programmable RISC-V IoT-edge computing engine, featuring a 8-core cluster with CNN accelerator, coupled with an ultra-low power MCU with 30 μW state-retentive sleep power. GAP-8 delivers up to 10 GMAC/s for CNN inference (90 MHz, 1.0V) at the energy efficiency of 600 GMAC/s/W within a worst-case power envelope of75 mW.
Weighted Multisteps Adaptive Autoregression for Seismic Image Denoising

We devised a new filtering technique for random noise attenuation by weighted multistep adaptive autoregression (WMAAR). We first obtain a series of denoised results by means of different steps adaptive AR, and then we sum these results with different weights. The adaptive AR coefficients are obtained by solving a global regularized least squares problem, in which regularization is used to control the smoothness of these coefficients. The adaptive AR can estimate seismic events with varying slopes since AR coefficients have temporal and spatial variabilities. We derive the weights from the normalized power of local similarity by comparing the result of the nearest step with the ones of other steps. The application of these weights makes the proposed algorithm more effective in fault information conservation. The proposed WMAAR can be implemented both in the frequency–space and in time–space domains. Multidimensional synthetic and field seismic data examples demonstrate that, compared with conventional methods in frequency–space or time–space domain, multistep adaptive AR is more effective in suppressing random noise and preserving effective signals, especially for complex geological structure (e.g., faults).
Uso de madera de castaño autóctono para el envejecimiento alternativo de aguardiende de sidra

44 Los espirituosos agrupan bebidas de muy variadas características entre los que cabe citar el brandy, el aguardiente de sidra, el whisky, el ron, el orujo. todos ellos derivados de frutas, cereales u otras materias primas fermentadas y destiladas. En la elaboración de estas bebidas, el envejecimiento en contacto con madera, constituye una fase fundamental para la calidad del producto final. Durante esta etapa se producen sensibles cambios en el destilado que contribuyen a una mejora de sus cualidades organolépticas. La madera más ampliamente utilizada en el envejecimiento de bebidas alcohólicas es el roble. Esta madera destaca por su buena resistencia mecánica, facilidad para ser trabajada, adecuada porosidad, para el intercambio gaseoso, y baja permeabilidad a los líquidos. No obstante, es frecuente la sustitución del roble por otras especies forestales igualmente adecuadas en aquellas zonas en la que se dispone de ellas. Así, en Asturias, los toneles de madera de castaño autóctono son los más utilizados en la elaboración de sidra Uso de madera de castaño autóctono para el envejecimiento alternativo de aguardiente de sidra
The extent of workaholism in a group of polish nurses

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the prevalence of workaholism among Polish nurses. Changes in the work process in Poland have resulted in the expectation of excessive work commitment from employees. Unfortunately, such expectations can contribute to workaholism. The study involved 975 economically active Polish nurses. METHOD The study was conducted by means of a diagnostic survey, in which we used a standardized questionnaire-the Multidimensional Workaholism Assessment Questionnaire by Malwina Szpitalak. RESULTS The data obtained show that there is a high risk of workaholism in the study group; almost 6% of all respondents are affected by workaholism, and 40% of all respondents may develop it. The risk is related to the age, seniority, and education level of the nurses. CONCLUSIONS As there is a high risk of the respondents developing workaholism, it seems advisable to take actions directed at the study group to make them aware of how important it is to maintain a balance between their professional and private lives.
Effectiveness of exercise training after bariatric surgery—a systematic literature review and meta‐analysis

We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis of controlled trials assessing exercise training programs in patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery. We systematically searched exercise training studies performed after bariatric surgery published up to June 2017. Studies reporting changes in body composition, physical fitness, functional capacity, objectively measured physical activity, quality of life or relevant health outcomes were included. The review protocol is available from PROSPERO (CRD42017069380). Meta‐analyses were conducted using random‐effects models when data were available from at least five articles. Twenty articles were included, describing 16 exercise training programs, of which 15 were included in the meta‐analysis. Overall, exercise training was associated with higher weight loss (mean difference: −2.4 kg, 95% CI: −4.2; −0.6, I2 = 49%, n = 12), higher fat mass loss (−2.7 kg, 95% CI: −4.5; −1.0, I2 = 50%, n = 8) and improved VO2max and functional walking (standardized mean difference: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.29; 1.44, I2 = 57%, n = 6; 1.45, 95% CI: 0.32; 2.58, I2 = 89%, n = 6, respectively). Exercise training was not associated with lean body mass changes. In conclusion, exercise training programs performed after bariatric surgery were found effective to optimize weight loss and fat mass loss and to improve physical fitness, although no additional effect on lean body mass loss was found.
Gemcitabine Synergizes with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Overcomes Resistance in a Preclinical Model and Mesothelioma Patients

Purpose: Combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy is under investigation for cancer treatment. Experimental Design: We studied the rationale of such a combination for treating mesothelioma, a disease with limited treatment options. Results: The combination of gemcitabine and immune checkpoint inhibitors outperformed immunotherapy alone with regard to tumor control and survival in a preclinical mesothelioma model; however, the addition of dexamethasone to gemcitabine and immune checkpoint inhibitors nullified the synergistic clinical response. Furthermore, treatment with gemcitabine plus anti-PD-1 resulted in an objective clinical response in two patients with mesothelioma, who were resistant to gemcitabine or anti-PD-1 as monotherapy. Conclusions: Thus, treatment of mesothelioma with a combination of gemcitabine with immune checkpoint inhibitors is feasible and results in synergistic clinical response compared with single treatment in the absence of steroids.
Toward Fast and Accurate Neural Discourse Segmentation

Discourse segmentation, which segments texts into Elementary Discourse Units, is a fundamental step in discourse analysis. Previous discourse segmenters rely on complicated hand-crafted features and are not practical in actual use. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end neural segmenter based on BiLSTM-CRF framework. To improve its accuracy, we address the problem of data insufficiency by transferring a word representation model that is trained on a large corpus. We also propose a restricted self-attention mechanism in order to capture useful information within a neighborhood. Experiments on the RST-DT corpus show that our model is significantly faster than previous methods, while achieving new state-of-the-art performance.