Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Protocol for the Ethical Assessment of Wild Animal–Visitor Interactions (AVIP) Evaluating Animal Welfare, Education, and Conservation Outcomes

Simple Summary Animal–visitor interactions are the experiences offered by zoos, sanctuaries, and other tourism facilities in which people can be very close, and even touch, wildlife. This proximity could damage animal welfare and be a risk for the health of both animals and visitors. Proximity, however, has a positive emotional impact on visitors, representing an excellent opportunity to communicate conservation and educational messages. We present a protocol to evaluate interaction activities, and describe its application in a “giraffe feeding” interaction evaluation. Behavioral observations and a risk assessment evaluated the impact on animals. A risk assessment related to both visitors and staff and a questionnaire investigated the risks for people and the emotional, educational, and conservation outcomes. An ethical analysis, using an ethical matrix and a checklist, integrated the results, and identified the possible ethical concerns of the interaction. Giraffes’ behavioral freedom and welfare were safeguarded, and a positive emotional and conservation oriented impact was found, the only improvement that could be suggested, in case of restructuring of the facility, being the absence of hand washing facilities after the interaction. The protocol showed its potentiality to protect animal welfare and human health and to promote an ethical use of the interactions. Abstract Due to the popularity of wild animal–visitor interactions (AVIs), there is a need for an ethical assessment of their impact on animal welfare, education, and conservation. The protocol presented in this study is designed to evaluate such interactions on an integrated level, using a transparent analysis of all the aspects involved, including all the stakeholders and the potential conflicts of values. The protocol consists of a six-step process encompassing dedicated data acquisition and a specific ethical assessment. When the protocol was applied to assess a “giraffe feeding” interaction, steps devoted to data acquisition found that animal welfare risks were low, and that visitors described giraffes with emotionally linked descriptors more often after the interaction. The net promoter score, which refers to how likely visitors would recommend to a friend to join the animal–visitor interaction, was 74%. The subsequent ethical assessment, which consisted of a comparison of the results of the previous steps with an ethical matrix highlighting the ideal situation for all stakeholders’ interests, allowed the overall identification of the ethical concerns entailed by the interaction. A final ethical checklist of the examined AVI had a “yes” in entries regarding animal welfare, emotional, and conservation mindedness outcomes and ethical assessment.
High‐Density Lipoprotein in Lupus: Disease Biomarkers and Potential Therapeutic Strategy

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients exhibit accelerated development of atherosclerosis and increased incidents of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that cannot be explained by traditional risk factors alone. Accumulating evidence suggests that reduced levels of high‐density lipoproteins (HDLs), along with altered HDL composition and function, may contribute to the accelerated atherosclerosis in SLE patients. Normally, HDLs play various atheroprotective roles through facilitating cholesterol efflux, inhibiting vascular inflammation, and scavenging oxidative species. However, systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and autoimmunity in SLE patients induce changes in HDL size distribution and proteomic and lipidomic signatures. These compositional changes in HDLs result in the formation of proinflammatory, dysfunctional HDL. These lupus‐altered HDLs have impaired antiatherogenic function with reduced cholesterol efflux capacities, impaired antioxidation abilities, and diminished antiinflammatory properties. In fact, dysfunctional HDL may promote atherogenesis by inducing inflammation. Thus, dysfunctional HDLs could be an important biomarker of accelerated atherosclerosis in lupus. Additionally, HDL‐targeted therapies, especially infusion of reconstituted HDLs, may serve as a potential therapeutic intervention for SLE patients with CVD.
Hydrogen Embrittlement Behavior of 18Ni 300 Maraging Steel Produced by Selective Laser Melting

A study was performed to investigate the hydrogen embrittlement behavior of 18-Ni 300 maraging steel produced by selective laser melting and subjected to different heat treatment strategies. Hydrogen was pre-charged into the tensile samples by an electro-chemical method at the constant current density of 1 A m−2 and 50 A m−2 for 48 h at room temperature. Charged and uncharged specimens were subjected to tensile tests and the hydrogen concentration was eventually analysed using quadrupole mass spectroscopy. After tensile tests, uncharged maraging samples showed fracture surfaces with dimples. Conversely, in H-charged alloys, quasi-cleavage mode fractures occurred. A lower concentration of trapped hydrogen atoms and higher elongation at fracture were measured in the H-charged samples that were subjected to solution treatment prior to hydrogen charging, compared to the as-built counterparts. Isothermal aging treatment performed at 460 °C for 8 h before hydrogen charging increased the concentration of trapped hydrogen, giving rise to higher hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility.
Dissimilar molecular and morphological patterns in an introgressed peripheral population of a sand-dune species (Armeria pungens, Plumbaginaceae).

Introgression is a poorly understood evolutionary outcome of hybridization because it may remain largely undetected whenever it involves the transfer of small parts of the genome from one species to another. A putative case of introgression from the southernmost border of Armeria pungens range from its congener A. macrophylla is revisited following the discovery of a subpopulation that does not show phenotypic signs of introgression since it resembles typical A. pungens. Aiming to understand the origin and characteristics of this subpopulation, we analyze morphometrics, nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS and plastid DNA (trnL-trnF) sequences, genome size, 45S and 5S rDNA loci-FISH data and nrDNA IGS sequences. Within the study site, most individuals match morphologies of either of the two hybridizing species, particularly the new subpopulation, with intermediate phenotypes being scarce. This pattern does not fully fit molecular evidence revealing two ITS ribotypes co-occurring intragenomically in most plants from the study site and one single plastid haplotype. Genome size and structural features of the IGS sequences both indicate that A. pungens from the study site is genetically more similar to its sympatric congener than to the remainder of its conspecifics. Introgression of A. macrophylla into A. pungens and plastid capture explain all the evidence analyzed. However, important features to understand the origin and fate of introgressed population, such as the degree and direction of introgression, which are important for understanding early stages of hybridization in plants with low reproductive barriers, should be addressed with new data. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Emerging and Novel Treatments for Pituitary Tumors

A subset of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) have an aggressive behavior, showing resistance to treatment and/or multiple recurrences in spite of the optimal use of standard therapies (surgery, conventional medical treatments, and radiotherapy). To date, for aggressive PitNETs, temozolomide (TMZ) has been the most used therapeutic option, and has resulted in an improvement in the five-year survival rate in responders. However, given the fact that roughly only one third of patients showed a partial or complete radiological response on the first course of TMZ, and even fewer patients responded to a second course of TMZ, other treatment options are urgently needed. Emerging therapies consist predominantly of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (20 cases), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-targeted therapy (12 cases), tyrosine kinase inhibitors (10 cases), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors (six cases), and more recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (one case). Here, we present the available clinical cases published in the literature for each of these treatments. The therapies that currently show the most promise (based on the achievement of partial radiological response in a certain number of cases) are immune checkpoint inhibitors, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-targeted therapy. In the future, further improvement of these therapies and the development of other novel therapies, their use in personalized medicine, and a better understanding of combination therapies, will hopefully result in better outcomes for patients bearing aggressive PitNETs.
Effect of Sociodemographic Variables on Patient and Diagnostic Delay of Breast Cancer at the Foremost Health Care Institution in Nigeria

PURPOSE Breast cancer (BC) has the highest mortality rate among women with any form of cancer in developing countries. Unfortunately, patients with BC in Nigeria commonly present with late-stage disease. The current study examined the types and magnitude of delay in BC diagnosis at the foremost hospital in Nigeria and also identified the influencing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study involved questionnaires given to 275 patients with BC at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, from August to October 2018. Sociodemographic characteristics and information relevant to management of their health problem were obtained after ethical committee approval. Data collected were analyzed by SPSS (version 23; SPSS, Chicago, IL) to assess the types and magnitude of delay experienced by patients, as well as identify related determinants using the appropriate statistical test with P = . 05. RESULTS The mean age of respondents was 49 (± 11.9) years with the majority being Yoruba (n = 154; 56%), Christians (n = 211; 76.7%), married (n = 193; 70.2%), employed (n = 151; 54.9%), having tertiary education (n = 142; 51.6%) and an average income of more than 18,000 naira (n = 176; 64%). Patient delay and diagnostic delay were observed among 97 respondents (35.3%) and 84 respondents (30.5%), respectively. Although patient delay was significantly associated with age, ethnicity, and marital status, the only variable significantly associated with diagnostic delay was marital status (P < .05). Level of income, education, employment status, and religion did not significantly (P > .05) contribute to either of these delays. CONCLUSION BC management at the pioneer Nigerian teaching hospital is challenged by both delays in patient presentation at clinics and delays in the process of being diagnosed. Such delays need to be addressed to achieve favorable outcome of patients with BC in Nigeria.
Phenolic Composition of Artichoke Waste and Its Antioxidant Capacity on Differentiated Caco-2 Cells

Artichoke waste represents a huge amount of discarded material. This study presents the by-products (bracts, exterior leaves, and stalks) of the “Blanca de Tudela” artichoke variety as a potential source of phenolic compounds with promising antioxidant properties. Artichoke residues were subjected to different extraction processes, and the antioxidant capacity and phenolic composition of the extracts were analyzed by spectrophotometric methods and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses, respectively. The most abundant polyphenols in artichoke waste were chlorogenic acid, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, and luteolin-7-O-glucoside. Minor quantities of cynarin, luteolin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-rutinoside, and naringenin-7-O-glucoside were also found. The antioxidant activity of the obtained extracts determined by ABTS [2, 2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)], DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-pycrilhydracyl), and FRAP (Ferric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Power) was highly correlated with the total concentration of phenolic compounds. Chlorogenic acid, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, and luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, the most abundant compounds in 60% methanol extracts, are the components most responsible for the antioxidant activity of the artichoke waste extracts. The extract with the best antioxidant capacity was selected to assay its antioxidant potential on a model intestinal barrier. This action of the hydroxycinnamic acids on intestinal cells (Caco-2) was confirmed. In summary, artichoke waste may be considered a very interesting ingredient for food functionalization and for therapeutic purposes.
232 Surgical wait time might impact survival in selected patients with endometrial carcinoma

Objectives To determine whether surgical wait time impacts survival in patients with endometrial cancer (EC). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed, including all patients diagnosed with EC between 2008 and 2015 treated in a single centre in Montreal. Associations between surgery wait times and other variables were calculated using univariable linear regression models. In survival analysis, Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR); covariates included age, BMI, year of diagnosis, ECOG score, and tumor histology, grade and stage at surgery. Results The study included 358 patients with median follow-up of 5.9 years, categorized into four groups based on their wait time: 89, 87, 91, and 91 women with a median wait time of 37 days (8–49), 62 days (50–70), 91 days (71–103), and 91 days (104–869), respectively. Increased surgical wait time was associated with lymph-vascular space invasion and distant metastases. A surgery delay of 71 days or more (median) did not result in significantly worse overall (p=0.54) or EC specific survival (p=0.27), while known prognostic variables such as stage and grade at surgery did (p<0.05). In a subgroup analyses, patients with grade II tumors who had more than 71 days between biopsy and surgery (n=51) had significantly (P=0.037) more EC-related mortality (5-year cancer-specific survival 83.9%, versus 100% for those with surgery within 70 days). Similarly, surgery delay had impact on overall survival also in patients with BMI>30 (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.00–2.03). Conclusions While surgery delay might predict outcome in specific subgroups, biological tumor determinants seems more important for survival outcome.
Comparison of a Wearable Tracker with Actigraph for Classifying Physical Activity Intensity and Heart Rate in Children

Introduction: To examine the validity and reliability of the Fitbit Charge HR (FCH), wrist-worn ActiGraph (AG) accelerometers were used for assessing the classification of physical activity (PA) into intensity categories in children. Methods: Forty-three children (n = 43) participated in the study. Each participant completed 3 min bouts of 12 PAs ranging from sedentary to vigorous intensity while simultaneously wearing FCH and AG on both hands, a Polar HR monitor, and a portable indirect calorimeter. Total time spent in different PA intensity levels measured by FCH and AG were compared to the indirect calorimetry. Results: The highest classification accuracy values of sedentary behavior was 81.1% for FCH. The highest classification (72.4%) of light intensity PA was observed with Crouter’s algorithm from the non-dominant wrist. Crouter’s algorithm also show the highest classification (81.8%) for assessing moderate to vigorous intensity PA compared to FCH (70.8%). Across the devices, a high degree of reliability was found in step measurements, ranging from an intra-class correlation (ICC) = 0.92 to an ICC = 0.94. The reliability of the AG and the FCH showed high agreement for each variable. Conclusion: The FCH shows better validity for estimating sedentary behavior and similar validity for assessing moderate to vigorous PA compared to the research-grade monitor. Across the devices, the reliability showed the strongest association.
A Probable Fatal Case of Oleander (Nerium oleander) Poisoning on a Cattle Farm: A New Method of Detection and Quantification of the Oleandrin Toxin in Rumen

Oleander (Nerium oleander) is an ornamental plant common in tropical and sub-tropical regions that is becoming increasingly widespread, even in temperate regions. Oleander poisoning may occur in animals and humans. The main active components contained in the plant are cardiac glycosides belonging to the class of cardenolides that are toxic to many species, from human to insects. This work describes a case of oleander poisoning that occurred on a small cattle farm and resulted in the fatality of all six resident animals. Furthermore, the investigation of the poisonous agent is described, with particular focus on the characterization of the oleandrin toxin that was recovered from the forage and rumen contents. The innovation of this study is the first description of the detection and quantification of the oleandrin toxin by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) in rumen.
Ionizing Radiation Increases the Activity of Exosomal Secretory Pathway in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells: A Possible Way to Communicate Resistance against Radiotherapy

Radiation therapy, which applies high-energy rays, to eradicate tumor cells, is considered an essential therapy for the patients with breast cancer. Most tumor cells secrete exosomes, which are involved in cell-to-cell communication in tumor tissue and contribute therapeutic resistance and promote tumor aggressiveness. Here, we investigated the effect of clinically applicable doses of X-ray irradiation (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 Gy) on the dynamics of the exosomes’ activity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Survival and apoptosis rate of cells against X-ray doses was examined using MTT and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Whereas, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the X-ray-treated cells were detected by fluorometric method. The mRNA levels of vital genes involved in exosome biogenesis and secretion including Alix, Rab11, Rab27a, Rab27b, TSPA8, and CD63 were measured by real-time PCR. The protein level of CD63 was examined by Western blotting. Additionally, exosomes were characterized by monitoring acetylcholinesterase activity, transmission electron microscopy, size determination, and zeta potential. The result showed that in comparison with control group cell survival and the percentage of apoptotic cells as well as amount of ROS dose-dependently decreased and increased in irradiated cells respectively (p < 0.05). The expression level of genes including Alix, Rab27a, Rab27b, TSPA8, and CD63 as well as the protein level of CD63 upraised according to an increase in X-ray dose (p < 0.05). We found that concurrent with an increasing dose of X-ray, the acetylcholinesterase activity, size, and zeta-potential values of exosomes from irradiated cells increased (p < 0.05). Data suggest X-ray could activate exosome biogenesis and secretion in MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent way, suggesting the therapeutic response of cells via ROS and exosome activity.
Formal Methods for Biological Systems: Languages, Algorithms, and Applications

Abstract : As biomedical research advances into more complicated systems, there is an increasingneed to model and analyze these systems to better understand them. Formalspecification and analyzing methods, such as model checking techniques, hold greatpromise in helping further discovery and innovation for complicated biochemical systems.Models can be tested and adapted inexpensively in-silico providing new insights.However, development of accurate and efficient modeling methodologies and analysistechniques are still open challenges for biochemical systems. This thesis is focusedon designing appropriate modeling formalisms and efficient analyzing algorithms forvarious biological systems in three different thrusts: Modeling Formalisms: we have designed a multi-scale hybrid rule-based modelingformalism to depict intra- and intercellular dynamics using discrete andcontinuous variables respectively. Its hybrid characteristic inherits advantages oflogic and kinetic modeling approaches. Formal Analyzing Algorithms: 1) We have developed a LTL model checkingalgorithm for Qualitative Networks (QNs). It considers the unique feature ofQNs and combines it with over-approximation to compute decreasing sequencesof reachability set, resulting in a more scalable method. 2) We have developed aformal analyzing method to handle probabilistic bounded reachability problemsfor two kinds of stochastic hybrid systems considering uncertainty parametersand probabilistic jumps. It combines a SMT-based model checking techniquewith statistical tests in a sound manner. Compared to standard simulation-basedmethods, it supports non-deterministic branching, increases the coverage of simulation,and avoids the zero-crossing problem. 3)We have designed a new framework,where formal methods and machine learning techniques take joint effortsto enhance the understanding of biological and biomedical systems.
Background selection and FST: Consequences for detecting local adaptation

Background selection is a process whereby recurrent deleterious mutations cause a decrease in the effective population size and genetic diversity at linked loci. Several authors have suggested that variation in the intensity of background selection could cause variation in FST across the genome, which could confound signals of local adaptation in genome scans. We performed realistic simulations of DNA sequences, using recombination maps from humans and sticklebacks, to investigate how variation in the intensity of background selection affects FST and other statistics of population differentiation in sexual, outcrossing species. We show that, in populations connected by gene flow, Weir and Cockerham's (1984; Evolution, 38, 1358) estimator of FST is largely insensitive to locus‐to‐locus variation in the intensity of background selection. Unlike FST, however, dXY is negatively correlated with background selection. Moreover, background selection does not greatly affect the false‐positive rate in FST outlier studies in populations connected by gene flow. Overall, our study indicates that background selection will not greatly interfere with finding the variants responsible for local adaptation.
Clinical Manifestations of Strabismus in Patients with Primary Congenital Glaucoma

ABSTRACT Purpose: To determine the clinical manifestations and risk factors of developing strabismus in primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) patients who underwent glaucoma surgery. Methods: A retrospective case-series study of 54 PCG patients who were followed for at least 3 years after glaucoma surgery. The subjects were divided into 2 groups based on the occurrence of strabismus. Age at glaucoma diagnosis and surgery, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, amblyopia, cup-disc ratio, and orthoptic status were compared between the 2 groups. Results: Twenty of 54 patients (37.0%) developed strabismus after glaucoma surgery. The mean ages at the time of glaucoma diagnosis and surgery were 3.2 ± 2.7 months and 3.4 ± 2.8 months in the strabismus group and 24.3 ± 19.1 months and 26.4 ± 18.9 months in the non-strabismus group, respectively (p < .05). In addition, the mean logMAR visual acuities were 0.87 ± 0.38 in the strabismus group and 0.24 ± 0.21 in the non-strabismus group (p < .05). The proportion of patients experiencing amblyopia was 90.0% in the strabismus group. Low visual acuity and young age at glaucoma surgery were significant predictors of developing strabismus. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that the probability of developing strabismus after glaucoma surgery was 50.6% at 10 years post-surgery. Conclusions: PCG patients who developed strabismus after glaucoma surgery were diagnosed with glaucoma and underwent surgery at a younger age, exhibited a worse mean best corrected visual acuity, and exhibited a higher amblyopia incidence than did patients in the non-strabismus group.