Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Steel Fiber Content on Shear Behavior of Reinforced Expanded-Shale Lightweight Concrete Beams with Stirrups

To determine the validity of steel fiber reinforced expanded-shale lightweight concrete (SFRELC) applied in structures, the shear behavior of SFRELC structural components needs to be understood. In this paper, four-point bending tests were carried out on reinforced SFRELC beams with stirrups and a varying volume fraction of steel fiber from 0.4% to 1.6%. The shear cracking force, shear crack width and distribution pattern, mid-span deflection, and failure modes of test beams were recorded. Results indicate that the shear failure modes of reinforced SFRELC beams with stirrups were modified from brittle to ductile and could be transferred to the flexure mode with the increasing volume fraction of steel fiber. The coupling of steel fibers with stirrups contributed to the shear cracking force and the shear capacity provided by the SFRELC, and it improved the distribution of shear cracks. At the limit loading level of beams in building structures at serviceability, the maximum width of shear cracks could be controlled within 0.3 mm and 0.2 mm with the volume fraction of steel fiber increased from 0.4% to 0.8%. Finally, the formulas are proposed for the prediction of shear-cracking force, shear crack width, and shear capacity of reinforced SFRELC beams with stirrups.
Subcutaneous Face and Neck Lift: A Traditional Method With Definite Effects Among Asians.

BACKGROUND The mainstream face lifts in western countries always involve the SMAS treatment. Meanwhile, subcutaneous face and neck lift is wildly applied among Asians. OBJECTIVES To evaluate outcomes of subcutaneous face and neck lift, including patient-reported and 3D measurement outcomes, and report on details of surgical procedures. METHODS Patients who received a subcutaneous face and neck lift from January 2017 to June 2019 were asked to complete FACE-Q scales, and facial information was collected by the Vectra 3D imaging system preoperatively and postoperatively. Volume changes in midface and possible displacement of facial landmarks were measured. The range of dissection and the amount of skin removed were recorded intraoperatively. RESULTS In total, 119 patients (median age 46 years, interquartile range 40 - 53 years) received a subcutaneous face and neck lift. Among them, 88 patients completed pre- and postoperative FACE-Q scales. Patients' satisfaction with facial subunits improved and wrinkles were significantly relieved (p＜0.001). Nineteen patients (38 midface sides) completed 3D image data collection. Postoperatively, zygomatic volume was increased, while nasolabial and lateral cheek volumes were decreased, with the volume change of 2.2 ± 1.3 mL. Mouth, nose, and eye displacements were negligible postoperatively. The widths of skin removed at the middle temporal, front of the sideburns, upper helix, earlobe, and retro-auricular were 13.8±1.9 mm, 19.6±3.1 mm, 27.6±3.9 mm, 16.4±3.9 mm, and 32.2±4.0 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our subcutaneous face and neck lift was effective in relieving nasolabial sagging, improving wrinkles, and achieving facial rejuvenation.
Development of Spike Receptor-Binding Domain Nanoparticles as a Vaccine Candidate against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Ferrets

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a causative agent of the CoV disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, enters host cells via the interaction of its receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein with host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, the RBD is a promising vaccine target to induce protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. ABSTRACT Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a causative agent of the CoV disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, enters host cells via the interaction of its receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein with host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, the RBD is a promising vaccine target to induce protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we report the development of an RBD protein-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 using self-assembling Helicobacter pylori-bullfrog ferritin nanoparticles as an antigen delivery system. RBD-ferritin protein purified from mammalian cells efficiently assembled into 24-mer nanoparticles. Sixteen- to 20-month-old ferrets were vaccinated with RBD-ferritin nanoparticles (RBD nanoparticles) by intramuscular or intranasal inoculation. All vaccinated ferrets with RBD nanoparticles produced potent neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Strikingly, vaccinated ferrets demonstrated efficient protection from SARS-CoV-2 challenge, showing no fever, body weight loss, or clinical symptoms. Furthermore, vaccinated ferrets showed rapid clearance of infectious virus in nasal washes and lungs as well as of viral RNA in respiratory organs. This study demonstrates that spike RBD-nanoparticles are an effective protein vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2.
Trifarotene: A Current Review and Perspectives in Dermatology

Retinoids have numerous applications in inflammatory, dyskeratotic, and oncohematology diseases. Retinoids have now reached the fourth generation, progressively reducing toxicity whilst increasing their efficacy. Trifarotene is a new fourth-generation retinoid with a selective action on RAR-γ. In this review, we reported the trials—both concluded and in progress—including the use of trifarotene in dermatological diseases. Studies were identified by searching electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane, Trials.gov) from 2012 to today and reference lists of respective articles. Only articles published in English language were included. Randomized trials evaluating trifarotene tolerability, safety, and efficacy in congenital ichthyosis and acne have demonstrated great results and mild side effects, leading to the approval by the FDA of trifarotene for the treatment of lamellar ichthyosis in 2014, and of acne vulgaris in October 2019. No high-quality randomized clinical trials have evaluated the treatment of primary cutaneous lymphomas with trifarotene. Finally, we are hypothesizing future perspectives in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers, fungal infections, photoaging, and hand-foot skin reactions with trifarotene.
Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on Danio rerio

Once in the environment, nanoplastics (NPls) may interact with other contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, potentially acting as carriers and modulating their toxicity. Thus, the main aim of the current study is to investigate how polystyrene (PS) NPls (mean diameter: 60 nm) interact with simvastatin (SIM), an anticholesterolemic drug, and modulate its toxicity to zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. PS NPls were carboxyl group functionalized, to promote the interaction/binding of NPls with SIM (worst-case scenarios) and it was fluorescently dyed, allowing to detect the intake. Exposure was 96 h to 0–150 mg/L NPls or 0–150 µg/L SIM, as well as to dual combinations (NPls 0.015 or 1.5 mg/L and SIM 12.5 or 15 µg/L). PS NPls alone did not exert effects whereas SIM (≥12.5 µg/L) significantly delayed the hatching, decreased the heartbeat, induced edemas and mortality. The combination of NPls (1.5 mg/L) and SIM (12.5 or 15 µg/L) had significant effects on the survival of the organisms while the correspondent NPls and SIM single exposures did not have significant effects on this endpoint. Concerning the malformations appearance, SIM alone had similar effects than when in co-exposures (0.015 mg/L NPls plus 12.5 or 15 µg/L SIM). Hatching and heartbeat increased after the co-exposures SIM and NPls comparing with SIM single exposures, showing that 0.015 mg/L NPls plus 12.5 or 15 µg/L SIM did not cause significant effects on these endpoints. This study shows that NPls effects on bioavailability and toxicity of other contaminants cannot be ignored when assessing the environmental behavior and risks of NPls.
Experience of a Pituitary Clinic for US Military Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury.

Context Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered the "signature" injury of veterans returning from wartime conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. While moderate/severe TBI is associated with pituitary dysfunction, this association has not been well established in the military setting and in mild TBI (mTBI). Screening for pituitary dysfunction resulting from TBI in veteran populations is inconsistent across Veterans Affairs (VA) institutions, and such dysfunction often goes unrecognized and untreated. Objective This work aims to report the experience of a pituitary clinic in screening for and diagnosis of pituitary dysfunction. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted in a US tertiary care center of veterans referred to the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System pituitary clinic with a history of TBI at least 12 months prior. Main outcome measures included demographics, medical history, symptom burden, baseline hormonal evaluation, brain imaging, and provocative testing for adrenal insufficiency (AI) and adult-onset growth hormone deficiency (AGHD). Results Fatigue, cognitive/memory problems, insomnia, and posttraumatic stress disorder were reported in at least two-thirds of the 58 patients evaluated. Twenty-two (37.9%) were diagnosed with at least one pituitary hormone deficiency, including 13 (22.4%) AI, 12 (20.7%) AGHD, 2 (3.4%) secondary hypogonadism, and 5 (8.6%) hyperprolactinemia diagnoses; there were no cases of thyrotropin deficiency. Conclusion A high prevalence of chronic AI and AGHD was observed among veterans with TBI. Prospective, larger studies are needed to confirm these results and determine the effects of hormone replacement on long-term outcomes in this setting.
Comparison of polyurethane tracheal tube cuffs and conventional polyvinyl chloride tube cuff for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract Background: The aim of this meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis (TSA) was to evaluate the effect of a polyurethane (PU) tracheal tube cuff on the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Methods: We performed a systematic search using the MEDLINE database through PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. Randomized controlled trials comparing the incidence of VAP and clinically relevant outcomes between PU cuff tubes and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cuff tubes in adult patients. Two authors independently extracted study details, patient characteristics, and clinical outcomes such as incidence of VAP, bacterial colonization of tracheal aspirate, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, and ICU mortality. Results: From 309 studies identified as potentially eligible, six studies with 1226 patients were included in this meta-analysis. All studies compared the incidence of VAP between PU cuffs and PVC cuffs. Use of a PU cuff was not associated with a reduction in VAP incidence (RR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.45–1.03) with significant statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 65%). The quality of evidence was “very low. ” According to the TSA, the actual sample size was only 15.8% of the target sample size, and the cumulative Z score did not cross the trial sequential monitoring boundary for benefit. No positive impact was reported for the other relevant outcomes for PU cuffs. Conclusions: The use of a PU cuff for mechanical ventilation did not prevent VAP. Further trials with a low risk of bias need to be performed.
Characterization of a Novel Variant of the Quinolone-Resistance Gene qnrB (qnrB89) Carried by a Multi-Drug Resistant Citrobacter gillenii Strain Isolated from Farmed Salmon in Chile

The main objective of this study was to characterize using whole-genome sequencing analysis, a new variant of the qnrB gene (qnrB89) carried by a fluoroquinolone-susceptible bacterium isolated from mucus of farmed Salmo salar fingerling in Chile. Citrobacter gillenii FP75 was identified by using biochemical tests and 16S ribosomal gene analysis. Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the qnrB89 gene exhibited an identity to qnrB of 81.24% and 91.59%, respectively. The genetic environment of qnrB89 was characterized by the upstream location of a sequence encoding for a protein containing a heavy metal-binding domain and a gene encoding for a N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase protein, whereas downstream to qnrB89 gene were detected the csp and cspG genes, encoding cold-shock proteins. The qnrB89 gene was located on a large chromosomal contig of the FP75 genome and was not associated with the 10-kb plasmid and class 1 integron harbored by the FP75 strain. This study reports for the first time the carriage of a qnrB gene by the C. gillenii species, and its detection in a bacterial strain isolated from farmed salmon in Chile.
Let’s (not) get together! The role of social norms on social distancing during COVID-19

While effective preventive measures against COVID-19 are now widely known, many individuals fail to adopt them. This article provides experimental evidence about one potentially important driver of compliance with social distancing: social norms. We asked each of 23,000 survey respondents in Mexico to predict how a fictional person would behave when faced with the choice about whether or not to attend a friend’s birthday gathering. Every respondent was randomly assigned to one of four social norms conditions. Expecting that other people would attend the gathering and/or believing that other people approved of attending the gathering both increased the predicted probability that the fictional character would attend the gathering by 25%, in comparison with a scenario where other people were not expected to attend nor to approve of attending. Our results speak to the potential effects of communication campaigns and media coverage of compliance with, and normative views about, COVID-19 preventive measures. They also suggest that policies aimed at modifying social norms or making existing ones salient could impact compliance.
Identification and phylogenetic analysis of RNA binding domain abundant in apicomplexans or RAP proteins

The RNA binding domain abundant in apicomplexans (RAP) is a protein domain identified in a diverse group of proteins, called RAP proteins, many of which have been shown to be involved in RNA binding. To understand the expansion and potential function of the RAP proteins, we conducted a hidden Markov model based screen among the proteomes of 54 eukaryotes, 17 bacteria and 12 archaea. We demonstrated that the domain is present in closely and distantly related organisms with particular expansions in Alveolata and Chlorophyta, and are not unique to Apicomplexa as previously believed. All RAP proteins identified can be decomposed into two parts. In the N-terminal region, the presence of variable helical repeats seems to participate in the specific targeting of diverse RNAs, while the RAP domain is mostly identified in the C-terminal region and is highly conserved across the different phylogenetic groups studied. Several conserved residues defining the signature motif could be crucial to ensure the function(s) of the RAP proteins. Modelling of RAP domains in apicomplexan parasites confirmed an ⍺/β structure of a restriction endonuclease-like fold. The phylogenetic trees generated from multiple alignment of RAP domains and full-length proteins from various distantly related eukaryotes indicated a complex evolutionary history of this family. We further discuss these results to assess the potential function of this protein family in apicomplexan parasites.
Preparation of kaolin-based low-cost porous ceramic supports using different amounts of carbonates

AbstractFlat ceramic membrane supports were prepared using kaolin as the major constituent with varying amounts of carbonates and sintered at 900°C. The prepared supports were subjected to SEM, XRD, and porosity tests. The supports prepared without using carbonates had the largest mean pore size with the lowest porosity. The porosity of membranes increased by increasing the amount of calcium carbonate. The supports prepared using calcium carbonate had wider pore size distribution on the surface than those prepared using sodium carbonate. Small amount (10%) of sodium carbonate acts as a pore modifier resulting in smaller mean pore size, while large amount (>20%) of sodium carbonate blocks the pores by forming a sodium silicate layer and results in nonporous support. Therefore, calcium carbonate should be preferred over sodium carbonate for preparing highly porous ceramic membranes.
Social representations of comfort for patients' family members in palliative care in intensive care.

OBJECTIVE To know the social representations of comfort for patients' family members in palliative care in intensive care. METHOD Descriptive, qualitative study, theoretical framework adopted was Social Representations. 30 family members of patients admitted to an intensive care unit in palliative care participated. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews, organized and analyzed using the Collective Subject Discourse technique. RESULTS Pointed out as central ideas, positive and negative feelings of family members, communication and interaction with the team, ICU as excellence and palliative care as a measure of comfort for the patient and the family. CONCLUSION The social representations about the comfort of family members of hospitalized patients in an intensive care unit in palliative care are identified by the family members' feelings during the visit, communication, and the humanized care applied by nursing professionals in the patients in palliative care.
ICRP Publication 147: Use of Dose Quantities in Radiological Protection

The central dose quantities used in radiological protection are absorbed dose, equivalent dose, and effective dose. The concept of effective dose was developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) as a riskadjusted dosimetric quantity for the management of protection against stochastic effects, principally cancer, enabling comparison of estimated doses with dose limits, dose constraints, and reference levels expressed in the same quantity. Its use allows all radiation exposures from external and internal sources to be considered together and summed, relying on the assumptions of a linear non-threshold dose–response relationship, equivalence of acute and chronic exposures at low doses or low dose rates, and equivalence of external and internal exposures. ICRP Publication 103 provides detailed explanation of the purpose and use of effective dose and equivalent dose to individual organs and tissues. This publication provides further guidance on the scientific basis for the control of radiation risks using dose quantities, and discusses occupational, public, and medical applications. It is recognised that best estimates of risk to individuals will use organ/tissue doses and specific dose risk models. Although doses incurred at low levels of exposure may be measured or assessed with reasonable accuracy, the associated risks are increasingly uncertain at lower doses. Bearing in mind the uncertainties associated with risk projection to low doses or low dose rates, it is concluded that effective dose may be considered as an approximate indicator of possible risk, recognising also that lifetime cancer risks vary with age at exposure, sex, and population group. A further conclusion is that equivalent dose is not required as a protection quantity. It will be more appropriate for limits for the avoidance of tissue reactions for the skin, hands and feet, and lens of the eye to be set in terms of absorbed dose rather than equivalent dose. 2021 ICRP. Published by SAGE.
Emotional eating across different eating disorders and the role of body mass, restriction, and binge eating

Abstract Objective Different subtypes of eating disorders (ED) show dysfunctional eating behaviors such as overeating and/or restriction in response to emotions. Yet, systematic comparisons of all major EDs on emotional eating patterns are lacking. Furthermore, emotional eating correlates with body mass index (BMI), which also differs between EDs and thus confounds this comparison. Method Interview‐diagnosed female ED patients (n = 204) with restrictive (AN‐R) or binge‐purge anorexia nervosa (AN‐BP), bulimia nervosa (BN), or binge‐eating disorder (BED) completed a questionnaire assessing “negative emotional eating” (sadness, anger, anxiety) and “happiness eating. ” ED groups were compared to BMI‐matched healthy controls (HCs; n = 172 ranging from underweight to obesity) to exclude BMI as a confound. Results Within HCs, higher BMI was associated with higher negative emotional eating and lower happiness eating. AN‐R reported the lowest degree of negative emotional eating relative to other EDs and BMI‐matched HCs, and the highest degree of happiness eating relative to other EDs. The BN and BED groups showed higher negative emotional eating compared to BMI‐matched HCs. Patients with AN‐BP occupied an intermediate position between AN‐R and BN/BED and reported less happiness eating compared to BMI‐matched HCs. Discussion Negative emotional and happiness eating patterns differ across EDs. BMI‐independent emotional eating patterns distinguish ED subgroups and might be related to the occurrence of binge eating versus restriction. Hence, different types of emotional eating can represent fruitful targets for tailored psychotherapeutic interventions. While BN and BED might be treated with similar approaches, AN‐BP and AN‐R would need specific treatment modules.