Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metformin-associated Lactic Acidosis: An Unexpected Scenario

According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report (2017) by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 9.4% of the US population, approximately 30.3 million people had diabetes while 84.1 million had pre-diabetes as of 2015. In addition to lifestyle changes, the American Diabetes Association recommends metformin as the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. Hence, not surprisingly, metformin is a commonly prescribed medication by most healthcare providers in all clinical settings. As a result, it remains essential that all medical professionals be aware of any adverse effects as a result of metformin therapy, no matter how uncommon. We present the case of a 42-year-old lady with type 2 diabetes mellitus who required initial admission to intensive care unit (ICU) after presenting with unilateral back and lower abdominal pain with dysuria and was noted to have an acute kidney injury with a creatinine of 7.45 mg/dL and severe metabolic acidosis with a pH of 6.7 and an anion gap more than 50 mmol/L. Lactic acid was elevated at 24.2 mmol/L. Serum metformin levels were high at 14 mcg/mL (therapeutic range: 1-2 mcg/mL). She required emergent dialysis but subsequently, renal functions recovered. Risk of metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA) is reported to be an estimated 6.3 per 100,000 patient-years. Commonly encountered clinical scenarios such as hypoxemia, sepsis, alcohol abuse, renal injury, and shock can precipitate MALA. Early recognition allows timely initiation of appropriate therapy and reduces associated morbidity.
Expansion of Liver Transplantation Criteria for Hepatocellular Carcinoma from Milan to UCSF in Australia and New Zealand and Justification for Metroticket 2.0

Simple Summary Liver transplantation (LT) is considered the only curative therapeutic option for early, unresectable, and unablatable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in the setting of chronic liver disease. The criteria for selecting patients for LT for HCC have evolved since the description of the Milan Criteria by Professor Mazzaferro. In Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), the choice of criteria has expanded over the last 24 years from the Milan to the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) criteria and, more recently, to Metroticket 2.0 (MT2). This study analysed the overall and HCC-related deaths following LT in ANZ through the last 24 years to clarify the impact of the expansion of these criteria. Our data confirm that overall survival following LT for HCC has significantly improved over time despite expanding criteria from Milan to UCSF. Patients fulfilling the MT2 criteria have a survival comparable to the UCSF cohort. Thus, the expansion of criteria to MT2 is justifiable. Abstract Background: Expansion in liver transplantation (LT) criteria for HCC from Milan to UCSF has not adversely impacted overall survival, prompting further expansion towards Metroticket 2.0 (MT2). In this study, we compared patient survival post-transplant before and after 2007 and long-term outcomes for LT within Milan versus UCSF criteria (to determine the true benefit of the expansion of criteria) and retrospectively validated the MT2 criteria. Methods: Retrospective analysis of ANZLITR (including all patients transplanted for HCC since July 1997). The entire cohort was divided based on criteria used at the time of listing, namely, Milan era (1997–2006) and the UCSF era (2007–July 2015). Results: The overall 5- and 10-year cumulative survival rates for the entire cohort of 691 patients were 78% and 69%, respectively. Patients transplanted in UCSF era had significantly higher 5- and 10-year survival rates than in the Milan era (80% vs. 73% and 72% vs. 65%, respectively; p = 0.016). In the UCSF era, the 5-year survival rate for patients transplanted within Milan criteria was significantly better than those transplanted outside Milan but within UCSF criteria (83% vs. 73%; p < 0.024). Patients transplanted within the MT2 criteria had a significantly better 5- and 10-year survival rate as compared to those outside the criteria (81% vs. 64% and 73% vs. 50%, respectively; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Overall survival following LT for HCC has significantly improved over time despite expanding criteria from Milan to UCSF. Patients fulfilling the MT2 criteria have a survival comparable to the UCSF cohort. Thus, expansion of criteria to MT2 is justifiable.
On the cardinality of sumsets in torsion‐free groups

Let A, B be finite subsets of a torsion‐free group G. We prove that, for every positive integer k, there is a c(k) such that if |B| ⩾ c(k), then the inequality |AB| ⩾ |A|+|B|+k holds unless a left translate of A is contained in a cyclic subgroup. We obtain c(k) < c0k6 for arbitrary torsion‐free groups, and c(k)
Variation in yield and biochemical factors of German chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) under foliar application of osmolytes and drought stress conditions

Introduction: Chamomile is one of the oldest and most valuable medicinal plants from the Asteraceae family. In addition to pharmaceutical uses, its essential oil is extensively used in perfumery, cosmetics, food industry and aromatherapy. This experiment was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of osmolytes foliar application on biochemical characteristics, and the yield of German chamomile under drought stress conditions. Methods: The experiment was conducted as a split plot with randomized complete block design with three replications during the 2016-2017 growing season. Three levels of irrigation, 50 (control), 100 (mild stress) and 150 mm (severe stress) evaporation from evaporation pan class A, and spraying treatments, NS (no-spraying), W (distilled water), MeJA (methyl jasmonate), SA (salicylic acid), HA (humic acid), GB (glycine betaine) and GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) were considered as the main plots and sub-plots, respectively. Results: Analyzed data indicated that proline, total soluble sugars (TSS), and essential oil yield were enhanced with the increase of drought intensity and the maximum amount was registered under severe stress, while the severe drought caused a substantial reduction in protein concentration of leaves and dried flower yield. Proline concentration of leaves significantly increased with exogenously applied spraying treatments under severe drought. All spraying treatments except GB under severe stress, caused higher TSS concentration than those subjected to mild stress. SA, HA, and GABA treated plants had significantly higher protein concentration compared to NS treatment. Plants that treated with GABA had the highest dried flower and essential oil yield. Conclusion: The present study suggests that osmolytes foliar application can ameliorate the detrimental effects of drought on chamomile plant through alteration in yield and biochemical variables.
Face-to-face vs. Online Asynchronous Teaching in a Conservation Biology Course

In order to be effective, e-learning environments should include a diverse range of pedagogical practices and should focus on active learning student-centered pedagogical. Therefore, it should not be the delivery medium, but rather the instructional methods that facilitate proper learning. Courses that incorporate effective instructional methods will support better learning than courses that do not use effective methods, regardless of the mode of delivery. We compared a traditionally taught face to face Conservation Biology course, Biol 4244/5244, for Biology majors to a fully online asynchronous e-learning course designed using essentially the same materials but varying course delivery. The Biol 4244/4244 course is designated by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as a “writing-intensive course”, where communication is a significant part of the course learning experience. We found no significant differences in learning outcomes, regardless of the method of course delivery. Overall, we feel that this study indicates that online instruction in this type of course is a viable alternative to face-to-face instruction.
Diagnostic Challenges of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background In resource-constrained countries, accurate diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection remains a challenge. This study aimed to assess the clinical utility of locally available serological and stool antigen test kits in the management of people with suspected H. pylori infection in Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted with apparently healthy adults and children living in southwest Ethiopia. Participants were interviewed for dyspepsia symptoms and related clinical conditions. H. pylori infection was examined using commercially available serological and stool antigen tests. The association between H. pylori tests and dyspepsia symptoms was analyzed using logistic regression models. Results Out of 1392 participants included in the final analysis, 49.1% and 6.5% tested positive for H. pylori infection with serology and stool antigen test kits, respectively. Participants reporting epigastric symptoms in the past three months (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.28–2.91) and those with recent dyspepsia treatment (AOR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.05–2.18) were likely to have positive serology test. However, no association between dyspepsia symptoms and H. pylori stool antigen positivity was observed in our study. Conclusion ccurate detection of H. pylori infections using commercially accessible diagnostics remains difficult in Ethiopia. With these methods, it will be hard to ensure adequate diagnosis and early treatment of H. pylori infection, as well as rational antibiotic use.
Nursing Interventions Designed to Improve Healthcare in General Healthcare Settings for Adults Living with Mental Illness: A Scoping Review

Abstract People living with mental illness have difficulty obtaining quality physical care services. Nurses find it hard to fully assume their role and adopt a person-centered approach when they care for people with both physical and mental health problems. A scoping review was carried out to document the breadth and depth of literature on nurse interventions designed to improve nursing care in general healthcare settings for adults living with mental illness. Two researchers independently screened titles, abstracts and full documents to obtain publications, and the relevant data was extracted from individual studies. Of the 384 studies identified, 16 documents were included in the study. Few interventions have been the subject of scientific publications and they are scattered in their objectives and very heterogeneous in their content. Interventions are often included in a large program that may be difficult to apply in various care settings. There are many different nursing roles and activities in care-management and in support of behavioral changes although their main measured outcomes differ. This study highlights a tendency for interventions to relegate people with mental health problems to specialized services, which reinforces the dichotomization of services and does not favor a holistic and person-centered approach. There is an urgent need to develop and evaluate nursing interventions in general healthcare settings for adults living with mental illness. The development of relevant continuing education and training must take into account both the point of view of the people living with mental illness and that of nurses.
Tunnel number one knots, m-small knots and the Morimoto conjecture

In the present paper, we show that the Morimoto Conjecture on the super additivity of the tunnel numbers of knots in S3 is true for knots K1,K2 in S3 in which each Ki is either a tunnel number one or m-small, i = 1, 2. This extends two known results by Morimoto.
Crystallography of Growth Blocks in Spheroidal Graphite

A better understanding of spheroidal graphite growth is expected in a near future thanks to widespread use of transmission electron microscopy. However, common transmission electron microscopy is quite time consuming and new indexing techniques are being developed, among them is transmission Kikuchi diffraction in a scanning electron microscope, a recent technique derived from electron backscatter diffraction. In the present work, on-axis transmission Kikuchi diffraction in scanning electron microscope, completed by transmission electron microscopy, was used with the objective of producing new observations on the microstructure of spheroidal graphite. This study shows that disorientations between blocks and sectors in spheroidal graphite are quite large in the early growth stage, which may be indicative of a competition process selecting the best orientations for achieving radial growth along the c direction of graphite.
Effect of hydropriming on seed germination indices of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under salt and drought conditions

A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of aerated hydropriming (24h) on two cultivar of sunflower (Urfloar and Blazar) seed germination under a range of drought stress and salt stress. Cultivar Urfloar had the more germination index (Gmax), germination rate (R50), days to 50% germination (D50), germination index (GI), root and shoot length and dry weight as compared with cultivar Blazar. Hydropriming for 24 h increased germination percentage, germination rate, germination index, root and shoot length, root and shoot weight of seed sunflower as compared with the control. However, as salinity and/or drought level increased, all of these parameters reduced under both conditions. Primed seeds produced higher germination rate and percentage, D50 and GI under all salinity and drought levels as compared with non-primed seeds. There was interaction between cultivar and priming on the germination rate and D50 as hydropriming was more effective in cultivar Urfloar. There was also interaction between priming and drought and salt stress on the Gmax, R50, D50 and GI. Primed seeds clearly produced higher Gmax, R50, D50 and GI than non-primed seeds under all drought and salinity levels. There was interaction among cultivar, drought and salt stress for all the parameters which were measured. Cultivar Urfloar clearly produced higher Gmax, R50, D50, GI, root and shoot length and their dry weight as compared with cultivar Blazar. The results suggested that hydropriming for 24 h was enhanced germination and seedling growth of sunflower under stress conditions. Therefore, this treatment may be used to improved seed performance of sunflower under normal and stress conditions.
Long-Term Consequences of COVID-19 at 6 Months and Above: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

We aimed to review the data available to evaluate the long-term consequences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at 6 months and above. We searched relevant observational cohort studies up to 9 February 2022 in Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science. Random-effects inverse-variance models were used to evaluate the Pooled Prevalence (PP) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) of long-term consequences. The Newcastle–Ottawa quality assessment scale was used to assess the quality of the included cohort studies. A total of 40 studies involving 10,945 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were included. Of the patients, 63.87% had at least one consequence at the 6 month follow-up, which decreased to 58.89% at 12 months. The most common symptoms were fatigue or muscle weakness (PP 6–12 m = 54.21%, PP ≥ 12 m = 34.22%) and mild dyspnea (Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale, mMRC = 0, PP 6–12 m = 74.60%, PP ≥ 12 m = 80.64%). Abnormal computerized tomography (CT; PP 6–12 m = 55.68%, PP ≥ 12 m = 43.76%) and lung diffuse function impairment, i.e., a carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) of < 80% were common (PP 6–12 m = 49.10%, PP ≥ 12 m = 31.80%). Anxiety and depression (PP 6–12 m = 33.49%, PP ≥ 12 m = 35.40%) and pain or discomfort (PP 6–12 m = 33.26%, PP ≥ 12 m = 35.31%) were the most common problems that affected patients’ quality of life. Our findings suggest a significant long-term impact on health and quality of life due to COVID-19, and as waves of ASRS-CoV-2 infections emerge, the long-term effects of COVID-19 will not only increase the difficulty of care for COVID-19 survivors and the setting of public health policy but also might lead to another public health crisis following the current pandemic, which would also increase the global long-term burden of disease.
2 Innovation , Metropolitan and Productivity

This paper assesses the contribution to productivity of firms’ internal innovation efforts and spatially-specific factors. A dynamic GMM-estimator is applied to a panel of close to 3,000 firms located in 81 Swedish regions and observed over a 10-year period. The magnitude of benefits from the knowledge milieu of an agglomeration is sizeable, but varies between firms depending on their particular R&D-strategy and location within a metropolitan region. 2
Noninvasive diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus by hair analysis using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

Abstract Currently, the reference method for diagnosing the pathology of diabetes is the measurement of glycated hemoglobin HbA1c. As a major public health problem, as categorized by the World Health Organization, the need to develop new techniques that are more accessible, especially for developing countries, is necessary. The objective of this work is to propose a new technique based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) using the essential minerals calcium, sodium, magnesium, and zinc in hair as biomarkers for the screening of type 2 diabetes. The study involved 130 women: 24 were classified as low-level diabetics with a glycated hemoglobin HbA1c <7% and 56 were classified as high-level diabetics with an HbA1c >7% after clinical tests were performed at the Habib Thameur Hospital in Tunis. The other 50 women were healthy and used as controls. The correlation of the mineral concentrations in the hair with the values of glycated hemoglobin allow an economical and rapid detection of the disease. The results showed a strong negative correlation between the levels of calcium, magnesium, and zinc with the HbA1c values and a strong positive correlation between the intensity of the sodium lines and HbA1c. These results allowed the discrimination of the three groups in the cohort, offering a new approach to quickly classify the patients involved in a screening campaign. In addition, the strong correlation between laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and the front face fluorescence spectroscopy (FFFS), previously applied on the same samples, may help identify the source of the fluorescence spectra. All of these results support the use of LIBS upon hair to evaluate minerals as effective biomarkers for the detection of type II diabetes to be a promising approach.
Cingulate transcranial direct current stimulation in adults with HIV

Background Neuronal dysfunction plays an important role in the high prevalence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in people with HIV (PWH). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)—with its capability to improve neuronal function—may have the potential to serve as an alternative therapeutic approach for HAND. Brain imaging and neurobehavioral studies provide converging evidence that injury to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is highly prevalent and contributes to HAND in PWH, suggesting that ACC may serve as a potential neuromodulation target for HAND. Here we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, partial crossover pilot study to test the safety, tolerability, and potential efficacy of anodal tDCS over cingulate cortex in adults with HIV, with a focus on the dorsal ACC (dACC). Methods Eleven PWH (47–69 years old, 2 females, 100% African Americans, disease duration 16–36 years) participated in the study, which had two phases, Phase 1 and Phase 2. During Phase 1, participants were randomized to receive ten sessions of sham (n = 4) or cingulate tDCS (n = 7) over the course of 2–3 weeks. Treatment assignments were unknown to the participants and the technicians. Neuropsychology and MRI data were collected from four additional study visits to assess treatment effects, including one baseline visit (BL, prior to treatment) and three follow-up visits (FU1, FU2, and FU3, approximately 1 week, 3 weeks, and 3 months after treatment, respectively). Treatment assignment was unblinded after FU3. Participants in the sham group repeated the study with open-label cingulate tDCS during Phase 2. Statistical analysis was limited to data from Phase 1. Results Compared to sham tDCS, cingulate tDCS led to a decrease in Perseverative Errors in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), but not Non-Perseverative Errors, as well as a decrease in the ratio score of Trail Making Test—Part B (TMT-B) to TMT—Part A (TMT-A). Seed-to-voxel analysis with resting state functional MRI data revealed an increase in functional connectivity between the bilateral dACC and a cluster in the right dorsal striatum after cingulate tDCS. There were no differences in self-reported discomfort ratings between sham and cingulate tDCS. Conclusions Cingulate tDCS is safe and well-tolerated in PWH, and may have the potential to improve cognitive performance and brain function. A future study with a larger sample is warranted.
Influence of Co-site Substitution on Thermoelectric Properties in La 1x Sr x CoO

The effect of the Co-site substitution by the various elements M on the thermoelectric properties has been investigated for the La0.80Sr0. 20(Co0.95M0.05)O3 system. The figure of merit Z and the power factor P depend on the species of the substituted elements through the difference of the ionic radius, the ionic valency, the electronic configuration of 3delectrons and their spin states. Among these factors, the ionic valency of the substituted elements most strongly influences the thermoelectricity; the 5% substitution by the +2 ions (Mg, Ni) makes the average Co valency (AV) increase to 3.26 from pristine 3.20 and that by the +4 ions (Sn, Cr) makes the AV value decrease to 3.16. The substitution by the +4 ions makes the Co valency approach to the optimum AV value (=3.10), enhancing the thermoelectric properties.
Stability of viscoplastic flow

Air and water, the most common fluids on the Earth, are Newtonian fluids. It means that the viscous behaviors of these fluids can be described by Stokes’ law of viscosity. In other words, the viscosity, which is defined as the ratio of shear stress versus shear rate, is constant. However, there are many liquids that do not obey Stokes’ law of viscosity. For example, many geological and industry materials, such as mud, ice, lava, painting oil, toothpaste, drilling mud, chocolate and so forth, are not Newtonian fluids. Any fluid that does not follow the constant-viscosity law is called non-Newtonian fluid. Non-Newtonian fluids often exhibit some very interesting behaviors. There are many types of non-Newtonian fluids: shearing thinning fluid, viscoplastic fluid and viscoelastic fluid. In this report, we will focus on the viscoplastic fluid. Viscoplastic fluid is also called ”yield stress” fluid. Such fluid has a property in which the fluid behaves like a solid below some critical stress value (the yield stress), but flows like a viscous liquid when the yield stress is exceeded. It is often associated with highly aggregated suspensions. Flow of the muddy rivers is a typical example. Among many viscoplastic fluids, there is a special class called Bingham plastics. For Bingham plastic fluid, the shear stress beyond the yield stress is linearly proportional to the shear rate. If the yield stress approaches zero, the Bingham plastic fluid can be approximately treated as Newtonian fluid. Mathematically, this model can be represented as ([11]):