Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Associations of Trans-3′-Hydroxy Cotinine, Cotinine, and the Nicotine Metabolite Ratio in Pediatric Patients with Tobacco Smoke Exposure

(1) Background: Trans-3′-hydroxy cotinine (3HC) and cotinine (COT) are tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) biomarkers and the 3HC/COT ratio is a marker of CYP2A6 activity, an enzyme which metabolizes nicotine. The primary objective was to assess the associations of these TSE biomarkers with sociodemographics and TSE patterns in children who lived with ≥1 smoker. (2) Methods: A convenience sample of 288 children (mean age (SD) = 6.42 (4.8) years) was recruited. Multiple linear regression models were built to assess associations of sociodemographics and TSE patterns with urinary biomarker response variables: (1) 3HC, (2) COT, (3) 3HC+COT sum, and (4) 3HC/COT ratio. (3) Results: All children had detectable 3HC (Geometric Mean [GeoM] = 32.03 ng/mL, 95%CI = 26.97, 38.04) and COT (GeoM = 10.24 ng/mL, 95%CI = 8.82, 11.89). Children with higher cumulative TSE had higher 3HC and COT (β^ = 0.03, 95%CI = 0.01, 0.06, p = 0.015 and β^ = 0.03, 95%CI = 0.01, 0.05, p = 0.013, respectively). Highest 3HC+COT sum levels were in children who were Black (β^ = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.04, 1.17, p = 0.039) and who had higher cumulative TSE (β^ = 0.03, 95%CI = 0.01, 0.06, p = 0.015). Lowest 3HC/COT ratios were in children who were Black (β^ = −0.42, 95%CI = −0.78, −0.07, p = 0.021) and female (β^ = −0.32, 95%CI = −0.62, −0.01, p = 0.044). (4) Conclusion: Results indicate that there are racial and age-related differences in TSE, most likely due to slower nicotine metabolism in non-Hispanic Black children and in younger children.
Service Innovations, Knowledge Management, Advance Technology and Organizational Performances

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of knowledge management and advance technology on organization performance through service innovation. A survey of 268 SMEs in the service industry was conducted. Partial least squares of structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the mediation role of the service innovation on the relationships between knowledge management, advance technology and the organizational performance. The results showed there were links between knowledge management and organizational performance. In addition, it was discovered that service innovation mediated the relationship between the knowledge management and cost and financial performance, and between advance technology and cost and financial performance. The paper shows a way forward of how to measures organisational performance in such a way that they are led from the development of innovation capability generated through knowledge management and the advance technology in the service industry.
Dragon Fruit Peel Waste (Hylocereus undatus) as a Potential Ingredient for Reducing Lipid Peroxidation, Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products, and Starch Digestibility in Cookies

Excessive consumption of cookies has been linked to harmful health outcomes owing to the presence of refined carbohydrates and heat-induced toxicants including end products of lipid peroxidation and dietary advanced glycation end products (dAGEs). To address this issue, this study explores the addition of dragon fruit peel powder (DFP), which is rich in phytochemicals and dietary fibers, to cookies as a potential solution to mitigate their adverse effects. The results indicate that adding DFP at 1%, 2%, and 5% w/w of raw cookie dough significantly improves the total phenolic and betacyanin contents and antioxidant activity, as evidenced by increased ferric-reducing antioxidant power. DFP incorporation also led to reductions in malondialdehyde and dAGEs (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the starch digestibility, hydrolysis index, and predicted glycemic index were all reduced in the presence of DFP, with the latter estimate being due to the higher content of undigested starch. Incorporating DFP in cookies resulted in significant changes in their physical properties, including texture and color. However, sensory evaluation indicates that the overall acceptability of the cookies was not negatively impacted by the addition of up to 2% DFP, suggesting that it is a viable option for enhancing the nutritional value of cookies without compromising their palatability. These findings suggest that DFP is a sustainable and healthier ingredient that can improve the antioxidant capacity of cookies while also mitigating the harmful effects of heat-induced toxins.
Foliar Application of Moringa Leaf Extracts Affects Growth, Yield and Mineral Composition of Pepper (Capsicum Annuum L.) Under Greenhouse Conditions

The higher cost and increased pollution caused by the intensive use of fertilizers in growing vegetables necessitates the use of safer organic bio-stimulants to partially substitute fertilizers. Analyses of leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera and Moringa peregrina in the present study confirmed their rich content of diverse compounds and ele - ments and indicated that except for Mg and Ca, M. oleifera outyielded M. peregrina for the measured elements and bio-constituents. Foliar spray of leaf extracts of M. oleifera and M. peregrina at (1:10, 1:20, 1:30 extract: distilled water) was attempted on pepper plants under greenhouse conditions every two weeks for five times start - ing 30 days after transplanting date. Enhanced vegetative growth parameters (plant height, number of branches and leaves, plant fresh and dry weights, leaf area, and leaf chlorophyll-content) and better yield attributes (Fruit yield·plant -1 and hectare -1 ) were obtained by foliar spraying of plants with the concentrated extract 1:10 of moringa species. The vegetative growth of pepper plants was significantly influenced by extract concentration, moringa type·concentration, but not for moringa type (P≤0.05). However, moringa type, extract concentration and their interactions significantly affected pepper fruit-yield·plant -1 , pepper fruit-yield·ha -1 and mineral content of pepper leaves (P≤0.05). Irrespective of moringa type, the highest extract concentration 1:10 resulted in the highest yield ·plant -1 (1.68 kg) and yield·hectare -1 (16.88 ton) of peppers. The present study highlighted the potential of using extracts of moringa trees in organic farming.
A balancing act: how whole-genome doubling and aneuploidy interact in human cancer

Aneuploidy, or an abnormal chromosome copy number, is a characteristic feature of cancer, which plays an important role in cancer initiation and progression [1]. Aneuploidy prevalence patterns are tissue-specific, with different chromosomes gained or lost across cancer types [1–3]. Whole-genome duplication (WGD), also known as whole-genome doubling, occurs in nearly a third of human tumors, usually at the early stages of tumorigenesis [4, 5]. It is known that tumors that have undergone WGD are more permissive to aneuploidy, but whether WGD also affects aneuploidy patterns has remained an open question (Figure 1). To address this intriguing question, we recently analyzed 5,586 clinical tumor samples that had not undergone WGD (WGD-) and 3,435 tumors that had (WGD+) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), across 22 tumor types [6]. WGDand WGD+ tumors showed distinct aneuploidy patterns; WGD+ tumors were more chromosomally unstable and were more permissive to aneuploidy, presenting not only more aneuploidies in general but also a wider variety of events. Chromosome loss was more common in WGD+ than in WGDtumors, suggesting that genome doubling might “buffer” the detrimental effect of losing DNA content. In addition,
Cerebral blood flow patterns in preterm and term neonates assessed with pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion MRI

In preterm (PT) infants, regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) disturbances may predispose to abnormal brain maturation even without overt brain injury. Therefore, it would be informative to determine the spatial distribution of grey matter (GM) CBF in PT and full‐term (FT) newborns at term‐equivalent age (TEA) and to assess the relationship between the features of the CBF pattern and both prematurity and prematurity‐related brain lesions. In this prospective study, we obtained measures of CBF in 66 PT (51 without and 15 with prematurity‐related brain lesions) and 38 FT newborns through pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) MRI acquired at TEA. The pattern of GM CBF was characterized by combining an atlas‐based automated segmentation of structural MRI with spatial normalization and hierarchical clustering. The effects of gestational age (GA) at birth and brain injury on the CBF pattern were investigated. We identified 4 physiologically‐derived clusters of brain regions that were labeled Fronto‐Temporal, Parieto‐Occipital, Insular‐Deep GM (DGM) and Sensorimotor, from the least to the most perfused. We demonstrated that GM perfusion was associated with GA at birth in the Fronto‐Temporal and Sensorimotor clusters, positively and negatively, respectively. Moreover, the presence of periventricular leukomalacia was associated with significantly increased Fronto‐Temporal GM perfusion and decreased Insular‐DGM perfusion, while the presence of germinal matrix hemorrhage appeared to mildly decrease the Insular‐DGM perfusion. Prematurity and prematurity‐related brain injury heterogeneously affect brain perfusion. ASL MRI may, therefore, have strong potential as a noninvasive tool for the accurate stratification of individuals at risk of domain‐specific impairment.
The Inconsistent Assessment of Quality of Life in Patients Treated for Head and Neck Cancer with Anti-EGFR Inhibitors: A Systematic Scoping Review

Simple Summary There is a correlation between quality of life (QoL) scores and treatment outcomes in patients receiving head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment. Higher QoL scores have been associated with improved survival yet there are considerable differences in the assessment of QoL in clinical trials. The aim of this systematic scoping review is to evaluate the variability of QoL reporting in clinical trials investigating anti-EGFR treatment. Our study confirms no standard method for reporting QoL data in clinical trials for HNC patients. QoL benchmarks are assessed and reported differently between studies. Therefore, these metrics are difficult to evaluate on a larger scale, preventing quantitative analysis. This review identifies the need to standardize the method for QoL assessment. Abstract In patients receiving treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC), there is a correlation between quality of life (QoL) scores and treatment outcomes. Higher QoL scores have been associated with improved survival. Despite this, the assessment of QoL in clinical trials varies considerably. Three databases (Scopus, PubMed, and Cinahl) were queried for articles published in English between 2006 and 2022. Two reviewers (SRS and ANT) performed study screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. The authors identified 21 articles that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 5961 patients were evaluated. QoL was reported as average scores for specific variables across five different surveys in 12 included articles. Supplemental QoL data were available in 10 included studies. Critical appraisal of studies indicated a high risk of bias due to the inclusion of trials. There is no standard method for reporting QoL data in clinical trials for HNC patients undergoing treatment with anti-EGFR inhibitors. Future clinical trials should standardize their method for assessing and reporting quality-of-life data to increase patient-centered care and refine treatment choices to optimize survival.
Un problème aux limites pour une classe d'opérateurs du second ordre hypoelliptiques

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Whole Body Vibration Training Improves Maximal Strength of the Knee Extensors, Time-to-Exhaustion and Attenuates Neuromuscular Fatigue

Whole-body vibration (WBV) training programs were reported to improve knee extensor muscle (KE) strength in healthy participants. Unfortunately, the underlying mechanisms of these strength gains remain unresolved. In addition, WBV training was shown to increase the time-to-exhaustion of a static submaximal endurance task. However, the effects of WBV training on neuromuscular fatigue (i.e., a decrease of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction; MVIC) induced by an endurance task is unknown. We, therefore, investigated the influence of WBV training on (i) KE MVIC and neuromuscular function, (ii) the time-to-exhaustion of the KE associated with a submaximal isometric fatiguing exercise, and (iii) KE neuromuscular fatigue and its etiology. Eighteen physically active males were assigned to a WBV group (n = 10) or a sham training group (SHAM; n = 8). The MVIC of the KE, voluntary activation, and electrically evoked responses of the KE were assessed (i) before and after a fatiguing exercise (i.e., submaximal isometric contraction) performed until failure, and (ii) before (PRE) and after a 6-week training (POST) period. At POST, the WBV training increased the KE MVIC (+12%, p = 0.001) and voluntary activation (+6%, p < 0.05) regardless of the fatiguing exercise. The time-to-exhaustion was also lengthened at POST in the WBV group (+34%, p < 0.001). Finally, the relative percentage of MVIC decrease after fatiguing exercises diminished in the WBV group between PRE and POST (−14% vs. −6%, respectively, p < 0.001). Significant neural adaptation enhancements account for the trend in KE strength improvements observed after the WBV training program. In addition, the WBV training was effective at increasing the time-to-exhaustion and attenuating neuromuscular fatigue.
Evaluation of Applying Heuristic Algorithm to Solve Inverse Heat Conduction Problem in Temperature Oscillation IR Thermography Method

The paper investigates the possibility of applying a heuristic algorithm to solve an inverse heat conduction problem encountered in Temperature Oscillation IR Thermography method. The idea of TOIRT [24] is to infer about convection coefficient in given point h(x,y) from phase delay φ(x,y) of the temperature signal measured by means of thermography on the opposite side of heat conducting wall in steady-periodic conditions. Since the exact solution for inverse 3D heat conduction problem defined by TOIRT method is not available, there is a need to employ some kind of optimisation scheme to find the distribution h(x,y). In [22] it has been done by iterative solution of associated direct problem with finite difference method and updating the distribution h(x,y) in every iteration according to relative error between measured and computed values of φ(x,y) on the surface of the conducting wall. This paper presents an alternative approach based on symbolic regression with Genetic Algorithm to find an explicit formula relating amplitude as well as phase shift angle of temperature signal and the value of convection coefficient. Proposed procedure involves an offline training of the model with data previously generated with Finite Element Method which assures that time-consuming part of the calculation is carried out once and since then obtained explicit formula may be used in fast and straightforward manner. The results show that proposed approach gives solution with at least comparable accuracy to that obtained in [22], but requires careful selection of training data mainly in terms of their diversity and values of gradient of h(x,y).
Group-Based Patterns of Life Satisfaction and Functional Independence over the 10 Years after Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults: A Model Systems Study

Background: Older adults who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been shown to have reduced functional independence and life satisfaction relative to younger individuals with TBI. The purpose of this study was to examine the covarying patterns of functional independence and life satisfaction over the 10 years after TBI in adults who were 60 years of age or older upon injury. Method: Participants were 1841 individuals aged 60 or older at the time of TBI, were enrolled in the longitudinal TBI Model Systems database, and had Functional Independence Measure and Satisfaction with Life Scale scores during at least one time point at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years after TBI. Results: A k-means cluster analysis identified four distinct group-based longitudinal patterns of these two variables. Three cluster groups suggested that functional independence and life satisfaction generally traveled together over time, with one group showing relatively high functional independence and life satisfaction over time (Cluster 2), one group showing relatively moderate functional independence and life satisfaction (Cluster 4), and one group showing relatively low functional independence and life satisfaction (Cluster 1). Cluster 3 had relatively high functional independence over time but, nonetheless, relatively low life satisfaction; they were also the youngest group upon injury. Participants in Cluster 2 generally had the highest number of weeks of paid competitive employment but lower percentages of underrepresented racial/ethnic minority participants, particularly Black and Hispanic individuals. Women were more likely to be in the cluster with the lowest life satisfaction and functional independence (Cluster 1). Conclusion: Functional independence and life satisfaction generally accompany one another over time in older adults, although this does not always occur, as life satisfaction can still be low in a subgroup of older individuals after TBI with higher functioning. These findings contribute to a better understanding of post-TBI recovery patterns in older adults over time that may inform treatment considerations to improve age-related discrepancies in rehabilitation outcomes.
Study of thyroid disorders in vitiligo

Background and Aims: Vitiligo, an acquired sometimes familial depigmentary disorder of the skin and hair that results from selective destruction of melanocytes or pigment cells. It is the single most important non-neo plastic disease that involves both the immune system and melanocytes which are subsequently destroyed and the affected area turns pale and becomes white. The prevalence of the disease is between 1% and 2% in general population. Methods: It is a prospective, randomized, and controlled study. Over 90 vitiligo patients attending Dermatology OPD and vitiligo clinic are enrolled in the study. About 35 apparently healthy, age and sex matched individuals are selected to serve as control. A prescribed proforma containing all the demographic data, relevant questionnaire were recorded for each and every case with brief clinical history suggestive of any thyroid disease as well as those referred by the clinicians. P value <0.05 is considered significant. The Quantitative Determination of Thyroglobulin (Tg) Autoantibodies in Human Serum or Plasma by a Microplate Enzyme Immunoassay. Results: Vitiligo group, thirty four (37.78%) patients have clinical hypothyroidism while 9 (10%) patients have clinical hyperthyroidism. This difference in the distribution is statistically significant (P < 0.05) with a Chi-square value of 10.08. The data are entered, analyzed and computed with SPSS version 15 software and well-known statistical test like Chi-square, students' 't' test have been advocated wherever found applicable. P value <0.05 is considered significant. Conclusion: There is increased incidence of autoimmune thyroid diseases among vitiligo patients. The reason being vitiligo usually precedes the onset of thyroid dysfunction.
Perceptions of PrEP on Twitter: A Theoretically Guided Content Analysis on the Behavioral Determinants of PrEP Uptake

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a preventative strategy that involves taking a daily, oral medication to reduce the risk of contracting HIV. Advancements in recent years may have changed the ways in which PrEP is discussed in public discourse, and the use of social media for openly discussing and disseminating PrEP-related promotion messages has been understudied. Thus, this study focuses on understanding the current discourse surrounding PrEP on Twitter. Through a quantitative content analysis, this study examined the messaging, sources, and sentiments and emotions expressed in PrEP-related tweets posted from April 2019 to April 2020, six months before and after the FDA approval of Descovy for PrEP. After the approval of Descovy, there was a significant decrease in tweets relating to barriers for using PrEP; further, informational tweets about PrEP significantly increased. However, a large proportion of tweets still discussed barriers (29.9%), suggesting that addressing barriers to PrEP remains a top priority for promoting PrEP uptake. A lack of tweets discussing individual attitudes, norms, and behavioral control about PrEP may suggest that the social media discourse is not covering the important aspects of behavioral determinants for PrEP adoption. Health communication researchers can focus on developing message strategies that target these theoretical constructs to promote the adoption of PrEP among key target populations.
CrackFormer Network for Pavement Crack Segmentation

In this paper, we rethink our earlier work on self-attention based crack segmentation, and propose an upgraded CrackFormer network (CrackFormer-II) for pavement crack segmentation, instead of only for fine-grained crack-detection tasks. This work embeds novel Transformer encoder modules into a SegNet-like encoder-decoder structure, where the basic module is composed of novel Transformer encoder blocks with effective relative positional embedding and long range interactions to extract efficient contextual information from feature-channels. Further, fusion modules of scaling-attention are proposed to integrate the results of each respective encoder and decoder block to highlight semantic features and suppress non-semantic ones. Moreover, we update the Transformer encoder blocks enhanced by the local feed-forward layer and skip-connections, and optimize the channel configurations to compress the model parameters. Compared with the original CrackFormer, the CrackFormer-II is trained and evaluated on more general crack datasets. It achieves higher accuracy than the original CrackFormer, and the state-of-the-art (SOTA) method with $6.7 \times $ fewer FLOPs and $6.2 \times $ fewer parameters, and its practical inference speed is comparable to most classical CNN models. The experimental results show that it achieves the F-measures on Optimal Dataset Scale (ODS) of 0.912, 0.908, 0.914 and 0.869, respectively, on the four benchmarks. Codes are available at https://github.com/LouisNUST/CrackFormer-II.