Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Hospital Outdoor Space on Physiological Electroencephalography (EEG) Feedback of Staff

Objectives: To investigate the differences and relationships between different outdoor spaces of hospitals on the physiological electroencephalography (EEG) feedback (PEEGF) of staff. Background: Relieving the pressure of hospital staff is essential, and several studies have revealed that even short-term exposure to outdoor space has a decompression effect. Yet, the focus is scarcely centered on the differences and influential relationships between the PEEGF from different outdoor spaces where the staff spend time, particularly in large-scale hospitals in China. Methods: EEG measurement equipment was utilized to obtain the value of β wave (vβw) that represents the stress and anxiety of staff in three different outdoor spaces: open, traffic, and rest. On the basis of EEG data, correlation analysis was conducted in accordance with the proportion of space elements. Results: The proportion of natural elements, such as landscape (r = −.800** p=.005) and waterscape (r = −.782* p=.013), were negatively correlated with the vβw produced by staff, while the proportion of hard paving was positive (r = .817** p=.004) with more vβw produced by staff. In other words, the percentage of landscape and waterscape can reduce stress, while hard paving has the opposite effect. Further, there was a difference in the amount of vβw generated between nurses and administrators in the open space at the entrance of the main building (p = .043). Conclusions: The present study revealed the influence of different outdoor space elements of the hospital on the physiological feedback of staff, demonstrated the practical necessity of evidence-based design, and proposed relevant optimization suggestions.
Microengineered perfusable 3D-bioprinted glioblastoma model for in vivo mimicry of tumor microenvironment

A perfusable vascularized 3D-bioprinted cancer model with stromal cells can be used for personalized therapy and target discovery. Many drugs show promising results in laboratory research but eventually fail clinical trials. We hypothesize that one main reason for this translational gap is that current cancer models are inadequate. Most models lack the tumor-stroma interactions, which are essential for proper representation of cancer complexed biology. Therefore, we recapitulated the tumor heterogenic microenvironment by creating fibrin glioblastoma bioink consisting of patient-derived glioblastoma cells, astrocytes, and microglia. In addition, perfusable blood vessels were created using a sacrificial bioink coated with brain pericytes and endothelial cells. We observed similar growth curves, drug response, and genetic signature of glioblastoma cells grown in our 3D-bioink platform and in orthotopic cancer mouse models as opposed to 2D culture on rigid plastic plates. Our 3D-bioprinted model could be the basis for potentially replacing cell cultures and animal models as a powerful platform for rapid, reproducible, and robust target discovery; personalized therapy screening; and drug development.
Encapsulation of Vitamin E using maltodextrin/Sodium Caseinate/Selenomethionine and its release study

Vitamin E is important for human and animal as they promote health benefits. Vitamin E is also widely used as food additives, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics industries. However, Vitamin E from natural sources is easy to degrade, labile to heat and oxygen, insoluble in water and also low in absorption hence, poor bioavailability. Encapsulation helps in protecting Vitamin E against the unfavorable environment to be release at targeted sites. In this study, encapsulation of Vitamin E was incorporated with selenomethionine and the effects on physicochemical properties were investigated. The release of Vitamin E was evaluated in simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Vitamin E was encapsulated in a solution of maltodextrin (DE 13 - 17) and sodium caseinate with a ratio of 3 : 2 : 1 (maltodextrin:Vitamin E:sodium caseinate) and the amount of selenomethionine are ranging from 1.6 to 10.6 mg. The powder form of the particle was obtained by using a freeze-dried technique. From the results, good solubility and moisture content were obtained from the formulation with 5.6 mg selenomethionine which was attributed to the differences in concentration and hydrophobicity of solute. The lower size was obtained but high in PdI value, indicating sufficient stability to aggregation under that formulation. At 5.6 mg of selenomethionine, encapsulated Vitamin E with maltodextrin and sodium caseinate resulted in 87 % and 42 % Vitamin E release, after 30 min in simulated gastic fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) solution. This attributes to the different absorption under different pH. Overall, encapsulated Vitamin E with selenomethionine was successfully obtained with better properties and performance, as an attempt for improving Vitamin E delivery and bioavailability.
Partially Reversible Immobilization of Free-Ranging Huemul Deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) with Medetomidine-Ketamine and Atipamezole

Abstract: A combination of intramuscular medetomidine and ketamine was used to immobilize 46 free-ranging huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) with a remote drug delivery system in Chilean Patagonia for tagging and biological sampling. Captures occurred in May–October of 2005–09 between fall and early spring in the southern hemisphere. An initial dose of 6.6 mg medetomidine and 185 mg ketamine was adjusted after 17 captures to 3 mg and 200 mg, respectively, in the 29 remaining deer. Mean±SD adjusted dose was 0.042±0.012 mg/kg of medetomidine and 2.929±0.427 mg/kg of ketamine. Inductions were calm and the mean±SD time to sternal recumbency was 10.3±10.1 min. Palpebral reflex and jaw tone were present during immobilization. Atipamezole at 5 mg/mg of medetomidine was administered intramuscularly for reversal after 55.3±18.8 min procedure time. Recoveries were smooth and mean±SD time to standing was 10.2±3.3. All immobilized animals were hypoxemic by pulse oximetry (blood oxygen saturation approximately 81%). Three animals that developed apnea were resuscitated through chest compression and atipamezole administration, another regurgitated during capture, and all developed tachypnea. The combination of medetomidine-ketamine and atipamezole can be used for partially reversible immobilization of huemul, but supplemental oxygen should be administered, blood oxygenation should be monitored, and equipment for intubation and manual ventilation should be available.
Opioid Use Disorder in Patients Undergoing Primary 1- to 2-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Is Associated With Longer In-Hospital Lengths of Stay and Higher Rates of Readmissions, Complications, and Costs of Care

Study Design: Retrospective study. Objective: To determine whether opioid use disorder (OUD) patients undergoing 1- to 2-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (1-2ACDF) have higher rates of: 1) in-hospital lengths of stay (LOS); 2) readmissions; 3) complications; and 4) costs. Methods: OUD patients undergoing primary 1-2ACDF were identified within the Medicare database and matched to a control cohort in a 1:5 ratio by age, sex, and medical comorbidities. The query yielded 80,683 patients who underwent 1-2 ACDF with (n = 13,448) and without (n = 67,235) OUD. Outcomes analyzed included in-hospital LOS, 90-day readmission rates, 90-day medical complications, and costs. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds-ratios (OR) for medical complications and readmissions. Welch’s t-test was used to test for significance for LOS and cost between the cohorts. An alpha value less than 0.002 was considered statistically significant. Results: OUD patients were found to have significantly longer in-hospital LOS compared to their counterparts (3.41 vs. 2.23-days, P < .0001), in addition to higher frequency and odds of requiring readmissions (21.62 vs. 11.57%; OR: 1.38, P < .0001). Study group patients were found to have higher frequency and odds of developing medical complications (0.88 vs. 0.19%, OR: 2.80, P < .0001) and incurred higher episode of care costs ($20,399.62 vs. $16,812.14, P < .0001). Conclusion: The study can help to push orthopaedic surgeons in better managing OUD patients pre-operatively in terms of safe discontinuation and education of opioid drugs and their effects on complications, leading to more satisfactory outcomes.
Potential of CRISPR/Cas system in the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

ABSTRACT Introduction Emerging novel infectious diseases and persistent pandemics with potential to destabilize normal life remain a public health concern for the whole world. The recent outbreak of pneumonia caused by Coronavirus infectious disease-2019 (COVID-19) resulted in high mortality due to a lack of effective drugs or vaccines. With a constantly increasing number of infections with mutated strains and deaths across the globe, rapid, affordable and specific detections with more accurate diagnosis and improved health treatments are needed to combat the spread of this novel pathogen COVID-19. Areas covered Researchers have started to utilize the recently invented clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR/Cas)-based tools for the rapid detection of novel COVID-19. In this review, we summarize the potential of CRISPR/Cas system for the diagnosis and enablement of efficient control of COVID-19. Expert opinion Multiple groups have demonstrated the potential of utilizing CRISPR-based diagnosis tools for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. In coming months, we expect more novel and rapid CRISPR-based kits for mass detection of COVID-19-infected persons within a fraction of a second. Therefore, we believe science will conquer COVID-19 in the near future.
Can nutrition education mitigate the impacts of COVID‐19 on dietary quality? Cluster‐randomised controlled trial evidence in Myanmar's Central Dry Zone

Abstract We evaluate the immediate impact of a nutrition and gender behaviour change communication on dietary quality in rural communities in Myanmar and assess whether the communication helped mitigate the effect of the COVID‐19 crisis on dietary quality. The intervention was designed and implemented as a cluster‐randomised controlled trial in which 15 villages received the intervention and 15 control villages did not. The intervention was implemented from June to October 2020. This paper provides an assessment of the intervention's impact on dietary quality based on the results of two phone surveys conducted in August and October 2020. Immediate impacts of the intervention indicate an improvement in women's dietary diversity scores by half a food group out of 10. At baseline, 44% of women were likely to have consumed inadequately diverse diets; results indicate that 6% (p‐value: 0.003, SE: 0.02) fewer sample women were likely to have consumed inadequately diverse diets. More women in treatment villages consumed pulses, nuts, eggs and Vitamin A‐rich foods daily than in control villages. In response to economic shocks related to COVID‐19, households in the treatment villages were less likely to reduce the quantity of meat and fish consumption than in control villages. The long‐term impacts of the intervention need to be continuously evaluated.
Bacterial Superinfection Pneumonia in Patients Mechanically Ventilated for COVID-19 Pneumonia

Rationale: Current guidelines recommend patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia receive empirical antibiotics for suspected bacterial superinfection on the basis of weak evidence. Rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in clinical trials of patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia are unexpectedly low. Objectives: We conducted an observational single-center study to determine the prevalence and etiology of bacterial superinfection at the time of initial intubation and the incidence and etiology of subsequent bacterial VAP in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Methods: Bronchoscopic BAL fluid samples from all patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation were analyzed using quantitative cultures and a multiplex PCR panel. Actual antibiotic use was compared with guideline-recommended therapy. Measurements and Main Results: We analyzed 386 BAL samples from 179 patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation. Bacterial superinfection within 48 hours of intubation was detected in 21% of patients. Seventy-two patients (44.4%) developed at least one VAP episode (VAP incidence rate = 45.2/1,000 ventilator days); 15 (20.8%) initial VAPs were caused by difficult-to-treat pathogens. The clinical criteria did not distinguish between patients with or without bacterial superinfection. BAL-based management was associated with significantly reduced antibiotic use compared with guideline recommendations. Conclusions: In patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation, bacterial superinfection at the time of intubation occurs in <25% of patients. Guideline-based empirical antibiotic management at the time of intubation results in antibiotic overuse. Bacterial VAP developed in 44% of patients and could not be accurately identified in the absence of microbiologic analysis of BAL fluid.
Some psychophysical tasks measure ocular dominance plasticity more reliably than others

In the recent decade, studies have shown that short-term monocular deprivation strengthens the deprived eye's contribution to binocular vision. However, the magnitude of the change in eye dominance after monocular deprivation (i.e., the patching effect) has been found to be different between different methods and within the same method. There are three possible explanations for the discrepancy. First, the mechanisms underlying the patching effect that are probed by different measurement tasks might exist at different neural sites. Second, the test–retest variability of the same test can produce inconsistent results. Third, the magnitude of the patching effect itself within the same observer can vary across separate days or experimental sessions. To explore these possibilities, we assessed the test–retest reliability of the three most commonly used tasks (binocular rivalry, binocular combination, and dichoptic masking) and the repeatability of the shift in eye dominance after short-term monocular deprivation for each of the task. Two variations for binocular phase combination were used, at one and many contrasts of the stimuli. Also, two variations for dichoptic masking were employed; the orientation of the mask grating was either horizontal or vertical. Thus, five different tasks were evaluated. We hoped to resolve some of the inconsistencies reported in the literature concerning this form of visual plasticity. In this study, we also aimed to recommend a measurement method that would allow us to better understand its physiological basis and the underpinning of visual disorders.
The efficacy of photobiomodulation in the management of gingivitis during orthodontic treatment: A systematic review of clinical studies

ABSTRACT Purpose The objective of the current study was to assess the effectiveness of photobiomodulation in managing gingival inflammation in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Materials and Methods The addressed focus question was ‘Is photobiomodulation effective in treating gingival inflammation in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment? ’ Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model, indexed databases were searched up to and including January 2021. The risk of bias (ROB) was assessed using Joanna Briggs critical appraisal tool. Results Eight studies which included, six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two clinical trials were included in the review. All the studies reported that PBM can be used in the management of gingival inflammation during or after the orthodontic treatment, but two studies reported that there is no difference between lasers and conventional scalpel therapy. Overall, the risk of bias was low for six studies and moderate for two studies. Conclusion The efficacy of photobiomodulation in the management of gingival enlargement during orthodontic treatment is debatable as the heterogeneity associated with the included studies is high. Overall, majority of the studies are supportive and the conclusion of the present review indicates that photobiomodulation can be used as an adjunct tool for managing gingivitis during orthodontic treatment. Further, well-designed RCTs are needed.
The Economics of Energy Efficiency in Developing Countries

Almost all of the world’s energy demand growth is projected to occur in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs). Targeted energy efficiency investments have the potential to mitigate tensions between economic growth objectives and sustainable development commitments. We review the empirical evidence on both the private and social benefits of energy efficiency improvements in LMICs. In addition to direct energy savings, energy efficiency investments can generate indirect benefits such as improved reliability, enhanced energy access, and increased productivity. We highlight the role that energy subsidies, unreliable power supply, and capital constraints may play in the underinvestment in energy efficiency. Increasingly, LMICs are implementing policies and programs aimed at mitigating these barriers. We discuss some recent policy design innovations and emphasize the importance of rigorous evaluation.
Nitrogen Adsorption on Graphene Sponges Synthesized by Annealing a Mixture of Nickel and Carbon Powders

Abstract Adsorption by graphene sponge (GS) manufactured by annealing nickel-carbon powder mixture in inert atmosphere has been studied. By determining the specific surface area (SSA) for the GS sample, it has been found that Brunauer, Emmett, Teller method (BET) of approximation of experimental isotherms gives wrong results in the pressure range of 0.025–0.12 because adsorption in this pressure region is affected by walls of ampoule. Real SSA value has been found by subtracting pore effect method (SPE) or by BET approximation in a low range of relative pressure of 0.0004–0.002.
On crossing fitness valleys with majority-vote crossover and estimation-of-distribution algorithms

The benefits of using crossover in crossing fitness gaps have been studied extensively in evolutionary computation. Recent runtime results show that majority-vote crossover is particularly efficient at optimizing the well-known Jump benchmark function that includes a fitness gap next to the global optimum. Also estimation-of-distribution algorithms (EDAs), which use an implicit crossover, are much more efficient on Jump than typical mutation-based algorithms. However, the allowed gap size for polynomial runtimes with EDAs is at most logarithmic in the problem dimension n. In this paper, we investigate variants of the Jump function where the gap is shifted and appears in the middle of the typical search trajectory. Such gaps can still be overcome efficiently in time O (n log n) by majority-vote crossover and an estimation-of-distribution algorithm, even for gap sizes almost [EQUATION]. However, if the global optimum is located in the gap instead of the usual all-ones string, majority-vote crossover would nevertheless approach the all-ones string and be highly inefficient. In sharp contrast, an EDA can still find such a shifted optimum efficiently. Thanks to a general property called fair sampling, the EDA will with high probability sample from almost every fitness level of the function, including levels in the gap, and sample the global optimum even though the overall search trajectory points towards the all-ones string. Finally, we derive limits on the gap size allowing efficient runtimes for the EDA.
Do additional optima speed up evolutionary algorithms?

Most runtime analyses of randomised search heuristics focus on the expected number of function evaluations to find a unique global optimum. We ask a fundamental question: if additional search points are declared optimal, or declared as desirable target points, do these additional optima speed up evolutionary algorithms? More formally, we analyse the expected hitting time of a target set OPT ∪ S where S is a set of non-optimal search points and OPT is the set of optima and compare it to the expected hitting time of OPT. We show that the answer to our question depends on the number and placement of search points in S. For all black-box algorithms and all fitness functions we show that, if additional optima are placed randomly, even an exponential number of optima has a negligible effect on the expected optimisation time. Considering Hamming balls around all global optima gives an easier target for some algorithms and functions and can shift the phase transition with respect to offspring population sizes in the (1,λ) EA on One-Max. Finally, on functions where search trajectories typically join in a single search point, turning one search point into an optimum drastically reduces the expected optimisation time.
Self-adjusting offspring population sizes outperform fixed parameters on the cliff function

In the discrete domain, self-adjusting parameters of evolutionary algorithms (EAs) has emerged as a fruitful research area with many runtime analyses showing that self-adjusting parameters can out-perform the best fixed parameters. Most existing runtime analyses focus on elitist EAs on simple problems, for which moderate performance gains were shown. Here we consider a much more challenging scenario: the multimodal function Cliff, defined as an example where a (1, λ) EA is effective, and for which the best known upper runtime bound for standard EAs is O(n25). We prove that a (1, λ) EA self-adjusting the offspring population size λ using success-based rules optimises Cliff in O(n) expected generations and O(n log n) expected evaluations. Along the way, we prove tight upper and lower bounds on the runtime for fixed λ (up to a logarithmic factor) and identify the runtime for the best fixed λ as nη for η ≈ 3.9767 (up to sub-polynomial factors). Hence, the self-adjusting (1, λ) EA outperforms the best fixed parameter by a factor of at least n2.9767 (up to sub-polynomial factors).
Experimental Evaluation of Oil Extraction from South African Melia azedarach Seeds as Feedstock for Biodiesel Synthesis

Global increase in fuel prices and the associated problem of harmful emissions from combustion of fossil fuels has necessitated the need for more energy sources to sustain energy security and mitigate the negative environmental implications from the continuous use of petroleum diesel. This research is primarily focused on the production of biodiesel from Melia azedarach oil, which has not been much explored as a feedstock for diesel substitute. In consideration of the nutritional demands for edible oil seeds, the use of edible vegetable stock to produce biodiesel raises major ethical concerns with non-edible oil seeds presenting more feasible solution to energy crises. Oil was extracted from Melia azedarach seeds by exploring both mechanical and chemical methods. Biodiesel was produced from the extracted oil via alkali alcoholysis. An innovative Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-VIS) was adopted as a process tracking mechanism for biodiesel production. An oil yield of 4.32% of crude oil was extracted using n-hexane under an extraction time of 24h and temperature of 55°C. Esterification parameters of 45:1 Molar concentration of alcohol to oil, reaction temperature of 53°C, a reaction time of 50 mins and concentrated sulphuric acid weight fraction of 5% gave a free fatty acid conversion of 89.37%. Based on the results obtained, the seed oil has been established as a promising feedstock with promising efficiency for biodiesel production. However, large scale extraction of oil from the seed for industrial production of biodiesel must be further investigated.