Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Vitamin D Polygenic Risk Scores and Disease Outcome in People With Multiple Sclerosis

Background and Objectives Observational studies suggest low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) may be associated with increased disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) suggest 25(OH)D levels are partly genetically determined. The resultant polygenic scores (PGSs) could serve as a proxy for 25(OH)D levels, minimizing potential confounding and reverse causation in analyses with outcomes. Herein, we assess the association of genetically determined 25(OH)D and disease outcomes in MS. Methods We generated 25(OH)D PGS for 1,924 PwMS with available genotyping data pooled from 3 studies: the CombiRx trial (n = 575), Johns Hopkins MS Center (n = 1,152), and Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases study (n = 197). 25(OH)D-PGS were derived using summary statistics (p < 5 × 10−8) from a large GWAS including 485,762 individuals with circulating 25(OH)D levels measured. We included clinical and imaging outcomes: Expanded disability status scale (EDSS), timed 25-foot walk (T25FW), nine-hole peg test (9HPT), radiologic activity, and optical coherence tomography-derived ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness. A subset (n = 935) had measured circulating 25(OH)D levels. We fitted multivariable models based on the outcome of interest and pooled results across studies using random effects meta-analysis. Sensitivity analyses included a modified p value threshold for inclusion in the PGS (5 × 10−5) and applying Mendelian randomization (MR) rather than using PGS. Results Initial analyses demonstrated a positive association between generated 25(OH)D-PGS and circulating 25(OH)D levels (per 1SD increase in 25[OH]D PGS: 3.08%, 95% CI: 1.77%, 4.42%; p = 4.33e-06; R2 = 2.24%). In analyses with outcomes, we did not observe an association between 25(OH)D-PGS and relapse rate (per 1SD increase in 25[OH]D-PGS: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.87–1.10), EDSS worsening (per 1SD: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.87–1.28), change in T25FW (per 1SD: 0.07%; 95% CI: −0.34 to 0.49), or change in 9HPT (per 1SD: 0.09%; 95% CI: −0.15 to 0.33). 25(OH)D-PGS was not associated with new lesion accrual, lesion volume or other imaging-based outcomes (whole brain, gray, white matter volume loss or GCIPL thinning). The results were similarly null in analyses using other p value thresholds or those applying MR. Discussion Genetically determined lower 25(OH)D levels were not associated with worse disease outcomes in PwMS and raises questions about the plausibility of a treatment effect of vitamin D in established MS.
Enhancement in the thermoelectric performance by Y substitution on SrSi2

We report the results of the Y substitution in Sr1−xYxSi2 with x≤0.15 via measuring the temperature-dependent electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, as well as Seebeck coefficient. Upon substituting Y onto the Sr sites, the electrical resistivity exhibit semiconducting behavior and the room-temperature electrical resistivity tends to reduce for x≤0.08. The thermal conductivity also decreases with increasing the Y content. Moreover, the Seebeck coefficient has a substantial increase and a maximum of about 220 μV/K at around 80 K has been found for x=0.08. These promising effects lead to a significant enhancement in the thermoelectric performance characterized by the figure-of-merit, ZT. A room-temperature ZT value of approximately 0.4 is thus achieved for Sr0.92Y0.08Si2, about one order of magnitude larger than that of stoichiometric SrSi2.
Special Functions of Mathematical Physics from the Viewpoint of Lie Algebra

Families of special functions, known from mathematical physics, are defined here by their recursion relations. The operators which raise and lower indices in these functions are considered as generators of a Lie algebra. The general element of the corresponding Lie group thus operates on the function in two ways: on the one hand it shifts the argument of the function; on the other hand it produces an infinite sum of functions (at the unchanged argument) with shifted indices. Equating the two results of the operation gives us ``addition theorems,'' hitherto derived by analytical methods. The present paper restricts itself to the study of 2‐ and 3‐parameter Lie groups.
Interobserver agreement and procedural fidelity: An odd asymmetry

We examined articles with experiments published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and in Behavior Analysis in Practice from 2017 through 2021 to determine how frequently procedural fidelity was assessed. When procedural fidelity was assessed, we determined how often a measure of interobserver agreement for those fidelity data was provided. We also determined how often a measure of interobserver agreement for participants' behavior was provided. Across both journals and all years, 54.7% of relevant articles provided a measure of procedural fidelity. Of them, 17.7% provided a measure of interobserver agreement for procedural fidelity. In marked contrast, 96.4% provided interobserver agreement data for participants' behavior. It is unfortunate that applied behavior analysts frequently fail to provide procedural fidelity data and, when they do, often fail to provide interobserver agreement data for the fidelity data. Reviewers for, and editors of, behavior‐analytic journals are encouraged to strongly consider the relative value of procedural fidelity and agreement on procedural fidelity measures when rendering recommendations on the suitability of a given submission.
Repetitive Anodal TDCS to the Frontal Cortex Increases the P300 during Working Memory Processing

Transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) is a technique with which neuronal activity, and therefore potentially behavior, is modulated by applying weak electrical currents to the scalp. Application of TDCS to enhance working memory (WM) has shown promising but also contradictory results, and little emphasis has been placed on repeated stimulation protocols, in which effects are expected to be increased. We aimed to characterize potential behavioral and electrophysiological changes induced by TDCS during WM training and evaluate whether repetitive anodal TDCS has a greater modulatory impact on the processes underpinning WM than single-session stimulation. We examined the effects of single-session and repetitive anodal TDCS to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), targeting the frontal-parietal network, during a WM task in 20 healthy participants. TDCS had no significant impact on behavioral measures, including reaction time and accuracy. Analyzing the electrophysiological response, the P300 amplitude significantly increased following repetitive anodal TDCS, however, positively correlating with task performance. P300 changes were identified over the parietal cortex, which is known to engage with the frontal cortex during WM processing. These findings support the hypothesis that repetitive anodal TDCS modulates electrophysiological processes underlying WM.
Epitaxial growth and large band-gap bowing of ZnSeO alloy

ZnSeO alloy was grown by molecular-beam epitaxy up to 1.3% O composition on GaAs substrate using rf plasma. The crystal structure of epitaxial ZnSeO alloy was zinc-blende. O composition was estimated by a strain-free lattice constant. No phase separation was observed by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction and x-ray diffraction. Photoluminescence intensity was larger than that of ZnSe. The peak energy shifted toward lower energies with increasing O composition. The band-gap energy determined by photoluminescence excitation spectra decreased with increasing O composition. A bowing parameter as high as 8 eV was obtained. This large band-gap bowing widens the controllable energy-gap range of II-VI semiconductor.
A Single-Institution Comparison of Robot-Assisted and Conventional Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgeries

There has been ongoing discussion regarding the superiority of robotic laparoscopic surgery (RLS) over conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) in many surgical subspecialties. We therefore sought to elucidate if RLS is associated with more favorable clinical outcomes than CLS among patients who underwent colorectal surgery. Using data from a high-volume single institution in New Jersey, we identified 145 patients who underwent an elective RLS or CLS sigmoid resection for colon cancer or diverticulitis in 2019 and 2020. We analyzed operation time, hospitalization cost, complications, readmissions, reoperations, and lymph node retrieval. Operation time and operation to discharge time were not significantly different among patients undergoing surgery for colon cancer (P > .05), but operation time was found to be longer in diverticulitis patients (P = .03). Additionally, RLS was significantly more costly ($86,003 ± $3520 vs. $68,277 ±$1,168, P < .001) for patients with diverticulitis. Our data demonstrate that the benefit of RLS over CLS in colon resections for diverticulitis and colon cancer is not evident due to the increased costs associated with RLS procedures.
The relationship of body image and weight: A cross‐sectional observational study of a Dutch female sample

Body image concerns may play a role in weight changing behaviour. The objective of this study was to assess body image in different weight groups. Participants reported satisfaction with (AE) and investment in (AO) appearance, and the discrepancy between current and ideal body size (BS). These scores were compared between weight groups based on body‐mass index (BMI) using analysis of variance. One‐sample t‐tests and Cohen's d effect sizes examined the magnitude of differences within each weight group relative to neutral midpoints of the scales; cluster analysis identified body image profiles. A total of 27 896 women were included in this study. AE scores were highest for people with underweight and normal weight, AO scores were highest for the underweight group and lowest in class III obesity, and BS scores were largest in the obese groups (all p < .001) Cluster analysis identified eight body image profiles. In people with obesity, the most prevalent profiles included a preference for a smaller body and low satisfaction with appearance, but differed in investment in appearance (low vs. high). Most people with underweight were allocated to profiles showing high investment in their appearance, preference of a larger body, but differences in satisfaction with appearance (neutral vs. high). While people with a higher BMI have on average more body image concerns, different body image profiles exist in all weight groups. Future research should examine whether and which individuals in terms of body image profile may benefit more from weight interventions.
Deep Bilateral Filtering Network for Point-Supervised Semantic Segmentation in Remote Sensing Images

Semantic segmentation methods based on deep neural networks have achieved great success in recent years. However, training such deep neural networks relies heavily on a large number of images with accurate pixel-level labels, which requires a huge amount of human effort, especially for large-scale remote sensing images. In this paper, we propose a point-based weakly supervised learning framework called the deep bilateral filtering network (DBFNet) for the semantic segmentation of remote sensing images. Compared with pixel-level labels, point annotations are usually sparse and cannot reveal the complete structure of the objects; they also lack boundary information, thus resulting in incomplete prediction within the object and the loss of object boundaries. To address these problems, we incorporate the bilateral filtering technique into deeply learned representations in two respects. First, since a target object contains smooth regions that always belong to the same category, we perform deep bilateral filtering (DBF) to filter the deep features by a nonlinear combination of nearby feature values, which encourages the nearby and similar features to become closer, thus achieving a consistent prediction in the smooth region. In addition, the DBF can distinguish the boundary by enlarging the distance between the features on different sides of the edge, thus preserving the boundary information well. Experimental results on two widely used datasets, the ISPRS 2-D semantic labeling Potsdam and Vaihingen datasets, demonstrate that our proposed DBFNet can achieve a highly competitive performance compared with state-of-the-art fully-supervised methods. Code is available at https://github.com/Luffy03/DBFNet.
Salvage treatments for locally recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of various salvage treatments to treat locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (IrNPC). A comprehensive search was conducted to gather relevant research publications on salvage treatment for IrNPC. Specifically, 2‐, 3‐, and 5‐year overall survival were the primary outcome. A total of 89 studies with 101 cohorts were collected. Endoscopic nasopharyngectomy was found to be associated with a significantly improved 5‐year OS compared with CRT (p = 0.027) and IMRT (p = 0.016). Moreover, based on recurrence T classification, the 2‐, 3‐, and 5‐year OS were similar across different treatments. Endoscopic nasopharyngectomy was associated with a significant reduction in treatment‐related complications (grade ≥ 3) compared with IMRT (p < 0.001) and open nasopharyngectomy (p = 0.028). Endoscopic nasopharyngectomy may provide comparable treatment outcomes to re‐irradiation, while offering a better safety profile for selective patients with resectable IrNPC.
The complexity of dental anxiety and its association with oral health‐related quality of life: An exploratory study

Abstract This study aimed to explore the factors associated with oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a sample with high dental anxiety. Data were obtained from 107 patients attending a therapeutic treatment program for people who have experienced abuse and for those with dental phobia in Norway. Patients completed questionnaires, including the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear, the Anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance scale, measuring OHRQoL prior to treatment. The various measurement instruments were evaluated psychometrically, and the variables associated with OHRQoL were explored using hierarchical multiple regression. Symptoms of dental anxiety and general anxiety were high, while OHRQoL was poor. Dental anxiety, higher age, higher number of years since the last dental treatment, and higher general anxiety were discernibly associated with lower OHRQoL. The strongest association was found between general anxiety and OHRQoL. In conclusion, several factors were associated with OHRQoL in a sample with high dental anxiety, suggesting a complex picture of dental anxiety. When treating patients with high dental anxiety, dental practitioners should be aware that there may be factors complicating the therapeutic setting, such as general anxiety.
Gravitational waves from a population of binary black holes

On presente des arguments permettant de penser qu'une grande partie de la masse manquante pourrait etre constituee de trous noirs binaires, restes d'etoiles de population III dont la masse depasse 10 2 M ○. On discute des caracteristiques des ondes gravitationnelles qui seraient engendrees par ces binaires. On examine les perspectives de detection soit du fond soit des sources individuelles a l'aide des techniques actuellement disponibles
Protective effect of resveratrol against pembrolizumab‐induced hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity in male rats

The present study investigates the effects of resveratrol (RSV) on brain and liver tissues in rats with pembrolizumab (PEMB)‐induced toxicity. Obtained for the study were 28 male Sprague‐Dawley rats (3–4 months old) which were divided into four groups: Group 1: Control. Group 2: Administered PEMB at 5 mg/kg/day i.p. for a week. Group 3: Administered RSV orally at the dose of 20 mg/kg/day for 30 days by gavage. Group 4: Administered PEMB and RSV at 20 and 5 mg/kg/day RSV, respectively, for 30 days. The results of this study revealed that PEMB leads to a significant increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) levels and a significant decrease in glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, and glutathione (GSH) levels in the liver and brain tissues. The decreased SOD, CAT, GPx activities, and GSH levels increased significantly following RSV treatment in Group 4. The PEMB treatment showed histopathological alterations associated with strong positive cysteinyl aspartic acid‐protease‐3 (caspase‐3) immunoreactivity, while RSV treatment reduced both the expression of caspase‐3 protein and the histopathological changes. RSV administration prevents the biochemical, immunological, and histological alterations induced by PEMB. It can be suggested that the lower caspase‐3 immunoreactivity in the PEMB + RSV group than in the PEMB group led to an inhibition of RSV on apoptosis.
Evaluating the efficacy of an internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy intervention for fertility stress in women: a feasibility study

Abstract Background: Women who are trying to conceive may be at risk of experiencing psychological distress. However, only a small proportion receive appropriate care, although interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can effectively reduce levels of distress. Aims: Our aim was to determine the efficacy and feasibility of an internet-based CBT intervention, called Overcome Fertility Stress (OFS). Method: Fifty-five women who were struggling with conception were offered 3-month access to OFS, which is a fully automated yet individualized program via pre-programmed text, video and audio files. The program tailors its intervention around the symptoms the users report to the program. Results: Significant improvements were demonstrated on infertility-related stress, with small-to-large effect sizes (d = 0.49 to 0.75). Furthermore, there was a significant decline in symptoms of depression and stress from pre- to post-treatment (d = 0.41 to 0.42, respectively). Finally, participants expressed overall satisfaction with the intervention. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest it is feasible and effective for women who experience fertility stress to receive an internet-based CBT intervention. Finally, these results add to the literature on the effectiveness of psychological treatments for those who struggle with fertility issues.
Morphological relationships between vertebrate claw unguals and sheaths and the functional morphology of these structures

The link between claw morphology and function has been historically difficult to quantify, analyze, and interpret. A confounding factor is the ambiguous morphological relationship between the ungual and the sheath and whether one structure or the other is more useful for inferring function from morphology. In this study, the functional morphology of vertebrate claws is analyzed using sheath and ungual measurements taken from modern claw specimens spanning birds and mammals. Claw measurements were chosen for their potential biomechanical significance and a revised, expanded categorization of claw function is used. When corresponding claw measurements from the ungual and sheath are compared independently, some features are highly correlated whereas others are not. A principal component analysis of the claw measurements reveals that some of the morphological disparity is related to functional differences; however, different functional categories are not clearly separated based solely on morphology. A linear discriminant analysis incorporating a supervised dimensionality reduction method (J‐function) successfully classifies 94.52% of the claw specimens to their documented functional categories. When the posterior probabilities of each classification are examined, and the next highest probabilities are considered, the analysis can successfully classify 98.63% of the claw specimens. Sheath measurements perform better than ungual measurements but combining measurements from both structures perform better than considering either structure individually. Both structures contribute valuable morphological information when it comes to inferring claw function from morphology.
Mitochondria as disease-relevant organelles in rheumatoid arthritis

Summary Mitochondria are the controllers of cell metabolism and are recognized as decision makers in cell death pathways, organizers of cytoplasmic signaling networks, managers of cellular stress responses, and regulators of nuclear gene expression. Cells of the immune system are particularly dependent on mitochondrial resources, as they must swiftly respond to danger signals with activation, trafficking, migration, and generation of daughter cells. Analogously, faulty immune responses that lead to autoimmunity and tissue inflammation rely on mitochondria to supply energy, cell building blocks and metabolic intermediates. Emerging data endorse the concept that mitochondrial fitness, and the lack of it, is of particular relevance in the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis (RA) where deviations of bioenergetic and biosynthetic flux affect T cells during early and late stages of disease. During early stages of RA, mitochondrial deficiency allows naïve RA T cells to lose self-tolerance, biasing fundamental choices of the immune system toward immune-mediated tissue damage and away from host protection. During late stages of RA, mitochondrial abnormalities shape the response patterns of RA effector T cells engaged in the inflammatory lesions, enabling chronicity of tissue damage and tissue remodeling. In the inflamed joint, autoreactive T cells partner with metabolically reprogrammed tissue macrophages that specialize in antigen-presentation and survive by adapting to the glucose-deplete tissue microenvironment. Here, we summarize recent data on dysfunctional mitochondria and mitochondria-derived signals relevant in the RA disease process that offer novel opportunities to deter autoimmune tissue inflammation by metabolic interference.
Genetics, structure, transmission, epidemiology, immune response, and vaccine efficacies of the SARS‐CoV‐2 Delta variant: A comprehensive review

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was the predominant variant behind the surges of COVID‐19 in the United States, Europe, and India in the second half of 2021. The information available regarding the defining mutations and their effects on the structure, transmission, and vaccine efficacy of SARS‐CoV‐2 is constantly evolving. With waning vaccine immunity and relaxation of social distancing policies across the globe driving the increased spread of the Delta variant, there is a great need for a resource aggregating the most recent information for clinicians and researchers concerning the Delta variant. Accordingly, this narrative review comprehensively reviews the genetics, structure, epidemiology, clinical course, and vaccine efficacy of the Delta variant. Comparison with the omicron variant is also discussed. The Delta variant is defined by 15 mutations in the Spike protein, most of which increase affinity for the ACE‐2 receptor or enhance immune escape. The Delta variant causes similar symptoms to prototypical COVID‐19, but it is more likely to be severe, with a greater inflammatory phenotype and viral load. The reproduction number is estimated to be approximately twice the prototypical strains present during the early pandemic, and numerous breakthrough infections have been reported. Despite studies demonstrating breakthrough infection and reduced antibody neutralisation, full vaccination effectively reduces the likelihood of severe illness and hospitalisation.