Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Diagnostic Accuracy in Excisional Lymph Node Sampling Procedures Performed in Minor Surgical Procedure Rooms and Operating Theaters

Objective: Excisional lymph node biopsies are usually conducted in a minor procedure room under local anesthesia, and in some cases, they can also be carried out in an operating room under general anesthesia. Our study aims to compare the diagnostic accuracy, pathological results, and necessity for biopsy repetition of excisional lymph node biopsies performed in both the minor procedure room and the operating room. Materials and Methods: This study provides a retrospective analysis encompassing 60 patients who underwent excisional lymph node biopsy procedures. Within the ambit of this investigation, a comparative analysis is conducted on the outcomes of lymph node excision procedures, differentiating those carried out in the minor procedure room from those executed in the operating room. Results: Out of 47 excisional lymph node biopsy samples conducted in the minor procedure room, 45 had a diagnostic feature, while among the 13 excisional lymph node biopsy samples performed in the operating room conditions, 12 had a diagnostic feature. The entirety of samples obtained in the operating room concurred with pathology reports, and 88.9% of the samples taken in the minor procedure room demonstrated congruence between pathology report outcomes and clinical findings. In two cases where a definitive diagnosis could not be established, repeat biopsies were administered; however, alterations in the final biopsy results were observed in only one of these patients. Conclusion: Considering factors like cost and the achievement of similar outcomes in both methods, we believe that conducting excisional lymph node biopsies in the setting of a minor procedure room is a preferable option.
University of Birmingham Human PIF1 helicase supports DNA replication and cell growth under oncogenic-stress

Unwinding duplex DNA is a critical processing step during replication, repair and transcription. Pif1 are highly conserved non-processive 5’->3’ DNA helicases with well-established roles in maintenance of yeast genome stability. However, the function of the sole member of Pif1 family in humans remains unclear. Human PIF1 is essential for tumour cell viability, particularly during replication stress, but is dispensable in non-cancerous cells and Pif1 deficient mice. Here we report that suppression of PIF1 function slows replication fork rates and increases arrested forks during normal cycling conditions. Importantly, PIF1-dependent replication impediments impair S-phase progression and reduce proliferation rates of RAS oncogene-transformed fibroblasts, where replication fork slowing is exacerbated, but not parental, non-cancerous cells. Disrupted fork movement upon PIF1-depletion does not enhance double-stranded break formation or DNA damage responses but affects resumption of DNA synthesis after prolonged replication inhibitor exposure, accompanied by diminished new origin firing and mainly S-phase entry. Taken together, we characterised a functional role for human PIF1 in DNA replication that becomes important for cell growth under oncogenic
Evaluation and validation of stem volume models for Quercus glauca in the subtropical forest of Jeju Island, Korea

This study was conducted to develop stem volume models for the volume estimation of Quercus glauca Thunb. in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. Furthermore, this study validated the developed stem volume models using an independent dataset. A total of 167 trees were measured for their diameter at breast height (DBH), total height and stem volume using non-destructive sampling methods. Eighty percent of the dataset was used for the initial model development while the remaining 20% was used for model validation. The performance of the different models was evaluated using the following fit statistics: standard error of estimate ( SEE), mean bias (E ), absolute mean deviation (AMD), coefficient of determina tion (R 2 ), and root mean square error (RMSE). The AMD of the five models from the different DBH classes were deter mined using the validation dataset. Model 5 (V = aD b H c ), which estimates volume using DBH and total height as predicting variables, had the best SEE (0.02745), AMD (0.01538), R 2 (0.97603) and RMSE (0.02746). Overall, volume models with two independent variables (DBH and total height) performed better than those with only one (DBH) based on the model evaluation and validation. The models developed in this study can provide forest managers with accurate estimations for the stem volumes of Quercus glauca in the subtropical forests of Jeju Island, Korea.
Exploring a Potential Avenue for Beekeeping in Ireland: Safeguarding Locally Adapted Honeybees for Breeding Varroa-Resistant Lines

Simple Summary Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite, has significantly impacted Irish beekeeping, causing alarming colony losses and threatening the native honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera mellifera. While Irish beekeepers are crucial for controlling this parasite, they lack supportive infrastructure. This creates a unique opening for national programmes promoting sustainable beekeeping practices for varroa control. Reports indicate that an increasing number of local beekeepers are successfully managing colonies without treatments, suggesting potential for varroa-resistant stock development through selective breeding. Our survey examined beekeepers’ views on sustainable practices and varroa resistance. The results underline Irish beekeepers’ hobbyist nature and their preference for the native honey bee subspecies. Some control varroa without treatment, achieving comparable survival rates. Most prefer varroa-resistant lines of native origin, with little openness to non-Irish strains. A strong willingness to engage in a national breeding programme appears evident. These insights offer Ireland an opportunity to establish a large-scale sustainable beekeeping strategy for safeguarding native honeybees and local biodiversity. Abstract Beekeeping in Ireland has been strongly impacted by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, whose introduction caused alarming honeybee colony losses. If unmitigated, these losses could lead to the disappearance of the native honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera mellifera, with severe consequences for local biodiversity. Although beekeepers play a pivotal role in mitigating this crisis, beekeeping in Ireland is less intensive compared to other European regions, lacking significant infrastructure or support. These circumstances offer a unique opportunity for the development of national programmes that promote sustainable beekeeping practices for varroa control. Notably, local accounts highlight an increasing number of beekeepers successfully managing colonies in the absence of treatments, indicating a potential avenue for developing varroa-resistant stocks through selection of local colonies. Through a survey, we explored beekeeper’s opinions and attitudes towards future national projects focused on the development of sustainable beekeeping practices and selection for varroa resistance. The findings confirm the hobbyist nature of Irish beekeepers and their preference for the native honey bee. Some beekeepers were reported to be effectively controlling varroa without treatment, yielding comparable survivals to those using treatments. The majority expressed preference towards a varroa-resistant line if it were of native origin; a few were open to importing non-Irish lines. Overall, a strong willingness to participate in a national breeding programme was expressed. These findings highlight a prime opportunity for Ireland to establish a community-driven strategy based on sustainable beekeeping practices for safeguarding native honeybees and local biodiversity.
Elderly rats fed with a high-fat high-sucrose diet developed sex-dependent metabolic syndrome regardless of long-term metformin and liraglutide treatment

Aim/Introduction The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of early antidiabetic therapy in reversing metabolic changes caused by high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFHSD) in both sexes. Methods Elderly Sprague–Dawley rats, 45 weeks old, were randomized into four groups: a control group fed on the standard diet (STD), one group fed the HFHSD, and two groups fed the HFHSD along with long-term treatment of either metformin (HFHSD+M) or liraglutide (HFHSD+L). Antidiabetic treatment started 5 weeks after the introduction of the diet and lasted 13 weeks until the animals were 64 weeks old. Results Unexpectedly, HFHSD-fed animals did not gain weight but underwent significant metabolic changes. Both antidiabetic treatments produced sex-specific effects, but neither prevented the onset of prediabetes nor diabetes. Conclusion Liraglutide vested benefits to liver and skeletal muscle tissue in males but induced signs of insulin resistance in females.
Antiepileptogenic Effects of Anakinra, Lamotrigine and Their Combination in a Lithium–Pilocarpine Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Rats

Temporal lobe epilepsy is a common, chronic disorder with spontaneous seizures that is often refractory to drug therapy. A potential cause of temporal lobe epilepsy is primary brain injury, making prevention of epileptogenesis after the initial event an optimal method of treatment. Despite this, no preventive therapy for epilepsy is currently available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of anakinra, lamotrigine, and their combination on epileptogenesis using the rat lithium-pilocarpine model of temporal lobe epilepsy. The study showed that there was no significant difference in the number and duration of seizures between treated and untreated animals. However, the severity of seizures was significantly reduced after treatment. Anakinra and lamotrigine, alone or in combination, significantly reduced neuronal loss in the CA1 hippocampus compared to the control group. However, the drugs administered alone were found to be more effective in preventing neuron loss in the hippocampal CA3 field compared to combination treatment. The treatment alleviated the impairments in activity level, exploratory behavior, and anxiety but had a relatively weak effect on TLE-induced impairments in social behavior and memory. The efficacy of the combination treatment did not differ from that of anakinra and lamotrigine monotherapy. These findings suggest that anakinra and lamotrigine, either alone or in combination, may be clinically useful in preventing the development of histopathological and behavioral abnormalities associated with epilepsy.
Mortality rate and predictors of COVID-19 inpatients in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an extremely rare virus that devastates the economy and claims human lives. Despite countries' urgent and tenacious public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the disease is killing a large number of people. The results of prior studies have not been used by policymakers and programmers due to the presence of conflicting results. As a result, this study was conducted to fill the knowledge gap and develop a research agenda. Objective This study aimed to assess the mortality rate and predictors of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Ethiopia. Methods Electronic databases were searched to find articles that were conducted using a retrospective cohort study design and published in English up to 2022. The data were extracted using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and exported to StataTM version 17.0 for further analysis. The presence of heterogeneity was assessed and presented using a forest plot. The subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and publication bias were computed to identify the source of heterogeneity. The pool COVID-19 mortality rate and its predictors were calculated and identified using the random effects meta-analysis model, respectively. The significant predictors identified were reported using a relative risk ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Seven studies with 31,498 participants were included. The pooled mortality rate of COVID-19 was 9.13 (95% CI: 5.38, 12.88) per 1,000 person-days of mortality-free observation. Those study participants who had chronic kidney disease had 2.29 (95% CI: 1.14, 4.60) times higher chance of experiencing mortality than their corresponding counterparts, diabetics had 2.14 (95% CI: 1.22, 3.76), HIV patients had 2.98 (95% CI: 1.26, 7.03), hypertensive patients had 1.63 (95% CI: 1.43, 1.85), and smoker had 2.35 (95% CI: 1.48, 3.73). Conclusion COVID-19 mortality rate was high to tackle the epidemic of the disease in Ethiopia. COVID-19 patients with chronic renal disease, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and HIV were the significant predictors of mortality among COVID-19 patients in Ethiopia. COVID-19 patients with chronic diseases and comorbidities need special attention, close follow-up, and care from all stakeholders.
Impacts on Healthcare Professionals Performance in Qassim Region in Saudi Arabia

This study investigated the impact of job demands on the operational effectiveness of healthcare establishments in Saudi Arabia. The objective of this study was to assess the job demands and performance of staff working in public hospitals in the Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia. This study employed cross-sectional quantitative research design. Population of the study consisted of the healthcare professionals in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. The sample size was 375 healthcare professionals in the Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia. A structured questionnaire was administered using convenient sampling technique. The response rate was about 90%. Only properly filled 375 questionaries were used in the final analysis. The research used both descriptive and inferential analysis. The study finds that the level of job performance shown by the workers was around average. In addition, the study pointed out that there is a strong positive relationship between the work demands and performance on the job. Several different policies are implemented to ascertain better performance depending on the standards associated with the job. The study was confined into the Qassim region only, this is why the findings could be generalized in the other regions, however, there is a dire need to replicate this study in the other regions of Saudi Arabia with the same variables to find its comprehensive generalizability. Likewise, the sample was comparatively small, in future, researchers may use larger sample size.
Novel insights into IL-37: an anti-inflammatory cytokine with emerging roles in anti-cancer process

Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a newly discovered member of IL-1 family. The cytokine was proved to have extensive protective effects in infectious diseases, allergic diseases, metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases and tumors since its discovery. IL-37 was mainly produced by immune and some non-immune cells in response to inflammatory stimulus. The IL-37 precursors can convert into the mature forms after caspase-1 cleavage and activation intracellularly, and then bind to Smad-3 and transfer to the nucleus to inhibit the production and functions of proinflammatory cytokines; extracellularly, IL-37 binds to cell surface receptors to form IL-37/IL-18Rα/IL-1R8 complex to exert immunosuppressive function via inhibiting/activating multiple signal pathways. In addition, IL-37 can attenuate the pro-inflammatory effect of IL-18 through directly or forming an IL-37/IL-18BP/IL-18Rβ complex. Therefore, IL-37 has the ability to suppress innate and acquired immunity of the host, and effectively control inflammatory stimulation, which was considered as a new hallmark of cancer. Specifically, it is concluded that IL-37 can inhibit the growth and migration of tumor cells, prohibit angiogenesis and mediate the immunoregulation in tumor microenvironment, so as to exert effective anti-tumor effects. Importantly, latest studies also showed that IL-37 may be a novel therapeutic target for cancer monitoring. In this review, we summarize the immunoregulation roles and mechanisms of IL-37 in anti-tumor process, and discuss its progress so far and potential as tumor immunotherapy.
Combined treatment of landfill leachate and domestic sewage

Landfill has been a widely used option to disposal of waste. However, it faces a major difficulty with regard to treatment of the leachate originating from the decomposition of organic matter present in the landfill. In order to minimize the impacts caused by leachate from landfills have an alternative treatment by anaerobic process, which combined with sewage may be a viable solution to reduce the damage caused by these two effluent. The anaerobic digestion has been applied for the treatment of solid waste in both developed and developing countries. There has been the increasing use of anaerobic technology, specifically through upflow reactors and sludge blanket. The use of this technology becomes even more attractive in Brazil, due to weather conditions, as this process is best suited to tropical and subtropical countries, with the main advantage the generation of biogas that can be used as renewable energy
Sponge-constructed stromatactis mud mounds, Silurian of Gaspe, Quebec

ABSTRACT Stromatactis calcilutite mounds from Upper Silurian rocks of Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, Canada. are important constituents of a reef complex in the southern part of the peninsula. They reach thicknesses up to 115 m and had paleoslopes of about 40°. Stromatactis constitutes up to 30 percent of the rock volume. The microfacies of the calcilutite consists of agglomerates of pelletlike bodies forming a pelletoidal network surrounded by uniform mudstone. Sponge spicules are ubiquitous. By analogy with textural features of a well-documented sponge, Malumispongium hartnageli (Clark 1924) which occurs slightly above the mounds. it is suggested that the pelletoidal network of the mound calcilutite represents a former sponge network that underwent very early dingenetic change and cemen ation. Stromatactis would have originated as early marine cementation of growth cavities in the sponge network and of cavities created by decay of local uncemented sponge tissues.
Understanding pseudopapilledema on spectral domain optical coherence tomography

Purpose: Optic nerve head drusen (ONHD), peripapillary hyperreflective ovoid mass-like structures (PHOMS), and horizontal hyperreflective lines (HHL) are commonly seen in eyes with pseudopapilledema on enhanced depth imaging (EDI) spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT). The objective of this study is to assess the frequency of ONHD, PHOMS, and HHL on spectral domain OCT in the eyes diagnosed to have pseudopapilledema. Methods: A retrospective case–control study included patients diagnosed as pseudopapilledema and had EDI SD OCT imaging of the optic nerve head (n = 48 eyes) and controls (n = 20 eyes). OCT scans through the optic nerve head were studied to diagnose ONHD, HHL, and PHOMS. One proportion z test was used to find the difference in proportions. Results: Forty eight eyes of 27 subjects were studied. ONHD as described by the optic disc drusen Studies consortium was noted in 19 eyes (39.48%), P value-0.032, PHOMS in 31 eyes (64.6%), P value 0.043, HL in 19 eyes (39.48%), P value 0.032, and none of the normals had ONHD, PHOMS, and HHL. Conclusions: PHOMS are more frequently seen than ONHD and HHL in eyes with pseudopapilledema.
Does certification of corporate governance compliance pay off? Evidence from a unique regulatory setting

Using insights from agency and signaling theories, we examine the effect on companies' market‐based performance of a unique monitoring mechanism of compliance with a corporate governance (CG) code, that is, independent certification of compliance with a CG code and type of certification provider. Furthermore, we examine the impact of two boundary conditions, family company status and company‐level information asymmetry, influencing the effect of independent CG compliance certification and type of certification provider on the market‐based performance of companies.Based on 1110 Bangladeshi company‐year observations from 2006 to 2017, we firstly find that independent CG compliance certification is positively associated with companies' market‐based performance. Secondly, we show that CG compliance certification by a chartered secretarial firm is related to higher market‐based performance. Thirdly, we document that family companies attenuate both these associations. Finally, we find that, while company‐level information asymmetry reinforces the association between CG compliance certification and market‐based performance, it weakens the relationship between certification by a chartered secretarial firm and companies' market‐based performance.Our findings are consistent with the agency and signaling theory that independent certification of CG compliance and this certification by a chartered secretarial firm reduce information asymmetry between managers and external investors by signaling enhanced credibility of reported CG compliance information. However, the roles of CG compliance certification and certification by a chartered secretarial firm to reduce agency conflict and provide credible signals are conditional on two boundary conditions: family company status and company‐level information asymmetry.This study's findings highlight the economic implications of a unique mechanism for monitoring compliance with an adopted CG code. The findings have significant implications for policy makers and regulators in emerging economies.
Factors Associated with Decadal Variability in Great Plains Summertime Surface Temperatures

AbstractDecadal variability of summertime Great Plains surface temperature is probed from the perspective of the Great Plains low-level jet (GPLLJ). GPLLJ variability modes 2 and 5 are shown to be most influential on the evolution and magnitude of Great Plains surface temperature anomalies over the latter half of the twentieth century, including the development of the summertime warming hole and are further linked to the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO), respectively. The connection between GPLLJ variability and Great Plains surface temperature is strongest when the PDO and AMO are oppositely phased, and in the case of the warming hole, a preference for a positive (negative) PDO (AMO). The influence of remote SST variability on the central U.S. warming hole is broadly consistent with previous modeling studies. However, the pivotal role that GPLLJ variability plays in linking the hemispheric-wide SST variability (through the AMO and PDO) to the regional warming h.