Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Immune Escape in Glioblastoma: Mechanisms of Action and Implications for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and CAR T-Cell Therapy

Simple Summary Glioblastoma has been recognized as one of the most aggressive and fatal human tumors. Despite immunotherapy’s recent success in improving outcomes in a number of cancers, glioblastoma remains largely resistant to this treatment modality and current treatments generally fail in achieving long-term disease control. This review focuses on elucidating the unique mechanisms of immune escape that glioblastoma employs to circumvent current immunotherapy strategies. In particular, glioblastoma expertly disarms innate and adaptive aspects of host immunity, thus rendering immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and chimeric-antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy largely ineffective on both local and systemic levels. These mechanisms include the secretion of immunomodulatory factors that deplete T-cell numbers and activity, an extensive tumor vasculature, and significant intratumoral antigenic heterogeneity. We also highlight promising results from preclinical studies that have directly addressed these mechanisms of immunosuppression in glioblastoma and may thus hand immunotherapy an edge in treating this devastating tumor. Abstract Glioblastoma, the most common primary brain cancer in adults, is characterized by a poor prognosis and resistance to standard treatments. The advent of immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of several cancers in recent years but has failed to demonstrate benefit in patients with glioblastoma. Understanding the mechanisms by which glioblastoma exerts tumor-mediated immune suppression in both the tumor microenvironment and the systemic immune landscape is a critical step towards developing effective immunotherapeutic strategies. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of immune escape mechanisms in glioblastoma that compromise the efficacy of immunotherapies, with an emphasis on immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. In parallel, we review data from preclinical studies that have identified additional therapeutic targets that may enhance overall treatment efficacy in glioblastoma when administered alongside existing immunotherapies.
Dual Porosity Numerical Models of Geothermal Reservoirs

• Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person. • Authors control the copyright of their thesis. You will recognise the author's right to be identified as the author of this thesis, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate. • You will obtain the author's permission before publishing any material from their thesis.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity among Mostly Older, Overweight Black Women Living in the Rural Alabama Black Belt

Despite well-documented global declines in physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known regarding the specific impact among underserved, rural Alabama counties. This is concerning as this region was already disproportionately burdened by inactivity and related chronic diseases and was among the hardest hit by COVID-19. Thus, the current study examined the effect of COVID-19 on PA in four rural Alabama counties. An ancillary survey was administered between March 2020 and August 2021 to the first cohort (N = 171) of participants enrolled in a larger PA trial. Main outcomes of this survey included the perceived impact of COVID-19 on PA, leisure-time PA, and social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs at 3 months. Almost half of the participants reported being less active during the pandemic (49.7%) and endorsed that COVID-19 made PA more difficult (47.4%), citing concerns such as getting sick from exercising outside of the home (70.4%) and discomfort wearing a face mask while exercising (58%). Perceived COVID-19 impact on PA was significantly associated with education, household dependents, and gender (p’s < 0.05). More women, parents, and college graduates reported that the COVID-19 pandemic made PA more difficult. Overall, there were no significant associations between PA, SCT constructs, or perceived COVID-19 impact on PA scores at 3 months. While the pandemic made PA difficult for many participants, these barriers were not associated with leisure-time PA levels or related theoretical mechanisms of action, which bodes well for the success of our ongoing intervention efforts and the resiliency of these communities.
IgA vasculitis in adults, pediatrics and non-vasculitic IgA nephropathy, retrospective analysis from 2 centers

Renal involvement represents the major long-term morbidity associated with IgA vasculitis (IgAV). Our aim was to evaluate clinical characteristics and long-term renal outcomes of IgAV in pediatrics and adults comparing to IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Our retrospective study included children and adults with IgAV and IgAN patients, admitted in a 13-year period (2007–2019) to rheumatology clinics and in hospital pediatric and internal medicine departments. We compared frequencies of clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, treatments, long-term outcomes at 1 year follow-up, including all-cause mortality and dialysis until the end of follow-up time. A total of 60 adult IgAV, 60 pediatric IgAV and 45 IgAN patients were evaluated. Adult IgAV patients were significantly older than IgAN patients (53.1 ± 17.4 years vs 45.1 ± 15.7 years respectively, P = .02) and had significantly higher rates of cardiovascular comorbidities. The risk and time to dialysis were similar among IgAN and adult IgAV groups. Yet, overall mortality at long term follow up was higher in IgAV adult group compared to IgAN. No dialysis or renal transplantation were reported in pediatric IgAV patients. IgAV and IgAN adult patients were comparable regarding risk of end stage renal disease. Of note, high mortality rates were observed among adult IgAV group.
Estimating Nutrient Loads and Turbidity for Tasmanian Catchments. Landscape Logic Technial Report

Landscape Logic, A CERF (Commonwealth Environmental Research Facility) funded project, used DPIPWE nutrient samples to primarily model historical nutrient concentrations 11 Tasmanian estuaries. As part of this project an updated land use layer for Tasmania was required. This layer was constructed by intersecting TasVeg 1.3 VEGCODE “FAG”, or “Agricultural land”, with the BRS land use layer 2003. The Landscape Logic catchments of interest were then verified using aerial imagery and on ground visual assessments. Search word Land use, vegetation, Tasmania Geographic N -39.2 E 149.0 S -44.0 W 143.5
pulse sequence application for a 1.5-T standard Diffusion imaging of the human brain: a new

We developed a new pulse sequence and investigated whether the anisotropic diffusion in the human brain can be detailed with a standard whole-body MR imager. Apparent diffusion coefficient maps were produced by the proposed sequence using a 1.5-T MR unit. The sequence employed simultaneous application of three orthogonal gradients to achieve an optimal signal attenuation for imaging the brain without any increase in echo time. The orientation of the effective diffusion-encoding gradient was off-axis. On the in vivo apparent diffusion coefficient maps of four healthy volunteers, white matter tracts (the internal capsule and the corpus callosum) and the cortical and deep white matter showed anisotropic diffusion. In the gray matter, such as basal ganglia and thalami, anisotropic diffusion was not observed. A typical whole-body imager can provide in vivo human brain diffusion images of clinical quality. This technique has promising implications for the evaluation of brain development and the diagnosis of degenerative diseases.
Emergency Department Length of Stay and in-Hospital Mortality of Non-Traumatic Patients in a University Hospital

Objective: To assess the emergency department length of stay (EDLOS) and mortality in each Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage level. In addition to identifying the cut-off point of EDLOS to predict 72-hour in-hospital mortality among adult non-traumatic patients in the ED of a university hospital.Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by retrieving patient data from the hospital information system; from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018. Patient characteristics, EDLOS, and in-hospital mortality rates were analyzed using the R program. The cut-off values of EDLOS, via the area under the curve for the best prediction of 72-hour in-hospital mortality in patients at different ESI levels, were analyzed by multivariate analysis. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value of ≤0.05. Results: Data from 71,247 patients with 123,356 visits were enrolled. EDLOS significantly decreased across ESI levels and the in-hospital mortality rates were highest in ESI 1, followed by ESI 2 and ESI 3. The predictive ability of EDLOS was the highest for ESI 4, followed by ESI 3. The cut-off point of EDLOS at 3.58 hours showed the best sensitivity, which was a significant risk factor for mortality after adjusting for other significant variables. An EDLOS longer than 4 hours was a significant factor for poor survival in patients with ESI 2 and ESI 3.Conclusion: A practical cut-off point of 4 hours EDLOS can be used to predict 72-hour in-hospital mortality. Healthcare providers in the ED should consider EDLOS as a safety indicator for quality assurance.
Check list of marine fish from Nagapattinam coastal waters, south east coast of India

The macrofaunal communities are arguably the most diverse group on earth and soil represents a favorable habitat for macrofauna. The present investigation was carried out on marine fish accessibility along the Nagapattinam coastal waters to identify, quantify and assess the fish resources potential for development of a small-scale industry. Stratified random sampling method was followed from each trawl and the collected fishes were identified up to species level by using the FAO identification sheet. A large collection of marine fish was made along the coastal line of Nagapattinam and totally 95 species belonging to 42 families and 59 genera of marine fishes were identified over a 12 months study period from May 2014 to April 2015. Most of the species were commonly available in all the season along Nagapattinam coastal waters. The present study revealed the occurrence of marine fish species along the Nagapattinam coastal waters, southeast coast of India.
Clinical & Radiological Outcomes of Posterior Decompression & Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) among Patients with Lumbar Spondylolisthesis – A Prospective Study

Introduction: Lumbar spondylolisthesis, a condition characterized by the displacement of one vertebra over another, often leads to chronic back pain and functional impairment. Posterior decompression and TLIF are used as surgical options for patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis. Aim of the Study: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical & radiological outcomes of posterior decompression & transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) among patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis. Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out at NITOR, Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the period from January 2020 to December 2021. Total 30 patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis were included in this study. Result: In this study, majority of participants were aged 41-50 (47%), predominantly female (60%). Clinical outcomes showed significant improvements post-treatment: low back pain and leg pain, measured by VAS, decreased substantially, and disability scores (ODI and Roland-Morris) also improved markedly. Quality of life, assessed by SF-36, showed notable enhancements in both physical and mental scores. Radiologically, there were significant improvements in disc and foraminal height, reduction in spondylolisthesis severity, and restoration of lumbar lordosis and spinal stability. The average surgery time was around 147.5 minutes, with a mean blood loss of 382.7 mL and an average hospital stay of 7.1 days. A 90% fusion rate was achieved at 1-year follow-up, with dural tears being the most common complication. Despite some complications, the majority of surgeries were completed safely. Conclusion: Posterior decompression and TLIF appear to be effective in treating lumbar spondylolisthesis, as evidenced by improved clinical and radiological outcomes.
Surface Modification of Titanate Nanotubes with a Carboxylic Arm for Further Functionalization Intended to Pharmaceutical Applications

Nanotechnology is playing a significant role in modern life with tremendous potential and promising results in almost every domain, especially the pharmaceutical one. The impressive performance of nanomaterials is shaping the future of science and revolutionizing the traditional concepts of industry and research. Titanate nanotubes (TNTs) are one of these novel entities that became an appropriate choice to apply in several platforms due to their remarkable properties such as preparation simplicity, high stability, good biocompatibility, affordability and low toxicity. Surface modification of these nanotubes is also promoting their superior characters and contributing more to the enhancement of their performance. In this research work, an attempt was made to functionalize the surface of titanate nanotubes with carboxylic groups to increase their surface reactivity and widen the possibility of bonding different molecules that could not be bonded directly. Three carboxylic acids were investigated (trichloroacetic acid, citric acid and acrylic acid), and the prepared composites were examined using FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The toxicity of these functionalized TNTs was also investigated using adherent cancer cell lines and fibroblasts to determine their safety profile and to draw the basic lines for their intended future application. Based on the experimental results, acrylic acid could be the suitable choice for permanent surface modification with multiple carboxylic groups due to its possibility to be polymerized, thus presenting the opportunity to link additional molecules of interest such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and/or other molecules at the same time.
Analysis of Students' Errors in Solving HOTS Problems on Algebraic Materials Based on the Complexity Level of the Problem Based on Bloom's Theory

Mathematics discusses a lot about various kinds of problems that contain numbers that are classified as Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Math HOTS questions require a high level of thinking to solve the problem. Based on Bloom's theory, HOTS consists of analyzing (C4), evaluating (C5), and creating (C6). This study aims to determine the level of student errors in solving HOTS questions based on Bloom's theory. This research uses mixed method research, which is a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, where the stages of this research include instrument development, instrument validation, data collection, data analysis and interpretation. The sample of this study used 25 students of class VIII junior high school in Mataram City. Researchers gave 10 essay questions that had been validated by material experts to students as research instruments. The results showed that students' understanding in solving HOTS problems was still lacking. For the error rate, it was found that there were no students who could solve the creating (C6) section with a percentage of 100% error, analyzing (C4) section with a percentage of 60%, evaluating (C5) 24%, applying (C3) 16%, understanding (C2) 12%, and in the remembering (C1) section there were no students who made mistakes with a percentage of 0% error. The biggest error was found in the creating part (C6), where the most mistakes were made by women with an average score of 50.55.
Comparison of Multiparametric MRI, [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET-CT, and Clinical Nomograms for Primary T and N Staging of Intermediate-to-High-Risk Prostate Cancer

Simple Summary Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide. A sensitive pre-operative diagnosis of prostate cancer is extremely important because it allows the best treatment path to be chosen for the patient. This includes imaging examinations such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography with a prostate-specific membrane antigen. In clinical practice, nomograms can also be based on the patient’s results, which inform about the potential extent of the disease but have no possibility of determining the location of suspected metastatic lesions. The aim of this prospective study is to analyze the combination of magnetic resonance and positron-computed tomography against available nomograms to determine sensitivities, specificities, and diagnostic possibilities. The results indicate the superiority of combined imaging data relative to nomograms in the diagnosis of local advancement and lymph node involvement. Magnetic resonance imaging was the best for extra-prostatic extension and seminal vesicle involvement. Positron emission tomography with a prostate-specific membrane antigen was the most sensitive to assess lymph node involvement. Abstract Purpose of the Report: Although multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) is commonly used for the primary staging of prostate cancer, it may miss non-enlarged metastatic lymph nodes. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA PET-CT) is a promising method to detect non-enlarged metastatic lymph nodes, but more data are needed. Materials and Methods: In this single-center, prospective study, we enrolled patients with intermediate-to-high-risk prostate cancer scheduled for radical prostatectomy with pelvic node dissection. Before surgery, prostate imaging with mpMRI and PSMA PET-CT was used to assess lymph node involvement (LNI), extra-prostatic extension (EPE), and seminal vesicle involvement (SVI). Additionally, we used clinical nomograms to estimate the risk of these three outcomes. Results: Of the 74 patients included, 61 (82%) had high-risk prostate cancer, and the rest had intermediate-risk cancer. Histopathology revealed LNI in 20 (27%) patients, SVI in 26 (35%), and EPE in 52 (70%). PSMA PET-CT performed better than mpMRI at detecting LNI (area under the curve (AUC, 95% confidence interval): 0.779 (0.665–0.893) vs. 0.655 (0.529–0.780)), but mpMRI was better at detecting SVI (AUC: 0.775 (0.672–0.878) vs. 0.585 (0.473–0.698)). The MSKCC nomogram performed well at detecting both LNI (AUC: 0.799 (0.680–0.918)) and SVI (0.772 (0.659–0.885)). However, when the nomogram was used to derive binary diagnoses, decision curve analyses showed that the MSKCC nomogram provided less net benefit than mpMRI and PSMA PET-CT for detecting SVI and LNI, respectively. Conclusions: mpMRI and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET-CT are complementary techniques to be used in conjunction for the primary T and N staging of prostate cancer.
European Journal of Mathematics and Science Education

: Teachers and teaching styles are two important factors influencing students’ academic performance. In this action research study, we investigated the differential effectiveness of two teaching methods, conventional learning (CL) and peer-cooperative learni ng (PCL), on students’ academic performance in fractions. A sample of 120 tenth grade mathematics students from Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State in Nigeria was used for the study. The students were selected from three different secondary schools and grouped into two groups: the experimental (PCL) group and the control (CL) group, each having 60 students. A sample of 5 multiple-choice objective and 5 theory test questions titled Fraction Performance Test (FPT) was used to measure their academic performance after the treatment, and the assessment test scores were recorded. Descriptive statistics of the mean were used to answer the research question, while the two-way ANOVA technique was adopted for testing the research hypothesis at an alpha of 0.05. Summarily, the F (3, 116) statistic (= 8.55, p < .001) indicates significant differences in the effectiveness of the teaching methods. The mean scores also reveal that peer-cooperative learning was more effective than the conventional teaching approach. While the former proved to be a more efficacious treatment for female students, the latter was more suitable for male students. We recommend that different approaches be attempted by teachers, and the most effective in overcoming students’ resistance t o learning and improving their academic performance be adopted.
Organic Semiconducting Polymers for Augmenting Biosynthesis and Bioconversion

Solar-driven biosynthesis and bioconversion are essential for achieving sustainable resources and renewable energy. These processes harness solar energy to produce biomass, chemicals, and fuels. While they offer promising avenues, some challenges and limitations should be investigated and addressed for their improvement and widespread adoption. These include the low utilization of light energy, the inadequate selectivity of products, and the limited utilization of inorganic carbon/nitrogen sources. Organic semiconducting polymers offer a promising solution to these challenges by collaborating with natural microorganisms and developing artificial photosynthetic biohybrid systems. In this Perspective, we highlight the latest advancements in the use of appropriate organic semiconducting polymers to construct artificial photosynthetic biohybrid systems. We focus on how these systems can enhance the natural photosynthetic efficiency of photosynthetic organisms, create artificial photosynthesis capability of nonphotosynthetic organisms, and customize the value-added chemicals of photosynthetic synthesis. By examining the structure–activity relationships and emphasizing the mechanism of electron transfer based on organic semiconducting polymers in artificial photosynthetic biohybrid systems, we aim to shed light on the potential of this novel strategy for artificial photosynthetic biohybrid systems. Notably, these coupling strategies between organic semiconducting polymers and organisms during artificial photosynthetic biohybrid systems will pave the way for a more sustainable future with solar fuels and chemicals.
Public Knowledge about Dementia in Poland—A Survey Study

Background: Based on worldwide estimates, the number of people with dementia will increase significantly in the coming decades. Therefore, knowledge about dementia and its modifiable risk factors plays a crucial role in prevention. Although dementia is still incurable, an early diagnosis might help to slow down its progression and improve the quality of patients’ lives. The aim of the study was to assess public knowledge about dementia and its risk factors in Poland. Methods: The research was conducted in 2022 using a self-constructed questionnaire by applying computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI). Results: A total of 304 completed surveys were obtained (mean score of 16.95 ± 2.79 points out of 23.6). The scores were significantly higher for people associated with the medical community in comparison to those unrelated to the medical community (18.23 ± 2.61 and 16.15 ± 2.59, respectively; p = 0.0001). A moderate negative correlation was found between the results and the ages of the respondents (R = −0.44; p = 0.001). No statistically significant differences were reported in the results between people involved in providing care to patients with dementia or those who had a patient with dementia in the family and those who were not involved in such care or had no relative with dementia. Conclusions: Knowledge about dementia and its risk factors in Poland is not satisfactory and should be improved. Special attention should be paid to educating the families and caregivers of people with dementia.