Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low Spike Antibody Levels and Impaired BA.4/5 Neutralization in Patients with Multiple Myeloma or Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia after BNT162b2 Booster Vaccination

Simple Summary Upon BNT162b2 mRNA vaccinations, multiple myeloma (MM) and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM) patient cohorts on active therapy affecting B cell development had impaired binding and neutralizing antibody (NAb) response rate and magnitude to wildtype Wuhan (WA1). Patient cohorts on-therapy had significantly lower NAb responses to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.4/5 compared to WA1, whereas cohorts off-therapy showed a higher probability to neutralize BA.4/5 after the 3rd vaccination. The boost in NAb after the 3rd dose suggests that repeat vaccination of MM and WM patients is beneficial for several patients even under active therapy. Abstract Patients with symptomatic monoclonal gammopathies have impaired humoral responses to COVID-19 vaccination. Their ability to recognize SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants is of concern. We compared the response to BNT162b2 mRNA vaccinations of patients with multiple myeloma (MM, n = 60) or Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM, n = 20) with healthy vaccine recipients (n = 37). Patient cohorts on active therapy affecting B cell development had impaired binding and neutralizing antibody (NAb) response rate and magnitude, including several patients lacking responses, even after a 3rd vaccine dose, whereas non-B cell depleting therapies had a lesser effect. In contrast, MM and WM cohorts off-therapy showed increased NAb with a broad response range. ELISA Spike-Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) Ab titers in healthy vaccine recipients and patient cohorts were good predictors of the ability to neutralize not only the original WA1 but also the most divergent Omicron variants BA.4/5. Compared to WA1, significantly lower NAb responses to BA.4/5 were found in all patient cohorts on-therapy. In contrast, the MM and WM cohorts off-therapy showed a higher probability to neutralize BA.4/5 after the 3rd vaccination. Overall, the boost in NAb after the 3rd dose suggests that repeat vaccination of MM and WM patients is beneficial even under active therapy.
Employee characteristics, absorptive capacity and innovation

We investigate the determinants of ﬁrm absorptive capacity, with a particular focus on the e ﬀ ect of employee characteristics, and study how it a ﬀ ects a ﬁrm’s ability to generate new knowledge. Using administrative and national survey data on individuals and businesses, we ﬁrst estimate absorptive capacity measures for New Zealand ﬁrms. We then show that the share of employees with international experience and the average skill level of employees have a positive impact on a ﬁrm’s learning capabilities, and that the positive e ﬀ ect of employees with international experience is greater if the ﬁrm also has a highly skilled workforce overall. We ﬁnally ﬁnd that a ﬁrm’s absorptive capacity is highly positively correlated to the likelihood of the ﬁrm innovating.
Evaluation of Circulating Platelet Extracellular Vesicles and Hypertension Mediated Organ Damage

Elevated circulating platelet-derived extracellular vesicles (pEVs) have been associated with arterial hypertension. The role of hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD) to induce EV release is still unknown. We studied the micro- and macro-vascular changes (retinal vascular density and pulse wave velocity), endothelial function (flow-mediated vasodilation of brachial artery and finger plethysmography), and assessed the psychosocial status (anxiety and depression) in hypertensive patients to determine their relationship with EV release. Pulse wave velocity showed a significant positive correlation with pEVs (r = 0.33; p = 0.01). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) negatively correlated with retinal vascularity. The superficial retinal vascular plexus density in the whole image showed a significant negative correlation with 24 h SBP (r = −0.38, p < 0.01), day-SBP (r = −0.35, p = 0.01), and night-SBP (r = −0.27, p = 0.04). pEVs did not show significant associations with microvascular damage (retinal vascular density), endothelial function (flow-mediated vasodilation of brachial artery and finger plethysmography), or psychosocial status (anxiety and depression). Our results indicate that the pEV levels were associated with macrovascular damage measured by PWV, whereas no significant association between pEVs and microvascular damage, endothelial function, or emotional status could be detected. The potential utility of pEV in clinical practice in the context of HMOD may be limited to macrovascular changes.
(Concurrently Secure) Blind Schnorr from Schnorr

Many applications of blind signatures, such as those for blockchains, require the resulting signatures to be compatible with the existing system. This makes schemes that produce Schnorr signatures, which are now supported by major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, desirable. Unfortunately, the existing blind-signing protocol has been shown insecure when users can open signing sessions concurrently (Eurocrypt’21). On the other hand, only allowing sequential sessions opens the door to denial-of-service attacks. We present the ﬁrst concurrently secure blind-signing protocol for Schnorr signatures, using the standard primitives NIZK and PKE and assuming that Schnorr signatures themselves are unforgeable. We cast our scheme as a generalization of blind and partially blind signatures. We formally deﬁne the notion of predicate blind signatures, in which the signer can deﬁne a predicate that the blindly signed message must satisfy.
Angular Velocities and Linear Accelerations Derived from Inertial Measurement Units Can Be Used as Proxy Measures of Knee Variables Associated with ACL Injury

Given the high rates of both primary and secondary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in multidirectional field sports, there is a need to develop easily accessible methods for practitioners to monitor ACL injury risk. Field-based methods to assess knee variables associated with ACL injury are of particular interest to practitioners for monitoring injury risk in applied sports settings. Knee variables or proxy measures derived from wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) may thus provide a powerful tool for efficient injury risk management. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify whether there were correlations between laboratory-derived knee variables (knee range of motion (RoM), change in knee moment, and knee stiffness) and metrics derived from IMUs (angular velocities and accelerations) placed on the tibia and thigh, across a range of movements performed in practitioner assessments used to monitor ACL injury risk. Ground reaction forces, three-dimensional kinematics, and triaxial IMU data were recorded from nineteen healthy male participants performing bilateral and unilateral drop jumps, and a 90° cutting task. Spearman’s correlations were used to examine the correlations between knee variables and IMU-derived metrics. A significant strong positive correlation was observed between knee RoM and the area under the tibia angular velocity curve in all movements. Significant strong correlations were also observed in the unilateral drop jump between knee RoM, change in knee moment, and knee stiffness, and the area under the tibia acceleration curve (rs = 0.776, rs = −0.712, and rs = −0.765, respectively). A significant moderate correlation was observed between both knee RoM and knee stiffness, and the area under the thigh angular velocity curve (rs = 0.682 and rs = −0.641, respectively). The findings from this study suggest that it may be feasible to use IMU-derived angular velocities and acceleration measurements as proxy measures of knee variables in movements included in practitioner assessments used to monitor ACL injury risk.
Effects of Flap Design on the Periodontal Health of Second Lower Molars after Impacted Third Molar Extraction

The purpose of this study was to compare the envelope flap and triangular flap for impacted lower third molar (M3) extraction and their effects on the periodontal health of adjacent second molars (M2). A population of 60 patients undergoing M3 extraction with the envelope flap (Group A) or triangular flap (Group B) was analyzed, comparing probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and gingival recession (REC) recorded at six sites (disto-lingual, mid-lingual, mesio-lingual, disto-vestibular, mid-vestibular, and mesio-vestibular) before (T0) and 6 months after extraction (T1). There was a statistically significant mean difference in PPD and CAL at two sites, disto-vestibular (dv) and disto-lingual (dl), between values recorded before and 6 months after surgery for either Group A or Group B. Furthermore, for the same periodontal records, at 6 months after surgery, a statistically significant difference was recorded between younger and older patients, implying that the healing process was more beneficial for younger patients. No significant differences were found between the two groups (A and B) in PPDdl, PPDdv, CALdl, and CALdv, confirming that the mucoperiosteal flap design does not influence the periodontal healing process of second molars.
The local isometric embedding in R3 of two‐dimensional riemannian manifolds with gaussian curvature changing sign cleanly

On etudie le plongement isometrique local de surfaces a 2 dimensions dans R 3 . On suppose que la premiere forme fondamentale Edu 2 +2Fdudv+Gdv 2 . On cherche trois fonctions C 2 x(u,v), y(u,v), z(u,v) telles que dx 2 +dy 2 +dz 2 =Edu 2 +2Fdudv+Gdv 2 dans un voisinage de P
A Guided Tutorial on Modelling Human Event-Related Potentials with Recurrent Neural Networks

In cognitive neuroscience research, computational models of event-related potentials (ERP) can provide a means of developing explanatory hypotheses for the observed waveforms. However, researchers trained in cognitive neurosciences may face technical challenges in implementing these models. This paper provides a tutorial on developing recurrent neural network (RNN) models of ERP waveforms in order to facilitate broader use of computational models in ERP research. To exemplify the RNN model usage, the P3 component evoked by target and non-target visual events, measured at channel Pz, is examined. Input representations of experimental events and corresponding ERP labels are used to optimize the RNN in a supervised learning paradigm. Linking one input representation with multiple ERP waveform labels, then optimizing the RNN to minimize mean-squared-error loss, causes the RNN output to approximate the grand-average ERP waveform. Behavior of the RNN can then be evaluated as a model of the computational principles underlying ERP generation. Aside from fitting such a model, the current tutorial will also demonstrate how to classify hidden units of the RNN by their temporal responses and characterize them using principal component analysis. Statistical hypothesis testing can also be applied to these data. This paper focuses on presenting the modelling approach and subsequent analysis of model outputs in a how-to format, using publicly available data and shared code. While relatively less emphasis is placed on specific interpretations of P3 response generation, the results initiate some interesting discussion points.
Quantifying stochastic error propagation in Bayesian parametric estimates using non-linear parameters of Anopheles gambiae s.l. habitats

Reliable models of the transmission intensity of malaria, based on vector mosquito aquatic habitat larval productivity, are urgently needed, especially in endemic areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Such models are fundamental for estimating the scale of the problem, and, hence, the resources needed to combat malaria in urban environments. These models also provide benchmarks for assessing the progress of control and indicate the geographical regions that should be prioritized. In this research, individual urban aquatic habitats of Anopheles gambiae s.l. , a major malaria vector in SSA, were examined in terms of their spatial covariations by modelling ecologically sampled predictor variables within a Bayesian framework. Field sampling was conducted in two urban environments in Kenya, from July 2005 to December 2006. QuickBird satellite data, encompassing visible and near-infrared (NIR) bands, were selected to synthesize images of An. gambiae s.l. aquatic habitats. Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) was used to explore univariate statistics, correlations and distributions, and to perform Poisson regression analyses. These preliminary tests showed good type I error control mechanisms and precise parameter estimates. The model coefficients were then used to define expectations for prior distributions in a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis. By specifying coefficient estimates in a Bayesian framework, depth of habitat was found to be a significant predictor, positively associated with urban An. gambiae s.l. aquatic habitats. There was no significant autocorrelation present in either the residual error or the predictor variable depth of habitat.
Completed Suicide Linked to the COVID-19 Pandemic by Using the Psychological Autopsy Method in Sibiu County, Romania: Case Series and Literature Review

The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with suicide, as some data suggests. Our study aims to investigate the emergence of eleven completed suicide cases suspected to be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic during the restrictive measures imposed by the Romanian government, and to identify the consequences of mental health, suicidal motivation, and behavioral changes. To this end, we analyzed the deceased’s medical records and applied the psychological autopsy method to the relatives/caregivers of the deceased for a suicidal investigation history, within conducted free-flow discussions. To highlight behavioral changes that occurred in the distant antecedents as well as immediately before the suicidal act, we used two sets of closed questions comprised of fifteen alarm signs, including depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. Our results showed that a deterioration of the mental status, especially concerning depressive and anxiety symptoms, was evident in people without or with pre-existing psychiatric pathology. The suicidal motivation proved to be complex including, in addition to the SARS-CoV-2 infection, social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. We noted an intensification of the investigated alarm signs and even the emergence of new warning signs in the recent antecedents. Based on our findings, we reaffirmed the important role of the psychological autopsy method in suicide investigation, proving that it can detect the specific impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people prone to suicide. This impact can be psycho-emotional, social, and/or economical, and thus we can state that the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences can be, at least, a triggering factor that enhances completed suicide risk. Further studies are needed in this particular area because correlations between the COVID-19 pandemic and completed suicide do not appear to be accidental.
Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation from Aqueous Methanol Solution over n-Butylamine-Intercalated Layered Titanate H2La2Ti3O10: Activity and Stability of the Hybrid Photocatalyst

The stability of platinized n-butylamine-intercalated layered titanate H2La2Ti3O10 during the process of photocatalytic hydrogen production from aqueous methanol under UV irradiation has been thoroughly investigated by means of XRD, CHN, TG, 13C NMR, BET, SEM and GC-MS analysis. It was revealed that n-butylamine completely abandons the interlayer space and transforms into n-butyraldehyde within 3 h of the reaction, while the particle morphology and specific surface area of the photocatalyst are preserved. The resulting solid phase contains carbon in at least two different oxidation states, which are attributed to the intermediate products of methanol oxidation bound to the perovskite matrix. The activity of the photocatalyst formed in this way is stable in time and strongly depends on the medium pH, which is not typical of either the parent H2La2Ti3O10 or TiO2. An approximate linear equation φ ≈ 29−2∙pH holds for the apparent quantum efficiency of hydrogen production in the 220–340 nm range at 1 mol. % methanol concentration. In the acidic medium, the photocatalyst under study outperforms the platinized H2La2Ti3O10 by more than one order of magnitude. The variation in methanol concentration allowed a maximum quantum efficiency of hydrogen production of 44% at 10 mol. % to be reached.
Sets of possible states of linear systems given perturbed observations

The state equation x_{n} = A_{n}x_{n-1}+B_{n}W_{n} and the output equation y_{n} = C_{n}x_{n}+D_{n}W_{n} relate the finite-dimensional vectors x_{n}, y_{n} and w n . The initial state x 0 is known to belong to a set X 0 and each w n . to a set W n , where X_{0}, W_{1}, . , W_{N} are compact and convex. Define S_{n}(y_{1}, . , y_{n}) as the set of all possible values of x n compatible with observation of outputs y_{1}, . , y_{n} ; it is compact and convex. S n plays the same role as the a posteriori distribution in the stochastic case and is determined recursively by S_{n-1}(y_{1}, . , y_{n-1}) and y n . The sets involved are completely characterized by their support functions. The law of evolution of the support function of S n is established. Some special cases and applications are pointed out.
Do Job Seekers Understand the Ui Benefit System (and Does it Matter)?

IZA DP No. 15747 NOVEMBER 2022 Do Job Seekers Understand the UI Benefit System (And Does It Matter)? * We study how job seekers’ understanding of complex unemployment benefit rules affects their labor market performance. Combining data from a large-scale scale field experiment, detailed administrative records, and a survey of unemployed job seekers, we document three main results. First, job seekers exhibit pronounced knowledge gaps about the prevailing unemployment benefit rules and their personal benefit entitlements. Second, we show that a low-cost information strategy using a personalized online tool increases job seekers’ understanding of the rules and their personal benefit situation. Finally, we document heterogeneous labor-market effects of the intervention depending on job seekers’ baseline knowledge and beliefs, their personal employment prospects, and the timing of the intervention during the benefit spell. JEL Classification: J68, J64, D83, C93
Physalis angulata Leaf Ethanol Extract Reduces Oxidative Stress and Improves Endothelial Progenitor Cells in L-NAME-Induced Hypertensive Rats

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ciplukan (Physalis angulata L.) leaf ethanol extract on L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rats. We randomly divided twenty-five Wistar rats into five groups. The sham group was given a PBS injection. The hypertensive group was injected with L-NAME on days 1 to 28. Three groups of hypertensive rats were given the extract on days 4 to 28. Blood pressure was measured using the tail-cuff method on days 0, 4, 10, and 27. The endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the blood were measured by flow cytometry as a percentage of circulating angiogenic cells (CACs, CD34+/CD309+/CD45+) and endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs, CD34+/CD309+/CD45-). Serum NO and MDA levels, as well as serum SOD activity, were measured colorimetrically. Serum TNF-α levels were measured by the ELISA method. The ciplukan leaf extract reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, reduced the percentage of EPCs in the blood, increased serum NO levels, reduced MDA levels, increased serum SOD activity, and reduced serum TNF-α levels in L-NAME-induced hypertensive rats. It is concluded that ciplukan ethanol leaf extract exerts protective effects on L-NAME-induced hypertensive rats. These study results can strengthen the scientific basis of using ciplukan leaf ethanol extract to treat hypertension.
An improved specimen generation method for DEM based on local Delaunay tessellation and distance function

Discretizing a domain of interest into a set of particles for discrete element simulation is the first step to generate a specimen. An improved algorithm, the Seed Expansion Method (SEM), is proposed in this work. A seed is first generated inside a given domain. Then, the domain is filled by the seed expansion based on a local Delaunay tessellation and a distance function. An optional operation, refilling, is suggested to further improve the packing density after the completion of SEM. Polydisperse dense packing can be generated by the proposed method for an arbitrarily shaped domain in both 2D and 3D. A specimen can be obtained that approximately conforms to a specified size distribution and packing density. Multiple subdomains of a domain can be filled by packings with different densities and size distributions. A specimen with higher density can be obtained by comparing it with the existing methods. Mathematically, the features of the method include both simplicity and high efficiency. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Relation between Corporate Social Responsibility and Profit Shifting of Multinational Enterprises

We examine the relation between corporate social responsibility [CSR] and international profit shifting. We find consistent evidence that CSR is adversely related to profit shifting within European and US multinational firms. Additional results document that less profit shifting occurs in European multinational firms that show high performance in the social or corporate governance dimensions. For US multinational firms, we find that the CSR performance is negatively related to profit shifting, particularly if a multinational firm faces fewer reputational concerns or competitive threats. Moreover, we can also confirm a negative relation between high commitment to CSR and tax avoidance by investigating effective tax rates taken from consolidated financial accounts. Our evidence suggests the existence of a corporate culture in which CSR and tax payments act as complements.