Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Circumscribed Subcortical Gray and White Matter Lesions With Apraxic Deficits in Patients With Left Hemisphere Stroke

Background and Objectives Apraxia is commonly attributed to left hemisphere (LH) lesions of the cortical fronto-temporo-parietal praxis networks or white matter lesions causing disconnections between cortical nodes. By contrast, the contribution of lesions to the subcortical gray matter, that is, basal ganglia or thalamus, to apraxic deficits remains controversial. Here, we investigate whether damage to these subcortical gray matter structures (i.e., caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, and thalamus) or the adjacent white matter tracts was associated with apraxic deficits. Methods We identified patients with distinct subcortical lesions with and without apraxia from a large retrospective sample of subacute LH ischemic stroke patients (n = 194). To test which subcortical structures (caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus, and adjacent white matter tracts), when lesioned, contributed to apraxic deficits, we statistically compared the proportion of lesioned voxels within subcortical gray and white matter structures between the apraxic and nonapraxic patients. Results Of the 194 stroke patients screened, 39 (median age = 65 years, range 30–82 years; median time poststroke at the apraxia assessment = 7 days, range 1–44 days) had lesions confined to subcortical regions (gray and white matter). Eleven patients showed apraxic deficits when imitating gestures or pantomiming object use. Region-wise statistical lesion comparison (controlled for lesion size) revealed a more significant proportion of damage (‘lesion load’) in the caudate nucleus in apraxic stroke patients (mean difference = 6.9%, 95% CI 0.4–13.3, p = 0.038, ηp2 = 0.11). By contrast, apraxic patients had lower lesion load in the globus pallidus (mean difference = 9.9%, 95% CI 0.1–19.8, p = 0.048, ηp2 = 0.10), whereas the lesion load in other subcortical structures (putamen, thalamus, and adjacent white matter tracts) did not differ significantly between the apraxic and nonapraxic patients. Discussion These findings provide new insights into the subcortical anatomy of apraxia after LH stroke, suggesting a specific contribution of caudate nucleus lesions to apraxic deficits.
Biased Dopamine D2 Receptors Exhibit Distinct Intracellular Trafficking Properties and ERK Activation in Different Subcellular Domains

Biased signaling or functional selectivity refers to the ability of an agonist or receptor to selectively activate a subset of transducers such as G protein and arrestin in the case of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Although signaling through arrestin has been reported from various GPCRs, only a few studies have examined side-by-side how it differs from signaling via G protein. In this study, two signaling pathways were compared using dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) mutants engineered via the evolutionary tracer method to selectively transduce signals through G protein or arrestin (D2G and D2Arr, respectively). D2G mediated the inhibition of cAMP production and ERK activation in the cytoplasm. D2Arr, in contrast, mediated receptor endocytosis accompanied by arrestin ubiquitination and ERK activation in the nucleus as well as in the cytoplasm. D2Arr-mediated ERK activation occurred in a manner dependent on arrestin3 but not arrestin2, accompanied by the nuclear translocation of arrestin3 via importin1. D2R-mediated ERK activation, which occurred in both the cytosol and nucleus, was limited to the cytosol when cellular arrestin3 was depleted. This finding supports the results obtained with D2Arr and D2G. Taken together, these observations indicate that biased signal transduction pathways activate distinct downstream mechanisms and that the subcellular regions in which they occur could be different when the same effectors are involved. These findings broaden our understanding on the relation between biased receptors and the corresponding downstream signaling, which is critical for elucidating the functional roles of biased pathways.
‘No cyst, no echinococcosis’: a scoping review update on the diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis after the issue of the WHO-IWGE Expert Consensus and current perspectives

Purpose of review In 2010, the WHO-Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis (IWGE) published an Expert Consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of echinococcal infections. We provide an update on the diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis through a scoping review of the literature published after the release of the WHO-IWGE document. Recent findings Ultrasound accurately and reliably depicts the pathognomonic signs of cystic echinococcosis (CE) stages compared with other imaging techniques. Among these, T2-wighted MRI is to be preferred to computed tomography, which has poor performance for the etiological diagnosis of CE. A negative serology cannot exclude the diagnosis of CE, while a positive serology, applied after the visualization of a CE-compatible lesion, may confirm a CE diagnosis. Serology alone must not be used to define ‘CE’ nor as ‘screening’ tool for infection. Other imaging and laboratory techniques did not show clinically applicable performances. Summary In the absence of a focal lesion compatible with a CE cyst, no diagnosis of CE should be attempted. There is urgent need to achieve univocal CE case definitions and consensus diagnostic algorithm, as well as standardization of diagnostic methods and issue of a Target Product Profile of CE diagnostics, as advocated by the WHO in the 2021–2030 roadmap for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Clinical Impact of OCT-Derived Suboptimal Stent Implantation Parameters and Definitions.

AIMS Despite growing evidence supporting the clinical utility of optical coherence tomography (OCT)-guidance during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs), there is no common agreement as to the optimal stent implantation parameters that enhance clinical outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS We retrospectively examined the predictive accuracy of suboptimal stent implantation definitions proposed from the CLI-OPCI II, ILUMIEN-IV OPTIMAL PCI, and FORZA studies for the long-term risk of device oriented cardiovascular events (DoCE) in the population of large all-comers CLI-OPCI project.A total of 1020 patients undergoing OCT-guided drug-eluting stent implantation in the CLI-OPCI registry with a median follow-up of 809 (quartiles 414-1376) days constituted the study population. According to CLI-OPCI II, ILUMIEN-IV OPTIMAL PCI, and FORZA criteria, the incidence of suboptimal stent implantation was31.8%, 58.1%, and 57.8%, respectively. By multivariable Cox analysis, suboptimal stent implantation criteria from the CLI-OPCI II (hazard ratio 2.75 [95% confidence interval 1.88-4.02], p<0.001) and ILUMIEN-IV OPTIMAL PCI (1.79 [1.18-2.71], p=0.006) studies, but not FORZA trial (1.11 [0.75-1.63], p=0.597), were predictive of DoCE. At long-term follow-up, stent edge disease with minimum lumen area <4.5mm2 (8.17 [5.32-12.53], p<0.001), stent edge dissection (2.38 [1.33-4.27], p=0.004) and minimum stent area <4.5mm2 (1.68 [1.13-2.51], p=0.011) were the main OCT predictors of DoCE. CONCLUSION The clinical utility of OCT-guided PCI might depend on the metrics adopted to define suboptimal stent implantation. Uncovered disease at the stent border, stent edge dissection, and minimum stent area <4.5mm2 were the strongest OCT associates of stent failure.
Effects of Interventions to Prevent Work-Related Asthma, Allergy, and Other Hypersensitivity Reactions in Norwegian Salmon Industry Workers (SHInE): Protocol for a Pragmatic Allocated Intervention Trial and Related Substudies

Background Workers in the salmon processing industry have an increased risk of developing respiratory diseases and other hypersensitivity responses due to occupational exposure to bioaerosols containing fish proteins and microorganisms, and related allergens. Little is known about effective measures to reduce bioaerosol exposure and about the extent of skin complaints among workers. In addition, while identification of risk factors is a core activity in disease prevention strategies, there is increasing interest in health-promoting factors, which is an understudied area in the salmon processing industry. Objective The overall aim of this ongoing study is to generate knowledge that can be used in tailored prevention of development or chronification of respiratory diseases, skin reactions, protein contact dermatitis, and allergy among salmon processing workers. The main objective is to identify effective methods to reduce bioaerosol exposure. Further objectives are to identify and characterize clinically relevant exposure agents, identify determinants of exposure, measure prevalence of work-related symptoms and disease, and identify health-promoting factors of the psychosocial work environment. Methods Data are collected during field studies in 9 salmon processing plants along the Norwegian coastline. Data collection comprises exposure measurements, health examinations, and questionnaires. A wide range of laboratory analyses will be used for further analysis and characterization of exposure agents. Suitable statistical analysis will be applied to the various outcomes of this comprehensive study. Results Data collection started in September 2021 and was anticipated to be completed by March 2023, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseline data from all 9 plants included 673 participants for the health examinations and a total of 869 personal exposure measurements. A total of 740 workers answered the study’s main questionnaire on demographics, job characteristics, lifestyle, health, and health-promoting factors. Follow-up data collection is not completed yet. Conclusions This study will contribute to filling knowledge gaps concerning salmon workers’ work environment. This includes effective workplace measures for bioaerosol exposure reduction, increased knowledge on hypersensitivity, allergy, respiratory and dermal health, as well as health-promoting workplace factors. Together this will give a basis for improving the work environment, preventing occupational health-related diseases, and developing occupational exposure limits, which in turn will benefit employees, employers, occupational health services, researchers, clinicians, decision makers, and other stakeholders. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05039229; https://www.clinicaltrials. gov/study/NCT05039229 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/48790
Understanding medical professionalism using express team-based learning; a qualitative case-based study

ABSTRACT Medical Professionalism (MP) defined as values, behaviours and attitudes that promote professional relationships, public trust and patient safety is a vital competency in health profession education. MP has a distinctive uniqueness due to cultural, contextual, conceptual, and generational variations. There is no standard instructional strategy to probe the understanding of MP in a cohesive, structured, interactive manner. This study aimed to investigate undergraduate medical students’ understanding of MP using express team-based learning (e-TBL) at both campuses of Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI). Using the key principles of a sociocultural theoretical lens in adult learning theory, we designed e-TBL as a context-learning-based educational strategy. We conducted three e-TBL sessions on cross-cultural communication and health disparities, a reflective report on clinical encounters, and professionalism in practice. We collected, collated, and analyzed the student experiences qualitatively using data gathered from team-based case discussions during e-TBL sessions. A dedicated working group developed very short-answer questions for the individual readiness assurance test (IRAT) and MP-based case scenarios for team discussions. In this adapted 4-step e-TBL session, pre-class material was administered, IRAT was undertaken, and team-based discussions were facilitated, followed by facilitator feedback. A qualitative inductive thematic analysis was performed, which generated subthemes and themes illustrated in excerpts. Our thematic analysis of data from 172 students (101 from Bahrain and 71 from Dublin) yielded four unique themes: incoming professional attitudes, transformative experiences, sociological understanding of professionalism, and new professional identity formation. This qualitative study provides a deeper understanding of medical students’ perceptions of medical professionalism. The generated themes resonated with divergent and evolving elements of MP in an era of socioeconomic and cultural diversity, transformative experiences, and professional identity formation. The core elements of these themes can be integrated into the teaching of MP to prepare fit-to-practice future doctors.
THE COMPOSED ZERO TRUNCATED LINDLEY-POISSON DISTRIBUTION

In this paper, a new compounding distribution, named zero truncated Lindley-Poisson distribution is introduced. The probability density function, cumulative distribution function, survival function, failure rate function and quantiles expressions of it are provided. The parameters estimatives were obtained by six methods: maximum likelihood (MLE), ordinary least-squares (OLS), weighted least-squares (WLS), maximum product of spacings (MPS), Crame´r-von-Mises (CM) and Anderson-Darling (AD), and intensive simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the performance of parameter estimation. Some generalizations are also proposed. Application in a real data set is given and shows that the composed zero truncated Lindley-Poisson distribution provides better fit than the Lindley distribution and three of its generalizations. The paper is motivated by application in real data set and we hope this model may be able to attract wider applicability in survival and reliability.
ESTIMATING SOIL PROPERTIES WITH MID-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

The mid-infrared technique (MIR) can be used to identify and estimate soil properties with high accuracy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of mid-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (MIR) for the estimation of chemical properties of soils as well as the application of this technique in obtaining digital maps. In this study, 249 soil samples from two orders, Andisols and Oxisols, were analyzed. The results obtained in the analysis of the curves verified that the greater number of attributes was reflected in the spectral region of 400 and 850cm-1. The Andisols stood out due to the results in the calibration of the models, which were better than those of the Oxisols. The spectral responses were similar in both soils, but with different levels of reflectivity. This difference was more notable in the Andisols, where the spectral peaks were lower, a fact attributable to the compounds of the organic matter that tended to obscure the soil, absorbing infrared light. The results demonstrated that the mid-infrared reflectance spectroscopy MIR allowed for the processing of a large number of samples, where information about various parameters was obtained in a single spectrum. The organic carbon was the attribute with the best prediction. Similarly, the semivariogram models and contour maps obtained from the spectral data models showed high similarity to those obtained from the laboratory measurements for those properties, where the spectral models were representative.
In situ measurement of the effective nonlinear absorption order in multiphoton photoresists

Knowledge of the order of the effective nonlinear absorption in multiphoton photoresists is a key element in the development of improved materials for multiphoton absorption polymerization (MAP). The direct measurement of this nonlinearity has proven challenging. A new technique called 2‐beam initiation threshold (2‐BIT) is presented that allows for the unambiguous, in situ measurement of the order of the effective nonlinear absorption using a simple optical arrangement that can be employed with virtually any MAP setup. This technique is benchmarked using three common commercial photoinitiators that have been used previously in MAP and one common dye that acts as a photoinitiator. The linear absorption spectrum is demonstrated to be a poor predictor of the effective order of nonlinear absorption at a given wavelength. Surprisingly, for two of these initiators the effective nonlinear absorption process is dominated by 3‐photon absorption in the 800 nm wavelength range, suggesting that 2‐BIT is a valuable means of identifying initiators that can improve the resolution of MAP.
Some results on binary forms and counting rational points on algebraic varieties

In this thesis we study several problems related to the representation of integers by binary forms and counting rational points on algebraic varieties. In particular, we establish an asymptotic formula for RF (Z), the number of integers of absolute value up to Z which can be represented by a binary form F with integer coefficients, degree d ≥ 3, and nonzero discriminant. We give superior results when d = 3 or 4, which completely resolves the cases considered by Hooley. We establish an asymptotic formula for the number of pairs (x, y) ∈ Z such that F (x, y) is k-free, whenever F satisfies certain necessary conditions and k > 7d/18. Finally, we give various results on the arithmetic of certain cubic and quartic surfaces as well as general methods to estimate the number of rational points of bounded height on algebraic varieties. In particular, we give a bound for the density of rational points on del Pezzo surfaces of degree 2. These results depend on generalizations of Salberger’s global determinant method in various settings.
True Yellow Light-Emitting Diodes as Phosphor for Tunable Color-Rendering Index Laser-Based White Light

An urgent challenge for the lighting research community is the lack of efficient optical devices emitting in between 500 and 600 nm, resulting in the “green-yellow gap”. In particular, true green (∼555 nm) and true yellow (∼590 nm), along with blue and red, constitute four technologically important colors. The III-nitride material system, being the most promising choice of platform to bridge this gap, still suffers from high dislocation density and poor crystal quality in realizing high-power, efficient devices. Particularly, the high polarization fields in the active region of such 2D quantum confined structures prevent efficient recombination of carriers. Here we demonstrate a true yellow nanowire (NW) light emitting diode (LED) with peak emission of 588 nm at 29.5 A/cm2 (75 mA in a 0.5 × 0.5 mm2 device) and a low turn-on voltage of ∼2.5 V, while having an internal quantum efficiency of 39%, and without “efficiency droop” up to an injection current density of 29.5 A/cm2. By mixing yellow light from a NW.
Evaluating the Efficacy and Impacts of Remote Pair Programming for Introductory Computer Science Students

With the increase in online learning, instructors are looking for novel ways of supporting student learning and getting students to collaborate in online environments. Pair programming allows students to brainstorm and problem-solve in teams and has been found to help with improving code design, attitudes toward computer science, productivity, and performance. However, past work has focused on face-to-face, in-person collaboration, and it is unclear whether these benefits will translate to an online context. This work replicates several studies evaluating the effects and benefits of in-person pair programming in an online environment. In an introduction to programming course, students participated in weekly online sessions where they were asked to solve a set of exercises in pairs or individually. We measure task performance and student opinions on the activities and perceptions of remote pair programming. Our study found that remote pair programming had little to no impact on the time taken, promising but not statistically significant impacts on code correctness, and statistically significant impacts on students’ perceptions of both their own experience and the efficiency and efficacy of pair programming. Our findings show that some, but not all, of the benefits of pair programming can be replicated in an online context.
Towards Multimodal Spatio-Temporal Transformer-based Models for Traffic Congestion Prediction

Robust predictions of traffic congestion play a crucial role in intelligent transportation systems. Recently, multimodal data have been applied to improve the performance of traffic congestion prediction models, such as rainfall, social network posts, incident reports, etc. In this paper, we attempt to use both dynamic people-flow and rainfall data, along with a transformer-based prediction model for traffic congestion prediction. We experiment an early fusion method for combining the multimodal data. Our experiments are conducted using two private datasets containing congestion and people-flow data, alongside a corresponding public dataset that provides rainfall data. The results indicate that incorporating the people-flow data into our prediction model enhances its performance.
Analysis of Utilizing Mobile Application to Educate Fintech User's Data Protection: Mobile Learning Scale Approach

FinTech or Financial Technology is an integration between technology and financial services. Since Industry 4.0 and the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of FinTech transactions in Indonesia have spiked. Despite the good news, there are some risks that needs to be mitigate such as the security of FinTech's user data. There are various ways for mitigating the risk of personal data protection. Education is one of the effective ways to trigger FinTech user's awareness about personal data protection. Mobile phones are also the most frequently used device for daily activities including education purposes. Therefore, this research paper aims to analyze the effectiveness of utilizing mobile application for personal data protection education using the Mobile Learning Scale as an approach.
Multi-monoubiquitination controls VASP-mediated actin dynamics

The actin cytoskeleton performs multiple cellular functions, and as such, actin polymerization must be tightly regulated. We previously demonstrated that reversible, non-degradative ubiquitination regulates the function of the actin polymerase VASP in developing neurons. However, the underlying mechanism of how ubiquitination impacts VASP activity was unknown. Here we show that mimicking multi-monoubiquitination of VASP at K240 and K286 negatively regulates VASP interactions with actin. Using in vitro bio-chemical assays, we demonstrate the reduced ability of multi-monoubiquitinated VASP to bind, bundle, and elongate actin fil-aments. However, multi-monoubiquitinated VASP maintained the ability to bind and protect barbed ends from capping protein. Lastly, we demonstrate the introduction of recombinant multi-monoubiquitinated VASP protein altered cell spreading morphology. Collectively, these results suggest a mechanism in which ubiquitination controls VASP-mediated actin dynamics.
Tropical invertebrate community assembly processes are robust to a gradient of land use intensity

Understanding how community assembly processes drive biodiversity patterns is a central goal of community ecology. While it is generally accepted that ecological communities are assembled by both stochastic and deterministic processes, quantifying their relative importance remains challenging. Few studies have investigated how the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic community assembly processes vary among taxa and along gradients of habitat degradation. Using data on 1,645 arthropod species across seven taxonomic groups in Malaysian Borneo, we quantified the importance of ecological stochasticity and of a suite of community assembly processes across a gradient of logging intensity. The relationship between logging and community assembly varied depending on the specific combination of taxa and stochasticity metric used, but, in general, the processes that govern invertebrate community assembly were remarkably robust to changes in land use intensity.