Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microstructural profiles of thalamus and thalamocortical connectivity in patients with disorder of consciousness

Thalamus and thalamocortical connectivity are crucial for consciousness; however, their microstructural changes in patients with a disorder of consciousness (DOC) have not yet been thoroughly characterized. In the present study, we applied the novel fixel‐based analysis to comprehensively investigate the thalamus‐related microstructural abnormalities in 10 patients with DOC using 7‐T diffusion‐weighted imaging data. We found that compared to healthy controls, patients with DOC showed reduced fiber density (FD) and fiber density and cross‐section (FDC) in the mediodorsal, anterior, and ventral anterior thalamic nuclei, while fiber‐bundle cross‐section (FC) was not significantly altered in the thalamus. Impaired thalamocortical connectivity in the DOC cohort was mainly connected to the middle frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, fusiform gyrus, and sensorimotor cortices, including the precentral gyrus and postcentral gyrus, with predominant microstructural abnormalities in FD and FDC. Correlation analysis showed that FC of the right mediodorsal thalamus was negatively correlated with the level of consciousness. Our results suggest that microstructural abnormalities of thalamus and thalamocortical connectivity in DOC were mainly attributed to axonal injury. In particular, the microstructural integrity of the thalamus is a vital factor in consciousness generation.
Validation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) adapted for the whole day repeated measures context

Abstract Our objective was to investigate the validity of four-item and six-item versions of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX, or TLX for short) for measuring workload over a whole day in the repeated measures context. We analysed data on 51 people with type 1 diabetes from whom we collected ecological momentary assessment and daily diary data over 14 days. The TLX was administered at the last survey of every day. Confirmatory factor analysis fit statistics indicated that neither the TLX-6 nor TLX-4 were a unidimensional representation of whole day workload. In exploratory analyses, another set of TLX items we refer to as TLX-4v2 was sufficiently unidimensional. Raw sum scores from the TLX-6 and TLX-4v2 had plausible relationships with other measures, as evidenced by intra-person correlations and mixed-effects models. TLX-6 appears to capture multiple factors contributing to workload, while TLX-4v2 assesses the single factor of ‘mental strain’. Practitioner Summary: Using within-person longitudinal data, we found evidence supporting the validity of a measure evaluating whole-day workload (i.e. workload derived from all sources, not only paid employment) derived from the NASA-TLX. This measure may be useful to assess how day-to-day variations in workload impact quality of life among adults. Abbreviations: NASA-TLX or TLX: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index; TLX-6: six item version of the NASA-TLX; TLX-4: four item version of the NASA-TLX, TLX-4v2: four item NASA-TLX version two; NIOSH: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; CFA: confirmatory factor analysis; T1D: type 1 diabetes; EMA: ecological momentary assessment; BG: blood glucose; SD: standard deviation; CV: coefficient of variation; RMSEA: root mean square error of approximation; CFI: comparative fit index; TLI: Tucker-Lewis Index; SRMR: standardized root mean square residual; AIC: Akaike information criterion; BIC: Bayesian information criterion; χ2: Chi-square statistic
Menopausal hormone therapy and risk of biliary tract cancers

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) has a female predominance, whereas the other biliary tract cancers (BTCs) have a male predominance, suggesting that sex hormones may be involved in carcinogenesis. We sought to evaluate the association between menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and the risk of BTC in women.
Integrative multi‐omic analysis reveals neurodevelopmental gene dysregulation in CIC ‐knockout and IDH1 ‐mutant cells

Capicua (CIC)'s transcriptional repressor function is implicated in neurodevelopment and in oligodendroglioma (ODG) aetiology. However, CIC's role in these contexts remains obscure, primarily from our currently limited knowledge regarding its biological functions. Moreover, CIC mutations in ODG invariably co‐occur with a neomorphic IDH1/2 mutation, yet the functional relationship between these two genetic events is unknown. Here, we analysed models derived from an E6/E7/hTERT‐immortalized (i.e. p53‐ and RB‐deficient) normal human astrocyte cell line. To examine the consequences of CIC loss, we compared transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles between CIC wild‐type and knockout cell lines, with and without mutant IDH1 expression. Our analyses revealed dysregulation of neurodevelopmental genes in association with CIC loss. CIC ChIP‐seq was also performed to expand upon the currently limited ensemble of known CIC target genes. Among the newly identified direct CIC target genes were EPHA2 and ID1, whose functions are linked to neurodevelopment and the tumourigenicity of in vivo glioma tumour models. NFIA, a known mediator of gliogenesis, was discovered to be uniquely overexpressed in CIC‐knockout cells expressing mutant IDH1‐R132H protein. These results identify neurodevelopment and specific genes within this context as candidate targets through which CIC alterations may contribute to the progression of IDH‐mutant gliomas. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Comparison of rehabilitation outcomes for transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement as redo procedure in patients with previous cardiac surgery

Abstract Background: Currently, the number of severe aortic stenosis (AS) patients with a history of prior cardiac surgery (PCS) has increased. Both transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and traditional surgical aortic valve replacement (sAVR) are effective therapy for AS. However, PCS increases the risk of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. Thus, this meta-analysis was designed to comparatively evaluate the impact of PCS on clinical outcomes between TAVR and sAVR. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to February 1, 2021 was conducted for relevant studies that comparing TAVR and sAVR for severe AS patients with a history of PCS. The primary outcome was the non-inferiority of TAVR and sAVR in mortality. The secondary outcomes were the other clinical outcomes. Two reviewers assessed trial quality and extracted the data independently. All statistical analyses were performed using the standard statistical procedures provided in Review Manager 5.2. Results: A total of 11 studies including 8852 patients were identified. The pooled results indicated that there was no difference in 30-day, and 1-year all-cause mortality between TAVR and sAVR. No significant difference was also observed in total follow-up and cardiovascular mortality between TAVR and sAVR. However, subgroup analysis revealed significantly higher 1-year all-cause mortality (OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.05–3.52; P = .04) and total follow-up mortality (OR 2.28; 95% CI 1.09–4.77; P = .03) in TAVR than sAVR for patients with a history of coronary artery bypass graft, aortic valve replacement, and mitral valve reconstruction. In addition, TAVR experienced higher pacemaker implantation than sAVR. However, compared with sAVR, TAVR experienced shorter length of stay (MD –3.18 days; 95% CI –4.78 to –1.57 days) and procedural time (MD –172.01 minutes; 95% CI –251.15 to –92.88) respectively. TAVR also lead to much less bleeding than sAVR. Conclusions: Our analysis shows that TAVR as a redo procedure was equal to sAVR in mortality for severe AS patients with PCS, especially coronary artery bypass graft. We agree the advantage of TAVR as a redo procedure for patients with a history of PCS. Patients receiving TAVR experienced rapid recovery, shorter operation time and less bleeding, without increasing short and long term mortality.
Diverse processing underlying frequency integration in midbrain neurons of barn owls

Emergent response properties of sensory neurons depend on circuit connectivity and somatodendritic processing. Neurons of the barn owl’s external nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICx) display emergence of spatial selectivity. These neurons use interaural time difference (ITD) as a cue for the horizontal direction of sound sources. ITD is detected by upstream brainstem neurons with narrow frequency tuning, resulting in spatially ambiguous responses. This spatial ambiguity is resolved by ICx neurons integrating inputs over frequency, a relevant processing in sound localization across species. Previous models have predicted that ICx neurons function as point neurons that linearly integrate inputs across frequency. However, the complex dendritic trees and spines of ICx neurons raises the question of whether this prediction is accurate. Data from in vivo intracellular recordings of ICx neurons were used to address this question. Results revealed diverse frequency integration properties, where some ICx neurons showed responses consistent with the point neuron hypothesis and others with nonlinear dendritic integration. Modeling showed that varied connectivity patterns and forms of dendritic processing may underlie observed ICx neurons’ frequency integration processing. These results corroborate the ability of neurons with complex dendritic trees to implement diverse linear and nonlinear integration of synaptic inputs, of relevance for adaptive coding and learning, and supporting a fundamental mechanism in sound localization.
Estimating experienced racial segregation in US cities using large-scale GPS data

Significance Racial segregation shapes key aspects of a healthy society, including educational development, psychological well-being, and economic mobility. As such, a large literature has formed to measure segregation. Estimates of racial segregation often rely on assumptions of uniform interaction within some fixed time and geographic space despite the dynamic nature of urban environments. We leverage Global Positioning System data to estimate a measure of segregation that relaxes these strict assumptions. Experienced segregation according to our measure is substantially lower than standard measures would suggest. By decomposing segregation by functions of a city, like entertainment, restaurants, and retail, we facilitate targeted policy making where segregation matters most. We estimate a measure of segregation, experienced isolation, that captures individuals’ exposure to diverse others in the places they visit over the course of their days. Using Global Positioning System (GPS) data collected from smartphones, we measure experienced isolation by race. We find that the isolation individuals experience is substantially lower than standard residential isolation measures would suggest but that experienced isolation and residential isolation are highly correlated across cities. Experienced isolation is lower relative to residential isolation in denser, wealthier, more educated cities with high levels of public transit use and is also negatively correlated with income mobility.
Integrated Subharmonic Planar Schottky Diode Mixers for Submillimetrewave Applications

The growing demand for submillimetre wave (SMW ) circuits is spurred not only by the needs of traditional science applications such as radio astronomy and atmospheric remote sensing but also by military and commercial applications such as compact range radar. Several approaches to device and circuit fabrication have been developed and in the past 20 years, many successful SM W components have been built for operation up to THz frequencies. However, they all suffer one or more drawback, such as low reliability and repeatability, lengthy and difficult assembly and reliance on mechanical tuners. The first part of the work described here has been the development of high yield, high quality and high repeatability antiparallel Schottky diodes entirely fabricated at the University of Bath. After producing Schottky diodes having state of the art characteristics, the main focus of the research was the development of a process to monolithically integrate the anti-parallel Schottky diode in a 200 GHz RF mixer circuit. Throughout this research, advantage has been taken of the recent development of advanced computer aided design tools that are suitable for simulating both linear and nonlinear parts of the submillimetre mixer to design and fabricated a fixed-tuned integrated mixer at 183 GHz.
Syndecan-2 expression enriches for hematopoietic stem cells and regulates stem cell repopulating capacity.

The discovery of novel hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) surface markers can enhance understanding of HSC identity and function. We have discovered a population of primitive bone marrow (BM) HSCs distinguished by their expression of the heparan sulfate proteoglycan, Syndecan-2, which serves as both a marker and regulator of HSC function. Syndecan-2 expression was increased 10-fold in CD150+CD48-CD34-c-Kit+Sca-1+Lineage- cells (long-term - HSCs, LT-HSCs) compared to differentiated hematopoietic cells. Isolation of BM cells based solely on Syndecan-2 surface expression produced a 24-fold enrichment for LT-HSCs, 6-fold enrichment for alpha-catulin+c-kit+ HSCs, and yielded HSCs with superior in vivo repopulating capacity compared to CD150+ cells. Competitive repopulation assays revealed the HSC frequency to be 17-fold higher in Syndecan-2+CD34-KSL cells compared to Syndecan-2-CD34-KSL cells and indistinguishable from CD150+CD34-KSL cells. Syndecan-2 expression also identified nearly all repopulating HSCs within the CD150+CD34-KSL population. Mechanistically, Syndecan-2 regulates HSC repopulating capacity through control of expression of Cdkn1c (p57) and HSC quiescence. Loss of Syndecan-2 expression caused increased HSC cell cycle entry, downregulation of Cdkn1c and loss of HSC long-term - repopulating capacity. Syndecan-2 is a novel marker of HSCs which regulates HSC repopulating capacity via control of HSC quiescence.
An intelligent ultrasonic flowmeter for improved flow measurement and flow calibration facility

An increasing need for reduced uncertainty has forced metrologists to look for novel ways to improve the calibration standards for flow. The NIST is experimenting with the use of an advanced ultrasonic flowmeter (AUFM) to improve flow measurement and to detect the dynamic properties of calibration facilities. Ultrasonic technology is evolving rapidly and technical advances have significantly improved flow measurement in continuous industrial processes. The AUFM couples multipath ultrasonic sensing capabilities with pattern recognition software to predict likely flow fields and their probability of existence. The knowledge encoded in the AUFM is derived from training exercises that use computational fluid dynamics and experimental results to teach a flow field recognizer (FFR) via a learning algorithm. A four-path ultrasonic flowmeter prototype has been used to demonstrate the AUFM operational principle. Results showed that the four-path meter can successfully identify flow patterns among several selected flow fields. The results also indicated that the ability of the FFR to identify flow patterns increases as the accuracy of the sensor increases, while decreases as the number of flow patterns considered increases. In addition to being used as a flow diagnostic tool, the AUFM could prove beneficial in field applications where installation effects can lead to gross errors when ultrasonic signals are evaluated using conventional integration techniques.
Analysis of pedestrian accident leg contacts and distribution of contact points across the vehicle front

Determining the risk to pedestrians that are impacted by areas of the front bumper not currently regulated in type-approval testing requires an understanding of the target population and the injury risk posed by the edges of the bumper. National statistics show that approximately 10% of all accident casualties are pedestrians, with 20% to 30% of these pedestrian casualties being killed or seriously injured. However, the contact position across the front of the bumper is not recorded in national statistics and so in-depth accident databases (OTS, UK and GIDAS, Germany) were used to examine injury risk in greater detail. The results showed that some injury types and severities of injuries appear to peak around the bumper edges. Although there are sometimes inconsistencies in the data, generally there is no evidence to suggest that the edges of the bumper are less likely to be contacted or cause injury. (A)
On the Motivations and Challenges Faced byCommuters Using Bus Rapid Transit in Lagos, Nigeria

There are no much sex differences in the distribution of challenges faced by commuters using Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as observed from this smvey. Internal consistencies tests showed that the responses are randomized. Price charged, non-availability of buses and security in the buses are parammmt challenges faced by the commuters. The moderation results showed that the commuters' satisfaction in patronizing the BRT are mostly affected by security of the buses, reduced commuting time, attitude of the staffs, the attitude of the staff as seen in the behavior of the drivers, the prices charged as it affect the income of the commuters and the present available routes. Adequate security at the buses and bus stops, availability of more buses, do\Vllward review of the prices charged and increase in the available routes are some recommendations that can help to address the challenges faced by commuters using BRT especially as a means of conveying them to their workplaces.
Rapid Estimation of Compaction Parameters for Field Control

Compaction as a practical means of achieving the desired strength, compressibility, and permeability characteristics of fine-grained soils has been appreciated since the time early earth structures were built. In this paper, simple phenomenological relationships are proposed for estimating compaction characteristics, based on the analysis of compaction curves of fine-grained soils for different compactive efforts. A simple stepwise procedure is presented for adoption, the validity of which has been demonstrated from laboratory test data for this purpose.
Maximizing radial voltage stability and load balancing via loss minimization in distribution networks

Distribution networks have to be operated under minimized loss conditions due to economic reasons. Besides economic considerations, a reconfigured distribution network operating at a minimum loss condition has some added advantages in the form of increased voltage stability and load balancing. This paper presents the relationship between voltage stability and loss minimization in which it can be shown that voltage stability is maximized when power losses are minimized in the networks. A relationship between load balancing and loss minimization is also presented. A new load balancing index is proposed and applied to a distribution network to investigate the improvement in load balancing after network reconfiguration. Test results indicate that improvement in voltage stability and load balancing can be achieved by network reconfiguration.
A Primer for Applying Propensity-Score Matching

This document provides a guide to the key aspects of implementing Propensity-Score Matching (PSM) methodology. It summarizes the basic conditions under which PSM can be used to estimate the impact of a program and the data required, presenting examples of PSM applications. It explains how the Conditional Independence Assumption, combined with the Overlap Condition, reduces selection bias when participation in a program is determined by observable characteristics. It also describes different matching algorithms and some tests to assess the quality of the matching.
Do higher public debt levels reduce economic growth?

While the effect of higher public debt levels on economic growth has received much attention, the literature partly points to contradictory results. This paper applies meta-regression methods to 826 estimates from 48 primary studies. The unweighted mean of the reported results suggests: a 10 percentage points increase in public-debt-to-GDP is associated with a decline in annual growth rates by 0.14 percentage points, with a 95% confidence interval from 0.10 to 0.18 percentage points. However, we cannot reject a zero effect after correcting for publication bias. Furthermore, the meta-regression analysis shows that tackling endogeneity between public debt and growth makes estimates lean less towards the negative side. In testing for non-linear effects, our results do not point to a universal public-debt-to-GDP threshold beyond which growth slows: threshold estimates are sensitive to data and econometric choices. These findings imply a lack of evidence of a consistently negative growth effect of higher public-debt-to-GDP.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Visible Perivascular Spaces in the Basal Ganglia Are Associated With the Diabetic Retinopathy Stage and Cognitive Decline in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether perivascular space (PVS) severity and retinal ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness differed based on the stage of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and the cognitive status in patients with DR. Methods: A total of 81 patients with DR (51 in the non-proliferative group and 30 in the proliferative group) were included in this retrospective, cross-sectional study. PVS severity was assessed in the basal ganglia (BG) and centrum semiovale using MRI. The total cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) score was determined based on the numbers of lacunes and microbleeds and the severity of white matter hyperintensity. Optical coherence tomography was used to measure foveal and perifoveal GCL thicknesses. Cerebral SVD markers and cognitive function were compared between the groups, and correlations between the BG-PVS severity and the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores and GCL parameters were evaluated. Results: Patients with proliferative DR had higher BG-PVS severity (P = 0.012), higher total cerebral SVD scores (P = 0.035), reduced GCL thicknesses in the inferior (P = 0.027), superior (P = 0.046), and temporal (P = 0.038) subfields compared to patients with non-proliferative DR. In addition, the BG-PVS severity was negatively correlated with the MMSE score (P = 0.007), and the GCL thickness was negatively correlated with the BG-PVS severity (P-values < 0.05 for inferior, superior, and temporal subfields). Conclusion: BG-PVS severity and retinal GCL thickness may represent novel imaging biomarkers reflecting the stage of DR and cognitive decline in diabetic patients. Furthermore, these results suggest a possible link between cerebral and retinal neurodegeneration at the clinical level.