Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic and Epigenetic Association of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor-1α with Glycosylation in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex trauma-related disorder, the etiology and underlying molecular mechanisms of which are still unclear and probably involve different (epi)genetic and environmental factors. Protein N-glycosylation is a common post-translational modification that has been associated with several pathophysiological states, including inflammation and PTSD. Hepatocyte nuclear factor-1α (HNF1A) is a transcriptional regulator of many genes involved in the inflammatory processes, and it has been identified as master regulator of plasma protein glycosylation. The aim of this study was to determine the association between N-glycan levels in plasma and immunoglobulin G, methylation at four CpG positions in the HNF1A gene, HNF1A antisense RNA 1 (HNF1A-AS1), rs7953249 and HNF1A rs735396 polymorphisms in a total of 555 PTSD and control subjects. We found significant association of rs7953249 and rs735396 polymorphisms, as well as HNF1A gene methylation at the CpG3 site, with highly branched, galactosylated and sialyated plasma N-glycans, mostly in patients with PTSD. HNF1A-AS1 rs7953249 polymorphism was also associated with PTSD; however, none of the polymorphisms were associated with HNF1A gene methylation. These results indicate a possible regulatory role of the investigated HNF1A polymorphisms with respect to the abundance of complex plasma N-glycans previously associated with proinflammatory response, which could contribute to the clinical manifestation of PTSD and its comorbidities.
mTOR-Dependent Spine Dynamics in Autism

Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction as well as repetitive behaviors and restricted range of interests. ASC are complex genetic disorders with moderate to high heritability, and associated with atypical patterns of neural connectivity. Many of the genes implicated in ASC are involved in dendritic spine pruning and spine development, both of which can be mediated by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Consistent with this idea, human postmortem studies have shown increased spine density in ASC compared to controls suggesting that the balance between autophagy and spinogenesis is altered in ASC. However, murine models of ASC have shown inconsistent results for spine morphology, which may underlie functional connectivity. This review seeks to establish the relevance of changes in dendritic spines in ASC using data gathered from rodent models. Using a literature survey, we identify 20 genes that are linked to dendritic spine pruning or development in rodents that are also strongly implicated in ASC in humans. Furthermore, we show that all 20 genes are linked to the mTOR pathway and propose that the mTOR pathway regulating spine dynamics is a potential mechanism underlying the ASC signaling pathway in ASC. We show here that the direction of change in spine density was mostly correlated to the upstream positive or negative regulation of the mTOR pathway and most rodent models of mutant mTOR regulators show increases in immature spines, based on morphological analyses. We further explore the idea that these mutations in these genes result in aberrant social behavior in rodent models that is due to these altered spine dynamics. This review should therefore pave the way for further research on the specific genes outlined, their effect on spine morphology or density with an emphasis on understanding the functional role of these changes in ASC.
Social Media Friends From Afterschool are Associated With Positive Youth Development in Digital Settings

Positive youth development has been extensively documented in contexts such as the family, school, and afterschool. Emerging theory and research indicate that digital contexts such as social media may also be venues through which young people develop skills and attributes associated with the 5 Cs model of positive youth development and thriving. This research attempted to understand if and how middle school youth’s in-person and online networks connect, and if they do connect, do these connections relate to engaging in beliefs and behaviors associated with PYD. Results suggest that in this sample, middle school youth include peers from afterschool in their online networks, and those who have friends from afterschool and school engaged in PYD- related social media behaviors at higher rates than those who were not connected to in-person networks. No association was found between the amount of time spent in after-school contexts and any of the positive or problematic social media outcomes in this study. Implications for youth development professionals considering the influence of social media on youth, and next steps for research on after-school activities and social media use of middle school youth are discussed.
IgG Anti-Spike Antibodies and Surrogate Neutralizing Antibody Levels Decline Faster 3 to 10 Months After BNT162b2 Vaccination Than After SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Healthcare Workers

Background IgG anti-spike (S) antibodies arise after SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as vaccination. Levels of IgG anti-S are linked to neutralizing antibody titers and protection against (re)infection. Methods We measured IgG anti-S and surrogate neutralizing antibody kinetics against Wild Type (WT) and 4 Variants of Concern (VOC) in health care workers (HCW) 3 and 10 months after natural infection (“infection”, n=83) or vaccination (2 doses of BNT162b2) with (“hybrid immunity”, n=17) or without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (“vaccination”, n=97). Results The humoral immune response in the “vaccination” cohort was higher at 3 months, but lower at 10 months, compared to the “infection” cohort due to a faster decline. The “hybrid immunity” cohort had the highest antibody levels at 3 and 10 months with a slower decline compared to the “vaccination” cohort. Surrogate neutralizing antibody levels (expressed as %inhibition of ACE-2 binding) showed a linear relation with log10 of IgG anti-S against WT and four VOC. IgG anti-S corresponding to 90% inhibition ranged from 489 BAU/mL for WT to 1756 BAU/mL for Beta variant. Broad pseudoneutralization predicted live virus neutralization of Omicron BA.1 in 20 randomly selected high titer samples. Conclusions Hybrid immunity resulted in the strongest humoral immune response. Antibodies induced by natural infection decreased more slowly than after vaccination, resulting in higher antibody levels at 10 months compared to vaccinated HCW without prior infection. There was a linear relationship between surrogate neutralizing activity and log10 IgG anti-S for WT and 4 VOC, although some VOC showed reduced sensitivity to pseudoneutralization.
Evaluating the use of a piezo-resistive pressure sensor system for performance feedback in long track speed skating

In the sport of long track speed skating, in recent years there has been an increasing desire for training tools which provide deeper technical insight of the skating movement to the athlete and coaches. In previous literature a variety of measurement systems have been presented; one such system included the instrumented klapskate developed at the Delft University of Technology. Alongside the implementation of this new instrumented klapskate, a simplified piezo-resistive pressure sensor system has been applied with high performance Dutch speed skaters; however, to this point the best application of such a system has not been shown. This research examined the potential ways in which this simplified system may provide valuable feedback to a skater, with consideration for the feedback currently available within the sport. Through a combination of bench and on-ice testing, the system was evaluated for its ability to predict skating forces (normal, lateral, and absolute), the center of pressure of force application, peak stroke force, and finally, contact time for individual strokes. Despite an inability to generate a full profile of skating force, the PRPS system provided reasonable estimations of peak stroke normal (RMSE = 50.2 N) and absolute (RMSE =50.5 N) forces in the straights, while in the curve, peak normal (RMSE = 129.4) and absolute (RMSE = 131.5 N) force estimates were less accurate. Stroke timing was predicted with accuracy, giving minor underestimation in both the straight (RMSE = 0.0671 s) and curves (RMSE = 0.0474 s). Center of pressure measurement was largely unsuccessful when attempted on the bench using a tensile load cell, however estimations applied to on-ice data yielded trends in center of pressure position consistent with previous literature, suggesting future viability as a feedback parameter. For future work, a larger sample size and further on-ice testing would be recommended for verification and improved development of this prototype system.
Vector Auto Regressive Analysis identifying government expenditure policy impact on sustainable economic development

This research investigates the effects of government expenditure in Uganda on infrastructure in promoting sustainable economic. The study used a longitudinal research design using financial records from financial years 1984-85 to 2015-16 as population with a sample size of 32 annual observations. The Johansen cointegration test indicates a long-run association between government expenditure in infrastructure, communication, electricity, and financial development. The Granger- Connection findings shows indirect connection between economic development rate and all the parts of public spending that were used with P-Value 0.04 and lastly, the Vector Auto Regressive (VAR) consequences indicated that public spending on infrastructure, communication, and energy, had a direct effect on economic development rate with P-Value 0.00. The paper recommended that extra spending on substantial infrastructures such as roads, airports, railways, water facilities, electricity, and communication add extensively to the economic development rate by growing the efficiency of the public and private sectors.
Evaluation of multiple linear regression function and generalized linear model types in estimating natural menopausal age: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Since women spend about one-third of their lifespan in menopause, accurate prediction of the age of natural menopause and its effective parameters are crucial to increase women's life expectancy. Objective This study aimed to compare the performance of generalized linear models (GLM) and the ordinary least squares (OLS) method in predicting the age of natural menopause in a large population of Iranian women. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the recruitment phase of the Shahedieh Cohort Study, Yazd, Iran. In total, 1251 women who had the experience of natural menopause were included. For modeling natural menopause, the multiple linear regression model was employed using the ordinary least squares method and GLMs. With the help of the Akaike information criterion, root-mean-square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error, the performance of regression models was measured. Results The mean age of menopausal women was 49.1 ± 4.7 yr (95% CI: 48.8-49.3) with a median of 50 yr. The analysis showed similar Akaike criterion values for the multiple linear models with the OLS technique and the GLM with the Gaussian family. However, the RMSE and mean absolute error values were much lower in GLM. In all the models, education, history of salpingectomy, diabetes, cardiac ischemic, and depression were significantly associated with menopausal age. Conclusion To predict the age of natural menopause in this study, the GLM with the Gaussian family and the log link function with reduced RMSE and mean absolute error can be a good alternative for modeling menopausal age.
Uniaxial mechanical behaviors of recycled coarse aggregate concretes cast with conventional and equivalent mortar volume methods

Among the various kinds of adjustment methods to improve the material properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), equivalent mortar volume (EMV) method is widely considered as economic and effective. This is mainly because that only an extra content of natural aggregates (NAs) is needed to be added in the mixture during fabricating RAC. To objectively evaluate the method, this study conducted a series of discrete element mesoscale simulations to illustrate and compare the mechanical behaviors and failure mechanisms for conventional and EMV methods designed RAC samples under uniaxial loadings. Particularly, the influences of the replacement ratio of RAs, the mixture’s water-to-cement ratio and the spatial location of coarse aggregates on the two RACs’ strength and deformation characteristics were analyzed. Additionally, generic expressions used for estimating the mechanical properties of conventional and EMV methods cast RAC samples were also tried to be established in the article. It was found by this study that: (a) As the replacement ratio grows, both the conventional RAC’s compressive strength and elastic modulus reduce monotonously, however, the tensile strength’s variation trend is highly dependent on the relative strength of new-to-old mortar; (b) Regardless of the RAC’s water-to-cement ratio, an EMV design method can always improve the elastic modulus of RAC effectively; (c) When the new mortar strength is lower than that of old mortar, adopting an EMV mix-design method notably improves the RAC’s tensile and compressive strengths, however, if the old mortar strength is obviously smaller, the EMV method’s enhancement to the concrete’s strength is limited; (d) Variabilities for compressive and tensile strengths of EMV method designed RAC samples are commonly higher than those of conventional RAC samples; and (e) Uniaxial mechanical property of RAC sample cast either using a conventional or EMV method can both be predicted with a same formulas.
Seasonal Variations in the Composition and Physicochemical Characteristics of Sheep and Goat Milks

There has been growing consumer interest in sheep and goat milk products as alternatives to cow milk products. The physicochemical characteristics of milk vary not only between ruminant species, but also during different seasons; they determine the nutritional quality and processing properties of the milk. In this study, we characterized sheep and goat milks from New Zealand over the seasons for their composition (macronutrients, macro- and micro-minerals, fatty acids, and proteins) and physicochemical properties (e.g., ionic calcium, fat globule size, casein micelle size, viscosity, and melting behavior of milk fat). Heat-induced (95 °C for 5 min) protein interactions and changes in the physical properties of the milks were also investigated. The compositional and structural features of sheep and goat milks were identified and compared with those reported for cow milk. Seasonal variations in the milk characteristics were more pronounced for sheep milk than goat milk and were probably affected by the production systems. Sheep milk, particularly in the late season, had the largest heat-induced increases in casein micelle size and viscosity, probably arising from the greater casein–whey protein and casein–casein interactions during heat treatment. This study provides comprehensive information on the properties of sheep and goat milks and highlights the interaction effects between species, season, and processing.
Advanced Control Strategies of Induction Machine: Field Oriented Control, Direct Torque Control and Model Predictive Control

Field oriented control (FOC), direct torque control (DTC) and finite set model predictive control (FS-MPC) are different strategies for high performance electrical drive systems. FOC uses linear controllers and pulse width modulation (PWM) to control the fundamental components of the load voltages. On the other hand, DTC and FS-MPC are nonlinear strategies that generate directly the voltage vectors in the absence of a modulator. This paper presents all three methods starting from theoretic operating principles, control structures and implementation. Experimental assessment is performed to discuss their advantages and limitations in detail. As main conclusions of this work, it is affirmed that different strategies have their own merits and all meet the requirements of modern high performance drives.
Health Care Logistics Network Design and Analysis on Pandemic Outbreaks: Insights From COVID-19

Health care systems throughout the world are under pressure as a result of COVID-19. It is over two years since the first case was announced in China and health care providers are continuing to struggle with this fatal infectious disease in intensive care units and inpatient wards. Meanwhile, the burden of postponed routine medical procedures has become greater as the pandemic has progressed. We believe that establishing separate health care institutions for infected and non-infected patients would provide safer and better quality health care services. The aim of this study is to find the appropriate number and location of dedicated health care institutions which would only treat individuals infected by a pandemic during an outbreak. For this purpose, a decision-making framework including two multi-objective mixed-integer programming models is developed. At the strategic level, the locations of designated pandemic hospitals are optimized. At the tactical level, we determine the locations and operation durations of temporary isolation centers which treat mildly and moderately symptomatic patients. The developed framework provides assessments of the distance that infected patients travel, the routine medical services expected to be disrupted, two-way distances between new facilities (designated pandemic hospitals and isolation centers), and the infection risk in the population. To demonstrate the applicability of the suggested models, we perform a case study for the European side of Istanbul. In the base case, seven designated pandemic hospitals and four isolation centers are established. In sensitivity analyses, 23 cases are analyzed and compared to provide support to decision makers.
Biologic Initiation Rate in Systemic-Naïve Psoriatic Arthritis Patients Starting Treatment with Apremilast vs Methotrexate: 1-Year Retrospective Analysis of a US Claims Database

Purpose To compare the rate of biologic initiation after commencing treatment with apremilast (APR) vs methotrexate (MTX), in systemic-naïve patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Patients and Methods Systemic-naïve patients with PsA who started treatment with either APR or MTX between 01/01/2015 and 12/31/2018 were analyzed using claims data from the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare Supplemental databases (2014–2019). PsA patients were identified via diagnosis codes; the first prescription date for APR or MTX was the index date. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, healthcare utilization during the year pre-index (baseline) and the year post-index (follow-up), and median time to biologic initiation were reported descriptively. The rates and risk of biologic initiation during follow-up were compared between APR and MTX users by logistic and Cox regressions, respectively. Models were adjusted for demographics, clinical and utilization measures during the baseline period. Results A total of 2116 patients with PsA newly treated with APR (n = 534) or MTX (n = 1582) were identified. Mean age was similar (50.5 vs 50.4; P = 0.938), and proportion of females was higher for APR vs MTX users (59.4% vs 54.0%; P = 0.031). Mean time to biologic initiation among patients who initiated during follow-up was 194.1 vs 138.7 days between APR vs MTX users (P < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, the likelihood of biologic initiation was 58% lower (OR, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.32–0.54]; P < 0.001) with APR, with a significantly lower predicted rate of biologic initiation among APR users when compared to MTX users during follow-up (20.0% [95% CI, 16.6–23.9%] vs 37.5% [95% CI, 35.0–40.1%]). Additionally, APR users had a lower risk of biologic initiation than MTX users (HR, 0.46 [95% CI, 0.37–0.57]; P < 0.001) during the 1-year follow-up. Conclusion Systemic-naïve patients with PsA have a lower rate of, and longer time to, biologic initiation over one-year following APR initiation, compared to those initiating MTX.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Risk: The Role of Dyslipidemia, Inflammation, and Obesity

Introduction: The present study aimed to establish the role of lipid abnormalities and inflammatory markers for developing cardiovascular risk, as well as to address the importance of obesity as a common comorbidity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods: The study was conducted as a prospective cohort study including 120 patients with newly diagnosed OSA between 2019 and 2020, at University Clinical Hospital Center “Bezanijska kosa”, Belgrade, Serbia. The diagnosis was established by polysomnography. In all patients, sociodemographic data, respiratory, lipid, and inflammatory parameters were collected and complete echocardiographic study and 24-h blood pressure monitoring were performed. Results: The mean patient age was 55.7 ± 13.8 years. Study population was mostly male (70.0%) and obese (56.7%). At least 30 apneas or hypopneas per hour were present in 39.0% of patients. A strong positive correlation was found between OSA severity and BMI (r = 0.562, p < 0.001), both associated with lipid, inflammatory and respiratory parameters, and cardiovascular profile of patients with OSA (p < 0.05 for all). Echocardiographic study and 24-h blood pressure monitoring parameters were in turn correlated with lipid and inflammatory markers (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion: The results of this study support the important role of dyslipidemia and inflammation, as well as coexistence of obesity in the pathogenesis of numerous conditions linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with OSA.
Multiphysics Simulation by Design for Electrical Machines, Power Electronics, and Drives

This book combines the knowledge of experts from both academia and the software industry to present theories of multiphysics simulation by design for electrical machines, power electronics, and drives. The comprehensive design approach described within supports new applications required by technologies sustaining high drive efficiency. The highlighted framework considers the electric machine at the heart of the entire electric drive. The book also emphasizes the simulation by design concept—a concept that frames the entire highlighted design methodology, which is described and illustrated by various advanced simulation technologies.
Comment: Empathy as a Flexible and Fundamentally Interpersonal Phenomenon: Comment on “Why We Should Reject the Restrictive Isomorphic Matching Definition of Empathy”

I strongly agree with the criticisms of the restrictive isomorphic matching (RIM) definition of empathy made by Murphy, Lilienfeld, and Algoe (2022), and largely agree with their conceptualization of empathy as a dynamic process best defined by its function. In this commentary, I extend this argument by emphasizing the relational, interpersonal aspects of empathy. It is my view that in order to understand the functions of empathy, we must take into account not only the internal experience of the individual empathizing, but also the individual (or group) whose perspective the empathizer is attempting to take. I highlight how the emotional needs of others are dynamic and require flexible adaptation and underscore the role of context in appreciating the function of empathy.