Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prebiotics Together with Raspberry Polyphenolic Extract Mitigate the Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases in Zucker Rats

Previous studies suggested that dietary supplementation with prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) and polyphenols could mitigate disorders related to the first stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by an obesogenic diet. Therefore, this experiment aimed to address whether the health-promoting potential of raspberry polyphenols together with FOSs can regulate advanced-stage NAFLD in Zucker rats genetically predisposed to develop obesity. The addition of FOSs and raspberry polyphenolic extract to the diet reduced liver fat accumulation and triglyceride, free fatty acid, and total cholesterol levels in the liver. The elevated GSH/GSSG ratio and reduced malondialdehyde content indicated that the liver antioxidant potential was considerably increased. The treatment also lowered the plasma aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities and collagen type IV levels. Insulin levels were decreased, but glucose levels remained constant, indicating greater insulin sensitivity. These changes may result from the upregulation of FXR and AHR receptors in the liver, which are responsible for regulating lipid metabolism and glucose and bile acid synthesis. The reduced bile acid levels in the cecal contents confirmed the activation of liver mechanisms. In conclusion, dietary enrichment with FOSs and raspberry polyphenolic extract has sufficient health-promoting potential to regulate liver metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation related to NAFLD development in obese Zucker rats.
Moderation of Sales Promotion: Should I Excited to Buy Online Fashion Products?

This study aims to analyze the influence of shopping lifestyle and hedonic shopping motivation on impulse buying with sales promotion as a moderation variable on Shopee Marketplace. This study focuses on purchasing fashion products on the Shopee marketplace. In this research, the population is all Shopee consumers in Indonesia. The sample used in this study amounts 160 respondents with a purposive sampling technique. The analytical method used in this research is the Structural Equation Model and Partial Least Square analysis (SEM-PLS) using Smart PLS3.0 software to analyze data. The result showed that shopping lifestyle has a significant effect on impulse buying of fashion products in the Shopee marketplace, hedonic shopping motivation has a significant effect on impulse buying on fashion products on the Shopee marketplace, sales promotion weakens the influence of shopping lifestyle on impulse buying on fashion product on the Shopee marketplace and sales promotion strengthens the influence of hedonic shopping motivation on impulse buying on fashion product on the Shopee marketplace.
Economic Evaluation of Wastewater Surveillance Combined with Clinical COVID-19 Screening Tests, Japan

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed substantial burdens on the global society. To find an optimal combination of wastewater surveillance and clinical testing for tracking COVID-19, we evaluated the economic efficiency of hypothetical screening options at a single facility in Japan. To conduct cost-benefit analyses, we developed standard decision models in which we assumed model parameters from literature and primary data, such as screening policies used at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Village in 2021. We compared hypothetical 2-step screening options that used clinical PCR to diagnose COVID-19 after a positive result from primary screening using antigen tests (option 1) or wastewater surveillance (option 2). Our simulation results indicated that option 2 likely would be economically more justifiable than option 1, particularly at lower incidence levels. Our findings could help justify and promote the use of wastewater surveillance as a primary screening at a facility level for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Effects of Sirolimus Treatment on Fetal Hemoglobin Production and Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: A Case Report Study

The β-thalassemias are a group of monogenic hereditary hematological disorders caused by deletions and/or mutations of the β-globin gene, leading to low or absent production of adult hemoglobin (HbA). For β-thalassemia, sirolimus has been under clinical consideration in two trials (NCT03877809 and NCT04247750). A reduced immune response to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has been reported in organ recipient patients treated with the immunosuppressant sirolimus. Therefore, there was some concern regarding the fact that monotherapy with sirolimus would reduce the antibody response after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. In the representative clinical case reported in this study, sirolimus treatment induced the expected increase of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) but did not prevent the production of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG after vaccination with mRNA-1273 (Moderna). In our opinion, this case report should stimulate further studies on β-thalassemia patients under sirolimus monotherapy in order to confirm the safety (or even the positive effects) of sirolimus with respect to the humoral response to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. In addition, considering the extensive use of sirolimus for the treatment of other human pathologies (for instance, in organ transplantation, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune cytopenia, and lymphangioleiomyomatosis), this case report study might be of general interest, as large numbers of patients are currently under sirolimus treatment.
Visual Perception and Attentional Skills in School-age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study of Reading Proficiency in the Hearing Impaired

Background: Auditory impairment is one of the common sensory deficits that occur in humans. Hearing loss affects students' ability to communicate and read, which eventually causes social and scholastic stigma. Reading relies heavily on phonics as well as visual attention. Students with normal hearing read by transforming phonic sounds into words. Hearing impaired has little to no phonic ability, making them visual readers who rely on visual cues while reading. Present study sought to investigate factors that affect reading skills in hearing-impaired children. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in hearing- and hearing-impaired schools of Ludhiana, Punjab, India. After vision screening among all students, sixty students were enrolled via convenient sampling. Higher order of visual perception, attention, and reading ability was investigated. Results: A total of 60 students were evaluated (30 hearing impaired and 30 age-matched hearing). The hearing group was statistically better than the hearing impaired (p = 0.001), Hearing impaired were better in visual attention (p = 0.001), whereas a correlation was found between reading ability and visual perception, attention skill of hearing- and hearing-impaired students (r = 0.80, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Present study concludes that hearing-impaired students exhibit issues with visual-motor integration, visual-spatial relationships, and visual sequential memory. Higher visual attention was demonstrated by hearing-impaired students. The results of the current investigation revealed a correlation between visual perception and attention skills and reading competency. Thus, the present study demands that the newly enrolled hearing-impaired students must undergo a thorough ocular evaluation.
Selection of tRNA Genes in Human Breast Tumours Varies Substantially between Individuals

Simple Summary Elevated expression of many tRNAs is a consistent feature of breast cancer. As each tRNA is encoded by multiple genes, we investigate whether the same genes are always overexpressed in each breast tumour, or whether distinct members of a gene family become activated from one tumour to the next. We find considerable variation between tumours as to which family members undergo activation, whereas familial patterns show much more consistency. A significant correlation is found between patient prognosis and the expression levels of specific tRNAs. Abstract Abnormally elevated expression of tRNA is a common feature of breast tumours. Rather than a uniform increase in all tRNAs, some are deregulated more strongly than others. Elevation of particular tRNAs has been associated with poor prognosis for patients, and experimental models have demonstrated the ability of some tRNAs to promote proliferation or metastasis. Each tRNA isoacceptor is encoded redundantly by multiple genes, which are commonly dispersed across several chromosomes. An unanswered question is whether the consistently high expression of a tRNA in a cancer type reflects the consistent activation of the same members of a gene family, or whether different family members are activated from one patient to the next. To address this question, we interrogated ChIP-seq data to determine which tRNA genes were active in individual breast tumours. This revealed that distinct sets of tRNA genes become activated in individual cancers, whereas there is much less variation in the expression patterns of families. Several pathways have been described that are likely to contribute to increases in tRNA gene transcription in breast tumours, but none of these can adequately explain the observed variation in the choice of genes between tumours. Current models may therefore lack at least one level of regulation.
New baenid turtle material from the Campanian of Wyoming

TheBaenidae formadiverse extinct clade of exclusivelyNorth Americanparacryptodiran turtles known from the Early Cretaceous to the Eocene (Hay, 1908; Gaffney, 1972; Joyce and Lyson, 2015). Their fossil record was recently extended down to the Berriasian-Valanginian (Joyce et al., 2020), but the group probably originates in the Late Jurassic because it is usually retrieved as the sister group of Pleurosternidae in phylogenetic analyses. However, baenids only become abundant during the Late Cretaceous, when they are restricted in distribution to western United States, Alberta and Saskatchewan (Joyce and Lyson, 2015). During the Campanian, baenids are abundant in the northern (Alberta, Montana) and southern (Texas, NewMexico, Utah) parts of their range, but in themiddle part of this range they aremostly represented by poorly diagnosable shell fragments. In their new contribution,Wuet al. (2023) describe a new articulated baenid specimen from the Campanian Mesaverde Formation of Wyoming. Despite its poor preservation, they are able to confidently assign this partial shell to Neurankylus sp. , hence definitively confirming the presence of baenids and Neurankylus in this formation. Incidentally, this new specimen was found in a non-fluvial depositional environment, which would also confirm the interpretation of Neurankylus as a pond turtle (Hutchison and Archibald, 1986; Sullivan et al., 1988; Wu et al., 2023; see also comments from the second reviewer). The study of Wu et al. (2023) also includes a detailed account of the state of the fossil when it was discovered and the subsequent extraction and preparation procedures followed by the team. This may seem excessive or out of place to some, but I agree with the authors that such information, when available, should bemore commonly integrated into scientific articles describing new fossil specimens. Preparation and restauration can have a significant impact on the perceived morphology. This must be taken into account when working with fossil specimens. The chemicals or products used to treat, prepare, or consolidate the specimens are also important information for long term curation. Therefore, it is important that such information is recorded and made available for researchers, curators, and preparators.
SIMS study of oxygen diffusion in monoclinic HfO 2

The diffusion of oxygen in dense ceramics of monoclinic HfO2 was studied by means of (18O/16O) isotope exchange annealing and subsequent determination of isotope depth profiles by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. Anneals were performed in the temperature range of 573 ≤T/K≤ 973 at an oxygen partial pressure of pO2=200 mbar. All measured isotope profiles exhibited two features: the first feature, closer to the surface, was attributed mainly to slow oxygen diffusion in an impurity silicate phase; the second feature, deeper in the sample, was attributed to oxygen diffusion in bulk monoclinic HfO2. The activation enthalpy of oxygen tracer diffusion in bulk HfO2 was found to be ΔHD∗≈0.5 eV.
Transcultural adaptation, content, and internal structure validity evidence of the perceived efficacy and goal setting system – 2 edition for Brazilian children

The aim was to investigate the validity of evidence of the Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System second edition for Brazilian children. 258 children participated, both sexes (n = 133 girls; 51.6%), 5 to 9 years old (total sample Mage = 7.1, SD = 1.4), from four regions of Brazil. The Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System – second edition, was used. Experts showed agreement about the high clarity and practical pertinence of the items (content validity coefficient from 98.4 to 100%; Gwet’s agreement coefficient from 0.85 to 1.00, p < 0.001). Confirmatory factorial analysis showed adequate adjustment indexes (RMSEA [0.048, 90% C.I. = 0.043 to 0.053], SRMR [0.243], CFI [0.91], RNI [0.91], TLI [0.91], ꭓ2/df [1.962]). The multigroup analysis showed configural, metric and scalar invariance of two models for gender (CFI = 0.97; RMSEA, [90%C.I.] = 0.05 [0.03 to 0.07]; metric: ΔRMSEA = 0.001; scalar: ΔRMSEA = −0.004) and age band (5–7 years-old and 8–9 years-old; CFI = 0.94; RMSEA, [90%C.I.] = 0.05 [0.03 to 0.07]; metric: ΔRMSEA = 0.002; scalar: ΔRMSEA = 0.010). The Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio test showed adequate discriminant validity among three dimensions (self-care and productivity [value = 0.76]; self-care and leisure [value = 0.57], productivity and leisure [value = 0.76]). Alpha for polychoric correlations showed an adequate internal consistency for all items and total scale (all α values >0.70). Composite reliability (Self-care = 0.8; Productivity = 0.81; Leisure = 0.8) reinforce evidence about reliability. Percentage agreement showed adequate item-level test-retest reliability (values between 76 and 92%). This scale showed adequate content and internal structure validity evidence to assess the perceived self-efficacy for Brazilian children.
Was That Assumption Necessary? Reconsidering Boundary Conditions for Analytical Solutions to Estimate Streambed Fluxes

Two common refrains about using the one‐dimensional advection diffusion equation to estimate fluid fluxes and thermal conductivity from temperature time series in streambeds are that the solution assumes that (1) the surface boundary condition is a sine wave or nearly so, and (2) there is no gradient in mean temperature with depth. Although the mathematical posing of the problem in the original solution to the problem might lead one to believe these constraints exist, the perception that they are a source of error is a fallacy. Here we develop a mathematical proof demonstrating the equivalence of the solution as developed based on an arbitrary (Fourier integral) surface temperature forcing when evaluated at a single given frequency versus that derived considering a single frequency from the beginning. The implication is that any single frequency can be used in the frequency‐domain solutions to estimate thermal diffusivity and 1‐D fluid flux in streambeds, even if the forcing has multiple frequencies. This means that diurnal variations with asymmetric shapes or gradients in the mean temperature with depth are not actually assumptions, and deviations from them should not cause errors in estimates. Given this clarification, we further explore the potential for using information at multiple frequencies to augment the information derived from time series of temperature.
Cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory biomarkers for disease progression in Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis: a systematic review

Inflammatory processes are involved in the pathophysiology of both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) but their exact contribution to disease progression remains to be deciphered. Biomarkers are needed to define pathophysiological processes of these disorders, who may increasingly co-exist in the elderly generations of the future, due to the rising prevalence in both and ameliorated treatment options with improved life expectancy in MS. The purpose of this review was to provide a systematic overview of inflammatory biomarkers, as measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), that are associated with clinical disease progression. International peer-reviewed literature was screened using the PubMed and Web of Science databases. Disease progression had to be measured using clinically validated tests representing baseline functional and/or cognitive status, the evolution of such clinical scores over time and/or the transitioning from one disease stage to a more severe stage. The quality of included studies was systematically evaluated using a set of questions for clinical, neurochemical and statistical characteristics of the study. A total of 84 papers were included (twenty-five for AD and 59 for MS). Elevated CSF levels of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL-40) were associated with disease progression in both AD and MS. Osteopontin and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were more specifically related to disease progression in AD, whereas the same was true for interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha, C-X-C motif ligand 13, glial fibrillary acidic protein and IgG oligoclonal bands in MS. We observed a broad heterogeneity of studies with varying cohort characterization, non-disclosure of quality measures for neurochemical analyses and a lack of adequate longitudinal designs. Most of the retrieved biomarkers are related to innate immune system activity, which seems to be an important mediator of clinical disease progression in AD and MS. Overall study quality was limited and we have framed some recommendations for future biomarker research in this field. Systematic review registration https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42021264741.
Impacts of a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake on Water Levels and Wetlands of the Lower Columbia River and Estuary

Subsidence after a subduction zone earthquake can cause major changes in estuarine bathymetry. Here, we quantify the impacts of earthquake‐induced subsidence on hydrodynamics and habitat distributions in a major system, the lower Columbia River Estuary, using a hydrodynamic and habitat model. Model results indicate that coseismic subsidence increases tidal range, with the smallest changes at the coast and a maximum increase of ∼10% in a region of topographic convergence. All modeled scenarios reduce intertidal habitat by 24%–25% and shifts ∼93% of estuarine wetlands to lower‐elevation habitat bands. Incorporating dynamic effects of tidal change from subsidence yields higher estimates of remaining habitat by multiples of 0–3.7, dependent on the habitat type. The persistent tidal change and chronic habitat disturbance after an earthquake poses strong challenges for estuarine management and wetland restoration planning, particularly when coupled with future sea‐level rise effects.
Optimisation of perimetric stimuli for mapping changes in spatial summation in glaucoma.

Despite being considered the current reference standard for perimetric testing in glaucoma, standard automated perimetry has several cardinal limitations, including an unacceptably high test-retest variability, which increases with increasing depth of defect, and a limited useable dynamic range, with test-retest variability spanning almost the entire instrument range in advanced glaucomatous damage. Prior studies have shown that spatial summation, the mechanism by which the visual system integrates light energy across the area of a stimulus, differs in disease, with an enlarged Ricco’s area (the limit of complete spatial summation) found in individuals with glaucoma. The aim of this work was to investigate whether a perimetric stimulus designed to exploit these changes in spatial summation would enable a greater signal/noise ratio (SNR) than that of the current standard stimulus, by directly measuring the displacement of the spatial summation function in glaucoma. Three stimulus forms were developed; one varying in area alone, one varying in both area and contrast simultaneously, and one varying in contrast alone, all operating within the local Ricco’s area. These novel stimuli were compared with the standard Goldmann III stimulus, in terms of disease signal, noise, and SNR. The experiments presented in this thesis indicate that a stimulus modulating in area alone may offer greater benefits for measuring glaucomatous changes in spatial summation in a clinical setting, in the form of a greater disease signal, more uniform response variability with depth of defect, and greater SNR, when compared with the standard Goldmann III stimulus. Additionally, there is some indication that this stimulus is more robust to the effects of intraocular straylight than the Goldmann III stimulus, although test-retest variability and robustness to optical defocus are largely similar. As this work represents the early investigations of this stimulus, further work is required to examine its translation into a clinical environment.
Fusion frames and distributed sparsity

We analyze the problem of recovering signals from low quality sensing devices, and implement a combination of compressed sensing and distributed sensing to model so-called fusion frames structured signals. Within our framework, it is possible to recover signals with high accuracy by increasing the total number of measurements, while keeping the cheap sensors at hand. We show that, under suitable constraints, nonsparse signals can be recovered with high probability. Moreover, we show that, with the use of a few linear measurements, cheap sensors are suﬃcient when combined with the fusion frame methodology. Using our new method, we show that it is possible, and sometimes necessary, to split a signal via local projections for accurate, stable, and robust estimation.
Investigating the Geometric Distortion in 3 Tesla MRI Images Based on the Phantom Studies

Purpose: Geometric errors in images called image distortion are one of the main problems in magnetic resonance imaging, including 3D imaging, measuring blood flow velocity, functional imaging and treatment planning in radiation therapy. The geometric distortion in MRI images is due to the non-uniformity of the magnetic field and nonlinearity of gradients. In this study, the accuracy and the repeatability of the images were evaluated respectively by phantom measuring and repeating the measurements in the phantom and then we correct these geometric errors. Methods: The magnetic resonance imaging of the phantom was performed on the 3 Tesla Siemens Prisma Model to measure the geometric distortion using the network pattern. The spin echo protocol was repeated three times with T 1 , T 2 and PD weightings to measure the repeatability of image distortion. Image distortion was evaluated by measuring the distance between the edges using a MATLAB program. Furthermore, non-uniformity of the magnetic field and the nonlinearity of the gradients were examined using appropriate phantoms. Result: The average error obtained in the 25 cm field of view was 1 pixel in both directions x and y (each pixel was 1.024 mm). Given the images by phantom, the device gradient was linear. Furthermore, considering the B 1 and B 0 fields’ measurements, the B 0 of the device was 0.3125 ppm over a 24 cm DSV (diameter of spherical volume). Conclusion: Since the brain coil displacement was 1 pixel, the device could be used in 3DMRI, velocity MRI, FMRI and RTTP.