Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recurrent Glioblastoma: A Review of the Treatment Options

Simple Summary Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor associated with a poor prognosis, with a median survival of 14 months. Despite initial treatment with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, recurrence is the usual situation. Controversy remains over the best treatment strategy for recurrent disease, and there is no standard of treatment in this situation. Different forms of treatment have been addressed, including a surgical procedure or radiotherapy, systemic treatment with chemotherapy or targeted drugs, and different immunotherapy strategies. Knowledge of the data from these studies allows for improved decision-making in this clinical situation. Abstract Glioblastoma is a disease with a poor prognosis. Multiple efforts have been made to improve the long-term outcome, but the 5-year survival rate is still 5–10%. Recurrence of the disease is the usual way of progression. In this situation, there is no standard treatment. Different treatment options can be considered. Among them would be reoperation or reirradiation. There are different studies that have assessed the impact on survival and the selection of patients who may benefit most from these strategies. Chemotherapy treatments have also been considered in several studies, mainly with alkylating agents, with data mostly from phase II studies. On the other hand, multiple studies have been carried out with target-directed treatments. Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody with anti-angiogenic activity, has demonstrated activity in several studies, and the FDA has approved it for this indication. Several other TKI drugs have been evaluated in this setting, but no clear benefit has been demonstrated. Immunotherapy treatments have been shown to be effective in other types of tumors, and several studies have evaluated their efficacy in this disease, both immune checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic viruses, and vaccines. This paper reviews data from different studies that have evaluated the efficacy of different forms of relapsed glioblastoma.
Inflammasomes in Atherosclerosis—From Pathophysiology to Treatment

Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by arterial plaque accumulation, remains a significant global health challenge. In recent years, inflammasomes, the intracellular multiprotein complexes crucial for initiating innate immune responses, have emerged as key players in atherosclerosis pathophysiology. This review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of inflammasome activation and its impact on atherosclerosis development and progression. We explore the intricate interplay between traditional cardiovascular risk factors and inflammasome activation, leading to the perpetuation of inflammatory cascades that drive plaque formation and instability. The review focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammasome activation, including the role of pattern recognition receptors and cytokines in this process. Moreover, we discuss the contribution of inflammasomes to endothelial dysfunction, foam cell formation, and vascular inflammation. Additionally, recent advances in therapeutic strategies targeting inflammasomes are examined, including pharmacological agents and potential immunomodulatory approaches. By collating and analyzing the current evidence, this review provides valuable insights into the potential of inflammasome-targeted therapies for atherosclerosis management and treatment. Understanding the pivotal role of inflammasomes in atherosclerosis pathophysiology offers promising prospects for developing effective and personalized therapeutic interventions that can mitigate the burden of this prevalent cardiovascular disorder and improve patient outcomes.
Single-channel slotted contention in cognitive radio vehicular networks

Cognitive radio vehicular ad-hoc networks (CR-VANETs) allow the vehicles to exploit the unused channels in their vicinity to fulfil the bandwidth demands of infotainment applications. Existing CR-VANET approaches aim at incorporating spectrum sensing and reporting to the widely used IEEE 802.11p standard developed for VANETs. However, all such approaches were developed for CR-VANETs with low vehicular traffic densities. Applying such approaches at high traffic densities results in long sensing periods, long contention periods with frequent collisions and unnecessary transmissions of sensing information, and variable delays that depend on the vehicular density. In this study, the authors present the single-channel slotted contention ( ( SC ) 2 ) protocol designed for highways with highly dense vehicular traffic. The ( SC ) 2 protocol counters the deficiencies of typical CR-VANETs in high-density networks using three components: random single-channel sensing, slotted contention, and implicit-OR aggregation. The proposed protocol can be easily incorporated with the IEEE 802.11p. Analytic and simulation results show that the proposed protocol increases the CR-VANET throughput and the overall spectrum utilisation while significantly decreasing the radio environment map time in high densities when compared to the conventional IEEE 802.11p protocols.
Some effects of recent volcanic ash falls, with especial reference to Alaska

Most historic and late prehistoric volcanic eruptions of Alaska have yielded a high proportion of fragmental material in the form of ash, whose effects are felt over wider areas than those of lava flows because of the wide distribution of ash by winds. Some 6 cubic miles of fragmental material was erupted during the first 3 days of the spectacular Mount Katmai eruption of 1912, and much of it was spread over large areas of the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island, producing extensive, but not permanent, damage. Less intense Alaskan eruptions were those of Okmok Volcano in 1945, Trident Volcano in 1952, and Mount Spurr in 1953. Because of the scantiness of records of Alaskan eruptions and their effects, data from several better documented eruptions in other parts of the world are used here to fill in the range of behavior expected of future Alaskan eruptions. The importance of wind directions, wind speed, and rainfall in affecting the distribution of ash fall is illustrated by the eruptions of Hekla in Iceland, Volcan Quizapu in Chile, Gunung Kelud in Java, and Paricutin in Mexico, and by that of Mount Katmai in Alaska. Wind rose diagrams compiled from upper-wind data at selected Alaskan stations enable crude estimates to be made of the probabilities of ash fall from future eruptions in particular Alaskan areas. Much needless fear of volcanic eruptions can be prevented by a foreknowledge of the range of effects that may be expected. The danger from poisonous gases, for instance, is seldom present, especially at the distances of most Alaskan communities from the potentially active vents. Few historic Alaskan lava flows have extended more than a few miles from their sources, and ash fall from the moderate activity that characterizes the great majority of Alaskan eruptions is commonly less dangerous than it is inconvenient. Nevertheless, volcanic activity in Alaska must command an attitude of respect because of its great potential and because of the chance that great damage will be done by the occasional extraordinarily strong eruption. A mantle of ash more than a few inches thick over the countryside can radically increase runoff, with accompanying important effects on water supply, transportation, and agriculture, not only during, but also for some time after, the ash fall. Floods and mudflows may damage travel arteries, water reservoirs, and crop land. Ash fall itself may totally destroy growing
Assessment of the impact of spatial resolution on ROMS simulated upper-ocean biogeochemistry of the Arabian Sea from an operational perspective

ABSTRACT The resolution of the model emerges to be an important factor in simulating the real oceanic features. In this paper, the performance of two coupled bio-physical models, having spatial resolutions 1/12° (∼9 km) and 1/4° (∼25 km) configured using Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), have been evaluated in simulating upper ocean dynamics of the Arabian Sea. A comparison of the model simulated physical and biogeochemical fields with the observations from remote sensing, in-situ ship-borne, and Biogeochemical-Argo (BGC-Argo) floats showed that the high-resolution model reproduced the ocean physical and biogeochemical dynamics, and their seasonality more efficiently. The upper ocean dynamics associated with the variability of mixed layer depth, persistent occurrence of deep chlorophyll maxima, and seasonal phytoplankton blooms. as well as deep ocean characteristics of oxygen minimum zone were much effectively captured by the high-resolution model than by its counterpart. Similarly, the former model performed very well in reproducing the upwelling dynamics over the eastern continental shelf indicating that the open ocean-coastal coupling has been better established. Our analysis indicates that the realistic representation of the eddy fields by the high-resolution model leads to the better representation of the ocean fields in comparison to the coarse-resolution model.
State of the Evidence for Use of Psychotropic Medications in School-Age Youth

Psychotropic medications are commonly prescribed to school-aged youth for the management of mental health concerns. This paper describes the current state of evidence for psychotropic medications in school-aged youth. More specifically, the following sections summarize relevant medication research trials and practice parameters pertaining to psychotropic medication prescribing as well as the specific medications indicated for a range of commonly presenting disorders and symptom clusters in school-aged youth. For each of these disorders and symptom clusters, key findings pertaining to the current state of science and practice are highlighted for the purpose of offering patients, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers with nuanced considerations for the role of psychopharmacology within the context of a larger “whole-child” approach to care that relies on the collaboration of providers and services across systems of care to promote optimal child and family health and wellness. The paper concludes with a discussion about supporting the use of medication treatments in schools, including considerations for ensuring effective family-school-health system collaboration to best meet youth mental health needs.
Scattering Analysis from Lossy Dielectric Loaded Grooves Using the Extended Method of Auxiliary Sources

Electromagnetic scattering from a two-dimensional 2-D groove filled with a lossy dielectric in an infinite conducting plane is studied using the extended method of auxiliary sources EMAS. The scattering structure contains two strongly coupled mediums, the perfect electric conductor (PEC) and the electric lossy dielectric which are in direct contact. In order to approximate the electromagnetic fields in each domain according to the EMAS, fictitious current sources satisfying the Helmholtz equation for each considered domain, are introduced and distributed around each physical boundary. Three bases of auxiliary sources have to be selected and spread in such way to satisfy the boundary conditions between the dielectric, the PEC, and the upper free space and to model the strong coupling affecting the structure. Two bases were built, one for the filled dielectric and the other at the PEC. The boundary conditions lead to a linear system from which we easily deduce the magnitude and the phase of the unknown currents. Hence, the scattered field is determined as a function of these currents. To validate the accuracy of the EMAS, the numerical experiment was carried out on two grooves, one is filled with air and the other with a lossy dielectric. For a transverse magnetic (TM) incidence, their backscattering radar cross-sections, have been calculated and the results are in good agreement with the literature.
Cloudy or sunny? Effects of different environmental types of urban green spaces on public physiological and psychological health under two weather conditions

Numerous studies have demonstrated that urban green spaces (UGSs) benefit human health, but few have focused on the influence of weather on environmental restorativeness. This study assessed how different weather conditions and environments affect human health. We exposed 50 participants to different UGS environments under cloudy and sunny conditions and collected physiological, psychological and aesthetic preference data. The result showed that the physical and mental benefits of UGSs were stronger on sunny days (pulse: [t = 2.169, p < 0.05]; positive affect: [Z = −10.299, p < 0.001]; perceived restortiveness: [Z = −3.224, p < 0.01]). The spaces with exposed sky had greater physiological restorativeness on sunny days; the spaces with calm water had greater emotional restorativeness on cloudy days, and natural spaces with less sky exposure had greater perceived restoration in both weather conditions. The spaces with water and less sky exposure promoted psychophysiological restoration in both weather conditions. This study demonstrates that weather significantly influences the restorative potential of UGSs, and there are also restorative variations in different green space environments under two weather conditions. In future UGS planning practices, it would be advisable to select appropriate environmental types and features based on the climatic characteristics of different regions. For instance, in areas with frequent overcast conditions, incorporating serene water bodies could be advantageous, while regions with predominantly sunny weather should encompass spaces with expansive sky views. By conducting comprehensive research on restoration environments that take weather conditions into account, new insights and nature-based solutions can be provided for creating healthy human habitats in the context of global climate change.
A High-Phosphorus Diet Moderately Alters the Lipidome and Transcriptome in the Skeletal Muscle of Adult Mice

A high phosphorus intake has been associated with various metabolic disorders, including chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Recent studies have demonstrated the effects of dietary phosphorus on lipid and glucose metabolism. This study investigated the impact of a high-phosphorus diet on mouse skeletal muscle lipid composition and gene transcription. Adult male mice (n = 12/group) received either a diet with an adequate (0.3%) or a high (1.2%) phosphorus concentration for 6 weeks. The lipidome analysis showed that among the 17 analyzed lipid classes, the concentrations of three classes were reduced in the high phosphorus group compared to the adequate phosphorus group. These classes were phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) (p < 0.05). Out of the three hundred and twenty-three individual lipid species analyzed, forty-nine showed reduced concentrations, while three showed increased concentrations in the high phosphorus group compared to the adequate phosphorus group. The muscle transcriptome analysis identified 142 up- and 222 down-regulated transcripts in the high phosphorus group compared to the adequate phosphorus group. Gene set enrichment analysis identified that genes that were up-regulated in the high phosphorus group were linked to the gene ontology terms “mitochondria” and “Notch signaling pathway”, whereas genes that were down-regulated were linked to the “PI3K-AKT pathway”. Overall, the effects of the high-phosphorus diet on the muscle lipidome and transcriptome were relatively modest, but consistently indicated an impact on lipid metabolism.
Assessment of the Physicochemical and Bacteriological Content of Some Drinking Water Sources in Jos South LGA in Northern Senatorial District of Plateau State Nigeria

Drinking water is hardly found 100% pure in nature due to human activities and other natural factors. Many diseases in developing countries are caused by drinking contaminated water. Water samples collected were analyzed by automated instrumental methods prescribed by standard methods for the analysis of water and wastewater and the United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The results showed SO42- range from ND to 60.00mg/L; pH 5.27 to 6.79; NO3- 1.19-11,64 mg/L; PO42- 10.12 to 352.00mg/L; Cd range from 0.011± 0.00 to 0.032 ± 0.00mg/L; Ni, from ND to 0.04 mg/L; Cr, ND to 0.686 ± 0.07mg/L; Pb ND to 0.34 ± 0.01mg/L, total bacteria count TaBC, 1.5 x 104 to 8.5 x 104 CFU/mL in the samples used. The calculated average daily intake (ADI) for Cd, Ni, Cr and Pb were within acceptable limits while the hazard quotients (HQ) for all the metals were >1, signifying that the population would experience non-cancer risks due to exposure to these metals in drinking water. The bacteriological study of the water samples also revealed that the water samples were all polluted with bacteria and coliforms. From the foregoing, these drinking water sources, therefore require treatment before consumption to minimize or avoid the incidences of water-related diseases.
An Empirical Study on the Effectiveness of Privacy Indicators

The increasing diffusion of mobile devices and their integration with sophisticated hardware and software components has promoted the development of numerous applications in which developers find new ingenious ways to exploit the possibilities offered by the access to resources such as cameras, biometric sensors, and GPS receivers. As a result, we are increasingly used to seeing applications that make extensive use of sensitive resources, potentially dangerous for our privacy. To address this problem, the latest approach to support user awareness in terms of privacy is represented by the Privacy Indicators (PI), a software solution implemented by the operating system to provide a visual stimulus to inform users whenever a dangerous resource is exploited by the app. However, the effectiveness of this approach has not been assessed yet. In this article, we present the result of a study on the effectiveness of using the PI to inform the user every time an app accesses the mobile device camera or microphone. We have chosen these two resources as the PI are currently implemented only for a very limited number of permissions. The controlled experiment involved 122 Android users who were asked to complete a series of tasks on their smartphone through prototypes using the involved resources in an explicit and latent way. Although the PI mechanism is very similar between Android and iOS, we have decided to focus on the former due to its greater diffusion. The results show no significant correlation between the use of PI and the detection of the resource being used by the app, suggesting that the effectiveness of PI in improving sensitive-related resources usage awareness, as currently implemented, is still unsatisfactory. In order to understand if the problem was due to the specific implementation of the PI, we implemented an enhanced version and compared it with the standard one. The results confirmed that an implementation that makes the indicators more visible and that is clearer in highlighting the fact that the app is accessing a resource improves resources usage awareness.
Successful Management of Follicular Cyst-induced Dermatoses in a Labrador Retriever Dog

Background: Sex hormone dermatoses are uncommon in dog and causes overproduction of one or more of the sex hormones or exogenous administration. Ovarian cyst-induced hyperestrogenemia increased cortisol, hypertestosteronemia, and skin lesions mostly underwent undiagnosed and untreated. This case was documented as clinical pathological changes, diagnosis, and treatment of sex hormone imbalance-induced dermatosis due to an ovarian follicular cyst in a Labrador Retriever bitch. Methods: This clinical investigation was carried out in the month of April’2022 at Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli with a history of prolonged proestrus bleeding, perineal pruritus with reddening, swelling, and enlargement of the vulva. Vaginal exfoliative cytology, hormonal assay, ultrasonography, histopathology of skin, and haemato-biochemistry were performed. Result: Physical examination revealed hyperpigmentation and hyperkeratinization of the skin. Vaginal exfoliative cytology and progesterone assay revealed cytological estrus. Ultrasonography revealed greater than 10 mm-sized anechoic structures in both ovaries along with uterine endometrial hyperplasia. Hormonal analysis revealed hyperestrogenemia and increased cortisol and testosterone. A biopsy of the perineal skin revealed hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis. The case was confirmed as sex hormone imbalance-induced dermatosis due to an ovarian follicular cyst. The animal was treated with two shots of Inj. hCG 500IU in 48 hrs interval followed by OHE after three months.
Gut Microbial Metabolome and Dysbiosis in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Psychobiotics and Fecal Microbiota Transplantation as a Therapeutic Approach—A Comprehensive Narrative Review

The comprehensive narrative review conducted in this study delves into the mechanisms of communication and action at the molecular level in the human organism. The review addresses the complex mechanism involved in the microbiota–gut–brain axis as well as the implications of alterations in the microbial composition of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. The pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases with neuronal loss or death is analyzed, as well as the mechanisms of action of the main metabolites involved in the bidirectional communication through the microbiota–gut–brain axis. In addition, interventions targeting gut microbiota restructuring through fecal microbiota transplantation and the use of psychobiotics—pre- and pro-biotics—are evaluated as an opportunity to reduce the symptomatology associated with neurodegeneration in these pathologies. This review provides valuable information and facilitates a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms to be addressed in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
The Wage Premium on Tertiary Education: New Estimates for 21 OECD Countries

This study focuses on the single most important component of the private return on tertiary education, the gross wage premium. There are at least two additional reasons for paying particular attention to wage premia. First, the wage premium earned by existing graduates is easy to observe, so high-school leavers can be assumed to take it into account when deciding for or against enrolment in tertiary education. Second, to the extent that wages reflect marginal labour productivity, estimates of wage premia are sometimes used to assess the quality of human capital in an economy with a view to correcting simpler measures based on years of schooling or attainment levels.