Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Metabolically Healthy Obesity and Glomerular Filtration Rate among Male Steelworkers in North China

This study aims to investigate the association between metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and the early stages of renal dysfunction and whether systemic inflammation affects the study’s outcome. Male steelworkers in northern China were investigated in this cross-sectional survey (n = 6309). A decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was used as the primary outcome, which was defined as an eGFR of ≤89 mL/min/1.73 m2. A BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 was used to determine obesity. In the definition of metabolic health, the absence of metabolic syndrome components is considered metabolically healthy. An assessment of inflammation was carried out using a surrogate marker called high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using the multivariable logistic regression model. After adjusting for hs-CRP, MHO (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.21 to 3.21) was significantly associated with decreased eGFR compared to metabolically healthy non-obesity (MHNO). With the MHNO/hs-CRP ≤ 0.01 mg/dL group as a reference, the OR was 2.17 (95% CI: 1.17 to 4.02) for decreased eGFR in the group with MHO/hs-CRP > 0.01 mg/dL. MHO is associated with renal dysfunction at an early stage. To some degree, this risk can be explained by the level of inflammation.
Holographic microwave imaging for lesion detection

This paper presents a new Holographic Microwave Imaging Array (HMIA) technique for early breast cancer detection, which is based on microwave holography and aperture synthesis imaging techniques. Using published data for the dielectric properties of normal breast tissues and malignant tumours, a two-dimensional (2D) mathematical model was developed under the MATLAB environment to demonstrate the proposed imaging technique. The computer simulations showed that tumours as small as 2 mm in diameter anywhere within the breast could be successfully detected. The significant imaging improvement was achieved by optimizing antenna array configurations to offer the best possibility of detecting tumours of various size, shape and position. Keywords— Microwave Imaging, Holographic Microwave Imaging Array, Breast Cancer Detection, Interferometry
Myofibrillar Lattice Remodeling Is a Structural Cytoskeletal Predictor of Diaphragm Muscle Weakness in a Fibrotic mdx (mdx Cmah−/−) Model

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a degenerative genetic myopathy characterized by complete absence of dystrophin. Although the mdx mouse lacks dystrophin, its phenotype is milder compared to DMD patients. The incorporation of a null mutation in the Cmah gene led to a more DMD-like phenotype (i.e., more fibrosis). Although fibrosis is thought to be the major determinant of ‘structural weakness’, intracellular remodeling of myofibrillar geometry was shown to be a major cellular determinant thereof. To dissect the respective contribution to muscle weakness, we assessed biomechanics and extra- and intracellular architecture of whole muscle and single fibers from extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and diaphragm. Despite increased collagen contents in both muscles, passive stiffness in mdx Cmah−/− diaphragm was similar to wt mice (EDL muscles were twice as stiff). Isometric twitch and tetanic stresses were 50% reduced in mdx Cmah−/− diaphragm (15% in EDL). Myofibrillar architecture was severely compromised in mdx Cmah−/− single fibers of both muscle types, but more pronounced in diaphragm. Our results show that the mdx Cmah−/− genotype reproduces DMD-like fibrosis but is not associated with changes in passive visco-elastic muscle stiffness. Furthermore, detriments in active isometric force are compatible with the pronounced myofibrillar disarray of the dystrophic background.
On rank decomposition and semi-symmetric rank decomposition of semi-symmetric tensors

A tensor is called semi-symmetric if all modes but one, are symmetric. In this paper, we study the CP decomposition of semi-symmetric tensors or higher-order individual diﬀerence scaling (INDSCAL). Comon’s conjecture states that for any symmetric tensor, the CP rank and symmetric CP rank are equal, while it is known that Comon’s conjecture is not true in the general case but it is proved under several assumptions in the literature. In the paper, Comon’s conjecture is extended for semi-symmetric CP decomposition and CP decomposition of semi-symmetric tensors under suitable assumptions. Specially, we show that if a semi-symmetric tensor has a CP rank smaller or equal to its order, or when the semi-symmetric CP rank is less than/or equal to the dimension, then the semi-symmetric CP rank is equal to the CP rank. Copyright c (cid:13) 2022 Shahid Beheshti University.
NASA Workshop on Biological Adaptation

A workshop was convened to review the current program in Space Biology Biological Adaptation Research and its objectives and to identify future research directions. Two research areas emerged from these deliberations: gravitational effects on structures and biomineralization and gravity affected regulatory mechanisms. The participants also recommended that research concentrate on rapidly growing animals, since gravity effects may be more pronounced during growth and development. Both research areas were defined and future research directions were identified. The recommendations of the workshop will assist the Life Sciences Division of NASA in it assessment and long-range planning of these areas of space biology. Equally important, the workshop was intended to stimulate thought and research among those attending so that they would, in turn, interest, excite, and involve other members of the academic community in research efforts relevant to these programs.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Cryopreserved Human Umbilical Cord Tissue Allografts to Augment Functional and Pain Outcome Measures in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: An Observational Data Collection Study

The primary objective of this study is to report the initial efficacy data observed with the use of cryopreserved human umbilical tissue allografts for supplementation in patients with symptomatic degeneration of load-bearing articular cartilage in the knee joint. Our primary endpoints were pain, stiffness, and functional recovery scores. In this ongoing study, 55 participants (age 56–93 years) received a single Wharton’s jelly tissue allograft application. The study dose consisted of 150 mg of Wharton’s jelly allograft suspended in approximately 2 mL of sterile sodium chloride 0.9% solution (normal saline). Each study knee application was performed under ultrasound guidance in a physician’s office. The research methodology consisted of Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) scores and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) subsection scores including pain, stiffness, and physical function. Study enrollment consisted of 55 patients followed for a post-application duration of 90 days. No adverse events or adverse reactions were reported. The results demonstrated statistically significant improvements of NPRS and WOMAC in initial versus 90-day examination. The data represent Wharton’s jelly tissue allograft applications are safe, non-surgical, and efficacious for patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee.
How are Economic Development Districts Riding the Waves of Economic Development Strategies?

Previous studies have examined the local adoption of various development strategies primarily by surveying economic development practitioners, although the survey method suffers from subjectivity and recollection errors. To overcome these problems, I adopt a text mining method to canvass the comprehensive economic development strategies (CEDSs) across economic development districts (EDDs) in the United States. Twenty-eight main development strategies are identified, most of which belong to the “second wave,” while the “fourth-wave” strategies—oriented toward social equity and sustainability—are popular enough to justify separation from the “third wave. ” Moreover, EDDs combine various waves of strategies to form their strategy portfolios. Two main types of portfolios have been identified—one is dominated by the second-wave strategies, while the other is more balanced across four waves and places a focus on both second- and fourth-wave strategies.
Determining Ligand and Ion-Induced Conformational Changes in Serotonin Transporter with Its Fluorescent Substrates

Conformational changes are fundamental events in the transport mechanism. The serotonin transporter (SERT) catalyzes reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin after its release by serotonergic neurons and is the molecular target for antidepressant drugs and psychostimulants. Despite significant progress in characterizing the structure–function relationship of SERT, its conformational mechanism has not been fully understood. We present here a cell-based method for determining conformational changes in SERT with its fluorescent substrates by fluorescence imaging analysis. This method fluorometrically measures accessibility of strategically positioned cysteine residues in the substrate permeation pathway to calculate the rate constants of reactivity with MTS reagents in live or permeabilized cells. We validated this method by investigating ligand and ion-induced conformational changes in both the extracellular and cytoplasmic pathways of SERT. Furthermore, we applied this method for examining the influence of Cl− binding and vilazodone inhibition on SERT conformation. Our results showed that Cl− ion, in the presence of Na+, facilitates the conformational conversion from outward to inward open states, and that vilazodone binding stabilizes SERT in an outward open and inward-closed conformation. The present work provided insights into the conformational mechanism of SERT and also indicated that the cell-based fluorometric method is robust, straightforward to perform, and potentially applicable to any monoamine transporters in exploring the transport mechanism and mechanism of action of therapeutic agents for the treatment of several psychiatric disorders.
Low Complexity Rate-Adaptive Deep Joint Source Channel Coding for Wireless Image Transmission Using Tensor-Train Decomposition

We propose a low complexity deep joint source channel coding (DJSCC) with adaptive rate control model for wireless image transmission using Tensor-Train (TT) decomposition. TT is used to decompose the weights of the convolutional layers in the model in order to reduce the number of parameters and the amount of computation. According to the characteristics of the convolution layer and that of TT decomposition, the optimal decomposition ranks and the corresponding weight distribution of the network for the DJSCC with adaptive rate control model are obtained. We evaluated the performance of the proposal low complexity DJSCC with adaptive rate control model using CIFAR-10 and found that compared with the model without TT decomposition, the proposed Rate-Adaptive DJSCC model using TT decomposition can reduce the number of parameters to 52.91%, and multiplication calculation to 63.61%, with a PSNR performance degradation of about 1 dB.
Effect of Bacterial Cellulose Plasma Treatment on the Biological Activity of Ag Nanoparticles Deposited Using Magnetron Deposition

New functional medical materials with antibacterial activity based on biocompatible bacterial cellulose (BC) and Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were obtained. Bacterial cellulose films were prepared by stationary liquid-phase cultivation of the Gluconacetobacter hansenii strain GH-1/2008 in Hestrin–Schramm medium with glucose as a carbon source. To functionalize the surface and immobilize Ag NPs deposited by magnetron sputtering, BC films were treated with low-pressure oxygen–nitrogen plasma. The composition and structure of the nanomaterials were studied using transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Using electron microscopy, it was shown that on the surface of the fibrils that make up the network of bacterial cellulose, Ag particles are stabilized in the form of aggregates 5–35 nm in size. The XPS C 1s spectra show that after the deposition of Ag NPs, the relative intensities of the C-OH and O-C-O bonds are significantly reduced. This may indicate the destruction of BC oxypyran rings and the oxidation of alcohol groups. In the Ag 3d5/2 spectrum, two states at 368.4 and 369.7 eV with relative intensities of 0.86 and 0.14 are distinguished, which are assigned to Ag0 state and Ag acetate, respectively. Nanocomposites based on plasma-treated BC and Ag nanoparticles deposited by magnetron sputtering (BCP-Ag) exhibited antimicrobial activity against Aspergillus niger, S. aureus and Bacillus subtilis.
On the Atiyah problem for the lamplighter groups

We show that the Novikov-Shubin invariant of an element of the integral group ring of the lamplighter group Z_2 \wr Z can be irrational. This disproves a conjecture of Lott and Lueck. Furthermore we show that every positive real number is equal to the Novikov-Shubin invariant of some element of the real group ring of Z_2 \wr Z. Finally we show that the l2-Betti number of a matrix over the integral group ring of the group Z_p \wr Z, p>1, can be irrational, and so the groups Z_p \wr Z become the simplest known groups which give rise to irrational l2-Betti numbers.
Eradicating extreme poverty in Africa through productive inclusion: A comparative assessment of two social protection programmes in Ghana

Ghana has experimented with two social protection programmes: the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, and the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) pilot project aimed at reducing extreme poverty and enhancing the standard of living of beneficiaries. This study comparatively assessed how the LEAP programme and the JSDF-LEAP project have contributed to improving the standard of living of beneficiaries. A sample of 167 respondents, comprising 81 LEAP households, 82 JSDF-LEAP beneficiaries and four District Social Welfare Officers took part in the study. The study findings suggest that cash transfers alone such as the LEAP programme may not yield significant improvement in the standard of living of the extremely poor without complementary programmes such as the JSDF-LEAP project to address the livelihood and other socio-economic challenges that they encounter. The study recommends a holistic approach to tackling extreme poverty through ‘cash plus’ programmes. Points for practitioners The findings of this study highlight the need for public administration practitioners involved in poverty eradication programmes to pursue a simultaneous design involving the implementation of both cash transfers and productive inclusion programmes as the preferred strategy for improving the standard of living of the extremely poor. Moreover, this research has also revealed that for social protection programmes to be successfully implemented, carefully designed systems and structures must be put in place at the national level, through the regional, district and community levels at the design and implementation phases of such interventions.
A Meta-analytic Study on Executive Function Performance in Children/Adolescents with OCD

Background: The main objective of this work was to carry out a meta-analytical study to examine performance in executive functions in children/adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method: A comprehensive literature search from 1984 to September 2021 was conducted, selecting a total of 20 published studies comparing executive function outcomes among a group of children and/or adolescents with OCD and a healthy control group. Results: Results showed that the total score on the quality scale of studies ranged between 3 and 8.5 points (on a scale of 0 to 9), with a mean of 6.6. The effect sizes in the different executive functions were as follows: Inhibition (d+ = -0.221), Cognitive flexibility (d+ = -0.418), Decision making (d+ = -0.169) and Planning (d+ = -0.319), indicating a lower performance in the OCD groups compared to the healthy control groups. Results were clinically significant in all domains except decision making. Publication bias could only be carried out in flexibility and response inhibition. Conclusions: OCD patients presented worse executive performance than healthy controls in all functions, highlighting cognitive flexibility and planning. However, results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size. Introducción: El objetivo general de este estudio fue llevar a cabo un estudio meta-analítico con el fin de examinar el rendimiento de las funciones ejecutivas en niños/adolescentes con trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo (TOC). Método: Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda exhaustiva de la literatura desde 1984 hasta septiembre de 2021, seleccionando un total de 20 estudios publicados que comparaban los resultados en funciones ejecutivas entre un grupo de niños y/o adolescentes con TOC y un grupo de control sano. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron que la puntuación total en la escala de calidad de los estudios osciló entre los 3 y los 8.5 puntos (en una escala de 0 a 9), con una media de 6.6. Los tamaños del efecto en las distintas funciones ejecutivas fueron: Inhibición (d+ = -0.221), Flexibilidad cognitiva (d+ = -0.418), toma de decisiones (d+ = -0.169) y planificación (d+ = -0.319), indicando un menor rendimiento en los grupos con TOC frente a los grupos de control sano. Los resultados fueron clínicamente significativos en todos los dominios excepto en Toma de decisiones. El sesgo de publicación sólo se pudo llevar a cabo en flexibilidad e inhibición de respuesta. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con TOC presentaron peor rendimiento ejecutivo que los controles sanos en todas las funciones ejecutivas, destacando flexibilidad cognitiva y planificación. No obstante, los resultados deben interpretarse con cautela debido al pequeño tamaño muestral.
Using an Interactive Game for Strategic Thinking Education: The Role of Gender and Experience

Abstract The primary goal of this investigation is to systematically explore the relationship among the students’ performance, grades, gender, previous experience, and impressions while using Diplomacy, a strategy game, as an educational tool. The rationale for this research is the existing and commonly expressed concern that such games unfairly disadvantage female students due to their lesser exposure to similar games. If such teaching methods are to be successfully employed, we must ensure that they are well suited, appropriate and, most importantly, fair to all our students. To explore this issue, the data collected over 6 years through a university course on strategic thinking and from anonymous student questionnaires were analyzed and tested for statistically significant correlations. The results show that, while male students are more experienced in playing similar games, had an easier time understanding the rules, and showed stronger engagement, this did not translate into considerably better performance or grades and even led to higher levels of disappointment with their own performance.
Barley Leaf Ameliorates Citrobacter rodentium-Induced Colitis through Preventive Effects

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been increasing globally and progressively in recent decades. Barley leaf (BL) is a nutritional supplement that is shown to have health-promoting effects on intestinal homeostasis. Our previous study demonstrated that BL could significantly attenuate Citrobacter rodentium (CR)-induced colitis, but whether it exerts a prophylactic or therapeutic effect remains elusive. In this study, we supplemented BL before or during CR infestation to investigate which way BL acts. The results showed that BL supplementation prior to infection significantly reduced the disease activity index (DAI) score, weight loss, colon shortening, colonic wall swelling, and transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia. It significantly reduced the amount of CR in the feces and also markedly inhibited the extraintestinal transmission of CR. Meanwhile, it significantly reduced the levels and expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFNγ), and interleukin-1β (IL1β). In addition, pretreatment with BL improved CR-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis by reducing the content of Proteobacteria, while increasing the content of Lactobacillus. In contrast, the effect of BL supplementation during infestation on the improvement of CR-induced colitis was not as good as that of pretreatment with BL. In conclusion, BL protects against CR-caused colitis in a preventive manner.
A New Photoacoustic Soot Spectrophone for Filter-Free Measurements of Black Carbon at 880 nm

A new photoacoustic soot spectrometer (PASS) operating at 880 nm was developed, for the first time, for filter-free measurements of black carbon (BC). The performance of the developed PASS was characterized and evaluated using a reference aethalometer AE51 on incense smoke in the air. An excellent correlation on the measurement of incense smoke was found between the two instruments in comparison with a regression coefficient of 0.99. A 1 σ detection limit of 0.8 µg m−3 was achieved for BC measurement at a time resolution of 1 s. It can be further reduced to 0.1 µg m−3, using a longer integration time of 1 min.
Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa

Socioeconomic Status (SES) has been linked to the development of Executive Functions (EF) usually by means of parental education and family income. Living conditions related to urbanization characteristics are rarely considered. This cross-sectional study investigated the performance in EF tasks of 99 Brazilian children aged 6 to 8 years residing in rural and urban regions. Results showed that children who lived in the rural area performed better than those who lived in the industrial city in the working memory and inhibitory tasks. Social interactions and urbanization conditions, such as parent occupations and social stratification, may explain these differences. Therefore, urbanization conditions of locations where families live should be considered in future studies concerning the influences of SES in EF development.