Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonradiative capture and recombination by multiphonon emission in GaAs and GaP

Data are presented for 9 capture cross sections of deep levels in GaAs and 4 in GaP which can be interpreted as capture by multiphonon emission (MPE). At high temperatures the cross sections have the form $\ensuremath{\sigma}={\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}{e}^{\frac{\ensuremath{-}{E}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}}{\mathrm{kT}}}$ where ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}={10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}\ensuremath{-}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}15}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ and ${E}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}=0\ensuremath{-}0.56$ eV. A simple theory of MPE capture is presented in which vibrations of a single lattice coordinate modulate the depth of the potential well binding the carrier. In this model capture results from lattice vibrations causing the crossing of free- and bound-carrier levels. The breakdown of the adiabatic approximation near the crossing is discussed. The calculated cross sections have the form $\ensuremath{\sigma}=Af(0)$ where $f(h\ensuremath{\nu})$ is the normalized line shape for radiative capture. The lattice relaxation properties of the center determine $f(0)$. The temperature dependence of $f(0)$ correctly accounts for the thermally activated behavior of the cross sections at high temperatures. Classical and quantum treatments of the lattice motion give the same expression for $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ at high temperature. A detailed calculation of $A$ is made for the capture of a carrier by an attractive neutral impurity in the case where both the free-carrier and bound-carrier wave functions are describable in a one-band effective-mass approximation. The theoretical value of $A$ leads to ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}\ensuremath{\approx}6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}15}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, the same order of magnitude as the experimental values. However, many of the experimental cross sections involve complexities not accounted for in this simple model such as charged impurities and transitions between free states and bound states of different symmetry. The lattice relaxation parameters are experimentally determined for the Zn-O and O centers in GaP. Lattice relaxation is found adequate to explain the large cross sections for electron capture by the Zn-O center and hole capture by the two-electron state of O. The studies of the O and Zn-O centers also provide evidence for nonlinear changes in the impurity energy level with lattice displacement which decrease the electron capture cross sections and greatly enhance the hole recombination cross sections. The source of this nonlinearity is discussed.
Performance of visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) for triage of HPV screen‐positive women: results from the ESTAMPA study

VIA is recommended for triage of HPV‐positive women attending cervical screening. In the multicentric ESTAMPA study, VIA performance for detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 or worse (CIN3+) among HPV‐positive women was evaluated. Women aged 30‐64 years were screened with HPV testing and cytology and referred to colposcopy if either test was positive. At colposcopy visit, study‐trained midwives/nurses/GPs performed VIA ahead of colposcopy. VIA was considered positive if acetowhite lesions were observed in or close to the transformation zone. Ablative treatment eligibility was assessed for VIA positives. Performance indicators were estimated. Three thousand one hundred and forty‐two HPV‐positive women were included. Sensitivity for CIN3+ was 85.9% (95% CI 81.2‐89.5) among women <50 years and, although not significant, slightly lower in women 50+ (78.0%, 95% CI 65.9‐86.6). Overall specificity was 58.6% (95% CI 56.7‐60.5) and was significantly higher among women 50+ (70.3%, 95% CI 66.8‐73.5) compared to women <50 (54.3%, 95% CI 52.1‐56.5). VIA positivity was lower among women 50+ (35.2%, 95% CI 31.9‐38.6) compared to women <50 (53.2, 95% CI 51.1‐55.2). Overall eligibility for ablative treatment was 74.5% and did not differ by age. VIA sensitivity, specificity, and positivity, and ablative treatment eligibility varied highly by provider (ranges: 25%‐95.4%, 44.9%‐94.4%, 8.2%‐65.3%, 0%‐98.7%, respectively). VIA sensitivity for cervical precancer detection among HPV‐positive women performed by trained providers was high with an important reduction in referral rates. However, scaling‐up HPV screening triaged by VIA will be challenging due to the high variability of VIA performance and providers' need for training and supervision.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of incident cases of COVID-19 in unvaccinated adult cystic fibrosis patients in southern Brazil: a prospective cohort study conducted during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Objective: There is still limited information on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with COVID-19 in Brazil. The objective of this study was to describe the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 in CF patients, as well as their clinical characteristics and outcomes. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study involving unvaccinated adult CF patients and conducted during the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the city of Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil. The clinical course of the disease was rated on the WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement. The primary outcome was the number of incident cases of COVID-19. Results: Between April 30, 2020 and April 29, 2021, 98 CF patients were included in the study. Seventeen patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. For the CF patients, the annual cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was 17.3%, similar to that for the general population, adjusted for age (18.5%). The most common symptoms at diagnosis of COVID-19 were cough (in 59%), dyspnea (in 53%), fatigue (in 53%), and fever (in 47%). Only 6 (35%) of the patients required hospitalization, and 3 (17.6%) required oxygen support. Only 1 patient required mechanical ventilation, having subsequently died. Conclusions: During the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in southern Brazil, the cumulative incidence rate of COVID-19 was similar between CF patients and the general population. More than 50% of the CF patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection had a mild clinical presentation, without the need for hospital admission, and almost the entire sample recovered completely from the infection, the exception being 1 patient who had advanced lung disease and who died.
Brazilian undergraduate nursing students’ critical thinking need to be increased: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Objectives: to map Brazilian undergraduate nursing students’ critical thinking level and investigate the correlation between selected sociodemographic data and critical thinking domains. Methods: in this descriptive cross-sectional study, participants’ (N=89) critical thinking was assessed using the Health Science Reasoning Test. Correlation between critical thinking domains and sociodemographic data was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: the overall results showed a moderate level of participants’ critical thinking (mean = 70.7; standard deviation 5.7). A poor performance was identified in 5 of the 8 critical thinking domains. A significant positive correlation was found between education period and critical thinking (p<.001). Conclusions: poor level in students critical thinking domains may lead to negative consequences for their learning outcomes. Further studies should be carried out to confirm our results, in addition to investigation of teaching methods that encourage and ensure the development of students’ critical thinking skills during nursing education.
Neuronal nitric oxide synthase/reactive oxygen species pathway is involved in apoptosis and pyroptosis in epilepsy

Dysfunction of neuronal nitric oxide synthase contributes to neurotoxicity, which triggers cell death in various neuropathological diseases, including epilepsy. Studies have shown that inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity increases the epilepsy threshold, that is, has an anticonvulsant effect. However, the exact role and potential mechanism of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in seizures are still unclear. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing, functional enrichment analysis, and weighted gene coexpression network analysis of the hippocampus of tremor rats, a rat model of genetic epilepsy. We found damaged hippocampal mitochondria and abnormal succinate dehydrogenase level and Na+-K+-ATPase activity. In addition, we used a pilocarpine-induced N2a cell model to mimic epileptic injury. After application of neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor 7-nitroindazole, changes in malondialdehyde, lactate dehydrogenase and superoxide dismutase, which are associated with oxidative stress, were reversed, and the increase in reactive oxygen species level was reversed by 7-nitroindazole or reactive oxygen species inhibitor N-acetylcysteine. Application of 7-nitroindazole or N-acetylcysteine downregulated the expression of caspase-3 and cytochrome c and reversed the apoptosis of epileptic cells. Furthermore, 7-nitroindazole or N-acetylcysteine downregulated the abnormally high expression of NLRP3, gasdermin-D, interleukin-1β and interleukin-18. This indicated that 7-nitroindazole and N-acetylcysteine each reversed epileptic cell death. Taken together, our findings suggest that the neuronal nitric oxide synthase/reactive oxygen species pathway is involved in pyroptosis of epileptic cells, and inhibiting neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity or its induced oxidative stress may play a neuroprotective role in epilepsy.
Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura plasma induces calcium- and IgG-dependent endothelial activation: correlations with disease severity

Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is characterized by a severe ADAMTS13 deficiency due to the presence of anti-ADAMTS13 auto-antibodies, with subsequent accumulation of circulating ultra-large von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimers. The role of endothelial cell activation as a trigger of the disease has been suggested in animal models but remains to be demonstrated in humans. We prospectively obtained plasma from the first plasma exchange of 25 patients during iTTP acute phase. iTTP but not control plasma, induced a rapid VWF release and P-selectin exposure on the surface of dermal human micro-vascular endothelial cell (HMVEC-d), associated with angiopoietin-2 and endothelin-1 secretion, consistent with Weibel-Palade bodies exocytosis. Calcium (Ca2+) blockade significantly decreased VWF release, whereas iTTP plasma induced a rapid and sustained Ca2+ flux in HMVEC-d which correlated in retrospect, with disease severity and survival in 62 iTTP patients. F(ab)’2 fragments purified from the immunoglobulin G fraction of iTTP plasma mainly induced endothelial cell activation with additional minor roles for circulating free heme and nucleosomes, but not for complement. Furthermore, two anti-ADAMTS13 monoclonal antibodies purified from iTTP patients’ B cells, but not serum from hereditary TTP, induced endothelial Ca2+ flux associated with Weibel-Palade bodies exocytosis in vitro, whereas inhibition of endothelial ADAMTS13 expression using small intering RNA, significantly decreased the stimulating effects of iTTP immunoglobulin G. In conclusion, Ca2+-mediated endothelial cell activation constitutes a “second hit” of iTTP, is correlated with the severity of the disease and may constitute a possible therapeutic target.
If a template fits...: Case studies in morphological cliticization

One of the most pressing questions faced by linguistic theory in general, and in particular by any account of dialect variation within the Principles and Parameters (or any other) framework, is the division of labour between syntax and morphology. Previous analyses of clitic phenomena, for example, have tended to opt for one extreme position or another: either clitics are essentially syntactic, which inevitably contributes to the proliferation of functional categories, or they are purely morphological, in which case we lose some of the explicative value of X' structures. This study follows an approach which attempts to reconcile these two extremes by recognizing that both modules may play a role in different cases of cliticization. Since we believe in working from empirical data rather than from theoretical assumptions about the nature of cliticisation, we will begin with a presentation of a range of Romance facts which involve the behaviour of pronominal clitics in nonstandard varieties of Spanish, as well as Milanese, Portuguese and Franco-ontarian. For each case, it will be shown that a syntactic analysis of the clitic facts in question is either impossible or highly undesirable. In this light, we will conclude by suggesting how morphological templates could better account for the clitic facts in these cases.
Fluoroquinolone resistance in bacterial isolates from ocular infections: Trend in antibiotic susceptibility patterns between 2005-2020

Purpose: To assess the fluoroquinolone resistance pattern and trends among bacterial isolates from ocular infections over a 16-year period and explore alternative antibiotics in fluoroquinolone-resistant strains. Methods: In this retrospective, longitudinal study, the microbiology laboratory records of patients with different ocular infections diagnosed at an eye institute in central India from 2005–2020 were reviewed to determine the pattern of fluoroquinolone (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, gatifloxacin, and moxifloxacin) resistance. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Results: In 725 Gram-positive bacteria, the resistance of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, gatifloxacin, and moxifloxacin was 55.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52.2 – 59.6), 42.7% (95% CI: 39.0 – 46.4), 47.6% (95% CI: 43.9 – 51.3), and 45.6% (95% CI: 41.7–49.5), respectively. In 266 Gram-negative bacteria, the resistance of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, gatifloxacin, and moxifloxacin was 57.9% (95% CI: 51.9 – 63.9), 56.0% (95% CI: 49.7 – 62.1), 59.9% (95% CI: 53.8 – 66.0), and 74.3% (95% CI: 68.3 – 80.2), respectively. A declining trend in resistance to ciprofloxacin (P < 0.001), ofloxacin (P < 0.001), and moxifloxacin (P < 0.001) was seen in Gram-positive bacteria, whereas a reduction in resistance to only moxifloxacin (P = 0.04) was seen in Gram-negative bacteria. In fluoroquinolone-resistant Gram-positive bacteria, cefuroxime exhibited the highest susceptibility, whereas in fluoroquinolone-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, colistin exhibited the highest susceptibility. Conclusion: Fluoroquinolone resistance was high among bacteria from ocular infections in central India, but a declining trend in resistance to some of the fluoroquinolones was observed in recent times. Cefuroxime and colistin emerged as alternatives in fluoroquinolone-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial infections, respectively.
Both Diet and Sociality Affect Primate Brain-Size Evolution

Abstract Increased brain size in humans and other primates is hypothesized to confer cognitive benefits but brings costs associated with growing and maintaining energetically expensive neural tissue. Previous studies have argued that changes in either diet or levels of sociality led to shifts in brain size, but results were equivocal. Here we test these hypotheses using phylogenetic comparative methods designed to jointly account for and estimate the effects of adaptation and phylogeny. Using the largest current sample of primate brain and body sizes with observation error, complemented by newly compiled diet and sociality data, we show that both diet and sociality have influenced the evolution of brain size. Shifting from simple to more complex levels of sociality resulted in relatively larger brains, while shifting to a more folivorous diet led to relatively smaller brains. While our results support the role of sociality, they modify a range of ecological hypotheses centered on the importance of frugivory, and instead indicate that digestive costs associated with increased folivory may have resulted in relatively smaller brains. [adaptation; allometry; bayou; evolutionary trend; energetic constraints; phylogenetic comparative methods; primate brain size; Slouch; social-brain hypothesis. ]
Rugged sensor window materials for harsh environments

There are several military or commercial systems operating in very harsh environments that require rugged windows. On some of these systems, windows become the single point of failure. These applications include sensor or imaging systems, high-energy laser weapons systems, submarine photonic masts, IR countermeasures and missiles. Based on the sea or land or air based platforms the window or dome on these systems must withstand wave slap, underwater or ground based explosions, or survive flight through heavy rain and sand storms while maintaining good optical transmission in the desired wavelength range. Some of these applications still use softer ZnS or fused silica windows because of lack of availability of rugged materials in shapes or sizes required. Sapphire, ALON and spinel are very rugged materials with significantly higher strengths compared to ZnS and fused silica. There have been recent developments in spinel, ALON and sapphire materials to fabricate in large sizes and conformal shapes. We have been developing spinel ceramics for several of these applications. We are also developing β−SiC as a transparent window material as it has higher hardness, strength, and toughness than sapphire, ALON and spinel. This paper gives a summary of our recent findings.
Detection of colistin resistance via four methods in multidrug-resistant Gram-negative rods isolated from blood cultures.

INTRODUCTION The broth microdilution (BMD) method recommended for the detection of colistin resistance is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and difficult to apply in routine laboratories. Thus, various methods, such as disk elution, commercial microdilution, and rapid polymyxin-NP tests have been developed for the detection of colistin resistance. In this study, a total of 102 multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria isolated from blood cultures were evaluated by four different methods for the detection of colistin resistance, and compared with the reference method. METHODOLOGY For the detection of the compatibility of these methods with the reference method, categorical and essential agreements, very major, major, and minor error rates were determined. Colistin-tigecycline and colistin-meropenem combinations were investigated in colistin-resistant isolates. RESULTS Of the isolates, 15 (15%) [K. pneumoniae (n = 12), A. baumannii (n = 2), E. coli (n = 1)] were resistant to colistin with reference BMD method. MIC50 and MIC90 values of all isolates were ≤ 0.25 μg/mL and 16 μg/mL, respectively. The categorical agreement rates were 100% for commercial microdilution, disk elution, and RPNP test. The essential agreement rates of commercial microdilution, disk elution, and broth macrodilution were 78.4%, 86.3%, and 100%, respectively. Although there were no major errors in these methods, the macrodilution (12%) and commercial microdilution (20.6%) methods showed the most minor errors. Colistin-meropenem combination showed a 100% synergistic effect, but the colistin-tigecycline combination showed an 80% synergistic effect and 20% indifference effect. CONCLUSIONS Disk elution and RPNP tests are suitable for routine use because they are the most efficient, easiest, low-cost, and good performance tests in detecting colistin resistance.
A single-cell analysis framework allows for characterization of CSF leukocytes and their tissue of origin in multiple sclerosis

Peripheral central nervous system (CNS)–infiltrating lymphocytes are a hallmark of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) not only populate the healthy CNS parenchyma but also are suspected to contribute to multiple sclerosis pathology. Because cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), unlike CNS parenchyma, is accessible for diagnostics, we evaluated whether human CSF, apart from infiltrating cells, also contains TRM cells and CNS-resident myeloid cells draining from the parenchyma or border tissues. Using deep generative models, we integrated 41 CSF and 14 CNS parenchyma single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) samples from eight independent studies, encompassing 120,629 cells. By comparing CSF immune cells collected during multiple sclerosis relapse with cells collected during therapeutic very late antigen–4 blockade, we could identify immune subsets with tissue provenance across multiple lineages, including CNS border–associated macrophages, CD8 and CD4 TRM cells, and tissue-resident natural killer cells. All lymphocytic CNS-resident cells shared expression of CXCR6 but showed differential ITGAE expression (encoding CD103). A common signature defined CD4 and CD8 TRM cells by expression of ZFP36L2, DUSP1, and ID2. We further developed a user interface–driven application based on this analysis framework for atlas-level cell identity transfer onto new CSF scRNAseq data. Together, these results define CNS-resident immune cells involved in multiple sclerosis pathology that can be detected and monitored in CSF. Targeting these cell populations might be promising to modulate immunopathology in progressive multiple sclerosis and other neuroinflammatory diseases. Description Central nervous system tissue-resident immune cells populate human cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis and can be monitored by scRNAseq. Identifying immunity Identifying immunity The central nervous system (CNS) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are infiltrated by peripheral immune cells in healthy individuals and in the context of diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the characterization of CNS-infiltrating cells in humans has lagged behind their characterization in other tissues. Here, Ostkamp et al. developed a framework to analyze immune cells in the CSF or CNS with samples from patients with MS, including patients treated with natalizumab. As natalizumab blocks cell entry into the CNS, this allowed the authors to determine whether cells likely originated in the periphery or in CNS tissue. Finally, the authors developed an application to allow other researchers to identify CNS- and CSF-infiltrating immune cells in their own datasets. -CM