Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards LoRaWAN without Data Loss: Studying the Performance of Different Channel Access Approaches

The Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) is one of the fastest growing Internet of Things (IoT) access protocols. It operates in the license free 868 MHz band and gives everyone the possibility to create their own small sensor networks. The drawback of this technology is often unscheduled or random channel access, which leads to message collisions and potential data loss. For that reason, recent literature studies alternative approaches for LoRaWAN channel access. In this work, state-of-the-art random channel access is compared with alternative approaches from the literature by means of collision probability. Furthermore, a time scheduled channel access methodology is presented to completely avoid collisions in LoRaWAN. For this approach, an exhaustive simulation study was conducted and the performance was evaluated with random access cross-traffic. In a general theoretical analysis the limits of the time scheduled approach are discussed to comply with duty cycle regulations in LoRaWAN.
MOP and NOP receptor interaction: Studies with a dual expression system and bivalent peptide ligands

Opioids targeting mu;μ (MOP) receptors produce analgesia in the peri-operative period and palliative care. They also produce side effects including respiratory depression, tolerance/dependence and addiction. The N/OFQ opioid receptor (NOP) also produces analgesia but is devoid of the major MOP side effects. Evidence exists for MOP-NOP interaction and mixed MOP-NOP ligands produce analgesia with reduced side effects. We have generated a HEKMOP/NOP human expression system and used bivalent MOP-NOP and fluorescent ligands to (i) probe for receptor interaction and (ii) consequences of that interaction. We used HEKMOP/NOP cells and two bivalent ligands; Dermorphin-N/OFQ (MOP agonist-NOP agonist; DeNO) and Dermorphin-UFP101 (MOP agonist-NOP antagonist; De101). We have determined receptor binding profiles, GTPγ[35S] binding, cAMP formation and ERK1/2 activation. We have also probed MOP and NOP receptor interactions in HEK cells and hippocampal neurones using the novel MOP fluorescent ligand, DermorphinATTO488 and the NOP fluorescent ligand N/OFQATTO594. In HEKMOP/NOP MOP ligands displaced NOP binding and NOP ligands displaced MOP binding. Using fluorescent probes in HEKMOP/NOP cells we demonstrated MOP-NOP probe overlap and a FRET signal indicating co-localisation. MOP-NOP were also co-localised in hippocampal tissue. In GTPγ[35S] and cAMP assays NOP stimulation shifted the response to MOP rightwards. At ERK1/2 the response to bivalent ligands generally peaked later. We provide evidence for MOP-NOP interaction in recombinant and native tissue. NOP activation reduces responsiveness of MOP activation; this was shown with conventional and bivalent ligands.
A 5-Year Study of Lithium and Valproic Acid Drug Monitoring in Patients with Bipolar Disorders in an Italian Clinical Center

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is an effective tool used to improve the pharmacological treatment in clinical practice, especially to detect subtherapeutic drug plasma concentration (Cp) in order to consider a change of dosage during treatment and reach its putative therapeutic range. In this study, we report the Cp values of lithium and valproic acid (VPA), alone and in combination, mostly in bipolar patients admitted to an Italian clinical center of the University of Pisa during the years 2016–2020, which include 12,294 samples of VPA, 7449 of lithium and 1118 of both in combination. Lithium and VPA are the most utilized drugs in treating bipolar disorders, and their TDM is strongly recommended by recent guidelines. In relation to lithium Cp monitoring, several studies have underlined that 0.5–0.8 mmol/L is the optimal range for chronic treatment, and below 0.4 mmol/L, it is unlikely to produce a clinical response. For VPA, the therapeutic range is 50–100 μg/mL and a linear correlation between Cp and clinical efficacy has been proposed, where below 50 μg/mL, the clinical efficacy of VPA has not been proven thus far. Toxic levels of both drugs were rarely found in our study, while a high percentage of patients, about one-third, had sub-therapeutic Cp during their treatments. In addition, in several cases of patients receiving multiple blood sampling, the initial subtherapeutic Cp changed only partially without reaching its therapeutic window. In relation to age, we found a higher percentage of lithium and VPA Cp values in range in the adolescents than in the adults and elderly groups. No differences were reported when analyzing the distribution of Cp values in males and females. In conclusion, this present study suggests that TDM is widely used by many specialists, but there is still a window of improvement for optimizing pharmacological treatments in clinical practice.
Early-life mice housed in standard stocking density reduce the spontaneous physical activity and increase visceral fat deposition before reaching adulthood

Laboratory rodents spend the entire day housed in standard cages that provide a restricted area for movements and might, therefore, limit physical activity. However, it has not been tested in immature rodents of ages ranging from weaning to adulthood (adolescence period) whether the restricted area per animal does actually reduce physical activity and impact the body composition. We analyzed the spontaneous physical activity and feeding behavior during the adolescence of mice kept in two different housing conditions (standard stocking density (SSD) versus low stocking density (LSD)). We aimed to compare the body composition between SSD and LSD groups before they reached adulthood. Differential housing began at four weeks of age and was maintained for four weeks until euthanasia at eight weeks of age. The SSD group had a floor space of 88 cm2 available per animal, while LSD mice were housed with a floor space of 320 cm2 per animal, increasing the individual radius for movement more than three-fold compared with standard requirements. Mice kept in SSD exhibit lower spontaneous physical activity than mice kept in LSD. Early-life exposure to reduced physical activity in mice housed in SSD resulted in greater visceral fat accumulation before adulthood. An environment enabling/stimulating physical activity should be established for rodents as early as possible. This study will be helpful in showing that mice kept in SSD are early exposed to a reduced physical activity already in the adolescence period. Our findings could raise reflections about the translatability of rodents kept in SSD to healthy active humans.
Stakeholder perspectives on an integrated package of care for lower limb disorders caused by podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis or leprosy: A qualitative study

Background Lower limb disorders including lymphoedema create a huge burden for affected persons in their physical and mental health, as well as socioeconomic and psychosocial consequences for them, their families and communities. As routine health services for the integrated management and prevention of lower limb disorders are still lacking, the ‘Excellence in Disability Prevention Integrated across Neglected Tropical Diseases’ (EnDPoINT) study was implemented to assess the development and delivery of an integrated package of holistic care–including physical health, mental health and psychosocial care–within routine health services for persons with lower limb disorders caused by podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy. Methodology/Principal findings This study was part of the first of three phases within EnDPoINT, involving the development of the integrated care package. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were undertaken with 34 participants between January–February 2019 in Awi zone, Ethiopia, in order to assess the draft care package’s feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness. Persons affected by lower limb disorders such as lymphoedema experience stigma, exclusion from families, communities and work as well as physical and financial hardship. Beliefs in disease causation inhibit affected persons from accessing care. Ignorance was a barrier for health care providers as well as affected persons. Training and education of affected persons, communities and caregivers is important in improving care access. It also requires time, space, materials and financial resources. Both top-down and grass roots input into service development are key, as well as collaboration across stakeholders including charities, community leaders and “expert patients”. Conclusions/Significance This study highlighted the need for the EnDPoINT integrated care package and provided suggestions for solutions according to its three aspects of integrated care (integration into routine care; integration of mental health and psychosocial care; and integration of care across the three diseases), thereby giving support for its feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness.
Influence of Reverse Osmosis Process in Different Operating Conditions on Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Conventional and Ecological Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine

Red wine polyphenols are responsible for its colour, astringency, and bitterness. They are known as strong antioxidants that protect the human body from the harmful effects of free radicals and prevent various diseases. Wine phenolics are influenced by viticulture methods and vinification techniques, and therefore, conventionally and ecologically produced wines of the same variety do not have the same phenolic profile. Ecological viticulture avoids the use of chemical adjuvants in vineyards in order to minimise their negative influence on the environment, wine, and human health. The phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of wine can also be influenced by additional treatments, such as concentration by reverse osmosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of four different pressures (2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5 MPa) and two temperature regimes (with and without cooling) on the phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of conventional and ecological Cabernet Sauvignon red wine during concentration by reverse osmosis. The results showed that retention of individual phenolic compounds depended on the applied processing parameters, chemical composition of the initial wine, and chemical properties of a compound. Higher pressure and retentate cooling favoured the retention of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and monomeric anthocyanins, compared to the opposite conditions. The same trend was observed for antioxidant activity.
Effect of Calmodulin-like Gene (CML) Overexpression on Stilbene Biosynthesis in Cell Cultures of Vitis amurensis Rupr.

Stilbenes are plant phenolics known to rapidly accumulate in grapevine and other plants in response to injury or pathogen attack and to exhibit a great variety of healing beneficial effects. It has previously been shown that several calmodulin-like protein (CML) genes were highly up-regulated in cell cultures of wild-growing grapevine Vitis amurensis Rupr. in response to stilbene-modulating conditions, such as stress hormones, UV-C, and stilbene precursors. Both CML functions and stilbene biosynthesis regulation are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of overexpression of five VaCML genes on stilbene and biomass accumulation in the transformed cell cultures of V. amurensis. We obtained 16 transgenic cell lines transformed with the VaCML52, VaCML65, VaCML86, VaCML93, and VaCML95 genes (3–4 independent lines per gene) under the control of the double CaMV 35S promoter. HPLC-MS analysis showed that overexpression of the VaCML65 led to a considerable and consistent increase in the content of stilbenes of 3.8–23.7 times in all transformed lines in comparison with the control calli, while biomass accumulation was not affected. Transformation of the V. amurensis cells with other analyzed VaCML genes did not lead to a consistent and considerable effect on stilbene biosynthesis in the cell lines. The results indicate that the VaCML65 gene is implicated in the signaling pathway regulating stilbene biosynthesis as a strong positive regulator and can be useful in viticulture and winemaking for obtaining grape cultivars with a high content of stilbenes and stress resistance.
Impact of Combined Antiretroviral Therapy on Metabolic Syndrome Components in Adult People Living with HIV: A Literature Review

The development of metabolic derangements as a result of HIV treatment has been an important area of research since the introduction of zidovudine in the 1980’s. Antiretroviral therapy has intensely evolved in the last three decades, with new drugs gradually incorporated into everyday clinical practice. With the life expectancy of people living with HIV rapidly approaching that of their HIV-negative counterparts, the influence of these antiretrovirals on the development of the components of the metabolic syndrome remains of major interest to clinicians and their patients. In this review, we aimed to discuss the impact of cART on components of the metabolic syndrome, i.e., weight, plasma lipid levels, plasma glucose levels, and blood pressure, describing the influence of cART classes and of individual antiretrovirals. We also aimed to outline the limitations of the research conducted to date and the remaining knowledge gaps in this area.
Fate of sloughed biomass in integrated fixed-film systems

Fate of biofilm sloughing was assessed in a laboratory-scale (LS) integrated fixed-film sequencing batch reactor (IF-SBR) treating synthetic wastewater and in a full-scale (FS) integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) system treating municipal wastewater. It was observed that the properties of biofilms and flocs, including sludge volume index (SVI), mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), effluent suspended solids (ESS), relative hydrophobicity, and composition of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) were associated with biofilm sloughing and formation of large granular flocs in the LS IF–SBR. In the FS IFAS system, the changes were studied at the molecular level. For example, the extracted EPS content results (the protein to polysaccharide ratio decreased in the flocs and increased in the biofilms, with biofilm sloughing) were complemented with the confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) coupled with molecular specific staining. CLSM analyses revealed that micro-colonies rich in polysaccharides readily sloughed from the carriers. Live-dead staining revealed areas of the biofilm where the viability of biomass was a contributing factor associated with areas of the biofilm susceptible to sloughing. 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina) of FS IFAS samples revealed greater diversity (α-diversity) in biofilms compared to flocs. Biofilm sloughing resulted in a decrease in diversity in biofilms and a corresponding increase in the flocs during sloughing. Microbial population dynamics revealed that bacteria known for denitrification (for example, Comamonadaceae) detached from the biofilms during sloughing, readily associated with the suspended biomass, and were retained in the bioreactors.
Optimizing the residency application process: insights from neurological surgery during the pandemic virtual application cycle.

OBJECTIVE In this article, the authors describe the impact of the COVID-19 virtual match cycle and discuss approaches to optimize future cycles through applicant and neurosurgical education leadership insights. METHODS Anonymous surveys of neurosurgery program leaders (program directors and program chairs), program administrators (PAs), and 2020-2021 neurosurgery residency match applicants were distributed by the SNS, in conjunction with the Association of Resident Administrators in Neurological Surgery and AANS Young Neurosurgeons Committee. RESULTS Responses were received from 77 (67.0%) of 115 PAs, 119 (51.7%) of 230 program leaders, and 124 (44.3%) of 280 applicants representing geographically diverse regions. During the virtual application cycle relative to the previous year, programs received more Electronic Residency Application Service applications (mean 314.8 vs 285.3, p < 0.0001) and conducted more applicant interviews (mean 45.2 vs 39.9, p = 0.0003). More than 50% of applicants applied to > 80 programs; 60.3% received ≤ 20 interview invitations, and 9% received > 40 invitations. Overall, 65% of applicants completed ≤ 20 interviews, whereas 34.7% completed > 20 interviews. Program leaders described one 4-week home subinternship (93.3%) and two 4-week external subinternships (68.9%) as optimal neurosurgical exposure; 62.8% of program leaders found the standardized letter of recommendation template to be somewhat (47.5%) or significantly (15.3%) helpful. Applicants, PAs, and program leaders all strongly preferred a hybrid model of in-person and virtual interview options for future application cycles over all in-person or all virtual options. Ninety-three percent of applicants reported matching within their top 10-ranked programs, and 52.9% of programs matched residents within the same decile ranking as in previous years. CONCLUSIONS Optimizing a national strategy for the neurosurgery application process that prioritizes equity and reduces costs, while ensuring adequate exposure for applicants to gain educational opportunities and evaluate programs, is critical to maintain a successful training system.
Person identity‐specific adaptation effects in the ventral occipito‐temporal cortex

Identifying the faces of familiar persons requires the ability to assign several different images of a face to a common identity. Previous research showed that the occipito‐temporal cortex, including the fusiform and the occipital face areas, is sensitive to personal identity. Still, the viewpoint, facial expression and image‐independence of this information are currently under heavy debate. Here we adapted a rapid serial visual stimulation paradigm Johnston et al. (2016, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2016.10.002) and presented highly variable ambient‐face images of famous persons to measure functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) adaptation. fMRI adaptation is considered as the neuroimaging manifestation of repetition suppression, a neural phenomenon currently explained as a correlate of reduced predictive error responses for expected stimuli. We revisited the question of image‐invariant identity‐specific encoding mechanisms of the occipito‐temporal cortex, using fMRI adaptation with a particular interest in predictive mechanisms. Participants were presented with trials containing eight different images of a famous person, images of eight different famous persons or seven different images of a particular famous person followed by an identity change to violate potential expectation effects about person identity. We found an image‐independent adaptation effect of identity for famous faces in the fusiform face area. However, in contrast to previous electrophysiological studies, using similar paradigms, no release of the adaptation effect was observed when identity‐specific expectations were violated. Our results support recent multivariate pattern analysis studies, showing image‐independent identity encoding in the core face‐processing areas of the occipito‐temporal cortex. These results are discussed in the frame of recent identity‐processing models and predictive mechanisms.
Factor Structure, Psychometric Properties, and Validation of the Hungarian Version of the Experiences in Close Relationships Revised (ECR-R-HU) Questionnaire in a Nationally Representative Community Sample

Abstract The Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised (ECR-R) is a widely used self-report instrument to assess adult romantic attachment. The present study aimed at examining the factor structure, reliability, construct validity, and temporal stability of the Hungarian version of the ECR-R (ECR-R-HU) in a nationally representative community sample (N = 958). The original avoidance and anxiety dimensions of the ECR-R could only be identified, when reversed-item method factors and residual correlations were included in the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The Avoidance and Anxiety subscales of the ECR-R-HU showed high reliabilities and adequate temporal stability over 4 months. The subscales were not significantly associated with respondents’ age, gender, and residence type, while being engaged in a romantic relationship was related to significantly lower scores on both subscales. Correlations with measures of family functioning problems, perceived stress, depressed mood, and well-being were significant and in the expected directions. These results confirm the ECR-R-HU as a reliable and valid assessment tool.
Phytoremediation potential of hybrids of the exotic plant Xanthium strumarium and its native congener Xanthium sibiricum for cadmium-contaminated soils

Abstract Exotic plants could play an essential role in the restoration of heavy metal-contaminated soil. This study evaluated the tolerance of and extraction of cadmium (Cd) by ZCR (CR♀ × LT♂), hybrids of Xanthium strumarium (LT, exotic species) and X. sibiricum (CR, indigenous congener), and their parental species under different Cd treatments (0, 10, 40, and 80 mg·kg−1). The results showed that the hybrids had significantly improved tolerance to Cd. Under Cd stress, the biomass of ZCR increased by more than 50% on average compared with that of CR. Moreover, the hybrids showed a more remarkable ability to transport Cd from the root to the shoot. The Cd content of the shoots of ZCR increased by 128.33, 147.22, and 252.63% when treated with 10, 40, and 80 mg·kg−1 Cd, respectively. ZCR stored more than 70% of Cd in litter leaves, thereby reducing the toxic effects of Cd on photosynthesis and growth. The results showed that ZCR showed excellent Cd tolerance and enrichment in the presence of Cd. The hybrids of Xanthium strumarium and its native congener X. sibiricum may remediate soil Cd pollution. Novelty statement With the changing world economy and increasing human activities, exotic plants have become a global issue of common concern to the international community. This study describes new findings on using hybrids of the exotic plant of Xanthium strumarium and its native congener Xanthium sibiricum for the restoration of cadmium-contaminated soils. Under Cd stress, the hybrids' biomass, tolerance, and ability to accumulate Cd were significantly higher than that of X. sibiricum, indicating that hybrids gained useful heavy metal extraction traits from X. strumarium.
Treatment of proximal scaphoid waist nonunions with vascularized bone graft from the distal radius or medial femoral condyle

Fractures of the proximal scaphoid waist are more prone to nonunion than distal scaphoid fractures. Thirty-nine patients (five females, 34 males; mean age 31 years) who had operation for proximal scaphoid waist nonunion between 2017 and 2020 were retrospectively analysed. Patients received a free vascularized medial femoral condyle graft (Group 1: 18 patients) or distal radial bone graft based on a 1,2 intercompartmental supraretinacular artery pedicle (Group 2: 21 patients). In Group 1, union was achieved in 17 of 18 cases, with mean time to union of 13 weeks and mean operation time was 221 minutes. In Group 2, union was achieved in 19 of 21 cases, with mean time to union of 15 weeks and mean operation time was 100 minutes. The radiological and functional results of both groups were similar. We recommend a distal radial bone graft based on the 1,2 intercompartmental supraretinacular artery pedicle for proximal scaphoid waist nonunions since the operation is shorter, technically more manageable and requires less microsurgical experience. Level of evidence: III