Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dysregulated Immune Responses in SARS-CoV-2-Infected Patients: A Comprehensive Overview

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in humans more than two years ago and caused an unprecedented socio-economic burden on all countries around the world. Since then, numerous studies have attempted to identify various mechanisms involved in the alterations of innate and adaptive immunity in COVID-19 patients, with the ultimate goal of finding ways to correct pathological changes and improve disease outcomes. State-of-the-art research methods made it possible to establish precise molecular mechanisms which the new virus uses to trigger multisystem inflammatory syndrome and evade host antiviral immune responses. In this review, we present a comprehensive analysis of published data that provide insight into pathological changes in T and B cell subsets and their phenotypes, accompanying the acute phase of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. This knowledge might help reveal new biomarkers that can be utilized to recognize case severity early as well as to provide additional objective information on the effective formation of SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity and predict long-term complications of COVID-19, including a large variety of symptoms termed the ‘post-COVID-19 syndrome’.
Dental-derived cells for regenerative medicine: stem cells, cell reprogramming, and transdifferentiation

Embryonic stem cells have been a popular research topic in regenerative medicine owing to their pluripotency and applicability. However, due to the difficulty in harvesting them and their low yield efficiency, advanced cell reprogramming technology has been introduced as an alternative. Dental stem cells have entered the spotlight due to their regenerative potential and their ability to be obtained from biological waste generated after dental treatment. Cell reprogramming, a process of reverting mature somatic cells into stem cells, and transdifferentiation, a direct conversion between different cell types without induction of a pluripotent state, have helped overcome the shortcomings of stem cells and raised interest in their regenerative potential. Furthermore, the potential of these cells to return to their original cell types due to their epigenetic memory has reinforced the need to control the epigenetic background for successful management of cellular differentiation. Herein, we discuss all available sources of dental stem cells, the procedures used to obtain these cells, and their ability to differentiate into the desired cells. We also introduce the concepts of cell reprogramming and transdifferentiation in terms of genetics and epigenetics, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA. Finally, we discuss a novel therapeutic avenue for using dental-derived cells as stem cells, and explain cell reprogramming and transdifferentiation, which are used in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
A Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of the strategic plans of Istanbul under different political administrations

ABSTRACT Strategic plans are sophisticated public administration tools of local governments, which are not limited to the simple expression of priorities of a city or plans and projects to be conducted in the future. They are more than the sum of some words and expressions, and they are shaped primarily by the political approach or ideology of the administration releasing them. In this article, a comparative Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of the last two strategic plans of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) (2015–2019/2020-2024), which were prepared by mayors with different party affiliations, was conducted. It is observed that a participatory democracy discourse has been adopted in the new strategic plan with the predominant use of words such as participation, participatory, transparency, cooperation, inclusive, fair, equal, accountability etc. The rigid shift from government to governance discourse in the strategic plans of IMM is also visible in the non-linguistic practice of the municipality.
AIR POLLUTION ASSESSMENT OF BOKO HARAM AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF ADAMAWA STATE, NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA

This study is aimed at assessing the ambient air quality of Local Government Areas affected by Boko Haram insurgency. The study was conducted in both the rainy and dry seasons. Gasman portable gas monitor was used for the monitoring of CO, NO2, SO2, H2S, and Cl2. CO and H2S were found to be within acceptable limits set by FEPA (10.00 ppm and 8.00 ppm) respectively in both seasons in all locations except Hong LGA, where CO was 11.11 ppm. NO2, SO2 and Cl2 were all above acceptable limits of 0.06 ppm, 0.1 ppm and 0.01 ppm respectively. The Air Pollution Index rating indicated that all the locationswere severely contaminated, except for Michika, Madagali and the control locations which were below 100 in the rainy season. The rainy season concentrations of these pollutants are lower than the dry season due to dissolution of the pollutants by the rains. The result of the pollution level is very poor and is a threat to the health of the populace. Thus this research recommends appropriate measures to be taken to enhance a safe environment for the people in these locations for healthy human living
The Relationship between Medical Staff’s Emotional Labor, Leisure Coping Strategies, Workplace Spirituality, and Organizational Commitment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Many medical issues have gradually emerged under the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has not only changed the medical culture but also tested medical staffs’ response abilities, emotional pressure, sense of identity, and belonging to the organization. The relationships among medical staffs’ emotional labor, leisure coping strategies, workplace spirituality, and organizational commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic are explored in this study. With medical staffs as the research subjects, a questionnaire survey was conducted using convenience sampling; a total of 360 questionnaires were distributed and 330 were returned, for a recovery rate of 91%. There were 300 valid questionnaires after 30 invalid questionnaires were excluded, for an effective recovery rate of 90%. SPSS and AMOS software were used for statistical analysis. According to the research results: (1) emotional labor had a significant effect on workplace spirituality, (2) workplace spirituality had a significant impact on organizational commitment, (3) emotional labor had a negative and significant impact on organizational commitment, (4) emotional labor had a significant impact on leisure coping strategies, and (5) the mediating effect of workplace spirituality between emotional labor and organizational commitment was not significant. Finally, relevant practical suggestions are provided based on the results of this study.
Racial disparities in the pattern of intergenerational neighbourhood mobility

Neighbourhood context is known to shape one’s life chances, but much of neighbourhood disadvantage is passed down from parents to children. The gap in social and economic achievements between Black and White families in the United States may partially be explained by differences in the intergenerational transmission of neighbourhood context. Using census tract socio-economic data, we created a national ranking of US census tracts. We then examined intergenerational neighbourhood mobility using 2828 parent–child pairs from a longitudinal household survey. We found that White children, compared with Black children, were more likely to inherit higher neighbourhood ranks from their parents. Income and education had smaller negative effects on neighbourhood rank for White children than Black children, all other things equal. Black children whose parents were in the bottom 25th percentile neighbourhood rank tended to move up in neighbourhood rank. But by much smaller magnitudes than their White counterparts. Our findings indicate that different patterns of intergenerational neighbourhood mobility between White and Black families may be an important factor for persisting racial disparities in the neighbourhood context.
Nutritional Risk Assessment Scores Effectively Predict Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with Severe COVID-19

Background: Malnutrition predicts a worse outcome for critically ill patients. However, quick, easy-to-use nutritional risk assessment tools have not been adequately validated. Aims and Methods: The study aimed to evaluate the role of four biological nutritional risk assessment instruments (the Prognostic Nutritional Index—PNI, the Controlling Nutritional Status Score—CONUT, the Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill—NUTRIC, and the modified NUTRIC—mNUTRIC), along with CT-derived fat tissue and muscle mass measurements in predicting in-hospital mortality in a consecutive series of 90 patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit for COVID-19-associated ARDS. Results: In-hospital mortality was 46.7% (n = 42/90). Non-survivors had a significantly higher nutritional risk, as expressed by all four scores. All scores were independent predictors of mortality on the multivariate regression models. PNI had the best discriminative capabilities for mortality, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.77 for a cut-off value of 28.05. All scores had an AUC above 0.72. The volume of fat tissue and muscle mass were not associated with increased mortality risk. Conclusions: PNI, CONUT, NUTRIC, and mNUTRIC are valuable nutritional risk assessment tools that can accurately predict mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated ARDS.
Paroxysmal and Non-Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in Middle Eastern Patients: Clinical Features and the Use of Medications. Analysis of the Jordan Atrial Fibrillation (JoFib) Study

(1) Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia causing an increased risk of mortality and morbidity. It is classified into paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal AF depending on the duration and frequency of the episodes. (2) Aims: Our goal was to investigate and compare the clinical profiles, risk of co-morbidities, the use of oral anticoagulation, and outcomes of patients with paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal AF in inpatient and outpatient settings. (3) Methods: Data were extracted from 28 different hospitals and centers in Jordan with a total of 2160 patients enrolled in the study using an observational non-interventional study model. The clinical features and the use of oral anticoagulants were compared in patients with paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal AF. (4) Results: Paroxysmal AF was documented in 35.6% (769) of the patients and non-paroxysmal types in 63.9% (1380); in addition, the type of AF was unknown in 11 (0.5%) patients. Our results showed that non-paroxysmal AF patients tend to be older with more co-morbidities and higher CHA2DS2-VASC and HAS-BLED scores. They also have higher rates of hypertension and diabetes. Anticoagulant, antiarrhythmic, and diuretic agents, overall, were used more in non-paroxysmal AF than paroxysmal AF. Hospital admissions were also more frequent in non-paroxysmal AF due to various factors, some of which are heart failure, bleeding risk, and COPD. (5) Conclusions: Non-paroxysmal AF is more common among Jordanian AF patients. The prevalence of comorbidities and the use of different types of therapies, especially anticoagulants, were higher in these patients.
Oxidation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids as a Promising Area of Research in Infertility

In this review, the role of fatty acids (FA) in human pathological conditions, infertility in particular, was considered. FA and FA-derived metabolites modulate cell membrane composition, membrane lipid microdomains and cell signaling. Moreover, such molecules are involved in cell death, immunological responses and inflammatory processes. Human health and several pathological conditions are specifically associated with both dietary and cell membrane lipid profiles. The role of FA metabolism in human sperm and spermatogenesis has recently been investigated. Cumulative findings indicate F2 isoprostanes (oxygenated products from arachidonic acid metabolism) and resolvins (lipid mediators of resolution of inflammation) as promising biomarkers for the evaluation of semen and follicular fluid quality. Advanced knowledge in this field could lead to new scenarios in the treatment of infertility.
Manipulation of the Phytochemical Profile of Tenderstem® Broccoli Florets by Short Duration, Pre-Harvest LED Lighting

Light quality has been reported to influence the phytochemical profile of broccoli sprouts/microgreens; however, few studies have researched the influence on mature broccoli. This is the first study to investigate how exposing a mature glasshouse grown vegetable brassica, Tenderstem® broccoli, to different light wavelengths before harvest influences the phytochemical content. Sixty broccoli plants were grown in a controlled environment glasshouse under ambient light until axial meristems reached >1 cm diameter, whereupon a third were placed under either green/red/far-red LED, blue LED, or remained in the original compartment. Primary and secondary spears were harvested after one and three weeks, respectively. Plant morphology, glucosinolate, carotenoid, tocopherol, and total polyphenol content were determined for each sample. Exposure to green/red/far-red light increased the total polyphenol content by up to 13% and maintained a comparable total glucosinolate content to the control. Blue light increased three of the four indole glucosinolates studied. The effect of light treatments on carotenoid and tocopherol content was inconclusive due to inconsistencies between trials, indicating that they are more sensitive to other environmental factors. These results have shown that by carefully selecting the wavelength, the nutritional content of mature broccoli prior to harvest could be manipulated according to demand.
Optimal Monitoring of Voltage Sags through Simultaneous Analysis of Short-Circuits in Distribution Systems

This study aims to ensure the observability of voltage sags in the entire distribution system (DS) for any short-circuit manifested by the optimal allocation of monitors focusing on power quality. After determining a voltage sag matrix for each type of short-circuit (balanced or unbalanced), a resulting binary matrix is determined which simultaneously observes the voltage sags for all types of faults. Later, a proposal is made to reduce this matrix to decrease the computational effort in large DS. Furthermore, the vulnerability of each node is analysed to establish the monitors' installation priority. The IEEE 13-nodes distribution test system is used to describe each step of the methodology in detail. Moreover, the IEEE 123-nodes distribution test system is used to validate the results observed so far.
The Impact of Postoperative Radiotherapy on Dietary Function of Head and Neck Cancer Patients after Pharyngoesophageal Reconstruction with Free Jejunal Flap

This study investigated the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) on dietary function in patients who underwent pharyngoesophageal defect reconstruction using a free jejunal flap. A retrospective chart review of 36 patients who underwent circumferential pharyngoesophageal defect reconstruction using a free jejunal flap was performed. The European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer head and neck cancer module questionnaire was used. Five items related to dietary function were selected and analyzed for changes in scores before and after PORT. Both the PORT and non-PORT groups showed improved dietary function before surgery, and no significant changes were noted at 3 and 12 months postoperatively. Repeated measures ANOVA showed that PORT had no significant impact on dietary function. In univariate analysis, no variable was a significant predictor of the score at 12 months, postoperatively. Previous radiotherapy and neck dissection had a close statistically significant relation. The multivariate analysis showed that neoadjuvant chemotherapy, previous radiotherapy, and neck dissection were significant predictors of the score at 12 months, postoperatively. PORT did not show a significant effect on the 12 months postoperative score. Free jejunal flap is an effective pharyngoesophageal defect reconstruction method that does not cause any dietary function disruption after PORT.
Placing the Foundational Economy: An emerging discourse for post-neoliberal economic development

Emerging in the mid-2010s, the Foundational Economy has been heralded as ‘a compelling counter-project against neoliberalism’ and ‘an alternative pathway … [for] progressive political renewal’. Grounded in a review of cross-disciplinary debates, this paper introduces the concept of the Foundational Economy and places it in relation to heterodox geographic theories of socio-economic development such as the ‘social economy’ and ‘diverse economies’ literature. Whilst there are clear overlaps, the concept of the Foundational Economy can be distinguished through its commitment to (a) a zonal perspective; (b) a focus on maximalist social innovations; and (c) the reconstitution of citizenship. In radical combination, it is argued that the lens of the Foundational Economy facilitates ‘a trenchant critique and denaturalization of current conditions, in tandem with creative explorations of the political economy of alternatives’. The paper concludes by reflecting on current oversights and future research trajectories for Foundational Economy research.
How Principals’ Perceived Resource Needs and Job Demands Are Related to Their Dissatisfaction and Intention to Leave Their Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic

School principals are facing greater challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic than they have ever faced, which has implications for whether they can conduct their work productively and remain in their jobs over the long term. This article draws on a unique, nationally representative, longitudinal panel of K–12 public school principals across the United States to examine principals’ self-reported resource needs and job demands during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as how those resource needs and demands are related to principals’ dissatisfaction and their intention to leave their job. Although principals’ reported resource needs (which increased over time) and teacher shortages were consistently related to dissatisfaction and intention to leave, various other job demands were predictors of dissatisfaction but not the intention to leave. These results have several implications for supporting and retaining principals as well as the teachers they serve.
DNA barcoding analysis and phylogenetic relationships of Indian wild coffee species

: Wild coffee species are the reservoirs of genetic diversity and could play a critical role in the genetic improvement of coffee. However, the conservation and genetic assessment of wild coffee species has been largely neglected. In the present study, DNA barcoding approaches were employed to assess the phylogenetic relationships between five indigenous wild coffee species from India and compared with two cultivated, and four wild coffee species of African origin. The efficacy of three barcoding loci namely matK , rbcL , and trnL-trnF was investigated using PCR amplification and sequence characterization. The intergenic spacer trnL-trnF is the highly polymorphic loci followed by matK and rbcL chloroplast gene. Among the three barcoding loci, the matK locus has the maximum number of parsimony informative sites, whereas the trnL-trnF locus contains maximum singleton variable sites. Although all the three loci contain a few unique fixed nucleotides (UFNs), no individual barcode locus has the critical nucleotide sequence tags for all the five Indian wild coffee species that help in species discrimination. However, the multilocus combinations are efficient in discriminating the species due to the presence of SNPs and specific sequence tags. The phylogenetic tree constructed using the maximum likelihood analysis of the combined barcoding loci separated all the Indian wild coffee species from African wild coffee species compared to phylogeny inferred using individual barcoding loci. Our study supports the utility of DNA barcoding as a useful tool for coffee species identification, which can be used for conservation purposes.
Immune Response 5–7 Months after Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in Elderly Nursing Home Residents in the Czech Republic: Comparison of Three Vaccines

Background and Aims: Elderly nursing home residents are especially prone to a severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we aimed to investigate the complex immune response after vaccination depending on the convalescence status and vaccine. Methods: Sampling took place in September–October 2021. IgG antibodies against spike protein and nucleocapsid protein, the titer of virus neutralization antibodies against delta and (on a subset of patients) omicron, and cellular immunity (interferon-gamma release assay) were tested in nursing home residents vaccinated with Pfizer, Moderna (both 30–31 weeks after the completion of vaccination), or AstraZeneca (23 weeks) vaccines. The prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was evaluated in Stata version 17. Results: 95.2% (95% CI: 92.5–97.1%) of the 375 participants had positive results of anti-S IgG, 92.8% (95% CI: 89.7–95.2%) were positive in virus neutralization assay against delta, and 89.0% (95% CI: 84.5–92.5%) in the interferon-gamma-releasing assay detecting cellular immunity. Results of the virus neutralization assay against omicron correlated with those against delta but the neutralization capacity was reduced by about half. As expected, the worst results were found for the AstraZeneca vaccine, although the vaccination-to-test period was the shortest for this vaccine. All immune parameters were significantly higher in convalescent residents than in naive residents after vaccination. No case of COVID-19 occurred during the vaccination-to-test period. Conclusions: A high immune response, especially among vaccinated convalescents (i.e., residents with hybrid immunity), was found in elderly nursing home residents 5–7 months after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. In view of this, it appears that such residents are much better protected from COVID-19 than those who are only vaccinated and the matter of individual approach to the booster dose in such individuals should be further discussed.
Accuracy of estimates in the development phases of highway projects : what critical cost overrun phase?

Accuracy in cost estimating under conditions of uncertainty, as is typical of most construction projects, is an issue of immense concern for clients, project managers, contractors, and all other stakeholders in construction works. It is an issue of continuing interest and has attracted a lot of scholarly attention from researchers and innovators. Accurate cost estimates are needed for planning and budgetary phases of road projects by highway agencies. Highway projects have historically experienced significant cost overruns often rooted at the point of the decision to build. However the basis for assessing the level of cost overruns continues to elicit diverse opinions and has become a debatable issue in the literature, with some authors alluding to the estimate developed at the detailed design stage as opposed to the preliminary conceptual estimate as the true benchmark to be used in quantifying the level of cost overrun. A survey of literature sources principally from scholarly articles and research programs undertaken by various highway agencies is carried out, with a view to identifying and defining the critical phase of development which should constitute the basis upon which investment estimates are to be predicated. This paper thus evaluates and synthesizes the theoretical basis of accuracy in estimating, outlines the nomenclature of the developmental phases of highway projects as evident in the literature and builds upon the argument raised by earlier authors: Wachs (1989); Simon (1991) and Flyvbjerg et al (2002). Keywords: Accuracy of Estimates, Conceptual Estimates, Cost Overruns