Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A walk in the park? Characterizing gait‐related artifacts in mobile EEG recordings

Brain activity during natural walking outdoors can be captured using mobile electroencephalography (EEG). However, EEG recorded during gait is confounded with artifacts from various sources, possibly obstructing the interpretation of brain activity patterns. Currently, there is no consensus on how the amount of artifact present in these recordings should be quantified, or is there a systematic description of gait artifact properties. In the current study, we expand several features into a seven‐dimensional footprint of gait‐related artifacts, combining features of time, time‐frequency, spatial, and source domains. EEG of N = 26 participants was recorded while standing and walking outdoors. Footprints of gait‐related artifacts before and after two different artifact attenuation strategies (after artifact subspace reconstruction (ASR) and after subsequent independent component analysis [ICA]) were systematically different. We also evaluated topographies, morphologies, and signal‐to‐noise ratios (SNR) of button‐press event‐related potentials (ERP) before and after artifact handling, to confirm gait‐artifact reduction specificity. Morphologies and SNR remained unchanged after artifact attenuation, whereas topographies improved in quality. Our results show that the footprint can provide a detailed assessment of gait‐related artifacts and can be used to estimate the sensitivity of different artifact reduction strategies. Moreover, the analysis of button‐press ERPs demonstrated its specificity, as processing did not only reduce gait‐related artifacts but ERPs of interest remained largely unchanged. We conclude that the proposed footprint is well suited to characterize individual differences in gait‐related artifact extent. In the future, it could be used to compare and optimize recording setups and processing pipelines comprehensively.
The Usefulness of Pine Timber (Pinus sylvestris L.) for the Production of Structural Elements. Part I: Evaluation of the Quality of the Pine Timber in the Bending Test

The study assessed the quality of pine lumber by marking the modulus of elasticity in the horizontal system. The research material was a plank with the following dimensions: 137 mm wide × 39.50 mm thick × 3485 mm long. The pine wood was obtained by sawing timber in the form of logs with round cross sections and originating from the Forest Division Olesno (50°52′30″ N, 18°25′00″ E). Each long log was sawn to provide four logs of about 3.5 m, which were marked as butt-end logs (O), middle logs (S)—2 items, and top logs (W). The origin of the logs from the trunk (Pinus sylvestris L.) has a significant impact on the physical and mechanical properties of the wood from which they are made. Only butt-end logs (log type O) allows for the production of high-quality timber elements. The pine timber that was evaluated in this paper had a high density of about 570 kg/m3 and a high percentage of timber items were assigned to class C24 and higher (above 50%). The adopted horizontal model of evaluation of the modulus of elasticity gave similar results to those obtained in an evaluation according to the EN-408.
Association of the Hepatitis B Virus Large Surface Protein with Viral Infectivity and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-mediated Liver Carcinogenesis

Hepatitis B is the most prevalent viral hepatitis worldwide, affecting approximately one-third of the world’s population. Among HBV factors, the surface protein is the most sensitive biomarker for viral infection, given that it is expressed at high levels in all viral infection phases. The large HBV surface protein (LHBs) contains the integral pre-S1 domain, which binds to the HBV receptor sodium taurocholate co transporting polypeptide on the hepatocyte to facilitate viral entry. The accumulation of viral LHBs and its prevalent pre-S mutants in chronic HBV carriers triggers a sustained endoplasmic reticulum (ER) overload response, leading to ER stress-mediated cell proliferation, metabolic switching and genomic instability, which are associated with pro-oncogenic effects. Ground glass hepatocytes identified in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients harbor pre-S deletion variants that largely accumulate in the ER lumen due to mutation-induced protein misfolding and are associated with increased risks of cancer recurrence and metastasis. Moreover, in contrast to the major HBs, which is decreased in tumors to a greater extent than it is in peritumorous regions, LHBs is continuously expressed during tumorigenesis, indicating that LHBs serves as a promising biomarker for HCC in people with CHB. Continuing efforts to delineate the molecular mechanisms by which LHBs regulates pathological changes in CHB patients are important for establishing a correlation between LHBs biomarkers and HCC development.
Redefining Pregnancy-Induced Rhinitis

Background Pregnancy-induced rhinitis (PIR) is a form of chronic non-allergic rhinitis not present before pregnancy that manifests itself during pregnancy with complete resolution of symptoms after delivery. Objective The objective of this ambidirectional longitudinal cohort study is to evaluate the prevalence of PIR and to investigate the appearance and character of its symptoms, and its impact on the quality of life. Methodology: Six hundred eighty-one (681) women were recruited in the study. They completed questionnaires about nasal symptoms a day after delivery and each woman with nasal symptoms was interviewed 30 days later and data on symptom duration and quality were recorded. Results The prevalence of PIR was 31.86% (N = 217), 47.14% (N = 321) women had no nasal symptoms and 21% (N = 143) of participants had prior sinonasal disease. The clinical presentation of pregnancy rhinitis included nasal obstruction as the most common symptom, followed by rhinorrhea, postnasal secretion, nose itching, sneezing, and hyposmia. The median duration of PIR was 4 months with their complete resolution of symptoms between 2th and 16th day after delivery in the majority of respondents. PIR was diagnosed significantly more often if the women carried a female child. PIR affected their quality of life during pregnancy in 53,9% women (N = 117), with an average VAS score of 8. It seems that pregnancy may affect the course of previously present sinonasal disease (allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, nonallergic rhinitis, or non-infectious rhinitis prior to the pregnancy). Conclusions PIR is a common clinical entity with a wide range of symptoms with a direct impact on the quality of life in pregnancy. We propose a new definition of pregnancy-induced rhinitis.
The Effect of Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp. and Enterobacteriaceae on the Development of Whey Protein Levels and Oxidative Stress Markers in Cows with Diagnosed Mastitis

Simple Summary Mastitis is one of the most common diseases of high-yielding dairy cows, and over 90% of cases are caused by Streptococcus spp. , Enterobacteriaceae, or Staphylococcus spp. Whey proteins are very important in relation to cows’ bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties. It is therefore important to determine the relationship between the content of individual proteins and the bacterial strain. This study aimed to determine the influence of Staphylococcus spp. , Streptococcus spp. , and Enterobacteriaceae on the level of bioactive whey proteins and oxidative stress markers. From the herd, 60 multiparous cows with diagnosed mastitis were selected. Samples were taken for analyses from each cow individually from each quarter and pooled, which gave 60 samples. This study has shown that the levels of whey proteins and oxidative stress markers changed depending on the bacterial strain inducing inflammation, and selected whey proteins can be a marker for the diagnosis of individual mastitis-inducing strains. Abstract Mastitis is one of the most common diseases of high-yielding dairy cows, and over 90% of cases are caused by Streptococcus spp. , Enterobacteriaceae, or Staphylococcus spp. Certain groups of proteins are very significant in terms of the cow’s antioxidant, bacteriostatic, and germicidal properties: lysozyme (Lz), lactoferrin (Lf), and β-lactoglobulin (BLG). This study aimed to determine the influence of Staphylococcus spp. , Streptococcus spp. , and Enterobacteriaceae on the secretion of bioactive whey proteins and oxidative stress markers. From the herd, 60 multiparous cows with diagnosed mastitis were selected. Samples were taken individually from each quarter and pooled, which gave 60 samples. Enterobacteriaceae did not affect the BLG synthesis, whereas lysozyme and lactoferrin responded to a high concentration of these bacterial strains. In the case of Staphylococcus spp. infection, the BLG level increased. These strains did not affect the levels of di-malonic aldehyde (MDA), lactoferrin, and lysozyme. In contrast, they were significantly influenced by Streptococcus spp. In summary, the levels of whey proteins and oxidative stress markers changed depending on the bacterial strain inducing inflammation. Lysozyme and lactoferrin may be markers of udder inflammation caused by Enterobacteriaceae and Streptococcus spp. , whereas β-lactoglobulin may prove useful in diagnosing Staphylococcus spp. induced mastitis.
Management of Drug Toxicity in Mycobacterium avium Complex Pulmonary Disease: An Expert Panel Survey

Abstract Adverse events are frequent in nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease treatment, but evidence to support their management is scarce. An expert panel survey on management of adverse events shows consistent opinions on management of hepatoxicity, ocular toxicity, ototoxicity, tinnitus, and gastrointestinal upset. These opinions can provide assistance in individual patient management decisions.
Thermal Transport across Ion-cut Monocrystalline β-Ga2O3 Thin Films and Bonded β-Ga2O3-SiC Interfaces.

The ultra-wide bandgap, high breakdown electric field, and large-area affordable substrates make β-Ga2O3 promising for applications of next-generation power electronics while its thermal conductivity is at least one order of magnitude lower than other wide/ultrawide bandgap semiconductors. To avoid the degradation of device performance and reliability induced by the localized Joule-heating, proper thermal management strategies are essential, especially for high-power high-frequency applications. This work reports a scalable thermal management strategy to heterogeneously integrate wafer-scale monocrystalline β-Ga2O3 thin films on high thermal conductivity SiC substrates by ion-cutting technique and room-temperature surface-activated bonding technique. The thermal boundary conductance (TBC) of the β-Ga2O3-SiC interfaces and thermal conductivity of the β-Ga2O3 thin films were measured by Time-domain Thermoreflectance (TDTR) to evaluate the effects of interlayer thickness and thermal annealing. Materials characterizations were performed to understand the mechanisms of thermal transport in these structures. The results show that the β-Ga2O3-SiC TBC values are reasonably high and increase with decreasing interlayer thickness. The β-Ga2O3 thermal conductivity increases more than twice after annealing at 800 oC due to the removal of implantation-induced strain in the films. A Callaway model is built to understand the measured thermal conductivity. Small spot-to-spot variations of both TBC and Ga2O3 thermal conductivity confirm the uniformity and high-quality of the bonding and exfoliation. Our work paves the way for thermal management of power electronics and provides a platform for β-Ga2O3 related semiconductor devices with excellent thermal dissipation.
Augmentation of farmers’ income in India through sustainable waste management techniques

The Government of India has envisaged a journey of doubling farmers’ income till 2022–2023 and envisioned many policy reforms for the same. Farmers in India rely on major farm produce and do not utilize the by-products or wastes emerging from their farms for monetary benefits. Sustainable utilization of agricultural, household and livestock waste have the potential in augmenting farmers’ income significantly which was established by conducting case studies in Ludhiana District of Punjab on three dairy farmers, each pursuing vermicomposting, biogas production and traditional composting. Comparative economic analysis in terms of various costs were worked out for vermicomposting, composting and biogas production. On analysis, it was found that the highest net returns per metric tonne of dung were obtained from vermicomposting (INR 2224.72, USD 29.42), followed by biogas production (INR 536.66, USD 7.10) and composting (INR 45.59, USD 0.60). Net returns from the dung obtained from one cattle equivalent were highest from vermicomposting (INR 11012.34, USD 145.64), followed by biogas production (INR 2656.74, USD 35.14) and composting (INR 225.68, USD 2.98). High profitability was accorded to vermicomposting because it is sold at remunerative prices. The study emphasizes the utilization of wastes through vermicomposting clubbed with biogas production for augmenting farmers’ income.
Interactions of ferritin with scavenger receptor class A members

Scavenger receptors are a superfamily of membrane-bound receptors that recognize both self and nonself targets. Scavenger receptor class A (SR-A) has five known members (SCARA1 to -5 or SR-A1 to -A5), which are type II transmembrane proteins that form homotrimers on the cell surface. SR-A members recognize various ligands and are involved in multiple biological pathways. Among them, SCARA5 can function as a ferritin receptor; however, the interaction between SCARA5 and ferritin has not been fully characterized. Here, we determine the crystal structures of the C-terminal scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domain of both human and mouse SCARA5 at 1.7 and 2.5 Å resolution, respectively, revealing three Ca2+-binding sites on the surface. Using biochemical assays, we show that the SRCR domain of SCARA5 recognizes ferritin in a Ca2+-dependent manner, and both L- and H-ferritin can be recognized by SCARA5 through the SRCR domain. Furthermore, the potential binding region of SCARA5 on the surface of ferritin is explored by mutagenesis studies. We also examine the interactions of ferritin with other SR-A members and find that SCARA1 (SR-A1, CD204) and MARCO (SR-A2, SCARA2), which are highly expressed on macrophages, also interact with ferritin. By contrast, SCARA3 and SCARA4, the two SR-A members without the SRCR domain, have no detectable binding with ferritin. Overall, these results provide a mechanistic view regarding the interactions between the SR-A members and ferritin that may help to understand the regulation of ferritin homeostasis by scavenger receptors.
A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot study of single-dose humanized anti-IL5 antibody (reslizumab) for the reduction of eosinophilia following diethylcarbamazine treatment of Loa loa infection.

BACKGROUND Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) treatment of loiasis is complicated by adverse reactions that are correlated with the number of circulating microfilariae (mf). The cause of these reactions is unknown, but they are accompanied by a dramatic interleukin-5 (IL-5)-dependent increase in eosinophilia and evidence of eosinophil activation. METHODS To explore the role of IL-5 driven eosinophilia in post-DEC reactions, 8 adults with confirmed loiasis and &5000 mf/mL blood were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the humanized anti-IL-5 antibody, reslizumab, (1.0 mg/kg IV) administered 3 to 7 days prior to initiation of DEC treatment (9 mg/kg/day for 21 days). The primary endpoint was the reduction in absolute eosinophil count (AEC) during the first week of DEC treatment. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. Single dose reslizumab lowered the AEC by 77% prior to initiation of DEC therapy (vs. 12% in the placebo group, p&0.05). More importantly, AEC remained below baseline in the first week of DEC treatment in all subjects who received reslizumab and in none of the placebo subjects. Mf clearance occurred within 2 days of initiation of DEC in all 7 mf-positive subjects. Mild to moderate adverse events were seen in all 8 subjects and were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS In summary, although reslizumab was able to blunt peripheral eosinophilia post-DEC treatment in subjects with loiasis and had no effect on microfilarial clearance, the reduction in AEC appeared to have been insufficient to prevent post-treatment AEs.
Astaxanthin and other Nutrients from Haematococcus pluvialis—Multifunctional Applications

Bioactive compounds of natural origin are gaining increasing popularity. High biological activity and bioavailability, beneficial effects on health and safety of use are some of their most desirable features. Low production and processing costs render them even more attractive. Microorganisms have been used in the food, medicinal, cosmetic and energy industries for years. Among them, microalgae have proved to be an invaluable source of beneficial compounds. Haematococcus pluvialis is known as the richest source of natural carotenoid called astaxanthin. In this paper, we focus on the cultivation methods of this green microalga, its chemical composition, extraction of astaxanthin and analysis of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti–diabetic and anticancer activities. H. pluvialis, as well as astaxanthin can be used not only for the treatment of human and animal diseases, but also as a valuable component of diet and feed.
A conserved subcomplex within the bacterial cytokinetic ring activates cell wall synthesis by the FtsW-FtsI synthase

Significance Cell division is an essential process in bacteria and an attractive target for antibiotic development. A major activity of the division apparatus is the synthesis of the cell wall peptidoglycan that will ultimately fortify the poles of the daughter cells. How cell wall synthesis by the division machinery is regulated has remained unclear. In this report, we use a combination of genetics and biochemical reconstitution to demonstrate that a complex of the highly conserved FtsQ, FtsL, and FtsB proteins serves as an essential activator of cell wall synthesis within the cytokinetic ring. Cell division in bacteria is mediated by a multiprotein assembly called the divisome. A major function of this machinery is the synthesis of the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall that caps the daughter poles and prevents osmotic lysis of the newborn cells. Recent studies have implicated a complex of FtsW and FtsI (FtsWI) as the essential PG synthase within the divisome; however, how PG polymerization by this synthase is regulated and coordinated with other activities within the machinery is not well understood. Previous results have implicated a conserved subcomplex of division proteins composed of FtsQ, FtsL, and FtsB (FtsQLB) in the regulation of FtsWI, but whether these proteins act directly as positive or negative regulators of the synthase has been unclear. To address this question, we purified a five-member Pseudomonas aeruginosa division complex consisting of FtsQLB-FtsWI. The PG polymerase activity of this complex was found to be greatly stimulated relative to FtsWI alone. Purification of complexes lacking individual components indicated that FtsL and FtsB are sufficient for FtsW activation. Furthermore, support for this activity being important for the cellular function of FtsQLB was provided by the identification of two division-defective variants of FtsL that still form normal FtsQLB-FtsWI complexes but fail to activate PG synthesis. Thus, our results indicate that the conserved FtsQLB complex is a direct activator of PG polymerization by the FtsWI synthase and thereby define an essential regulatory step in the process of bacterial cell division.
Risk factors for venous thromboembolism in endometrial cancer.

Background Venous thromboembolism (vte) in malignancy is associated with poor outcomes. We conducted a retrospective review of vte in patients with endometrial cancer to characterize the vte incidence, identify factors that contribute to vte risk, and compare survival outcomes in patients with and without vte. Methods A retrospective chart review identified 422 eligible patients who underwent surgery for endometrial cancer (1 January 2014 to 31 July 2016). The primary outcome was vte. Binary logistic regression identified risk factors for vte; significant risk factors were included in a multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier estimates are reported, and log rank tests were used to compare the Kaplan-Meier curves. Risk-adjusted estimates for overall survival based on vte were determined using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Results The incidence of vte was 6.16% overall and 0.7% within 60 days postoperatively. Non-endometrioid histology, stages 3 and 4 disease, laparotomy, and age (p < 0.1) were identified as factors associated with vte and were included in a multivariate analysis. The overall death rate in patients with vte was 42% (9% without vte): hazard ratio, 5.63; 95% confidence interval, 2.86 to 11.08; p < 0.0001. Adjusting for age, stage of disease, and histology, risk of death remained significant for patients with a vte: hazard ratio, 2.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 4.42; p = 0.0271. Conclusions A method to identify patients with endometrial cancer who are at high risk for vte is important, given the implications of vte for patient outcomes and the frequency of endometrial cancer diagnoses. Factors identified in our study might assist in the recognition of such patients.
Endovascular treatment of pediatric ischemic stroke: A single center experience and review of the literature

Introduction Mechanical thrombectomy is standard treatment for large vessel occlusion (LVO) in adults. There are no randomized controlled trials for the pediatric population. We report our single-center experience with thrombectomy of LVO in a series of pediatric patients, and perform a review of the literature. Methods Retrospective review of consecutive pediatric thrombectomy cases between 2011 and 2018. Demographic variables, imaging data, technical aspects and clinical outcome were recorded. Results In a period of 7 years, 7 children were treated for LVO at our center. Median age was 13 (2–17), and median Ped-NIHSS was 15 (3–24), and the median ASPECTS was 8 (2–10). Five patients had cardiac disease, and 2 of them were under external cardiac assistance. Median time from onset of symptoms to beginning of treatment was 7h06m (2h58m–21h38m). Five patients had middle cerebral artery occlusions. Thrombectomy was performed using a stentriever in 3 patients, aspiration in 3 patients, and combined technique in 1 patient. Six patients had good recanalization (TICI 2 b/3). There were no immediate periprocedural complications. At 3 months, 4 patients (57%) were independent (mRS score <3). Two patients died, one after haemorrhagic transformation of an extensive MCA infarct, and one due to extensive brainstem ischemia in the setting of varicella vasculitis. Discussion Selected pediatric patients with LVO may be treated with mechanical thrombectomy safely. In patients under external cardiac assistance and under anticoagulation, thrombectomy is the only alternative for treatment of LVO. A multidisciplinary approach in specialized pediatric stroke centers with trained neurointerventionalists are essential for good results.