Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Interaction between Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide and Biologic Treatment in Severe Asthma: A Systematic Review

Background: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a biomarker of airway inflammation associated with airway hyper-responsiveness and type-2 inflammation. Its role in the management of severe asthmatic patients undergoing biologic treatment, as well as FeNO dynamics during biologic treatment, is largely unexplored. Purpose: The aim was to evaluate published data contributing to the following areas: (1) FeNO as a predictive biomarker of response to biologic treatment; (2) the influence of biologic treatment in FeNO values; (3) FeNO as a biomarker for the prediction of exacerbations in patients treated with biologics. Methods: The systematic search was conducted on the Medline database through the Pubmed search engine, including all studies from 2009 to the present. Results: Higher baseline values of FeNO are associated with better clinical control in patients treated with omalizumab, dupilumab, and tezepelumab. FeNO dynamics during biologic treatment highlights a clear reduction in FeNO values in patients treated with anti-IL4/13 and anti-IL13, as well as in patients treated with tezepelumab. During the treatment, FeNO may help to predict clinical worsening and to differentiate eosinophilic from non-eosinophilic exacerbations. Conclusions: Higher baseline FeNO levels appear to be associated with a greater benefit in terms of clinical control and reduction of exacerbation rate, while FeNO dynamics during biologic treatment remains a largely unexplored issue since few studies have investigated it as a primary outcome. FeNO remains detectable during biologic treatment, but its potential utility as a biomarker of clinical control is still unclear and represents an interesting research area to be developed.
On the time evolution of the ionic microfield in plasmas

The field - field correlation function and the conditional covariance for the ionic microfield in a plasma are calculated within a virial cluster expansion of the two-time generating function. Results for the Debye potential are given. The short-time, high-field behaviour is discussed within a regularization procedure. The evaluated conditional covariance provides direct access to the probability density of a field strength jump which appears in the well known model microfield method. The resulting stochastic process would describe the time evolution of the ionic microfield on the basis of the real motion of the plasma particles instead of assuming Markovian behaviour.
Trapped waves over symmetric thin bodies

Explicit relations are derived for the dependence of the longshore wavenumber on the wave frequency of symmetric trapped waves or edge waves travelling near the cutoff frequency over submerged horizontally symmetric thin bodies or near-vertical cliffs. Results for particular geometries are presented and shown to agree with certain explicit solutions for edge waves over sloping beaches or trapped waves over a submerged narrow shelf, or a semicircular mound on the sea bed. Similar results are obtained for thin bodies extending vertically throughout the depth in open channels or for thin cross-sections in an acoustic wave guide.
Opportunities and Challenges for the Development of MRCK Kinases Inhibitors as Potential Cancer Chemotherapeutics

Cytoskeleton organization and dynamics are rapidly regulated by post-translational modifications of key target proteins. Acting downstream of the Cdc42 GTPase, the myotonic dystrophy-related Cdc42-binding kinases MRCKα, MRCKβ, and MRCKγ have recently emerged as important players in cytoskeleton regulation through the phosphorylation of proteins such as the regulatory myosin light chain proteins. Compared with the closely related Rho-associated coiled-coil kinases 1 and 2 (ROCK1 and ROCK2), the contributions of the MRCK kinases are less well characterized, one reason for this being that the discovery of potent and selective MRCK pharmacological inhibitors occurred many years after the discovery of ROCK inhibitors. The disclosure of inhibitors, such as BDP5290 and BDP9066, that have marked selectivity for MRCK over ROCK, as well as the dual ROCK + MRCK inhibitor DJ4, has expanded the repertoire of chemical biology tools to study MRCK function in normal and pathological conditions. Recent research has used these novel inhibitors to establish the role of MRCK signalling in epithelial polarization, phagocytosis, cytoskeleton organization, cell motility, and cancer cell invasiveness. Furthermore, pharmacological MRCK inhibition has been shown to elicit therapeutically beneficial effects in cell-based and in vivo studies of glioma, skin, and ovarian cancers.
The Social Base of Bolsonarism: An Analysis of Authoritarianism in Politics

The cohesion and resilience of the social base supporting Jair Bolsonaro is backed by an authoritarian perception of politics and society. Support for the president runs through all sectors of Brazilian society and reflects a variety of demands. A multidisciplinary research strategy that articulates statistical analysis of data from an innovative national survey with a sociological approach to the construction of an authoritarian vision of politics and society in Brazil suggests that the authoritarian right is a political and electoral force that will persist and that it has several characteristics that distinguish it from conservative movements in the Global North. A coesão e resistência da base social que apoia a Bolsonaro são baseadas numa visão autoritária da política e da sociedade porque o apoio ao presidente se extende por todas as classes na sociedade brasileira e traz à tona uma diversidade de exigências. Uma estratégia multidisciplinária de pesquisa que articula uma análise estatística de dados colhidos de um levantamento nacional innovador com base numa aproximação sociológica voltada para a construção de uma ótica autoritária da política e da sociedade no Brasil constata que a direita autoritária persistirá como força política e eleitoral e que tem várias características as quais lhe distingue dos outros movimentos conservadores localizados nos países do norte global.
Analysis of short subdiffusive time series: scatter of the time-averaged mean-squared displacement

We analyse the statistical behaviour of short time series in systems performing subdiffusion. Comparing the non-ergodic continuous time random walk model to the ergodic fractional Brownian motion, we demonstrate that the scatter between individual trajectories is not purely dominated by finite sample size effects but preserves some of the characteristics of the individual processes. In particular we show that the distribution of the time-averaged mean-squared displacements allows one to clearly distinguish between the two stochastic mechanisms even for a very short time series.
Again on relativistic semantics

This paper has two parts: Part I is a continuation of the work [10] and as well as this it deals mainly with the logic of an auxiliary (semantical) theory, ST , in effect generally considered (by textbooks) within the semantics for a typical theory T of general relativity; and especially the modal features of this auxiliary theory are studied. Part II deals with the influence had by relativistic theories and especially by the new notion of space-time on pragmatic languages (in Carnap’s sense), so that they include, e.g., „now” and „here”.
Near-cloud atmospheric ingredients for deep convection initiation

A lack of routine environmental observations located near deepening cumulus congestus clouds limits verification of important theorized and simulated updraft-environment interaction processes occurring during deep convection initiation (CI). We analyze radiosonde profiles collected during several hundred CI events near a mountain range in central Argentina during the CACTI field campaign. Statistical analyses illustrate environmental conditions supporting radar-observed CI outcomes that span a spectrum of convective cell depths, widths, and durations, as well as events lacking precipitating convection. Tested environmental factors include a large variety of sounding-derived measurements of CAPE, CIN, moisture, terrain-relative winds, vertical shear, and lifted parcel properties, with supplemental model reanalysis of background larger-scale vertical motion. CAPE and CIN metrics do not consistently differentiate CI success from failure. Only a few environmental factors contain consistent monotonic relationships among the spectrum of cloud depths achieved during CI: i) the depth and strength of background ascent, and ii) the component of low-level flow oriented parallel to the ridgeline. These metrics suggest that the ability of the surrounding flow to lift parcels to their LFC and terrain-modified flow are consistently relevant processes for CI. Low-to-mid-level relative humidity strongly discriminated between CI and non-CI events, likely reflecting entrainment-driven dilution processes. However, we could not confidently conclude that relative humidity similarly discriminated robust from marginal CI events. Circumstantial evidence was found linking cell width, an important cloud property governing the probability of CI, to: LCL height, boundary layer depth, depth and magnitude of the CIN layer, and ambient wind shear.
Molecular Mechanism Operating in Animal Models of Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity: A Systematic Review Focusing on Bladder Dysfunction of Neurogenic Origin

Neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) is a severe lower urinary tract disorder, characterized by urinary urgency, retention, and incontinence, as a result of a neurologic lesion that results in damage in neuronal pathways controlling micturition. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive framework of the currently used animal models for the investigation of this disorder, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of NDO. An electronic search was performed with PubMed and Scopus for literature describing animal models of NDO used in the last 10 years. The search retrieved 648 articles, of which reviews and non-original articles were excluded. After careful selection, 51 studies were included for analysis. Spinal cord injury (SCI) was the most frequently used model to study NDO, followed by animal models of neurodegenerative disorders, meningomyelocele, and stroke. Rats were the most commonly used animal, particularly females. Most studies evaluated bladder function through urodynamic methods, with awake cystometry being particularly preferred. Several molecular mechanisms have been identified, including changes in inflammatory processes, regulation of cell survival, and neuronal receptors. In the NDO bladder, inflammatory markers, apoptosis-related factors, and ischemia- and fibrosis-related molecules were found to be upregulated. Purinergic, cholinergic, and adrenergic receptors were downregulated, as most neuronal markers. In neuronal tissue, neurotrophic factors, apoptosis-related factors, and ischemia-associated molecules are increased, as well as markers of microglial and astrocytes at lesion sites. Animal models of NDO have been crucial for understanding the pathophysiology of lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction. Despite the heterogeneity of animal models for NDO onset, most studies rely on traumatic SCI models rather than other NDO-driven pathologies, which may result in some issues when translating pre-clinical observations to clinical settings other than SCI.
Proton Dosimetry Using Radiation-Induced Luminescence in Micrometer-Core Germanosilicate Optical Fibers

We investigated the radiation-induced luminescence (RIL) of 62.5, 10, and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3~\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> germanosilicate single- and multi-mode telecom-grade optical fibers for use as high-resolution dosimeters at dose rates ranging between 5 and 120 Gys<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{-1}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> using proton beams of varying currents and energies. Only one of the two single-mode fibers under investigation had a detectable light yield, with a dose rate threshold around 20 Gys<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{-1}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. All tested multi-mode fibers showed a detectable response over the whole accessible dose rate range. All tested multi-mode fibers displayed a linear dose rate response when the proton beam energy was fixed. However, the slope of the response curve showed a strong dependence on the proton beam energy. Geometry and material differences, as well as radiation-induced attenuation (RIA) effects have been ruled out as sources for the observed proton energy dependence of the dose rate response.
Structural and Electronic Properties of GaN (0001)/α-Al2O3 (0001) Interface

Structural and electronic properties of the interface between α-Al2O3 (0001) and GaN (0001) surfaces are investigated through ab initio calculations within the density functional theory. Two different structural models have been investigated interface N(Ga)-terminated. The interface N-terminated GaN surface seems to exhibit the lowest formation energy. The studied interface models are metallic, with the levels at energy spatially confined in the interface region. Our calculations show strong hybridization between atoms in the interface region.
Ridesharing and Crowdsourcing for Smart Cities: Technologies, Paradigms and Use Cases

Recent technology developments and the numerous availabilities of mobile users, devices and Internet technologies together with the growing focus on reducing traffic congestion and emissions in urban areas have led to the emergence of new paradigms for ridesharing and crowdsourcing for smart cities. Compared to carpooling approaches where the driver and participant passengers or riders are usually prearranged and the journey details known beforehand, the paradigm for ridesharing requires the participants to be selected at short notice and the rider trips are often dynamically formed. Crowdsourcing techniques and approaches are well suited to match drivers and riders for these dynamic scenarios, although there are many challenges to be addressed. This paper aims to survey this new paradigm of ridesharing and crowdsourcing for smart city transportation environments from several technological and social perspectives including: 1) ridesharing and architecture in transportation; 2) techniques for ridesharing; 3) artificial intelligence for ridesharing; 4) autonomous vehicles and systems ridesharing; and 5) security, policy and pricing strategies. The paper concludes with some use cases and lessons learned for the practical deployment of ridesharing and crowdsourcing platforms for smart cities.
Effects of the Transfer Method and Interfacial Adhesion on the Frictional and Wear Resistance Properties of a Graphene-Coated Polymer

Graphene is a promising candidate used to reduce friction and wear in micro- and nano-device applications owing to its superior mechanical robustness and intrinsic lubrication properties. Herein, we report the frictional and wear resistance properties of a graphene-coated polymer and how they are affected by fabrication processes. The results show that graphene deposited on a polymer substrate effectively improves both frictional and wear resistance properties, and the degree of improvement significantly depends on the graphene transfer method and interfacial adhesion between graphene and the substrate. Dry-transferred graphene showed better improvement than wet-transferred graphene, and the strong adhesion of graphene achieved by imidazole treatment aided the improvement. A combined analysis of surface morphology and scratch trace shows that the graphene transfer method and graphene adhesion dominate the structural integrity of the transferred graphene, and the graphene/substrate interfacial adhesion plays a decisive role in the improvement of both properties by suppressing the delamination of graphene from the substrate during the nanoscratch test, thereby preventing crack formation in graphene and weakening the puckering effect.
Gram Stain and Culture of Sputum Samples Detect Only Few Pathogens in Community-Acquired Lower Respiratory Tract Infections: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Identification of the bacterial etiology of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) is crucial to ensure a narrow-spectrum, targeted antibiotic treatment. However, Gram stain and culture results are often difficult to interpret as they depend strongly on sputum sample quality. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic yield of Gram stain and culture from respiratory samples collected by tracheal suction and expiratory technique from adults admitted with suspected community-acquired LRTI (CA-LRTI). In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, 177 (62%) samples were collected by tracheal suction, and 108 (38%) by expiratory technique. We detected few pathogenic microorganisms, and regardless of sputum quality, there were no significant differences between the sample types. Common pathogens of CA-LRTI were identified by culture in 19 (7%) samples, with a significant difference between patients with or without prior antibiotic treatment (p = 0.007). The clinical value of sputum Gram stain and culture in CA-LRTI is therefore questionable, especially in patients treated with antibiotics.
Some Common Myths About Centering Predictor Variables in Moderated Multiple Regression and Polynomial Regression

Additive transformations are often offered as a remedy for the common problem of collinearity in moderated regression and polynomial regression analysis. As the authors demonstrate in this article, mean-centering reduces nonessential collinearity but not essential collinearity. Therefore, in most cases, mean-centering of predictors does not accomplish its intended goal. In this article, the authors discuss and explain, through derivation of equations and empirical examples, that mean-centering changes lower order regression coefficients but not the highest order coefficients, does not change the fit of regression models, does not impact the power to detect moderating effects, and does not alter the reliability of product terms. The authors outline the positive effects of mean-centering, namely, the increased interpretability of the results and its importance for moderator analysis in structural equations and multilevel analysis. It is recommended that researchers center their predictor variables when their variables do not have meaningful zero-points within the range of the variables to assist in interpreting the results.
The impact of extratropical transition on the downstream flow: An idealized modelling study with a straight jet

The interaction of a tropical cyclone undergoing extratropical transition (ET) with the midlatitude synoptic‐scale flow is investigated using full‐physics numerical experiments with idealized initial conditions. The emphasis is on the impact on the midlatitude flow downstream of the ET event. The midlatitude flow is represented by a balanced straight jet stream. As the tropical cyclone approaches the jet, a ridge–trough couplet and a distinct jet streak form in the upper‐level flow. A midlatitude cyclone develops rapidly downstream of the ET system and the further evolution is characterized by downstream baroclinic development.
On time-delayed feedback control of chaotic systems

A time-delayed feedback control (TDFC) system is, by nature, a rather special version of the familiar autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) control or the canonical state-space control systems. Despite some of its inherent limitations, TDFC can be quite successful in many chaos control applications. To understand to what extent the TDFC method is useful, some analytic (sufficient) conditions for chaos control from the TDFC approach are derived in this paper for both stabilization and tracking problems. A gradient-descent-based search algorithm is incorporated with the TDFC to estimate the time-delay constant for tracking unstable periodic orbits. The established theoretical results and estimation method are further clarified via a case study of the typical chaotic Rossler system with computer simulations.
The role of social norms and trust in authority in tax compliance dilemmas

Abstract This study aims to examine the effect of economic factors and psychological factors on dilemmas in tax reporting. This study considers psychological factors caused by the inconsistency of the traditional tax compliance model. The economic factors tested are fines and tax audits while the psychological factors tested are trust and social norms. This study applied an experimental method with a 2x2x2 factorial design to investigate tax compliance. The final participants comprise 196 students. The results provide empirical evidence that trust and social norms can be explanatory factors in tax reporting dilemmas. However, this study does not provide empirical evidence regarding the effect of economic factors on tax compliance. The research results imply that the tax authorities need to consider the psychological factors behind taxpayers achieving honesty in tax reporting. This research also has implications in terms of the importance of a comprehensive approach in investigating compliance behavior. Overall, this study contributes to the literature that emphasizes the importance of psychological factors to investigate tax compliance. This study suggests the importance of social norms and trusts to guide behavior in tax compliance dilemmas.
Projecting direct medical costs and productivity benefits of improving access to advanced therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: a projection modelling study

ABSTRACT Introduction: To ensure the sustainability of the AT access improvement, it is important that health system stakeholders have timely, analyzed information accessible for reference and decision-making support. In this study, we projected the direct costs required as well as the expected direct medical cost-offset and productivity benefits resulting from improving the disease control. Methods: We implemented a deterministic, prevalence-based mathematical model to project the annual cost of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management within the public healthcare system in Malaysia. We also calculated the annual productivity loss due to uncontrolled RA in monetary value. Using the projection model, we compared the projected costs of the status quo scenario vs. several scenarios of improved advanced therapy (AT) access over a 5-year period. Results: We projected that between 10,765 and 11,024 RA patients in Malaysia over the period of 2020–2024 will need access to AT due to treatment failure with conventional synthetic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The projected net total medical cost under the status quo scenario were 163.5 million annually on average (approximately MYR 15,000 per patient per year). Cost related to health service utilization represented the heaviest component, amounting to 71.8% followed by drug cost (24.7%). Under the access improvement scenarios, drug cost constituted a higher proportion of the total medical, ranging from 25.6% to 30.4%. In contrast, the cost of health service utilization shown a reverse pattern (reducing to between 66.3% and 70.1%). Productivity costs were also expected to reduce as AT access improved leading to better outcomes. Treatment shifts to targeted synthetic DMARDs in anticipation of price adjustment appeared to have a cost saving advantage to the health system if all other parameters remain unchanged. Discussion: Improving AT access for RA patients towards the aspirational target appeared to be feasible given the current health budget in Malaysia. Broader socio-economic consequences of productivity and income loss should be included as an important part of the policy consideration. The financial implication of different AT utilization mixes and the anticipated price adjustment will likely result in some cost saving to the health system.