Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mesoscopic Collective Activity in Excitatory Neural Fields: Governing Equations

In this study we derive the governing equations for mesoscopic collective activity in the cortex, starting from the generic Hodgkin‑Huxley equations for microscopic cell dynamics. For simplicity, and to maintain focus on the essential elements of the derivation, the discus‑ sion is con(cid:976)ined to excitatory neural (cid:976)ields. The fundamental assumption of the procedure is that mesoscale processes are macroscopic with respect to cell‑scale activity, and emerge as the average behavior of a large population of cells. Because of their duration, action‑potential details are assumed not observable at mesoscale; the essential mesoscopic function of action potentials is assumed to redistribute energy in the neural (cid:976)ield. The Hodgkin‑Huxley dynamical model is (cid:976)irst reduced to a set of equations that describe subthreshold dynamics. An ensemble average over a cell population then produces a closed system of equations involving two meso‑ scopic state variables: the density of kinetic energy 𝐽 , carried by sodium ionic currents, and the excitability 𝐻 of the neural (cid:976)ield, which could be described as the average state of gating vari‑ able ℎ . The resulting model shares some similarities with the Wilson‑Cowan class of models, but because the equations are derived directly from microscopic dynamics, it also exhibits sig‑ ni(cid:976)icant differences: mesoscopic activity is represented as essentially a subthreshold process; and the dynamical role of the (cid:976)iring rate is naturally reassessed as describing energy trans‑ fers (process variable). The linear properties of the equations are consistent with expectations for the dynamics of excitatory neural (cid:976)ields: the system supports oscillations of progressive waves, with shorter waves typically having higher frequencies, propagating slower, and de‑ caying faster. Some nonlinear properties of the equations, with relevance to cross frequency coupling (e.g. theta‑gamma), are analyzed in a companion paper. Extending the derivation to includemorecomplexcelldynamics(e.g., includingotherionicchannels, e.g., calciumchannels) and multiple‑type, excitatory‑inhibitory, neural (cid:976)ields is straightforward, and will be presented elsewhere.
On the Effects of Artificial Data Modification

Data distortion is commonly applied in vision models during both training (e.g methods like MixUp and CutMix) and evaluation (e.g. shape-texture bias and robustness). This data modification can introduce artificial information. It is often assumed that the resulting artefacts are detrimental to training, whilst being negligible when analysing models. We investigate these assumptions and conclude that in some cases they are unfounded and lead to incorrect results. Specifically, we show current shape bias identification methods and occlusion robustness measures are biased and propose a fairer alternative for the latter. Subsequently, through a series of experiments we seek to correct and strengthen the community's perception of how augmenting affects learning of vision models. Based on our empirical results we argue that the impact of the artefacts must be understood and exploited rather than eliminated.
Plastics are a new threat to Palau’s coral reefs

Plastic pollution of the oceans has long been an ongoing and growing problem. Single-use plastic (plastic bags and microbeads) is responsible for most of this pollution. In recent years, studies have highlighted the importance of the size of plastic particles, and the impact of this pollution source on the environment. We determined the concentration of small marine plastics in seawater, sediments and beach sand around a pristine reef area (Republic of Palau) using very simple tools (plankton net, sieves, organic matter degradation, density separation, Nile red fluorochrome). In this study, we succeeded in detecting microplastic (MPs) particles and microplastic fibers, but also nanoplastic (NPs). These three types of particles were found in all samples with a large heterogeneity, from 0.01 to 0.09 particles L-1 and 0.17 to 32.13 particles g-1 DW for MPs in seawater, sediments and sand, respectively. Even when NPs were identified, the amounts of NPs were underestimated and varied from 0.09 to 0.43 particles L-1 in seawater and from 1.08 to 71.02 particles g-1 DW in sediment and sand, respectively. These variations could be attributed to the environmental characteristics of the different sites. This study shows that plastic pollution must be considered in environmental studies even in the most pristine locations. It also shows that NPs pollution is related to the amount of MPs found at the sites. To understand the effects of this plastic pollution, it is necessary that the next toxicological studies take into account the effects of this fraction that makes up the NPs.
Docking of Syk to FcεRI is enhanced by Lyn but limited in duration by SHIP1

The high-affinity immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor, FcεRI, is the primary immune receptor found on mast cells and basophils. Signal initiation is classically attributed to phosphorylation of FcεRI β− and γ-subunits by the Src family kinase (SFK) Lyn, followed by the recruitment and activation of the tyrosine kinase Syk. FcεRI signaling is tuned by the balance between Syk-driven positive signaling and the engagement of inhibitory molecules, including SHIP1. Here, we investigate the mechanistic contributions of Lyn, Syk, and SHIP1 to the formation of the FcεRI signalosome. Using Lyn-deficient RBL-2H3 mast cells, we found that another SFK can weakly monophosphorylate the γ-subunit, yet Syk still binds the incompletely phosphorylated immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs). Once recruited, Syk further enhances γ-phosphorylation to propagate signaling. In contrast, the loss of SHIP1 recruitment indicates that Lyn is required for phosphorylation of the β-subunit. We demonstrate two noncanonical Syk binding modes, trans γ-bridging and direct β-binding, that can support signaling when SHIP1 is absent. Using single particle tracking, we reveal a novel role of SHIP1 in regulating Syk activity, where the presence of SHIP1 in the signaling complex acts to increase the Syk:receptor off-rate. These data suggest that the composition and dynamics of the signalosome modulate immunoreceptor signaling activities.
Automatic Mesh and Shader Level of Detail

The level of detail (LOD) technique has been widely exploited as a key rendering optimization in many graphics applications. Numerous approaches have been proposed to automatically generate different kinds of LODs, such as geometric LOD or shader LOD. However, none of them have considered simplifying the geometry and shader at the same time. In this paper, we explore the observation that simplifications of geometric and shading details can be combined to provide a greater variety of tradeoffs between performance and quality. We present a new discrete multiresolution representation of objects, which consists of mesh and shader LODs. Each level of the representation could contain both simplified representations of shader and mesh. To create such LODs, we propose two automatic algorithms that pursue the best simplifications of meshes and shaders at adaptively selected distances. The results show that our mesh and shader LOD achieves better performance-quality tradeoffs than prior LOD representations, such as those that only consider simplified meshes or shaders.
Bilateral secondary angle-closure glaucoma and ciliochoroidal effusion as an initial manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus

Uveal effusion with secondary angle-closure glaucoma (SACG) has been described as an initial manifestation in myelodysplastic syndrome, IgA nephropathy, and human immunodeficiency virus. [1,2] Nanophthalmic eyes, with thick abnormal sclera and short anteroposterior diameters are predisposed to uveal effusion with SACG. [3] Few retinal interventions like scleral buckle, pan-retinal photocoagulation, and ocular conditions like central vein occlusion, arteriovenous fistula, uveitis, hemorrhagic choroidal detachments, and posterior scleritis can also result in uveal effusion and angle closure. We report a rare instance of bilateral SACG and ciliochoroidal effusion as an initial manifestation of SLE; only few case reports have been published so far. [4-7] Our patient is the youngest one diagnosed to have lupus-associated ACG and ciliochoroidal effusion in the published literature so far.
A network pharmacology approach to explore and validate the potential targets of ginsenoside on osteoporosis

Background: Osteoporosis (OP) is determined as a chronic systemic bone disorder to increase the susceptibility to fracture. Ginsenosides have been found the anti-osteoporotic activity of in vivo and in vitro. However, its mechanism remains unknown.Methods: The potential mechanism of ginsenosides in anti-osteoporotic activity was identified by using network phamacology analysis. The active compounds of ginsenosides and their targets associated to OP were retrieved from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, Drug Bank, Pharmmapper, and Cytoscape. The Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis target genes were performed in String, Phenopedia, DisGeNET database, and Metascape software. The protein to protein interaction were created by String database and Cytoscape software. The molecular docking was used to investigate the interactions between active coumpounds and potential targets by utilizing SwissDock tool, UCSF Chimera, and Pymol software. Results: A total of eight important active ingredients and 17 potential targets related to OP treatment were subjected to analyze. GO analysis showed the anti-osteoporosis targets of ginsenoside mainly play a role in the response to steroid hormone. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that ginsenoside treats OP by osteoblast differentiation signal pathway. Lastly, the molecular docking outcomes indicated that ginsenoside rh2 had a good binding ability with four target proteins IL1B, TNF, IFNG, and NFKBIA. Conclusion: IL1B, TNF, IFNG, and NFKBIA are the most important targets and osteoblast differentiation is the most valuable signaling pathways in ginsenoside for the treatment of OP, which might be beneficial to elucidate the mechanism concerned to the action of ginsenoside and might supply a better understanding of its anti-OP effects.
Noticed and then Forgotten: Gender in Alcohol Policy Stakeholder Responses to Alcohol and Violence

In this article, we analyse interview data on how alcohol policy stakeholders in Australia, Canada and Sweden understand the relationship between men, masculinities, alcohol and violence. Using influential feminist scholarship on public policy and liberal political theory to analyse interviews with 42 alcohol policy stakeholders, we argue that while these stakeholders view men’s violence as a key issue for intervention, masculinities are backgrounded in proposed responses and men positioned as unamenable to intervention. Instead, policy stakeholders prioritise generic interventions understood to protect all from the harms of men’s drinking and violence without marking men for special attention. Shared across the data is a prioritisation of interventions that focus on harms recognised as relating to men’s drinking but apply equally to all people and, as such, avoid naming men and masculinities as central to alcohol-related violence. We argue that this process works to background the role of masculinities in violence, leaving men unmarked and many possible targeted responses unthinkable.
Morphological variations influencing the outcomes in posterior polar cataract

Purpose: To study the intraoperative complications and postoperative clinical outcomes in different types of posterior polar cataract (PPC) following phacoemulsification, based on morphological classification. Methods: All consecutive patients with PPC who underwent phacoemulsification during the study period from 2016 to 2019 were included and sub-grouped based on the morphological characteristics according to Daljit Singh's classification. Intraoperative complications such as posterior capsular rupture (PCR), vitreous loss, nucleus drop, and Postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at day 1 and day 30 were documented. Results: A total of 388 eyes of 380 patients were included. Eighty nine (22.9%) eyes belonged to type 1, 135 (34.8%) belonged to type 2, 8 (2.1%) belonged to type 3, and 156 (40.2%) belonged to type 4. Thirty-five (9.3%) eyes had intraoperative PCR, with vitreous loss in 21 (60%) eyes, and nucleus/cortex drop in 5 (1.3%) eyes. Six (75%) eyes of type 3, 14 (10.04%) eyes of type 2, 12 (17.7%) eyes of type 4, and 3 (3.4%) eyes of type 1 PPC had PCR. PCR occurred more during the emulsification of the nucleus (18 cases, 51.4%). A significant correlation was seen between intraoperative PCR and type of PPC with a higher incidence in type 3 (P < 0.001). BCVA was found to be significantly worse on day 1 among patients with PCR compared to those who did not and improved well by day 30. Conclusion: PPC morphology is significantly co-related with the occurrence of PCR, emphasizing the need for careful grading of posterior polar cataracts in predicting the risk of intraoperative complications.
North India Childhood Cataract Study - The real scenario and causes of surgical delay of pediatric cataract

Purpose: The study sought to describe the clinical presentation pattern of pediatric cataracts and factors leading to delay in surgery at a tertiary care center in North India. Methods: A cross-sectional, interview-based study was conducted from January 2020 to October 2020, that included pediatric patients <12 years, with unilateral or bilateral congenital or developmental cataract. A pre-validated questionnaire was used to record data. The parameters recorded were age at first symptoms, age at diagnosis of cataract, age at surgery, laterality of cataract, first symptom, first family member noticing the abnormality, the morphology of cataract, association of perinatal complications, family history, systemic diseases, and cause (s) of delay in surgery. Results: A total of 89 patients were included. The mean age of subjects was 4.75(±3.51) years. A white pupil was the most common symptom (64.04%) and appeared in infancy in 30.3% of cases. Parents first detected the problem in 60.67%, and the pediatrician was the first medical contact in 11.23% of cases. The median (IQR) delay period between diagnosis of cataract and cataract surgery was 4 (3–6) months, the major causes were long GA waiting (30.33%), and delay due to systemic ill health (14.61%). Conclusion: Parental education on cataract detection is recommended to help in the timely detection and hence, improved outcomes of pediatric cataract surgery. Pediatricians, consulted for any systemic illness, have the role of the second most important contact in the detection of pediatric cataract.
Factors that Contribute to Bereaved Parents’ Perceptions of Neonatal Palliative Care: A Systematic Literature Review

Objectives Neonatal palliative care (NPC) is an emerging subset of care in United States (US) neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) that provides relief for both infants and families at the end of life for infants with terminal diagnoses. Families play a integral role in the decision-making process for their infant, but their experiences with and perceptions of the support and care provided to them via NPC is unclear to health professionals. This literature review summarizes the state of knowledge on parents’ perspectives of NPC while focusing on the specific factors that influence their experiences and satisfaction with NPC. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2010 and January 2021 that investigated parents’ perceptions of neonatal palliative care either as their central topic or as a sub-topic as part of a larger focus. Results A total of 16 articles (N = 16) were included in this review. Three overarching themes encompass the findings of the literature review: parent-clinician interactions, parent-infant interactions, and parent-self interactions. Within these themes, topics such as consistent and clear communication, involvement in care decisions, and social and psychological support were explored. Conclusion Clinicians must focus on these important quality indicators to ensure they provide the best care possible to the patients and families that they serve. Further research must be done to investigate parent satisfaction and needs in relation to NPC more deeply and to develop more supportive interventions and protocols.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the incidence of diseases and the provision of primary care: A registry-based study

Introduction The Covid-19 pandemic had a tremendous impact on healthcare but uncertainty remains about the extent to which primary care provision was affected. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the impact on primary care provision and the evolution of the incidence of disease during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic in Flanders (Belgium). Methods Care provision was defined as the number of new entries added to a patient’s medical history. Pre-pandemic care provision (February 1, 2018–January 31, 2020) was compared with care provision during the pandemic (February 1, 2020-January 31, 2021). A large morbidity registry (Intego) was used. Regression models compared the effect of demographic characteristics on care provision and on acute and chronic diagnoses incidence both prior and during the pandemic. Results During the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, overall care provision increased with 9.1% (95%CI 8.5%;9.6%). There was an increase in acute diagnoses of 5.1% (95%CI 4.2%;6.0%) and a decrease in the selected chronic diagnoses of 12.8% (95% CI 7.0%;18.4%). Obesity was an exception with an overall incidence increase. The pandemic led to strong fluctuations in care provision that were not the same for all types of care and all demographic groups in Flanders. Relative to other groups in the population, the pandemic caused a reduction in care provision for children aged 0–17 year and patients from a lower socio-economic situation. Conclusion This paper strengthened the claim that Covid-19 should be considered as a syndemic instead of a pandemic. During the first Covid-19 year, overall care provision and the incidence of acute diagnoses increased, whereas chronic diseases’ incidence decreased, except for obesity diagnoses which increased. More granular, care provision and chronic diseases’ incidence decreased during the lockdowns, especially for people with a lower socio-economic status. After the lockdowns they both returned to baseline.
Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus among blood donors in eastern Algeria

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is recognized worldwide as the leading cause of orofecal-transmitted hepatitis. However, blood transmission has been increasingly implicated in recent years raising health concerns. In Algeria, updated prevalence data are lacking. We aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies in the sera of volunteer blood donors from the Setif region in eastern Algeria. A total of 434 Samples were analyzed for anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Wantai). Logistic regression modelling was used to identify associated risk factors. The IgG seroprevalence rate was 17.05%. Seven sera (0.16%) were weakly positive for IgM. No HEV RNA was detected. The IgG prevalence was significantly correlated with increasing age (p < 1p.1000). Our data demonstrate a relatively high prevalence of anti-HEV IgG, indicating a possible risk of HEV blood transmission which requires vireamic seroprevalence studies to assess the real risk.
Capsaicin 8% for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND Chronic neuropathic pain is a disabling condition that affects quality of life. Despite recommendations and guidelines, treatment remains suboptimal as it often does not result in significant symptom relief. Capsaicin 8% patch has been used for the treatment of several peripheral neuropathic pain etiologies with encouraging results. OBJECTIVES To assess the results of capsaicin 8% patch on neuropathic pain by evaluating pain intensity and the painful treatment area. STUDY DESIGN Observational retrospective cohort study. SETTING All patients submitted to capsaicin treatment at the Chronic Pain Unit of the Hospital Centre of Tondela Viseu, from 2011 through 2019. METHODS Records of capsaicin treatments were reviewed, and the data collected. The primary outcome was pain intensity and painful treatment area reduction between the first and last treatment. Also, the number of treatments performed, neuropathic pain duration, anatomic location, pain etiology, and concomitant oral pain medication at baseline and upon treatment conclusion was also listed. RESULTS Postsurgical neuropathic pain was the most common etiology (49%), followed by postherpetic (28%). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) baseline pain intensity assessed by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11) was 6 (5-8) and the median (IQR) final NRS-11 was 3 (1-5), with a median (IQR) relative difference of -0.5 (-0.85-0.17) with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) between baseline and last pain intensity, regarding all groups. Also, there was a reduction in the painful treatment area between baseline and the last evaluation, with a median (IQR) relative difference of -0.4 (-0.625-0.167). LIMITATIONS A relatively small sample and occasional different timing for pain intensity and pain treatment area assessment due to logistical difficulties. CONCLUSIONS Capsaicin 8% patch is a valuable option for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain, providing a significant reduction in pain intensity and painful area. It is well tolerated and has a high treatment compliance.Ethics Committee Reference Number: 16/16//04/2021.
Prediction of retail product and trimmable fat in beef cattle using ultrasound or carcass data

The most widely used system to predict percent retail product from the four primals in beef cattle is USDA yield grade. The purpose of this study was to determine if routine ultrasound measurements and additional rump measurements could be used to more accurately predict the percent lean from the four primals than the carcass measurements going into the USDA yield grade equation. This study utilized market cattle (n = 471) consisting of Angus bulls, Angus steers, and crossbred steers. The right side of each carcass was fabricated into retail cuts, lean trim, fat, and bone; weights of each component were recorded. Percent retail product from the four primals was then expressed as a percentage of side weight. Traditional carcass measures collected were: 1) hot carcass weight (HCW), 2) 12-13 rib fat thickness (CFAT), 3) 12-13 rib ribeye area (CREA), and 4) percent kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (KPH). Live animal ultrasound measures collected within seven days prior to harvest were: 1) scan weight (SCANWT), 2) 12-13 rib fat thickness (UFAT), 3) 1213 rib ribeye area (UREA), 4) subcutaneous fat thickness over the termination of the biceps femoris in the rump(reference point) (URFAT), 5) depth of gluteus medius under the reference point (URDEPTH), and 6) area of gluteus medius anterior to the reference point (URAREA). A stepwise regression was performed to develop models to predict percent retail product from the four primals based on carcass measures or ultrasound measures, and comparisons were made between the models. Significant measures (P < 0.001) for the carcass data were CFAT, KPH, and CREA with a model R = 0.297. Significant measures (P < 0.001) for the ultrasound data were UFAT, UREA, SCANWT, URDEPTH with a model R = 0.448. This study also validated 10 equations which had been either previously reported (n = 8), or modified (n = 2) from a previously reported equation to predict percent retail