Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Leukocyte-Rich Platelet-Rich Plasma Is Predominantly Anti-inflammatory Compared With Leukocyte-Poor Platelet-Rich Plasma in Patients With Mild-Moderate Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective, Descriptive Laboratory Study

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been used extensively in clinical practice to treat patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA). Leukocyte-poor PRP (LP-PRP) has been clinically preferred over leukocyte-rich PRP (LR-PRP); however, it is unclear which cytokine mediators of pain and inflammation are present in LR-PRP and LP-PRP from patients with mild to moderate knee OA in order to rationalize a specific formulation. Hypothesis: LP-PRP would be predominantly anti-inflammatory and have reduced nociceptive pain mediators compared with LR-PRP from the same individual with mild to moderate knee OA. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 24 unique samples of PRP were prepared in order to assess 48 samples of LR-PRP and LP-PRP taken from 12 patients (6 male and 6 female) with symptomatic knee OA of Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 to 3. Patients underwent blood collection for LR-PRP and LP-PRP preparation through a double-spin protocol to obtain baseline whole blood, platelet concentration, and white blood cell subtypes. LR-PRP and LP-PRP from the same patient were produced at the same time and underwent a comprehensive panel through Luminex (multicytokine profiling) to assess key mediators of inflammation: interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), interleukin 4, 6, 8, and 10 (IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10), IL-1β, tissue necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9). To assess mediators of nociceptive pain, nerve growth factor (NGF) and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase 5 (TRAP5) were also assessed. Results: LR-PRP from patients with mild to moderate knee OA expressed significantly more IL-1Ra, IL-4, IL-8, and MMP-9 compared with LP-PRP formulations from the same patients. No significant differences were found between LR-PRP and LP-PRP in mediators of nociceptive pain—namely, NGF and TRAP5. Other mediators including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 were also found to have no significant expression differences between LR-PRP and LP-PRP. Conclusion: LR-PRP expressed significantly more IL-1Ra, IL-4, and IL-8, suggesting that LR-PRP may be more anti-inflammatory than LP-PRP. MMP-9 was expressed in higher concentrations in LR-PRP, suggesting that LR-PRP may be more chondrotoxic than LP-PRP. Clinical Relevance: LR-PRP was found to have a robust expression of anti-inflammatory mediators compared with LP-PRP and may be beneficial to patients with long-term knee OA where chronic low-grade inflammation is present. Mechanistic clinical trials are needed to elucidate the key mediators in both LR-PRP and LP-PRP to assess their effect on long-term progression of knee OA.
Properties and zeros of 3F2 hypergeometric functions

In this thesis, our primary interest lies in the investigation of the location of the zeros and the asymptotic zero distribution of hypergeometric polynomials. The location of the zeros and the asymptotic zero distribution of general hypergeometric polynomials are linked with those of the classical orthogonal polynomials in some cases, notably 2F1 and 1F1 hypergeometric polynomials which have been extensively studied. In the case of 3F2 polynomials, less is known about their properties, including the location of their zeros, because there is, in general, no direct link with orthogonal polynomials. Our introduction in Chapter 1 outlines known results in this area and we also review recent papers dealing with the location of the zeros of 2F1 and 1F1 hypergeometric polynomials. In Chapter 2, we consider two classes of 3F2 hypergeometric polynomials, each of which has a representation in terms of 2F1 polynomials. Our first result proves that the class of polynomials 3F2(−n, a, b; a−1, d; x), a, b, d ∈ R, n ∈ N is quasi-orthogonal of order 1 on an interval that varies with the values of the real parameters b and d. We deduce the location of (n−1) of its zeros and discuss the apparent role played by the parameter a with regard to the location of the one remaining zero of this class of polynomials. We also prove results on the location of the zeros of the classes 3F2(−n, b, b−n 2 ; b−n, b−n−1 2 ; x), b ∈ R, n ∈ N and 3F2 ( −n, b, b−n 2 + 1; b − n, b−n+1 2 ; x ) , n ∈ N, b ∈ R by using the orthogonality and quasi-orthogonality of factors involved in its represenii tation. We use Mathematica to plot the zeros of these 3F2 hypergeometric polynomials for different values of n as well as for different ranges of the parameters. The numerical data is consistent with the results we have proved. The Euler integral representation of the 2F1 Gauss hypergeometric function is well known and plays a prominent role in the derivation of transformation identities and in the evaluation of 2F1(a, b; c; 1), among other applications (cf. [1], p.65). The general p+kFq+k hypergeometric function has an integral representation (cf. [37], Theorem 38) where the integrand involves pFq. In Chapter 3, we give a simple and direct proof of an Euler integral representation for a special class of q+1Fq functions for q ≥ 2. The values of certain 3F2 and 4F3 functions at x = 1, some of which can be derived using other methods, are deduced from our integral formula. In Chapter 4, we prove that the zeros of 2F1 ( −n, n+1 2 ; n+3 2 ; z ) asymptotically approach the section of the lemniscate { z : |z(1 − z)2| = 4 27 ; Re(z) > 1 3 } as n → ∞. In recent papers (cf. [31], [32], [34], [35]), Mart́ınez-Finkelshtein and Kuijlaars and their co-authors have used Riemann-Hilbert methods to derive the asymptotic distribution of Jacobi polynomials P (αn,βn) n when the limits A = lim n→∞ αn n and B = lim n→∞ βn n exist and lie in the interior of certain specified regions in the AB-plane. Our result corresponds to one of the transitional or boundary cases for Jacobi polynomials in the Kuijlaars Mart́ınez-Finkelshtein classification.
Foveal to peripheral extrapolation of facial emotion

Peripheral vision is characterized by poor resolution. Recent evidence from brightness perception suggests that missing information is filled out with information at fixation. Here we show a novel filling-out mechanism: when participants are presented with a crowd of faces, the perceived emotion of faces in peripheral vision is biased towards the emotion of the face at fixation. This mechanism is particularly important in social situations where people often need to perceive the overall mood of a crowd. Some faces in the crowd are more likely to catch people's attention and be looked at directly, while others are only seen peripherally. Our findings suggest that the perceived emotion of these peripheral faces, and the overall perceived mood of the crowd, is biased by the emotions of the faces that people look at directly.
Goodness-of-fit Tests for Ordinal Response Regression Models

SUMMARY In this paper, goodness-of-fit test statistics for ordinal regression models are proposed, which have approximate X2-distributions when the model has been correctly specified. The statistics proposed can be viewed as extensions of the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic to ordinal categorical data and can be easily calculated by using existing statistical software for analysing ordinal response data The methods are illustrated by using data from an arthritis clinical trial comparing the drug auranofin and placebo therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, in which the response is a self-assessment of arthritis, classified as poor, fair and good. The covariates of interest are age, gender, treatment and base-line response. A proportional odds model is fitted to the data, and the proposed goodness-of-fit statistics are applied to the fitted model. Also, the small sample properties of the proposed goodness-of-fit statistics are compared in a simulation study.
Longitudinal course of endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamines in hair of mothers and their children in the first year postpartum: investigating the relevance of maternal childhood maltreatment experiences

Abstract Background Childhood maltreatment (CM) exerts long-lasting psychological and biological alterations in affected individuals and might also affect the endocannabinoid (eCB) system which modulates inflammation and the endocrine stress response. Here, we investigated the eCB system of women with and without CM and their infants using hair samples representing eCB levels accumulated during the last trimester of pregnancy and 10–12 months postpartum. Methods CM exposure was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. At both timepoints, 3 cm hair strands were collected from mothers and children (N = 170 resp. 150) to measure anandamide (AEA), 2/1-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG/1-AG), stearoylethanolamide (SEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Results Maternal hair levels of 2-AG/1-AG increased and SEA levels decreased from late pregnancy to one year postpartum. Maternal CM was associated with lower SEA levels in late pregnancy, but not one year later. In the children's hair, levels of 2-AG/1-AG increased while levels of SEA, OEA, and PEA decreased from late pregnancy to one year later. Maternal CM was not consistently associated with the eCB levels measured in children's hair. Conclusions We provide first evidence for longitudinal change in the eCB system of mothers and infants from pregnancy to one year later. While maternal CM influenced the maternal eCB system, we found no consistent intergenerational effects on early regulation of the eCB system in children. Longitudinal research on the importance of the eCB system for the course and immunoregulation of pregnancy as well as for the children's development.
Genomic Characterization of Mycoplasma arginini Isolated from a Housefly on a Dairy Farm and Comparison with Isolates from Bovine Milk and Lung Tissue

It is critical to control the spread of bovine mastitis caused by Mycoplasma spp. , as this disease can be highly contagious and have a severe economic impact on affected dairies. A better understanding of possible transmission routes is crucial for infection control and prevention. ABSTRACT Mycoplasma mastitis can be highly contagious, unresponsive to treatment, and cause severe economic problems in affected herds. Notable routes of Mycoplasma spp. transmissions are contaminated milking equipment and animal contact through respiratory secretions. Only a few studies report the environment as a possible source of infection. Our group studied the presence of pathogens in houseflies (Musca domestica) in a New York State dairy in the United States. Among others, a Mycoplasma spp. was found in the gut of a housefly captured in the sick pen and identified as M. arginini. Here, we characterized its genome and investigated its relatedness with eight isolates from milk, one isolate from lung tissue collected in the same dairy, and five other dairies in New York State. We applied whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene and 76 conserved proteins. We also assessed an in silico virulence profile by considering a panel of 94 putative virulence genes. As a result of the genome analysis, the housefly M. arginini isolate was highly similar to the milk isolates; interestingly, the similarity was highest with M. arginini isolated from milk on the same dairy farm where the housefly was captured. The housefly and milk M. arginini isolates possessed 54 of the 94 pathogenicity genes considered. Our data support the hypothesis that houseflies are carriers of Mycoplasma spp. and can be considered within the possible roots of environmental transmission of infection in dairy cows. Nevertheless, M. arginini pathogenicity will need to be investigated with dedicated studies. IMPORTANCE It is critical to control the spread of bovine mastitis caused by Mycoplasma spp. , as this disease can be highly contagious and have a severe economic impact on affected dairies. A better understanding of possible transmission routes is crucial for infection control and prevention. Based on our data, the composite milk isolates are genetically similar to the housefly isolate. This provides evidence that the same Mycoplasma species found in milk and associated with mastitis can also be isolated from houseflies captured in the dairy environment.
Association between Urine Albumin-to-creatinine Ratio and Intracranial Atherosclerotic Plaque in Chinese Adults - Results from the PRECISE Study

Aims: Intracranial plaque may cause stroke in the absence of luminal stenosis. Although urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) has been proved an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke and carotid atherosclerosis, little is known on the relationship between urine ACR and intracranial plaque. Methods: Subjects with history of stroke or coronary heart disease (CHD) were excluded in the PRECISE study. The intracranial plaque was assessed by vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subjects were stratified according to ACR tertiles. Logistic regression and ordinal regression were performed to analyze the association between ACR and the presence of intracranial plaque or sum of the stenosis score for each artery. Results: 2962 individuals were included with the mean age of 61.0±6.6 years. The median ACR was 11.7mg/g (interquartile range 7.0-22.0 mg/g), and the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on combination of creatinine and cystatin C was 88.5±14.8 ml/min·1.73m2. 495 (16.7%) participants had intracranial plaque. The highest ACR tertile with ACR ＞16.00mg/g was independently associated with the presence of intracranial plaque (OR 1.38, 95% CI: 1.05-1.82,p=0.02) and the odds of higher intracranial plaque burden (common OR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.05-1.83,p=0.02) after adjustment of confounding factors. No significant association was observed between eGFR and intracranial plaque presence or intracranial plaque burden. Conclusions: Among a low-risk community-dwelling population without prior stroke or CHD in China, ACR was independently associated with intracranial plaque presence and plaque burden measured by vessel wall MRI.
Long-Term Morphological Changes in Simulated Supercells Following Mergers with Nascent Supercells in Directionally Varying Shear

AbstractMergers involving supercells remain a challenge for severe thunderstorm forecasting. In this study, mergers between supercells and ordinary cells (e.g., cells forming in a similar environment but too young to be fully developed supercells) are investigated. A series of numerical experiments are performed using an idealized, homogenous environment supportive of cyclonically rotating, right-moving supercells. Warm bubbles are introduced at different times, resulting in two storms of different maturity; their placement is used to control the location of the merger and the relative maturity of the second storm. Simplified conceptual models for the long-term outcomes of mergers are developed. In the simplest mode of merger, outflow from the new cell cuts off inflow to the original. If the new cell’s cold pool is not sufficiently strong to cut off the inflow to the original cell, the minimum separation of the updraft maxima during the merger becomes a key controlling factor in the outcome. If it is less.
Sexual Coercion and Harassment of Students with Disabilities in a Public University in Ghana

Abstract There is limited literature on sexual coercion/harassment of university students with disabilities, hence we, explored this phenomenon in Ghana, using a sequential explanatory-mixed method design that involved 119 (62 males and 57 females) students with various disabilities in the quantitative study and 12 (7 females and 5 males) students in the qualitative phase using questionnaire and interview guide for data collection respectively. We found that participants were not aware of the university’s sexual coercion/harassment policy nor involved in its formulation/dissemination. Persistently asking for sexual relationships, pressurized for outings, attempted/forced kissing, being sexually looked at, engaging in uncomfortable sexual conversations, and sexually provocative touch were common. The main perpetrators of these acts included physically able people (24.4%), colleagues with disabilities (14.3%), and Lecturers/Administrative staff (10.9%). We recommend policies and programs’ strengthening to protect students with disabilities from such unwarranted acts.
Lift and the leading-edge vortex

Abstract Flapping wings often feature a leading-edge vortex (LEV) that is thought to enhance the lift generated by the wing. Here the lift on a wing featuring a leading-edge vortex is considered by performing experiments on a translating flat-plate aerofoil that is accelerated from rest in a water towing tank at a fixed angle of attack of 15°. The unsteady flow is investigated with dye flow visualization, particle image velocimetry (PIV) and force measurements. Leading- and trailing-edge vortex circulation and position are calculated directly from the velocity vectors obtained using PIV. In order to determine the most appropriate value of bound circulation, a two-dimensional potential flow model is employed and flow fields are calculated for a range of values of bound circulation. In this way, the value of bound circulation is selected to give the best fit between the experimental velocity field and the potential flow field. Early in the trajectory, the value of bound circulation calculated using this potential flow method is in accordance with Kelvin’s circulation theorem, but differs from the values predicted by Wagner’s growth of bound circulation and the Kutta condition. Later the Kutta condition is established but the bound circulation remains small; most of the circulation is contained instead in the LEVs. The growth of wake circulation can be approximated by Wagner’s circulation curve. Superimposing the non-circulatory lift, approximated from the potential flow model, and Wagner’s lift curve gives a first-order approximation of the measured lift. Lift is generated by inertial effects and the slow buildup of circulation, which is contained in shed vortices rather than bound circulation.
The EUV helium spectrum in the quiet Sun: A by-product of coronal emission?

In this paper we test one of the mechanisms proposed to explain the intensities and other observed properties of the solar helium spectrum, and in particular of its Extreme-Ultraviolet (EUV) resonance lines. The so-called Photoionisation- Recombination (P-R) mechanism involves photoionisation of helium atoms and ions by EUV coronal radiation, followed by recombination cascades. We present calibrated measurements of EUV flux obtained with the two CDS spectrometers on board SOHO, in quiescent solar regions. We were able to obtain an essentially complete estimate of the total photoionising flux in the wavelength range below 504 A (the photoionisation threshold for Hei), as well as simultaneous measurements with the same instruments of the intensities of the strongest EUV Hei and Heii lines: Hei584, Hei537, and Heii304. We find that there are not enough EUV ionising photons to account for the observed helium line intensities. More specifically, we conclude that Heii intensities cannot be explained by the P-R mechanism alone. Our results, however, leave open the possibility that the He i spectrum could be formed by the P-R mechanism, with the Heii304 line as a significant photoionisating source.
Increased Burden of Second Bladder Cancer and Rectal Cancer in Prostate Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy: Results From Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results

Background Previous studies have confirmed the higher risk of bladder cancer (BC) and rectal cancer (RC) development among prostate cancer (PCa) patients receiving radiotherapy. In this study, we intend to explore the long-term trend in second BC and RC incidence among PCa patients undergoing radiotherapy. Method We identified first primary PCa patients diagnosed between 1975 and 2014 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-9 cancer registries. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated by calendar year of diagnosis among PCa patients receiving radiotherapy and not. P trends were evaluated using Poisson regression. 10-year cumulative incidence of BC and RC was calculated utilizing competing risk regression model. Result Of PCa patients treated with radiotherapy, SIRs of BC increased from . 82 (95% CI: .35- 1.61) in 1980–1984 to 1.58 (95% CI: 1.48–1.68) in 2010-2014 (Ptrend=.003). SIRs of RC increased from 1.01 (95% CI: .27-2.58) in 1980–1984 to 1.54 (95% CI: 1.31–1.81) in 2010-2014 (Ptrend=.025). No statistically significant change in both BC and RC incidence was observed. The 10-year cumulative incidence of BC increased from 1975–1984 (.04%) to 2005–2014 (.15%) among PCa treated with radiotherapy. Simultaneously, the 10-year cumulative incidence of RC was demonstrated to range from 1975–1984 (.02%) to 2005–2014 (.11%). Conclusion we have observed an increasing trend in second BC and RC incidence in PCa patients receiving radiotherapy. There was no significant change in the incidence of second BC and RC in PCa without radiotherapy. These results reflect the increasing clinical burden of second malignant tumors in PCa patients undergoing radiotherapy.