Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The outcome of olfactory impairment in patients with otherwise paucisymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 during the pandemic

Abstract Objective This study aimed to measure the duration and recovery rate of olfactory loss in patients complaining of recent smell loss as their prominent symptom during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. Method This was a prospective telephone follow-up observational study of 243 participants who completed an online survey that started on 12 March 2020. Results After a mean of 5.5 months from the loss of smell onset, 98.3 per cent of participants reported improvement with a 71.2 per cent complete recovery rate after a median of 21 days. The chance of complete recovery significantly decreased after 131 days from the onset of loss of smell (100 per cent sensitive and 97.7 per cent specific). Younger age and isolated smell loss were associated with a rapid recovery, whereas accompanying rhinological and gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with longer loss of smell duration. Conclusion Smell loss, occurring as a prominent symptom during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, showed a favourable outcome. However, after 5.5 months from the onset, around 10 per cent of participants still complained of moderate or severe hyposmia.
Intervention Strategies and Lessons Learned From a Student-Led Initiative to Support Lactating Women in the University Setting

The benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby are strongly supported by research. However, lactating parents who return to school or work soon after delivery face many barriers to continued breastfeeding. This article presents a student-led initiative to support lactation at a large public university that emerged from advocacy efforts of student mothers of color. The socioecological model was used as a framework to understand and address the multifaceted influences on breastfeeding practices. Project activities included providing breastfeeding education to lactating parents and their partners, measuring availability and accessibility of lactation spaces, improving lactation spaces, connecting university stakeholders, and strengthening university lactation policies. The project achieved the following outcomes: formation of a stakeholder group with members across campus departments, improvement in accessibility and appropriateness of lactation spaces, provision of breastfeeding services through workshops and one-on-one appointments with lactation educators, and creation and dissemination of an online toolkit outlining parents’ lactation rights and support available on campus. Comprehensive lactation support at universities is essential to enhance educational and professional equity for women and to promote postpartum and infant health. Throughout the project implementation, the team learned many lessons that can help guide similar university initiatives.
Investigating Self-Care Agency and Well-Being of Elderly People

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between self-care agency and well-being perceptions of elderly people and to reveal whether or not self-care agency and well-being differ based on some socio-demographic characteristics. In the study, the data were collected by using Self-Care Agency Scale and WHO-5 Well-Being Scale from 394 elderly individuals residing in the city center of Burdur province between November and December 2019. In data analysis, descriptive statistical methods, one-way analysis of variance, two independent groups t-test, reliability analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis were used. The correlation analysis results of the study indicated that there was a positive and moderate correlation between self-care agency and well-being of the participants (r = 0.41). According to the regression analysis, participants’ perception on self-care agency accounted for 17.3% of total variance on well-being. According to this, increasing perceptions on self-care agency statistically increased well-being perceptions (t = 9.069; p < .001). In addition to, it was determined in the study, while participants’ well-being scores showed significant differences in terms of age groups, and their’ self-care agency and well-being scores showed statistically significant differences according to the educational level.
Bots and Misinformation Spread on Social Media: Implications for COVID-19

As of March 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been responsible for over 115 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide, resulting in over 2.5 million deaths. As the virus spread exponentially, so did its media coverage, resulting in a proliferation of conflicting information on social media platforms-a so-called "infodemic. " In this viewpoint, we survey past literature investigating the role of automated accounts, or "bots," in spreading such misinformation, drawing connections to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also review strategies used by bots to spread (mis)information and examine the potential origins of bots. We conclude by conducting and presenting a secondary analysis of data sets of known bots in which we find that up to 66% of bots are discussing COVID-19. The proliferation of COVID-19 (mis)information by bots, coupled with human susceptibility to believing and sharing misinformation, may well impact the course of the pandemic.
Kappa distribution in the presence of a potential energy

The present paper develops the theory and formulations of the kappa distributions that describe particle systems characterized by a nonzero potential energy. As yet, kappa distributions were used for the statistical description of the velocity or kinetic energy of particles but not of the potential energy. With the results provided here, it is straightforward to use the developed kappa distributions to describe any particle population of space plasmas subject to a nonnegligible potential energy. Starting from the kappa distribution of the Hamiltonian function, we develop the distributions that describe either the complete phase space or the marginal spaces of positions and velocities. The study shows, among others: (a) The kappa distributions of velocities that describe space plasmas can be vastly different from the standard formulation of the kappa distribution, because of the presence of a potential energy; the correct formulation should be given by the marginal kappa distribution of velocities by integrating the distribution of the Hamiltonian over the potential energy. (b) The long‐standing problem of the divergence of the Boltzmannian exponential distribution for bounded radial potentials is solved using kappa distributions of negative kappa index. (c) Anisotropic distributions of velocities can exist in the presence of a velocity‐dependent potential. (d) A variety of applications, including derivations/verifications of the following: (i) the Jeans', the most frequent, and the maximum radii in spherical/linear gravitational potentials; (ii) the Virial theorem for power law potentials; (iii) the generalized barometric formula, (iv) the plasma density profiles in Saturnian magnetosphere, and (v) the average electron magnetic moment in Earth's magnetotail.
Pulmonary toxicity associated with occupational and environmental exposure to pesticides and herbicides

Purpose of review Critical review on the notion that exposure to pesticides and herbicides lead to adverse effects in pulmonary health. Recent findings The lung effects of several chemical classes of pesticides and herbicides is biologically plausible. However, the studies that describe the association between exposure and toxic lung effects have numerous limitations. Critical evaluation of the studies that are performed shows that assessment of occupational or environmental exposure to pesticides and herbicides is cumbersome. Moreover, the health effects are not always clearly established due to the use of questionnaires and self-reported data instead of lung function measurements or diagnostic work-up by physicians. Future studies should preferably better characterize the exposure. Genetic phenotyping should be included to understand and strengthen possible (individual) associations between exposure and health outcome. It should be realized that combined exposure to multiple environmental chemicals may lead to different health effects than exposure to individual chemicals. Summary The relation between exposure to pesticides and herbicides and lung toxicity is less clear than generally assumed. Adverse lung effects seem multifactorial and needs further research. Preventive measures remain key.
Secretory Leukocyte Proteinase Inhibitor Protects Acute Kidney Injury Through Immune and Non-Immune Pathways

ABSTRACT Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by rapid loss of excretory function and is the clinical manifestation of several disorders affecting the kidney. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of action of Secretory Leukocyte Proteinase Inhibitor (SLPI) that protects the kidneys form AKI. In vivo and in vitro experiments were performed to assess the effect of SLPI on kidney injury. Animal models of kidney injury was generated by 40 min obstruction of kidney artery and vein (ischemia-reperfusion injury model) or daily administration of 60 mg/kg/day of gentamicine for 5 day (gentamicin-associated AKI model). For in vitro assessment, human renal epithelium HK-2 cells were cultured under serum starvation conditions or with tacrolimus. The administration of SLPI (250 μg/kg, i.p.) reduced elevated plasma creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels, tissue myeloperoxidase content, and acute tubular necrosis induced by kidney damage. Furthermore, SLPI treatment reduced CD86, CD68, CD14, CCL2, TNFα, and IL-10 transcripts in kidney biopsies. To further analyze a direct effect of SLPI on renal epithelial cells, HK-2 cells from human renal epithelium were cultured under serum starvation conditions or with tacrolimus. Both conditions induced apoptosis of HK-2 cells which was reduced when SLPI was present in the culture medium. Furthermore, SLPI favored the proliferation and migration of HK-2 cells. An analysis of the gene profiles of HK-2 cells treated with calcineurin inhibitors affected inflammatory and non-inflammatory pathways that were reversed by SLPI. Among them, SLPI down modulated the expression of CCL2, SLC5A3, and BECN1 but up-regulated the expression of TLR4, ATF4, ATF6, HSP90B, BBC3 SLC2A1, and TNFRSF10B. Overall, these results suggest that SLPI, in addition to its activity on immune cells, may directly target tubular epithelial cells of the kidney to mediate the nephroprotective activity in AKI.
Exploration of the minimum visual disability criteria for Para nordic and Para alpine skiing using simulated vision impairments

ABSTRACT The International Paralympic Committee Classification Code requires sports to develop evidence-based, sports-specific classification systems. This project aimed to determine the minimum eligibility criteria for Para nordic and Para alpine skiing by simulating vision impairments and measuring the impact of the impairments on performance in twenty-two nordic (28.09 ± 9.68 years; 16 male) and eleven alpine (37.91 ± 18.9 years, 11 male) able-sighted skiers. Eight visual acuity (VA)/contrast sensitivity (CS) (Cambridge Simulation Glasses, University of Cambridge) and six visual field (VF) impairments (bespoke goggles; University of Waterloo) were simulated. VA, CS and VF were measured in each participant before they completed an on-snow session, skiing short competition-style courses with each of the 14 simulated impairments in a randomized order. Clear goggle (no impairment) trials were used as controls. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and decision tree analyses were conducted to determine the optimum VA, CS and VF cut-offs for classifying performance based on differences from baseline in real time. Moderate impairments in VA, CS and VF negatively affect skiing performance. The recommended cut-off criteria based on both analyses were VA ≥0.90 logMAR and ≤48% VF extent for nordic and VA of ≥0.60 logMAR and VF extent of ≤59.0% for alpine.
Factors Predisposing to Post Dural Puncture Headache in Children

Background: Knowledge of the factors that predispose to postdural puncture headache in children may help reduce the occurrence of this complication. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study of children who presented to the study institution between 2010 and 2018 was conducted. Children were divided into 2 groups: those who experienced postdural puncture headache and those who did not. The 2 groups were compared with respect to certain demographic, technical, and personnel-related factors. Only children who had opening pressure documented during the procedure were included in the core study group. Results: In univariate analysis, children aged ≥10 years, female gender, children with higher body mass index, standard blinded lumbar puncture procedure, use of sedation, higher opening pressure, and presence of pseudotumor cerebri increased the probability of postdural puncture headache. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, presence of pseudotumor cerebri was the only factor that attained statistical significance when the opening pressure was measured and documented. Conclusions: The risk factors for postdural puncture headache in a pediatric cohort varied from risk factors that are classically implicated in adults.
Type of Architecture, Presence of Punctate Necrosis, and Extent of Involvement in Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia Can Predict the Diagnosis of Breast Carcinoma on Excision: A Clinicopathologic Study of 143 Cases

The literature shows a wide range in the frequencies of finding breast carcinoma in the excised specimens following a biopsy diagnosis of atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), likely due to a poor diagnostic reproducibility among different pathologists as well as an inherent heterogeneity in ADH. We evaluated whether histologic subtyping of ADH would help predict the risk of breast carcinoma. Our study consisted of 143 cases of ADH diagnosed by core needle biopsy and followed by excision. Of these, 54 cases (37.8%) showed carcinoma in the excised specimens (47 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ alone, 3 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma alone, and 4 cases of mixed invasive ductal carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ). We arbitrarily divided ADH into two subtypes: type A was considered when one or more ducts were completely replaced by low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ type cells but the lesion was <2 mm and type B was considered when one or more ducts were partially involved by low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ type cells regardless of lesion size. Type A was associated with a significantly higher frequency of breast carcinoma (63.6%) than type B (30.0%). ADH containing punctate necrosis showed a higher association of carcinoma (66.7%) compared to those without necrosis (35.1%). Within type B ADH, involvement of 3 or more foci had a higher frequency of carcinoma (50.0%) than involvement of fewer foci (26.6%). These histologic features of ADH may prove useful in predicting the likelihood of breast carcinoma and provide helpful information for patient's management.
Invariability of EEG error-related potentials during continuous feedback protocols elicited by erroneous actions at predicted or unpredicted states

Objective. When humans perceive an erroneous action, an EEG error-related potential (ErrP) is elicited as a neural response. ErrPs have been largely investigated in discrete feedback protocols, where actions are executed at discrete steps, to enable seamless brain-computer interaction. However, there are only a few studies that investigate ErrPs in continuous feedback protocols. The objective of the present study is to better understand the differences between two types of ErrPs elicited during continuous feedback protocols, where errors may occur either at predicted or unpredicted states. We hypothesize that ErrPs of the unpredicted state is associated with longer latency as it requires higher cognitive workload to evaluate actions compared to the predicted states. Approach. Participants monitored the trajectory of an autonomous cursor that occasionally made erroneous actions on its way to the target in two conditions, namely, predicted or unpredicted states. After characterizing the ErrP waveform elicited by erroneous actions in the two conditions, we performed single-trial decoding of ErrPs in both synchronous (i.e. time-locked to the onset of the erroneous action) and asynchronous manner. Furthermore, we explored the possibility to transfer decoders built with data of one of the conditions to the other condition. Main results. As hypothesized, erroneous actions at unpredicted states gave rise to ErrPs with higher latency than erroneous actions at predicted states, a correlate of higher cognitive effort in the former condition. Moreover, ErrP decoders trained in a given condition successfully transferred to the other condition with a slight loss of classification performance. This was the case for synchronous as well as asynchronous ErrP decoding, showing the invariability of ErrPs across conditions. Significance. These results advance the characterization of ErrPs during continuous feedback protocols, enlarging the potential use of ErrPs during natural operation of brain-controlled devices as it is not necessary to have different decoders for each kind of erroneous conditions.
Upper Respiratory Tract Co-detection of Human Endemic Coronaviruses and High-density Pneumococcus Associated With Increased Severity Among HIV-Uninfected Children Under 5 Years Old in the PERCH Study

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Severity of viral respiratory illnesses can be increased with bacterial coinfection and can vary by sex, but influence of coinfection and sex on human endemic coronavirus (CoV) species, which generally cause mild to moderate respiratory illness, is unknown. We evaluated CoV and pneumococcal co-detection by sex in childhood pneumonia. Methods: In the 2011–2014 Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health study, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal (NP/OP) swabs and other samples were collected from 3981 children <5 years hospitalized with severe or very severe pneumonia in 7 countries. Severity by NP/OP detection status of CoV (NL63, 229E, OC43 or HKU1) and high-density (≥6.9 log10 copies/mL) pneumococcus (HDSpn) by real-time polymerase chain reaction was assessed by sex using logistic regression adjusted for age and site. Results: There were 43 (1.1%) CoV+/HDSpn+, 247 CoV+/HDSpn−, 449 CoV−/HDSpn+ and 3149 CoV−/HDSpn− cases with no significant difference in co-detection frequency by sex (range 51.2%–64.0% male, P = 0.06). More CoV+/HDSpn+ pneumonia was very severe compared with other groups for both males (13/22, 59.1% versus range 29.1%–34.7%, P = 0.04) and females (10/21, 47.6% versus 32.5%–43.5%, P = 0.009), but only male CoV+/HDSpn+ required supplemental oxygen more frequently (45.0% versus 20.6%–28.6%, P < 0.001) and had higher mortality (35.0% versus 5.3%–7.1%, P = 0.004) than other groups. For females with CoV+/HDSpn+, supplemental oxygen was 25.0% versus 24.8%–33.3% (P = 0.58) and mortality was 10.0% versus 9.2%–12.9% (P = 0.69). Conclusions: Co-detection of endemic CoV and HDSpn was rare in children hospitalized with pneumonia, but associated with higher severity and mortality in males. Findings may warrant investigation of differences in severity by sex with co-detection of HDSpn and SARS-CoV-2.
THEORETICAL FEEDBACK ANALYSIS IN BOILING WATER REACTORS

The dynamic behavior of boiling-water reactors for small perturbations was investigated in a systematic way. General expressions for the transfer functions associated with the individual feedback mechanisms were obtained for an arbitrary flux distribution, weighting function, and steam velocity distribution. Specific forms were derived in the case of a first power flux weighting, a uniform steam velocity distribution, and a sinusoidal flux distribution with an adjustable wave length. These forms were simplified and single time-constant transfer functions were obtained. The error involved in the lumped time-constant approximation was shown to be as large as 4 db in amplitude in certain feedback mechanisms. Theoretical results were applied to the experimental power-void transfer function obtained at Ramo-Wooldridge Research Laboratory, and to the EBWR transfer function. In the former case, the agreement was found to be reasonably good, but yet more systematic experimental data were needed to reach a definite conclusion as to the validity of the proposed model, which assumes a time lag associated with steam formation and a steam perturbation speed greater than the steady-state steam velocity. In the second application, the agreement between the experimental and calculated reactor responses was proved to be better than 5 db in amplitude and 10 deg in phase, in the entire frequency range from 0.01 to 100 rad/sec. (auth)
Modelling the transformation of organic materials in soil with nuclear magnetic resonance spectra

Changes in the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) compartments that result from the addition of organic material (OM) to the soil are predicted by the transformation of added OM (TAO) model with three parameters: very labile (P′L) and stable (PS) fractions of the OM and the rate of remineralization (kremin) of nitrogen immobilized by microorganisms. We propose relations between P′L, PS, kremin and various chemical groups in the OM identified by their 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. The aromatic content increased the predicted PS in accordance with published results. The O‐aromatic content also increased PS, but much less so than the aromatic content. The carboxyl content decreased PS and increased P′L as in the TAO model based on infrared spectrometry. The carbonyl content decreased P′L, whereas di‐O‐alkyl increased P′L. The chemical composition of the population of decomposer organisms did not appear to be homeostatic, but was related rather to the composition of the substrate: kremin was positively correlated with the carboxyl and di‐O‐alkyl content and negatively correlated with the alkyl content. Solid state 13C NMR spectroscopy gave better predictions of the transformations that resulted from adding OM than biochemical fractionation and near infrared reflectance spectrometry (NIRS). It is fast and non‐destructive and provides new insights into the processes that control decomposition for research into waste recycling, agro‐ecology and climate change.
The effects of folate and iron deficiency followed by supplementation on blood morphology and inflammation biomarkers in rats.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the relation between iron and folic acid (FA) supplementation and inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of iron and folate deficiency and supplementation on blood morphology parameters, and to assess the role of iron and folate transporters in inflammation. METHODS A four-week period of FA and iron deficiency in Wistar rats was followed by randomization into a group fed with a diet deficient in FA and supplemented with Fe (DFE), a group fed a diet deficient in Fe and supplemented with FA (DFOL), a group fed a diet supplemented with Fe and FA (FEFOL), a group fed a diet deficient in Fe and FA (D), and a group fed a control diet (C). The blood Crp concentration and blood count were determined. The expression of SLC11A2, SLC46A1, SLC19A1, and TFR2 proteins was assessed using the western blot method. RESULTS After ten days on the experimental diets, the rats in the DFOL group had a 21% higher concentration of white blood cells (WBC) than the FEFOL group did (p < 0.05). We did not observe any differences between the groups in terms of C-reactive protein (Crp) concentration. We also did not find any other differences between the groups in other morphological parameters. Analysis of the correlation between blood count parameters and the expression of iron and folate transporters gave conflicting results. CONCLUSIONS To conclude, iron and folate supplementation may affect WBC concentration in the blood.