Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dependence of solar wind speed on the local magnetic field orientation: Role of Alfvénic fluctuations

We report an analysis of correlations between magnetic field and velocity fluctuations in the fast solar wind beyond 1 AU at high latitudes. We have found that on scales shorter than the microstream structures, there exists a well‐defined dependence of the flow speed on the angle between the magnetic field vector and the radial direction. Solar wind is found to be slightly faster when the measured magnetic field vector is transverse to the velocity, while it is always slower when the magnetic field is parallel, or antiparallel, to the radial direction. We show that this correlation is a direct consequence of the high Alfvénicity of fast wind fluctuations and that it can be reasonably described by a simple model taking into account the main properties of the low‐frequency antisunward Alfvén fluctuations as observed in the solar wind plasma. We also discuss how switchbacks, short periods of magnetic field reversals, naturally fit in this new observed correlation.
Quantitative and qualitative workload assessment in steep terrain forest operations: fostering a safer work environment through yarder automation

Abstract Many forestry roles have changed from being manual tasks with a high physical workload to being a machine operator task with a high mental workload. Automation can support a decrease in mental fatigue by removing tasks that are repetitive and monotonous for the operators. Cable yarding presents an ideal opportunity for early adoption of automation technology; specifically the carriage movement along a defined corridor. A Valentini V-850 cable yarder was used in an Italian harvesting setting, in order to gauge the ergonomic benefit of carriage control automation. The study showed that automating yarder carriage movements improved the ergonomic situation of the workers directly involved in the related primary tasks. However, the caveat is that improving one work task may negatively affect the other work tasks, and therefore introducing automation to a worksite must be done after considering all impacts on the whole system. Practitioner summary: Automation decreased the winch operator’s mental workload while improving overall productivity. At the same time, the mental and physiological workload of the operator tasked with bucking were slightly increased. Ideally, winch automation should be coupled with bucking mechanisation to balance the intervention and boost both operator well-being and productivity.
Triglyceride lipolysis triggers liquid crystalline phases in lipid droplets and alters the LD proteome

Lipid droplets (LDs) can exhibit liquid crystalline sterol-esters in vivo, but the mechanisms governing this are unclear. Rogers et al. describe how yeast glucose restriction drives triglyceride lipolysis that promotes liquid crystalline phase transitions within LDs. They also investigate how these phase transitions alter the LD proteome.
Instabilities in evolved super- and hypergiants

Observations of A through M-Type Super- and Hypergiants and Related Groups of Stars Interpretation of the Data (12 papers). Super- and Hypergiant Masers and Related Phenomena in Extreme Red Objects The Relationship between Masers, Dust and Atmospheric or Envelope Instabilities (7 papers). Waves and Instabilities Static and Dynamic Models of the Atmospheres and Envelopes of Evolved Super- and Hypergiants (14 papers). Evolutionary Aspects Connections between Internal and Atmospheric Instabilities Stellar Pulsations (9 papers). Conclusions. Summary (H.J.G.L.M. Lamers). Indices: Authors, Subjects, Types of Stars, Stars.
HIV status disclosure and antiretroviral therapy adherence among children in Masaka region, Uganda

HIV-infected children are now living into adolescence and early adulthood in large numbers due to the availability and increased use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, receipt of HIV status disclosure among children remains low. We assessed the association between disclosure of HIV status and adherence to ART among children in the Masaka region of Uganda using multivariable logistic regression with generalised linear models with Poisson log-link function and robust variance in Stata software version 15.1. Data were collected from 524 assenting children aged 12–17 years between March and December 2020. Results show that, although not statistically significant, children who received disclosure of their HIV status reported improved ART adherence compared to children with no disclosure. Out-of-school children with post-primary education and children on first-line ART regimens were significantly more likely to report improved ART in both crude and adjusted analyses. Innovative interventions to promote progressive disclosure of HIV status to children on ART, in school, are needed to improve their ART adherence. There is also a need to evaluate the suitability of current counselling interventions provided to children being switched to second-line ART regimens to delay the need for third-line ART regimens.
Elevated serum PAR‐1 levels as an emerging biomarker of inflammation to predict the dengue infection severity

The present study was designed to check the serum levels of protease‐activated receptor (PAR‐1) in patients during different phases of dengue severity. Moreover, a correlation between serum PAR‐1 levels and hematological parameters, inflammatory cytokine levels, and liver functional changes was also determined. Based on the World Health Organization criteria, the study population was divided into: nonsevere dengue fever (DF; n = 30), severe dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF; n = 19), and severe dengue shock syndrome (DSS; n = 11). The platelet count (PLT) and hematocrit (HCT) were analyzed using an automated hematology analyzer and liver function enzymes aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphate (ALP), bilirubin were checked by auto‐analyzer using diagnostic kits. Moreover, the levels of inflammatory mediators C‐reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), interleukin‐17 (IL‐17), and PAR‐1 were determined using respective ELISA kits. The HCT levels were elevated and platelet count decreased significantly during dengue complications (DHF and DSS) compared to the DF patients, while the levels of liver functional biomarkers AST, ALT, ALP, and bilirubin remained elevated in DHF and DSS groups than in the corresponding DF group. Similarly, the inflammatory cytokine levels of CRP, TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐17 in DHF and DSS subjects were markedly increased when observed against DF subjects. Notably, the PAR‐1 levels were significantly elevated in DHF and DSS groups than in the DF group and positively correlated with changes in HCT levels, inflammatory biomarkers, and liver enzymes. Our findings conclude that PAR‐1 levels persistently increased with the severity of the dengue infection and are strongly associated with various clinical manifestations. Thus, PAR‐1 levels can be used as a diagnostic marker for assessing dengue severity.
Do young people with neurological conditions in residential aged care use hospitals differently than those in the community? Evidence from Victorian hospital data, 2014–2017

Abstract This study describes the duration and reasons for hospitalisation for three cohorts of younger adults with neurological conditions who either used residential aged care (RAC) or lived in the community. Hospitalisations as a clinical event indicate conditions for which younger people in RAC may need support as they move into community‐based housing. Data describing 3 years of hospitalisations in Victorian public hospitals and emergency departments were used. The neurological conditions occurring among the three cohorts include (1) Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA), (2) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and (3) Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Frequency of hospitalisation, length of stay and leading causes of potentially preventable hospitalisations were examined. Two hundred and fifty‐two (2.7%) of 9333 patients hospitalised for these neurological conditions subsequently used RAC. Hospitalisations were more frequent for those using RAC compared to those living in the community for cohorts with CVA and TBI (6.26 vs. 2.65 events per person‐year for CVA and 4.34 vs. 1.88 for TBI) while hospitalisations were more frequent among those in the community compared to those using RAC for the cohort living with MS (3.62 vs. 5.35 per person‐year). However, for all the cohorts, the average length of acute hospital stays was longer among RAC users than among those in the community (19.6 vs. 6.2 days for CVA, 15.5 vs. 4.5 for TBI and 12.2 vs. 7.0 for MS). Leading causes for hospitalisation were complex comorbidities and changes in health status (such as seizures, ulcers, dehydration and cellulitis). Efforts should be made to design supports and proactively manage health needs leading to these hospitalisations.
Prognosis of Children Undergoing Liver Transplantation: A 30-Year European Study.

OBJECTIVES The European Liver Transplant Registry has been collecting data on virtually all pediatric liver transplant (PLT) procedures in Europe since 1968. We analyzed patient outcome over time and identified parameters associated with long-term patient outcome. METHODS Participating centers and European organ-sharing organizations provided retrospective data to the European Liver Transplant Registry. To identify trends, data were grouped into consecutive time spans: era A: before 2000, era B: 2000 to 2009, and the current era, era C: since 2010. RESULTS From June 1968 until December 2017, 16 641 PLT were performed on 14 515 children by 133 centers. The children <7 years of age represented 58% in era A, and 66% in the current era (P <.01). The main indications for PLT were congenital biliary diseases (44%) and metabolic diseases (18%). Patient survival at 5 years is currently 86% overall and 97% in children who survive the first year after PLT. The survival rate has improved from 74% in era A to 83% in era B and 85% in era C (P <.0001). Low-volume centers (<5 PLT/year) represented 75% of centers but performed only 19% of PLT and were associated with a decreased survival rate. In the current era, however, survival rates has become irrespective of volume. Infection is the leading cause of death (4.1%), followed by primary nonfunction of the graft (1.4%). CONCLUSIONS PLT has become a highly successful medical treatment that should be considered for all children with end-stage liver disease. The main challenge for further improving the prognosis remains the early postoperative period.
Improving RGB-D Salient Object Detection via Modality-Aware Decoder

Most existing RGB-D salient object detection (SOD) methods are primarily focusing on cross-modal and cross-level saliency fusion, which has been proved to be efficient and effective. However, these methods still have a critical limitation, i.e., their fusion patterns – typically the combination of selective characteristics and its variations, are too highly dependent on the network’s non-linear adaptability. In such methods, the balances between RGB and D (Depth) are formulated individually considering the intermediate feature slices, but the relation at the modality level may not be learned properly. The optimal RGB-D combinations differ depending on the RGB-D scenarios, and the exact complementary status is frequently determined by multiple modality-level factors, such as D quality, the complexity of the RGB scene, and degree of harmony between them. Therefore, given the existing approaches, it may be difficult for them to achieve further performance breakthroughs, as their methodologies belong to some methods that are somewhat less modality sensitive. To conquer this problem, this paper presents the Modality-aware Decoder (MaD). The critical technical innovations include a series of feature embedding, modality reasoning, and feature back-projecting and collecting strategies, all of which upgrade the widely-used multi-scale and multi-level decoding process to be modality-aware. Our MaD achieves competitive performance over other state-of-the-art (SOTA) models without using any fancy tricks in the decoder’s design. Codes and results will be publicly available at https://github.com/MengkeSong/MaD.
Effectiveness of 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Supplements on Favoring the Benign Estrogen Metabolism Pathway and Decreasing Body Fat in Premenopausal Women

Abstract The Estrogen Metabolites (2-hydroxyestrogens: 16α-hydroxyestrone) Urine Ratio (EMUR) has been negatively associated with breast cancer; Mexican women have a lower EMUR than other populations. We evaluated the effectiveness of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) supplementation on increasing EMUR in premenopausal women. A randomized, double-blind clinical trial (NCT02525159 at ClinicalTrial.gov) was carried out on 60 women with an EMUR below 0.9. Patients were assigned randomly to receive a placebo or 75 mg of DIM a day (administered as 300 mg of DIM-BR®) for 30 day. Urine samples were obtained at baseline, at 30 day of supplementation, and 30 day after finishing supplementation. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the EMUR; an ANOVA was used to analyze differences in body composition. EMUR was analyzed using ESTRAMET™ kits. While DIM-treated subjects did not increase their EMUR at 30 day of supplementation (p > 0.05), there was a non-significant positive trend 30 day once supplementation ended (p = 0.06). The DIM group saw a more significant decrease in body fat percentage than the placebo group (p = 0.04). In premenopausal Mexican women, 75 mg of the daily DIM supplement was ineffective in increasing EMUR; further studies are needed to evaluate the effective dosage, time frames, and effect on body fat.
Microneedle mediated transdermal delivery of β-sitosterol loaded nanostructured lipid nanoparticles for androgenic alopecia

Abstract Plant-derived 5 α-reductase inhibitors, such as β-sitosterol and phytosterol glycosides, have been used to treat androgenic alopecia, but their oral absolute bioavailability is poor. This study aimed to develop a transdermal drug delivery system of β-sitosterol (BS) using a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) incorporated into polymeric microneedles (MN). Using a high-speed homogenization method, NLC was formulated variables were optimized by Box-Behnken statistical design. The optimized formulation of BS-loaded NLCs was incorporated into the chitosan-based MNs to prepare NLC-loaded polymeric MNs (NLC-MNs) and evaluated using testosterone induced alopecia rats. The cumulative amount of β-sitosterol associated with NLC- MN which penetrated the rat skin in-vitro was 3612.27 ± 120.81 μg/cm2, while from the NLC preparation was 2402.35 ± 162.5 μg/cm2. The steady state flux (Jss) of NLC-MN was significantly higher than that of the optimized NLC formulation (P < 0.05). Anagen/telogen ratio was significantly affected by NLC and NLC-MN, which was 2.22 ± 0.34, 1.24 ± 0.18 respectively compared to 0.26 ± 0.08 for animal group treated with testosterone. The reversal of androgen-induced hair loss in animals treated with β-sitosterol was a sign of hair follicle dominance in the anagenic growth phase. However, NLC–MN delivery system has shown significant enhancement of hair growth in rats. From these experimental data, it can be concluded that NLC incorporated MN transdermal system have potential in effective treatment of androgenic alopecia. Graphical Abstract
Precision of Myocardial Blood Flow and Flow Reserve Measurement During CZT SPECT Perfusion Imaging Processing: Intra- and Interobserver Variability

Visual Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) measurement in patients referred for dynamic SPECT. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients referred for myocardial perfusion imaging. SPECT data were acquired on a cadmium zinc telluride–based pinhole cardiac camera in list mode using a stress (251 ± 15 MBq)/rest (512 ± 26 MBq) 1-d 99mTc-tetrofosmin protocol. Kinetic analyses were done with software using a 1-tissue-compartment model and converted to MBF using a previously determined extraction fraction correction. MFR was analyzed and compared globally and regionally. Motion detection was applied, but not attenuation correction. Results: In total, 124 patients (64 male, 60 female) were included, and SPECT acquisitions were twice reconstructed by the same nuclear medicine board-certified physician for 50 patients and by 2 different physicians for 74. Both intra- and interobserver measurements of global MFR had no significant bias (−0.01 [P = 0.94] and 0.01 [P = 0.67], respectively). However, rest MBF and stress MBF were significantly different in global left ventricular evaluation (P = 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively) and in the anterior territory (P < 0.0001) on interuser analysis. The average coefficient of variation was 15%–30% of the mean stress MBF if the analysis was performed by the same physician or 2 different physicians and was around 20% of the mean MFR independently of the processing physician. Using the MFR threshold of 2, we noticed good intrauser agreement, whereas it was moderate when the users were different (κ = 0.75 [95% CI, 0.56–0.94] vs. 0.56 [95% CI, 0.36–0.75], respectively). Conclusion: Repeated measurements of global MFR by the same physician or 2 different physicians were similar, with an average coefficient of variation of 20%. Better reproducibility was achieved for intrauser MBF evaluation. Automation of processing is needed to improve reproducibility.
Antioxidant activity of two Opuntia Mill. species fruit extracts on human sperm quality after a freeze-thaw cycle

Abstract This study investigated the phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of fruit extracts of Opuntia dillenii (Ker Gawl.) Haw. (OD) and Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (OFI), yellow (F1) and red (F2) varieties. In order to evaluate the antioxidant activity of these extracts on human sperm quality after thawing, the semen parameters (vitality, motility, acrosome reaction, oxidative stress, and DNA fragmentation) were analysed after 1 h of exposure. The results showed that OD has higher phenolic content and antioxidant power than OFI, and that they are higher in F2 than F1. Furthermore, regarding the activity of extracts on thawed sperm, the results showed a significant increase in motility in samples treated with OFI F1 and OD extracts, while an improvement in vitality and acrosome reaction and a reduction of DNA fragmentation were observed in all exposed samples compared to the control. Finally, a reduction of oxidative stress was observed in samples exposed to OFI F2 and OD than control. Graphical abstract
A synthetic rain rate time series generator: A step toward a full space‐time model

Synthetic time series generators of signal attenuation due to rain are an important tool for radio‐communication system simulations. These generators must reflect both the long‐ and short‐term dynamics of signal attenuation due to rain, and have to rely on prolonged experimental observations of attenuation time series. Such prolonged observations are not always feasible, especially if a large number of different climates have to be covered. Fortunately, rain attenuation is well correlated with the rain rate above all when long term statistics are considered. Only for particular events the correlation may be lower in some cases, especially for intense rain events which have a limited spatial expansion. The advantage of using rain rate data instead of rain attenuation data as a basis for synthetic time series generators of signal attenuation is the following: there exist consistent sets of rain rate time series from numerous locations around the globe. In this paper, enhancements to an existing synthetic rain rate generative model are presented and discussed. These enhancements include (1) the modeling of fast variations of rain rate, (2) the grouping of rain events into episodes, and (3) the extension to the spatial domain (space‐time model).
From evolutionary ecosystem simulations to computational models of human behavior

Abstract We have a wide breadth of computational tools available today that enable a more ethical approach to the study of human cognition and behavior. We argue that the use of computer models to study evolving ecosystems provides a rich source of inspiration, as they enable the study of complex systems that change over time. Often employing a combination of genetic algorithms and agent‐based models, these methods span theoretical approaches from games to complexification, nature‐inspired methods from studies of self‐replication to the evolution of eyes, and evolutionary ecosystems of humans, from entire economies to the effects of personalities in teamwork. The review of works provided here illustrates the power of evolutionary ecosystem simulations and how they enable new insights for researchers. They also demonstrate a novel methodology of hypothesis exploration: building a computational model that encapsulates a hypothesis of human cognition enables it to be tested under different conditions, with its predictions compared to real data to enable corroboration. Such computational models of human behavior provide us with virtual test labs in which unlimited experiments can be performed. This article is categorized under: Computer Science and Robotics > Artificial Intelligence
Results with allo-SCT in patients with relapsed/refractory HL treated with anti-PD-1, a multicenter retrospective cohort study: subcommittee of transplantation and cellular therapy (GATMO-TC) of the Argentinian Hematology Society (SAH)

Fernando Warley , Mariano Berro, Silvina Palmer, Martin Castro, Gonzalo Ferini, Milagros Lopez Orozco, Victoria Otero, Jorge Arbelbide, Cecilia Foncuberta, Sebasti an Yantorno and Ana Basquiera Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Hospital Austral, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Hospital Brit anico de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sanatorio Anchorena, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Hospital Privado de C ordoba, C ordoba, Argentina; Instituto Alexander Fleming, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Hospital Privado Centro Medico de Cordoba, Cordoba, Argentina
Morpho-molecular genetic diversity and population structure analysis in garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) genotypes using simple sequence repeat markers

Garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a self-pollinated plant species which played an important role for the foundation of modern genetics. Genetic diversity among 56 garden pea genotypes was assessed using 12 morphological descriptors, 19 quantitative traits and 8 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Eight morphological descriptors were found polymorphic, and highest Shannon diversity index was recorded for pod curvature (1.18). Mahalanobis D2 illustrating genetic divergence arranged 56 genotypes into six clusters, with the highest inter-cluster distance between clusters IV and VI (18.09). The average values of Na (number of alleles), Ne (effective number of alleles), I (Shannon’s Information index), PIC (polymorphism information content), Ho (observed heterozygosity) and He (expected heterozygosity) were 3.13, 1.85, 0.71, 0.36, 0.002 and 0.41, respectively. Pair wise genetic distance among all pairs of the genotypes varied from 0.33 to 1.00 with an average of 0.76. Based on genetic distance, the genotypes were classified into two main clusters (A and B) by cluster analysis, whereas structure analysis divided the genotypes into four sub-populations. The SSR makers indicated that present of genetic variability among the studied genotypes. When, we compared the groups formed by agro-morphological and molecular data, no genotypes were observed, indicating that both stages of characterization are crucial for a better understanding of the genetic variability. Hybridization between genetically diverse genotypes can be exploited to expend the genetic variability and introduce new traits in the pea breeding program.