Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Foreign Versus US Nativity on the Trajectory of Functional Independence Over the 10 Years After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Model Systems Study

Objective: Although racial/ethnic disparities have been documented in numerous outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI), research has yet to explore differences in rehabilitation outcomes based upon nativity (foreign-born vs US-born individuals). The purpose of this study was to compare the functional outcomes over the first 10 years after TBI for individuals born in the United States with those who were foreign-born. Setting/Participants: A sample of 10 695 individuals in the TBI Model Systems database with a coding for country of birth the United States (n = 9435) versus other than the United States (n = 1260) was used. Design/Main Measures: Outcome measures at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years after TBI included the Motor and Cognitive subscales of the Functional Independence Measure and the Supervision Rating Scale. Results: Foreign-born individuals exhibited lower motor functional independence trajectories than those born in the United States, even after controlling for demographic and injury-related covariates. However, foreign-born individuals generally showed a stronger upward quadratic trajectory in motor functional independence with the greatest gains between the 5- and 10-year time points, whereas those born in the United States improved more quickly but then plateaued between the 5- and 10-year time points; these differential effects over time dissipated with the addition of demographic and injury-related covariates. Foreign-born individuals also exhibited lower cognitive functional independence trajectories, as well as greater supervision needs trajectories, than those born in the United States, even after controlling for demographic and injury-related covariates. Conclusion: These findings dovetail with literature suggesting that racially/ethnically diverse groups exhibit reduced functional independence after TBI. The findings may also suggest potential systematic barriers such as healthcare access and language barriers that may influence the frequency, rate, and quality of care received. The results highlight the importance of uncovering cultural distinctions and can aid in facilitating research examining foreign nativity-based disparities following TBI.
Difference in prioritization of patient safety interventions between experts and patient safety managers in Japan

Although a variety of patient safety interventions have been implemented, prioritizing them in a limited resource environment is important. The intervention priorities of patient safety managers may differ from those of patient safety experts. This study aimed to clarify the difference in prioritization of interventions between experts and safety managers to better identify interventions that should be promoted in Japan. We performed a secondary data analysis of two surveys: the Delphi survey for Japanese experts and a nationwide questionnaire survey for safety managers in hospitals. Regarding the 32 interventions constituting 14 organizational-level and 18 clinical-level interventions examined in the previous studies, we assessed three correlations to examine the difference in prioritization between experts and safety managers: correlations between experts and safety managers in the three perspectives (contribution, dissemination, and priority), those between priorities of experts and safety managers at the clinical and organizational level, and those among the three perspectives in experts and safety managers. Contribution (r = 0.768) and dissemination (r = 0.689) of patient safety interventions evaluated by experts and safety managers were positively correlated, but priorities were not. Interventions with priorities that differed between experts and safety managers were identified. In experts, there was no significant correlation between contribution and priority or between dissemination and priority. For safety managers, contributions (r = 0.812) and dissemination (r = 0.691) were positively correlated with priority. Our results suggest that patient safety managers evaluated future priority based on past contributions and current dissemination, whereas experts evaluated future priority based on other factors, such as expected impacts in the future, as mentioned in the previous study. In health policymaking, promotion of patient safety interventions that were given high priority by experts, but low priority by safety managers, should be considered with possible incentives.
Performance evaluation of developed macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration system designed with varied macrophytes and earthworm species for domestic wastewater treatment

Development of sustainable technology to treat domestic wastewater with added advantages of cost reduction and improved handling efficiency is crucial in developing countries. This is because, domestic wastewater from households are stored in septic tanks and are poorly treated prior discharge. This study developed a macrophyte-assisted vermifiltration (MAV) system to treat domestic wastewater. The MAV system is an integrated approach of macrophytes and earthworms in a vermifiltration and complex physicochemical mechanism processes. The use of different macrophyte and earthworm species was hypothesized by the study to affect and vary the treatment performance of the developed MAV. The study therefore aimed to evaluate the treatment performance of the developed MAV when three varied macrophyte species (Eichhornia crassopes, Pistia stratiotes and Spirodela sp.) and two varied earthworm species (Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae) were used to design the treatment system. Treated effluents were collected every 48hours within two weeks for physico-chemical, pathogen and helminth analysis. The contaminants (Ntot, NH3, NO3-N and Ptot) in the wastewater were high (>50 mgL-1, >5 mgL-1, >1 mgL-1 and >20 mgL-1 respectively). Results revealed that the developed MAV systems were effective in the removal of solids (>60%), nutrients (>60%) and pathogens (>90%). In most cases, there were no significant differences between the selected varied macrophytes and earthworms in the treatment performances. Results therefore demonstrated that the selected macrophytes combined with the earthworm species were suitable when used in the development of the MAV system. Developing the MAV with the selected varied macrophyte and earthworm species did not only contribute to the treatment of the wastewater, but also improved the vermiculture. Eudrilus eugeniae however demonstrated higher biomass gain (5–10% more) compared to Eisenia fetida.
An evolutionarily conserved bimodular domain anchors ZC3HC1 and its yeast homologue Pml39p to the nuclear basket

The proteins ZC3HC1 and TPR are structural components of the nuclear basket (NB), a fibrillar structure attached to the nucleoplasmic side of the nuclear pore complex (NPC). ZC3HC1 initially binds to the NB in a TPR-dependent manner and can subsequently recruit additional TPR polypeptides to this structure. Here, we examined the molecular properties of ZC3HC1 that enable its initial binding to the NB and TPR. We report the identification and definition of a nuclear basket-interaction domain (NuBaID) of HsZC3HC1 that comprises two similarly built modules, both essential for binding the NB-resident TPR. We show that such a bimodular construction is evolutionarily conserved, which we further investigated in Dictyostelium discoideum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Presenting ScPml39p as the ZC3HC1 homologue in budding yeast, we show that the bimodular NuBaID of Pml39p is essential for binding to the yeast NB and its TPR homologues ScMlp1p and ScMlp2p, and we further demonstrate that Pml39p enables linkage between subpopulations of Mlp1p. We eventually delineate the common NuBaID of the human, amoebic, and yeast homologue as the defining structural entity of a unique protein not found in all but likely present in most taxa of the eukaryotic realm.
Edmond Fischer's kinase legacy: History of the protein kinase inhibitor and protein kinase A

Although Fischer's extraordinary career came to focus mostly on the protein phosphatases, after his co‐discovery of Phosphorylase Kinase with Ed Krebs he was clearly intrigued not only by cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA), but also by the heat‐stable, high‐affinity protein kinase inhibitor (PKI). PKI is an intrinsically disordered protein that contains at its N‐terminus a pseudo‐substrate motif that binds synergistically and with high‐affinity to the PKA catalytic (C) subunit. The sequencing and characterization of this inhibitor peptide (IP20) were validated by the structure of the PKA C‐subunit solved first as a binary complex with IP20 and then as a ternary complex with ATP and two magnesium ions. A second motif, nuclear export signal (NES), was later discovered in PKI. Both motifs correspond to amphipathic helices that convey high‐affinity binding. The dynamic features of full‐length PKI, recently captured by NMR, confirmed that the IP20 motif becomes dynamically and sequentially ordered only in the presence of the C‐subunit. The type I PKA regulatory (R) subunits also contain a pseudo‐substrate ATPMg2‐dependent high‐affinity inhibitor sequence. PKI and PKA, especially the Cβ subunit, are highly expressed in the brain, and PKI expression is also cell cycle‐dependent. In addition, PKI is now linked to several cancers. The full biological importance of PKI and PKA signaling in the brain, and their importance in cancer thus remains to be elucidated.
Side effects following first dose of COVID-19 vaccination in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

ABSTRACT Vaccines are strongly recommended globally as an effective measure to prevent serious illness from and spread of COVID-19. Concerns about safety following vaccination continue to be the most common reason that people do not accept the vaccine. This retrospective study was carried out on 4341 people who received the first dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, BBIBP-CorV, or mRNA-1273 vaccine at Jio Health Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Post-injection side effects were either reported by participants or actively collected by health care staff by means of telemedicine. Local side effects were reported by 35.5% of all individuals, with pain being the most common symptom (33.3%). Systemic side effects were reported by 44.2% of individuals, with fever (25.3%) and fatigue (21.4%) being the most common. Age ≤60 years, female gender, and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 were significant independent risk factors for both local and systemic side effects, while a history of allergy was significant as a risk factor for local side effects. A total of 43 individuals (1.0%) reported concerning symptoms of rare severe complications, which were addressed and treated by physicians via Jio Health app.
Predictors of death among severe COVID-19 patients admitted in Hawassa City, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia: Unmatched case-control study

Introduction Since COVID-19 was announced as a worldwide pandemic, the world has been struggling with this disease. In Ethiopia, there is some information on the epidemiological characteristics of the disease and treatment outcomes of COVID-19 patients. But, there is limited evidence related to predictors of death in COVID-19 patients. Objective To assess the predictor of death among severely ill COVID-19 patients admitted in Hawassa city COVID-19 treatment centers. Methods An institution-based unmatched case-control study was conducted at Hawassa city COVID-19 treatment centers from May 2021 to June 2021. All severe COVID-19-related deaths from May 2020 to May 2021 were included in the case group whereas randomly selected discharged severe COVID-19 patients were included in the control group. Extracted information was entered into Epi-data 4.6 and exported to SPSS 25 for analysis. Multivariable binary logistic regression was run to assess predictors. The result was presented as an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval. Variables with a 95% confidence interval which not included one were considered statistically significant. Result A total of 372 (124 cases and 248 controls) patients were included in the study. Multivariable analysis revealed age ≥ 65 years (AOR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.33–5.14), having shortness of breath (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.02–3.44), fatigue (AOR 1.78, 95% CI = 1.09–2.90), altered consciousness (AOR 3.02, 95% CI = 1.40, 6.49), diabetic Mellitus (AOR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.16–6.73), chronic cerebrovascular disease (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.23, 3.88) were found to be predictors of death. Conclusion Older age, shortness of breath, fatigue, altered consciousness, and comorbidity were predictors of death in Severe COVID-19 patients.
Reconsidering tympanal-acoustic interactions leads to an improved model of auditory acuity in a parasitoid fly

Although most binaural organisms locate sound sources using neurological structures to amplify the sounds they hear, some animals use mechanically coupled hearing organs instead. One of these animals, the parasitoid fly Ormia ochracea (O. ochracea), has astoundingly accurate sound localization abilities. It can locate objects in the azimuthal plane with a precision of 2°, equal to that of humans, despite an intertympanal distance of only 0.5 mm, which is less than 1/100 th of the wavelength of the sound emitted by the crickets that it parasitizes. O. ochracea accomplishes this feat via mechanically coupled tympana that interact with incoming acoustic pressure waves to amplify differences in the signals received at the two ears. In 1995, Miles et al developed a model of hearing mechanics in O. ochracea that represents the tympana as flat, front-facing prosternal membranes, though they lie on a convex surface at an angle from the flies’ frontal and transverse planes. The model works well for incoming sound angles less than ±30∘ but suffers from reduced accuracy (up to 60% error) at higher angles compared to response data acquired from O. ochracea specimens. Despite this limitation, it has been the basis for bio-inspired microphone designs for decades. Here, we present critical improvements to this classic hearing model based on information from three-dimensional reconstructions of O. ochracea’s tympanal organ. We identified the orientation of the tympana with respect to a frontal plane and the azimuthal angle segment between the tympana as morphological features essential to the flies’ auditory acuity, and hypothesized a differentiated mechanical response to incoming sound on the ipsi- and contralateral sides that depend on these features. We incorporated spatially-varying model coefficients representing this asymmetric response, making a new quasi-two-dimensional (q2D) model. The q2D model has high accuracy (average errors of under 10%) for all incoming sound angles. This improved biomechanical model may inform the design of new microscale directional microphones and other small-scale acoustic sensor systems.
Performance of a high-efficiency 5-cm gain length supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser

The Air Force Phillips Laboratory has developed a small-scale supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) test stand (VertiCOIL) to rapidly evaluate emerging potential technology improvements. VertiCOIL was designed to address issues relevant to military and commercial applications such as long run time, high-efficiency operation, and compact design. VertiCOIL demonstrated an overall chemical efficiency of nearly 27%, one of the highest chemical efficiencies ever achieved by a COIL. In addition, VertiCOIL was able to lase for greater than 1 h by employing a continuously cooled basic hydrogen peroxide (BHP) flowing loop. Measured resonator parameters were used with a simplified saturation model to calculate the optical extraction efficiency. The peak optical extraction efficiency predicted by the model was 0.82. The dependence of the predicted extraction efficiency on outcoupling fraction is in good agreement with experimental results. Combining the predicted extraction efficiency with the COIL heuristic equation results in good agreement between measured and predicted overall device chemical efficiency.
Extended parental provisioning and variation in vertebrate brain sizes

Large brains provide adaptive cognitive benefits but require unusually high, near-constant energy inputs and become fully functional well after their growth is completed. Consequently, young of most larger-brained endotherms should not be able to independently support the growth and development of their own brains. This paradox is solved if the evolution of extended parental provisioning facilitated brain size evolution. Comparative studies indeed show that extended parental provisioning coevolved with brain size and that it may improve immature survival. The major role of extended parental provisioning supports the idea that the ability to sustain the costs of brains limited brain size evolution.
Local Recurrence Rates After Excision of Desmoplastic Melanoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. BACKGROUND Few prospective studies have evaluated local recurrence rates (LRR) after excision of desmoplastic melanoma (DM); however, several retrospective studies have reported high LRR. OBJECTIVE To determine LRR after excision of DM and evaluate factors affecting LRR. MATERIALS AND METHODS Systematic review of the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases was performed to identify studies reporting local recurrence after excision of DM with conventional wide local excision (WLE), Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), or staged excision (SE). Meta-analysis was performed to calculate summary LRR and pooled risk ratios (RR). RESULTS Literature search identified 4 studies evaluating MMS or SE (total n = 61 DM). 53 studies assessed WLE (n = 3,080) and were analyzed quantitatively. The overall LRR after WLE of DM was 21% (95% CI, 0.16–0.28; n = 2,308). Local recurrence rate was higher with positive/unknown histologic excision margins (49%, 95% CI, 0.25–0.74; n = 91) versus negative histologic margins (11%, 95% CI, 0.07–0.17; n = 1,075; [p < .01]). Neurotropism was also associated with increased LRR (RR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.34–2.38, p < .01; n = 644). CONCLUSION DM has high LRR after WLE. Local recurrence risk was greatest with positive excision margins, indicating the importance of achieving negative microscopic margins. Greater study of MMS and SE for DM is required.
Anti-GD2 Antibody Dinutuximab Beta and Low-Dose Interleukin 2 After Haploidentical Stem-Cell Transplantation in Patients With Relapsed Neuroblastoma: A Multicenter, Phase I/II Trial

PURPOSE Patients with relapsed high-risk neuroblastoma (rHR-NB) have a poor prognosis. We hypothesized that graft-versus-neuroblastoma effects could be elicited by transplantation of haploidentical stem cells (haplo-SCT) exploiting cytotoxic functions of natural killer cells and their activation by the anti-GD2 antibody dinutuximab beta (DB). This phase I/II trial assessed safety, feasibility, and outcomes of immunotherapy with DB plus subcutaneous interleukin-2 (scIL2) after haplo-SCT in patients with rHR-NB. METHODS Patients age 1-21 years underwent T-/B-cell–depleted haplo-SCT followed by DB and scIL2. The primary end point ‘success of treatment’ encompassed patients receiving six cycles, being alive 180 days after end of trial treatment without progressive disease, unacceptable toxicity, acute graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD) ≥grade 3, or extensive chronic GvHD. RESULTS Seventy patients were screened, and 68 were eligible for immunotherapy. Median number of DB cycles was 6 (range, 1-9). Median number of scIL2 cycles was 3 (1−6). The primary end point was met by 37 patients (54.4%). Median observation time was 7.8 years. Five-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival from start of trial treatment were 43% (95% CI, 31 to 55) and 53% (95% CI, 41 to 65), respectively. Five-year EFS among patients in complete remission (CR; 52%; 95% CI, 31 to 69) or partial remission (44%; 95% CI, 27 to 60) before immunotherapy were significantly better compared with patients with nonresponse/mixed response/progressive disease (13%; 95% CI, 1 to 42; P = .026). Overall response rate in 43 patients with evidence of disease after haplo-SCT was 51% (22 patients), with 15 achieving CR (35%). Two patients developed GvHD grade 2 and 3 each. No unexpected adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION DB therapy after haplo-SCT in patients with rHR-NB is feasible, with low risk of inducing GvHD, and results in long-term remissions likely attributable to increased antineuroblastoma activity by donor-derived effector cells.
Fat grafts enriched with ex‐vivo expanded adipose stem cells improve hyperpigmentation of face

Facial contour deformities associated with pigmentary changes are of major concern for plastic surgeons being difficult to treat. No definite ideal treatment option is available to address simultaneously both the contour defects as well as related hyperpigmentation. The aim of the current study is to compare long‐term effects of conventional adipose tissue grafting and ex‐vivo expanded ASC‐enriched adipose tissue grafting for the treatment of contour deformities related pigmentary changes on the face. In this study, 80 patients of contour deformities of face with hyperpigmentation were recruited after informed consent. Two techniques, that is, conventional fat grafting (C‐FG) and fat grafts enriched with expanded adipose stem cells (FG‐ASCs) were used to address the pigmentation. Both techniques were explained to patients and enrolled patients were divided into two groups, that is, C‐FG and FG‐ASCs as per patients' choice and satisfaction. Patients of the FG‐ASCs group were treated with FG‐ASCs while patients of C‐FGs group were treated with C‐FG (without expanded ASCs). Patients were followed for 12 months and improvement in face pigmentation was assessed clinically as well as measured objectively. Patients' satisfaction was also documented as highly satisfied, satisfied, and unsatisfied. This clinical trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials. gov with ID: NTC03564808. Mean age of patients was 24.42 (±4.49), 66 patients were females. Forehead was involved in 61.20% cases, cheek in 21.20% cases, chin in 11.20% cases, and nose in 6.20% cases. In GF‐ASCs group, the integrated color density was decreased (1.08 × 106 ± 4.64 × 105) as compared with C‐FG group (2.80 × 105 ± 1.69 × 105). Patients treated with fat grafts enriched with expanded ASCs were significantly more satisfied as compared with patients treated with C‐FG only. In conclusion, ASC‐enriched autologous fat grafting is preferred option for improving the contour deformities related increased pigmentation of face skin.
Local risk-minimization under restricted information on asset prices

In this paper we investigate the local risk-minimization approach for a semimartingale financial market where there are restrictions on the available information to agents who can observe at least the asset prices. We characterize the optimal strategy in terms of suitable decompositions of a given contingent claim, with respect to a filtration representing the information level, even in presence of jumps. Finally, we discuss some practical examples in a Markovian framework and show that the computation of the optimal strategy leads to filtering problems under the real-world probability measure and under the minimalmartingale measure.