Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seatbelts Save Lives, and Spines, in Motor Vehicle Accidents

Study Design. Database study. Objective. The purpose of this study was to use a large, nationwide database to determine prevalence of pediatric spine fractures in the United States, associated injuries, mechanisms of injury (MOI), use of safety devices, and mortality rates. Summary of Background Data. Spinal fractures account for 1% to 2% of pediatric injuries. However, they are associated with significant comorbidities and complications. Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are most responsible for increased incidence observed. Methods. Retrospective review of National Trauma Data Bank between 2009 and 2014 (analysis in 2019) for all vertebral fractures in patients under 18 years of age. Subanalysis included those in MVAs where protective device use data were available. Patient demographics, MOI, geographical and anatomical region of injury, concomitant musculoskeletal/organ injury, protective device usage, hospital length of stay, surgical procedures, and mortality were all analyzed. Results. A total of 34,563 patients with 45,430 fractured vertebrae included. Median age was 15 years. Most fractures (63.1%) occurred in patients aged 15 to 17 years, most frequent MOI was MVA (66.8%), and most common geographic location was the South (38%). Males sustained more spine fractures than females, overall (58.4% vs. 41.6%; P < 0.001) and in MVAs (54.4% vs. 45.6%; P < 0.001). Those in MVAs wearing seatbelts had lower odds of cranial (29.6% vs. 70.4%; odds ratio [OR] = 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.82–0.89; P < 0.001) and thoracic (30.1% vs. 69.9%; OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.84–0.91; P < 0.001) organ injury, multivertebral (30% vs. 70%; OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.73–0.83; P < 0.001) and concomitant nonvertebral fractures (30.9% vs. 69.1%; OR = 0.89, 95% CI:0.73–0.83; P < 0.001), and 21% lower odds of mortality (29.3% vs. 70.7%; OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.66–0.94; P = 0.009). Over 70% of drivers were not restrained during MVA, with majority of seatbelt violations incurred by males, ages 15 to 17, in the South. Conclusion. Over 60% of pediatric spinal fractures occur in children aged 15 to 17 years, coinciding with the beginning of legal driving. MVA is the most common cause and has significant association with morbidity/mortality. Nearly two- thirds pediatric spinal fractures sustained in MVAs occurred without seatbelts. Absence of seatbelts associated with >20% greater odds of mortality. Ensuring new drivers wear protective devices can greatly reduce morbidity/ mortality associated with MVA. Level of Evidence: 3
A Global Vista of the Epigenomic State of the Mouse Submandibular Gland

The parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands represent a trio of oral secretory glands whose primary function is to produce saliva, facilitate digestion of food, provide protection against microbes, and maintain oral health. While recent studies have begun to shed light on the global gene expression patterns and profiles of salivary glands, particularly those of mice, relatively little is known about the location and identity of transcriptional control elements. Here we have established the epigenomic landscape of the mouse submandibular salivary gland (SMG) by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing experiments for 4 key histone marks. Our analysis of the comprehensive SMG data sets and comparisons with those from other adult organs have identified critical enhancers and super-enhancers of the mouse SMG. By further integrating these findings with complementary RNA-sequencing based gene expression data, we have unearthed a number of molecular regulators such as members of the Fox family of transcription factors that are enriched and likely to be functionally relevant for SMG biology. Overall, our studies provide a powerful atlas of cis-regulatory elements that can be leveraged for better understanding the transcriptional control mechanisms of the mouse SMG, discovery of novel genetic switches, and modulating tissue-specific gene expression in a targeted fashion.
Glacier-Surface Velocity Derived Ice Volume and Retreat Assessment in the Dhauliganga Basin, Central Himalaya – A Remote Sensing and Modeling Based Approach

Himalayan glaciers are a storehouse of fresh water and play a significant role in influencing the runoff through numerous perennial rivers flowing over the Indo-Gangetic plains, providing freshwater to the second largest populated country in the world. For suitable management of this water resource, measurement of glacier-ice volume is extremely important in the current scenario of climate change and water scarcity. To address this concern, the present study endeavors to find a suitable methodology to quantify glacier volume and retreat in the Central Himalaya. Herein, two methods were implemented to estimate the total glacier ice volume - conventional area-based scaling method and glacier-surface velocity based modeling technique. The availability of field data allowed a validation assessment to be carried out on two Himalayan glaciers (Chhota Shigri and Satopanth). Here, we propose a volume-area power law, appropriate for the application in the context of Himalayan glaciers. The ice volume of 15 glaciers larger than 1 km(2) calculated using a spatially distributed ice thickness model is 3.78 x 10(9) m(3) (f = 0.8), with an overall uncertainty of 18.4%. The total volume of the remaining glaciers in the basin, calculated using a tuned volume-area scaling relation is 2.71 x 10(9) m(3). A sensitivity analysis is performed to evaluate the influence of input parameters on the model and volume-area scaling performance. The study also incorporates investigation of the glacier bed topography for discrete identification of the overdeepening sites in the glacier valley which are potential lake formation sites in the future. A total of 54 overdeepening sites covering an area of 2.85 km(2) have been identified. In addition, the relative glacier area loss of the glaciers is investigated using historical CORONA and Landsat satellite imageries. Glaciers with a smaller area and those with lower mean ice thickness near the terminus shrank significantly more, as compared to the larger ones. The total area of the selected larger glaciers is estimated to be 68 km(2) in 2015 and deglaciation of 4.7 km(2) is observed over the period of 48 years that accounts for 6.9% of the total area in 1968.
Emerging roles for kisspeptin in metabolism

Kisspeptin, a neuropeptide hormone, has been firmly established as a key regulator of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis and mammalian reproductive behaviour. In recent years, a growing body of evidence has emerged suggesting a role for kisspeptin in regulating metabolic processes. This data suggest that kisspeptin exerts its metabolic effects indirectly via gonadal hormones and/or directly via the kisspeptin receptor in the brain, pancreas and brown adipose tissue. Kisspeptin receptor knockout studies indicate that kisspeptin may play sexually dimorphic roles in the physiological regulation of energy expenditure, food intake and body weight. Some, but not all, in vitro work demonstrates positive effects on glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion, which is more marked at higher kisspeptin concentrations. Acute and chronic in vivo rodent, non‐human primate and human studies reveal enhancement of glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion in response to pharmacological doses of kisspeptin. Although significant progress has been made in elucidating the metabolic effects of kisspeptin, further mechanistic work and translational studies are required to address unanswered questions and establish the metabolic effects of kisspeptin in diverse human populations (including women, people with obesity and people with diabetes).
Using a Situation Awareness Approach to Identify Differences in the Performance Profiles of the World’s Top Two Squash Players and Their Opponents

Purpose The pressure exerted on a squash player is a consequence of the quality of a shot coupled with the ability of the player to return the ball, namely, the coupling of the two players’ situation awareness (SA) abilities. SA refers to an awareness of all relevant sources of information, the ability to synthesize this information using domain knowledge and the ability to physically respond to a situation. Methods Matches involving the two best players in the world (n = 9) at the 2011 Rowe British Grand Prix, held in Manchester, United Kingdom were recorded and processed using Tracker software. Shot type, ball location, players’ positions on court and movement parameters between the time an opponent played a shot prior to the player’s shot to the time of the opponent’s following shot were captured 25 times per second. All shots (excluding serves and rally ending shots) produced five main SA clusters, similar to those presented by Murray et al. (2018), except a greater proportion of shots were categorized in the greater pressure clusters and less in the lower pressure ones. Results Individual matches were presented using cluster performance profile infographics which demonstrated how individual player’s performance profiles differed between matches. Conclusion It is suggested that it is the coupling, of the two player’s behaviors, that makes the examination of tactics so challenging. This inherently means that performance profiles vary in subtle ways, making consistent profiles that are independent of the opponent very unlikely for elite players. This approach should be further modified to determine within match changes in performance.
Application of Machine Learning in a Parkinson's Disease Digital Biomarker Dataset Using Neural Network Construction (NNC) Methodology Discriminates Patient Motor Status

Parkinson’s disease (PD) patient care is limited by inadequate, sporadic symptom monitoring, infrequent access to care, and sparse encounters with healthcare professionals leading to poor medical decision making and sub-optimal patient health-related outcomes. Recent advances in digital health approaches have enabled objective and remote monitoring of impaired motor function with the promise of profoundly changing the diagnostic, monitoring, and therapeutic landscape in PD. We recently demonstrated that by using a variety of upper limb functional tests iMotor, an artificial intelligence powered, cloud-based digital platform differentiated PD subjects from healthy volunteers (HV). The objective of this paper is to provide preliminary evidence that artificial intelligence systems may allow one to discriminate PD patients from (HV) further and determine different features of the disease within a cohort of PD subjects. The recently introduced Neural Network Construction (NNC) technique was used here to classify data collected by a mobile application (iMotor, Apptomics Inc, Wellesley, MA) into two categories: PD for patients and HV. The method was tested on a series of data previously collected, and the results were compared against more traditional techniques for neural network training. The NNC algorithm discriminated individual PD patients from HVs with 93.11% accuracy and ON vs. OFF state with 76.5% accuracy. Future applications of artificial intelligence-powered digital platforms can enhance clinical care and research by generating rich, reliable and sensitive datasets that can be used for medical decision- making during and between office visits. Additional artificial intelligence-based studies in larger cohorts of patients are warranted.
Differential discrimination against mobile EU citizens: experimental evidence from bureaucratic choice settings

ABSTRACT EU citizens have rights when living in a member state other than their own. Bureaucratic discrimination undermines the operation of these rights. We go beyond extant research on bureaucratic discrimination in two ways. First, we move beyond considering mobile EU citizens as homogenous immigrant minority to assess whether EU citizens from certain countries face greater discrimination than others. Second, we analyse whether discrimination patterns vary between the general population and public administrators regarding attributes triggering discrimination and whether accountability prevents discrimination. In a pre-registered design, we conduct a population-based conjoint experiment in Germany including a sub-sample of public administrators. We find that (1) Dutch and fluent German speakers are preferred, i.e., positively discriminated, over Romanians and EU citizens with broken language skills, that (2) our way of holding people accountable was ineffective, and that (3) in all these regards discriminatory behaviour of public administrators is similar to behaviour of the general population.
Reevaluating factors associated with negative attitudes toward police: capturing information from college students

Abstract While a significant amount of research has been conducted in regards to public opinion of police, limited information can be found that reflects college students' opinions toward the subject, and even fewer studies have specifically used students on a college campus as a sample to study such opinions. The majority of past research focuses on low-income minorities who live in transitional neighborhoods and those who typically harbor the most negative views of the police in the United States. The questions this study attempted to answer were, "Are there certain demographic and social factors that can predict negative views toward police? " "If so, do these factors differ from or continue to confirm the results presented in past studies? " This study, through the use of questionnaire survey research, seeks to determine if a broader demographic of individuals, particularly college students, might be dissatisfied with police in present times, in light of the recent events regarding police use of force, what some may call police brutality, hostility, and unprofessionalism. The dependent factor was the respondents' views toward police. A two-part questionnaire survey was distributed to a sample of 323 students at a mid-size university in a southwestern state, and the data obtained from the surveys were analyzed to determine what additional demographic variables may be significant in the explanation of negative attitudes toward the police. Race and ethnicity remained a significant variable and "single" was found to be an unusual significant variable that was seldom used in prior research.
Spatial and temporal variability of deep convective clouds over the tropics using multi-year Megha - Tropiques – Sondeur Atmosphérique du Profil d’Humidité Intertropicale par Radiométrie (SAPHIR) observations

ABSTRACT Multi-year seasonal mean diurnal variation of the occurrence frequency of Deep Convective Clouds (DCCs) over the tropical belt for various climatic regions including land and ocean are studied, using Level-1 brightness temperature ( ) data from Sondeur Atmosphérique du Profil d’Humidité Intertropicale par Radiométrie (SAPHIR) payload, aboard the Megha-Tropiques (MT) satellite for the period 2011 to 2018. The low inclination orbit of MT which provides the measurements at different local times makes the study of the diurnal cycle of DCCs possible from a single platform over the entire tropics. The spatial and temporal distribution of DCCs are derived for different seasons including measurements at all possible local time (LT) unlike measurements from a payload aboard polar-orbiting satellites. The seasonal variation of DCCs is in concurrence with the position of sun with maximum occurrence frequency in the summer months of the respective hemisphere. The largest occurrence of DCCs are found over the west Pacific and the northeast Bay of Bengal with a maximum occurrence frequency of around 4.0% during Northern Hemispheric summer. Central African landmasses, the South Pacific Convergence Zone, and the Amazon region also show a higher occurrence during their summer seasons. From the occurrence frequency maps, different regions are identified to estimate the seasonal mean diurnal variation of those regions. Over the continental regions, convective activity peaks during 15:00 to 18:00 LT and over the open ocean it peaks during 00:00 to 06:00 LT. Similarly, the convective activity is minimum over the oceanic region during 12:00 to 18:00 LT and over the land during 06:00 to 12:00 LT. The specific features associated with the distribution of DCC such as double Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the mean zonal diurnal variation of DCCs, the effect of El-Niño, the role of surface temperature and surface wind convergence on the occurrence of DCC are also presented.
Economic Circumstances in Childhood and Subsequent Substance Use in Adolescence – A Latent Class Analysis: The youth@hordaland Study

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between longitudinal registry-based data on family income during childhood and self-reported substance use in adolescence, including potential alcohol- or drug problems. Data from the Norwegian population-based youth@hordaland-survey was employed, and the analyzed included n = 8,983 adolescents aged 16–19 years. This information was linked to registry-based information about childhood family income for seven consecutive years prior to adolescents’ participation in the youth@hordaland-survey. Latent class analyses (LCA) were used to examine associations between patterns of family economic circumstances in childhood and subsequent substance use in adolescence. Based on the LCA, we identified four distinct patterns of family economic circumstances: a ‘never poor’ (89.3%) group, followed by two groups characterized by moving in (3.0%) or out (4.6%) of poverty, and a final ‘chronically poor’ (3.1%) group. Several findings were of interest: the chronically poor reported less daily snus use, fewer had tried alcohol, were less likely to report frequent intoxication, and less prone to have potential alcohol- or drug-related problems compared to all other groups. They were also less likely to have tried any illicit drug compared to those moving in or out of poverty. Finally, the chronically poor reported more daily smoking than the never poor group, but less daily smoking than the moving out of poverty group. The never poor group was less likely to have tried any illicit drugs compared to the groups moving into or out of poverty, and less likely to smoke daily compared to the moving out of poverty group. In other words, the present study somewhat surprisingly suggested lower substance use among the chronically poor adolescents compared to other adolescents on several of the measures of substance use.
Crystal structures of cetineite and its synthetic Na analogue Na (sub 3.6) (Sb 2 O 3 ) 3 (SbS 3 )(OH) (sub 0.6) .2.4H 2 O

(K,Na) 3+x (Sb 2 O 3 ) 3 (SbS 3 )(OH) x •(2,8-x)H 2 O avec x≃0,5 et son analogue Na synthetique cristallisent dans le systeme hexagonal avec le groupe d'espace P6 3 . Affinement de la structure jusqu'a 0,032 et 0,048 respectivement
HYDRAULICS OF PINUS (SUBSECTION PONDEROSAE) POPULATIONS ACROSS AN ELEVATION GRADIENT IN THE SANTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA

Abstract The ability of plants to tolerate and recover from periodic water stress affects their competitive ability, survival, and distribution, leading to shifts in plant communities as environmental conditions change. We investigated the hydraulic traits of two closely related Pinus taxa to assess population and taxonomic variability in plant hydraulic traits. We hypothesized that traits would vary with elevation but exhibit similar traits where taxa co-occurred. We measured predawn and midday leaf pressure potential (Ψp) across three seasons, xylem specific hydraulic conductivity (Ks), and vulnerability to xylem embolism (P50). These were measured on Pinus ponderosa var. brachyptera (Engelm.) Lemmon that occurred at a high elevation site (2770 m), P. arizonica Engelm. at a low elevation site (2135 m), and both species where they co-occurred at the mid-elevation site (2475 m) in the Santa Catalina Mountains of southern Arizona. Plants from the high elevation site had the least negative Ψp and the highest Ks. The two taxa differed from one another when compared between the high and low elevation sites, but they were not different where they co-occurred. The two Pinus taxa show plasticity in their hydraulic traits across sites. Conditions across the elevational gradient appear to lead to a convergent solution in hydraulic traits for these taxa where their ranges overlap but differences in traits where they do not overlap. Increasing aridity in the region could lead to shifts in suitable habitat, reduced water transport ability at range margins, and shifts in population distributions.
COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C2H6) AND D6-ETHANE (C2D6) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION

The irradiation of pure ethane (C2H6/C2D6) ices at 5.5 K, under ultrahigh vacuum conditions was conducted to investigate the formation of complex hydrocarbons via interaction with energetic electrons simulating the secondary electrons produced in the track of galactic cosmic rays. The chemical modifications of the ices were monitored in situ using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and during temperature-programmed desorption via mass spectrometry exploiting a quadrupole mass spectrometer with electron impact ionization (EI-QMS) as well as a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer coupled to a photoionization source (PI-ReTOF-MS). FTIR confirmed previous ethane studies by detecting six molecules: methane (CH4), acetylene (C2H2), ethylene (C2H4), the ethyl radical (C2H5), 1-butene (C4H8), and n-butane (C4H10). However, the TPD phase, along with EI-QMS, and most importantly, PI-ReTOF-MS, revealed the formation of at least 23 hydrocarbons, many for the first time in ethane ice, which can be arranged in four groups with an increasing carbon-to-hydrogen ratio: CnH2n+2 (n = 3, 4, 6, 8, 10), CnH2n (n = 3–10), (n = 3–10), and (n = 4–6). The processing of simple ethane ices is relevant to the hydrocarbon chemistry in the interstellar medium, as ethane has been shown to be a major product of methane, as well as in the outer solar system. These data reveal that the processing of ethane ices can synthesize several key hydrocarbons such as C3H4 and C4H6 isomers, which haÂve been found to synthesize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons like indene (C9H8) and naphthaÂlene (C10H8) in the ISM and in hydrocarbon-rich atmospheres of planets and their moons such as Titan.