Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Global Definition of Patient Blood Management

While patient blood management (PBM) initiatives are increasingly adopted across the globe as part of standard of care, there is need for a clear and widely accepted definition of PBM. To address this, an expert group representing PBM organizations from the International Foundation for Patient Blood Management (IFPBM), the Network for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis (NATA), the Society for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management (SABM), the Western Australia Patient Blood Management (WAPBM) Group, and OnTrac (Ontario Nurse Transfusion Coordinators) convened and developed this definition: “Patient blood management is a patient-centered, systematic, evidence-based approach to improve patient outcomes by managing and preserving a patient’s own blood, while promoting patient safety and empowerment. ” The definition emphasizes the critical role of informed choice. PBM involves the timely, multidisciplinary application of evidence-based medical and surgical concepts aimed at (1) screening for, diagnosing, and appropriately treating anemia; (2) minimizing surgical, procedural, and iatrogenic blood losses and managing coagulopathic bleeding throughout the care; and (3) supporting the patient while appropriate treatment is initiated. We believe that having a common definition for PBM will assist all those involved including PBM organizations, hospital administrators, individual clinicians, and policy makers to focus on the appropriate issues when discussing and implementing PBM. The proposed definition is expected to continue to evolve, making this endeavor a work in progress.
Changing Population Size in McDonald–Kreitman Style Analyses: Artifactual Correlations and Adaptive Evolution between Humans and Chimpanzees

Abstract It is known that methods to estimate the rate of adaptive evolution, which are based on the McDonald–Kreitman test, can be biased by changes in effective population size. Here, we demonstrate theoretically that changes in population size can also generate an artifactual correlation between the rate of adaptive evolution and any factor that is correlated to the strength of selection acting against deleterious mutations. In this context, we have investigated whether several site-level factors influence the rate of adaptive evolution in the divergence of humans and chimpanzees, two species that have been inferred to have undergone population size contraction since they diverged. We find that the rate of adaptive evolution, relative to the rate of mutation, is higher for more exposed amino acids, lower for amino acid pairs that are more dissimilar in terms of their polarity, volume, and lower for amino acid pairs that are subject to stronger purifying selection, as measured by the ratio of the numbers of nonsynonymous to synonymous polymorphisms (pN/pS). All of these correlations are opposite to the artifactual correlations expected under contracting population size. We therefore conclude that these correlations are genuine.
A lot of convergence, a bit of divergence: Environment and interspecific interactions shape body colour patterns in Lissotriton newts

Coexistence with related species poses evolutionary challenges to which populations may react in diverse ways. When exposed to similar environments, sympatric populations of two species may adopt similar phenotypic trait values. However, selection may also favour trait divergence as a way to reduce competition for resources or mates. The characteristics of external body parts, such as coloration and external morphology, are involved to varying degrees in intraspecific signalling as well as in the adaptation to the environment and consequently may be diversely affected by interspecific interactions in sympatry. Here, we studied the effect of sympatry on various colour and morphological traits in males and females of two related newt species Lissotriton helveticus and L. vulgaris. Importantly, we did not only estimate how raw trait differences between species respond to sympatry, but also the marginal responses after controlling for environmental variation. We found that dorsal and caudal coloration converged in sympatry, likely reflecting their role in adaptation to local environments, especially concealment from predators. In contrast, aspects of male and female ventral coloration, which harbours sexual signals in both species, diverged in sympatry. This divergence may reduce opportunities for interspecific sexual interactions and the associated loss of energy, suggesting reproductive character displacement (RCD). Our study emphasizes the contrasting patterns of traits involved in different functions and calls for the need to consider this diversity in evolutionary studies.
Factors Affecting Electric Bike Adoption: Seeking an Energy-Efficient Solution for the Post-COVID Era

Sustainability think tanks such as the United Nations Organization have a strong focus on achieving economic and environmental sustainability goals globally. On the road to sustainable development, electric bike (E-bike) adoption is crucial. Nevertheless, research on the factors associated with E-Bike use, especially the psychological, financial, and capacity factors, has remained unexplored. This paper extends the theory of planned behavior with six novel factors related to individual choices to analyze E-bike adoption behavior. A sample of 507 Chinese bike riders is collected through the snowball sampling technique. The sample is estimated through structural equation modeling. The key findings are as follows: first, speed capacity, mileage capacity, and real-time camera positively drove E-bike adoption intention. Second, price differentiation negatively affected E-bike adoption intention. Third, the theory of planned behavior factors, including perceived relative advantage, cost savings, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and attitudes toward E-bike adoption, proved to be drivers of E-bike adoption intention. Finally, cost savings are the most critical factor of E-bike adoption intention, whereas perceived behavior control is the least critical factor. These results will help green transportation companies and emerging economies promote E-bike adoption to reach the environmental sustainability goals of the United Nations.
Blue Zones-Based Worksite Nutrition Intervention: Positive Impact on Employee Wellbeing

“Blue Zones” are geographical regions where people live to be non-agenarians and centenarians with significantly better rates of mental wellness when compared to the average American. It was discovered that these areas have nine unique evidenced-based lifestyle principles, with one of their main principles being the consumption of a plant-based diet. With this in mind, we performed a worksite intervention with the objective of understanding the relationships among Blue Zones knowledge, a plant-based lifestyle, and improvements in overall mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. During spring 2021, we recruited 52 employees from a public, mid-sized university in the southwestern United States to participate in an 8-week virtual intervention that included weekly topic presentations, cooking demonstrations, and Blue Zones education. Participants were also assigned to weekly wellness counseling groups integrating Motivational Interviewing based principles that included additional, relevant conversation topics and support. The final sample (n = 52 participants) had a mean age of 45.6 ± 10.6 years. Participants were predominantly women (84.6%) and nearly half were married (44.2%). The majority attended graduate school (59.6%) and identified as White (84.6%). Paired-samples t-tests indicated significant improvements in all mental wellness outcomes and Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) scores over time (p's < 0.001 to 0.02). Multiple linear regression models revealed that Blue Zones knowledge (β = −0.037, p = 0.010) significantly negatively predicted Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores at 8-weeks. Additionally, multiple linear regression models indicated small group attendance (β = −1.51, p = 0.003) and Blue Zones knowledge (β = −0.81, p = 0.012) significantly negatively predicted sleep scores at 8-weeks. When HEI-2015 total scores were also included at baseline and 8-weeks (post-intervention), Blue Zones knowledge (β = −0.031, p = 0.049) was a borderline significant predictor of PHQ-9 at 8-weeks. Additionally, small group sessions (β = −1.52 p = 0.005) were a significant predictor of sleep at 8-weeks. The intervention illustrated that virtual intervention strategies can improve nutrition and mental wellness for future advancement in life quality and wellbeing.
Numerical solution of reinforced concrete beam using arc-length method

This article discusses numerical solution of a reinforced concrete beam. The modelling was conducted with the rules of the finite element method (Fem). in order to verify the correctness of the assumed material’s models: concrete and reinforcing steel, the results obtained with the arc-length method finite analysis were compared with experimental data. The method had been verified in the beam spatial model, in which concrete crushing at compressive and concrete stiffening at tensile are dominant phenomena. The arc-length method is the only one to offer the possibility of obtaining a complete load-deflection curve with local and global softening.
Finding Dissimilar Efficient Routes for HazMat Shipments

We study the problem of finding hazmat road transportation paths minimizing both the total risk of hazmat shipments and the total transportation cost, meanwhile guaranteeing a certain level of risk equity over the population. To ensure the selection of a set of paths that also guarantee an equitable spread of the risk over the population, we introduce a new similarity index. The problem is mathematically formulated and is heuristically solved, and the proposed model and algorithm are evaluated on realistic problem instances.
Tracheal Stenosis After Prolonged Intubation Due to COVID-19

Objectives We aimed to evaluate the characteristics and management outcomes of patients who developed tracheal stenosis after invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) due to COVID-19 in this study. Design, settings and participants The data of 7 patients with tracheal stenosis and 201 patients without tracheal stenosis after IMV due to COVID-19 between March 2020 and October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Interventions Flexible bronchoscopy was performed for the diagnosis of tracheal stenosis and the evaluation of the treatment's effectiveness and rigid bronchoscopy was applied for the dilatation of tracheal stenosis. Measurements and Main Results In the follow-up period, tracheal stenosis was observed in 7 of 208 patients (2 women, 5 men, 3.3%). The patients were divided into two groups as patients with tracheal stenosis (n=7) and patients without tracheal stenosis (n=201). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and comorbidities (p > 0.05). The mean duration of IMV of the patients with tracheal stenosis was longer than patients without tracheal stenosis (27.9 ± 13 vs 11.2 ± 9 days, p < 0.0001, respectively). Three (43%) of the stenoses were web-like and four (57%) of them were complex type stenosis. The mean length of the stenoses was 1.81 ± 0.82 cm. Three of the patients were successfully treated with bronchoscopic dilatation and four of them were treated with tracheal resection. Conclusions Tracheal stenosis developed in 7 (3.3%) of 208 patients with COVID-19 who were treated with IMV. The most important characteristics of patients with tracheal stenosis was prolonged IMV support.
Internet Use Behavior of the Elderly: Family support, psychological needs, and optimistic personality perspective

∗Family support and optimistic personality are important for the psychological needs satisfaction and the internet use behavior of the elderly. The present study examined the relative contribution of these two sources of support to psychological needs satisfaction and internet use behavior among Chinese elderly adults living in Changde City. Two hundred and one Chinese elderly adults participated in the study. Findings suggest that there were statistically significant differences in gender and education level of Internet use among the elderly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Perceived family emotional support had a significant positive impact on the Internet use of the elderly. The communication needs and self-realization needs of the elderly were significantly correlated with their Internet use behavior (P < 0.01), and the needs for identity were related to their use of network applications (P < 0.01). Optimistic personality plays a moderating role between perceived family support and psychological needs satisfaction of the elderly. The psychological needs of the elderly play a partial mediating role between perceived family emotional support and Internet use behavior.
Inducing Non-uniform FPGA Aging Using Configuration-based Short Circuits

This work demonstrates a novel method of accelerating FPGA aging by configuring FPGAs to implement thousands of short circuits, resulting in high on-chip currents and temperatures. Patterns of ring oscillators are placed across the chip and are used to characterize the operating frequency of the FPGA fabric. Over the course of several months of running the short circuits on two-thirds of the reconfigurable fabric, with daily characterization of the FPGA 6 performance, we demonstrate a decrease in FPGA frequency of 8.5%. We demonstrate that this aging is induced in a non-uniform manner. The maximum slowdown outside of the shorted regions is 2.1%, or about a fourth of the maximum slowdown that is experienced inside the shorted region. In addition, we demonstrate that the slowdown is linear after the first two weeks of the experiment and is unaffected by a recovery period. Additional experiments involving short circuits are also performed to demonstrate the results of our initial experiments are repeatable. These experiments also use a more fine-grained characterization method that provides further insight into the non-uniformed nature of the aging caused by short circuits.
The Breadth and the Intensity of Extracurricular Activities on Students’ Academic Performance: The Good or the Bad?

Special interest has been directed towards the relationship between extra school activities and children and adolescents’ academic performance; nevertheless, not much research has seemingly evaluated this association on tertiary undergraduates. The present study aims to investigate the breadth and the intensity of extracurricular activity participation (EAP) on students’ academic outcomes, namely English progress test score of 112 students at a Vietnamese educational institution. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed with two data collection instruments: a survey questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Both quantitative and qualitative data revealed no connection or no effect between EAP and students’ test scores.
Optimal growth over a time-evolving variable-density jet at Atwood number $\vert \textit {At} \vert = 0.25$

Abstract Secondary instabilities growing over a time-evolving variable-density round jet subject to the primary Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability at Atwood number $\vert \textit {At} \vert = 0.25$ are investigated with a non-modal linear stability analysis. Despite local modifications of the base flow vorticity induced by the baroclinic torque, these disturbances experience a short-term universal growth due to a combination of the Orr and lift-up mechanisms, whatever the azimuthal wavenumber $m$. At $\textit {Re}=1000$, the secondary energy growth stems from the development of elliptical and hyperbolic instabilities, with an E-type-to-H-type transition as $m$ and $\textit {Re}$ increase, as in the homogeneous case (Nastro et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 900, 2020, A13). In the light jet at $\textit {Re} = 1000$, after the KH mode saturation, the high-$m$ H-type instability is replaced by a perturbation organised as counter-rotating streamwise vortices located in the base flow region of promoted strain rate. Increasing the Reynolds number up to $\textit {Re} = 10\,000$ yields larger energy growths and a strong anisotropy among energy and enstrophy components with a preferential increase of axial velocity and azimuthal vorticity. Both come from the linearised baroclinic source that drives the optimal response towards folded sheets of axial velocity that differ from those observed in the variable-density plane shear layers. When the perturbation is injected around the KH saturation time for $\textit {Re}=10\,000$, the response to optimal perturbation takes the form of fast growing secondary KH instabilities whatever $m$. We find these three-dimensional secondary KH instabilities to be good candidates for the transition to turbulence in variable-density jet flows.
Polygenic risk scores: the future of cancer risk prediction, screening, and precision prevention

Abstract Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have shown that the genetic architecture of cancers are highly polygenic and enabled researchers to identify genetic risk loci for cancers. The genetic variants associated with a cancer can be combined into a polygenic risk score (PRS), which captures part of an individual’s genetic susceptibility to cancer. Recently, PRSs have been widely used in cancer risk prediction and are shown to be capable of identifying groups of individuals who could benefit from the knowledge of their probabilistic susceptibility to cancer, which leads to an increased interest in understanding the potential utility of PRSs that might further refine the assessment and management of cancer risk. In this context, we provide an overview of the major discoveries from cancer GWASs. We then review the methodologies used for PRS construction, and describe steps for the development and evaluation of risk prediction models that include PRS and/or conventional risk factors. Potential utility of PRSs in cancer risk prediction, screening, and precision prevention are illustrated. Challenges and practical considerations relevant to the implementation of PRSs in health care settings are discussed.
Broadband photonic tensor core with integrated ultra-low crosstalk wavelength multiplexers

Abstract The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the daily life greatly increases the amount of data generated and processed. In addition to the large computational power required, the hardware needs to be compact and energy efficient. One promising approach to fulfill those requirements is phase-change material based photonic neuromorphic computing that enables in-memory computation and a high degree of parallelization. In the following, we present an optimized layout of a photonic tensor core (PTC) which is designed to perform real valued matrix vector multiplications and operates at telecommunication wavelengths. We deploy the well-studied phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) as an optical attenuator to perform single positive valued multiplications. In order to generalize the multiplication to arbitrary real factors, we develop a novel symmetric multiplication unit which directly includes a reference-computation branch. The variable GST attenuator enables a modulation depth of 5 dB over a wavelength range of 100 nm with a wavelength dependency below 0.8 dB. The passive photonic circuit itself ensures equal coupling to the main-computation and reference-computation branch over the complete wavelength range. For the first time, we integrate wavelength multiplexers (MUX) together with a photonic crossbar array on-chip, paving the way towards fully integrated systems. The MUX are crucial for the PTC since they enable multiple computational channels in a single photonic crossbar array. We minimize the crosstalk between the channels by designing Bragg scattering based MUX. By cascading, we achieve an extinction ratio larger than 61 dB while the insertion loss is below 1 dB.
Influence of piperine and omeprazole on the regional absorption of Daclatasvir from rabbit intestine

The study assessed the site dependent intestinal absorption of Daclatasvir and investigated the effects of piperine and omeprazole on such absorption utilizing in situ rabbit intestinal perfusion technique. The intestinal absorption of Daclatasvir was assessed in four segments: duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon. The effect of co‐perfusion with omeprazole was monitored through the tested anatomical sites. The effect of piperine, a P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) inhibitor on Daclatasvir absorption from jejunum and ileum was tested. The results showed that Daclatasvir was incompletely absorbed from the rabbit small and large intestine. The absorptive clearance per unit length (PeA/L) was site dependent and was ranked as colon > duodenum > jejunum > ileum. This rank is the opposite of the rank of P‐gp intestinal content suggesting possible influence for P‐gp. Co‐perfusion with omeprazole increased PeA/L and this was evidenced also with reduced the L95% of Daclatasvir from both small and large intestinal segments. Significant enhancement in Daclatasvir absorption through jejunum and ileum was shown in presence of piperine. Daclatasvir showed site dependent intestinal absorption in a manner suggesting its affection by P‐gp efflux. This effect was inhibited by piperine. Co‐administration of Daclatasvir with omeprazole can enhance intestinal absorption a phenomenon which requires extension to human pharmacokinetic investigation.
Membrane binding of pore-forming γ-hemolysin components studied at different lipid compositions

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is is among those pathogens currently posing the highest threat to public health. Its host immune evasion strategy is mediated by pore-forming toxins (PFTs), among which the bicomponent γ-hemolysin is one of the most common. The complexity of the porogenesis mechanism by γ-hemolysin poses difficulties in the development of antivirulence therapies targeting PFTs from S. aureus, and sparse and apparently contrasting experimental data have been produced. Here, through a large set of molecular dynamics simulations at different levels of resolution, we investigate the first step of pore formation, and in particular the effect of membrane composition on the ability of γ-hemolysin components, LukF and Hlg2, to steadily adhere to the lipid bilayer in the absence of proteinaceous receptors. Our simulations are in agreement with experimental data of γ-hemolysin pore formation on model membranes, which are here explained on the basis of the bilayer properties. Our computational investigation suggests a possible rationale to explain experimental data on phospholipid binding to the LukF component, and to hypothesise a mechanism by which, on purely lipidic bilayers, the stable anchoring of LukF to the cell surface facilitates Hlg2 binding, through the exposure of its N-terminal region. We expect that further insights on the mechanism of transition between soluble and membrane bound-forms and on the role played by the lipid molecules will contribute to the design of antivirulence agents with enhanced efficacy against methicillin-resistant S. aureus infections. Graphical Abstract Highlights The presence of cholesterol and unsaturated phospholipid tails facilitates the binding of γ-hemolysin components, LukF and Hlg2, on model membranes. Coarse-grained simulations show that the two components have different absorption capabilities, with LukF undergoing the most stable binding. The spontaneous docking of LukF on the membrane is mediated by two distant phosphatidylcholine binding sites.