Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A First Phenotypic and Functional Characterization of Placental Extracellular Vesicles from Women with Multiple Sclerosis

Pregnancy is a unique situation of physiological immunomodulation, as well as a strong Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease modulator whose mechanisms are still unclear. Both maternal (decidua) and fetal (trophoblast) placental cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are known to mediate cellular communication and modulate the maternal immune response. Their contribution to the MS disease course during pregnancy, however, is unexplored. Here, we provide a first phenotypic and functional characterization of EVs isolated from cultures of term placenta samples of women with MS, differentiating between decidua and trophoblast. In particular, we analyzed the expression profile of 37 surface proteins and tested the functional role of placental EVs on mono-cultures of CD14+ monocytes and co-cultures of CD4+ T and regulatory T (Treg) cells. Results indicated that placental EVs are enriched for surface markers typical of stem/progenitor cells, and that conditioning with EVs from samples of women with MS is associated to a moderate decrease in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines by activated monocytes and in the proliferation rate of activated T cells co-cultured with Tregs. Overall, our findings suggest an immunomodulatory potential of placental EVs from women with MS and set the stage for a promising research field aiming at elucidating their role in MS remission.
Gray-Matter Expansion of Social Brain Networks in Individuals High in Public Self-Consciousness

Self-consciousness is a personality trait associated with an individual’s concern regarding observable (public) and unobservable (private) aspects of self. Prompted by previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, we examined possible gray-matter expansions in emotion-related and default mode networks in individuals with higher public or private self-consciousness. One hundred healthy young adults answered the Japanese version of the Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS) questionnaire and underwent structural MRI. A voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed that individuals scoring higher on the public SCS showed expansions of gray matter in the emotion-related regions of the cingulate and insular cortices and in the default mode network of the precuneus and medial prefrontal cortex. In addition, these gray-matter expansions were particularly related to the trait of “concern about being evaluated by others”, which was one of the subfactors constituting public self-consciousness. Conversely, no relationship was observed between gray-matter volume in any brain regions and the private SCS scores. This is the first study showing that the personal trait of concern regarding public aspects of the self may cause long-term substantial structural changes in social brain networks.
Solvent‐Free Passerini Reactions

Abstract The influence of the substrate structure and concentration on the yield of the Passerini reaction was studied. A new, solvent‐free methodology for a convenient preparation of α‐acyloxyamides 4 was established and compared to the classical methodology. A higher reaction yield was obtained in shorter time, especially in the case of aromatic aldehydes.
X-ray powder diffraction studies of alkanes: unit-cell parameters of the homologous series C18H38 to C28H58

Exception faite de C 24 H 50 et C 26 H 54 , des donnees de diffraction RX sont en accord avec les predictions faites sur les homologues de ces series par Nyburg et Potworowski: C 18 H 38 , C 20 H 42 et C 22 H 46 ― maille triclinique (Z=1) ― C 28 H 58 maille monoclinique (Z=2) ― C 19 H 40 , C 21 H 44 , C 23 H 48 , C 25 H 52 et C 27 H 56 ― maille orthorhombique (Z=4)
Deficiência hídrica no solo e seu efeito sobre transpiração, crescimento e desenvolvimento de mudas de duas espécies de eucalipto

Water is a critical component of plant metabolism, and a reduction in soil water availability may affect crop growth, development and yield. The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of soil water deficit on transpiration and on some growth (plant height and stem diameter) and development (main stem leaf number) parameters of Eucalyptus grandis (Hill ex Maiden) and E. saligna (Smith) seedlings. For this purpose, a greenhouse experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil). The seedlings were planted on 10/1/2005 (PD1) and 5/12/2006 (PD2). Soil available water, expressed as the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW), and other parameters were measured daily during the period of water stress. Transpiration, which is an indicator of stomata closure, started to decrease at a FTSW of 0.9 (PD2) or 0.7 (PD1) in E. grandis, and at 0.7 for planting dates for E. saligna. These results suggest that stomata closure, in response to soil water deficit, occurs earlier in these two perennial species than in annual agricultural crops. Seedling growth and development parameter values began to decrease immediately after the onset of soil water deficit, even before transpiration was affected by the reduced soil water availability.
Full-Duplexing With SDR Devices: Algorithms, FPGA Implementation, and Real-Time Results

In this paper, we present a novel nonlinear digital self-interference canceller algorithm, its implementation details on a software-defined radio (SDR) platform, and performance results of real-time full-duplex experiments on both device and link level. The canceller algorithm is based on an augmented Hammerstein model, with a nonlinear part modeling the transmitter non-idealities followed by a linear filter to model the self-interference (SI) channel. The nonlinear part includes a spline-based model for the nonlinear power amplifier, a polynomial model for baseband nonlinearities, as well as models for I/Q mismatch and LO leakage. The canceller is implemented on an FPGA as a part of an OFDM transceiver testbed for real-time measurements. Extensive real-time measurements show excellent performance: (1) the digital canceller, together with an RF isolator, can suppress the SI to within 1–2 dB’s of the receiver noise floor, with total SI suppression of up to 103 dB; (2) digital cancellation of up to 46 dB is evidenced, which is among the highest real-time cancellations in literature; (3) system-level measurements with OFDM signals demonstrate the benefit of utilizing the proposed canceller in a two-way communication scenario, showing up to 90 % increase in sum-rate compared to half-duplex communication.
The (Ir)Relevance of Rule-of-Thumb Consumers for US Business Cycle Fluctuations

We estimate a medium-scale model with and without rule-of-thumb consumers over the pre-Volcker and the Great Moderation periods, allowing for indeterminacy. Passive monetary policy and sunspot fluctuations characterize the pre-Volcker period for both models. The estimated fraction of rule-of-thumb consumers is low, such that the models are empirically almost equivalent. In both subsamples, the two models yield very similar impulse response functions, variance and historical decompositions. We conclude that rule-of-thumb consumers are irrelevant to explain aggregate U.S. business cycle fluctuations.
High-Speed Response of Uni-Traveling-Carrier Photodiodes

The photoresponse of a uni-traveling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD), which is configured with a neutral narrow-gap light absorption layer and a depleted wide-gap carrier collecting layer, is investigated by small-signal analysis. Drift-diffusion model was used for analyzing carrier dynamics in the absorption layer. For accurately predicting the frequency response, a boundary condition at the edge of the absorption layer was carefully treated by taking into account the electron thermionic emission velocity. High electron mobility in the absorption layer and high drift velocity in the carrier collecting layer associated with the velocity overshoot effect are both essential for short response times. Calculations performed on InP/InGaAsP UTC-PDs with the same absorption and carrier collecting layer thicknesses show that the response can be dominated by the electron transport in the absorption layer provided that the significant velocity overshoot occurs in the carrier collecting layer. Furthermore, a UTC-PD with a quasi-field in the absorption layer can generate a several times broader bandwidth than conventional pin PDs, while maintaining a similar internal quantum efficiency.
Effect of pond fertilization on productivity of tilapia pond culture in Ghana

Fish farmers have the desire to increase productivity but are constrained by high cost of formulated feeds. This study quantified the performance and production cost of tilapia cultured in unfertilized and fertilized ponds in six earthen ponds with sizes between 200 m2 and 300 m2. All ponds were stocked with all-male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings (average size = 25.4±0.56 g) at 2 individuals per m2 and fed at 3% of their body weight for the unfertilized and fertilized ponds, respectively. The results showed a comparable mean weight gain of 204.2±36.3 g and 202.9±23.8 g for the unfertilized and fertilized ponds, respectively. Similar results were obtained for the specific growth rate (1.0±0.4; 1.1±0.4 %day-1), feed conversion ratio (1.1±0.2; 1.2±0.3) and feed intake with values of 0.7±0.5; 0.7±0.3 for unfertilized and fertilized ponds respectively. Total cost of production for the unfertilized treatment was USD$ 832.00 (273.97±86.48) and the unfertilized treatment amounted to USD$ 834.72 (274.88±60.34). A profit of USD$ 319.42 (106.48±90.99) and USD$ 353.05 (120.59±98.09) were realized for the unfertilized and fertilized treatments, respectively. The results of this study indicate that farmers could increase their pond's productivity and profit marginally through pond fertilization and feeding with formulated feed.
Morally Injurious Experiences of Combat Exposed Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan: Moderating Effects of Self-Forgiveness on Feelings of Shame and Guilt

Morally Injurious Experiences of Combat Exposed Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan: Moderating Effects of Self-Forgiveness on Feelings of Shame and Guilt Timothy Swiger Moral injury is a construct developed to explain a unique symptom profile of individuals who may have perpetrated, witnessed, or learned about events that transgress their held moral beliefs. Among combat exposed Veterans, particular attention has been focused on the ambiguous nature of recent military conflicts and the increased moral conflicts associated with more recent, unconventional combat tactics and strategies. This study examined the relationship between moral injury and feelings of shame and guilt among a large sample (n=198) of Veterans who deployed in support of conflicts in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Additionally, this study sought to examine self-forgiveness as a moderator of the well-studied and empirically supported association of moral injury and shame and guilt. This study considered demographic and exposure variables and found moral injury was positively correlated with feelings of shame, guilt, and with the combination of these two affective experiences. Also, self-forgiveness was found to moderate the relationship between shame and guilt. The results of this study further support the relationship between moral injury and feelings of shame and guilt, as identified in the past decade of moral injury literature. The results also suggest that self-forgiveness does significantly impact the strength of the relationship between moral injury and feelings of shame and guilt, which supports Litz et al.’s (2009) conceptual model. This study demonstrates a need for more research to examine self-forgiveness as a principle factor in moral injury treatment, which could improve the efficacy of moral injury treatments such as Adaptive Disclosure. MORAL INJURY, SHAME, GUILT, AND SELF-FORGIVENESS
A PILOT STUDY OF THE HONG KONG SMARTPHONE MARKET: HOW SERVICE QUALITY AFFECTS REPURCHASE INTENTION VIA CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND ATTITUDINAL LOYALTY

The smartphone penetration rate among people aged 15 and above in Hong Kong stood at close to 90 per cent in 2018. While the demand for smartphones has been increasing, the smartphone market in Hong Kong is highly competitive. Smartphone firms strive to maintain their customers by encouraging repurchases through launching newer models. The marketing cost of keeping an existing customer is well below that of finding a new customer. Therefore, how to motivate current customers to repurchase newer editions of the same brand is a major marketing concern for most companies. The purpose of this paper is to explore the causality between service quality and repurchase intention via customer satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty. Data from a sample of 200 Hong Kong smartphone users aged 18 and above confirm that customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between service quality and attitudinal loyalty that eventually affects repurchase intention. The percentage of the direct effect of service quality on attitudinal loyalty demonstrated a significant partial mediation of customer satisfaction. The results of this study provide important theoretical and managerial implications for researchers and practitioners of the smartphone industry not only in Hong Kong but also around the world.
Clinical Features and Follow-Up of SARS-Cov-2 Asymptomatic Carriers

In the current global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, asymptomatic transmission of the causative agent, severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), poses a considerable challenge for disease control. Furthermore, information on the clinical characteristics of asymptomatic carriers is limited. Here, we aimed to clarify the clinical features and obtain follow-up data of asymptomatic carriers to assist in the clinical management of carriers. This retrospective study included all asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers diagnosed at the First People’s Hospital of Yueyang (Hunan, China) and Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital (Changsha, China) between January 22 and March 26, 2020. Data including the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, laboratory test results, and chest computed tomography status were collected, with a follow-up of these cases. A total of 24 asymptomatic carriers were enrolled at the First People’s Hospital of Yueyang and Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital between 22 January 2020 and 26 March 2020. All patients had previously been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Over the monitored time, patients experienced no symptoms and most laboratory findings were normal. The median time from contact to diagnosis was 9.6 days (range: 1-38 days), while that from diagnosis to discharge was 14.4 days (range: 6-24 days). Following discharge, all patients remained asymptomatic. However, five patients (20.83%) were re-admitted because a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based re-test of their specimens (4 throat swabs and 1 feces) showed that they were positive for SARS-CoV-2. The time to re-testing positively varied from 23 to 53 days post-diagnosis. The time to re-testing negative for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time reverse transcription PCR after re-testing positive was 3 to 11 days. In conclusion, although asymptomatic carriers have favorable outcomes, they should be closely monitored. Also, clear guidelines need to be formulated and close surveillance is required for the management of asymptomatic carriers.
Early Evaluation of Immunotherapy Response in Lymphoma Patients by 18F-FDG PET/CT: A Literature Overview

Immunotherapy is a promising therapeutic strategy both for solid and hematologic tumors, such as in Hodgkin (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In particular, immune-checkpoint inhibitors, such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, are increasingly used for the treatment of refractory/relapsed HL. At the same time, evidence of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell immunotherapy efficacy mostly in NHL is growing. In this setting, the challenge is to identify an appropriate imaging method to evaluate immunotherapy response. The role of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), especially in early evaluation, is under investigation in order to guide therapeutic strategies, taking into account the possible atypical responses (hyperprogression and pseudoprogression) and immune-related adverse events that could appear on PET images. Herein, we aimed to present a critical overview about the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in evaluating treatment response to immunotherapy in lymphoma patients.
The development and assessment of STEM skills in Australian high schools

This thesis examines the development and assessment of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills within the context of Australian high schools. This is with a view to establishing what Australian employees consider STEM skills to be, the extent to which they can be developed within high schools, and whether the predominant means of their assessment are valid. While the phrase ‘STEM skills’ is often used by all manner of stakeholders, very few articulate which specific skills they mean under this umbrella term. A survey of the literature, with a focus on the STEM skills desired by employers, was used to propose five domains of skills that are suitable for development within a high school context. These are: literacy; disciplinary; higher order thinking; interpersonal; and intrapersonal skills. Each of these are described in terms of the specific types of skills that fit within these domains. Year 7-10 STEM teachers from across Australia were surveyed regarding what they associate with the phrase STEM skills. It was found that there were many overlaps between skills identified from the literature and by teachers, but both sources included, and omitted, some skills the other did not. The components of the Australian Curriculum pertaining to STEM in Years 7-10, the final years of compulsory STEM education, were examined to see what skills were articulated within the curriculum. These skills were compared with the skills identified from the literature. It was identified that the Technologies curriculum, Design and Technologies in particular, facilitates the development of the broadest range of skills and presents opportunities to engage with integrated STEM education. Teachers were also asked about their familiarity with aspects of the curriculum and the degree of support they felt it provided in developing STEM skills. A range of improvements would help to better support teachers to enable their students to develop the STEM skills Australian employers want. Two international standardised tests, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) that are typically used to argue that Australia is falling behind in STEM were analysed. It was found that they both place a large focus on knowledge and that the higher order thinking skills they seek to assess can often only be effectively demonstrated if the student has the required background knowledge. Neither assess many of the STEM skills identified from the literature or by teachers and thus are proposed to be ineffective metrics, in and of themselves, for determining the level of Australian students’ STEM skills. The thesis concludes with recommendations and limitations as well as identification of future areas of research by way of suggesting how teachers could be better supported to develop the STEM skills in their students that Australia’s employers want in their employees.
Significance of Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio and High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Diabetes mellitus is one among the chronic metabolic disorder with increasing prevalence all over the world, in particular, South-East Asia. It has been reported by the IDF, 2017 that the prevalence of Diabetes in India is around 8.79 and projected that to be 11.4 during the year 2045 in the adult population (72.9 million to 134.3 million – age of 20 to79 years). Diabetes and its complications not only affect the health and wealth of the population but also affect the economics and growth of the country because of the increase in financial burden. If we aware of novel markers of inflammation to find out the disease early, we can postpone the complications or even can reduce the complications with proper intervention. Many studies have proven that Neutrophil Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) which is nothing but the subtraction of absolute neutrophil count to absolute lymphocyte count is a simple investigation, but with lots of information regarding the disease status in diabetes mellitus.1 There was a significant association between NLR with Insulin resistance (IR) and high NLR values may be considered as a potential predictive marker of IR.2
Social Maladjustment and Criminal Behavior Pattern Changes in Adolescents in Conflict with the Law

Abstract Personality aspects that present a risk for criminal conducts are susceptible to changes. This study aimed to identify the profile of adolescents in conflict with the law based on the Social Maladjustment (SM) construct, to describe patterns of criminal conducts, and to verify the continuity and change on these variables, in a longitudinal prospective study. A sample of 78 adolescents answered to the Jesness Inventory - revised in Brazil and to the Questionnaire of Youth Behaviors, at two collection times (W1 and W2). The profiles were identified with latent class growth analysis and the behavior patterns were compared with Student’s t test. Two classes were obtained: High SM and Normative SM. At W1, SM high scores were associated to high frequency in the perpetration of crimes and both classes had lower SM at W2. The results point to the possibility of changes in SM and in conduct over time.
What strategies are countries using to expand health workforce surge capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic? (Special Issue: COVID-19 health system response.)

Finding ways to increase the surge capacity and flexibility of the health workforce has been fundamental to delivering an effective COVID-19 response This article explores the strategies that 44 countries in Europe plus Canada have taken to maintain and increase the availability of health workers using data from the COVID-19 Health System and Response Monitor We show that all countries have used a variety of strategies to repurpose and mobilise the existing health workforce, while some have also augmented capacity by utilising foreign-trained or previously retired or inactive health professionals, medical and nursing students and volunteers
Measurements of Scalar Dissipation in Turbulent Hydrogen Diffusion Flames and Some Implications on Combustion Modeling

One-dimensional simultaneous measurements of the species mass fractions of O 2 , H 2 , H 2 O, N 2 and OH radical as well as flame temperature have been carried out in hydrogen jet diffusion flames diluted with Ar using the line-Raman/Rayleigh/LIPF-OH technique. Statistical information about the mixture fraction Z and scalar dissipation rate X can be obtained for evaluation of current finite-chemistry combustion models for the turbulent nonpremixed flames. At an upstream position of x/d = 8, the flamelet approach is found to be qualitatively valid, in agreement with a larger Favre mixture fraction fluctuation than the reaction zone thickness in the Z-space. Transient effect, however, can be important in view of H 2 and O 2 superequilibrium. Preferential diffusion effects are negligible due to a relatively large Peclet number. Joint correlations between a reactive scalar Twith X and the conserved scalar Z with X are found to be different from those reported in nonreacting flows. The observed distinct features can be explained based on the flamelet concept so that statistical independence is argued to be a good approximation. There is evidence showing that large-scale turbulent motion dominates scalar transport in the connected reaction zone regime. Thus, flamelet approach is also favored. Some modeling assumptions used in the flamelet model and the CMC method are discussed. Model refinements based on the present experimental data are suggested as well.