Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The application of a medium-chain fatty diet and enteral nutrition in post-operative chylous leakage: analysis of 63 patients

Background Post-operative chylous leakage (CL) is the pathologic leakage of chylomicron fluid after surgery. This retrospective study was performed to evaluate a uniform oral nutrition management strategy on the post-operative CL. Methods We retrospectively reviewed patients who developed post-operative CL and received consultation from a clinical nutritionist in seven departments of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from May 2020 to April 2022. We designed the oral nutrition intervention program which mainly standardized the type and amount of foods contained in the medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) diet. The influencing factors of curative efficacy were analyzed. Finally, binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to observe the relationship between curative efficacy and potentially predictive variables, including post-operative albumin, post-operative hemoglobin, surgical procedure, and drainage volume at consultation. Results Sixty-three patients with post-operative CL were included in this analysis. Of this number, 58 patients were cured successfully without other treatments. Three patients had a significantly prolonged recovery period, and the remaining two cases were treated by reoperation therapy. The leakage volume at the initiation of enteral intervention had no statistically significant difference in seven surgical departments and surgical sites (left, right, median, and bilateral). The length of stay (LOS) of patients with CL after the intervention was not significantly increased in cardiac, hepatobiliary, gastrointestinal, and urological surgeries. Patients with CL had longer LOS than those without CL in gynecology (P=0.044) and thyroid surgery departments (P=0.008). Each unit increase in post-operative hemoglobin would increase the probability of an effective outcome by 8%, which was statistically significant (P = 0.037). Conclusion In treating patients with post-operative CL, we recommend the MCT diet and EN as the first option, rather than fasting, parenteral nutrition (PN), or octreotide.
Stems and rules: A dual-mechanism account of verbal stem formation in Portuguese

In the present thesis, the mental representation and processing of conjugational stems in Portuguese is investigated. Verbal stems in Romance languages are a case of ‘pure’ morphology, which provides insight into the role of grammatical structure in language processing. The motivation for the present work is the striking discrepancy in Portuguese verbs between a productive inflectional class (1st conjugation) and two classes that consist of a static set of lexical items (2nd and 3rd conjugations). We investigated the hypothesis that the formation of 1st conjugation stems is best accounted for by a rule-based process, whilst 2nd and 3rd conjugation stems are lexically stored. This was investigated in two broad ways. Firstly, the generalisation properties of conjugation classes were assessed with an elicited production experiment and a simulation study. The results revealed a dissociation between conjugations. Only 1st conjugation stems were found to generalise freely to novel items, independently of phonological properties, whilst the generalisation of 2nd and 3rd conjugation stems was predicted by their similarity to existing verbs. Secondly, the morphological constituency of 1st and 3rd conjugation stems was investigated with two priming experiments. The results of a cross-modal task showed that only 1st conjugation stems fully prime the recognition of their roots, suggesting that 1st conjugation stems are morphologically structured at a central lexical level. On the other hand, a masked priming experiment revealed no differences between conjugations, with both 1st and 3rd conjugation stems eliciting partial priming effects. The results support a particular version of a dual-mechanism model of stem formation, in which stems constitute the basic representations for lexical access (for all conjugations), but
Searching for Be Stars in the Open Clusters with PTF/iPTF. I. Cluster Sample and Be Star Candidates

We conducted a search for Be star candidates in open clusters using Hα imaging photometry of the Palomar Transient Factory Survey to investigate some connections among Be star phenomena, cluster environments, and ages. Stellar members of clusters were identified by spatial distributions, near-infrared magnitudes and colors, and by proper motions. Among 104 open clusters, we identified 96 Be star candidates in 32 clusters; 11 of our candidates have been reported in previous studies. We found that the clusters with age 7.5 < log(t(year)) 8.5 tend to have more Be star candidates; there is about a 40% occurrence rate within this age bin. The clusters in this age bin also tend to have a higher Be fraction N(Be)/N(Be+B-type). These results suggest that the environments of young and intermediate clusters are favorable to the formation of Be phenomena. Spatial distribution of Be star candidates with different ages implies that they do not form preferentially in the central regions. Furthermore, we showed that the mid-infrared (MIR) colors of the Be star candidates are similar to known Be stars, which could be caused by free–free emission or bound-free emission. Some Be star candidates might have no circumstellar dust according to their MIR colors. Finally, among 96 Be candidates, we discovered that one Be star candidate FSR 0904-1 exhibits long-term variability on the timescale of ∼2000 days with an amplitude of 0.2–0.3 mag, indicating a long timescale of disk evolution.
Road Traffic Sign Detection Method Based on RTS R-CNN Instance Segmentation Network

With the rapid development of the autonomous driving industry, there is increasing research on related perception tasks. However, research on road surface traffic sign detection tasks is still limited. There are two main challenges to this task. First, when the target object’s pixel ratio is small, the detection accuracy often decreases. Second, the existing publicly available road surface traffic sign datasets have limited image data. To address these issues, this paper proposes a new instance segmentation network, RTS R-CNN, for road surface traffic sign detection tasks based on Mask R-CNN. The network can accurately perceive road surface traffic signs and provide important information for the autonomous driving decision-making system. Specifically, CSPDarkNet53_ECA is proposed in the feature extraction stage to enhance the performance of deep convolutional networks by increasing inter-channel interactions. Second, to improve the network’s detection accuracy for small target objects, GR-PAFPN is proposed in the feature fusion part, which uses a residual feature enhancement module (RFA) and atrous spatial pyramid pooling (ASPP) to optimize PAFPN and introduces a balanced feature pyramid module (BFP) to handle the imbalanced feature information at different resolutions. Finally, data augmentation is used to generate more data and prevent overfitting in specific scenarios. The proposed method has been tested on the open-source dataset Ceymo, achieving a Macro F1-score of 87.56%, which is 2.3% higher than the baseline method, while the inference speed reaches 23.5 FPS.
The experiences of autistic doctors: a cross-sectional study

Introduction Medicine may select for autistic characteristics. As awareness and diagnosis of autism are growing, more medical students and doctors may be discovering they are autistic. No studies have explored the experiences of autistic doctors. This study aimed to fill that gap. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. A participatory approach was used to identify the need for the project and to modify a pre-existing survey for use exploring the experiences of autistic doctors. Results We received 225 responses. 64% had a formal diagnosis of autism. The mean age of receiving a formal diagnosis was 36 (range 3–61). Most were currently working as doctors (82%). The most common specialties were general practice / family medicine (31%), psychiatry (18%), and anesthesia (11%). Almost half of those working had completed specialty training (46%) and 40% were current trainees. 29% had not disclosed being autistic to anyone at work. 46% had requested adjustments in the workplace but of these, only half had them implemented. Three quarters had considered suicide (77%), one quarter had attempted suicide (24%) and half had engaged in self-harm (49%). 80% reported having worked with another doctor they suspected was autistic, but only 22% reported having worked with another doctor they knew was autistic. Having never worked with a potentially autistic colleague was associated with having considered suicide. Most preferred to be called “autistic doctors” (64%). Most considered autism to be a difference (83%). Considering autism to be a disorder was associated with preference for the term “doctors with autism,” and with having attempted suicide. Conclusion Autistic doctors reported many challenges in the workplace. This may have contributed to a culture of nondisclosure. Mental health was poor with high rates of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and prior suicide attempts. Despite inhospitable environments, most were persevering and working successfully. Viewing autism as a disorder was associated with prior suicide attempts and a preference for person-first language. A neurodiversity-affirmative approach to autism may lead to a more positive self-identity and improved mental health. Furthermore, providing adequate supports and improving awareness of autistic medical professionals may promote inclusion in the medical workforce.
Innate Immune Status of Glia Modulates Prion Propagation in Early Stage of Infection

Prion diseases are progressive neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and various mammals. The prominent neuropathological change in prion-affected brains is neuroinflammation, histopathologically characterized by reactive gliosis surrounding prion deposition. The cause and effect of these cellular responses are still unclear. Here we investigate the impact of innate immune responses on prion replication using in vitro cell culture models. Hamster-adapted transmissible mink encephalopathy prions, hyper (HY) and drowsy (DY) strains, were assayed for accumulation of pathogenic prion protein (PrPSc) in primary glial cultures derived from 8-day-old hamster pups. The kinetics of PrPSc accumulation largely depended on prion strain and brain regions from where glial cells originated. Glial cells derived from the cerebellum were susceptible to HY, but resistant to DY strain as determined by western blot analysis, immunocytochemistry, and animal bioassay. Glial cells from the cerebral cortex were, however, refractory to both strains. PrPSc accumulation was affected by innate immune modulators. Priming glial cells with lipopolysaccharide decreased prion replication, whereas pre-treatment with dexamethasone, inhibiting innate immunity, increased susceptibility to DY infection. Our results suggest that neuroinflammation resulting from prion infection is a response to resolve and/or prevent prion propagation in the brain. It implies a therapeutic potential of innate immune modulation in the early stages of prion disease.
Developments Towards a Scaled-Up One-Dimensional Directional Dark Matter Detector

There are many forms of evidence that point towards an unknown form of matter, known as dark matter, making up ∼85% of the mass in the universe. Many dark matter candidates have been proposed with the Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) being among the most favoured. There are many groups around the world actively looking for WIMPs with direct, indirect and collider searches with specific interest here in annual modulation and directional searches. The DRIFT-IId detector is the world’s largest directional dark matter detector and is operational in Boulby Mine in the UK. Members of the directional community have come together to form the CYGNUS collaboration, looking towards larger detectors with better directional sensitivity. This thesis looks towards the future scale up to larger directional detectors, specifically low-pressure gas detectors. Improvements have been made to a system used to measure the radon emanation of materials, with emanation tests taken of potential components for CYGNUS detectors. Measurements have also been taken with a small scale THGEM TPC in both CF4 and SF6 gas. The results from CF4 showed the high gas gains achievable from the THGEM detector and allowed a direct measurement of the Townsend coefficients of the gas. Gains of up to 8600 ± 150 have been achieved in low pressure SF6 with a resolution of 19%, both of these figures are the highest achieved to date. The directional sensitivity of 1D readouts has been tested with initial signals of head-tail shown in a THGEM TPC in SF6. A head-tail signature is also seen in a simplified 1D DRIFT-IId readout mode. Exclusion limits from both the full and simplified DRIFT readouts have been produced from over 100 days of background data. The result of 0.16 pb from the full analysis is the lowest limit produced by any directional detector. These results show that a one-dimensional readout may be feasible for directional WIMP detection removing the need for many hundreds or thousands of read out channels required for 3D reconstruction.
Loss of PARP7 Increases Type I Interferon Signaling in EO771 Breast Cancer Cells and Prevents Mammary Tumor Growth by Increasing Antitumor Immunity

Simple Summary Cancer development depends on interactions between the tumor microenvironment and the immune system. PARP7 negatively regulates the type I interferon pathway, ultimately preventing immune cells from detecting and eliminating cancer cells. Recently, inhibition of PARP7 activity has been shown to restore type I interferon signaling, resulting in tumor regression. Here we investigated the effect of stable PARP7 knockout in mammary cancer cells and used a genetic mouse model to study the effects of PARP7 loss on tumor growth in vivo. Abstract PARP7 is a member of the ADP-ribosyltransferase diphtheria toxin-like (ARTD) family and acts as a repressor of type I interferon (IFN) signaling. PARP7 inhibition causes tumor regression by enhancing antitumor immunity, which is dependent on the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) activity, and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. To better understand PARP7′s role in cancer, we generated and characterized PARP7 knockout (Parp7KO) EO771 mouse mammary cancer cells in vitro and in a preclinical syngeneic tumor model using catalytic mutant Parp7H532A mice. Loss of PARP7 expression or inhibition of its activity increased type I IFN signaling, as well as the levels of interferon-stimulated gene factor 3 (ISGF3) and specifically unphosphorylated-ISGF3 regulated target genes. This was partly because PARP7′s modification of the RelA subunit of nuclear factor κ-B (NF-κB). PARP7 loss had no effect on tumor growth in immunodeficient mice. In contrast, injection of wildtype cells into Parp7H532A mice resulted in smaller tumors compared with cells injected into Parp7+/+ mice. Parp7H532A mice injected with Parp7KO cells failed to develop tumors and those that developed regressed. Our data highlight the importance of PARP7 in the immune cells and further support targeting PARP7 for anticancer therapy.
Time Series Analysis of S&P 500 Index: A Horizontal Visibility Graph Approach

The behavior of stock prices has been thoroughly studied throughout the last century, and contradictory results have been reported in the corresponding literature. In this paper, a network theoretical approach is provided to investigate how crises affected the behavior of US stock prices. We analyze high frequency data from S&P500 via the Horizontal Visibility Graph method, and find that all major crises that took place worldwide in the last twenty years, affected significantly the behavior of the price-index. Nevertheless, we observe that each of those crises impacted the index in a different way and magnitude. Interestingly, our results suggest that the predictability of the price-index series increases during the periods of crises.
An Investigation into the Metacognitive Writing Strategies of Turkish Cypriot University Students

This paper presents findings from a study done in an English preparatory school of a University in North Cyprus. The study focused on the use and awareness of metacognitive learning strategies in relation to writing skills. Data collection was done through the means of quantitative, student-questionnaire, and qualitative, teacher-interview, measures. The findings show that less than half of the participants used and were aware of metacognitive learning strategies. Although teachers mentioned such strategies during the lessons, according to the questionnaire results, less than half of the 250 participants used strategies or had awareness of them. Conclusion would, therefore, be that mentioning strategies to encourage students to use strategies is not enough. A statistically significant correlation between the success rate and metacognitive strategy use and awareness was proved in support of the findings in the literature. The implication of this finding for teachers is that, implementing strategy instruction in our classrooms could increase the success of students and, as the success rate of the students is increased, they will use more strategies with an increased awareness.
Effect of the Fermented Soy Q-CAN® Product on Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidation in Adults with Cardiovascular Risk, and Canonical Correlations between the Inflammation Biomarkers and Blood Lipids

Systemic low-grade inflammation plays a key role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) but the process may be modulated by consuming fermented soy foods. Here, we aim to evaluate the effect of a fermented soy powder Q-CAN® on inflammatory and oxidation biomarkers in subjects with cardiovascular risk. In a randomized crossover trial, 27 adults (mean age ± SD, 51.6 ± 13.5 y) with a mean BMI ± SD of 32.3 ± 7.3 kg/m2 consumed 25 g daily of the fermented soy powder or an isoenergic control powder of sprouted brown rice for 12 weeks each. Between-treatment results showed a 12% increase in interleukin-1 receptor agonist (IL-1Ra) in the treatment group, whereas within-treatment results showed 23% and 7% increases in interleukin-6 (IL-6) and total antioxidant status (TAS), respectively. The first canonical correlation coefficient (r = 0.72) between inflammation markers and blood lipids indicated a positive association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and IL-1Ra with LDL-C and a negative association with HDL-C that explained 62% of the variability in the biomarkers. These outcomes suggest that blood lipids and inflammatory markers are highly correlated and that ingestion of the fermented soy powder Q-CAN® may increase IL-1Ra, IL-6, and TAS in individuals with CVD risk factors.
Numerical solution of Hammerstein integral equation using Chebyshev wavelet method

The aim of this work is to solve Hammerstein integral equations of both Fredholm as well as Volterra type by Chebyshev wavelet method which is widely applicable in engineering and technology. The Chebyshev wavelets together its properties are used to converts the problem into algebraic equations. Illustrative examples of Hammerstein type equations have been discussed to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the technique and the results have been compared with the existing method in the literature as well as with exact solution.
3. Distributed and boundary control problems for the semidiscrete Cahn–Hilliard/Navier–Stokes system with nonsmooth Ginzburg–Landau energies

This paper is concerned with optimal control problems for the coupled Cahn– Hilliard/Navier–Stokes system related to ’model H’ of Hohenberg and Halperin [20]. It proposes a time-discretization allowing suitable energy estimates, that in particular force the total energy to decrease without control action, and it considers distributed as well as boundary control of the fluid. For nonsmooth potentials, including the double-obstacle potential contained in the associated Ginzburg-Landau energy, a regularization procedure based on a mollified Moreau-Yosida approximation is applied. The resulting regularized problems are discretized by finite elements and solved via a gradient descent method. Several numerical examples document the behavior of the algorithm as well as the controlled Cahn–Hilliard/Navier–Stokes system for boundary and for distributed control.
Compressive Behavior of Reconstituted Soils at High Initial Water Content: Case Study on South-Western Region Of Bangladesh

This study illustrates the experimental investigation of the effect of high initial water content on the compression behavior of reconstituted soil. For this attempt, disturbed soil samples were collected from two selected locations of the KUET campus, Khulna, Bangladesh. The reconstituted soils were prepared in the laboratory at different initial water content, ranging from 0.7 to 1.2 times their corresponding liquid limit. The main focus of this study was to investigate the compression behavior of reconstituted clays using oedometer tests. This work was complementary to the intrinsic compression line concept proposed by Burland (1990). In the laboratory, ASTM methods were followed to measure the initial properties of soils. Here, it can be observed that e - logσv compression curves show an inverse "S" shape as a result of resisting deformation due to pressure. Moreover, some important correlations were developed based on the initial void ratio and the void ratio at the liquid Limit e0/eL . It has been observed that the void index is a dominating parameter to normalize the squeezability characteristics at different initial water contents in the plastic post-yield regime. A non-unique relationship is obtained for different soils to express the intrinsic compression line concept. However, there is a proportional relationship between intrinsic compressibility and initial water contents or liquid limits. Journal of Engineering Science 14(1), 2023, 1-9
Blood Sugar Reduction of Type 2 Diabetic Patients through a Mindfulness Intervention Program

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a mindfulness intervention program on focus of attention and increased blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. An experimental study with a 8-month follow-up was designed with an intervention group and control group. The intervention program of this study was developed for patients with type 2 diabetes (intervention group: n = 31; control group: n = 26), age range 20-65 years old. We included a 10-week intervention comprising the quadruple mindfulness steps and homework. The Focus of Attention Questionnaire (FAQ) was used to measure the variable focus of attention. The results showed that the intervention program can protect patients with type 2 diabetes from an increase in blood sugar at the glucose control period.