Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of overactive bladder syndrome on female sexual function

Abstract This study was to evaluate the impact of the symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome on female sexual function. Seventy nine patients with OAB (OAB group) and 79 healthy women (control group) underwent physical examination at our center, and had their sexual function evaluated using the female sexual function index (FSFI). In accordance with the presence or absence of urge incontinence, the OAB group was further divided into the wet and dry groups. The sexual function was evaluated again after 3 months of pharmacotherapy. We investigate the difference of sexual function between OAB and control group. The effect of OAB severity and OAB pharmacotherapy on sexual function was also explored. There were no significant differences between OAB group and control group, including age, body mass index (BMI), education, occupation, fertility, parity, childbirth, and menopause. Compared with the control group, the OAB group had significantly lower FSFI scores. The respective mean ± standard error FSFI scores in the control group and the OAB group were 2.98 ± 1.07 and 2.27 ± 0.96 for desire, 3.48 ± 1.16 and 2.32 ± 1.44 for arousal, 4.60 ± 1.13 and 3.10 ± 1.95 for lubrication, 3.37 ± 0.87 and 2.63 ± 1.04 for orgasm, 3.58 ± 1.02 and 2.41 ± 1.35 for sexual satisfaction, 3.58 ± 1.02 and 2.41 ± 1.35 for sexual pain, and 22.24 ± 5.29 and 15.59 ± 7.47 for the total score (P < .05 for all comparisons). The scores for desire, lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction, pain, and total FSFI between the OAB-dry and OAB-wet subgroup were similar while score of arousal in OAB-wet subgroup was significantly increased compared with that of OAB-dry. OABSS score was commonly used in the assessment of OAB severity. The difference of the FSFI scores among mild OAB group, moderate OAB group, and severe OAB group was statistically significant (P < .05). Female FSFI sexual function scores were significantly improved after OAB pharmacotherapy (P < .05). Women with OAB syndrome have poorer sexual function than healthy women. Patients with more serious OAB experience more disturbing sexual dysfunction. Female sexual function scores were significantly improved after OAB pharmacotherapy.
Polyclonal hyper immunoglobulin: A proven treatment and prophylaxis platform for passive immunization to address existing and emerging diseases

ABSTRACT Passive immunization with polyclonal hyper immunoglobulin (HIG) therapy represents a proven strategy by transferring immunoglobulins to patients to confer immediate protection against a range of pathogens including infectious agents and toxins. Distinct from active immunization, the protection is passive and the immunoglobulins will clear from the system; therefore, administration of an effective dose must be maintained for prophylaxis or treatment until a natural adaptive immune response is mounted or the pathogen/agent is cleared. The current review provides an overview of this technology, key considerations to address different pathogens, and suggested improvements. The review will reflect on key learnings from development of HIGs in the response to public health threats due to Zika, influenza, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
Cataract surgical reach: Falling short to catch white cataracts!

Purpose: The aim of this study was to know proportion of white cataracts from among patients coming for cataract surgery, and to find causes delaying uptake of cataract surgery. Methods: A hospital-based, prospective study enrolled patients of senile cataract between April 2018 and March 2019. The proportion of white cataract was calculated and underlying causes delaying uptake of cataract surgery studied. Results: White cataracts constituted 13.5% of total 3634 senile cataract patients, with gender disparity disfavoring women. Bilateral white cataract was presentation in 39 (8%) patients and lens-related glaucoma in 24 (5%) patients. Pseudophakia in the other eye was single most common cause of delay. Conclusion: A large proportion of white cataracts suggest that penetration of cataract surgical services in not reaching to the most eligible individual.
Extraversion development in childhood, adolescence and adulthood: Testing the role of sport participation in three nationally-representative samples

ABSTRACT This research sought to test whether sport participation relates to the development of trait extraversion across three life phases. Sport participation and extraversion were measured in children aged 10.5 ± 0.5 years (n = 3600), in adolescents aged 14.5 ± 0.5 years (n = 3463), and in adults with a mean age of 49.4 ± 18.0 years (n = 12,280), with corresponding data collected four years earlier. There were small mean-level decreases in extraversion during childhood and adulthood, and a large decrease in extraversion during adolescence. Four-year rank-order stability in extraversion was . 58 in childhood, . 61 in adolescence and . 76 in adulthood. Sport participation was associated with higher extraversion in all three samples. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, children and adolescents who dropped out of sport showed greater decreases in extraversion than those who continued participation in sport. Sport participation was unrelated to mean-level change in extraversion during adulthood. Sport participation was also associated with greater intra-individual stability in extraversion for children, adolescents and adults. There were no significant sex moderation effects for mean-level change or individual-level stability. These findings provide evidence that sport participation might have an important role in trait extraversion stability and change across the lifespan.
Preserved intention understanding during moral judgments in schizophrenia

Introduction Although there is convincing evidence for socio-cognitive impairments in schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD), little evidence is found for deficient moral cognition. We investigated whether patients with SSD showed altered moral judgments in a story task where the protagonist either had a neutral or malicious intention towards another person. This paradigm examined whether SSD relates to altered moral cognition in general or specifically to impaired integration of prior information (such as beliefs) in moral judgments. Methods 23 patients and 32 healthy controls read vignettes created in a 2 x 2 design. The protagonist in each story either had a neutral or negative intention towards another person which, as a result, either died (negative outcome) or did not die (neutral outcome). Participants rated the moral permissibility of the protagonist’s action. Standard null hypothesis significance testing and equivalent Bayes analyses are reported. Results Schizophrenia patients did not differ significantly in permissibility ratings from healthy controls. This finding was supported by the Bayes analyses which favoured the null hypothesis. Task performance was not related to symptom severity or medication. Conclusions The current findings do not support the notion that moral judgments are deficient in schizophrenia. Furthermore, the current study shows that patients do not have observable difficulties in integrating the protagonist’s belief in the rating of the moral permissibility of the action-outcome.
Revisiting the Sustainability of India’s Fiscal Deficit

Growing fiscal deficit and public debt has been a cause of concern for the government, economists and the policymakers of India since long. Various studies have tried to test the sustainability issue of India’s fiscal policies applying various methodologies time to time. However, the results obtained are ambiguous. Such ambiguity might emerge because of the various methodologies adopted for the respective studies. In view of this, the current study attempts to revisit the sustainability issue of India’s fiscal deficit using up-to-date time series methodologies on the annual data sets ranging from the time period 1981 to 2019. Apart from this, the study also tries to verify the results using a model based on fiscal reaction function (FRF) developed by Henning Bohn. The study found the fiscal deficit of India to be sustainable. JEL Classification: H61, H62, H63, H68
Assessment of Water quality from Sagbama Creek, Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study evaluated the physico-chemical properties of Sagbama creek. Samples were collected from 5 locations at sub depth of 5 to 15cm in triplicate. The water was analyzed using standard procedures. Resulted showed that pH (6.13 to 6.95). Temperature (26.6 to 27.20C), Turbidity (21.80 to 23.03NTU), Conductivity (60.57 to 67.33 μhmoscm-1), Dissolved oxygen (6.13 to 8.01mg/l), Total hardness (3.10 to 3.82mg/l), Total dissolved solid (30.09 to 33.52mg/l), Nitrate (0.12 to 0.13mg/l), Nitrite (0.07 to 0.10mg/l), Sulphate (0.52 to 2.62mg/l), Chloride (2.27 to 3.33mg/l), Sodium (1.40 to 2.18 mg/l), Potassium (0.64 to 1.06mg/l), Calcium (1.01 to 2.22 mg/l), Magnesium (0.63 to 0.85mg/l), Iron (0.02 to 0.35mg/l) and Manganese (0.01 to 0.02mg/l). Analysis of variance showed that there is significance difference (P<0.05) among the various parameters except for temperature, pH and turbidity. High turbidity is an indication of pollution. Instances of pH and iron exceeding permissible limit recommended by Standard Organization of Nigeria suggests contamination.
Cognitive function vs. accessible authentication: insights from dyslexia research

The most common authentication mechanism, the password, requires a user to recall a secret. Users take this memorisation, or cognitive function, test on a daily basis in order to gain access to systems and devices. This mechanism's design has received much scrutiny and there is a common realization that security and usability are key considerations. In this paper, we consider a third, emergent aspect: that of accessibility. Using a qualitative approach, we explore the challenges current password-based approaches pose to people with dyslexia, a relatively common cognitive disability, highlighting several issues. Following draft web accessibility guidelines, we also evaluate alternative authentication mechanisms. We observe a lack of consideration for accessibility in the area of authentication and offer suggestions for future research.
Every zircon deserves a date: selection bias in detrital geochronology

Abstract Detrital zircon geochronology can help address stratigraphic- to lithospheric-scale geological questions. The approach is reliant on statistically robust, representative age distributions that fingerprint source areas. However, there is a range of biases that may influence any detrital age signature. Despite being a fundamental and controllable source of bias, handpicking of zircon grains has received surprisingly little attention. Here, we show statistically significant differences in age distributions between bulk-mounted and handpicked fractions from an unconsolidated heavy mineral sand deposit. Although there is no significant size difference between bulk-mounted and handpicked grains, there are significant differences in their aspect ratio, circularity and colour, which indicate inadvertent preferential visual selection of euhedral and coloured zircon grains. Grain colour comparisons between dated and bulk zircon fractions help quantify bias. Bulk-mounting is the preferred method to avoid human-induced selection bias in detrital zircon geochronology.
Occurrence of global instability in hypersonic compression corner flow

Abstract Hypersonic flow over a two-dimensional compression corner with a Mach number of 7.7 and unit Reynolds number of 4.2 × 106 m−1 is numerically investigated. Special emphasis is given to the onset of global instability with respect to three-dimensional perturbations. Global stability analysis is performed for various ramp angles and wall temperatures. It is found that the shock-induced separated flow system becomes unstable when the ramp angle is beyond a certain value. The critical ramp angle increases slightly with the wall temperature, although the length of the separation region is significantly enlarged. The global instability is shown to be closely linked with the occurrence of secondary separation beneath the primary separation bubble. A criterion is established based on a scaled ramp angle defined in the triple-deck theory to predict the global stability boundary, which depends on the free-stream conditions and geometries only.
Mechanosensitive calcium signaling in response to cell shape changes promotes epithelial tight junction remodeling by activating RhoA

Epithelia maintain an effective barrier by actively remodeling cell-cell junctions in response to mechanical stimuli. Cells often respond to mechanical stress through activation of RhoA and dynamic remodeling of actomyosin. Previously, we found that local leaks in the epithelial tight junction barrier are rapidly repaired by localized, transient activation of RhoA, a process we termed “Rho flares”, but how Rho flares are initiated remains unknown. Here, we discovered that intracellular calcium flashes occur in Xenopus laevis embryonic epithelial cells undergoing rapid remodeling of tight junctions via activation of Rho flares. Calcium flashes originate at the site of leaks and propagate into the cell. Depletion of intracellular calcium or inhibition of mechanosensitive calcium channels (MSC) reduced the amplitude of calcium flashes and diminished the activation of Rho flares. Furthermore, MSC-dependent calcium influx was necessary to maintain global barrier function by regulating repair of local tight junction proteins through efficient contraction of junctions. Collectively, we propose that MSC-dependent calcium flashes are an important mechanism allowing epithelial cells to sense and respond to local leaks induced by mechanical stimuli.
Spatiotemporal context modulates encoding and retrieval of overlapping events

Overlap between events can lead to interference due to a tradeoff between encoding the present event and retrieving the past event. Temporal context information – ‘when’ something occurred, a defining feature of episodic memory – can cue retrieval of a past event. However, the influence of temporal overlap, or proximity in time, on the mechanisms of interference are unclear. Here, by identifying brain states using scalp electroencephalography (EEG) from male and female human subjects, we show the extent to which temporal overlap promotes interference and induces retrieval. In this experiment, subjects were explicitly directed to either encode the present event or retrieve a past, overlapping event while perceptual input was held constant. We find that the degree of temporal overlap between events leads to selective interference. Specifically, greater temporal overlap between two events leads to impaired memory for the past event selectively when the top-down goal is to encode the present event. Using pattern classification analyses to measure neural evidence for a retrieval state, we find that greater temporal overlap leads to automatic retrieval of a past event, independent of top-down goals. Critically, the retrieval evidence we observe likely reflects a general retrieval mode, rather than retrieval success or effort. Collectively, our findings provide insight into the role of temporal overlap on interference and memory formation.
Genome-wide association study revealed loci linked to post-drought recovery and traits related to persistence of smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis)

Association analysis has been proved as a powerful tool for genetic dissection of complex traits. This study was conducted to identify marker–trait associations for recovery, persistence, and as well as finding stable associations. In this study, a diverse panel of polycross derived progenies of smooth bromegrass was phenotyped under normal and water stress, during three consecutive years. Association analysis was performed between nine important agronomic traits along with three seasonal growth activity indices based on 535 SRAP markers. Population structure analysis identified five main subpopulations possessing significant genetic differences. Association analysis using mixed linear mode1 identified 339 and 233 marker-trait associations under normal and water stress environments, respectively. Some of these markers were associated with more than one trait; which can be attributed to pleiotropic effects or to a number of tightly linked genes affecting several traits. If the effectiveness of these markers in genetic control of these traits is validated, they could be potentially used for initiation of marker-assisted selection and targeted trait introgression of smooth bromegrass under normal and water stress environments. Highlight In this study, stable marker-trait associations (MTAs) between years and moisture regimes (normal and water stress environments) were identified in a diverse panel of polycross derived progenies of smooth bromegrass.
Genetics and Material Culture Support Repeated Expansions into Paleolithic Eurasia from a Population Hub Out of Africa

The population dynamics that followed the out of Africa expansion (OoA) and the whereabouts of the early migrants before the differentiation that ultimately led to the formation of Oceanian, West and East Eurasian macro populations have long been debated. Shedding light on these events may, in turn, provide clues to better understand cultural evolution in Eurasia between 50kya and 35kya. Here we analyze Eurasian Paleolithic DNA evidence to provide a comprehensive population model and validate it in light of available material culture. Leveraging on our integrated approach we propose the existence of a Eurasian population Hub, where Homo sapiens lived between the OoA and the broader colonization of Eurasia, which was characterized by multiple events of expansion and local extinction. A major population wave out of Hub, of which Ust’Ishim, Bacho Kiro and Tianyuan are unadmixed representatives, is broadly associated with Initial Upper Paleolithic lithics and populated West and East Eurasia before or around 45 kya, before getting largely extinct in Europe. In this light, we suggest a parsimonious placement of Oase1 as an individual related to Bacho Kiro who experienced additional Neanderthal introgression. Another expansion, started before 38 kya, is broadly associated with Upper Paleolithic industries and repopulated Europe with sporadic admixtures with the previous wave (GoyetQ116-1) and more systematic ones while moving through Siberia (Yana, Mal’ta).
Differential surface competition and biofilm invasion strategies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 and PA01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains PA14 and PAO1 are among the two best characterized model organisms used to study the mechanisms of biofilm formation, while also representing two distinct lineages of P. aeruginosa. Our previous work showed that P. aeruginosa PA14 and PAO1 use distinct strategies to initiate biofilm growth. Using differentially-labeled strains and microfluidic devices, we show that PAO1 can outcompete PA14 in a head-to-head competition during early colonization of a surface, can do so in constant and perturbed environments, that this advantage is specific to biofilm growth and requires production of the Psl polysaccharide. In contrast, the P. aeruginosa PA14 exhibits a competitive fitness advantage when invading a pre-formed biofilm and is better able to tolerate starvation than PAO1 in the biofilm context. These data support the model that while P. aeruginosa PAO1 and PA14 are both able to effectively colonize surfaces, these strains use distinct strategies that are advantageous under different environmental settings. Importance Recent studies indicate that P. aeruginosa PAO1 and PA14 use distinct strategies to initiate biofilm formation, with PAO1 committing to the surface through a processive mode of attachment, while PA14 uses a non-processive surface engagement strategy. We investigated whether their respective colonization strategies impact their ability to effectively compete under different biofilm-forming regimes. Our work shows that these different strategies do indeed impact how these strains colonize the surface: PAO1 dominates during colonization of a naïve surface, while PA14 is more effective in colonizing a pre-formed biofilm or withstanding starvation conditions. These data suggest that even for very similar microbes there may be distinct strategies to successfully colonize and persist on surfaces during the biofilm life cycle.
Biochemical Barriers on the Path to Ocean Anoxia?

Declining ocean oxygen associated with global warming and climate change is impacting marine ecosystems across scales from microscopic planktonic communities to global fisheries. We report a fundamental dichotomy in the affinities of enzymes for oxygen—the terminal proteins catalyzing respiration are active at much lower oxygen concentrations than oxygenase enzymes involved in organic matter catabolism. ABSTRACT The kinetics of microbial respiration suggests that, if excess organic matter is present, oxygen should fall to nanomolar levels in the range of the Michaelis-Menten constants (Km). Yet even in many biologically productive coastal regions, lowest observed O2 concentrations often remain several orders of magnitude higher than respiratory Km values. We propose the hypoxic barrier hypothesis (HBH) to explain this apparent discrepancy. The HBH postulates that oxidative enzymes involved in organic matter catabolism are kinetically limited by O2 at concentrations far higher than the thresholds for respiration. We found support for the HBH in a meta-analysis of 1,137 O2 Km values reported in the literature: the median value for terminal respiratory oxidases was 350 nM, but for other oxidase types, the median value was 67 μM. The HBH directs our attention to the kinetic properties of an important class of oxygen-dependent reactions that could help explain the trajectories of ocean ecosystems experiencing O2 stress. IMPORTANCE Declining ocean oxygen associated with global warming and climate change is impacting marine ecosystems across scales from microscopic planktonic communities to global fisheries. We report a fundamental dichotomy in the affinities of enzymes for oxygen—the terminal proteins catalyzing respiration are active at much lower oxygen concentrations than oxygenase enzymes involved in organic matter catabolism. We hypothesize that this dichotomy in oxygen affinities will cause some types of organic matter to accumulate in hypoxic ecosystems and will slow rates of oxygen decline. This proposed biochemical barrier may explain why many ocean ecosystems rarely reach anoxia. Competition between intracellular enzymes for oxygen may also have impacted microbial strategies of adaptation to low oxygen, requiring cells to regulate oxygen respiration so that it does not compete with other cellular processes that also require oxygen.
Identifiability analysis for models of the translation kinetics after mRNA transfection

Mechanistic models are a powerful tool to gain insights into biological processes. The parameters of such models, e.g. kinetic rate constants, usually cannot be measured directly but need to be inferred from experimental data. In this article, we study dynamical models of the translation kinetics after mRNA transfection and analyze their parameter identifiability. That is, whether parameters can be uniquely determined from perfect or realistic data in theory and practice. Previous studies have considered ordinary differential equation (ODE) models of the process, and here we formulate a stochastic differential equation (SDE) model. For both model types, we consider structural identifiability based on the model equations and practical identifiability based on simulated as well as experimental data and find that the SDE model provides better parameter identifiability than the ODE model. Moreover, our analysis shows that even for those parameters of the ODE model that are considered to be identifiable, the obtained estimates are sometimes unreliable. Overall, our study clearly demonstrates the relevance of considering different modeling approaches and that stochastic models can provide more reliable and informative results.