Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization of process parameters for fabrication of electrospun nanofibers containing neomycin sulfate and Malva sylvestris extract for a better diabetic wound healing

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is one of the most concerning conditions, and its chronic consequences are almost always accompanied by infection, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Reducing excessive reactive oxygen species and the wound’s inflammatory response is a necessary treatment during the acute inflammatory phase of diabetic wound healing. Malva sylvestris extract (MS) containing nanofibers containing neomycin sulfate (NS) were synthesized for this investigation, and their impact on the healing process of diabetic wounds was assessed. Using Design Expert, the electrospinning process for the fabrication of NS nanofibers (NS-NF) was adjusted for applied voltage (X 1), the distance between the needle’s tip and the collector (X 2), and the feed rate (X 3) for attaining desired entrapment efficacy [EE] and average nanofiber diameter (ND). The optimal formulation can be prepared with 19.11 kV of voltage, 20 cm of distance, and a flow rate of 0.502 mL/h utilizing the desirability approach. All the selected parameters and responses have their impact on drug delivery from nanofibers. In addition, M. sylvestris extracts have been added into the optimal formulation [MS-NS-NF] and assessed for their surface morphology, tensile strength, water absorption potential, and in vitro drug release studies. The NS and MS delivery from MS-NS-NF has been extended for more than 60 h. M. sylvestris-loaded nanofibers demonstrated superior antibacterial activity compared to plain NS nanofibers. The scaffolds featured a broad aspect and a highly linked porous fibrous network structure. Histomorphometry study and the in vitro scratch assay demonstrate the formulation’s efficacy in treating diabetic wound healing. The cells treated with MS-NS-NF in vivo demonstrated that wound dressings successfully reduced both acute and chronic inflammations. To improve the healing of diabetic wounds, MS-NS-NF may be regarded as an appropriate candidate for wound dressing.
Sex differences in patients undergoing heart transplantation and LVAD therapy

ABSTRACT Introduction Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and heart transplantation (HT) are the two life-sustaining therapies that have revolutionized the management of end-stage heart failure (HF). Yet, significant sex differences exist with respect to their use and effects. Areas Covered This review summarizes sex differences in the utilization, outcomes, and complications of LVAD and HT. Particular emphasis is placed on leading clinical trials in the field, historical and recent large registries-based analyses, as well as contemporary technological and policy changes affecting these differences. Expert Opinion Women with advanced HF remain under-treated with guideline-directed medical therapy and are less likely to be referred for consideration for LVAD and HT. This remains true despite newer LVAD technology and the new heart transplant allocation system. Community outreach, education, as well as increased representation of women in clinical research may reduce inequities.
Association of patients’ pre-therapy strengths and alliance in outpatient psychotherapy: A multilevel growth curve analysis

Abstract Objective Meta-analytic evidence showed robust associations between the alliance in psychotherapeutic dyads and treatment outcomes. Recent studies have indicated that facets of positive mental health are additionally relevant predictors of both the alliance and success of psychotherapy. However, the impact of patients’ pre-therapy strengths on the alliance at the beginning and during treatment has been scarcely examined. Method 428 patients (62.4% female, M age = 40.79), treated by 41 therapists, underwent cognitive behavioral therapy in a German outpatient training and research center. Alliance from patients’ perspectives was assessed at the beginning and during treatment. Data were analyzed with multilevel growth curve modeling. Results Alliance increased during psychotherapy, with a quadratic trajectory best representing this trend on average, p < . 001. Pre-therapy strengths were positively related to alliance intercept, b = 0.0537, p < . 001. No interaction was found between the included time variables and pre-therapy strengths in the prediction of the alliance slope. Conclusion Positive mental health facets should be considered in psychotherapy research and practice. Future studies may focus on the parallel development of patients’ strengths with other process factors in treatment.
Four-point Functions of Lowest Weight CPOs in N=4 SYM_4 in Supergravity Approximation

We show that the recently found quartic action for the scalars from the massless graviton multiplet of type IIB supergravity compactiﬁed on AdS 5 × S 5 background coincides with the relevant part of the action of the gauged N = 8 5d supergravity on AdS 5 . We then use this action to compute the 4-point function of the lowest weight chiral primary operators tr ( φ ( i φ j ) ) in N = 4 SYM 4 at large N and at strong ‘t Hooft coupling.
Highlighting novel targets in immunotherapy for liver cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction Alterations to the hepatic immune microenvironment can play a key role in the development and progression of cancer. This is especially true in the liver due to its evolutionarily conserved immunotolerant state. The presence of chronic inflammation can facilitate the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by disrupting the hepatic immune microenvironment. Recently, the addition of the immunotherapy atezolizumab (PD-L1 inhibitor) with bevacizumab (VEGF inhibitor) became the recommended first-line systemic treatment for advanced HCC. Areas covered Given recent updates to the guidelines and emerging data on immunotherapy, we herein provide an overview of currently available and novel immunotherapy approaches for the treatment of HCC, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapy, and vaccine development. This review performed an extensive literature search to investigate benchwork, clinical research, and clinical trials that evaluate current immunotherapy and establish new targets. Literature was focused on the most up-to-date research and included ongoing clinical trials to better evaluate the obstacles and future direction of the field. Expert opinion Given the heterogeneity of HCC tumors, improvement in outcomes will likely come from targeting multiple immune mechanisms. Continued research and clinical trials of combination immunotherapies are necessary to move the field forward.
Perceptions of airway gene therapy for cystic fibrosis

ABSTRACT Background Airway gene therapy could produce lasting benefit for cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease, however patient and public support is critical for successful adoption. Research design and methods Two separate quantitative online surveys were conducted to examine perceptions towards airway gene therapy for CF among people with CF, their families, and members of the public. Data was collected from a total of 213 participants across both studies, with 43 having a diagnosis of CF, 122 having a family member with CF, and 135 knowing someone with CF. Results Participants in both studies displayed positive perceptions towards gene therapy and were supportive of involvement in CF gene therapy trials. Around 50% hoped gene therapy could provide a cure. In Study 1 gene therapy was the most important research area, but in Study 2 this was new daily drugs. Almost all thought gene therapy was still required even if modulators already improved quality of life. Conclusion The factors that influence acceptance, whether trials would be positively viewed, and whether individuals with CF are receptive to gene therapy, are essential to determine prior to clinical trials. Our findings indicate people have positive opinions about airway gene therapy for CF, but further education is vital.
Extraction of [Formula Presented] from the Gross–Llewellyn Smith sum rule using Borel resummation

Using the CCFR data for the Gross--Llewellyn Smith (GLS) sum rule, we extract the strong coupling constant via Borel resummation of the perturbative QCD calculation. The method incorporates the correct nature of the first infrared renormalon singularity, and employs a conformal mapping to improve the convergence of the QCD perturbation expansion. The important twist-four contribution is calculated from resummation of the perturbation theory, which is based on the ansatz that the higher--twist contribution has a cut singularity only along the positive real axis on the complex coupling plane. Thus obtained, the strong coupling constant corresponding to the central GLS experimental value is in good agreement with the world average.
A Consistent Test for Bivariate Dependence

Summary A new and consistent rank test for bivariate dependence is developed. Let Xi' and Y' denote the (approximate) normal scores associated with the iid vectors (X, Yi), i = 1 . , n. Then the proposed test statistic may be obtained by removing the first Haijek projection from the quantity Sn-2 I'- XXk' I Y- YkJ. Empirical characteristic function considerations are used in our development and some related graphical methods are proposed. Some difficulties that arise in extensions to dimension k > 2 are noted. A small simulation study provides evidence of the effectiveness of the new procedure.
Spatio-temporal behaviour in an enclosed corotating disk pair

We present a numerical investigation of the flow between corotating disks with a stationary outer casing – the enclosed corotating disk pair configuration. It is known that in such a geometry, axisymmetric and three-dimensional flow regimes develop depending on the value of the rotation rate. The three-dimensional flow is always unsteady flowing to its wavy structure in the radial-tangential plane. Axisymmetric regimes exhibit first a pitchfork bifurcation, characterized by a symmetry breaking with respect to the inter-disk midplane, before a Hopf bifurcation is established. The regime diagrams for these bifurcations are given in the (Re, G)-plane, where Re(= Ωb2/ν) is the rotational Reynolds number and G(= s/(b−a)) is the gap ratio. For values of G smaller than a critical limit Gc ∼ 0.26, there exists a range of rotation rates where the motion becomes time-dependent before bifurcating to a steady symmetry breaking regime. It is shown that for G [ges ] Gc the transition to unsteady three-dimensional flow occurs after the pitchfork bifurcation, and the flow structure is characterized by a shift-and-reflect symmetry. The transition to three-dimensional flow is consistent with experimental observations made by Abrahamson et al. (1989) where multiple solutions develop (known as the intransitivity phenomenon) with the presence of quasi-periodic behaviour resulting from successive vortex pairings. On the other hand, for smaller values of gap ratio, the three-dimensional flow shows a symmetry breaking. Finally, it is found that the variation of torque coefficient as a function of the rotation rate is the same for both the axisymmetric and three-dimensional solutions.
Obsessional slowness in obsessive-compulsive disorder: identifying characteristics and comorbidities in a clinical sample

Abstract Background Obsessional slowness (OS) is characterised by debilitating motor slowness during initiation and completion of daily tasks such as washing, dressing, eating or walking. Yet, the clinical features of OS are still poorly understood. Methods This study aimed to delineate demographics, comorbid disorders and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) associated with OS. Cross sectional data from 667 OCD outpatients aged 9–82 years (M = 37.86, SD = 12.78) who underwent comprehensive standardised assessments administered by trained clinicians were analysed. Participants with (n = 189) and without (n = 478) OS were compared and contrasted. Results Logistic regression revealed that being single, having tics and displaying higher severity of aggression, contamination, symmetry and hoarding symptoms significantly predicted participants having OS. Conclusions This is the largest-scale descriptive study of OS, which also provides preliminary evidence that OS may be a more severe form of OCD. Further empirical validation of these findings is required, and future research should focus on developing OS assessment. Key Points This was the first large-scale descriptive study of obsessional slowness (OS), that provided preliminary evidence for an OS phenotype within obsessive-compulsive disorder OS is associated with increased severity of aggression, contamination, symmetry and hoarding obsessive-compulsive symptoms Individuals with OS are more likely to have comorbid tics, suggesting that there may be underlying motor factors contributing to this condition Future research would benefit from collecting both qualitative and quantitative data when assessing OS
Physical activity pattern of patients with interstitial lung disease compared to patients with COPD: A propensity-matched study

Introduction Physical activity (PA) is reduced in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Evidence about the PA pattern of patients with ILD is scarce. If PA of patients with ILD would be comparable to COPD, it is tempting to speculate that existing interventions focusing on enhancing PA could be as effective in ILD as already shown in COPD. Therefore, we aimed to compare PA and the correlates with PA in matched patients with ILD, COPD, and healthy subjects. Materials and methods Patients with ILD (n = 45), COPD (n = 45) and healthy subjects (n = 30) were propensity matched. PA level, pattern, and PA correlations with lung function and physical performance (6-minute walking distance and quadriceps force) were compared between groups. Results Daily number of steps was similar in both patient groups (mean±SE: 5631±459 for ILD, 5544±547 for COPD, p = 0.900), but significantly lower compared to healthy subjects (10031±536, p<0.001 for both). Mean intensity of PA tended to be lower in the ILD group (mean±SE metabolic equivalents of task per day: 1.41±0.04) compared to COPD (1.52±0.05, p = 0.074) and healthy individuals (1.67±0.04, p<0.001). The pattern of PA over one day was found to be similar between the three groups. Lastly, the correlation between PA and 6-minute walking distance was significantly weaker in patients with ILD compared to patients with COPD (respectively r = 0.348 and r = 0.739; p<0.05 for both). Conclusions For a given functional reserve, patients with ILD perform an equal amount of steps but perform PA at lower intensity compared to patients with COPD. Both groups are less active compared to healthy control subjects. Functional exercise capacity was shown to be only moderately related to PA. This can potentially influence the effectiveness of PA interventions that can be expected.
Industrial applications of atmospheric non-thermal plasma in environmental remediation

Atmospheric non-thermal plasma (NTP) has been recognized as an important tool for the abatement of pollutants and for promoting various chemical reactions in gas or in liquid. Indoor air cleaners have been mass-produced and proved to be effective for the removal of odour and allergen. NTP has various potential applications in environmental remediation, such as the removal of volatile organic pollutants, simultaneous removal of NOx and soot in diesel exhaust and sterilization of air and water. To improve the efficiency of plasma chemical processes, a combination of NTP and catalysts/absorbents is effective. Synergetic effects have been recognized; however, its mechanism remains subject to further investigations. The generation of non-thermal discharge plasma and several industrial applications are presented in this paper.
Biomarkers of sickle cell nephropathy in Senegal

Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is caused by a single point variation in the β-globin gene (HBB): c.20A> T (p.Glu7Val), in homozygous state. SCA is characterized by sickling of red blood cells in small blood vessels which leads to a range of multiorgan complications, including kidney dysfunction. This case-control study aims at identifying sickle cell nephropathy biomarkers in a group of patients living with SCA from Senegal. A total of 163 patients living with SCA and 177 ethnic matched controls were investigated. Biological phenotyping included evaluation of glycemia, glucosuria, albuminuria, proteinuria, tubular proteinuria, serum creatinine, urine creatinine, urine specific gravity and glomerular filtration rate. Descriptive statistics of biomarkers were performed using the χ2 –test, with the significance level set at p<0.05. Patients living with SCA had a median age of 20 years (range 4 to 57) with a female sex frequency of 53.21%. The median age of the control participants was 29 years (range: 4–77) with a female sex frequency of 66.09%. The following proportions of abnormal biological indices were observed in SCA patients versus (vs.) controls, as follows: hyposthenuria: 35.3%vs.5. 2% (p<0.001); glomerular hyperfiltration: 47.66%vs.19. 75% (p<0.001), renal insufficiency: 5.47%vs.3. 82% (p = 0.182); microalbuminuria: 42.38%vs.5. 78% (p<0.001); proteinuria: 39.33%vs.4. 62% (p<0.001); tubular proteinuria: 40.97%vs.4. 73% (p<0.001) and microglucosuria: 22.5%vs.5. 1% (p<0.001). This study shows a relatively high proportion of SCA nephropathy among patients living with SCA in Senegal. Microglucosuria, proteinuria, tubular proteinuria, microalbuminuria, hyposthenuria and glomerular hyperfiltration are the most prevalent biomarkers of nephropathy in this group of Senegalese patients with SCA.
Voided Volume for Assessment of Bladder Emptying After Female Pelvic Floor Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Importance To study alternative voiding trial (VT) methods after urogynecologic surgery that may potentially decrease catheterization. Objective The aim of the study is to compare voiding assessment based on a minimum spontaneous voided volume of 150 mL with the standard retrograde fill (RF) approach in women after urogynecologic procedures. Study Design Women undergoing urogynecologic surgery were randomized to RF or spontaneous void (SV) groups. Women in the RF group had their bladders backfilled with 300 mL of saline before catheter removal, those in the SV group did not. To pass the VT, patients in the RF group were required to void 150 mL at one time within 60 minutes, and patients in the SV group had to do the same within 6 hours. The primary outcome was the VT failure rate. We also compared the false pass rate, urinary tract infections, satisfaction, and preference of VT method. Results One hundred nine women were enrolled in the study, 54 had SV and 55 underwent RF. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different other than history of prior hysterectomy. There was no significant difference in procedures between the groups. There was no difference in VT failure rate between the groups—SV (7.4%) and RF (12.7%, P = 0.39). The false pass rate was 0 in each group. Urinary tract infection rates were similar between SV (14.8%) and RF (14.5%) groups (P = 0.34). Patient satisfaction for VT method was not significantly different. Conclusions Spontaneous VT was not superior to retrograde void trial. Therefore, we cannot recommend one method of VT after urogynecologic surgery. Condensation Voiding assessment based on minimum SV of 150 mL is comparable with VT with RF after surgeries for prolapse and urinary incontinence.
Hazardous alcohol use and HIV indicators in six African countries: results from the Population‐based HIV Impact Assessments, 2015–2017

Hazardous alcohol use (HAU), defined as a pattern of alcohol consumption that increases the risk of harmful consequences for the user or others, is associated with an elevated risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and poor health outcomes. We describe the association between people living with HIV (PLHIV) who report HAU and key HIV indicators. Gaps in current literature in estimating HAU on HIV outcomes at the regional level of Eastern and Southern Africa still exist and our analysis aims to address this issue.
Effect of exercise and/or educational interventions on physical activity and pain in patients with hip/knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Objective To investigate the effectiveness of exercise and/or educational intervention on physical activity and pain in patients with hip/knee osteoarthritis (OA) using systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods We searched randomized controlled trials that investigated physical activity and pain and compared exercise and/or educational intervention with usual care in patients with hip/knee OA in MEDLINE (PubMed), ProQuest, Scopus, and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), including all those published by April 30, 2022 and written in English. Studies that newly applied analgesics after onset of the intervention were excluded. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials was used to assess the methodological qualities. The random-effects model was used for meta-analysis with standard mean differences using RevMan version 5.4. The body of evidence for each study was synthesized using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results Twenty studies including 2,350 patients were included (7 exercise studies, 8 educational intervention studies and 5 combination studies). The meta-analysis demonstrated that there is very low evidence that combination therapy of exercise and educational intervention improve the physical activity level at the endpoint (4 articles; SMD 0.33, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.51, P = 0.03). Low evidence was observed for combination therapy reducing pain (4 articles; SMD -0.15, 95% CI -0.29 to -0.02, P = 0.03). Discussion The current evidence indicated that combination therapy of exercise and educational intervention leads to improved physical activity and pain reduction in hip/knee OA patients, but the risk of bias in each study, especially in allocation concealment, downgraded the evidence level. These findings support the use of a combination therapy of exercise and educational intervention to promote physical activity levels in patients with hip/knee OA. Trail registration There was no financial support for this research. The protocol was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (registration code: CRD42020205804).