Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of thermal desorption tubes on the variability of exhaled breath data

Due to the overall low abundance of volatile compounds in exhaled breath, it is necessary to preconcentrate the sample prior to traditional thermal desorption (TD) gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis. While certain aspects of TD tubes, such as volatile storage, have been evaluated, many aspects remain uncharacterized. Two common TD tubes, Tenax TA and Biomonitoring 5TD tubes, were evaluated for background content and flow rate variability. The data illustrate that the Biomonitoring 5TD tubes have the highest number (23) and abundance of background contamination greater than 3x the mean noise when compared to Tenax TA (13) and empty tubes (9). Tentative identifications of the compounds in the background contamination experiment show that greater than 59% (16/27) of the compounds identified have been reported in the breath literature. The data illustrate the TD tube background abundance could account for more than 70% of the chromatographic signal from exhaled breath for these select compounds. Flow rate measurements of 200 Tenax TA and 200 Biomonitoring 5TD tubes show a large range in measured flow rates among the TD tubes (Tenax: 252.9–284.0 ml min−1, 5TD: 220.6–255.1 ml min−1). Finally, TD tubes of each type, Tenax TA and Biomonitoring 5TD, previously established to have high, medium, and low flow rates, show insignificant differences (p > 0.05) among the tubes of different flow rates, using both gas standards and an exhaled breath from a peppermint experiment. Collectively, these results establish overall background compounds attributed to each TD tube type tested. Additionally, while measured flow rate variability is present and plausibly impacts exhaled breath results, the data demonstrate no statistically significant difference was observed between tubes showing high, medium, and low flow rates from two separate sample types.
Combining the Hospital Frailty Risk Score With the Charlson and Elixhauser Multimorbidity Indices to Identify Older Patients at Risk of Poor Outcomes in Acute Care

Objective: The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) can be applied to medico-administrative datasets to determine the risks of 30-day mortality and long length of stay (LOS) in hospitalized older patients. The objective of this study was to compare the HFRS with Charlson and Elixhauser comorbidity indices, used separately or combined. Design: A retrospective analysis of the French medical information database. The HFRS, Charlson index, and Elixhauser index were calculated for each patient based on the index stay and hospitalizations over the preceding 2 years. Different constructions of the HFRS were considered based on overlapping diagnostic codes with either Charlson or Elixhauser indices. We used mixed logistic regression models to investigate the association between outcomes, different constructions of HFRS, and associations with comorbidity indices. Setting: 743 hospitals in France. Participants: All patients aged 75 years or older hospitalized as an emergency in 2017 (n=1,042,234). Main outcome measures: 30-day inpatient mortality and LOS >10 days. Results: The HFRS, Charlson, and Elixhauser indices were comparably associated with an increased risk of 30-day inpatient mortality and long LOS. The combined model with the highest c-statistic was obtained when associating the HFRS with standard adjustment and Charlson for 30-day inpatient mortality (adjusted c-statistics: HFRS=0.654; HFRS + Charlson = 0.676) and with Elixhauser for long LOS (adjusted c-statistics: HFRS= 0.672; HFRS + Elixhauser =0.698). Conclusions: Combining comorbidity indices and HFRS may improve discrimination for predicting long LOS in hospitalized older people, but adds little to Charlson’s 30-day inpatient mortality risk.
Perspectives of community pharmacists on extended pharmacy services and value-added services in Malaysia: a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate patterns of extended pharmacy services (EPS) provided by Malaysian community pharmacists and their willingness to provide value-added services (VAS) in addition to EPS. Additionally, this study examined the barriers to the effective implementation of these two services. METHOD A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire among community pharmacists in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. Convenience sampling was done, and descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were performed. RESULTS Two hundred and thirty-six pharmacists participated. The most rendered EPS were nutritional supplements, hypertension management, and diabetic management, while chronic kidney disease management, smoking cessation, and mental health services were the least rendered. Pharmacists were willing to provide medication waste management and vaccination as VAS but were less inclined towards therapeutic drug monitoring and sterile compounding. Barriers included limited access to medical records of patients, lack of designated counselling areas, and concerns about remuneration. High sales pressure and busy workloads were additional barriers to providing VAS. Continuous professional development (CPD) positively influenced pharmacists' engagement in EPS and VAS. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights service provision trends and areas for improvement. Addressing identified barriers, such as enhancing access to patient records and establishing designated counselling areas, can improve service delivery. Remuneration models and workload management strategies should be considered to alleviate barriers related to sales pressure and time constraints. Promoting CPD opportunities is crucial for enhancing pharmacist engagement and optimizing EPS and VAS.
Placement of Intracranial Pressure Monitors by Non-Neurosurgeons

Maintaining adequate cerebral perfusion is important in the treatment of patients with closed head injury. Placement of an intracranial pressure (ICP) monitor is necessary to determine both ICP and the cerebral perfusion pressure and serves as a guide to the contemporary management of traumatic brain injury. Insertion of such monitoring devices historically has been performed by neurosurgeons, but others including general (trauma) surgeons have successfully inserted simple ICP monitors. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of ICP monitor placement and to compare the complication rates for ICP monitor placement by general surgery residents, trauma surgeons, and staff neurosurgeons. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of trauma patients with cerebral injury who required insertion of parenchymal ICP monitors from January 1994 to January 1999. Monitor placement was performed by staff neurosurgeons, general surgical residents, and trauma surgeons. Surgical residents received appropriate training in the placement of ICP monitors from attending trauma surgeons and neurosurgeons. Records were examined for demographic variables such as age, gender, mechanism of injury, admission Glasgow Coma Score, and Injury Severity Score. Records were also reviewed for duration of ICP monitoring and for complications (i.e., intracranial hemorrhage after monitor placement, monitor-related infection, monitor malfunction, and monitor displacement). One hundred fifty-seven monitors were placed in 146 patients with intracranial injury. Surgical residents placed 87 ICP monitors without neurosurgical or trauma attending surgeons at the bedside and 43 with immediate supervision by general surgeons or neurosurgeons. Neurosurgeons placed 26 monitors without the participation of residents, and an attending trauma surgeon placed one monitor without the involvement of a resident or a neurosurgeon. There were no major technical complications, no episodes of catheter-induced intracranial hemorrhage, and no infectious complications. These data suggest that simple ICP monitors may be inserted by non-neurosurgeons without significant problems or complications. The low complication rate associated with this procedure was similar for neurosurgeons and non-neurosurgeons. We believe that insertion of simple parenchymal ICP monitors should be considered a core skill for trauma surgeons and should be included in surgical residency training. Insertion of ICP monitors by non-neurosurgeons is a potential method of improving the care of patients with brain injury in geographic areas that are underserved by neurosurgeons.
Comparisons of algorithms to estimate water turbidity in the coastal areas of China

ABSTRACT Turbidity is an important indicator of water environments and water-quality conditions. Ocean colour remote sensing has proved to be an efficient way of monitoring water turbidity because of its wide synoptic coverage and repeated regular sampling. However, operational tasks are still challenging in high-turbidity waters, especially in estuaries and the coastal regions of China. In these areas, the existing algorithms derived from remote-sensing reflectance (Rrs) are usually invalid because it is difficult to correctly estimate the reflectance Rrs from satellite data such as Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. A new algorithm that uses Rayleigh-corrected reflectance (Rrc) instead of Rrs has been recently introduced and was used to estimate water turbidity in Zhejiang (ZJ) coastal areas from Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) data. The Rrc algorithm has previously shown a capability to estimate water turbidity. However, its performance still requires careful evaluation. In this article, we compared the new Rrc algorithm with two other existing algorithms. Differences among the three algorithms were assessed by comparing the results from using Rrc data and Rrs reflectance data derived from both GOCI and MODIS imagery data. The capability of the new Rrc algorithm to estimate water turbidity in larger areas and extended seasons in the coastal seas of China was also estimated. The results showed that the new Rrc algorithm is suitable for the coastal waters of China, especially for highly turbid waters.
Real-world practice patterns and outcomes for RAI-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer

Background The optimal timing for initiating multi-kinase inhibitors (MKIs) in patients with radioactive iodine-refractory (RAI-R) differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) remains unclear. Thus, we evaluated the real-world practice patterns and outcomes in asymptomatic patients with progressive RAI-R DTC (≥1 lesion ≥1 cm in diameter) in the USA (US population) and outside the USA (non-US population). Methods In this prospective, non-interventional, open-label study, eligible patients were chosen by treating physicians to receive MKI therapy (cohort 1) or undergo active surveillance (cohort 2) at study entry. Cohort 2 patients were allowed to transition to MKI therapy later. The primary endpoint was time to symptomatic progression (TTSP) from study entry. Data were compared descriptively. When endpoints were inestimable, 36-month rates were calculated. Results Of the 647 patients, 478 underwent active surveillance (cohort 2) and 169 received MKI treatment (cohort 1). Patients underwent surveillance at a higher rate in the US (92.6%) vs the non-US (66.9%) populations. Half of US and non-US patients who qualified for MKI treatment had initial American Thyroid Association (ATA) low-to-intermediate-risk disease. In cohort 2, the 36-month TTSP rates from study entry were 65.6% and 66.5% in the US and non-US populations, respectively. Cohort 2 patients treated later demonstrated 36-month TTSP rates of 30.8% and 55.8% in the US and non-US populations, respectively. Conclusions Active surveillance is a viable option for asymptomatic patients with progressive RAI-R DTC. However, early intervention with MKI therapy may be more suitable for others. Further research is needed to identify patients who are optimal for active surveillance. Registration NCT02303444.
Long-term oncological outcomes of transanal versus laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for mid-low rectal cancer: a retrospective analysis of 2502 patients

Background: Transanal total mesorectal resection (taTME) has recently emerged as a promising surgical approach for the treatment of mid-low rectal cancer. However, there is limited evidence on the long-term survival outcomes associated with taTME. This retrospective study aimed to compare the overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and cancer-specific survival of taTME and laparoscopic TME (laTME) in patients with mid-low rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: From July 2014 to June 2022, a total of 3627 patients were identified from two prospective cohorts: the laparoscopic rectal surgery cohort and the CNTAES cohort. To balance the baseline characteristics between the taTME and laTME groups, propensity score matching (PSM) was performed. Results: A total of 2502 patients were included in the study. Prior to PSM, the laTME group comprised 1853 patients, while the taTME group comprised 649 patients. The 5-year OS (82.9% vs. 80.4%, P=0.202) and 5-year DFS (74.4% vs. 72.5%, P=0.167) were comparable between the taTME and laTME groups. After PSM, the taTME group showed no statistically significant difference in the 5-year OS (83.1% vs. 79.2%, P=0.101) and 5-year DFS (74.8% vs. 72.1%, P=0.135) compared to the laTME group. Subgroup analysis further suggested that taTME may potentially reduce the risk of death [hazard ratio 0.652; (95% CI, 0.452–0.939)] and disease recurrence [hazard ratio 0.736; (95% CI, 0.562–0.965)] specifically in patients with low rectal cancer. Conclusion: In this study, taTME demonstrated comparable oncologic safety to laTME in patients with mid-low rectal cancer. Moreover, the results indicate that taTME may confer potential survival benefits for patients with low rectal cancer.
Sennacherib's northern Assyrian canals: New insights from satellite imagery and aerial photography

In discussions of the agricultural economies of ancient Mesopotamia, scholars commonly make a sharp distinction between intensive irrigation in the south and extensive rain-fed farming in the north (Weiss 1986; Bagg 2000: 283). In popular as well as academic publications Babylonia is strongly associated with canals, and when one thinks of large state-sponsored initiatives the massive integrated network of canals built by the Sasanian rulers of southern Mesopotamia (Adams 1978) normally springs to mind first. However, since the mid-nineteenth century archaeology and epigraphy have documented the great irrigation schemes of the Neo-Assyrian kings. The inscriptions of Sennacherib in particular refer proudly to his great network of canals, and often describe them in the context of luxurious gardens and parks. The inscriptions make mention of the waters' use for vegetable garden plots and, less frequently, for grain fields above and below Nineveh.
Current challenges in primary lateral sclerosis diagnosis

ABSTRACT Introduction Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is a rare, adult-onset and slowly progressive motor neuron disorder whose clinical core is characterized by upper motor neuron (UMN) dysfunction. Its formal diagnosis is clinically based and disease duration-dependent. Differentiating PLS from other disorders involving UMN can be challenging, particularly in the early stages. Areas covered Our review covers and discusses different aspects of the PLS field, including the diagnostic criteria and its limitations, its differential diagnosis and their major pitfalls, and the actual role of neurophysiology, neuroimaging, genetics, and molecular biomarkers. Symptomatic treatment of the different manifestations is also addressed. The authors searched MEDLINE and Scopus. They also searched the reference lists of articles identified by our search strategy and reviewed and selected those deemed relevant. They selected papers and studies based on the quality of the report, significance of the findings, and on the author’s critical appraise and expertise. Expert opinion It is important to investigate novel molecular biomarkers and plan multicenter clinical trials for PLS. However, this will require a large international project to recruit enough patients, particularly given the diagnostic uncertainty of the current clinical criteria. A better understanding of PLS pathophysiology is crucial for designing disease-targeted therapies.
Exploring the Dynamics of Athletes’ Enjoyment and Self-Determined Motivation, and of the Motivational Climate in Youth Football: A Longitudinal Perspective

We aimed to explore a short period longitudinal interplay between athletes’ enjoyment and their self-determined motivation and motivational climate in youth football. We recruited 109 youth football athletes (79 males, 30 females) through a convenient sampling method. We included individuals within the 12–17-year-old age range, with a mean age of 14.31 (SD = 1.46) years. To examine these proposed associations, we performed hierarchical multiple regression analyses and found that enjoyment at pre-season assessment (T1) and self-determined motivation and a task-involving sport climate at mid-season (T2) were significant predictors of mid-season enjoyment (at T2). However, self-determined motivation and task-involving climate at T1 did not significantly contribute to the model. These findings emphasize the importance of initial enjoyment and an evolved self-determined motivation, and task-involving climate in understanding later enjoyment in sport. Coaches, practitioners, and policymakers should prioritize strategies that enhance intrinsic motivation, provide opportunities for autonomy, and cultivate a supportive and growth-oriented environment.
Phase transformations in single-layer MoTe2 stimulated by electron irradiation and annealing

Among two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), MoTe2 is predestined for phase-engineering applications due to the small difference in free energy between the semiconducting H-phase and metallic 1T′-phase. At the same time, the complete picture of the phase evolution originating from point defects in single-layer of semiconducting H-MoTe2 via Mo6Te6 nanowires to cubic molybdenum has not yet been reported so far, and it is the topic of the present study. The occurring phase transformations in single-layer H-MoTe2 were initiated by 40–80 kV electrons in the spherical and chromatic aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscope and/or when subjected to high temperatures. We analyse the damage cross-section at voltages between 40 kV and 80 kV and relate the results to previously published values for other TMDs. Then we demonstrate that electron beam irradiation offers a route to locally transform freestanding single-layer H-MoTe2 into one-dimensional (1D) Mo6Te6 nanowires. Combining the experimental data with the results of first-principles calculations, we explain the transformations in MoTe2 single-layers and Mo6Te6 nanowires by an interplay of electron-beam-induced energy transfer, atom ejection, and oxygen absorption. Further, the effects emerging from electron irradiation are compared with those produced by in situ annealing in a vacuum until pure molybdenum crystals are obtained at temperatures of about 1000 °C. A detailed understanding of high-temperature solid-to-solid phase transformation in the 2D limit can provide insights into the applicability of this material for future device fabrication.
Assessing Perception and Actual Usage of the E-Tax System as a VAT Periodic Tax Return Reporting System: An Empirical Study in Indonesia

This study aims to assess perception and determine the actual usage of e-Tax System which is e-Invoice Web Based as a VAT periodic tax return reporting system. This study uses the variables perceived usefulness, perceived ease-to-use, technology self-efficacy, and system quality as independent variables and actual usage of E-Invoice Web Based as the dependent variable. The sample in this study were 97 respondents obtained from Cochran formula with the criteria a taxpayer who has used E-Invoice Web Based. The data were analyzed using the PLS-SEM method and the result shows that perceived ease of use and self-efficacy has significant effect meanwhile perceived usefulness and quality system has insignificant effect on actual usage of E-Invoice web based.
Pharmacological inhibition of SIRT-2 by AK-7 modulates redox status and apoptosis via regulating Nrf2 in an experimental model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an invivo and insilico study

Abstract Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined by inflammation and emphysema. Sirtuins (SIRT) are NAD+-dependent histone deacetylases that regulate oxidative stress and inflammation. The present work investigates the modulatory role of SIRT-2 in experimental COPD model. Insilico comparative assessment of SIRT-2 inhibitors (AK-7 and AGK-2) by ADMET and molecular docking revealed AK-7 as suitable candidate for invivo application. COPD in mice was established by cigarette smoke (CS) exposure for 2 months. AK-7 (100 µg/kg and 200 µg/kg body weight) was administered intranasally one hour before CS exposure. The present investigation demonstrates that CS exposure increases total cell count, and free radical production (total reactive oxygen species, total oxidant status, myeloperoxidase, and nitric oxide), which were decreased by AK-7. It also altered antioxidant enzymatic activity (total antioxidant status, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-s-transferase, glutathione reductase, and reduced glutathione), hence preserving the redox balance. AK-7 significantly decreases apoptosis, protein carbonylation, lipid peroxidation, TNF-α and IFN-ﻻ levels represent COPD generation in mice and were dramatically decreased by AK-7. Histopathological studies shows that CS exposure damages alveoli and produces peribronchiolar inflammation; both of these events were reduced by AK-7. The antioxidative potency of AK-7 was confirmed by observing Nrf2 and Keap1 proteins. Keap-dependent Nrf2 regulation was observed, with cytosolic Nrf2 and Keap1 expression elevated in COPD and reduced in the AK-7 group while nuclear Nrf2 was reduced in COPD and increased in the AK-7 group. The present study concludes that inhibition of SIRT-2 minimizes COPD severity and mediates therapeutic effects in the lungs.
Enhancing detection of SSVEP-based surround suppression using canonical correlation analysis

Canonical correlation analysis (CCA), a method for assessing inter-signal correlation that is widely used to enhance the performance of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), can play an effective role in detecting steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) in response to target flicker stimuli. However, it remains unclear whether CCA-based measurements can enhance the quantification of a visual perceptual process that related to human psychophysics. In this study, we used SSVEP to achieve quantitative measurements of the surround suppression effect, a visual perceptual process related to the excitation-inhibition balance in the central nervous system based on electroencephalogram (EEG). The CCA method was compared with two traditional methods for SSVEP quantifications: the power spectral density (PSD) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Our results demonstrated that CCA had the highest sensitivity among the three to enhance the quantification of SSVEP-based surround suppression effect. Thus, our work confirmed that CCA is an outstanding method for SSVEP measurements, compared to the two other commonly used SSVEP detection methods mentioned below, not only in the field of artificial intelligence, such as the development of BCIs, but also can facilitate vision studies in cognitive and perceptual neuroscience.