Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interleukin-8 (IL-8) as a Potential Mediator of an Association between Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) and Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) among African Americans at Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)—a microbial metabolite derived from the hepatic–gut axis—is linked to inflammation, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which is largely hepatically expressed, blocks low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor recycling, also leading to hyperlipidemia. The primary objective of this study was to investigate a previously hypothesized potential relationship between TMAO and PCSK9 in order to explore novel mechanisms linking TMAO and CVD risk. African American adults at risk of CVD living in the Washington DC area were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional community-based study (n = 60, 93% female, BMI = 33). Fasting levels of inflammatory cytokines (i.e., interleukin (IL)-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-8), TMAO, and PCSK9 were measured using Luminex and ELISA, respectively. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses and structural equation mediation analyses were conducted using STATA. All models were adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and atherosclerotic CVD risk score (ASCVD). A significant association between TMAO and PCSK9 was identified (β = 0.31, p = 0.02). Both TMAO and PCSK9 were significantly associated with IL-8 (TMAO: β = 0.45, p = 0.00; PCSK9: β = 0.23, p = 0.05) in adjusted models. Mediation analysis indicated that 34.77% of the relationship between TMAO and PCSK9 was explained by IL-8. Our findings indicate a potential PCSK9-involved pathway for TMAO and CVD risk, with potential mediation by IL-8.
Prognostic Implications of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Diameter on Clinical Outcomes in Patients with ICD

Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a suboptimal indicator of risk stratification for patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Studies have shown that left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) was associated with all-cause mortality and ventricular arrhythmias. We examined the quantified prognostic value of LVEF and LVEDD for clinical outcomes, respectively. Method: This study retrospectively enrolled patients with ICD implantation in a single center. The associations between LVEF or LVEDD and all-cause mortality and appropriate shocks were analyzed using Cox regression and Fine-gray competing risk regression, respectively. Result: During a median follow up of 59.6 months, 168/630 (26.7%) patients died. LVEF and LVEDD were strongly associated with all-cause mortality (LVEF per 10%: HR 0.77, 95%CI 0.64–0.93, p = 0.006; LVEDD per 10 mm: HR 1.54, 95%CI 1.27–1.85, p < 0.001). After a median interrogation time of 37.1 months, 156 (24.8%) patients received at least one shock. LVEF was not associated with appropriate shock, whereas larger LVEDD (per 10 mm) was significantly associated with a higher risk of shock (HR: 1.27, 95%CI 1.06–1.52, p = 0.008). The addition of LVEF or LVEDD to clinical factors provided incremental prognostic value and discrimination improvement for all-cause mortality, while only the addition of LVEDD to clinical factors improved prognostic value for shock intervention. Conclusions: Baseline LVEF and LVEDD show a linear relationship with all-cause mortality in patients with ICD. However, whereas LVEF is not associated with shock, a linear relationship exists between LVEDD and appropriate shock. LVEDD adds more predictive value in relation to all-cause mortality and appropriate shocks than LVEF.
THERMOPOROELASTIC COUPLING WITH APPLICATION TO CONSOLIDATION

Based on a fully coupled thermoporoelastic formulation, this paper discusses the general conditions where the coupling should be maintained, and where a partial or full decoupling technique may be applied. This exercise is aimed at providing practical solutions for the coupled thermoporoelastic analyses where excessive manipulations and unreasonable simplifications are minimized. The necessity for full coupling and the justification for decoupling are illustrated in a thermoporoelastic application of a one-dimensional consolidation scenario.
West Nile Virus Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study on Italian Medical Professionals during Summer Season 2022

West Nile virus (WNV) has progressively endemized in large areas of continental Europe, and particularly in Northern Italy, in the Po River Valley. During summer season 2022, Italy experienced an unprecedented surge in incidence cases of WNV infections, including its main complications (West Nile fever (WNF) and West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND)). As knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of medical professionals may be instrumental in guaranteeing a prompt diagnosis and an accurate management of incident cases, we performed a cross-sectional study specifically on a sample of Italian medical professionals (1 August 2022–10 September 2022; around 8800 potential recipients). From a total of 332 questionnaires (response rate of 3.8%), 254 participating medical professionals were eventually included in the analyses. Knowledge status of participants was unsatisfying, as most of them exhibited knowledge gaps on the actual epidemiology of WNV, with similar uncertainties on the clinical features of WNF and WNND. Moreover, most of participants substantially overlooked WNV as a human pathogen when compared to SARS-CoV-2, TB, and even HIV. Interestingly, only 65.4% of respondents were either favorable or highly favorable towards a hypothetical WNV vaccine. Overall, acknowledging a higher risk perception on WNV was associated with individual factors such as reporting a seniority ≥ 10 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.39, 95% Confidence interval [95%CI] 1.34 to 4.28), reporting a better knowledge score (aOR 2.92, 95%CI 1.60 to 5.30), having previously managed cases of WNV infections (aOR 3.65, 95%CI 1.14 to 14.20), being favorable towards a hypothetic vaccine (aOR 2.16, 95%CI 1.15 to 4.04), and perceiving WNV infections as potentially affecting daily activities (aOR 2.57, 95%CI 1.22 to 5.42). In summary, substantial knowledge gaps and the erratic risk perception collectively enlighten the importance and the urgency for appropriate information campaigns among medical professionals, and particularly among frontline personnel.
Laguerre Series for Asian and Other Options

This paper has four goals: (a) relate ladder height distributions to option values; (b) show how Laguerre expansions may be used in the computation of densities, distribution functions, and option prices; (c) derive some new results on the integral of geometric Brownian motion over a finite interval; and (d) apply the preceding results to the determination of the distribution of the integral of geometric Brownian motion and the computation of Asian option values. The usual fixed‐strike options on the average are treated, as well as options with payoffs expressed in terms of one over the average of the underlying security, which this author calls “reciprocal Asian options. ” In all cases the underlying asset is represented by geometric Brownian motion, the averages are performed continuously, and the options are of European type.
Structure of the compressible MHD equations for the internal kink mode in a toroidal plasma with large aspect ratio

The equations for the ideal, internal m = n = 1 kink mode in a toroidal plasma are derived from a direct, large-aspect-ratio perturbation expansion of the compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The derivation complements earlier investigations of the internal kink mode based either on the energy principle or on direct expansions of the incompressible MHD equations. It is shown that five poloidal harmonics (m = −1, 0, 1, 2 and 3) have to be retained in a direct expansion of the compressible MHD equations, as compared with the three poloidal harmonics m = 0, 1 and 2 needed in the case of an incompressible plasma, or when working from the energy principle. Furthermore, the sound velocity is found to replace the Alfvén velocity in the generalized Pfirsch–Schlüter factor (the kinetic energy enhancement factor in a toroidal plasma) previously derived for an incompressible plasma. Taking this factor fully into account in the calculation of the growth rate of the m = n = 1 mode, it is shown that, while the Bussac result γB is recovered near marginal stability, growth rates of the order of 30% larger than γB are obtained when γB becomes of the order of the sound frequency.
Review Etiology, Evaluation, and Treatment of Pericoronitis

Pericoronitis is the medical term for an oral inflammatory condition brought on by an infection of the soft tissues in proximity to the crown of an immature tooth, including gingiva and dental follicle. It is believed that microbial entry into the follicular area begins the infection once the tooth's follicle establishes contact with the oral cavity. Pericoronitis's microbiota primarily consists of anaerobes. It is commonly accepted that the build-up of food particles close to the opercula and the occlusal injuries caused by the opposing tooth to the tissues present pericoronally both accelerate this process. Third molars that are oriented vertically are more frequently affected by pericoronitis than those that are oriented horizontally, which had a lower incidence of the condition. Pericoronitis may be more likely to develop in patients with impaired immune systems, such as those with uncontrolled diabetes or immunodeficiency diseases. Patients with acute pericoronitis exhibit regional erythema, edema, purulence, and intense throbbing pain radiating to the ear, throat, floor of the mouth, temporomandibular joint, and posterior submandibular region during intraoral physical examination. Advanced cases including those developing into cellulitis, Ludwig's angina and peritonsillar abscesses may necessitate immediate attention including surgical intervention. It is advised to utilize only localized treatment measures for patients with localized pain and edema involving the pericoronal tissues and are free of local or systemic symptoms. Antimicrobial therapy is advised if the patient is displaying regional or systemic manifestations in as well as local pain and edema. Surgery is advised only when there have been two or more incidences of pericoronitis or other pathological conditions which maybe potentially be complicated by the presence of partially erupted tooth.
RECORDS OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES Protective Effect of Curcumin on Diclofenac Sodium-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Male Albino Rats: Evidence of Its Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties

This research aims to explore if curcumin (CUR) can protect male albino rats from diclofenac (DIC) sodium-induced hepatotoxicity. The adult male Albino rats were divided into four groups (n=8) in this study. Control group: corn oil (i.p.) was given every day for seven days. CUR-treated group was given CUR (200 mg/kg, i.p.) every day for seven days. DIC-treated group was given corn oil (i.p.) every day for seven days, followed by DIC single dose (150 mg/kg, i.p) 2 hours after last corn oil injection. DIC+CUR-treated group was given CUR (200 mg/kg i.p.) every day for seven days followed by DIC single dose (150 mg/kg, i.p.) two hours following the last CUR injection. Animals were sacrificed twenty-four hours following the last treatment. Blood serum was collected and tested for liver function markers. The liver was removed and used for biochemical and light microscopic examinations. The data showed that serum AST, ALT levels, as well as hepatic MDA, NO, and TNFα levels were significantly higher in the DIC-treated group than in the control group. While, serum total protein and albumin levels, as well as hepatic SOD levels, were significantly reduced. In contrast to the DIC-treated group, pretreatment with CUR resulted in a significant decrease in AST, ALT, MDA, NO, and TNF-α as well as a significant increase in total protein, albumin, and SOD levels. CUR pretreatment also ameliorated the histological alterations. In conclusion, CUR treatment provided excellent protection against DIC-induced liver toxicity and oxidative damage in rats.
Effect of Double Mutation (L452R and E484Q) on the Binding Affinity of Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) against the RBD—A Target for Vaccine Development

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerges as a global health problem, as the viral genome is evolving rapidly to form several variants. Advancement and progress in the development of effective vaccines and neutralizing monoclonal antibodies are promising to combat viral infections. In the current scenario, several lineages containing “co-mutations” in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) region of the spike (S) protein are imposing new challenges. Co-occurrence of some co-mutations includes delta (L452R/T478K), kappa (L452R/E484Q), and a common mutation in both beta and gamma variants (E484K/N501Y). The effect of co-mutants (L452R/E484Q) on human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) binding has already been elucidated. Here, for the first time, we investigated the role of these RBD co-mutations (L452R/E484Q) on the binding affinity of mAbs by adopting molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and free-energy binding estimation. The results obtained from our study suggest that the structural and dynamic changes introduced by these co-mutations reduce the binding affinity of the viral S protein to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The structural changes imposed by L452R create a charged patch near the interfacial surface that alters the affinity towards mAbs. In E484Q mutation, polar negatively charged E484 helps in the formation of electrostatic interaction, while the neutrally charged Q residue affects the interaction by forming repulsive forces. MD simulations along with molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MMGBSA) studies revealed that the REGN 10933, BD-368-2, and S2M11 complexes have reduced binding affinity towards the double-mutant RBD. This indicates that their mutant (MT) structures have a stronger ability to escape from most antibodies than the wild type (WT). However, EY6A Ab showed higher affinity towards the double MT-RBD complex as compared to the WT. However, no significant effect of the per-residue contribution of double-mutated residues was observed, as this mAb does not interact with the region harboring L452 and E484 residues.
Brief communication: The Impact of Interannual Melt Supply Variability on Greenland Ice Sheet Moulin Inputs

The supraglacial drainage system of the Greenland Ice Sheet, in combination with surface melt rate, controls the rate of water flow into moulins, driving subglacial water pressure. We apply a physically-based surface meltwater flow model to a ∼ 20 × 27 km 2 catchment on the southwestern Greenland Ice Sheet in high and low melt years to examine the impact of surface melt rate and variability on moulin inputs. The model outputs predict important differences in moulin inputs between high and low melt years. These dynamic model outputs will be important in driving future process-scale subglacial hydrology 5 models.
Acceptance and use of Cryptocurrencies in Saudi Arabia: A Case Study of Bitcoin

This study focused on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) and the possibility of its application, to determine the most important variables that affect users’ acceptance of cryptocurrencies (especially Bitcoin). Determining the key factors that affect the acceptance and use of Bitcoin by adult individuals with basic knowledge of the Internet in Saudi Arabia. The results showed that value of the adjusted R2 is 0.859, which indicates that the independent variables have the ability to explain 85.9% of the change in the dependent variable, there is significant and positive linear relationship between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, al shariah compliance, price value and behavioral intention to use Bitcoin in Saudi Arabia, There is no significant linear relationship between social influence and facilitating conditions toward the user’s behavioral intention to use Bitcoin. There is a significant and negative relationship between perceived risk and the user’s behavioral intention to use Bitcoin. It shows that many users still treat Bitcoin with care because there is no legal legislation and Bitcoin is still not compatible with Islamic trading perspective. The research recommended the following:
The relationship between climate change and malaria in South-East Asia: A systematic review of the evidence

Background: Climatic change is an inescapable fact that implies alterations in seasons where weather occurrences have their schedules shift from the regular and magnitudes intensify to more extreme variations over a multi-year period. Southeast Asia is one of the many regions experiencing changes in climate and concurrently still has endemicities of malaria. Given that previous studies have suggested the influence of climate on malaria’s vector the Anopheles mosquitoes and parasite the Plasmodium group, this study was conducted to review the evidence of associations made between malaria cases and climatic variables in Southeast Asia throughout a multi-year period. Methods: Our systematic literature review was informed by the PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO: CRD42022301826 on 5 th February 2022. We searched for original articles in English and Indonesian that focused on the associations between climatic variables and malaria cases. Results: The initial identification stage resulted in 535 records of possible relevance and after abstract screening and eligibility assessment we included 19 research articles for the systematic review. Based on the reviewed articles, changing temperatures, precipitation, humidity and windspeed were considered for statistical association across a multi-year period and are correlated with malaria cases in various regions throughout Southeast Asia. Conclusions: According to the review of evidence, climatic variables that exhibited a statistically significant correlation with malaria cases include temperatures, precipitation, and humidity. The strength of each climatic variable varies across studies. Our systematic review of the limited evidence indicates that further research for the Southeast Asia region remains to be explored.
School Shootings in Russia Versus the US: New Reality, Key Similarities and Differences

Background: The Cumulative Strain Theory (CST) is a multi-stage explanatory model which is used to analyse students’ involvement in mass shootings at schools across the world. School shootings were once considered a uniquely American phenomenon. However, over the last decade, the incidence of these violent attacks has spiked around the globe. In particular, recent reports from Russia have demonstrated a worrying increase in the number of school shootings despite efforts to implement policies to prevent them. Aim: The aims of this report are (1) to discuss the genesis of school mass murders in the context of cumulative strain theory, and (2) to analyse the scope of the problem in the US versus Russia. Methods: We used the five-stage cumulative strain theory to analyse the factors contributing to school shootings using two case studies from each country. We gathered information and evidence from a variety of sources including interview transcripts, statistical data, journal articles, reviews, and other secondary sources published in Russian and English. Results: Our analysis revealed some common features among the school shooters in Russia and the US, such as the selfperception of superiority, vindictiveness and a lack of social support, including challenging relationships with parents and peers. However, the American shooters displayed a readiness for encounters with and possible firearm use against law enforcement officers during the mass murders. We further found that auto-aggressive behaviours were prevalent in the attacks that occurred – in Russia in particular. Unlike those from the US, the reports from Russia pointed towards an association between cumulative economic hardships and various behavioural outcomes ranging from poor psychological health to severe behavioural outbursts and violent behaviours. Conclusion: We believe that the cult of weapons and militarism increase the risk of school shootings in both countries. Neither a single stage of CST nor all five stages together can predict or confirm the association with mass shootings.
Cavity QED with multilevel atoms

The steady-state transmission spectrum of a cavity with two modes of orthogonal polarization strongly coupled to a single atom with multiple Zeeman states is computed. Effects due to cavity birefringence and atomic ac-Stark shifts are included. The transmission spectrum is compared to experimental results for a single Cesium atom trapped via an intracavity FORT in a Fabry-Perot cavity. The excellent agreement of the theory with the data is used to infer the distribution of the position of the trapped atom. The intensity correlation function of this system is also calculated, and found to be strongly antibunched and sub-Poissonian. This effect is explained in terms of photon blockade, based on the structure of the lowest energy eigenvalues. Experimental results confirm the strong nonlinearity at the single-photon level. We present theoretical predictions of the weak field spectra of microtoroid and photonic bandgap cavities strongly coupled to the D2 transition of single Cesium atoms. These calculations include all hyperfine and Zeeman states of the transition and model the cavity as a single-mode, linearly polarized resonator. Finally, we outline a technique for using multiple hyperfine and Zeeman levels of a single atom in a strongly coupled atom-cavity system to generate polarized single photons on demand in a well-defined temporal mode via adiabatic passage. The technique is insensitive to cavity birefringence and only weakly sensitive to atomic position. Variations of this technique for generating entanglement of photon polarization and atomic Zeeman state are also discussed.
A mixture model combining logistic regression with proportional hazards regression

SUMMARY A model is proposed for the analysis of censored data which combines a logistic formulation for the probability of occurrence of an event with a proportional hazards specification for the time of occurrence of the event. The proposed model is a semiparametric generalization of a parametric model due to Farewell (1982). Estimates of the regression parameters are obtained by maximizing a Monte Carlo approximation of a marginal likelihood and the EM algorithm is used to estimate the baseline survivor function. We present some simulation results to verify the validity of the suggested estimation procedure. It appears that the semiparametric estimates are reasonably efficient with acceptable bias whereas the parametric estimates can be highly dependent on the parametric assumptions.
Direct numerical simulation and modelling of spanwise rotating channel flow with heat transfer

Rotating flows with heat transfer are encountered in many applications relevant to engineering, such as in turbomachinery. However, it is no easy matter to make fine measurements of rotating flows with heat transfer. As an alternative, a direct numerical simulation (DNS) has been utilized to examine a canonical rotating flow, and a turbulence model has been used for predicting realistic rotating flows. In this study, to explore the turbulent transport mechanism of rotating shear flows with heat transfer, we have conducted the DNS of fully developed turbulent spanwise rotating channel flows with heat transfer at various rotation numbers. Then, using the DNS results, we have assessed the existing linear and nonlinear two-equation heat-transfer models to understand the performance of the models in rotating channel flows with heat transfer. Finally, we have reconstructed a two-equation turbulence model to predict spanwise rotating channel flows with heat transfer. This article is a modified version of the ori.