Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
5/3 - Approximation Algorithm for a Multiple Depot, Terminal Hamiltonian Path Problem

Though 2-approximation algorithms are available for several Multiple Depot Travelling Salesman Problems (TSPs)and Hamiltonian Path Problems (HPPs), there are no algorithms in the literature for any multiple depot variant of TSP or HPP that has an approximation ratio better than 2. This paper addresses one variant of the Multiple Depot HPP and provides the first 5/3-approximation algorithm for the same when the costs are symmetric and satisfy triangle inequality.
APOE ε4 influences cognitive decline positively in APP and negatively in PSEN1 mutation carriers with autosomal‐dominant Alzheimer's disease

The aim was to investigate the effect of APOE ε4 allele on cognitive decline in adAD. Presence of the APOE ε4 allele reduces age of symptom onset, increases disease progression, and lowers cognitive performance in sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD), while the impact of the APOE ε4 allele in autosomal‐dominant AD (adAD) is incompletely known.
Alternative exon usage in TRIM21 determines the antigenicity of Ro52/TRIM21 in systemic lupus erythematosus

The origin and mechanisms of autoantigen generation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are poorly understood. Here, we identified SLE neutrophils activated in vivo by IFN as a prominent source of Ro52, also known as tripartite motif–containing protein 21 (TRIM21), a critical autoantigen historically thought to be primarily generated by keratinocytes in SLE. Different from mononuclear cells and keratinocytes, SLE neutrophils are enriched in several unique Ro52 species containing a core sequence encoded by exon 4 (Ro52Ex4) in TRIM21. Ro52Ex4 is the main target of anti-Ro52 antibodies and is found in 2 Ro52 variants (Ro52α and an isoform termed Ro52γ) upregulated in SLE neutrophils. Further analysis of Ro52γ revealed a subset of autoantibodies against a unique C-terminal domain (Ro52γCT) generated from a frameshift due to the lack of exon 6 in Ro52γ. Antibodies to Ro52Ex4 and Ro52γCT distinguish SLE patient subsets characterized by distinct clinical, laboratory, treatment, and transcriptional profiles that are not discerned by the “classical” anti-Ro52 antibodies. These studies uncover IFN-activated neutrophils as a key source of unique immunogenic forms of Ro52 in SLE. Moreover, the finding of Ro52Ex4 and Ro52γCT as core targets of anti-Ro52 antibodies focus interest on Ro52γ as the potential isoform toward which immunological tolerance is initially lost in SLE.
Asymmetry of superconductivity in hole- and electron-doped cuprates: Explanation within two-particle self-consistent analysis for the three-band model

In the hole-doped cuprate superconductors, the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ exhibits a dome-like feature against the doping rate. By contrast, recent experiments reveal that $T_c$ in the electron-doped systems monotonically increases as the doping is reduced, at least up to a very small doping rate. Here we show that this asymmetry is reproduced by performing a two-particle self-consistent analysis for the three-band model of the CuO$_2$ plane. This is explained as a combined effect of the intrinsic electron-hole asymmetry in systems comprising Cu3$d$ and O2$p$ orbitals and the band-filling-dependent vertex correction.
Experimental validation of a computational fluid dynamics model using micro-particle image velocimetry of the irrigation flow in confluent canals.

AIM This study aimed to experimentally validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, using micro-particle image velocimetry (micro-PIV) measurements of the irrigation flow velocity field developed in confluent canals during irrigation with a side-vented needle. METHODOLOGY A microchip with confluent canals, manufactured in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used in a micro-PIV analysis of the irrigation flow using a side vented needle placed 3 mm from the end of the confluence of the canals. Velocity fields and profiles were recorded for flow rates of 0.017 mL/s and 0.1 mL/s and compared with those predicted in CFD numerical simulations (using a finite volume commercial code - FLUENT) for both laminar and turbulent regimes. RESULTS The overall flow pattern, isovelocity and vector maps as well as velocity profiles showed a close agreement between the micro-PIV experimental and CFD predicted data. No relevant differences were observed between the results obtained with the laminar and turbulent flow models used. CONCLUSIONS Results showed that the laminar CFD modelling is reliable to predict the flow in similar domains.
Telehealth and Public Health Practice in the United States—Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Telehealth is the use of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to provide care when the patient and the provider are not in the same room at the same time. Telehealth accounted for less than 1% of all Medicare Fee-for-Service outpatient visits in the United States in 2019 but grew to account for 46% of all visits in April 2020. Changes in reimbursement and licensure policies during the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to greatly facilitate this increased use. Telehealth will continue to account for a substantial portion of care provided in the United States and globally. A better understanding of telehealth approaches and their evidence base by public health practitioners may help improve their ability to collaborate with health care organizations to improve population health. The article summarizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) approach to understanding the evidence base for telehealth in public health practice, possible applications for telehealth in public health practice, and CDC's use of telehealth to improve population health.
Assessment of the Costs of Implementing COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics in 34 Sites, United States, March 2021

Objectives: To estimate the costs to implement public health department (PHD)–run COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Design: Retrospectively reported data on COVID-19 vaccination clinic characteristics and resources used during a high-demand day in March 2021. These resources were combined with national average wages, supply costs, and facility costs to estimate the operational cost and start-up cost of clinics. Setting: Thirty-four PHD-run COVID-19 vaccination clinics across 8 states and 1 metropolitan statistical area. Participants: Clinic managers at 34 PHD-run COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Intervention: Large-scale COVID-19 vaccination clinics were implemented by public health agencies as part of the pandemic response. Main Outcomes Measured: Operational cost per day, operational cost per vaccination, start-up cost per clinic. Results: Median operational cost per day for a clinic was $10 314 (range, $637-$95 163) and median cost per vaccination was $38 (range, $9-$206). There was a large range of operational costs across clinics. Clinics used an average of 99 total staff hours per 100 patients vaccinated. Median start-up cost per clinic was $15 348 (range, $1 409-$165 190). Conclusions: Results show that clinics require a large range of resources to meet the high throughput needs of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Estimating the costs of PHD-run vaccination clinics for the pandemic response is essential for ensuring that resources are available for clinic success. If clinics are not adequately supported, they may stop functioning, which would slow the pandemic response if no other setting or approach is possible.
Survival Prediction in Home Hospice Care Patients with Lung Cancer Based on LASSO Algorithm

Purpose The aim of the present study was to develop a nomogram for prognostic prediction of patients with lung cancer in hospice. Methods The data was collected from 1106 lung cancer patients in hospice between January 2008 and December 2018. The data were split into a training set, which was used to identify the most important prognostic factors by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and to build the nomogram, while the testing set was used to validate the nomogram. The performance of the nomogram was assessed by c-index, calibration curve and the decision curve analysis (DCA). Results A total of 1106 patients, including 835 (75%) from the training set and 271 (25%) from testing set, were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Using the LASSO regression, 5 most important prognostic predictors that included sex, Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS), quality-of-life (QOL), edema and anorexia, were selected out of 28 variables. Validated c-indexes of training set at 15, 30, and 90 days were . 778 [. 737-. 818], . 776 [. 743-. 809], and . 751 [. 713-. 790], respectively. Similarly, the validated c-indexes of testing set at 15, 30, and 90 days were . 789 [. 714-. 864], . 748 [. 685-. 811], and . 757 [. 691-. 823], respectively. The nomogram-predicted survival was well calibrated, as the predicted probabilities were close to the expected probabilities. Moreover, the DCA curve showed that nomogram received superior standardized net benefit at a broad threshold. Conclusions The study built a non-lab nomogram with important predictor to analyze the clinical parameters using LASSO. It may be a useful tool to allow clinicians to easily estimate the prognosis of the patients with lung cancer in hospice.
Strategic intergroup alliances increase access to a contested resource in male bottlenose dolphins

Significance Cooperation between allied individuals is ubiquitous in human societies. Our capacity to build strategic cooperative relationships across multiple social levels, such as trade or military alliances both nationally and internationally, is thought to be unique to our species. Here, however, we show that male bottlenose dolphins form the largest known multilevel alliance network outside humans, where the cooperative relationships between groups, rather than alliance size, increases male access to a contested resource. These results reveal that both dolphins and humans form strategic intergroup alliances between unrelated individuals, likely selecting for enhanced social cognition. This surprising case of convergence suggests that dolphin societies, as well as those of nonhuman primates, are valuable model systems for understanding human social and cognitive evolution.
Variation in the risk of death due to COVID‐19: An international multicenter cohort study of hospitalized adults

Abstract Background There is wide variation in mortality among patients hospitalized with COVID‐19. Whether this is related to patient or hospital factors is unknown. Objective To compare the risk of mortality for patients hospitalized with COVID‐19 and to determine whether the majority of that variation was explained by differences in patient characteristics across sites. Design, Setting, and Participants An international multicenter cohort study of hospitalized adults with laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 enrolled from 10 hospitals in Ontario, Canada and 8 hospitals in Copenhagen, Denmark between January 1, 2020 and November 11, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures Inpatient mortality. We used a multivariable multilevel regression model to compare the in‐hospital mortality risk across hospitals and quantify the variation attributable to patient‐level factors. Results There were 1364 adults hospitalized with COVID‐19 in Ontario (n = 1149) and in Denmark (n = 215). In Ontario, the absolute risk of in‐hospital mortality ranged from 12.0% to 39.8% across hospitals. Ninety‐eight percent of the variation in mortality in Ontario was explained by differences in the characteristics of the patients. In Denmark, the absolute risk of inpatients ranged from 13.8% to 20.6%. One hundred percent of the variation in mortality in Denmark was explained by differences in the characteristics of the inpatients. Conclusion There was wide variation in inpatient COVID‐19 mortality across hospitals, which was largely explained by patient‐level factors, such as age and severity of presenting illness. However, hospital‐level factors that could have affected care, including resource availability and capacity, were not taken into account. These findings highlight potential limitations in comparing crude mortality rates across hospitals for the purposes of reporting on the quality of care.
What influences students’ abilities to critically evaluate scientific investigations?

Critical thinking is the process by which people make decisions about what to trust and what to do. Many undergraduate courses, such as those in biology and physics, include critical thinking as an important learning goal. Assessing critical thinking, however, is non-trivial, with mixed recommendations for how to assess critical thinking as part of instruction. Here we evaluate the efficacy of assessment questions to probe students’ critical thinking skills in the context of biology and physics. We use two research-based standardized critical thinking instruments known as the Biology Lab Inventory of Critical Thinking in Ecology (Eco-BLIC) and Physics Lab Inventory of Critical Thinking (PLIC). These instruments provide experimental scenarios and pose questions asking students to evaluate what to trust and what to do regarding the quality of experimental designs and data. Using more than 3000 student responses from over 20 institutions, we sought to understand what features of the assessment questions elicit student critical thinking. Specifically, we investigated (a) how students critically evaluate aspects of research studies in biology and physics when they are individually evaluating one study at a time versus comparing and contrasting two and (b) whether individual evaluation questions are needed to encourage students to engage in critical thinking when comparing and contrasting. We found that students are more critical when making comparisons between two studies than when evaluating each study individually. Also, compare-and-contrast questions are sufficient for eliciting critical thinking, with students providing similar answers regardless of if the individual evaluation questions are included. This research offers new insight on the types of assessment questions that elicit critical thinking at the introductory undergraduate level; specifically, we recommend instructors incorporate more compare-and-contrast questions related to experimental design in their courses and assessments.
Practice of preventive measures and vaccine hesitance for COVID 19 among households in The Gambia, 2021: Study protocol

The first imported confirmed case of COVID 19 was reported in The Gambia on 16th of March 2020 which led to the implementation of relevant public health interventions to prevent further importation and spread of the virus. However, by 8th November 2021, the country had registered cumulatively 9.980 COVID-19 confirmed infection and 341 deaths. The country has developed and implemented Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Action Plan since the declaration by WHO that COVID-19 outbreak was a global public health threat and its subsequent proclamation that outbreak was a pandemic. Despite these efforts to sensitize the communities, some Gambians are in denial and/or misinformed of the existence of infection in the country. It is also evident that social distancing and other restrictions have not been adequately implemented by the citizenry. Less 14% of The Gambian population have been vaccinated, and there is evidence of gross vaccine hesitancy and disbelief. There is urgent need to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practices among Gambians about preventive practices especially regarding accepting vaccination to control COVID 19. The proposed study will enrol 1200 households from seven Local Government Areas (LGAs). The findings of this study will inform the messaging and health promotion activities that will be used to better inform the population to ensure compliance and practice of preventive approaches (e.g., use of mask, vaccination)necessary to reduce the negative impact of COVID 19 outbreak in The Gambia. This will thus quicken the recovery process and the return to new normal life.
First Analytical Study on Second-Century Wall Paintings from Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa: Insights on the Materials and Painting Technique

ABSTRACT This article reports the first analytical study carried on some of the oldest surviving examples of Roman wall paintings, discovered so far on the Romanian territory. Dating back to the second century, these decorative polychrome wall painting fragments were found during an archaeological research carried at Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, and represent the first mural paintings ever found on site. A set of samples was analyzed using various non-destructive and micro-invasive techniques in order to investigate the material composition and explore the painting technique. The employed methodology allowed for an in-depth characterization of the color palette, generally based on mineral pigments such as red earth, celadonite, yellow ochre, calcite, and strontianite. The absence of organic binders and the possibility to differentiate specific spectral features infer the use of a fresco-secco technique. The results obtained provide important data regarding the artistic and technological skill of ancient painters in this part of the Roman Empire, and they significantly contribute to the research and conservation work carried out at this impressive archaeological site.
SARS-CoV-2 Virus Culture, Genomic and Subgenomic RNA Load, and Rapid Antigen Test in Experimentally Infected Syrian Hamsters

Our findings highlight the high correlation between rapid antigen test and virus culture results. The rapid antigen test would be an important supplement to real-time reverse transcription-RCR (RT-PCR) in early COVID-19 screening and in shortening the isolation period of COVID-19 patients. Because the subgenomic RNA load can be predicted from the genomic RNA load, measuring sgRNA does not add more benefit to determining infectivity than a threshold determined for gRNA based on viral culture. ABSTRACT The duration of SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA shedding is much longer than that of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in most COVID-19 patients. It is very important to determine the relationship between test results and infectivity for efficient isolation, contact tracing, and post-isolation. We characterized the duration of viable SARS-CoV-2, viral genomic and subgenomic RNA (gRNA and sgRNA), and rapid antigen test positivity in nasal washes, oropharyngeal swabs, and feces of experimentally infected Syrian hamsters. The duration of viral genomic RNA shedding is longer than that of viral subgenomic RNA, and far longer than those of rapid antigen test (RAgT) and viral culture positivity. The rapid antigen test results were strongly correlated with the viral culture results. The trend of subgenomic RNA is similar to that of genomic RNA, and furthermore, the subgenomic RNA load is highly correlated with the genomic RNA load. IMPORTANCE Our findings highlight the high correlation between rapid antigen test and virus culture results. The rapid antigen test would be an important supplement to real-time reverse transcription-RCR (RT-PCR) in early COVID-19 screening and in shortening the isolation period of COVID-19 patients. Because the subgenomic RNA load can be predicted from the genomic RNA load, measuring sgRNA does not add more benefit to determining infectivity than a threshold determined for gRNA based on viral culture.
Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and glucocorticoids differentially affect skeletal muscle inflammation and pathology in muscular dystrophy

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) slow cardiomyopathy in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and improve skeletal muscle pathology and function in dystrophic mice. However, glucocorticoids, known antiinflammatory drugs, remain a standard of care for DMD, despite substantial side effects. Exact mechanisms underlying mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) signaling contribution to dystrophy are unknown. Whether MRAs affect inflammation in dystrophic muscles and how they compare with glucocorticoids is unclear. The MRA spironolactone and glucocorticoid prednisolone were each administered for 1 week to dystrophic mdx mice during peak skeletal muscle necrosis to compare effects on inflammation. Both drugs reduced cytokine levels in mdx quadriceps, but prednisolone elevated diaphragm cytokines. Spironolactone did not alter myeloid populations in mdx quadriceps or diaphragms, but prednisolone increased F4/80hi macrophages. Both spironolactone and prednisolone reduced inflammatory gene expression in myeloid cells sorted from mdx quadriceps, while prednisolone additionally perturbed cell cycle genes. Spironolactone also repressed myeloid expression of the gene encoding fibronectin, while prednisolone increased its expression. Overall, spironolactone exhibits antiinflammatory properties without altering leukocyte distribution within skeletal muscles, while prednisolone suppresses quadriceps cytokines but increases diaphragm cytokines and pathology. Antiinflammatory properties of MRAs and different limb and respiratory muscle responses to glucocorticoids should be considered when optimizing treatments for patients with DMD.
The temporal relationship between depressive symptoms and self-rated health across adulthood

Abstract Objective: Depressive symptoms have been found to relate to diminished self-rated health (SRH), which is a reliable index of general health. Despite such associations, there is limited research examining the bidirectional temporal relationship between these variables. The current study is the first to investigate the longitudinal relationship between depressive symptoms and SRH utilizing a cross-lagged panel analysis in a sample that spans adulthood (ages 18–93). Method: Data from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project were used to examine the temporal relationship between depressive symptoms and SRH in a cross-lagged panel analysis using structural equation modeling. Results: A bidirectional temporal relationship, which was not moderated by age, was established between depressive symptoms and SRH. Conclusion: This article is the first to demonstrate that depressive symptoms and SRH influence each other reciprocally over time across adulthood, even after controlling for relevant variables. Considering the ubiquity and ramifications of depressive symptoms among American adults, these results highlight the importance of investigating mechanisms that could elucidate the link between the variables in question.