Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A giant lobular thoracic ganglioneuroma cause skeletal erosion: A case report and literature review

Rationale: Ganglioneuroma (GN) is a rare tumor that originates from neural crest cells and can manifest in any location along the sympathetic chain. It typically exhibits a circular or oval shape and does not invade the surrounding tissue destructively and the enormous lobular appearance and erosion of adjacent skeletal tissues are extremely infrequent among GN. Patient concerns: A 15-year-old girl presented to our thoracic surgery clinic with a large intrathoracic mass that was incidentally discovered on a chest X-ray. Further imaging with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lobular profile and an aggressive growth pattern of the tumor, which destroyed the vertebral and rib bones. A tissue sample obtained by needle biopsy was subjected to histopathological analysis, which confirmed the diagnosis of a GN. Diagnosis: Thoracic (posterior mediastinal) GN and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Interventions: After thoracoscopic exploration, a thoracotomy was performed to excise the mass. Outcomes: The patient recovered well after surgery, had no major complications, and was discharged without any issues. Further follow-up is necessary to clarify the medium to long-term outcome. Lessons: Based on existing reports, thoracic GN rarely erodes adjacent bone tissue. By examining previously reported cases, we speculate that the lobular morphology of the tumor may be linked to the more aggressive biological behavior of GN. We also discovered that female patients may be more susceptible to bone erosion. However, further research and additional cases are required to confirm these potential associations.
Pointwise observation of the state given by parabolic system with boundary condition involving multiple time delays

Various optimization problems for linear parabolic systems with multiple constant time delays are considered. In this paper, we consider an optimal distributed control problem for a linear parabolic system in which multiple constant time delays appear in the Neumann boundary condition. Sufﬁcient conditions for the existence of a unique solution of the parabolic equation with the Neumann boundary condition involving multiple time delays are proved. The time horizon T is ﬁxed. Making use of the Lions scheme [13], necessary and sufﬁcient conditions of optimality for the Neumann problem with the quadratic cost function with pointwise observation of the state and constrained control are derived.
Phytosome Supplements for Delivering Gymnema inodorum Phytonutrients to Prevent Inflammation in Macrophages and Insulin Resistance in Adipocytes

Gymnema inodorum (GI) is a leafy green vegetable found in the northern region of Thailand. A GI leaf extract has been developed as a dietary supplement for metabolic diabetic control. However, the active compounds in the GI leaf extract are relatively nonpolar. This study aimed to develop phytosome formulations of the GI extract to improve the efficiencies of their phytonutrients in terms of anti-inflammatory and anti-insulin-resistant activities in macrophages and adipocytes, respectively. Our results showed that the phytosomes assisted the GI extract’s dispersion in an aqueous solution. The GI phytocompounds were assembled into a phospholipid bilayer membrane as spherical nanoparticles about 160–180 nm in diameter. The structure of the phytosomes allowed phenolic acids, flavonoids and triterpene derivatives to be embedded in the phospholipid membrane. The existence of GI phytochemicals in phytosomes significantly changed the particle’s surface charge from neutral to negative within the range of −35 mV to −45 mV. The phytosome delivery system significantly exhibited the anti-inflammatory activity of the GI extract, indicated by the lower production of nitric oxide from inflamed macrophages compared to the non-encapsulated extract. However, the phospholipid component of phytosomes slightly interfered with the anti-insulin-resistant effects of the GI extract by decreasing the glucose uptake activity and increasing the lipid degradation of adipocytes. Altogether, the nano-phytosome is a potent carrier for transporting GI phytochemicals to prevent an early stage of T2DM.
Regularized Gaussian Psychological Networks: Brief Report on the Performance of Extended BIC Model Selection

In recent literature, the Gaussian Graphical model (GGM; Lauritzen, 1996), a network of partial correlation coefficients, has been used to capture potential dynamic relationships between psychological variables. The GGM can be estimated using regularization in combination with model selection using the extended Bayesian Information Criterion (Foygel and Drton, 2010). I term this methodology GeLasso, and asses its performance using a plausible psychological network structure with both continuous and ordinal datasets. Simulation results indicate that GeLasso works well as an out-of-the-box method to estimate a psychological network structure.
Colloidal 2D Lead Chalcogenide Nanocrystals: Synthetic Strategies, Optical Properties, and Applications

Lead chalcogenide nanocrystals (NCs) are an emerging class of photoactive materials that have become a versatile tool for fabricating new generation photonics devices operating in the near-IR spectral range. NCs are presented in a wide variety of forms and sizes, each of which has its own unique features. Here, we discuss colloidal lead chalcogenide NCs in which one dimension is much smaller than the others, i.e., two-dimensional (2D) NCs. The purpose of this review is to present a complete picture of today’s progress on such materials. The topic is quite complicated, as a variety of synthetic approaches result in NCs with different thicknesses and lateral sizes, which dramatically change the NCs photophysical properties. The recent advances highlighted in this review demonstrate lead chalcogenide 2D NCs as promising materials for breakthrough developments. We summarized and organized the known data, including theoretical works, to highlight the most important 2D NC features and give the basis for their interpretation.
A new species of Pristimantis (Anura: Strabomantidae) from white-sand forests of central Amazonia, Brazil

The white-sand ecosystems in the Solimões-Negro Interfluve are among the less studied in Amazonia. Recent herpetological surveys conducted west of Manaus, Brazil (central Amazonia) indicate that white-sand forests host a unique anuran fauna comprising habitat specialized and endemic species. In the present study we describe a new species of rain frog belonging to the Pristimantis unistrigatus species group from the white-sand forest locally called “campinarana” (thin-trunked forests with canopy height below 20 m). The new species is phylogenetically close to rain frogs from western Amazonian lowlands (P. delius, P. librarius, P. matidiktyo and P. ockendeni). It differs from its closest relatives mainly by its size (male SVL of 17.3–20.1 mm, n = 16; female SVL of 23.2–26.5 mm, n = 6), presence of tympanum, tarsal tubercles and dentigerous processes of vomers, its translucent groin without bright colored blotches or marks, and by its advertisement call (composed of 5–10 notes, call duration of 550–1,061 ms, dominant frequency of 3,295–3,919 Hz). Like other anuran species recently discovered in the white-sand forests west of Manaus, the new species seems to be restricted to this peculiar ecosystem.
Two decades of change in sea star abundance at a subtidal site in Puget Sound, Washington

Long-term datasets can reveal otherwise undetectable ecological trends, illuminating the historical context of contemporary ecosystem states. We used two decades (1997–2019) of scientific trawling data from a subtidal, benthic site in Puget Sound, Washington, USA to test for gradual trends and sudden shifts in total sea star abundance across 11 species. We specifically assessed whether this community responded to the sea star wasting disease (SSWD) epizootic, which began in 2013. We sampled at depths of 10, 25, 50 and 70 m near Port Madison, WA, and obtained long-term water temperature data. To account for species-level differences in SSWD susceptibility, we divided our sea star abundance data into two categories, depending on the extent to which the species is susceptible to SSWD, then conducted parallel analyses for high-susceptibility and moderate-susceptibility species. The abundance of high-susceptibility sea stars declined in 2014 across depths. In contrast, the abundance of moderate-susceptibility species trended downward throughout the years at the deepest depths– 50 and 70 m–and suddenly declined in 2006 across depths. Water temperature was positively correlated with the abundance of moderate-susceptibility species, and uncorrelated with high-susceptibility sea star abundance. The reported emergence of SSWD in Washington State in the summer of 2014 provides a plausible explanation for the subsequent decline in abundance of high-susceptibility species. However, no long-term stressors or mortality events affecting sea stars were reported in Washington State prior to these years, leaving the declines we observed in moderate-susceptibility species preceding the 2013–2015 SSWD epizootic unexplained. These results suggest that the subtidal sea star community in Port Madison is dynamic, and emphasizes the value of long-term datasets for evaluating patterns of change.
Review of Shoreline Extraction Methods from Aerial Laser Scanning

Autonomous technologies are increasingly used in various areas of science. The use of unmanned vehicles for hydrographic surveys in shallow coastal areas requires accurate estimation of shoreline position. This is a nontrivial task, which can be performed using a wide range of sensors and methods. The aim of the publication is to review shoreline extraction methods based solely on data from aerial laser scanning (ALS). This narrative review discusses and critically analyses seven publications drawn up in the last ten years. The discussed papers employed nine different shoreline extraction methods based on aerial light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. It should be noted that unambiguous evaluation of shoreline extraction methods is difficult or impossible. This is because not all of the methods reported achieved accuracy, the methods were assessed on different datasets, the measurements were conducted using different devices, the water areas differed in geometrical and optical properties, the shorelines had different geometries, and the extent of anthropogenic transformation. The methods proposed by the authors were compared with a wide range of reference methods.
Artiﬁcial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the Diagnosis and Management of Stroke: A Narrative Review of United States Food and Drug Administration-Approved Technologies

: Stroke is an emergency in which delays in treatment can lead to signiﬁcant loss of neurological function and be fatal. Technologies that increase the speed and accuracy of stroke diagnosis or assist in post-stroke rehabilitation can improve patient outcomes. No resource exists that comprehensively assesses artiﬁcial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-enabled technologies indicated for the management of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. We queried a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) database, along with PubMed and private company websites, to identify the recent literature assessing the clinical performance of FDA-approved AI/ML-enabled technologies. The FDA has approved 22 AI/ML-enabled technologies that triage brain imaging for more immediate diagnosis or promote post-stroke neurological/functional recovery. Technologies that assist with diagnosis predominantly use convolutional neural networks to identify abnormal brain images (e.g., CT perfusion). These technologies perform comparably to neuroradiologists, improve clinical workﬂows (e.g., time from scan acquisition to reading), and improve patient outcomes (e.g., days spent in the neurological ICU). Two devices are indicated for post-stroke rehabilitation by leveraging neuromodulation techniques. Multiple FDA-approved technologies exist that can help clinicians better diagnose and manage stroke. This review summarizes the most up-to-date literature regarding the functionality, performance, and utility of these technologies so clinicians can make informed decisions when using them in practice.
Assessing Condom Use and Views on HIV Counselling and Testing among TVET College Students in Limpopo Province, South Africa

South Africa’s population is predominantly young, presenting a powerful resource for the country. Despite this, adolescents and young people remain at the epicentre of the HIV epidemic, particularly adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). There are limited studies that investigate the views on HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) and condom use among adolescents and young people, and college students in particular, in South Africa. This cross-sectional study assessed condom use among college students and their views and opinions on HCT. Utilising an adapted questionnaire from the Australian Secondary students and the South African Sexual Health survey, the data from 396 students were analysed using univariate and multiple logistic regression performed using Stata IC version 16. The majority of the students (n = 339, 85.8%) had a sexual partner at the time of the study. Our findings reveal a relatively high occurrence of condom use in the last sexual encounter (n = 225, 60%) and high HCT uptake (n = 50, 88.4%). Females were generally more comfortable regarding HIV services compared to their male counterparts. More than half, 54.6% vs. 36.0% were comfortable about testing, 34.0% vs. 48.3% felt very scared about testing for HIV, 3.6% vs. 10.1% reported that they were not ready to take an HIV test, 7.6% vs. 5.6% intended getting tested soon (p = 0.0002). Condom use was significantly associated with the use of a condom during the first sexual encounter (aOR = 4.71, 95% CI: 2.14, 10.37) and knowing their partner’s HIV status (aOR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.19–3.65). The HCT and condom promotion strategies implemented by Higher Health in TVET colleges is showing success and colleges in other parts of the region could emulate these best practices. Program developers should consider tailor-made combinations of prevention interventions that would appeal to both female and male college students to improve condom use and uptake of HIV testing services.
The Role of the Specific Strength Test in Handball Performance: Exploring Differences across Competitive Levels and Age Groups

The aim of this study was to determine if specific physical tests are sufficiently discriminant to differentiate players of similar anthropometric characteristics, but of different playing levels. Physical tests were conducted analyzing specific strength, throwing velocity, and running speed tests. Thirty-six male junior handball players (n = 36; age 19.7 ± 1.8 years; 185.6 ± 6.9 cm; 83.1 ± 10.3 kg; 10.6 ± 3.2 years of experience) from two different levels of competition participated in the study: NT = 18 were world top-level elite players, belonging to the Spanish junior men’s national team (National Team = NT) and A = 18 players of the same age and anthropometric conditions, who were selected from Spanish third league men’s teams (Amateur = A). The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the two groups in all physical tests, except for two-step-test velocity and shoulder internal rotation. We conclude that a battery combining the Specific Performance Test and the Force Development Standing Test is useful in identifying talent and differentiating between elite and sub-elite players. The current findings suggest that running speed tests and throwing tests are essential in selecting players, regardless of age, sex, or type of competition. The results shed light on the factors that differentiate players of different levels and can help coaches in selecting players.
Perfluoroalkyl Chain Length Effect on Crystal Packing and [LnO8] Coordination Geometry in Lanthanide-Lithium β-Diketonates: Luminescence and Single-Ion Magnet Behavior

Functionalized perfluoroalkyl lithium β-diketonates (LiL) react with lanthanide(III) salts (Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy) in methanol to give heterobimetallic Ln-Li complexes of general formula [(LnL3)(LiL)(MeOH)]. The length of fluoroalkyl substituent in ligand was found to affect the crystal packing of complexes. Photoluminescent and magnetic properties of heterobimetallic β-diketonates in the solid state are reported. The effect of the geometry of the [LnO8] coordination environment of heterometallic β-diketonates on the luminescent properties (quantum yields, phosphorescence lifetimes for Eu, Tb, Dy complexes) and single-ion magnet behavior (Ueff for Dy complexes) is revealed.
Resistance of Leukemia Cells to 5-Azacytidine: Different Responses to the Same Induction Protocol

Simple Summary Although significant progress has been made in the treatment of myeloid malignancies, this issue remains a focus of interest for a large number of research teams. Current research is especially focused on elderly patients who are not suitable for intensive chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation or patients who have achieved remission after such therapy but subsequently enter into relapse of the disease. Here, therapy with demethylating agents is indicated. However, we do not know of another treatment option in the case of resistance to such treatment. Therefore, knowledge of the causes and mechanisms of resistance to demethylating agents is an essential issue for improving the treatment of such patients. Abstract Three AML cell variants (M/A, M/A* from MOLM-13 and S/A from SKM-1) were established for resistance by the same protocol using 5-azacytidine (AZA) as a selection agent. These AZA-resistant variants differ in their responses to other cytosine nucleoside analogs, including 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (DAC), as well as in some molecular features. Differences in global DNA methylation, protein levels of DNA methyltransferases, and phosphorylation of histone H2AX were observed in response to AZA and DAC treatment in these cell variants. This could be due to changes in the expression of uridine-cytidine kinases 1 and 2 (UCK1 and UCK2) demonstrated in our cell variants. In the M/A variant that retained sensitivity to DAC, we detected a homozygous point mutation in UCK2 resulting in an amino acid substitution (L220R) that is likely responsible for AZA resistance. Cells administered AZA treatment can switch to de novo synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides, which could be blocked by inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase by teriflunomide (TFN). This is shown by the synergistic effect of AZA and TFN in those variants that were cross-resistant to DAC and did not have a mutation in UCK2.
Experiences of parents and caretakers going through the consent process to perform minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) on their deceased children in Quelimane, Mozambique: A qualitative study

Background In Mozambique, the Countrywide Mortality Surveillance for Action (COMSA) Program implemented a child mortality surveillance to strengthen vital events registration (pregnancies, births, and deaths) and investigate causes of death using verbal autopsies. In Quelimane district, in addition to the abovementioned cause of death determination approaches, minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) was performed on deceased children <5years of age. This study focused on understanding deceased children parents’ and caretakers’ experiences of the consent process to perform MITS in order to contribute to the improvement of approaches to cause of death investigation and inform efforts to maximize acceptability of mortality surveillance activities. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in six urban and semi-urban communities in Quelimane district. A total of 40 semi-structured interviews with family members of deceased children and 50 non-participant observations of the consent process were conducted to explore their experience with informed consent request to perform MITS on their child. Data analysis of the interviews and observations was thematic, being initially deductive (predetermined codes) followed by the generation of new codes according to the data (inductive). The Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines for reporting qualitative studies were performed. Findings Although most participants consented to the performance of MITS on their deceased child, some stated they had not fully understood the MITS procedure despite the informed consent process due to unclear information and their state of mind after their loss. Consenting to MITS and doing so with family members disagreeing were also identified as stress-enhancing factors. Participants also described dissatisfaction of family members, resulting from the condition of the body delivered after tissue collection. In addition, the waiting time to receive the body and resulting delays for the funeral were considered additional factors that may increase stress and compromise the acceptability of MITS. Conclusion Family experiences were influenced by operational and logistical issues linked to the procedure itself and by it being in tension with social and cultural issues, which caused stress and discontentment on parents and caretakers of deceased children. The main factors that contributed to the experience of going through the MITS process were the state of mind after the death, complex decision making processes within the family, washing of the body for purification after MITS and seepage, and limited understanding of consent for MITS. When requesting consent for MITS, emphasis should be placed on transmitting clear and understandable information about MITS procedures to participants.
On quasi-static contact problem with generalized Coulomb friction, normal compliance and damage†

In this paper, we study a quasi-static frictional contact problem for a viscoelastic body with damage effect inside the body as well as normal compliance condition and multi-valued friction law on the contact boundary. The considered friction law generalizes Coulomb friction condition into multi-valued setting. The variational–hemi-variational formulation of the problem is derived and arguments of fixed point theory and surjectivity results for pseudo-monotone operators are applied, in order to prove the existence and uniqueness of solution.