Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantitative sensory testing and skin biopsy findings in late‐onset ATTRv presymptomatic carriers: Relationships with predicted time of disease onset (PADO)

Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis polyneuropathy (ATTRv‐PN) presymptomatic carriers often show preclinical abnormalities at small fiber‐related diagnostic tests. However, no validated biomarker is currently available to use for presymptomatic carriers' follow‐up, thus helping therapeutic decision making. Our study aimed at assessing nerve conduction study (NCS), quantitative sensory testing (QST), and skin biopsy parameters in a large cohort of late‐onset ATTRv presymptomatic carriers and to evaluate whether they correlated with predicted age of disease onset (PADO).
Transport properties of Keplerian flows in extended local domains with no imposed field

We compare transport statistics of elongated incompressible shearing boxes for different Reynolds and magnetic Prandtl numbers, $Re$ and $Pm$, and aspect ratios, $L_z/L_x$. We find that at fixed aspect ratio $L_z/L_x=4$ and $Re = 10,000$, the turbulent stresses for $Pm \lesssim 1$ do not show considerable variation and follow a power law $\sim Pm^{3/2}$ for $Pm > 1$. This is qualitatively consistent with previous results based on net imposed flux and small box $L_z/L_x \sim 1$ simulations but the power law exponent is different. The saturated level of stresses, the ratio of Maxwell stress to the magnetic energy and Reynolds to Maxwell stress ratio are roughly invariant as $L_z/L_x$ is increased. For cases where the boxes are elongated in both the azimuth and vertical direction, the transport coefficient $\alpha \in [0.1,1.0]$ that is $10-100$ times larger than the case with $L_y/L_x = 2$ and large $L_z/L_x$. Overall, our results suggest that the saturated state of turbulence is sensitive to both dissipation coefficients and aspect ratio (both $L_z/L_x$, $L_y/L_x$) motivating further work on this problem.
Work-family conflict in a cohort of Italian nurses. An observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study

Background and aim of the work: Work-family and family-work conflict can be defined as the degree to which participation in one role, in this case as a worker, interferes with the ability to cope with the responsibilities of another role, namely that of a member of a household. The aim of the study is to investigate the presence of indicators of work- family and/or family-work conflict in a cohort of Italian nurses and possible correlations with social and work variables. Research design and Methods: An observational, quantitative, multicenter survey was conducted for the study through the computerized administration of a validated questionnaire (Work-Family and Family-Work Conflict, CLF), with the implementation of sociographic variables. The cooperation of 15 Orders of Nursing Professions throughout the country was sought for sample collection. Data collection was bimonthly. Results: Among the participating nurses, there is a statistically significant predominance of conflict in the family-work direction. In particular, the phenomenon seems to be related to age and the presence of children and/or elderly at home to care for. Some work variables seem to positively affect the prevention of potential work-life conflict, such as rostering and work articulation. Conclusions: These findings place emphasis on the need for healthcare organizations to address the work-family balance of their employees. (www.actabiomedica.it)
Prevalence of Comorbid Factors in Patients With Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection in ECOSPOR III, a Randomized Trial of an Oral Microbiota–Based Therapeutic

Abstract Background Although comorbidities are risk factors for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI), many clinical trials exclude patients with medical conditions such as malignancy or immunosuppression. In a phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial (ECOSPOR III), fecal microbiota spores, live (VOWST, Seres Therapeutics; hereafter “VOS,” formerly SER-109), an oral microbiota therapeutic, significantly reduced the risk of rCDI at week 8. We evaluated the efficacy of VOS compared with placebo in patients with comorbidities and other risk factors for rCDI. Methods Adults with rCDI were randomized to receive VOS or placebo (4 capsules daily for 3 days) following standard-of-care antibiotics. In this post hoc analysis, the rate of rCDI through week 8 was assessed in VOS-treated participants compared with placebo for subgroups including (i) Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score category (0, 1–2, 3–4, ≥5); (ii) baseline creatinine clearance (<30, 30–50, >50 to 80, or >80 mL/minute); (iii) number of CDI episodes, inclusive of the qualifying episode (3 and ≥4); (iv) exposure to non-CDI-targeted antibiotics after dosing; and (v) acid-suppressing medication use at baseline. Results Of 281 participants screened, 182 were randomized (59.9% female; mean age, 65.5 years). Comorbidities were common with a mean overall baseline age-adjusted CCI score of 4.1 (4.1 in the VOS arm and 4.2 in the placebo arm). Across all subgroups analyzed, VOS-treated participants had a lower relative risk of recurrence compared with placebo. Conclusions In this post hoc analysis, VOS reduced the risk of rCDI compared with placebo, regardless of baseline characteristics, concomitant medications, or comorbidities.
Comparison of clinical features and outcomes of proliferative, fibrotic, and mixed subtypes of IgG4-related disease: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently recognized immune-mediated disorder that can affect almost any organ in the human body. IgG4-RD can be categorized into proliferative and fibrotic subtypes based on patients' clinicopathological characteristics. This study aimed to compare the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and treatment outcomes of IgG4-RD among different subtypes. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 622 patients with newly diagnosed IgG4-RD at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from March 2011 to August 2021. The patients were divided into three groups according to their clinicopathological characteristics: proliferative, fibrotic, and mixed subtypes. We compared demographic features, clinical manifestations, organ involvement, laboratory tests, and treatment agents across three subtypes. We then assessed the differences in treatment outcomes among 448 patients receiving glucocorticoids alone or in combination with immunosuppressants. Moreover, risk factors of relapse were revealed by applying the univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results: We classified the 622 patients into three groups consisting of 470 proliferative patients, 55 fibrotic patients, and 97 mixed patients, respectively. We found that gender distribution, age, disease duration, and frequency of allergy history were significantly different among subgroups. In terms of organ involvement, submandibular and lacrimal glands were frequently involved in the proliferative subtype, while retroperitoneum was the most commonly involved site in both fibrotic subtype and mixed subtype. The comparison of laboratory tests revealed that eosinophils (P = 0.010), total IgE (P = 0.006), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P <0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P <0.001), complement C4 (P <0.001), IgG (P = 0.001), IgG1 (P <0.001), IgG4 (P <0.001), and IgA (P <0.001), at baseline were significantly different among three subtypes. Compared with proliferative and mixed subtypes, the fibrotic subtype showed the lowest rate of relapse (log-rank P = 0.014). Conclusions: Our study revealed the differences in demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, organ involvement, laboratory tests, treatment agents, and outcomes across proliferative, fibrotic, and mixed subtypes in the retrospective cohort study. Given significant differences in relapse-free survival among the three subtypes, treatment regimens, and follow-up frequency should be considered separately according to different subtypes.
SGLT2 Inhibitor-pretreated Macrophage Transplantation Improves Adverse Ventricular Remodeling After Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract: Macrophages play an important role in the progression of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Studies have shown that sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) after AMI could increase the proportion of M2 type/M1 macrophages and reduces adverse ventricular remodeling (AVR) post-AMI. This study aimed to investigate whether SGLT2i-pretreated macrophage transplantation could reduce AVR after AMI and the underlying mechanisms. C57BL/6 mice were used to establish an AMI model by ligating the coronary arteries. Dynamic observation of transplanted bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) was performed using an in vivo imaging system. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography. The fibrosis ratio was measured using Masson's trichrome staining. Cardiomyocyte (CM) apoptosis was measured using the TUNEL assay. Macrophage subtypes were measured using flow cytometry. We detected the expression of inflammatory factors in the myocardium and serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The in vivo imaging system revealed that transplanted SGLT2i-pretreated BMDMs were present in the infarcted myocardium for 7 days. Flow cytometry revealed that SGLT2i-pretreated BMDMs promoted the conversion of native-derived macrophages to the M2 type. SGLT2i-pretreated BMDMs also reduced inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNFα, and IL-1β) in the infarcted myocardium and serum. At 28 days post-AMI, SGLT2i-pretreated BMDMs increased cardiac function and vascular density, but reduced CM hypertrophy. SGLT2i-pretreated BMDMs could reduce CM apoptosis and fibrotic area ratio. In conclusion, transplanted SGLT2i-pretreated BMDMs were present in the infarcted myocardium for 7 days and improved AVR by reducing inflammation and modulating the conversion of native mice-derived macrophages to M2-type macrophages.
Molecular characterization of Fusarium isolates from Ethiopia

The significance of Fusarium species in African agriculture and forestry has not been well investigated. Reports of these fungi from the horn of Africa, particularly Ethiopia, are few, relatively old, and mainly based on inventories of crop diseases. A diagnostic survey was thus conducted in 2000 and 2001 to determine which Fusarium spp. commonly occur in agricultural soils and plant tissues from Ethiopia. The isolates were identified using morphology and DNAbased approaches. The latter was accomplished by sequencing two protein-coding genes (EF-1α and β-tubulin) followed by similarity searches using public domain databases (www.ncbi.nih.gov and http://fusarium.cbio.psu.edu) and phylogenetic analyses. β-tubulin sequence information was not useful for diagnosing F. equiseti and F. solani due to lack of β-tubulin sequences for these species in the database. Nonetheless, the combined use of sequence similarity searches and phylogenetic analyses provided unambiguous identification for all the species studied. The results generally corresponded well with morphological identifications. A total of nine Fusarium spp. (F. oxysporum, F. solani, F. redolens, F. avenaceum, F. equiseti, F. dlamini, F. acutatum, F. lactis and an apparently un-described Fusarium sp.) were isolated from the soil and plant samples. Some of these species appeared to be associated with specific soil samples. For example, the highest number of F. oxysporum and F. solani isolates was recovered from ‘tef’ and barley farms, respectively. F. solani and F. oxysporum were also the most commonly isolated species from soil. F. oxysporum was commonly isolated from banana roots and may play a role in the wilt diseases reported by growers. The most common Fusarium spp. associated with wheat and barley stems were F. oxysporum, F. solani and F. avenaceum, and these are suspected to play a role in Fusarium head blight and other diseases of wheat in Ethiopia.
Modelling of the operation of a Dual Mass Flywheel (DMF) for different engine-related distortions

ABSTRACT The application of Dual Mass Flywheels (DMF) was inspired by the need to reduce the level of vibrations generated by the drivetrain. The DMF input parameters are a result of the engine operation, in which the cyclicity of the subsequent strokes results in a variation of the engine speed. The fewer the cylinders the greater the engine speed variation and fluctuation of the engine torque. Additionally, the engine speed and torque variations are influenced by distortions, which is why the author attempted to develop a mathematical model of a DMF based on the motion equation. The methodology of calculations was also presented. For simplification, the moment of resistance generated by the drivetrain was assumed as constant. The simulation model checked out as correct and its sensitivity to small changes of the input parameters was confirmed. The mathematical description, despite simplifications, may find application in modelling of drivetrains fitted with DMF.
Analysis of circular dichroism in chiral metamaterial at terahertz frequencies

Circular dichroism (CD) of chiral metamaterials is of significant interest for bio-sensing and molecular chemistry applications. In this study, using the gammadion shape as an example, the CD effect of gammadion-shaped chiral metamaterials is investigated. We view the gammadion as four Γ-shaped structures. The CD effect of the gammadion is induced by the conductive and magneto-inductive coupling between the weak and strong magnetic fields of the Γ-shaped structures. A large CD effect can be achieved because the magnetic fields excited by the conductive and magneto-inductive coupling show the same and opposing directions for right- and left-handed circular-polarized waves, respectively. This allows analysis of the origin of plasmonic modes in the CD spectrum. We can change the CD effect by changing the conductive and magneto-inductive coupling of the magnetic fields. The CD properties can be tuned by changing either the number of Γ-shaped structures or the layer spacing. These results may guide the design of chiral metamaterials at terahertz frequencies for achieving large CD effects. Furthermore, this approach can be applied to other complex planar structures to gain further insight on the origin of CD modes.
Experimental Analysis of Cavitation Phenomena on Kaplan Turbine Blades Using Flow Visualization

In this study, a comparison of two different Kaplan turbine runners with differently shaped turbine blades was performed. The two turbines differed in the selection of the hydrofoil, the main hydrofoil parameters of which had been modified including, the position of maximum thickness and curvature and the inlet edge radius. Both turbines (unmodified and modified hydrofoils) were tested on a rig designed for low pressure model turbine acceptance tests. The effect of blade shape on cavitation inception, development, and intensity was demonstrated using computer aided visualization. Visualization was performed on the suction side of Kaplan runner blade where the shape of the blade determines cavitation inception and development. The modified Kaplan turbine reduced the cavitation phenomena, and as a result, both turbine performance and output increased for the selected operating points. This demonstrates that choosing the right turbine blade shape is key for optimal turbine performance.
Physiotherapy assessment in people with neurological conditions-Evidence for the most frequently included domains: A mixed-methods systematic review.

RATIONALE There is a lack of consensus in the literature related to what is assessed clinically by physical therapists in people with neurological disorders. AIMS This mixed-methods systematic review aimed to identify domains that physiotherapists routinely assess in people with neurological conditions in clinical settings and explored factors influencing assessment domains including country, clinical setting, therapist experience and neurological condition. METHOD Five databases were searched from 1946 to 31st January 2023. Studies with any design reporting on domains assessed by a physiotherapist, in people with neurological conditions in any clinical setting, were included. Independent reviewers assessed eligibility and risk of bias using relevant McMaster critical appraisal tools. Data were extracted and synthesised following the Joanna Briggs Institute approach for mixed systematic reviews. RESULTS A total of 23 (16 quantitative, 7 qualitative) studies involving 3134 participants were included. The studies were rated as high (n = 14) or medium (n = 9) quality. The domains of function (n = 14); postural alignment and symmetry (n = 11); gait (n = 11); balance (n = 9), and muscle strength (n = 8) were most frequently included in assessments. Five key themes were identified from the qualitative studies: the clinical reasoning process, clinical use of standardised measures, utilisation of the senses, clinician experience and information gathering. There was minimal data on how country, clinical setting, therapist experience and neurological condition influence inclusion of assessed domains. CONCLUSION Five domains were most frequently included in assessment: function; postural alignment and symmetry; gait; muscle strength; and balance. This limited number of domains is in stark contrast to the full neurological physiotherapy assessment recommended by expert textbooks. Further research is needed to understand the reasons why this might be so.
Malnutrition and Nutrition Support in Latin American PICUs: The Nutrition in PICU (NutriPIC) Study

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the nutritional status of children admitted to Latin American (LA) PICUs and to describe the adequacy of nutrition support in reference to contemporary international recommendations. DESIGN: The Nutrition in PICU (NutriPIC) study was a combined point-prevalence study of malnutrition carried out on 1 day in 2021 (Monday 8 November) and a retrospective cohort study of adequacy of nutritional support in the week preceding. SETTING: Four-one PICUs in 13 LA countries. PATIENTS: Patients already admitted to the PICU of 1 month to 18 years old on the study day were included in the point-prevalence study. For the retrospective arm, we included patients receiving nutritional support on the study day and with a PICU length of stay (LOS) greater than or equal to 72 hours. Exclusion criteria were being a neonate, conditions that precluded accurate anthropometric measurements, and PICU LOS greater than 14 days. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 316 patients screened, 5 did not meet age criteria. There were 191 of 311 patients who were included in the point-prevalence study and underwent anthropometric evaluation. Underweight and length for age less than –2 z scores were present in 42 of 88 children (47.7%) and 41 of 88 children (46.6%) less than 24 months old, and 14 of 103 (13.6%) and (23/103) 22.3% of 103 children greater than or equal to 24 months, respectively. Evidence of obesity (body mass index > 2 z score) was present in 7 of 88 children (5.7%) less than 24 months old and 13 of 103 children (12.6%) greater than or equal to 24 months. In the 115 of 311 patients meeting criteria for the retrospective arm, a total of 98 patients reported complete nutritional data. The 7-day median (interquartile range) adequacy for delivered versus recommended enteral energy and protein requirement was 114% (75, 154) and 99% (60, 133), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The NutriPIC study found that in 2021 malnutrition was highly prevalent especially in PICU admissions of less than 24 months old. Retrospectively, the 7-day median nutritional support appears to meet both energy and protein requirements.
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The availability of public computing resources in the cloud has revolutionized data analysis, but requesting cloud resources often involves complex decisions for consumers. Under the current pricing mechanisms, cloud service providers offer several service options and charge consumers based on the resources they use. Before they can decide which cloud resources to request, consumers have to estimate the completion time and cost of their computational tasks for different service options and possibly for different service providers. This estimation is challenging even for expert cloud users. We propose a new market-based framework for pricing computational tasks in the cloud. Our framework introduces an agent between consumers and cloud providers. The agent takes data and computational tasks from users, estimates time and cost for evaluating the tasks, and returns to consumers contracts that specify the price and completion time. Our framework can be applied directly to existing cloud markets without altering the way cloud providers offer and price services. In addition, it simplifies cloud use for consumers by allowing them to compare contracts, rather than choose resources directly. We present design, analytical, and algorithmic contributions focusing on pricing computation contracts, analyzing their properties, and optimizing them in complex workflows. We conduct an experimental evaluation of our market framework over a real-world cloud service and demonstrate empirically that our market ensures three key properties: (a) that consumers benefit from using the market due to competitiveness among agents, (b) that agents have an incentive to price contracts fairly, and (c) that inaccuracies in estimates do not pose a significant risk to agents’ profits. Finally, we present a fine-grained pricing mechanism for complex workflows and show that it can increase agent profits by more than an order of magnitude in some cases.
Combination of the triglyceride‐glucose index and EuroSCORE II improves the prediction of long‐term adverse outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

We aimed to investigate the independent and combined association of the triglyceride‐glucose (TyG) index and EuroSCORE II with major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and examine whether the addition of the TyG index improves the predictive performance of the EuroSCORE II.
Scalable quantum control and non-Abelian anyon creation in the Kitaev honeycomb model

The Kitaev honeycomb model is a system allowing for experimentally realisable quantum computation with topological protection of quantum information. Practical implementation of quantum information processing typically relies on adiabatic, i.e. slow dynamics. Here we show that the restriction to adiabatic dynamics can be overcome with optimal control theory, enabled by an extension of the fermionization of the Kitaev honeycomb model to the time-dependent case. Moreover we present a quantum control method that is applicable to large lattice models due to sub-exponential scaling.
Existence of positive solutions of four-point BVPs for one-dimensional generalized Lane-Emden systems on whole line *

Abstract This paper is concerned with four-point boundary value problems of the one-dimensional generalized Lane-Emden systems on whole lines. The Green’s functions G(t, s) for the problem −(ρ(t)x′(t))′ = 0 with boundary conditions lim⁡t→−∞x(t)−kx(ξ)=lim⁡t→+∞x(t)−lx(η)=0 $\mathop {\lim }\limits_{t \to - \infty } x(t) - kx(\xi ) = \mathop {\lim }\limits_{t \to + \infty } x(t) - lx(\eta ) = 0$ and lim⁡t→−∞x(t)−kx(ξ)=lim⁡t→+∞ρ(t)x′(t)−lp(η)x′(η)=0 $\mathop {\lim }\limits_{t \to - \infty } x(t) - kx(\xi ) = \mathop {\lim }\limits_{t \to + \infty } \rho (t)x^{\prime}(t) - lp(\eta )x^{\prime}(\eta ) = 0$ are obtained respectively. We proved that G(t, s) ≥ 0 under some assumptions which actually generalize a corresponding result in [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 305 (2005) 253-276]. Sufficient conditions to guarantee the existence of positive solutions of this kind of models are established. Examples are given at the end of the paper.