Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epilepsy in NF1: Epidemiologic, Genetic, and Clinical Features. A Monocentric Retrospective Study in a Cohort of 784 Patients

Simple Summary Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a relatively frequent neurocutaneous and tumor predisposition syndrome, which has been associated with a variety of neurological manifestations, including an increased incidence of seizures. Epilepsy in NF1 has been investigated over time by a number of studies, but most of these works were performed on small samples and often suffered from selection biases. Our study aimed to provide additional epidemiologic, clinical, and molecular data to the literature by retrospectively analyzing a large cohort of consecutive unselected patients affected with NF1. Such data may provide a better insight into the matter to other authors and clinicians alike. Abstract An increased lifetime risk of epilepsy has been reported in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients, ranging between 4% and 14%. To further analyze the correlation between NF1 and epilepsy, we retrospectively reviewed the epidemiologic, clinical, radiological, and molecular data of 784 unselected patients diagnosed with NF1 and referred to the neurofibromatosis outpatient clinics at the University Hospital of Padua. A crude prevalence of epilepsy of 4.7% was observed. In about 70% of cases, seizures arose in the context of neuroradiological findings, with the main predisposing factors being cerebral vasculopathies and hydrocephalus. In the absence of structural abnormalities, the prevalence of epilepsy was found to be 1.27%, which is approximately equal to the total prevalence in the general population. NF1 patients with seizures exhibit a higher incidence of intellectual disability and/or developmental delay, as well as of isolated learning disabilities. The comparison of causative NF1 mutations between the two groups did not reveal a specific genotype–phenotype correlation. Our data refine the current knowledge on epileptological manifestations in NF1 patients, arguing against the hypothesis that specific mechanisms, inherent to neurofibromin cellular function, might determine an increased risk of epilepsy in this condition.
Analysis of Residential Solid Waste At Generation Sites

An essential preliminary step in municipal solid waste (MSW) management is the accurate determination of the quantities and composition of the wastes. The purpose of this study was to test a procedure for the determination of these parameters at the source of generation (houses), rather than getting such data at transfer stations or disposal sites, as usually done in most previous studies. The average generation rate in kg per capita day-1 and percentages of various components of residential solid waste in Abu Dhabi City were determined by carrying out a statistically designed sampling survey. This survey covered 40 houses with different socio- economic levels and totalled 840 samples. The study showed an average generation rate of 1.76 kg per capita day '. Linear regression analysis revealed that this rate was dependent on the income level with an increase of about 35% for the high income residents over the average rate. The waste contained approximately 50% food waste. Frequency distribution analysis of waste composition data indicated that the food waste component is normally distributed, whereas the other components do not show a normal distribution pattern. © 1997 ISWA
Seven mysteries of LAG-3: a multi-faceted immune receptor of increasing complexity

Abstract Despite three decades of research to its name and increasing interest in immunotherapies that target it, LAG-3 remains an elusive co-inhibitory receptor in comparison to the well-established PD-1 and CTLA-4. As such, LAG-3 targeting therapies have yet to achieve the clinical success of therapies targeting other checkpoints. This could, in part, be attributed to the many unanswered questions that remain regarding LAG-3 biology. Of these, we address: (i) the function of the many LAG-3-ligand interactions, (ii) the hurdles that remain to acquire a high-resolution structure of LAG-3, (iii) the under-studied LAG-3 signal transduction mechanism, (iv) the elusive soluble form of LAG-3, (v) the implications of the lack of (significant) phenotype of LAG-3 knockout mice, (vi) the reports of LAG-3 expression on the epithelium, and (vii) the conflicting reports of LAG-3 expression (and potential contributions to pathology) in the brain. These mysteries which surround LAG-3 highlight how the ever-evolving study of its biology continues to reveal ever-increasing complexity in its role as an immune receptor. Importantly, answering the questions which shroud LAG-3 in mystery will allow the maximum therapeutic benefit of LAG-3 targeting immunotherapies in cancer, autoimmunity and beyond.
Nutritive Value of Commonly Used Feed Resources in Telangana Region of Andhra Pradesh

The chemical composition, in vitro DM, OM and NDF digestibility of feed and fodder resources commonly used in Telangana region were assessed for their nutritive value. Dry roughages (sorghum stover, maize stover, paddy straw and dry grasses), green forages (guinea grass, para grass, sorghum and maize), top feeds (Leucaena leucocephala and Gliricidia sepium), protein supplements (cottonseed cake, groundnut cake and coconut cake), energy supplements (wheat bran, rice bran, sorghum and maize grain) and concentrate (home made and commercial) were collected during March-April from Nazdik Singhram village of Yacharam mandal, Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh. It was concluded that among dry roughages, mixed dry grass had high nutritive value followed by sorghum stover, maize stover and paddy straw. Green forages were ranked as maize fodder > para/guinea grass > sorghum fodder. L. leucocephala had more nutrients than G. sepium. Among energy supplements, maize had the highest nutritive value, followed by sorghum, wheat bran and rice bran. Groundnut cake had a high nutritive value compared to cotton seed cake and coconut cake. Commercial concentrate had a higher nutritive value than home made concentrate.
Stress sources encountered when rehabilitating from season-ending ski injuries.

This study was designed to identify specific stress sources in elite skiers who suffered season-ending injuries and compare stress source factor differences between unsuccessful and successful postinjury performers. Retrospective qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 U.S. alpine and freestyle ski team members who suffered season-ending injuries. Results were content analyzed and revealed that the 182 stress source raw data themes coalesced into eight higher order dimensions including: psychological, social, physical, medical/rehab, financial, career, missed nonski opportunities, and other. The successful versus unsuccessful skier comparisons revealed that a greater percentage of unsuccessful skiers reported a lack of attention/empathy and negative relationship social dimension concerns, as well as poor performance and inactivity physical dimension concerns. Successful skiers reported more isolation concerns. Findings are discussed relative to how athletic injuries result in not only physical stres.
Cooling Fan Model for Thermal Design of Compact Electronic Equipment: Improvement of Modeling Using PQ Curve

In order to hasten the thermal design for forced convection electronic devices, cooling fans should be modeled to reduce a computational load. A fan-curve-model, which generates volumetric flow rate versus the characteristics pressure difference of a fan, is very simple and usually incorporated into commercial CFD codes. However, this model often results in an erroneous flow rate. In this work, both the experiments and the CFD simulation were performed around small axial-flow-fans of 30 and 40 mm in diameter. The measured PQ curve was applied to the fan model, and compared the result of the simulation to the experimental data. It was clarified that the major reason behind the disagreement was the difference in the pressure definition of the fan model from the PQ curve measured using a chamber. Based on this, a simple method was proposed to correct this definition. Also, the system effect, which is the impact of obstacles on the fan delivery curve, was investigated by setting a cylindrical obstacle at upstream or downstream proximity of the fan.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Relational Contracting in the Construction Industry: Mapping Practice to Theory

There has been an increasing interest in the concept of relational contracting (RC) in the construction industry. The performance of RC approaches in construction projects, especially in highly complex and/or time-constrained infrastructure construction projects, is not very satisfying, although there have been sporadic improvements. Hence, this paper aims to map the practices of three main RC contractual arrangements (i.e. project partnering, alliance contracting, and integrated project delivery) to Relational Contract Theory (RCT). The comparative analysis of these three RC contractual arrangements is undertaken to illustrate how different arrangements are weighted in different key elements derived from RCT. Following this study researchers can proceed to investigate situational variables that will make a particular RC approach most suitable. Industrial practitioners can use the findings as a description of the concept and a starting point to facilitate the RC practices at the procurement phase of a RC project.
The U.S. Equity-First Vaccination Initiative: Early Insights

ed from the articles the organizations leading efforts to address vaccination equity, their location, the target population, the specific access barriers that the effort was tackling, interventions used to address the barriers, challenges encountered and solutions to those challenges, and measures of success, if any. We screened a total of 777 articles from social media and web-based searches and abstracted information from
Identifying barriers to and outcomes of interdisciplinarity in the engineering classroom

In addition to developing deep knowledge of a single discipline, engineers must also be able to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and develop interdisciplinary expertise to successfully address the complex challenges of the contemporary workplace. While numerous descriptions of interdisciplinary courses and projects appear in the literature, educators still lack rigorous research about learning barriers, outcomes, and concrete interventions to support this interdisciplinary development. This paper addresses that gap by pairing a review of the literature with a case study of students in a sustainable engineering program to identify the key challenges to success in interdisciplinary contexts. The findings suggest that students (1) lack the ability to connect interdisciplinary subjects to their own more narrowly defined fields of expertise, and (2) fail to identify and value the contributions of multiple fields to complex problems. This paper concludes with possible teaching interventions to address these barriers.
Interannual Variability of the GNSS Precipitable Water Vapor in the Global Tropics

This paper addresses the subject of inter-annual variability of the tropical precipitable water vapor (PWV) derived from 18 years of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) observations. Non-linear trends of retrieved GNSS PWV were investigated using the singular spectrum analysis (SSA) along with various climate indices. For most of the analyzed stations (~49%) the GNSS PWV anomaly was related to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), although its influence on the PWV variability was not homogeneous. The cross-correlations coefficient values estimated between the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) and PWV were up to 0.78. A strong cross-correlation was also found for regional climate pattern expressed through CAR, DMI, HAW, NPGO, TNA and TSA indices. A distinct agreement was also found when instead of climate indices, the local sea surface temperature was examined (average correlation 0.60). The SSA method made it also possible to distinguish small-scale phenomena that affect PWV, such as local droughts or wetter rainy seasons. The overall nature of the investigated changes was also verified through linear trend analysis. In general, not a single station was characterized by a negative trend and its weighted mean value, calculated for all stations was equal to 0.08 ± 0.01 mm/year.
Mediating Role of Rumination between Neuroticism and Depression among the Married and Unmarried Nurses of Multan

Abstract The present research was directed to study the mediating role of rumination between neuroticism and depression among the married and unmarried nurses of Multan. Data was taken from (n=150) nurses through a stratified proportional sampling method. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Ruminative Response Scale and Big Five Inventory were utilized as an assessment measure in the present research. SPSS-21 version was used in the current research. Pearson product-moment correlation analysis revealed that rumination and neuroticism have a significant positive (P = .05) relationship with depression. However, hierarchical regression analysis by Baron and Kenny method shows that rumination shows a significant mediating (P = .05) role between neuroticism and depression. Consequences determined that a higher level of ruminating thoughts and neuroticism would lead to depression. The present study will help to understand the consequences of depression, especially among nurses. Existing policies and coping strategies could be inquired and could probably to improve to better help this population. Based on this study, it is not only particular for professionals or nurses to be aware of depression toward a better life in the Pakistani society but also to be educated on the culture itself and clinical area.
The complete mitochondrial genome of short-faced mole (Scaptochirus moschatus, Talpidae)

Abstract The short-faced mole (Scaptochirus moschatus) is a unique Chinese mammal that lives in burrows for life. In this study, we used Illumina NovaSeq sequencing to obtain the complete mitochondrial genome of the short-faced mole. The total length of the genome is 16,699 bp, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNA), 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA), and 1 control region, with a base composition of 33.82% A, 26.89% T, 25.27% C, and 14.01% G. Phylogenetic analysis of the Talpidae by using complete mitochondrial genome sequences of 14 Talpidae species shows that short-faced mole is closely related to Parascaptor leucura.
Analysis of In Situ Horizontal Joint Movements in Rigid Pavements

Doubts about the reliability of the AASHTO model for predicting rigid pavement joint openings have arisen from a number of researchers on the basis of the observation of significant differences in average in situ measurements from AASHTO predictions. Considerable variation of the magnitude of the joint movements in a given pavement section has also been noted. Previous attempts to determine a linear relationship between joint movement and temperature change could not provide a statistically sound linear relationship because of considerable unexplained scattering. Understanding the patterns of in situ joint movement for various pavement conditions provides valuable information for understanding the cause of the persistent controversy over the effectiveness of joint sealing and its effects on pavement performance and provides many of the necessary inputs for development of a reliable probabilistic joint movement prediction method. A systematic procedure to analyze joint movement data is suggested. Based on the suggested method, the effective ratios of joint movement to change in temperature for 16 pavement sections included in the long-term performance pavement seasonal monitoring program are presented. The causes of scattering and erratic movements are identified and isolated, and a strong linear relationship has been obtained.
GC-MS Analysis and Biomedical Therapy of Oil from n-Hexane Fraction of Scutellaria edelbergii Rech. f.: In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Approach

The current study aimed to explore the crude oils obtained from the n-hexane fraction of Scutellaria edelbergii and further analyzed, for the first time, for their chemical composition, in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and in vivo anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities. For the phytochemical composition, the oils proceeded to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and from the resultant chromatogram, 42 bioactive constituents were identified. Among them, the major components were linoleic acid ethyl ester (19.67%) followed by ethyl oleate (18.45%), linolenic acid methyl ester (11.67%), and palmitic acid ethyl ester (11.01%). Tetrazolium 96-well plate MTT assay and agar-well diffusion methods were used to evaluate the isolated oil for its minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50), and zone of inhibitions that could determine the potential antimicrobial efficacy’s. Substantial antibacterial activities were observed against the clinical isolates comprising of three Gram-negative bacteria, viz., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and one Gram-positive bacterial strain, Enterococcus faecalis. The oils were also effective against Candida albicans and Fusarium oxysporum when evaluated for their antifungal potential. Moreover, significant antioxidant potential with IC50 values of 136.4 and 161.5 µg/mL for extracted oil was evaluated through DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) and ABTS assays compared with standard ascorbic acid where the IC50 values were 44.49 and 67.78 µg/mL, respectively, against the tested free radicals. The oils was also potent, inhibiting the α-glucosidase (IC50 5.45 ± 0.42 µg/mL) enzyme compared to the standard. Anti-glucosidase potential was visualized through molecular docking simulations where ten compounds of the oil were found to be the leading inhibitors of the selected enzyme based on interactions, binding energy, and binding affinity. The oil was found to be an effective anti-inflammatory (61%) agent compared with diclofenac sodium (70.92%) via the carrageenan-induced assay. An appreciable (48.28%) analgesic activity in correlation with the standard aspirin was observed through the acetic acid-induced writhing bioassay. The oil from the n-hexane fraction of S. edelbergii contained valuable bioactive constituents that can act as in vitro biological and in vivo pharmacological agents. However, further studies are needed to uncover individual responsible compounds of the observed biological potentials which would be helpful in devising novel drugs.
Primary Professionalization of Foreign Students: Barriers, Stigmatization, Adaptation

Introduction. In the context of the export of educational services, it is of particular importance to design an efficient system of foreign students’ psychological adaptation. Owing to the ethnocultural background, foreign students feel that they are stigmatized minorities in the host society. Negative images and stereotypes are often internalized, resulting in stable low self-esteem in the stigmatized. Since self-esteem acts as a key parameter of the professional self-concept, social stigma and the experience of social identity threat activate the stigmatization of primary professionalization, thereby drastically reducing the efficiency of the received vocational education at the university. The purpose of the study is: to outline the phenomenon of primary professionalization, to reveal the nature of the relationship between the social stigma of foreign students and their self-esteem, and to describe the levels of primary professionalization. Materials and Methods. The study involved 124 foreign students. Participants were asked to answer questions of the Short Form of the Stigmatization Scale and Rosenbergʼs Self-Esteem Scale in order to track the relationship between social stigma and self-esteem. Further, in order to identify the basic barriers to primary professionalization and the participants’ perception of their stigmatized status, the respondents answered the questions of a semi-structured interview supported with the critical incident technique in a focus group format. Results. There is a correlation between the degree of obviousness of social stigma and self-esteem of foreign students. The categorization of the data obtained allowed the authors to substantiate the phenomenon of stigma of primary professionalization, to systematize the determining factors, and to describe its levels. Discussion and Conclusion. Despite the fact that social stigma has attracted active attention of world science for decades, we have not been able to find focused studies into primary professionalization in the format of education export. Studying the factors that lead to the development of stigma of primary professionalization, understanding its levels will help to design a system for its prevention, optimize the system of adaptation of foreign students to the realities of the educational system of the host university.
Neutralization and Stability of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1. 1.529/Omicron variant was first characterized in South Africa and was swiftly designated a variant of concern1. Of great concern is its high number of mutations, including 30-40 mutations in the virus spike (S) protein compared to 7-10 for other variants. Some of these mutations have been shown to enhance escape from vaccine-induced immunity, while others remain uncharacterized. Additionally, reports of increasing frequencies of the Omicron variant may indicate a higher rate of transmission compared to other variants. However, the transmissibility of Omicron and its degree of resistance to vaccine-induced immunity remain unclear. Here we show that Omicron exhibits significant immune evasion compared to other variants, but antibody neutralization is largely restored by mRNA vaccine booster doses. Additionally, the Omicron spike exhibits reduced receptor binding, cell-cell fusion, S1 subunit shedding, but increased cell-to-cell transmission, and homology modeling indicates a more stable closed S structure. These findings suggest dual immune evasion strategies for Omicron, due to altered epitopes and reduced exposure of the S receptor binding domain, coupled with enhanced transmissibility due to enhanced S protein stability. These results highlight the importance of booster vaccine doses for maintaining protection against the Omicron variant, and provide mechanistic insight into the altered functionality of the Omicron spike protein.
Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response 4 Weeks After Homologous vs Heterologous Third Vaccine Dose in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Key Points Question Does a heterologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccination strategy with the vector vaccine Ad26COVS1 result in a higher rate of antibody response compared with a homologous third dose of mRNA vaccine (mRNA-1273 or BNT162b2) in kidney transplant recipients who did not develop SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine? Findings This randomized clinical trial found that a third dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in 197 kidney transplant recipients without antibodies after 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine induced an antibody response in 35% of the homologous (mRNA) group vs 42% of the heterologous (vector) group, with no statistically significant difference. Meaning The findings of this randomized clinical trial show that homologous and heterologous vaccination strategies for a third SARS-CoV-2 vaccine dose in kidney transplant recipients are comparable, with both mRNA and vector vaccines achieving seroconversion in more than one-third of kidney transplant recipients. However, given the high rate of nonresponders after the third dose, additional strategies to induce an immune response in kidney transplant recipients are urgently needed.