Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Composite Hydrogel Containing Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Loaded With Artemisia argyi Extract for Improving Chronic Wound Healing

Chronic wounds are a major health problem with increasing global prevalence, which endangers the physical and mental health of those affected and is a heavy burden to healthcare providers. Artemisia argyi extract (AE) has excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. In this research, we developed AE loaded composite hydrogel scaffold based on methacrylate gelatin (GelMA)/methacrylate hyaluronic acid (HAMA) and mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) as sustained-release drug carrier vehicles for the treatment of chronic wounds. The presented GelMA/1%HAMA hydrogel possessed stable rheological properties, suitable mechanical properties, appropriate biodegradability, swelling, sustained-release AE capacity. In vitro antibacterial and cell experiments showed that the GelMA/HAMA/MSN@AE hydrogel had excellent antibacterial activity and biocompatibility and induced macrophages to differentiate into M2 phenotype. In vivo wound healing of rat full-thickness cutaneous wounds further demonstrated that the prepared GelMA/HAMA/MSN@AE hydrogel could significantly promote chronic wound healing by upregulating the expression of IL-4, TGF-β1, CD31, and α-SMA but downregulating the expression of TNF-α and IFN-γ and promoting M1-M2 macrophages polarization. Altogether, we believe that the GelMA/HAMA/MSN@AE hydrogel will have wide application prospects in healing chronic wounds.
The Relative Importance of Vascular Risk Factors on Early Cognitive Aging Varies Only Slightly Between Men and Women

Objective To investigate the sex-specific course and impact of vascular risk factors on cognitive aging in a rather young and healthy community-dwelling cohort. Methods We used data from a population-based cohort study, collected three times during 6 years, comprising 1,911 examinations from 798 participants aged 35–66 years at baseline. Cognitive performance on the Color-Word-Interference-Test, the Trail Making Tests (TMT) A&B, the Word Fluency Test, a 12-item word list, the Purdue Pegboard Test and a principal component global score were used as outcomes in linear mixed models. We evaluated (1) sex differences in cognitive trajectories, (2) the mediating role of hypertension, diabetes, smoking and obesity [body mass index (BMI) > 30] on sex differences and (3) in sex-stratified analyses, potential sex-specific effects of these risk factors on cognition. Results For all cognitive tests, we observed cognitive decline with age. Rates of decline slightly differed across sexes, showing a later but steeper decline for women in tests of memory (word list) and word fluency, but a steeper decline for men in tests of psychomotor speed and mental set shifting (TMT A&B) in older age. Women generally scored better on cognitive tests, but the slightly higher prevalence of classical vascular risks factors in men in our cohort could not explain these sex differences. Sex-stratified analyses revealed a generally small, concordantly negative, but quantitatively slightly different impact of diabetes, smoking and obesity on cognitive functions but mixed effects for arterial hypertension, depending on the blood pressure values, the treatment status and the duration of arterial hypertension. Conclusion Cognitive sex differences in this rather young and healthy cohort could not be explained by a differing prevalence of vascular risks factors across sexes. The association of cardiovascular risk factors with cognition, however, slightly differed between men and women, whereby effects were generally small. Whereas longtime diabetes, obesity and smoking had a sex-specific, but concordantly negative impact on psychomotor speed, executive and motor functions, we found some opposing effects for arterial hypertension. Our results can help to identify sex-specific susceptibilities to modifiable risk factors, to attract attention to potential information bias and to stimulate further research into alternative causes and mechanism of sex differences in cognitive aging.
Do Refugee Camps Offer a Refuge From Conflict? A Spatially Explicit Analysis of Conflict Incidence at 1,543 Refugee Camps Across Africa (1997–2020)

By the end of 2020, 20.7 million refugees worldwide were under the protection of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Despite the intended role of refugee camps as sanctuaries for people fleeing conflict and persecution, recent empirical research has shown that many refugees continue to experience conflict even after settling in camps. Measuring refugee exposure to conflict, especially recurrent conflict, is important for the design and evaluation of refugee settlement and asylum policies, refugee-host relationships, as well as refugee security and protection. However, existing research is either nationally aggregated or highly localized at a small number of refugee camps and does not consider changes in conflict incidence following refugee arrivals, leaving uncertainty around near-camp conflict dynamics across refugee hosting countries. To address these gaps, we measured conflict event proximity, frequency, and trends around refugee and non-refugee settlements in all refugee-hosting countries in Africa over a 24-year period (1997–2020). We used georeferenced data on 1,543 refugee camps from UNHCR and conflict event data from the Armed Conflict Location Event Database (ACLED), and compared localized conflict incidence at refugee camps to 4,003 non-refugee settlements from the Global Rural-Urban Mapping Project (GRUMP). Our results show that 52% of all refugee camps and 94% of urban refugee camps were within 10 km of at least one armed conflict event after camp establishment. Conversely, only 82% of urban settlements without refugee camps were within 10 km of a conflict event, suggesting that urban refugee camps are subject to nearby conflict at a disproportionately higher rate compared to both rural refugee camps and non-refugee settlements. We also find that conflict events moved an average of 11.2 km closer to refugee camps after camp establishment, indicating a general encroachment of conflict upon camps. Such persistent and widespread conflict challenges the security of camps and the protections afforded to refugees, and merits increased attention from host countries and humanitarian actors.
Learning Methods During School Closure and Its Correlation With Anxiety and Health Behavior of Thai Students

Background The sequential waves of epidemic spread of COVID-19 in Thailand have caused periodic closures of schools, and exposed students to different learning methods that require multiple adjustment strategies. This study aimed to examine how different learning methods may correlate with anxiety and health behavior (e.g., physical activity, active play, screen time, sleep) of primary and secondary school students in Thailand. Methods Thailand Report Card (TRC) Data (2021) was employed. The sample of the TRC was drawn by multi-stages random sampling stratified by region, district, urban/rural, school size, sex, and age to ensure national representativeness. A total of 6,078 Thai primary (64%) and secondary (36%) school students were included in the analysis. Results About two-thirds (66.4%) of the sample experienced a shift from traditional classroom to fully online learning, 6.9% experienced partial online instruction, 23.6% received handouts or written assignments, and 3.1% resumed traditional classroom learning. Compared to fully online learning, students who experienced traditional classroom (onsite) teaching were 37.8% less likely to report moderate-to severe anxiety (OR 0.6; p-value 0.021). There was no significant correlation between school closure-induced anxiety with overall physical activity (PA) and active play, but anxiety was significantly associated with screen time and sleep duration. Receiving handouts/written assignments only as the learning method was significantly correlated with PA, but two methods (handouts and onsite/traditional classroom) was significantly correlated with active play. Students who experienced classroom learning were also more likely to comply with recommended durations of screen time and sleep. Conclusion Although online learning was probably the most convenient choice during COVID-19 containment measures in Thailand, this method did not provide sufficient opportunity for PA and play. Online learning also encouraged an excessive use of screen media, and disrupted sleeping patterns. Online learning also pressured Thai students to make various adjustments in their daily routines that may have further aggravated anxiety.
The Effect of Repetitive Whole Body Cryotherapy Treatment on Adaptations to a Strength and Endurance Training Programme in Physically Active Males

Despite its potential merit in sport and exercise recovery, the implications of repetitive Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) during training programmes require further review due to the possibility of repetitive cold interfering with long term adaptations. This study investigated the impact of two weekly 3 min WBC sessions (30 s at −60°C, 150 s at −120°C) on adaptations to a 6 week strength and endurance training programme. Sixteen male participants (mean ± SD age 33.4 ± 9.8 years, body mass 82.3 ± 9.8 kg) randomly allocated into WBC (n = 7) and non-cryotherapy control (CON, n=9) groups completed the programme consisting of two weekly strength and plyometric training sessions and two weekly 30 min runs (70% VO2 max). Participants were assessed for body fat, VO2 max, muscle torque, three repetition maximum barbell squat and countermovement jump height before and after the programme. Resistance and running intensities were progressed after 3 weeks. Participants in both groups significantly improved muscle torque (WBC: 277.1 ± 63.2 Nm vs. 318.1 ± 83.4 Nm, p < 0.01, d = 0.56; CON: 244.6 ± 50.6 Nm vs. 268.0 ± 71.8 Nm, p = 0.05, d = 0.38) and barbell squat (WBC: 86.4 ± 19.5 kg vs. 98.9 ± 15.2 kg, p = 0.03, d = 0.69; CON: 91.1 ± 28.7 kg vs. 106.1 ± 30.0 kg, p < 0.01, d=0.51) following the 6 week programme. For the CON group, there was also a significant reduction in body fat percentage (p = 0.01) and significant increase in jump height (p = 0.01). There was no significant increase in VO2 max for either group (both p > 0.2). There was no difference between WBC and CON for responses in muscle torque, 3RM barbell squat and body fat, however WBC participants did not increase their jump height (p = 0.23). Repetitive WBC does not appear to blunt adaptations to a concurrent training programme, although there may be an interference effect in the development of explosive power. Sports practitioners can cautiously apply repetitive WBC to support recovery post-exercise without undue concern on athletes' fitness gains or long term performance, particularly throughout training phases focused more on general strength development than explosive power.
Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics and Feature-Based Molecular Networking Reveals Population-Specific Chemistry in Some Species of the Sceletium Genus

The Sceletium genus has been of medicinal importance in southern Africa for millennia and Sceletium tortuosum (Aizoaceae), one of eight species in the genus has gained pharmaceutical importance as an anxiolytic and anti-depressant due to the presence of mesembrine alkaloids. S. tortuosum is used for the manufacture of herbal teas, dietary supplements and other phytopharmaceutical products. This study aimed to provide a metabolomic characterization of S. tortuosum and its sister species as these are not easy to distinguish using morphology alone. Plant samples were thus collected from various locations in the succulent Karoo (South Africa) and analyzed through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), using MSE fragmentation as a putative tool for chemical identities. Metabolomics-based analyses in combination with molecular networking were able to distinguish between the four species of Sceletium based on the presence of 4-(3,4-dimethyoxyphenyl)-4-[2-acetylmethlamino)ethyl]cyclohexanone (m/z 334.2020; RT 6.60 min), mesembrine (m/z 290.1757; RT 5.10 min) and 4'-O-demethylmesembrenol (m/z 276.1597; RT 4.17 min). Metabolomic profiles varied according to the different localities and metabolites occurred at variable quantitative levels in Sceletium ecotypes. Molecular networking provided the added advantage of being able to observe mesembrine alkaloid isomers and coeluting metabolites (from the joubertiamine group) that were difficult to discern without this application. By combining high-throughput metabolomics together with global and feature based-molecular networking, a powerful metabolite profiling platform that is able to discern chemical patterns within and between populations was established. These techniques were able to reveal chemotaxonomic relationships and allowed for the discovery of chemical markers that may be used as part of monitoring protocols during the manufacture of phytopharmaceutical and dietary products based on Sceletium.
Common Cuckoo Nestling Adapts Its Begging Behavior to the Alarm Signaling System of a Host

Cuckoo nestlings thrive as avian brood parasites. To acquire sufficient food from the host parents, cuckoo nestlings generally make louder begging calls than host nestlings, but this may cause them to be more likely to attract the attention of predators. Studies have shown that nestlings would respond to the alarm calls of their parents by begging less, or crouching and remaining silent as an adaptation to reduce the risk of being heard by predators. Nevertheless, research is lacking on how parasite nestlings respond to alarm calls of their host parents. We studied the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) and one of the most common cuckoo host species, the oriental reed warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis), using a playback experiment in Yongnianwa National Wetland Park during the breeding seasons from June to July, 2020–2021. The begging behaviors of either cuckoo or host nestlings were quantified by playing back the alarm calls of host adults toward common cuckoo, sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), or oriental turtle doves (Streptopelia orientalis). Meanwhile, normal begging without playback, playback of the natural singing (NS) of host adults, and background noise (BN) were included as behavioral reference, non-threatening comparison, and playback control, respectively. The results showed that the cuckoo and host nestlings produced similar levels of begging with or without playback of NS and BN; however, both types of nestlings inhibited their begging intensity after hearing the playback of alarm calls, although they did not respond differently to the various alarm call playbacks. This study therefore elucidated that coevolution has selected the common cuckoo nestlings that adapt their begging behavior to the parent–offspring communication of alarm signaling in their host, oriental reed warblers.
Association Between Unequal Division of Caregiving Work and South Korean Married Women's Depressive Symptoms

Background: A disproportionate amount of family caregiving can negatively impact married women's mental health. This study aims to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms in South Korean women and the satisfaction with their husband's participation in family caregiving. Methods Raw data from 1,515 of the participants in the 2014, 2016, and 2018 Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families were analyzed. Satisfaction with husbands' participation in family caregiving was classified as satisfied, less satisfied, and not satisfied. The survey used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to measure depressive symptoms. The association was examined using a generalized estimating equations model. Results Results indicated 22.2% of the participating women reported depressive symptoms. Women who reported dissatisfaction with their husband's participation in caregiving were 2.54 times more likely to report depressive symptoms than the women who were satisfied. Subgroup analysis indicated that women with higher levels of education, were more likely to have depressive symptoms when they were not satisfied with their husbands' participation in caregiving. Conclusion Married women who reported being dissatisfied with their husbands' participation in caregiving were more likely to report depressive symptoms. These results suggest the need to create environments with fair distribution of caregiving duties to minimize depressive symptoms in women.
Design and Prototyping of an Underactuated Hand Exoskeleton With Fingers Coupled by a Gear-Based Differential

Exoskeletons and more in general wearable mechatronic devices represent a promising opportunity for rehabilitation and assistance to people presenting with temporary and/or permanent diseases. However, there are still some limits in the diffusion of robotic technologies for neuro-rehabilitation, notwithstanding their technological developments and evidence of clinical effectiveness. One of the main bottlenecks that constrain the complexity, weight, and costs of exoskeletons is represented by the actuators. This problem is particularly evident in devices designed for the upper limb, and in particular for the hand, in which dimension limits and kinematics complexity are particularly challenging. This study presents the design and prototyping of a hand finger exoskeleton. In particular, we focus on the design of a gear-based differential mechanism aimed at coupling the motion of two adjacent fingers and limiting the complexity and costs of the system. The exoskeleton is able to actuate the flexion/extension motion of the fingers and apply bidirectional forces, that is, it is able to both open and close the fingers. The kinematic structure of the finger actuation system has the peculiarity to present three DoFs when the exoskeleton is not worn and one DoF when it is worn, allowing better adaptability and higher wearability. The design of the gear-based differential is inspired by the mechanism widely used in the automotive field; it allows actuating two fingers with one actuator only, keeping their movements independent.
Design and Optimization of a New Anti-reflux Biliary Stent With Retractable Bionic Valve Based on Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis

Duodenal biliary reflux has been a challenging common problem which could cause dreadful complications after biliary stent implantation. A novel anti-reflux biliary stent with a retractable bionic valve was proposed according to the concertina motion characteristics of annelids. A 2D equivalent fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model based on the axial section was established to analyze and evaluate the mechanical performances of the anti-reflux biliary stent. Based on this model, four key parameters (initial shear modulus of material, thickness, pitch, and width) were selected to investigate the influence of design parameters on anti-reflux performance via an orthogonal design to optimize the stent. The results of FSI analysis showed that the retrograde closure ratio of the retractable valve primarily depended on initial shear modulus of material (p < 0.05) but not mainly depended on the thickness, pitch, and width of the valve (p > 0.05). The optimal structure of the valve was finally proposed with a high retrograde closing ratio of 95.89%. The finite element model revealed that the optimized anti-reflux stent possessed improved radial mechanical performance and nearly equal flexibility compared with the ordinary stent without a valve. Both the FSI model and experimental measurement indicated that the newly designed stent had superior anti-reflux performance, effectively preventing the duodenobiliary reflux while enabling the bile to pass smoothly. In addition, the developed 2D equivalent FSI model provides tremendous significance for resolving the fluid-structure coupled problem of evolution solid with large deformation and markedly shortens the calculation time.
Worrying About Leadership: Is It a Liability or an Advantage for Leadership of Women and Men?

Worries about leadership (WAL) is a new construct tapping worries an individual may feel about possible negative consequences of accepting a leadership role. Three studies investigate how WAL is associated with men’s and women’s willingness for leadership and their perceived leadership potential rated by others. The first is a laboratory study on 328 participants, which shows that WAL is negatively associated with women’s willingness for leadership, while it is not related to that of men. The second study, which is a field study with multilevel-nested data from 429 employees and 101 supervisors, reveals that male subordinates are more likely to receive a favorable judgment of leadership potential by their supervisors when their WAL increases, while female subordinates’ WAL is irrelevant to this judgment. The final study, which is an experimental study on 122 supervisors, shows that supervisors view hypothetical male leadership candidates with high WAL as having higher warmth and lower competence (than those with low WAL), which both mediate the effect of WAL on judgments of their leadership potential made by the supervisors. Even though supervisors also view female candidates with high WAL as warmer, this does not evoke higher perceptions of leadership potential. Implications for increasing gender parity in leadership are discussed.
Predictive Factors for Early-Onset Seizures in Patients With Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

Seizures are reported to be important factors contributing to poor prognosis in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). However, the predictive factors for concurrent early onset seizures in patients with CVST remain unclear. To identify the predictive factors of early seizures in patients with CVST, this study retrospectively evaluated the clinical data of patients diagnosed with CVST at two centers from January 2011 to December 2020 and analyzed the relationship between admission characteristics and early onset seizures. A total of 112 CVST patients (63 men and 49 women; mean age 39.82 ± 15.70 years) were enrolled in this study, of whom 34 (30.36%) had seizures. For patients with seizures, cerebral hemorrhage, cortical vein thrombosis, anterior superior sagittal sinus (SSS) thrombosis, middle SSS thrombosis, CVST score, modified Rankin Scale, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, neutrophil percentage, and D-dimer level were more severe than those without seizures. Logistic regression analysis showed that cerebral hemorrhage (P = 0.002), anterior SSS thrombosis (P = 0.003), NIHSS score ≥5 (P = 0.003), and D-dimer ≥0.88 mg/L (P = 0.004) were all significant predictive factors of early-onset seizures in CVST patients. Combining the four factors further improved the predictive capability with an area under the curve of 0.871 (95% confidence interval = 0.803–0.939). Further large-scale prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.