Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sudden Death in Patients with Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic sleep disorder with a continuously growing prevalence. Over 1 billion individuals across the globe experience some form of sleep apnea, and this number is steadily rising. OSA can negatively influence ones quality of life (QOL), while also increasing their risk for mortality from many causes. However, this association between OSA and mortality has not been comprehensively and thoroughly explored. This meta-analysis was conducted to conclusively estimate the risk of death for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in OSA patients. Study Design: 4,613 articles from databases including PUBMED, OVID & Joana Briggs, and SCOPUS were comprehensively assessed by two reviewers (AES & ESH) for inclusion criteria. 28 total articles were included, with 22 of them being used for quantitative analysis. Pooled effects of all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and sudden death were calculated by utilizing the metaprop function in R Statistical Software and the random-effects model with appropriate 95% confidence intervals. Results: The 22 included articles utilized for quantitative analysis contained 42,032 participants. The pooled HR for all-cause mortality was 1.74 (95%CI 1.40-2.10). Cardiac mortality had a pooled HR of 1.94 (95%CI 1.39-2.70). These results illustrate that individuals with obstructive sleep apnea have almost twice the risk for both cardiac mortality and all-cause mortality in comparison to the general population. Conclusions: Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea are at an increased risk for all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality. Further research related to appropriate interventions and treatments are necessary in order to reduce this risk and optimize survival in this population.
Light at the end of the tunnel: insights into the molecular systematics of East African puddle frogs (Anura: Phrynobatrachidae)

To investigate intra- and interspecific variability of ‘Little Brown Frogs’ (LBFs) from East Africa, we analysed molecular data from 23 species of Phrynobatrachus using 16S rRNA, a mitochondrial gene considered a universal DNA barcoding marker in amphibians. Conspecific populations, excluding P. natalensis, exhibited low (0–0.5%) sequence divergences, while conspecific populations of P. natalensis exhibited a wide range of differentiation (0.2–6.4%) with a distinct bimodal distribution, affirming that this may be a complex of cryptic species. Sister species yielded a range of differentiation from 1.5–8.3% with median of 2.3%. Results revealed that at least three non-sister populations of miniaturized puddle frogs are currently identified as P. mababiensis, and a new species from Ethiopia was identified. This first step into revising East African Phrynobatrachus systematics illustrates the necessity of rigorous taxonomic study, especially for groups with confusing or highly incomplete taxonomy.
Mapping quantitative powdery mildew resistance of barley using a restriction fragment length polymorphism map

To map the genes underlying the quantitative resistance (QR) of the spring barley cultivars Proctor and Nudinka to powdery mildew, the relative pustule number of F1-derived doubled haploids (DHs) was determined and combined with the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) mapping data of these DHs via MAPMAKER/QTL. Applying a log-likelihood (LOD) threshold of 2.50, two putative quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were found in two different genome areas that accounted for 19.8% of the observed variance. One of the QR-related RFLPs (Xcnl.CDO36) is located on chromosome 1S, the other one (Xcnl.CDO749) is tightly linked with the nucleolus organizer region on chromosome 7. By comparing the means of subpopulations of DHs carrying alternative parental marker alleles, it was found that both RFLPs were also linked with some genes causing thousand kernel weight differences in this population. For the QR trait measured, LOD scores < 1.00 were found for the Mla12 region on chromosome 5S indicating that the Mla12 .
Non-fragile estimation for discrete-time T-S fuzzy systems with event-triggered protocol

This paper investigates the non-fragile state estimation problem for a class of discrete-time T–S fuzzy systems with time-delays and multiple missing measurements under event-triggered mechanism. First of all, the plant is subject to the time-varying delays and the stochastic disturbances. Next, a random white sequence, the element of which obeys a general probabilistic distribution deﬁned on [0 , 1], is utilized to formulate the occurrence of the missing measurements. Also, an event generator function is employed to regulate the transmission of data to save the precious energy. Then, a non-fragile state estimator is constructed to reﬂect the randomly occurring gain variations in the implementing process. By means of the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, the desired suﬃcient conditions are obtained such that the Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy estimation error system is exponentially ultimately bounded in the mean square. And then the upper bound is minimized via the robust optimization technique and the estimator gain matrices can be calculated. Finally, a simulation example is utilized to demonstrate the eﬀectiveness of the state estimation scheme proposed in this paper.
Worker Control of Queen Density in Hymenopteran Societies

Most species of social Hymenoptera are functionally monogynous, that is, colonies contain a single reproductive female (Wilson 1971). Frequently, monogyny is enforced by competitive interactions among reproductive females (queens) such that one queen dominates or executes her rivals. However, monogyny also results from worker execution of supernumerary queens in various ant species (Baroni-Urbani 1968; Wilson 1971; Hdlldobler and Wilson 1977) and in bees (Michener 1974). Queen execution by workers also occurs in some ants (Markin 1971) and wasps (West Eberhard 1973) which are normally polygynous. The best-known cases of worker execution of queens include ants such as Solenopsis saevissima (Wilson 1966) and Myrmecocystus (Hdlldobler and Wilson 1977) in which colonies are sometimes initiated pleometrotically. Several queens cooperatively nest and rear a cohort of workers together. When the workers emerge they soon begin to execute all queens but one. Because each queen contributes eggs for the production of the workers, many workers must participate in matricide. Matricidal queen execution also occurs in polygynous Iriodomyrmex humilis colonies in which hundreds of queens are slaughtered (Markin 1971). This presents an evolutionary anomaly. It is not clear how matricidal queen execution behavior could evolve. Wilson (1971) suggested genetic odor recognition might permit reginicide behavior to evolve if workers removed queens with the least similar odors. However, this would not explain matricidal behavior. The following model illustrates how worker control of queen density and matricide might evolve in the absence of genetic odor recognition. The model assumes that colony productivity is independent of queen density although colony survivorship can be a positive function of queen number. There is considerable evidence that suggests queens contribute a small amount to total colony productivity (Wilson 1971). The model also assumes that there is a single insemination per queen, that queens vary in their oviposition capacity (productivity), and that workers are able to "assess" some differences in queen productivity, that is, the number of offspring a queen can produce, or a behavioral correlate of queen productivity. Possible behavioral traits which correlate with queen productivity or fitness are physical or pheromonal dominance, and aggressiveness of queens. Consider a colony of Q queens designated as Qj, Qi+? , . QQ and ordered by their relative productivities (pi) in a decreasing sequence such that
Distributed resilient filtering of large-scale systems with channel scheduling

This paper addresses the distributed resilient ﬁltering for discrete-time large-scale systems (LSSs) with energy constraints, where their information are collected by sensor networks with a same topology structure. As a typical model of information physics systems, LSSs have an inherent merit of modeling wide area power systems, automation processes and so forth. In this paper, two kinds of channels are employed to implement the information transmission in order to extend the service time of sensor nodes powered by energy-limited batteries. Speciﬁcally, the one has the merit of high reliability by sacriﬁcing energy cost and the other reduces the energy cost but could result in packet loss. Furthermore, a communication scheduling matrix is introduced to govern the information transmission in these two kind of channels. In this scenario, a novel distributed ﬁlter is designed by fusing the compensated neighboring estimation. Then, two matrix-valued functions are derived to obtain the bounds of the covariance matrices of one-step prediction errors and the ﬁltering errors. In what follows, the desired gain matrices are analytically designed to minimize the provided bounds with the help of the gradient-based approach and the mathematical induction. Furthermore, the eﬀect on ﬁltering performance from packet loss is profoundly discussed and it is claimed that the ﬁltering performance becomes better when the probability of packet loss decreases. Finally, a simulation example on wide area power systems is exploited to check the usefulness of the designed distributed ﬁlter.
Cycloaddition Reaction between H2C=CHR (R = H, CN, CH3) and a Cyclic P/B Frustrated Lewis Pair: A DFT Study.

Cycloaddition of ethylene, cyanoethylene and propylene with a five membered P/B Frustrated Lewis Pair (FLP) is shown to be highly favorable under normal condition as confirmed by the computed thermodynamic and kinetic data. All these cycloaddition reactions are concerted as highlighted through the IRC and Wiberg bond index calculations. Almost 70 % of the reaction force is required for structural orientation to initiate the electronic activity. The reactions are interpreted by the FMO analysis and conceptual DFT based reactivity descriptors. It appears that ethylene and propylene will act as nucleophiles, while the FLP will act as an electrophile throughout the cycloaddition reaction. However, cyanoethylene will act as an electrophile and the FLP as a nucleophile. Regioselectivities of the cycloadditon of cyanoethylene and propylene with the FLP are further verified through philicity and dual descriptors. It is demonstrated that an FLP can be forced to act as an electrophile or a nucleophile by judiciously selecting its partner in a cycloaddition reaction. Even the P and B centers would behave differently within the same FLP. This strategy may be properly exploited by the experimentalists in designing a suitable reaction for the synthesis of any useful molecule possessing a desired property.
City-SAFE: Estimating Urban Safety Perception

The study of urban safety perception has been an important subject of focus by social scientists, seeking to draw conclusions that lead to the improvement of people’s lives. We tackle this issue in the Lisbon area by conducting a survey on street imagery using pairwise comparisons – the City-SAFE dataset. We analyze our dataset using semantic segmentation, ﬁnding evidence for the existence of a collective agreement on safety perception and providing its semantic proﬁle. We then assign scores to locations, which represent a perceptual ordering based on the collected comparisons. This is performed through convex optimization with graph regularization on spatial and temporal similarities. To assess the performance of the proposed method, we conduct a simulation using synthetic data and compare it with the state-of-the-art. Our approach shows better performance both on noisier and fewer comparisons. We then apply our method to the City-SAFE dataset, generating scores for Lisbon, Amadora and Cascais. Finally, we build an estimator using the obtained scores as a constructed ground truth for our dataset. We use a support vector regression where image features and features constructed from a citizen reporting platform are combined via multiple kernel learning.
Beneficial effects of benfotiamine, a NADPH oxidase inhibitor, in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats

Background Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains the most common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The present study was directed to investigate the beneficial effects of benfotiamine pre- and post-treatments in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced MI in rats. Methods Myocardial heart damage was induced by subcutaneous injection of ISO (150 mg/kg) once daily for two consecutive days. Benfotiamine (100 mg/kg/day) was given orally for two weeks before or after ISO treatment. Results ISO administration revealed significant changes in electrocardiographic recordings, elevation of levels of cardiac enzymes; creatinine kinase (CK-MB) and troponin-I (cTn-I), and perturbation of markers of oxidative stress; nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and markers of inflammation; protein kinase C (PKC), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). The apoptotic markers (caspase-8 and p53) were also significantly elevated in ISO groups in addition to histological alterations. Groups treated with benfotiamine pre- and post-ISO administration showed significantly decreased cardiac enzymes levels and improved oxidative stress, inflammatory and apoptotic markers compared to the ISO groups. Conclusion The current study highlights the potential role of benfotiamine as a promising agent for prophylactic and therapeutic interventions in myocardial damage in several cardiovascular disorders via NADPH oxidase inhibition.
Short Versus Long Timing of Flushing of Totally Implantable Venous Access Devices When Not Used Routinely: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Flushing and locking of totally implantable venous access devices (TIVADs) is recommended to maintain their patency when not in use. Although manufacturers' recommendations indicate monthly access for TIVAD maintenance, there is a tendency in real life to prolong this interval. OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness of prolonged versus short flushing and locking intervals to prevent TIVAD occlusions in adults with cancer. METHODS A systematic search was carried out in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Two reviewers independently selected studies, assessed quality, and extracted data. Study findings were summarized, and a meta-analysis conducted. RESULTS Six articles were included in the review, with a total of 1255 participants. Differences in types of cancers, flushing and locking techniques, and volume and concentration of heparin were described. Pooled results from 4 studies showed fewer catheter occlusions in favor of prolonged flushing and locking intervals (relative risk, 0.81), even if not statistically significant (95% confidence interval, 0.41-1.61) with no heterogeneity among studies (I = 0.00%, P = .69). The quality of evidence was very low. CONCLUSIONS Very low-quality evidence suggests that prolonged schedule flushing and locking intervals has no effect on catheter patency. However, because of low number and poor quality of evidence derived from the studies analyzed, findings of this meta-analysis should be interpreted with caution. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE No statistically significant difference in occlusion rate between short and long timing of flushing was found. However, further studies are necessary to strengthen the safe implementation of longer intervals in clinical practice.
The Use of a Virtual Reality Platform for the Assessment of the Memory Decline and the Hippocampal Neural Injury in Subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Validity of Smart Aging Serious Game (SASG)

Due to the lack of pharmacological treatment for dementia, timely detection of subjects at risk can be of seminal importance for preemptive rehabilitation interventions. The aim of the study was to determine the usability of the smart aging serious game (SASG), a virtual reality platform, in assessing the cognitive profile of an amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) population, its validity in discriminating aMCI from healthy controls (HC), and in detecting hippocampal degeneration, a biomarker of clinical progression towards dementia. Thirty-six aMCI and 107 HC subjects were recruited and administered the SASG together with a neuropsychological evaluation. All aMCI and 30 HC subjects performed also an MRI for hippocampal volume measurement. Results showed good usability of the SASG despite the low familiarity with technology in both groups. ROC curve analyses showed similar discriminating abilities for SASG and gold standard tests, and a greater discrimination ability compared to non-specific neuropsychological tests. Finally, linear regression analysis revealed that the SASG outperformed the Montreal cognitive assessment test (MoCA) in the ability to detect neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus on the right side. These data show that SASG is an ecological task, that can be considered a digital biomarker providing objective and clinically meaningful data about the cognitive profile of aMCI subjects.
Close to Home

Background: Advances in prenatal testing and diagnosis have resulted in more parents learning during pregnancy that their child may die before or shortly after birth. These advances in testing and diagnosis have also resulted in more parents choosing, despite the diagnosis, to continue their pregnancies and pursue a palliative approach to their infant's short life. Perinatal hospice and palliative care is a growing model of care developed in response to these parents' previously unmet needs. A seldom-discussed opportunity to provide this care exists in outlying community hospitals, which are ideally placed to provide care close to home for families who have chosen comfort measures and time with their child. Purpose: This article reviews the definition and utility of perinatal palliative care, the population it serves, attempts to support a rational for development of community-based programs, and describes one community hospital's experience with perinatal palliative care in their community. * Methods/Search Strategy: This article describes the development and processes of a perinatal palliative care program at a community hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Implications for Practice: Perinatal palliative care can be developed with the assistance of already existing training materials, resources, and staff. While the cohort of patients may be small, implementing perinatal palliative care in a community setting may result in wider availability of this care and more accessible options for these families. Implications for Research: Research possibilities include developing a template for creating a perinatal palliative care program at community hospitals that could be replicated elsewhere; assessing parental satisfaction and quality indicators of perinatal palliative care at community hospitals and at referral hospitals; and assessing outcomes in various settings.
Ancient hybridization with an unknown population facilitated high altitude adaptation of canids.

Genetic introgression provides material for adaptive evolution, but also confounds our understanding of evolutionary history. This is particularly true for canids, a species complex in which genome sequencing and analysis has revealed a complex history of admixture and introgression. Here, we sequence 19 new whole genomes from high-altitude Tibetan and Himalayan wolves and dogs and combine these into a larger data set of 166 whole canid genomes. Using these data, we explore the evolutionary history and adaptation of these and other canid lineages. We find that Tibetan and Himalayan wolves are closely related to each other, and that approximately 39% of their nuclear genome is derived from an as-yet unrecognized wolf-like lineage that is deeply diverged from living Holarctic wolves and dogs. The EPAS1 haplotype, which is present at high frequencies in Tibetan dog breeds and wolves and confers an adaptive advantage to animals living at high altitudes, was probably derived from this ancient lineage. Our study underscores the complexity of canid evolution and demonstrates how admixture and introgression can shape the evolutionary trajectories of species.
Effect of Kelulut Honey on the Cellular Dynamics of TGFβ-Induced Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Primary Human Keratinocytes

Over-induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) by tumor growth factor beta (TGFβ) in keratinocytes is a key feature in keloid scar. The present work seeks to investigate the effect of Kelulut honey (KH) on TGFβ-induced EMT in human primary keratinocytes. Image analysis of the real time observation of TGFβ-induced keratinocytes revealed a faster wound closure and individual migration velocity compared to the untreated control. TGFβ-induced keratinocytes also have reduced circularity and display a classic EMT protein expression. Treatment of 0.0015% (v/v) KH reverses these effects. In untreated keratinocytes, KH resulted in slower initial wound closure and individual migration velocity, which sped up later on, resulting in greater wound closure at the final time point. KH treatment also led to greater directional migration compared to the control. KH treatment caused reduced circularity in keratinocytes but displayed a partial EMT protein expression. Taken together, the findings suggest the therapeutic potential of KH in preventing keloid scar by attenuating TGFβ-induced EMT.
Wearable Inertial Sensors to Assess Gait during the 6-Minute Walk Test: A Systematic Review

Wearable sensors are becoming increasingly popular for complementing classical clinical assessments of gait deficits. The aim of this review is to examine the existing knowledge by systematically reviewing a large number of papers focusing on the use of wearable inertial sensors for the assessment of gait during the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), a widely recognized, simple, non-invasive, low-cost and reproducible exercise test. After a systematic search on PubMed and Scopus databases, two raters evaluated the quality of 28 full-text articles. Then, the available knowledge was summarized regarding study design, subjects enrolled (number of patients and pathological condition, if any, age, male/female ratio), sensor characteristics (type, number, sampling frequency, range) and body placement, 6MWT protocol and extracted parameters. Results were critically discussed to suggest future directions for the use of inertial sensor devices in the clinics.