Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of wait and see strategy versus surgery for rectal cancer with cCR/near-cCR response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a meta-analysis

Background: To evaluate the efficacy and safety between wait and see strategy (WS) and surgery of rectal cancer patients with cCR/near-cCR response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, CNKI(China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and Wanfang databases to compare wait and see strategy with surgery for rectal cancer with cCR/near-cCR response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy up to January 2020. We collected the data of local recurrence, distant metastasis, cancer related death, overall survival and diseasr-free survival and compared the advantages and disadvantages of the two groups.Results: 14 English studies with 3932 patients were included. There were 700 patients in WS group and 3232 patients in surgical group. WS group had higher local recurrence rate than surgery group(OR:3.55, 95% CI :2.35 to 5.36, P<0.001). WS group had better 2-year DFS(OR:0.74, 95% CI :0.56 to 0.96, P=0.03) and 2-year OS (OR:0.38, 95% CI :0.28 to 0.52, P<0.001) than surgery group. Subgroup analysis of WS group and radical surgery group also obtained the similar results. Eastern studies also supported the conclusion. There was no significant difference of other data between the two groups.Conslusion: Compared with surgery group, WS group would increase the risk of local recurrence rate, but WS group had better 2-year DFS and OS than surgery group. However, WS group did not increase the possibility of distant metastasis and cancer related death of the patients.
Compliance with COVID-19 Mitigation Measures in the United States

The COVID-19 mitigation measures require a fundamental shift in human behavior. The present study assesses what factors influence Americans to comply with the stay at home and social distancing measures. It analyzes data from an online survey, conducted on April 3, 2020, of 570 participants from 35 states that have adopted such measures. The results show that while perceptual deterrence was not associated with compliance, people actually comply less when they fear the authorities. Further, two broad processes promote compliance. First, compliance depended on people’s capacity to obey the rules, opportunity to break the rules, and self-control. As such, compliance results from their own personal abilities and the context in which they live. Second, compliance depended on people’s intrinsic motivations, including substantive moral support and social norms. This paper discusses the implications of these findings for ensuring compliance to effectively mitigate the virus.
Less computational approach to detect QRS complexes in ECG rhythms

Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals are normally affected by artifacts that require manual assessment or use of other reference signals. Currently, Cardiographs are used to achieve basic necessary heart rate monitoring in real conditions. This work aims to study and identify main ECG features, QRS complexes, as one of the steps of a comprehensive ECG signal analysis. The proposed algorithm suggested an automatic recognition of QRS complexes in ECG rhythm. This method is designed based on several filter structure composes low pass, difference and summation filters. The filtered signal is fed to an adaptive threshold function to detect QRS complexes. The algorithm was validated and results were checked with experimental data based on sensitivity test.
Guide-star assisted imaging through multimode optical fibres

When light propagates through an opaque scattering material, the spatial information it holds becomes scrambled, but not necessarily lost. Two powerful classes of techniques have emerged in recent years to recover this information, enabling us to see through opaque media. Firstly, the scattering properties of a sample may be measured and subsequently cancelled out using transmission matrix (TM) based approaches. These methods describe the scattering as a linear matrix operator relating incident and transmitted fields. Secondly, optical memory effects reveal underlying correlations between incident and transmitted light, which can be exploited to image through opaque objects. Optical memory effects have been extensively studied in thin randomly scattering layers, which exhibit shift and tilt correlations that can be leveraged for imaging. In this work we develop a general framework describing the nature of optical memory effects in a broader class of structures of more arbitrary geometry. We show how this framework, when combined with wavefront shaping driven by feedback from a guide-star, enables estimation of an approximate transmission matrix (ATM) describing the scattering properties of any of these systems. This highlights that guide-star assisted imaging is possible regardless of the type of memory effect a scatterer exhibits. We study multimode optical fibres (MMFs) within our general framework, and identify a 'quasi-radial' memory effect. We experimentally demonstrate a new way to characterise and partially image through MMFs, only requiring access to their proximal end, with potential applications to flexible ultra-thin micro-endoscopes. These concepts broaden the applications of optical memory effects to a range of novel imaging and optical communication scenarios.
Water Dynamics and Physicochemical Analysis of Two Different Varieties of Apple Jam (Fuji) and (Yinduqing) by LF- NMR and MRI

Abstract Apple jam is one of the favorite foods consumed worldwide. This study investigated the effect of storage time and sugar concentration on water dynamics in Fuji and Yinduqing, using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. The samples were taken for jam preparation with various concentrations of sugar solution (0, 25, 50 and 75-oBrix) and stored at a room temperature of 20 °C for 16 days. The LF-NMR relaxation time T2 distribution displayed bound, intermediate and free water, respectively. The lowest T2 range reflected lowest sugar hydrogen mobility depending on total soluble solids (TSS) and water content. A significant correlation (r > 0.9) existed between LF-NMR analysis and physicochemical parameters (water content, color, pH and TSS). MRI displayed uniform water distributions in samples with low sugar concentration. Fluorescence microscopy was used to evaluate sugar crystals and microstructural changes during processing. The study demonstrated the viability of LF-NMR method in determining water dynamics in the apple jams upon processing and storage that may be implemented for quality analysis in other jam products.
Exploring Selectivity of 22 Acyclic Urea‐, Carbazole‐ and Indolocarbazole‐Based Receptors towards 11 Monocarboxylates

Carboxylates are attractive target analytes in supramolecular analytical chemistry. 22 acyclic synthetic receptors having a different number and geometric arrangement of hydrogen bond donor (HBD) fragments and hydrophobic moieties have been applied to study experimentally selective binding of 11 carboxylate anions of widely differing basicity, hydrophobicity and steric demand, resulting in 242 accurately determined binding constants. It was found that besides the basicity of the anions structural and steric factors of anions and receptors influence the binding. Several interesting cases are pinpointed and analysed. The ability of selected receptors to discriminate between anions according to structural features (hydrophilicity, substitution at α-carbon, etc.) is demonstrated. The present results give insight into carboxylate anion binding and make an important step towards systematic development of receptors with useful selectivity patterns and thereby to the practical use of receptor series in sensor arrays for carboxylate fingerprinting in mixtures.
SHP2 inhibitor PHPS1 ameliorates acute kidney injury by Erk1/2-STAT3 signaling in a hemorrhage followed CLP mice model

Background Hypovolemic shock and septic challenge are two major causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the clinic course. Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2) is one of the major phosphatase protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPs), which play a significant role in maintaining immunological homeostasis by regulating many facets of immune cell signaling. In this study, we explored whether SHP2 signaling contributed to AKI induced by hemorrhage (Hem) followed by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) (Hem/CLP) and, further, if inactivation of SHP2 with the selective inhibitor, Phenylhydrazonopyrazolone sulfonate 1 (PHPS1), attenuated this injury. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to Hem (a “priming” insult) followed by CLP or sham-Hem plus sham-CLP (S/S) as controls. Samples of blood and kidney were harvested at 24 h post CLP. The expression of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), caspase3 as well as SHP2:phospho-SHP2, extracellular-regulated kinase (Erk1/2):phospho-Erk1/2, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3):phospho-STAT3 protein in kidney tissues were detected by Western blotting. The levels of creatinine (Cre) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum were measured according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Blood inflammatory cytokine/chemokine levels were detected by ELISA. Results Here we report that indices of kidney injury, such as BUN, Cre, NGAL in renal tissue and histopathologic change, were pronounced after Hem/CLP in comparison with that observed in the S/S group mice. Furthermore, while Hem/CLP elevated serum levels of inflammatory cytokine/ chemokine, and induced increased levels of HMGB1, SHP2:phospho-SHP2, Erk1/2:phospho-Erk1/2, as well asSTAT3:phospho-STAT3 protein expression in the kidney; treatment with PHPS1 markedly attenuated these Hem/CLP induced changes. Conclusions In conclusion, our data indicate that SHP2 inhibition attenuates AKI induced by our double-hit/sequential insult model of Hem/CLP and that this protective action may be attributable to its anti-inflammatory property in mitigating activation of the Erk1/2 and STAT3 signaling pathway. This finding we believe has important potential clinical implications and, thus, warrants further investigation.
Measuring Health Equity in Emergency Care Using Routinely Collected Data: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Achieving equity in health care remains a challenge for health care systems worldwide and marked inequities in access and quality of care persist. Identifying health care equity indicators is an important first step in integrating the concept of equity into assessments of health care system performance, particularly in emergency care. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of administrative data-derived health care equity indicators and their association with socioeconomic determinants of health (SEDH) in emergency care settings. Following PRISMA-Equity reporting guidelines, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies. The outcomes of interest were indicators of health care equity and the associated SEDH they examine. Results: Among 29 studies identified, 14 equity indicators were identified and grouped into four categories that reflect the patient emergency care pathway. Total emergency department (ED) visits and ambulatory care-sensitive condition-related ED visits were the two most frequently used equity indicators. The studies analyzed equity based on seven SEDH: social deprivation, income, education level, social class, insurance coverage, health literacy, and financial and nonfinancial barriers. Despite some conflicting results, all identified SEDH are associated with inequalities in access to and use of emergency care. Conclusion: The use of administrative data-derived indicators in combination with identified SEDH could improve the measurement of health care equity in emergency care settings across health care systems worldwide. Using a combination of indicators is likely to lead to a more comprehensive, well-rounded measurement of health care equity than using any one indicator in isolation. Although studies analyzed focused on emergency care settings, it seems possible to extrapolate these indicators to measure equity in other areas of the health care system. Further studies elucidating root causes of health inequities in and outside the health care system are needed.
Subclinical Enthesitis in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients and its Relation to Disease Parameters and Disease Activity

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology characterized by symmetrical joint synovitis and pain. RA has a wide clinical spectrum and may vary from mild nonerosive disease to severe inflammation and joint damage with extra articular manifestations. To detect enthesopathy, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommends magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasonography (US). Objective: To detect subclinical enthesitis in rheumatoid arthritis patients and its relation to disease parameters and disease activity. Patients and Methods: This prospective observational study included 50 adult patients diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis according to the 2010 ACR-EULAR classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis. The study was carried out in the Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography Unit of the Rheumatology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Al-Azhar University Hospitals Assiut. Results: We found that the mean age in case group was 46.3 ± 8.4 years. Females accounted for 62% (31 patients) of all patients. The disease duration ranged from one year to 15 years with a mean of 6.2 ± 1.9 years. The BMI was 19.5 ± 42 kg/m2 . Mean of disease activity evaluated by the disease activity score in 28 joints was 4.7 ± 1.5. Our findings demonstrated that prevalence of subclinical enthesitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis was 32%. There was a statistically significant relation between 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) score and ultrasound detected enthesitis (p. value < 0.05). Conclusion: BMI, old age and long disease duration were suggested as the risk factors for subclinical enthesitis.
OS8-7 Pseudo Three-Dimensional Modeling of Particle-Fuel Packing Using Distinct Element Method

200 [Hz] frequency 2.50E-5 [m] amplitude vibration 0.5 [sec] duration time 1.0E-7 [sec] time step size calculation 0.17 coefficient of friction 0.25 Poisson’s ratio 3.90E+9 Young’s modules 2.00E-2 [m] height 1.00E-2 [m] width container 1200 number of fine particles 26 number of coarse particles 0.25 [-] coefficient of friction 0.28 [-] Poisson’s ratio 1.00E+10 [Pa] Young’s modules 1.10E+4 [kg/m3] density 2.00E-4 [m] fine particles diameter 1.40E-3 [m] coarse particles diameter particles
Comparison of electrolyte used in the synthesis of natural dye based dye sensitized solar cells

As the impact of fossil fuels is evident with the climate changes, world is now fast moving onto realizing renewable energy sources for their regular life where solar energy plays a vital role. In this paper three electrolytes are compared which are used to prepare dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with a polymer polyaniline (PANI). The three electrolytes are used with a photosensitizing agent-a natural dye extracted from spinach with indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate. A mixture of iodide and triiodide (conventional electrolyte) and polyaniline is explored. The resulting efficiencies of the compared electrolytes were: 0.8076%-conventional electrolyte, 0.617%-polyaniline electrolyte, and 0.5723%-mixture of the two electrolytes.
Cloud-point extraction and spectrophotometric determination of clonazepam in pharmaceutical dosage forms

Aneco-friendly, simple and very sensitive method was developed for preconcentration and determination of clonazepam (CLO) in pharmaceutical dosage forms using cloud point extraction (CPE) technique. The method is based on cloud point extraction of product from oxidative coupling between reduced CLO and phloroglucinol (PHG) using Triton X-114 as surfactant. The product was extracted by micelles of the non-ionic surfactant (TritonX-114) and subsequently detected spectrophotometrically at specific 543 nm. Under optimal conditions, the linearity of calibration curve was in the range of 0.3-25 µg/mL of CLO (r = 0.9994). Average recoveries for samples were determined to be between 96-101%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for 3.0 µg/mL of CLO was (2.5%). The limits of detection and quantification were 0.11 and 0.37 µg/mL respectively. The suggested method was applied successfully for determination of CLO in commercial tablets. KEY WORDS : Clonazepam, Cloud point extraction, Triton X-114 Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2017 , 31(3), 373-382. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.4314/bcse.v31i3. 2
NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS AS THERAPEUTIC ALLIES OF THE GUT MICROBIOME ON CHRONIC INFLAMMATION

Our gut harbours around 1014 bacteria of more than 1000 species, accounting for approximately 2 kg of biomass. The gut microbiome plays several vital functions in processes such as the development of the immune system, food digestion and protection against pathogens. For these functions to be beneficial for both host and microbiome, interactions are tightly regulated. Gut and immune cells continuously interact to distinguish among commensal microbiota, harmless foodstuff, and pathogens. A fine balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory state is fundamental to protect intestinal homeostasis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are a class of drugs used for management of pain and inflammation. These compounds have heterologous structures but similar therapeutic activities. The target of all NSAIDs are the isoforms of cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX): the primarily constitutive form COX-1, and the inducible from COX-2. Both isoforms catalyse the conversion of arachidonic acid to PGH2, the immediate substrate for specific prostaglandin and thromboxane synthesis. The gut microbiota plays a role in drug metabolism, resulting in altered bioavailability of these compounds. Additionally, complex host-microbiome interactions lead to modified xenobiotic metabolism and altered expression of genes involved in drug metabolism. These effects can be at gut tissue-level, or distant, including in the liver. Besides the gut microbiome influencing drug metabolism, drugs also impact the microbial communities in the gut. As different drugs exert selective pressures on the gut microbiome, understanding this bidirectional relationship is crucial for developing effective therapies for managing chronic inflammation.
QARTOD - Prospects for Real-Time Quality Control Manuals, How to Create Them, and a Vision for Advanced Implementation.

The United States Integrated Ocean Observing System® (U.S. IOOS®) Quality Assurance / Quality Control of Real-Time Oceanographic Data (QARTOD) Project marshaled hundreds of volunteer subject-matter experts to identify tests to evaluate real-time data quality by variable and instrument type. These quality control steps, outlined in QARTOD manuals, are crucial for documenting the reliability of the collected real-time environmental data. QARTOD, which began as an ad hoc effort in 2003, has published thirteen quality control manuals. Specific aspirations for future QARTOD efforts include revising existing manuals, identifying new manuals for development based on the QARTOD community development process, and promoting the documented quality control procedures within the IOOS and broader ocean observing system communities. QARTOD manuals characterize the quality control processes as required, strongly recommended, or suggested for each sensor type. QARTOD manuals can be developed only when, 1) interoperable data streams are employed, 2) data are disseminated and used in real-time, and 3) there is sufficient community expertise and interest. An initial review of U.S. IOOS core variables and Global Ocean Observing System Essential Ocean Variables (considering these three requirements) reveals no remaining variables with an immediate need for manual development. As technologies advance, the observational maturity increases for these variables, as will the need for a QARTOD manual. QARTOD QC tests are now being implemented by operators at ocean observing systems around the world. Technological progress (e.g., autonomous vehicles) suggests a high potential for expanding the real-time quality control measures integrated within field instrumentation. Most required QARTOD tests can be embedded and implemented within the field-deployed equipment, and QARTOD-ready devices likely will be available soon. As the Internet of Things grows to include oceanographic hardware (Xu et al. 2019), such embedded QC processes will become important.
Impacts of atmospheric transport and biomass burning on the inter-annual variation in black carbon aerosols over the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract. Atmospheric black carbon (BC) in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) can largely impact regional and global climate. Still, studies on the interannual variation in atmospheric BC over the TP and associated variation in BC sources and controlling factors are rather limited. In this study, we characterize the variations in atmospheric BC over the TP surface layer through analysis of 20-year (1995–2014) simulations from a global chemical transport model, GEOS-Chem. The results show that, of all areas in the TP, surface BC concentrations are highest over the eastern and southern TP, where surface BC are susceptible respectively to BC transport from East Asia and South Asia. Combining the GEOS-Chem simulations and trajectories from the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, we assess the contributions of different source regions to surface BC in the TP. On the 20-year average, over 90 % surface BC in the TP comes from South Asia (47 %) and East Asia (46 %). Regarding seasonal variation in foreign influences, South Asia and East Asia are dominant source regions in winter and summer, respectively, in terms of both magnitude and affected areas in the TP. In spring and autumn, the influences from the two source regions are somewhat comparable. Interannually, surface BC over the TP is largely modulated by atmospheric transport of BC from foreign regions year-round and by biomass burning in South Asia, mostly in spring. We find that the extremely strong biomass burning in South Asia in the spring of 1999 greatly enhanced surface BC concentrations in the TP (31 % relative to the climatology). We find that the strength of the Asian monsoon correlates significantly with the interannual variation in the amount of BC transported to the TP from foreign regions. In summer, strong East Asian summer monsoon and South Asian summer monsoon tend to, respectively, increase BC transport from central China and northeast South Asia to the TP. In winter, BC transport from central China is enhanced in years with strong East Asia winter monsoon or Siberian High. A strong Siberian High can also increase BC transport from northern South Asia to the TP. This study underscores the impacts of atmospheric transport and biomass burning on the interannual variation in surface BC over the TP. It reveals a close connection between the atmospheric transport of BC from foreign regions to the TP and the Asian monsoon.