Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Seasonal Changes on Thyroxine and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone in Newborns

Newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is performed by measuring the concentration of thyroxine (T4) and/or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in dried blood spots. Unfortunately, the levels of T4 and TSH vary due to multiple factors, and therefore the false-positive rate for the test is a challenge. We analyzed screening data from 2008 to 2017 to determine the effect of seasonal changes and manufacturer kit lot changes on T4 and TSH values and on numbers of infants referred. Over a 10-year period, we screened 2.4 million infants using commercially available fluoroimmunoassays to measure T4 and TSH concentrations in dried blood spots. During colder months, daily mean T4 and TSH values were higher and referral rates and false-positive rates were higher. However, there was no significant difference between the number of confirmed CH cases. Furthermore, in rare instances, we observed differences in T4 daily mean values during the 10-year period when manufacturer kit lot changes were made. Seasonal temperature variations influence measured T4 and TSH values and consequently lower the positive predictive value for CH testing in colder months. Newborn screening (NBS) programs should be aware that manufacturer kit lot changes may also influence T4 values.
Automatic Segmentation of Hippocampus in Hippocampal Sparing Whole Brain Radiotherapy: A Multi-Task Edge-Aware Learning.

PURPOSE This study aimed to improve the accuracy of the hippocampus segmentation through multi-task edge-aware learning. METHOD We developed a multi-task framework for computerized hippocampus segmentation. We used 3D U-net as our backbone model with two training objectives: 1) to minimize the difference between the targeted binary mask and the model prediction; and 2) to optimize an auxiliary edge-prediction task which is designed to guide the model detection of the weak boundary of the hippocampus in model optimization. To balance the multiple task objectives, we proposed an improved gradient normalization by adaptively adjusting the weight of losses from different tasks. A total of 247 T1 weighted MRIs including 131 without contrast and 116 with contrast were collected from 247 patients to train and validate the proposed method. Segmentation was quantitatively evaluated with the dice coefficient (Dice), Hausdorff distance (HD), and average Hausdorff distance (AVD). The 3D U-net was used for baseline comparison. We used a Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare repeated measurements (Dice, HD, and AVD) by different segmentations. RESULTS Through five-fold cross-validation, our multi-task edge-aware learning achieved Dice of 0.8483 ± 0.0036, HD of 7.5706 ± 1.2330 mm, and AVD of 0.1522 ± 0.0165 mm, respectively. Conversely, the baseline results were 0.8340 ± 0.0072, 10.4631 ± 2.3736 mm, and 0.1884 ± 0.0286 mm, respectively. With a Wilcoxon signed-rank test, we found that the differences between our method and the baseline were statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Our results demonstrated the efficiency of multi-task edge-aware learning in hippocampus segmentation for hippocampal sparing whole-brain radiotherapy. The proposed framework may also be useful for other low-contrast small organ segmentations on medical imaging modalities.
Socioeconomic Factors and Survival of Multiple Myeloma Patients

Simple Summary Multiple Myeloma is the third most common hematologic malignancy. Outcomes have improved significantly, as the result of the introduction of novel agents as well as higher utilization of autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplant. These complex treatment regimens are quite expensive and their full applicability in the real world remains largely unknown. Several studies have shown that survival in patients with other types of cancer is influenced by their insurance, demographic factors, as well as socioeconomic status. Here we intend to examine the interplay of insurance status and other potential socioeconomic factors driving survival disparity for Multiple Myeloma patients. We used the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to assess the potential influence of these factors in this population. Abstract Background: Outcome of Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients has improved as the result of the introduction of novel medications and use of autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. However, this improvement comes at the expense of increased financial burden. It is largely unknown if socioeconomic factors influence MM survival. Methods: We used the National Cancer Database, a database that houses data on 70% of cancer patients in the US, to evaluate the effect of socioeconomic factors on the survival of 117,926 MM patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2014. Results: Patients aged ≥65 years who were privately insured lived longer than patients with Medicare (42 months vs. 31 months, respectively, p < 0.0001). Treatment in academic institutions led to better survival (HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.39, 1.59). Younger age, fewer comorbidities, treatment in academic centers, and living in a higher median income area were significantly associated with improved survival. After adjusting for confounders, survival of Medicare patients was similar to those with private insurance. However, the hazard of death remained higher for patients with Medicaid (HR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.36, 1.87) or without insurance (HR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.32, 1.99), compared to privately insured patients. Conclusion: Economic factors and treatment facility type play an important role in the survival of MM patients.
Carbon Assimilation, Isotope Discrimination, Proline and Lipid Peroxidation Contribution to Barley (Hordeum vulgare) Salinity Tolerance

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) exhibits great adaptability to salt tolerance in marginal environments because of its great genetic diversity. Differences in main biochemical, physiological, and molecular processes, which could explain the different tolerance to soil salinity of 16 barley varieties, were examined during a two-year field experiment. The study was conducted in a saline soil with an electrical conductivity ranging from 7.3 to 11.5 dS/m. During the experiment, a number of different physiological and biochemical characteristics were evaluated when barley was at the two- to three-nodes growing stage (BBCH code 32–33). The results indicated that there were significant (p < 0.001) effects due to varieties for tolerance to salinity. Carbon isotopes discrimination was higher by 11.8% to 16.0% in salt tolerant varieties than that in the sensitive ones. Additionally, in the tolerant varieties, assimilation rates of CO2 and proline concentration were 200% and up to 67% higher than the sensitive varieties, respectively. However, in sensitive varieties, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation were enhanced, indicating an increased lipid peroxidation. The expression of the genes Hsdr4, HvA1, and HvTX1 did not differ among barley varieties tested. This study suggests that the increased carbon isotopes discrimination, increased proline concentration (play an osmolyte source role), and decreased lipid peroxidation are traits that are associated with barley tolerance to soil salinity. Moreover, our findings that proline improves salt tolerance by up-regulating stress-protective enzymes and reducing oxidation of lipid membranes will encourage our hypothesis that there are specific mechanisms that can be co-related with the salt sensitivity or the tolerance of barley. Therefore, further research is needed to ensure the tolerance mechanisms that exclude NaCl in salt tolerant barley varieties and diminish accumulation of lipid peroxides through adaptive plant responses.
Trajectory Planning of Flexible Walking for Biped Robots Using Linear Inverted Pendulum Model and Linear Pendulum Model

Linear inverted pendulum model (LIPM) is an effective and widely used simplified model for biped robots. However, LIPM includes only the single support phase (SSP) and ignores the double support phase (DSP). In this situation, the acceleration of the center of mass (CoM) is discontinuous at the moment of leg exchange, leading to a negative impact on walking stability. If the DSP is added to the walking cycle, the acceleration of the CoM will be smoother and the walking stability of the biped will be improved. In this paper, a linear pendulum model (LPM) for the DSP is proposed, which is similar to LIPM for the SSP. LPM has similar characteristics to LIPM. The dynamic equation of LPM is also linear, and its analytical solution can be obtained. This study also proposes different trajectory-planning methods for different situations, such as periodic walking, adjusting walking speed, disturbed state recovery, and walking terrain-blind. These methods have less computation and can plan trajectory in real time. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of proposed methods and that the biped robot can walk stably and flexibly when combining LIPM and LPM.
The Plastic Deformation Mechanisms of hcp Single Crystals with Different Orientations: Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The deformation mechanisms of Mg, Zr, and Ti single crystals with different orientations are systematically studied by using molecular dynamics simulations. The affecting factors for the plasticity of hexagonal close-packed (hcp) metals are investigated. The results show that the basal dislocation, prismatic dislocation, and pyramidal dislocation are activated in Mg, Zr, and Ti single crystals. The prior slip system is determined by the combined effect of the Schmid factor and the critical resolved shear stresses (CRSS). Twinning plays a crucial role during plastic deformation since basal and prismatic slips are limited. The 101¯2 twinning is popularly observed in Mg, Zr, and Ti due to its low CRSS. The 101¯1 twin appears in Mg and Ti, but not in Zr because of the high CRSS. The stress-induced hcp-fcc phase transformation occurs in Ti, which is achieved by successive glide of Shockley partial dislocations on basal planes. More types of plastic deformation mechanisms (including the cross-slip, double twins, and hcp-fcc phase transformation) are activated in Ti than in Mg and Zr. Multiple deformation mechanisms coordinate with each other, resulting in the higher strength and good ductility of Ti. The simulation results agree well with the related experimental observation.
Dietary Polyphenols and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is emerging as a major public health issue worldwide, is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver disorders, ranging from simple fat accumulation in hepatocytes, also known as steatosis, to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. At present, the pharmacological treatment of NAFLD is still debated and dietary strategies for the prevention and the treatment of this condition are strongly considered. Polyphenols are a group of plant-derived compounds whose anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are associated with a low prevalence of metabolic diseases, including obesity, hypertension, and insulin resistance. Since inflammation and oxidative stress are the main risk factors involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, recent studies suggest that the consumption of polyphenol-rich diets is involved in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. However, few clinical trials are available on human subjects with NAFLD. Here, we reviewed the emerging existing evidence on the potential use of polyphenols to treat NAFLD. After introducing the physiopathology of NAFLD, we focused on the most investigated phenolic compounds in the setting of NAFLD and described their potential benefits, starting from basic science studies to animal models and human trials.
2020 Update of the quality indicators for acute myocardial infarction: a position paper of the Association for Acute Cardiovascular Care: the study group for quality indicators from the ACVC and the NSTE-ACS guideline group.

AIMS Quality indicators (QIs) are tools to improve the delivery of evidence-base medicine. In 2017, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Association for Acute Cardiovascular Care (ACVC) developed a set of QIs for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which have been evaluated at national and international levels and across different populations. However, an update of these QIs is needed in light of the accumulated experience and the changes in the supporting evidence. METHODS AND RESULTS The ESC methodology for the QI development was used to update the 2017 ACVC QIs. We identified key domains of AMI care, conducted a literature review, developed a list of candidate QIs, and used a modified Delphi method to select the final set of indicators. The same seven domains of AMI care identified by the 2017 Study Group were retained for this update. For each domain, main and secondary QIs were developed reflecting the essential and complementary aspects of care, respectively. Overall, 26 QIs are proposed in this document, compared to 20 in the 2017 set. New QIs are proposed in this document (e.g. the centre use of high-sensitivity troponin), some were retained or modified (e.g. the in-hospital risk assessment), and others were retired in accordance with the changes in evidence [e.g. the proportion of patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) treated with fondaparinux] and the feasibility assessments (e.g. the proportion of patients with NSTEMI whom risk assessment is performed using the GRACE and CRUSADE risk scores). CONCLUSION Updated QIs for the management of AMI were developed according to contemporary knowledge and accumulated experience. These QIs may be applied to evaluate and improve the quality of AMI care.
High levels of copper and zinc supplementation in broiler diets on growth performance, carcase traits and apparent ileal mineral absorption

ABSTRACT 1. This study investigated the effects of hydroxy trace minerals (HTM) compared to sulphate trace minerals (STM) supplementation on growth performance, carcase parameters and mineral retention in broilers. 2. A total of 1792 male Cobb 500 d-old were allocated in a completely randomised trial design to one of eight dietary treatments with eight replicates per treatment. The HTM sources used were two levels of Cu hydroxychloride (CHC) (low and high), combined with three levels of Zn hydroxychloride (ZHC) (low, med and high) and two additional treatments STM; Cu sulphate monohydrate (CSM) (low and high) combined with high Zn sulphate monohydrate (ZSM). At 21 and 42 d-old growth performance was evaluated. Additionally, at 42 d-old the carcase traits, meat quality, apparent ileal absorption and activity of antioxidant enzymes were accessed. 3. A data showed that broilers receiving high-CHC had higher body weight, weight gain and better feed conversion ratio as compared to low-CHC at 21 d-old. On day 42, the feed conversion ratio was improved for birds supplemented with high-CHC in diets containing med-ZHC, as compared to low-CHC. 4. Dietary Cu increased the redness of breast colour at the level of high-CHC compared to low-CHC. Greater results were observed on carcase traits for the med-ZHC group as compared to low- or high-ZHC. The ceruloplasmin activity in serum increased in the high-CSM diets containing high-ZSM as compared to low-CSM. The AIA of Cu was higher in broilers supplemented with high-CHC containing med-ZHC as compared to low-CHC. Otherwise, the AIA of Zn increased in broilers fed low-CHC containing low- or med-ZHC as compared to high-CHC. 5. The trial showed that mineral trace supplementation of broilers diets with high-CHC (150 mg/kg) and low-ZHC (80 mg/kg) was a good alternative to replace sulphate mineral sources in diets.
Role of Magnetite Nanoparticles Size and Concentration on Hyperthermia under Various Field Frequencies and Strengths

Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles were synthesized using the chemical coprecipitation method. Several nanoparticle samples were synthesized by varying the concentration of iron salt precursors in the solution for the synthesis. Two batches of nanoparticles with average sizes of 10.2 nm and 12.2 nm with nearly similar particle-size distributions were investigated. The average particle sizes were determined from the XRD patterns and TEM images. For each batch, several samples with different particle concentrations were prepared. Morphological analysis of the samples was performed using TEM. The phase and structure of the particles of each batch were studied using XRD, selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Raman and XPS spectroscopy. Magnetic hysteresis loops were obtained using a Lakeshore vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. In the two batches, the particles were found to be of the same pure crystalline phase of magnetite. The effects of particle size, size distribution, and concentration on the magnetic properties and magneto thermic efficiency were investigated. Heating profiles, under an alternating magnetic field, were obtained for the two batches of nanoparticles with frequencies 765.85, 634.45, 491.10, 390.25, 349.20, 306.65, and 166.00 kHz and field amplitudes of 100, 200, 250, 300 and 350 G. The specific absorption rate (SAR) values for the particles of size 12.2 nm are higher than those for the particles of size 10.2 nm at all concentrations and field parameters. SAR decreases with the increase of particle concentration. SAR obtained for all the particle concentrations of the two batches increases almost linearly with the field frequency (at fixed field strength) and nonlinearly with the field amplitude (at fixed field frequency). SAR value obtained for magnetite nanoparticles with the highest magnetization is 145.84 W/g at 765.85 kHz and 350 G, whereas the SAR value of the particles with the least magnetization is 81.67 W/g at the same field and frequency.
Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy for Potential Distribution Measurement of Cleaved Surface of GaAs Devices

Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM) was successfully applied to the measurement of two-dimensional potential distribution of the cleaved surface of GaAs devices under bias voltage. It was shown that the voltage resolution is less than 10 mV. The measured potential profile of the ungated HEMTs shows a potential knee, which probably originates from the charge trapped at the interface between the epitaxial layer and the substrate. It also shows a potential ridge which corresponds to the channel. Current crowding phenomena are also confirmed to occur at the edge of the drain electrode.
Measurement of Absolute Humidity in Extremely Dry Air

To meet an urgent demand for a hygrometer capable of use at all heights in the atmosphere, the dew-point hygrometer, which is shown to have many advantages, has been developed primarily for use in aircraft to measure dew-points, or rather frost-points, down to -90° c. It is necessary that the instrument should operate at the lowest possible frost-points as it has been discovered that the air in the stratosphere is very dry Laboratory studies of the deposition of water and ice from the vapour at low temperature are described. Below -90° c. it is not possible to operate a frost-point hygrometer because the deposit is in the form of an invisible glassy layer, but the instrument gives correct results at temperatures close to this limit. Details are given of the construction of different forms of hand-operated hygrometers, and work is now going on to develop a fully automatic frost-point hygrometer.
Local Oxidation of Polystyrene by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

Polystyrene (PS) surfaces are modified locally by an electrochemically generated oxidant such as Ag(II) in concentrated nitric acid. The oxidant is generated at the probe of a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM), which allows one to investigate the kinetics of the etching by the SECM. The etching kinetics is deduced from approach curves and transient current–time response with the probe held in the vicinity of (i) massive PS or (ii) thin PS films obtained by controlled radical polymerization (atom-transfer radical polymerization, ATRP) on a gold surface. The etching kinetics is interpreted by taking into account both the homogeneous chemical instability of Ag(II) and finite heterogeneous kinetics at the substrate. The PS oxidation occurs in a limited number of active sites and the effective rate constant is limited by the permeation of the mediator within the oxidized PS structure. With ATRP-grown PS layers, the completion of the PS etching is manifested by direct electron transfer to the Au surfac.
PD-L 1 in Breast Cancers and its Prognostic Significance

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in females globally. Various factors are responsible for its development which include both genetic and hormonal causes. An important discovery is the role of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in the development of cancers. The PD-1-/PD-L1 pathway plays a part in allowing tumour cells escape from the host’s immune response and hence permits the proliferation of tumour cells. PD-L1 expression has been observed in various breast cancers at distinct levels such as in tissues and in blood. Different methods have been utilized for its detection including immunohistochemistry, RNA sequencing and ELISA, amongst others. The results have been conflicting regarding the expression of PD-L1 and the prognosis of breast cancer based on parameters such as overall survival and disease free survival. Different immunotherapies have also emerged as a new modality to treat breast cancer. This review intends to explore the prognostic significance of PD-L1 expression in breast cancers.
Spectroscopic luminescent tomographic imaging for quantitative assessment of hemoglobin oxygenation

Healthy tissues and tumors exhibit different optical characteristics in blood volume and oxygen sufficiency. Tumor physiology is effectively monitored by non-invasively observing the changes in oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentration in tissue. In this paper, we present a practical method for quantitative assessment of hemoglobin concentration and blood oxygenation based on the diffusion theory and finite element analysis. The method incorporates prior knowledge on permissible target region, and reduced the reconstruction of chromosphere concentration to an optimization procedure with simple constrain. A numerical simulation study has been conducted by using a heterogeneous phantom. The numerical results show that the reconstruction method has been successfully applied for the reconstruction of the variation of HbO2 and HbR concentration in numerical simulation experiments.
Female Puma (Puma concolor) Highway Crossings in the Yucatan Peninsula

Abstract. Human infrastructure, particularly highway infrastructure, has proven to be a hazard for the resilience of large felid populations throughout the world. The Yucatan Peninsula is no exception and is presently confronted with the establishment of the “Tren Maya,” a continental railway that will reshape the road network of the peninsula. We describe 12 successful crossings of a 4-lane highway on the peninsula by a female puma (Puma concolor) fitted with a GPS radio-transmitter. The median time between sequential locations was 24 h (range 8–56 h), and the average number of days between crossings was 4.33 (SD = 2.50). Felid behavior and movements in relation to roads may be influenced by reduced human mobility due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. We identified a 3-km stretch of highway where the crossings occurred. We describe the characteristics of the area and recommend building wildlife passage structures appropriate for the site.