Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of a Biofeedback Intervention on Heart Rate Variability in Individuals With Panic Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT Objective Some individuals with panic disorder (PD) display reduced heart rate variability (HRV), which may result in an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Heart rate variability–biofeedback (HRV-BF) training has been shown to improve the modulation of the autonomic activity. Therefore, this randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate the effect of a 4-week HRV-BF intervention in individuals with PD. HRV-BF training improved the modulation of the autonomic activity. Therefore, with this randomized controlled trial, we aimed to investigate the effect of a 4-week HRV-BF intervention in people with PD. Methods Thirty-six women and 16 men with PD (mean age = 35.85 [15.60] years) were randomly allocated either to HRV-BF with 0.1-Hz breathing as intervention group or to HRV-Sham-BF as active control group. HRV-BF was performed for 4 weeks, whereas HRV was measured both during a short-term resting condition and during a paced breathing condition before and after intervention. Results HRV-BF with 0.1-Hz breathing increased HRV and reduced panic symptoms in individuals with PD. HRV-BF with 0.1-Hz breathing demonstrated an increase in the time and frequency domain parameters of HRV during the short-term resting condition (ΔPost-Pre root mean square successive differences: 5.87 [14.03] milliseconds; ΔPost-Pre standard deviation of all NN intervals: 11.63 [17.06] milliseconds; ΔPost-Pre total power: 464.88 [1825.47] milliseconds2; ΔPost-Pre power in low-frequency range 0.04–0.15 Hz: 312.73 [592.71] milliseconds2), a decrease in the heart rate during the paced breathing condition (ΔPost-Pre: −5.87 [9.14] beats/min), and a decrease in the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (ΔPost-Pre: −3.64 [6.30]). There was no intervention effect in the HRV-Sham-BF group. Conclusions HRV-BF as a noninvasive and nonpharmacological treatment seems to be an important intervention option to improve reduced HRV and decrease panic symptoms in individuals with PD. Future studies are needed to establish whether these effects translate to reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease in PD.
A missense variant Arg611Cys in LIPE which encodes hormone sensitive lipase decreases lipolysis and increases risk of type 2 diabetes in American Indians

Hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), encoded by the LIPE gene, is involved in lipolysis. Based on prior animal and human studies, LIPE was analysed as a candidate gene for the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a community‐based sample of American Indians.
Predictors of thermal increase in magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor: histogram analysis of skull density ratio values for 1024 elements.

OBJECTIVE Sufficient thermal increase capable of generating thermocoagulation is indispensable for an effective clinical outcome in patients undergoing magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS). The skull density ratio (SDR) is one of the most dominant predictors of thermal increase prior to treatment. However, users currently rely only on the average SDR value (SDRmean) as a screening criterion, although some patients with low SDRmean values can achieve sufficient thermal increase. The present study aimed to examine the numerical distribution of SDR values across 1024 elements to identify more precise predictors of thermal increase during MRgFUS. METHODS The authors retrospectively analyzed the correlations between the skull parameters and the maximum temperature achieved during unilateral ventral intermediate nucleus thalamotomy with MRgFUS in a cohort of 55 patients. In addition, the numerical distribution of SDR values was quantified across 1024 elements by using the skewness, kurtosis, entropy, and uniformity of the SDR histogram. Next, the authors evaluated the correlation between the aforementioned indices and a peak temperature > 55°C by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to compare the predictive ability of the indices. The diagnostic performance of significant factors was also assessed. RESULTS The SDR skewness (SDRskewness) was identified as a significant predictor of thermal increase in the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses (p < 0.001, p = 0.013). Moreover, the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the SDRskewness exhibited a better predictive ability than the SDRmean, with area under the curve values of 0.847 and 0.784, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The SDRskewness is a more accurate predictor of thermal increase than the conventional SDRmean. The authors suggest setting the SDRskewness cutoff value to 0.68. SDRskewness may allow for the inclusion of treatable patients with essential tremor who would have been screened out based on the SDRmean exclusion criterion.
A comparative study of mesenchymal stem cells cultured as cell‐only aggregates and in encapsulated hydrogels

There is increasing evidence that cells cultured in three‐dimensional (3D) settings have superior performance compared to their traditional counterparts in monolayers. This has been attributed to cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix interactions that more closely resemble the in vivo tissue architecture. The rapid adoption of 3D cell culture systems as experimental tools for diverse applications has not always been matched by an improved understanding of cell behavior in different 3D environments. Here, we studied human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs) as scaffold‐free self‐assembled aggregates of low and high cell number and compared them to cell‐laden alginate hydrogels with and without arginine‐glycine‐aspartic acid peptides. We observed a significant decrease in the size of cell‐only aggregates over 14 days in culture compared to the cells encapsulated in alginate hydrogels. Alginate hydrogels had persistently more living cells for a longer period (14 days) in culture as measured by total DNA content. Proliferation studies revealed that a weeklong culture of hMSCs in 3D culture, whether as aggregates or cell‐laden alginate hydrogels, reduced their proliferation over time. Cell cycle analysis found no significant differences between days 1 and 7 for the different culture systems. The findings of this study improve our understanding of how aggregate cultures differ with or without a hydrogel carrier, and whether aggregation itself is important when it comes to the 3D culture of hMSCs.
Reinforcement Learning-Based Fixed-Time Trajectory Tracking Control for Uncertain Robotic Manipulators With Input Saturation

A fixed-time trajectory tracking control method for uncertain robotic manipulators with input saturation based on reinforcement learning (RL) is studied. The designed RL control algorithm is implemented by a radial basis function (RBF) neural network (NN), in which the actor NN is used to generate the control strategy and the critic NN is used to evaluate the execution cost. A new nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode technique is used to ensure the convergence of tracking error in fixed time, and the upper bound of convergence time is estimated. To solve the saturation problem of an actuator, a nonlinear antiwindup compensator is designed to compensate for the saturation effect of the joint torque actuator in real time. Finally, the stability of the closed-loop system based on the Lyapunov candidate is analyzed, and the timing convergence of the closed-loop system is proven. Simulation and experimental results show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed control law.
Changes in metabolic syndrome status are associated with altered risk of pancreatic cancer: A nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is reversible; however, the effect of changes in MetS status on pancreatic cancer risk is unknown. We aimed to investigate the effects of changes and persistence in MetS status on pancreatic cancer risk. METHODS This nationwide cohort study included 8,203,492 adults without cancer who underwent two consecutive biennial health screenings provided by the Korean National Health Insurance System between 2009 and 2012 and were followed up until 2017. MetS was defined as the presence of three of its five components, which were evaluated at two consecutive biennial health screenings. Participants were categorized into the MetS-free, MetS-recovered, MetS-developed, or MetS-persistent group. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used. RESULTS During the 40,464,586 person-years of follow-up (median, 5.1 years), 8,010 individuals developed pancreatic cancer. Compared to the MetS-free group, the MetS-persistent group had the highest risk of pancreatic cancer (hazard ratio [HR] 1.30, 95% CI 1.23-1.37), followed by the MetS-developed group (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.09-1.25) and the MetS-recovered group (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.21) after adjusting for potential confounders (P for trend < 0.001). The MetS-recovered group was associated with a lower risk of pancreatic cancer than that in the MetS-persistent group (P<0.001). The association between changes in MetS status and pancreatic cancer risk did not differ according to sex or obesity (all P for interactions > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In this study, recovering from MetS was associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer compared to persistent MetS, suggesting that pancreatic cancer risk can be altered by changes in MetS.
Free swimming of a squid-inspired axisymmetric system through jet propulsion

An axisymmetric fluid-structure interaction model based on the immersed-boundary approach is developed to study the self-propelled locomotion of a squid-inspired swimmer in relatively low Reynolds numbers ( O(102) ). Through cyclic deformation, the swimmer generates intermittent jet flow, which, together with the added-mass effect associated with the body deformation, provides thrust. Through a control volume analysis we are able to determine the jet-related thrust. By adding it to the added-mass-related thrust we separate the net thrust on the body from the drag effect due to forward motion, so that the propulsion efficiency in free swimming is found. This numerical algorithm and thrust–drag decomposition method are used to study the dynamics of the bio-inspired locomotion system in different conditions, whereby the performance is characterized by the aforementioned propulsion efficiency as well as the conventionally defined cost of transport.
Circular RNA FOXP1 relieves trophoblastic cell dysfunction in recurrent pregnancy loss via the miR-143-3p/S100A11 cascade

ABSTRACT Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is closely associated with insufficient functions of trophoblastic cells. Circular RNA forkhead box P1 (circFOXP1) can regulate cell activities in different types of diseases. However, its effects on trophoblastic cells and its role in RPL development remain unknown. In this study, gene expressions were detected by RT-qPCR. Protein levels were detected by Western blotting. Trophoblastic cell viability, apoptosis, invasion, and migration were respectively analyzed via CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing, and transwell assays. The association between miR–143–3p and circFOXP1 or S100A11 (S100 calcium binding protein A11) was explored and confirmed by bioinformatics prediction and luciferase reporter assay. Herein, miR–143–3p was upregulated in RPL. Furthermore, miR–143–3p upregulation induced apoptosis and suppressed proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, and metastatic capabilities of trophoblastic cells; whereas, miR–143–3p inhibition exert opposite effects. MiR–143–3p targeted S100A11 and was adversely regulated by circFOXP1 expression. S100A11 inhibition partially offset the effect of miR–143–3p knockdown on trophoblastic cell viability, apoptosis, EMT, invasion, and migration. In addition, circFOXP1 competitively combined with miR–143–3p, thus regulating S100A11 expression. Moreover, circFOXP1 regulated trophoblastic cell functions through the miR–143–3p/S100A11 cascade. To sum up, our study, for the first time, demonstrated that circFOXP1 could improve dysfunction of trophoblastic cells through the miR–143–3p/S100A11 axis, providing novel biomarkers and diagnostic targets for RPL.
Toxicological effects of the chemical and green ZnO NPs on Cyprinus carpio L. observed under light and scanning electron microscopy

Nanoparticles in aquatic bodies cause serious harm to the aquatic organisms when accumulated in high amounts. However, green nanoparticles synthesized using plants can be less toxic as compared to chemical nanoparticles. Hence, we designed our study to investigate the toxicological effects of chemical and green zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the biological activity of juvenile Cyprinus carpio. The green ZnO NPs were synthesized from Solieria robusta, and chemical ZnO NPs were synthesized using zinc chloride solution and ammonium hydroxide. Characterization was done by using light microscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transmission infrared radiation, and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The highest absorbance of nanoparticles was observed at 360 which confirmed the synthesis of ZnO. The SEM analysis showed that green nanoparticles were hexagonal while the chemical nanoparticles were spherical to cubic in shape. Definite peaks were observed in XRD of green and chemical NPs at 2θ angles 45.84° and 32.18°, respectively. Oxidative stress was determined by chemical analysis of catalase, glutathione S‐transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) activities. The toxicological effects of chemical ZnO NPs on the catalase, LPO, GST, and GSH activities were more than green ZnO NPs. The histopathological investigation proved that the effect of chemical nanoparticles was worse than green ZnO NPs. More tissue damage was found in chemical nanoparticles than green synthesized nanoparticles. It was concluded that chemical nanoparticles can be replaced by green nanoparticles, as green nanoparticles are eco‐friendly with less toxicological effects. This replacement can limit the toxic effect of nanoparticles when they get accumulated in high amounts in water bodies.
Facilitators and barriers to home-based toothbrushing practices by parents of young children to reduce tooth decay: A systematic review.

Objectives Parental supervised toothbrushing (PSB) is a collection of behaviours recommended by national guidance to improve oral health. This systematic review aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators to PSB. Materials and methods Studies investigating parental involvement in home-based toothbrushing in children under 8 years old and the impact on tooth decay were included. Electronic databases, references and unpublished literature databases were searched. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was used to code barriers/facilitators to PSB. Results Of the 10,176 articles retrieved, 68 articles were included. Barriers and facilitators were found across all 12 TDF domains. Barriers included an inadequate toothbrushing environment and resources, knowledge of what PSB entails and child behaviour management. Facilitators were increased oral health knowledge, the adaption of the social environment to facilitate PSB and positive attitudes towards oral health. When only high-quality articles were synthesized, knowledge was not a common barrier/facilitator. Conclusions There are a comprehensive range of barriers/facilitators to PSB acting across all domains and at multiple levels of influence. This review identifies the most popular domains, thus informing the focus for supporting resources to supplement oral health conversations. Clinical relevance PSB is a complex behaviour. Practitioners need to understand and be able to explore the wide range of potential barriers and have practical suggestions to enable PSB. This review provides pragmatic examples of different barriers and facilitators and emphasises the importance of listening to parents and exploring their story to identify the barriers and solutions that are relevant to each family.
Maternal and Infant Immune Repertoire Sequencing Analysis Identifies Distinct Ig and TCR Development in Term and Preterm Infants

Key Points Maternal–fetal immune repertoire analyses provide insights to preterm labor. Clonal convergence suggests a response to shared stimuli. Preterm labor (PTL) is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Whereas many studies have investigated the maternal immune responses that cause PTL, fetal immune cell activation has recently been raised as an important contributor to the pathogenesis of PTL. In this study, we analyzed lymphocyte receptor repertoires in maternal and cord blood from 14 term and 10 preterm deliveries, hypothesizing that the high prevalence of infection in patients with PTL may result in specific changes in the T cell and B cell repertoires. We analyzed TCR β-chain (TCR-β) and IgH diversity, CDR3 lengths, clonal sharing, and preferential usage of variable and joining gene segments. Both TCR-β and IgH repertoires had shorter CDR3s compared with those in maternal blood. In cord blood samples, we found that CDR3 lengths correlated with gestational age, with shorter CDR3s in preterm neonates suggesting a less developed repertoire. Preterm cord blood displayed preferential usage of a number of genes. In preterm pregnancies, we observed significantly higher prevalence of convergent clones between mother/baby pairs than in term pregnancies. Together, our results suggest the repertoire of preterm infants displays a combination of immature features and convergence with maternal TCR-β clones compared with that of term infants. The higher clonal convergence in PTL could represent mother and fetus both responding to a shared stimulus like an infection. These data provide a detailed analysis of the maternal–fetal immune repertoire in term and preterm patients and contribute to a better understanding of neonate immune repertoire development and potential changes associated with PTL.
Validation of a novel fully automated story recall task for repeated remote high-frequency administration

INTRODUCTION: Longitudinal data is key to identifying cognitive decline and treatment response in Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: The Automatic Story Recall Task (ASRT) is a novel, fully automated test that can be self-administered remotely. In this longitudinal case-control observational study, 151 participants (mean age: 69.99 (range 54-82), 73 mild cognitive impairment/mild AD and 78 cognitively unimpaired) completed parallel ASRT assessments on their smart devices over 7-8 days. Responses were automatically transcribed and scored using text similarity metrics. RESULTS: Participants reported good task usability. Adherence to optional daily assessment was moderate. Parallel forms correlation coefficients between ASRTs were moderate-high. ASRTs correlated moderately with established tests of episodic memory and global cognitive function. Poorer performance was observed in participants with MCI/Mild AD. DISCUSSION: Unsupervised ASRT assessment is feasible in older and cognitively impaired people. This automated task shows good parallel forms reliability and convergent validity with established cognitive tests.
Quality of Lake Ecosystems and its Role in the Spread of Invasive Species

Abstract Lake ecosystems are important elements of hydrological regime, the quality of these ecosystems is affected by anthropogenic actions, and therefore, a variety of organisms, living in these habitats depend on the applied management solutions. Due to human activities freshwater ecosystems suffer from loss of biodiversity and increased eutrophication. Therefore, important aspects related to lake management include knowledge about the water quality, ecosystem response to climate change as well as increased risks of appearance and spreading of invasive species. Water quality, content of oxygen, nutrients, phytoplankton and distribution of macrophytes, including invasive species were analysed in Balvu and Pērkonu lakes. Presence of invasive species Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis) was detected, however, common reed (Phragmites australis) can be considered as expansive species. The analysis of current situation and existing management measures indicates persistent spreading of those species. Significant changes of lake water quality and climate may increase possible spreading of other, more aggressive, invasive species, for example – Nuttall’s waterweed (Elodea nuttallii).
METHOD OF CLASSIFICATION OF SPATIAL UNITS FOR TRANSIT-RELATED ANALYSE

Transport activity may lead to multiple problems that decrease the quality of life of commuters. Among the many methods used to cope with these problems, considerable attention has been paid to the development of transit. Effective transit systems may encourage inhabitants to move away from the use of private cars to mass transport. It is therefore essential to identify the factors that contribute to high levels of ridership. Among such factors, land use mixture is often mentioned. However, it is unclear how it affects ridership. Therefore, to encourage further studies, it is important to develop methods of classification of spatial units in terms of land use mixture. Such analyses should be conducted for similar levels of transit supply. Hence, the aim of this paper was to develop a method of classification of spatial units in terms of land use mixture and transit supply. The method uses different characteristics of land use and transit supply as factors in the process of classification. The proposed method was used for an area in the city of Katowice to demonstrate its application.
SMEs Resilience During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study in Indonesia

The purpose of this study is to describe the resilience of MSME businesses in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. MSMEs are one of the affected industries by the COVID-19 pandemic. The existence of lockdown policies in several countries has suddenly stopped economic activity which resulted in a drop in demand and disruption of supply chains throughout the world, including in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative method with a case study approach. The data collection technique used in this study is participatory observation using secondary data sources from research results, references and online news that are directly related to this research. The results show that the resilience of SMEs can be seen from the perspective of profitability and resilience in the perspective of competitiveness with two main key factors, namely resources (tangible and intangible resources) and strategy (the way companies compete). The resilience of the MSME business in Indonesia can be seen from the constraints experienced by MSMEs during the pandemic, such as declining sales, lowering selling prices to increase buyer interest, decreasing raw material availability due to limited distribution processes, doing layoffs, and being unable to pay credit installments. MSMEs that are able to survive during the Covid-19 period include MSMEs that are already connected to the digital ecosystem by utilizing the existing marketplace in Indonesia.