Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interaction between VPS13A and the XK scramblase is important for VPS13A function in humans.

VPS13 family proteins form conduits between the membranes of different organelles through which lipids are transferred. In humans there are four VPS13 paralogs each of which is required to prevent a different inherited disorder. VPS13 proteins contain multiple conserved domains. The VAB domain binds to adaptor proteins that recruit VPS13 to specific membrane contact sites. This work demonstrates the importance of a different domain in VPS13A function. The Pleckstrin Homology (PH) domain at the C-terminus of VPS13A is required to form a complex with the XK scramblase and for co-localization of VPS13A with XK within the cell. Mutations in the interaction surface between VPS13A and XK predicted by Alphafold modeling disrupt both complex formation and colocalization of the two proteins. Mutant VPS13A alleles found in patients with VPS13A disease truncate the PH domain. The phenotypic similarities between VPS13A disease and McLeod syndrome caused by mutations in VPS13A and XK, respectively, argue that loss of the VPS13A-XK complex is the basis of both diseases.
Accuracy improvement of GPS/MEMS-INS integrated navigation system during GPS signal outage for land vehicle navigation

To improve the reliability and accuracy of the global positioning system (GPS)/micro electromechanical system (MEMS)-inertial navigation system (INS) integrated navigation system, this paper proposes two different methods. Based on wavelet threshold denoising and functional coefficient autoregressive (FAR) modeling, a combined data processing method is presented for MEMS inertial sensor, and GPS attitude information is also introduced to improve the estimation accuracy of MEMS inertial sensor errors. Then the positioning accuracy during GPS signal short outage is enhanced. To improve the positioning accuracy when a GPS signal is blocked for long time and solve the problem of the traditional adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) method with poor dynamic adaptation and large calculation amount, a self-constructive ANFIS (SCANFIS) combined with the extended Kalman filter (EKF) is proposed for MEMS-INS errors modeling and predicting. Experimental road test results validate the efficiency of the proposed methods.
How Least Developed to Lower-Middle Income Countries Use Health Technology Assessment: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a multidisciplinary tool to inform healthcare decision-making. HTA has been implemented in high-income countries (HIC) for several decades but has only recently seen a growing investment in low- and middle-income countries. A scoping review was undertaken to define and compare the role of HTA in least developed and lower middle-income countries (LLMIC). MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched from January 2015 to August 2021. A matrix comprising categories on HTA objectives, methods, geographies, and partnerships was used for data extraction and synthesis to present our findings. The review identified 50 relevant articles. The matrix was populated and sub-divided into further categories as appropriate. We highlight topical aspects of HTA, including initiatives to overcome well-documented challenges around data and capacity development, and identify gaps in the research for consideration. Those areas we found to be under-studied or under-utilized included disinvestment, early HTA/implementation, system-level interventions, and cross-sectoral partnerships. We consider broad practical implications for decision-makers and researchers aiming to achieve greater interconnectedness between HTA and health systems and generate recommendations that LLMIC can use for HTA implementation. Whilst HIC may have led the way, LLMIC are increasingly beginning to develop HTA processes to assist in their healthcare decision-making. This review provides a forward-looking model that LLMIC can point to as a reference for their own implementation. We hope this can be seen as timely and useful contributions to optimize the impact of HTA in an era of investment and expansion and to encourage debate and implementation.
Electrokinetic characterization of hybrid NOA 81‐glass microchips: Application to protein microchip electrophoresis with indirect fluorescence detection

A low‐cost and straightforward hybrid NOA (Norland optical adhesive) 81‐glass microchip electrophoresis device was designed and developed for protein separation using indirect fluorescence detection. This new microchip was first characterized in terms of surface charge density via electroosmotic mobility measurement and stability over time. A systematic determination of the electroosmotic mobility (μeo) over a wide pH range (2–10) and at various ionic strengths (20–50 mM) was developed for the first time via the neutral marker approach in an original simple frontal methodology. The evolution of μeo was proved consistent with the silanol and thiol functions arising from the glass and the NOA materials, respectively. The repeatability and reproducibility of the measurements on different microchips (RSD < 14%) and within 15 days (less than 5% decrease) were successfully demonstrated. The microchip was then applied for the efficient electrophoretic separation of proteins in a zonal mode coupled with indirect fluorescence detection, which is, to our knowledge, the first proof of concept of capillary zone electrophoresis in this hybrid microsystem.
Factors influencing health and safety performance at construction sites in Ghana: the perspective of building artisans

The construction industry is considered one of the most hazardous industries, and implementing a safety program is regarded as one of the most effective approaches to improving safety performance. However, any safety program’s success depends on specific factors for satisfactory outcomes. Identifying factors influencing safety performance from a worker’s perspective is key to improving safety management. This study determined the critical factors contributing to the construction industry’s safety performance by building construction artisans in Ghana. Through a literature review, 55 factors influencing safety performance were selected from previous studies and evaluated by the building construction. An exploratory factor analysis was used for dimension reduction, and seven components clustering the 55 factors were revealed. The results showed that management support and commitment toward safety performance was the most influential component. The findings of this study can be utilized to enhance health and safety performance in the building construction industry.
Registry of the International Society of Uterus Transplantation: First Report

Background. Uterus transplantation (UTx) is a novel type of transplantation to treat infertility in women with an absent or nonfunctioning uterus. The International Society of Uterus Transplantation (ISUTx) has developed a registry to monitor worldwide UTx activities while serving as a repository for specific research questions. Methods. The web-based registry has separate data fields for donor, recipient, surgeries, immunosuppression, rejections, pregnancies with live birth(s), and transplant hysterectomies. Data are prospectively registered. Results. A total of 45 UTx procedures have been registered; the majority (78%) of those procedures were live donor (LD) transplants. Median age of the LDs, deceased donors, and recipients were 50 y (range 32–62), 38.5 y (19–57), and 29 y (22–38), respectively. The duration of LD surgery was approximately twice as long as the recipient surgery. Postoperative complications of any Clavien-Dindo grade were registered in 20% of LDs and 24% of recipients. Rejection episodes were more frequent (33%) early after transplantation (months 1–5) compared with later time points (months 6–10; 21%). Healthy neonates were delivered by 16 recipients, with 3 women giving birth twice. The total live birth rate per embryo transfer was 35.8%. Median length of pregnancy was 35 gestational weeks. Twelve uteri were removed without childbirth, with 9 transplant hysterectomies occurring during the initial 7 mo post-UTx. Conclusions. A mandatory registry is critical to determine quality and process improvement for any novel transplantation. This registry provides a detailed analysis of 45 UTx procedures performed worldwide with a thorough analysis of outcomes and complications.
Periodical plane puzzles with numbers

Consider a periodical (in two independent directions) tiling of the plane with polygons (faces). In this article we shall only give examples using squares, regular hexagons, equilateral triangles and parallelograms ("unions" of two equilateral triangles). We shall call some "multiple" of the fundamental region "the board". We naturally identify pairs of corresponding edges of the the board. Figures 9 and 19-29, in this article, show different boards. The "border" of the board is represented by a yellow thick line, unless part of it or all of it is the edge of a face. The board is tiled by a finite number of polygons. Construct polygonal plates in the same number, shape and size as the polygons of the board. Adjacent to each side of each plate draw a number, or two numbers, like it is shown in Figures 1 and 18-29. Figure 1 shows the obvious possibility of having plates with simple drawings, coloured drawings, etc. Now the game is to put the plates over the board polygons in such a way that the numbers near each board edge are equal. If there is at least one solution of this puzzle one says that we have a periodical plane puzzle with numbers. These puzzles are a tool in teaching and learning mathematics. For those that already have some mathematical knowledge, they are a source for many examples and exercises, that go from the elementary to complex ones, in combinatorics, group theory (including symmetry and permutation groups), programming, and so on. The object of this work is to point out some possibilities by giving simple examples. The computer is the only practical way of "materializing" infinite periodical plane puzzles. Hence, these puzzles can be very well put into practice as computer games. This article follows some others on puzzles with numbers.
Analysis of Wind Power and Load Data at Multiple Time Scales

In this study we develop and apply new methods of data analysis for high resolution wind power and system load time series, to improve our understanding of how to characterize highly variable wind power output and the correlations between wind power and load. These methods are applied to wind and load data from the ERCOT region, and wind power output from the PJM and NYISO areas. We use a wavelet transform to apply mathematically well-defined operations of smoothing and differencing to the time series data. This approach produces a set of time series of the changes in wind power and load (or ? deltas? ), over a range of times scales from a few seconds to approximately one hour. A number of statistical measures of these time series are calculated. We present sample distributions, and devise a method for fitting the empirical distribution shape in the tails. We also evaluate the degree of serial correlation, and linear correlation between wind and load. Our examination of the data shows clearly that the deltas do not follow a Gaussian shape; the distribution is exponential near the center and appears to follow a power law for larger fluctuations. Gaussian distributions are frequently used in modeling studies. These are likely to over-estimate the probability of small to moderate deviations. This in turn may lead to an over-estimation of the additional reserve requirement (hence the cost) for high penetration of wind. The Gaussian assumption provides no meaningful information about the real likelihood of large fluctuations. The possibility of a power law distribution is interesting because it suggests that the distribution shape for of wind power fluctuations may become independent of system size for large enough systems.
Efficacy and safety of manuka honey for dry eye

ABSTRACT Dry eye has become an increasingly prevalent public health issue for which there is currently no cure. Manuka honey possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can be used to treat dry eye. The present study aimed to systematically review evidence supporting the treatment of dry eye with manuka honey and quantify this evidence via meta-analysis. Randomised clinical trials that fulfilled the inclusion criteria from database inception until 5 September 2021, were identified through online searches of seven databases, including but not limited to Embase, Medline, and Central. Changes between the point of longest follow-up and baseline subjective symptoms, tear film quality, ocular surface characteristics, adverse events, and compliance were selected for meta-analysis. A total of 288 adult participants with dry eye from five eligible randomised controlled trials were analysed. Compared with the control groups, treatment with manuka honey demonstrated a significant improvement in Ocular Surface Disease Index, Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness, tear evaporation rate, negative conversion rate of matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels, ocular surface staining, and daily use frequency of lubricant. No serious adverse events were reported, except for temporary stinging and redness, which were generally tolerated. This review found that manuka honey demonstrated promising results for the treatment of dry eye. However, limitations of the included studies and analytical methodology affect the reliability of this conclusion. Therefore, further high-quality randomised clinical trials are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of the use of manuka honey in the treatment of dry eye.
One- and two-sample nonparametric tests for the signal-to-noise ratio based on record statistics

A new family of nonparametric statistics, the r-statistics, is introduced. It consists of counting the number of records of the cumulative sum of the sample. The single-sample r-statistic is almost as powerful as Student's t-statistic for Gaussian and uniformly distributed variables, and more powerful than the sign and Wilcoxon signed-rank statistics as long as the data are not too heavy-tailed. Three two-sample parametric r-statistics are proposed, one with a higher specificity but a smaller sensitivity than Mann-Whitney U-test and the other one a higher sensitivity but a smaller specificity. A nonparametric two-sample r-statistic is introduced, whose power is very close to that of Welch statistic for Gaussian or uniformly distributed variables.
Adverse transfusion reactions and what we can do

ABSTRACT Introduction Transfusions of blood and blood components have inherent risks and the ensuing adverse reactions. It is very important to understand the adverse reactions of blood transfusion comprehensively for ensuring the safety of any future transfusions. Areas covered According to the time of onset, adverse reactions of blood transfusion are divided into immediate and delayed transfusion reactions. In acute transfusion reactions, timely identification and immediate cessation of transfusion is critical. Vigilance is required to distinguish delayed responses or reactions that present nonspecific signs and symptoms. In this review, we present the progress of mechanism, clinical characteristics and management of commonly encountered transfusion reactions. Expert opinion The incidence of many transfusion-related adverse events is decreasing, but threats to transfusion safety are always emerging. It is particularly important for clinicians and blood transfusion staff to recognize the causes, symptoms, and treatment methods of adverse blood transfusion reactions to improve the safety. In the future, at-risk patients will be better identified and can benefit from more closely matched blood components.
A comparison of panitumumab and cetuximab in the treatment of KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Aim Cetuximab and panitumumab are common antibodies against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) that can be used in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Although these two drugs are considered to be very similar, differences in the efficacy and safety of cetuximab and panitumumab are still unclear. We conducted this meta-analysis to explore the effects and adverse reactions of cetuximab and panitumumab in the treatment of mCRC. Methods We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) and WanFang databases to identify records related to the efficacy and safety of cetuximab and panitumumab in the treatment of mCRC. The search terms were “cetuximab,” “panitumumab,” and “colorectal cancer. ” The deadline of searching was April 2022. Review manager 5.4 software was used to perform the statistical analysis for this meta-analysis. Pooled hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) of cetuximab and panitumumab in the treatment of mCRC. Results There was no significant difference in OS, PFS, and response rate (RR) between cetuximab arm and panitumumab arm (OS: HR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.81–1.03, p = .14; PFS: HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.83–1.02, p = .11; RR: OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.96–1.61, p = .14). We also did not observe any statistical difference between both arms in incidence of acneiform rash, severe acneiform rash, diarrhea, and severe diarrhea (acneiform rash: OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.84–1.42, p = .51; severe acneiform rash: OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 0.80–2.81, p = .21; diarrhea: OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.82–1.42, p = .58; severe diarrhea: OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.44–1.84, p = .77). The incidence of paronychia was decreased in the panitumumab arm, but that of hypomagnesemia and severe hypomagnesemia were decreased in the cetuximab arm. (paronychia: OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.55–1.00, p = .05; hypomagnesemia: OR = 1.85, 95% CI =1.41–2.41, p < .00001; severe hypomagnesemia: OR = 2.66, 95% CI = 1.52–4.67, p = .0006). Conclusion There was no significant difference in OS, PFS and RR between the cetuximab arm and panitumumab arm in the treatment of mCRC. For adverse reactions, the incidence of paronychia was decreased in the panitumumab arm, and the incidence of hypomagnesemia was deceased in the cetuximab arm.
Optimal Control of Temporal Networks With Variable Input and Node–Source Connection

Many networked systems built upon real-life physical or social interactions have time-varying connections among individual units, where the temporal changes in connectivity and/or interaction strength lead to complicated dynamics. The temporal network model was proposed in the form of controlled linear dynamical systems acting in an ordered sequence of time intervals. One of the core challenges in network science is the control of networks and the optimization of the control strategy. However, most canonical frameworks for solving optimal control problems were established for static networks featuring constant topology. New theories and techniques are yet to be developed for the temporal networks, with an important case being that the input and the source-node connection are both variables. In this work, by formulating a quadratic energy cost without solving the Riccati differential equation, we show that the control effort can be reduced substantially by improving either the system trajectories or the input matrices. The two approaches are further combined in a coordinate descent framework, integrating linearly constrained quadratic programming, and a projected gradient descent method. Taken together, the results underline the potential of temporal networks as energy-efficient control systems and present strategies to improve the control input. Moreover, the proposed algorithms can serve as a starting point for future engineering of real-world temporal networks.
Snoozing: an examination of a common method of waking

Abstract Study Objectives Snoozing was defined as using multiple alarms to accomplish waking, and considered as a method of sleep inertia reduction that utilizes the stress system. Surveys measured snoozing behavior including who, when, how, and why snoozing occurs. In addition, the physiological effects of snoozing on sleep were examined via wearable sleep staging and heart rate (HR) activity, both over a long time scale, and on the days that it occurs. We aimed to establish snoozing as a construct in need of additional study. Methods A novel survey examined snoozing prevalence, how snoozing was accomplished, and explored possible contributors and motivators of snoozing behavior in 450 participants. Trait- and day-level surveys were combined with wearable data to determine if snoozers sleep differently than nonsnoozers, and how snoozers and nonsnoozers differ in other areas, such as personality. Results 57% of participants snoozed. Being female, younger, having fewer steps, having lower conscientiousness, having more disturbed sleep, and being a more evening chronotype increased the likelihood of being a snoozer. Snoozers had elevated resting HR and showed lighter sleep before waking. Snoozers did not sleep less than nonsnoozers nor did they feel more sleepiness or nap more often. Conclusions Snoozing is a common behavior associated with changes in sleep physiology before waking, both in a trait- and state-dependent manner, and is influenced by demographic and behavioral traits. Additional research is needed, especially in detailing the physiology of snoozing, its impact on health, and its interactions with observational studies of sleep.
Treatment thresholds and minimal clinically important effect sizes of antiosteoporotic medication–Survey among physicians and lay persons in Germany

Background Patient decisions to take preventative treatments for osteoporosis depend on their perceptions of fracture risk, medication effect sizes (ES) of benefits and harms. However, physicians and lay persons may have differing perceptions of risks and medication efficacy. Both tend to overestimate medication benefits. This study surveyed at what risk physicians would prescribe and lay persons would be willing to take bisphosphonates, the minimum ES both groups do demand and the physicians estimates of the actual benefit of bisphosphonates. Design Cross-sectional online questionnaire survey. Methods Respondents were confronted with a case vignette with an osteoporotic patient (10-year femoral fracture risk: 32%). They were asked at what threshold of 10-year-risk of femoral neck fracture they would prescribe or take a drug. They were asked for the minimum ES (absolute risk reduction, ARR) they demand from bisphosphonates to prescribe or take them. Physicians were asked to provide their estimate of the actual ARR of bisphosphonates. Results 114 physicians and 140 lay persons answered (convenience sample/snowball distribution). The 10-year-risk threshold of lay persons (Mdnlay = 60%) willing to take medication was twice as high as the physicians’ threshold (Mdnphy = 30%) to prescribe it (p < .001). The median minimum ARR physicians demanded for bisphosphonates prescription was 17%, whereas lay persons demanded 22% (p < .001). Physicians estimated the actual ARR of bisphosphonates to be 12%. This estimated effect size was below their own minimum threshold for prescription. Conclusions Lay persons tolerate a higher fracture risk and demand a larger benefit of antiosteoporotic medication for fracture prevention than physicians. Physicians demand higher minimum benefits than their own estimates which in turn are above the benefit evidence suggests. Physicians should be more familiar with ES of antiosteoporotic drugs concerning patient outcomes and actively advise lay persons before preventive treatment decisions are taken.