Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomechanical properties and thermal characteristics of frozen versus thawed whole bone

Biomechanics research often requires cadaveric whole bones to be stored in a freezer and then thawed prior to use; however, the literature shows a variety of practices for thawing. Consequently, this is the first study to report the mechanical properties of fully frozen versus fully thawed whole bone as ‘proof of principle’. Two groups of 10 porcine ribs each were statistically equivalent at baseline in length, cross-sectional area, and bone mineral density. The two groups were stored in a freezer for at least 24 h, thawed in air at 23 °C for 4 h while temperature readings were taken to establish the time needed for thawing, and once again returned to the freezer for at least 24 h. Mechanical tests to failure using three-point bending were then done on the ‘frozen’ group immediately after removal from the freezer and the ‘thawed’ group when steady-state ambient air temperature was reached. Temperature readings over the entire thawing period were described by the line-of-best-fit formula T = (28.34t − 6.69)/(t + 0.38), where T = temperature in degree Celsius and t = time in hours, such that frozen specimens at t = 0 h had a temperature of −17 °C and thawed specimens at t = 1.75 h reached a steady-state temperature of 20 °C–23 °C. Mechanical tests showed that frozen versus thawed specimens had an average of 32% higher stiffness k, 34% higher ultimate force Fu, 28% lower ultimate displacement δu, 40% lower ultimate work Wu, 43% higher elastic modulus E, 37% higher ultimate normal stress σu, and 33% higher ultimate shear stress τu. Whole ribs failed at midspan primarily by transverse cracking (16 of 20 cases), oblique cracking (three of 20 cases), or surface denting (one of 20 cases), each having unique shapes for force versus displacement graphs differentiated mainly by ultimate force location.
Cochrane in CORR®: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment For Older People Admitted To A Surgical Service.

The world’s fastest-growing population is that of adults older than 85 years of age [6]. By 2050, one estimate suggests that one in four persons living in North America will be 65 years of age or older [27], while people older than 80 years of age will represent nearly 6% of the American population [31, 32]. Surgery is most commonly performed on those older than the age of 65 [22], and this represents a substantial portion of healthcare spending [24]. Aging is a risk factor for functional decline and chronic conditions including cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, frailty, and musculoskeletal diseases [18, 19]. As a consequence, older adults (65 years of age or older) are at a higher risk of postoperative complications, prolonged hospitalization, and increased dependency or institutionalization [11, 15]. Surgical complications have been shown to increase both hospital and third-party payer costs per admission [4, 7, 34]. Given the complexities of older patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures, coordinated care (composed of teams of specialists along with other healthcare professionals) may be beneficial, particularly for those requiring emergency surgery (due to hip fracture, for example). Coordinated care models seek to identify possible risk factors and take measures to correct or prevent postoperative complications, while also providing greater safety for this high-risk population [12, 13, 21]. Comprehensive geriatric assessment is a care model composed of multidisciplinary assessment of older patients in order to develop an overall plan for treatment and long-term follow-up [25, 26]. This collaborative intervention can be applied to older patients undergoing
A 20-Mer Peptide Derived from the Lectin Domain of SP-A2 Decreases Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Production during Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection

Human surfactant protein-A2 (hSP-A2) is a component of pulmonary surfactant that plays an important role in the lung’s immune system by interacting with viruses, bacteria, and fungi to facilitate pathogen clearance and by downregulating inflammatory responses after an allergic challenge. Genetic variation in SP-A2 at position Gln223Lys is present in up to ∼30% of the population and has been associated with several lung diseases, such as asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and lung cancer (M. ABSTRACT Human surfactant protein-A2 (hSP-A2) is a component of pulmonary surfactant that plays an important role in the lung’s immune system by interacting with viruses, bacteria, and fungi to facilitate pathogen clearance and by downregulating inflammatory responses after an allergic challenge. Genetic variation in SP-A2 at position Gln223Lys is present in up to ∼30% of the population and has been associated with several lung diseases, such as asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and lung cancer (M. M. Pettigrew, J. F. Gent, Y. Zhu, E. W. Triche, et al., BMC Med Genet 8:15, 2007, https://bmcmedgenet.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2350-8-15; Y. Wang, P. J. Kuan, C. Zing, J. T. Cronkhite, et al., Am J Hum Genet 84:52–59, 2009, https://www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltext/S0002-9297(08)00595-8). Previous work performed by our group showed differences in levels of SP-A binding to non-live mycoplasma membrane fractions that were dependent on the presence of a lysine (K) or a glutamine (Q) at amino acid position 223 in the carbohydrate region of SP-A2. On the basis of these differences, we have derived 20-amino-acid peptides flanking this region of interest in order to test the ability of each to regulate various immune responses to live Mycoplasma pneumoniae in SP-A knockout mice and RAW 264.7 cells. In both models, the 20-mer containing 223Q significantly decreased both tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) mRNA levels and protein levels in comparison to the 20-mer containing 223K during M. pneumoniae infection. While neither of the 20-mer peptides (223Q and 223K) had an effect on p38 phosphorylation during M. pneumoniae infection, the 223Q-20mer peptide significantly reduced NF-κB p65 phosphorylation in both models. Taken together, our data suggest that small peptides derived from the lectin domain of SP-A2 that contain the major allelic variant (223Q) maintain activity in reducing TNF-α induction during M. pneumoniae infection.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPTIMAL RULE BASES GENERATED BY HYBRID FUZZY C-MEAN AND PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION

The aims of the paper are to generate fuzzy rule bases that be optimized through fuzzy c-means (FCM) and particle swarm optmization (PSO), and to develope the fuzzy inference systems (FIS) that have the system inputs are combination between the number of linguistic values and the number of assumed lags influence to the system output. The outputs of FCM including are the cluster centers and partition matrix. The number of rules in the fuzzy rule bases formed by FCM is the same as the number of clusters. The cluster centers are used as the center parameters of the Gaussian membership function (MF), while the elements of partition matrix are used to determine the optimal spread parameters of Gaussian's MF through PSO algorithm. The identification of system input variables is done using plot partial autocorrelation function (PACF). The formation of a tentative model based on significant PACF values to construct the input-output pairs matrix which is subsequently grouped by using FCM. The implementation of FIS uses the exchange rate of USD to IRD dataset that is obtained four significant PACF values on lags of k = 1, 5, 8, and 10 which are subsequently used as input variables. Based on the four input variables, systems with 2 inputs, 3 inputs, and 4 inputs combined with the number of clusters of n = 3, 5, and 7 formed 21 systems. Based on the values of both MAPE and R 2 that is obtained the result that in training data if the number of input variables and number of clusters are increased then the system has the better performance, but in the testing data, the system performance decresed when the number of input variables and the number of clusters.are increased. The best performing system is the system with 2 inputs and 5 clusters.
The Role of Serum Laboratory Biomarkers for Complicated and Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE To investigate if serum biomarkers could differentiate complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis in adolescents. STUDY DESIGN An cross sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya, Turkey, between January 2016 and December 2018. METHODOLOGY Patients operated for acute appendicitis, aged between 10 and 19 years, were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided according to the negative appendectomy (group 1), uncomplicated appendicitis (group 2A) and complicated appendicitis (group 2B). White blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count (NEU), lymphocyte count (LC), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), mean platelet volume (MPV), red cell distributions width (RDW), C-reactive protein (CRP), and length of hospital stay (LoHS) were analysed by ROC curve, one-way and Mann-Whitney U-tests. RESULTS There were 277 adolescents (group 1=30, group 2A=205 and group 2B=42). There were statistically significant differences between the groups in WBC, NEU, LYM, NLR, CRP, LoHS. The cut-off values of NLR, WBC, and NEU were 4.1, 10.6x109/L, and 8.17x109/L, respectively for uncomplicated appendicitis, and 7.32, 11.5x109/L, and 10.3x109/L, respectively for complicated appendicitis. The cut off value of CRP was 1.3 mg/dl for complicated appendicitis. CONCLUSIONS Elevated WBC, NEU, CRP and NLR may be considered useful biomarkers in assisting physical examination and other diagnostic methods in distinguishing severity of acute appendicitis. Key Words: Adolescent, Appendicitis, Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, Length of hospital stay.
Hemorrhage from cerebral cavernous malformations

Objective To determine the role of associated developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) in intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) caused by cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs). Methods We analyzed patient registry data of 1,219 patients with cavernous malformations treated in our institution between 2003 and 2018. Patients with spinal and familial CCM and patients without complete MRI data were excluded. The impact of various variables on ICH as a mode of presentation was assessed with multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. Kaplan Meier/Cox regression analysis was performed to analyze cumulative 5-year-risk for (re)hemorrhage and to identify baseline predictors of this outcome. Results Seven hundred thirty-one patients with CCM were included. Multivariate logistic regression confirmed a statistically significant negative correlation with DVA (odds ratio [OR] 0.635 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.459–0.878]) and positive correlation with brainstem localization (OR 6.277 [95% CI 4.287–9.191]) with ICH as the mode of presentation. Among 731 patients, 76 experienced (re)hemorrhage during 2,338 person-years of follow-up. Overall cumulative 5-year risk was 24.1% (95% CI 21.1%–27.5%). Cox regression analysis revealed initial presentation with ICH (hazard ratio [HR] 8.0 [95% CI 3.549–18.122]) and brainstem localization (HR 2.9 [95% CI 1.756–4.765]) as independent baseline predictors of (re)hemorrhage. Presence of DVA added no independent prognostic information (HR 1.1 [95% CI 0.717–1.885]). Conclusion Patients with CCM with associated DVA are at lower risk to present with ICH. During untreated 5-year follow-up, they showed equal (re)hemorrhage risk compared to patients with CCM without DVA.
Foreword

The Lorentz-NIAS interdisciplinary workshop ‘Logic and information security’ focused on the logical analysis of protocols for secure communication, including additional communicative aspects susceptible to attack. The disciplines and subdisciplines involved were: modal logic, combinatorial mathematics, information science, computer science, cryptography, computer security, philosophy, cognitive science, and linguistics. The areas of interest were combinatorial mathematics for bit exchange, information-based analysis with or without modal logic, zero-knowledge protocols and oblivious transfer (and in particular epistemic logical analyses of such phenomena), and model checking protocols—both temporal epistemic and dynamic epistemic model checking as more real-time protocol verification, as formalized with first-order logics and systems based on term or equational rewriting.
Experimental investigation on the dynamics of on-demand ferrofluid drop formation under a pulse-width-modulated non-uniform magnetic field.

Drop formation has been the focus of many studies because of its vast application in biomedicine and engineering, as well as its rich underlying physics. Applying a magnetic force on ferrofluids can provide more control over the formation process of the droplet. In this study, a time-dependent, non-uniform magnetic field was used for the formation of ferrofluid droplets using a nozzle. A Pulse-Width-Modulation signal (PWM) was utilized to induce the time-dependent magnetic field, and a Drop-on-Demand system was designed using the capability of the PWM magnetic field. Three kinds of drop formation regimes under the PWM magnetic field were seen. Also, a new droplet generation regime was observed in which the drop is formed while it bounces back to the nozzle during the off-time period of the magnetic excitation. Compared to other techniques, the main advantage of droplet formation in this regime is that there will be no satellite droplet during the pinch-off. The regime map of drop formation based on the magnetic Bond number and the dimensionless induced frequency was obtained. Also, the effect of the duty cycle, the induced frequency, the magnetic induction, and the vertical interval between the coil's top surface and the nozzle on the drop formation evolution, the equivalent diameter of the droplets, the frequency of droplet formation, and the pulses that are necessary to form a drop was studied. Additionally, it was illustrated that by prolonging the duty cycle, the magnetic induction, or decreasing the induced frequency, the equivalent diameter of the drop and the pulses that are necessary to form a drop reduce, while the frequency of drop formation increases. Eventually, a correlation for predicting the nondimensionalized diameter of the droplet, based on dimensionless variables, was presented with a maximum relative error of 8.1% and an average relative error equal to 2.2%.
Consumption of flavonoid-rich fruits and risk of CHD: a prospective cohort study

Abstract Although the association between fruit consumption and CHD risk has been well studied, few studies have focused on flavonoid-rich fruits (FRF), in particular strawberries and grapes. We aimed to verify the association of total and specific FRF consumption with risk of CHD by a large prospective cohort study. A total of 87 177 men and women aged 44–75 years who were free of CVD and cancer at study baseline were eligible for the present analysis. FRF consumption was assessed using a FFQ. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) of CHD in relation to FRF consumption with adjustment for potential risk factors and confounders. During a mean follow-up of 13·2 years, we identified 1156 incident CHD cases. After full adjustment for covariates including demographics, lifestyles and dietary factors, the HR were 0·93 (95 % CI 0·77, 1·11), 0·91 (95 % CI 0·75, 1·11), 0·84 (95 % CI 0·67, 1·04) and 0·78 (95 % CI 0·62, 0·99) for the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles compared with the lowest quintile of FRF consumption. Regarding specific fruits, we observed a significant inverse association for citrus fruit consumption and a borderline inverse association for strawberry consumption, while no association was observed for apple/pear or grape consumption. Although the associations appeared to be stronger in women, they were not significantly modified by sex. Higher consumption of FRF, in particular, citrus fruits, may be associated with a lower risk of developing CHD.
Branched Au Nanoparticles on Nanofibers for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Sensing of Intracellular pH and Extracellular pH Gradients.

The development of plasmonic-active nanosensors for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing is important for gaining knowledge on intracellular and extracellular chemical processes, hypoxia detection, label-free detection of neurotransmitters and metabolites, among other applications in cell biology. The fabrication of SERS nanosensors for optophysiology measurements using substrates such as nanofibers with a uniform distribution of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) remains a critical hurdle. We report here on a strategy using block copolymer brush-layer templating and ligand exchange for fabricating highly reproducible and stable SERS-active nanofibers with tip diameters down to 60 nm and covered with well-dispersed and uniformly distributed branched AuNPs, which have intrinsic hotspots favoring inherently high plasmonic sensitivity. Among the SERS sensors investigated, those with Au nanostars with short branches [AuNS(S)s] exhibit the greatest SERS sensitivity, as verified also by COMSOL Multiphysics simulations. Functionalization of the AuNS(S)s with the pH-sensitive molecule, 4-mercaptobenzoic acid, led to SERS nanosensors capable of quantifying pH over a linear range of 6.5 to 9.5, covering the physiological range. These pH nanosensors were shown to be able to detect the intracellular pH as well as extracellular pH gradients of in vitro breast cancer cells with minimal invasiveness and improved SERS sensitivity, along with a high spatial resolution capability.
Isolation and characterisation of cDNAs encoding protein disulphide isomerases and cyclophilins in wheat

The enzyme families of protein disulphide isomerases (PDI) and cyclophilins catalyse the isomerisation of disulphide bonds and the rotation of Xaa-Pro peptide bonds in nascent proteins, respectively, making them excellent candidates for regulating the deposition of storage proteins in wheat. This study aimed to isolate and characterise clones encoding cyclophilins and PDIs from a wheat endosperm cDNA library. A number of cDNA clones were isolated, of which three different cDNAs each of PDI and cyclophilin were selected for complete sequencing. The three PDI cDNAs encoded putative protein products of 513 or 516 amino acids, all exhibiting conserved sequences for the N-terminal signal peptide, the two thioredoxin-like domains at the catalytic sites and the C-terminal ER retention signal. The three cyclophilin cDNAs exhibited 68–87% identity to other reported cyclophilins and encoded putative protein products of 171 amino acids containing the conserved tryptophan residue and a 7 amino acid sequence unique to certain plant cyclophilins. The sequence variations within and outside the coding regions of all the cDNAs suggest that both enzymes are encoded by multiple genes. This information will allow further investigations into the roles of these enzymes in storage protein deposition in the developing endosperm and thus in wheat quality.
Development and Preliminary Evaluation of the Effects of an mHealth Web-Based Platform (HappyAir) on Adherence to a Maintenance Program After Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the main interventions to reduce the use of health resources, and it promotes a reduction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) costs. mHealth systems in COPD aim to improve adherence to maintenance programs after pulmonary rehabilitation by promoting the change in attitude and behavior necessary for patient involvement in the management of the disease. Objective This study aimed to assess the effects of an integrated care plan based on an mHealth web-based platform (HappyAir) on adherence to a 1-year maintenance program applied after pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients. Methods COPD patients from three hospitals were randomized to a control group or an intervention group (HappyAir group). Patients from both groups received an 8-week program of pulmonary rehabilitation and educational sessions about their illness. After completion of the process, only the HappyAir group completed an integrated care plan for 10 months, supervised by an mHealth system and therapeutic educator. The control group only underwent the scheduled check-ups. Adherence to the program was rated using a respiratory physiotherapy adherence self-report (CAP FISIO) questionnaire. Other variables analyzed were adherence to physical activity (Morisky-Green Test), quality of life (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test, St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, and EuroQOL-5D), exercise capacity (6-Minute Walk Test), and lung function. Results In total, 44 patients were recruited and randomized in the control group (n=24) and HappyAir group (n=20). Eight patients dropped out for various reasons. The CAP FISIO questionnaire results showed an improvement in adherence during follow-up period for the HappyAir group, which was statistically different compared with the control group at 12 months (56.1 [SD 4.0] vs 44.0 [SD 13.6]; P=.004) after pulmonary rehabilitation. Conclusions mHealth systems designed for COPD patients improve adherence to maintenance programs as long as they are accompanied by disease awareness and patient involvement in management. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04479930; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04479930
Mutational Effect of Fission Yeast Polα on Cell Cycle Events

Polalpha is the principal DNA polymerase for initiation of DNA replication and also functions in postinitiation DNA synthesis. In this study, we investigated the cell cycle responses induced by mutations in polalpha+. Germinating spores carrying either a deletion of polalpha+ (polalphaDelta) or a structurally intact but catalytically dead polalpha mutation proceed to inappropriate mitosis with no DNA synthesis. This suggests that the catalytic function, and not the physical presence of Polalpha, is required to generate the signal that prevents the cells from entering mitosis prematurely. Cells with a polalphats allele arrest the cell cycle near the hydroxyurea arrest point, but, surprisingly, polalphats in cdc20 (polepsilon mutant) background arrested with a cdc phenoytpe, not a polalphats-like phenotype. At 25 degrees C, replication perturbation caused by polalphats alleles induces Cds1 kinase activity and requires the checkpoint Rads, Cds1, and Rqh1, but not Chk1, to maintain cell viability. At 36 degrees C, replication disruption caused by polalphats alleles induces the phosphorylation of Chk1; however, mutant cells arrest with heterogeneous cell sizes with a population of the cells entering aberrant mitosis. Together, our results indicate that the initiation DNA structure synthesized by Polalpha is required to bring about the S phase to mitosis checkpoint, whereas replication defects of different severity caused by polalphats mutations induce differential downstream kinase responses.