Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Priorities for Supportive Housing Services: Perspectives of People With Mental Illness in Northeastern Ontario

Background Accessible, appropriate, and affordable housing is recognized as essential for the well-being of all Canadians. Securing and maintaining housing tenure for individuals living with chronic health and social challenges can be compromised without appropriate services. There has been limited research into the priorities to enhance supportive housing services from the perspective of individuals living with mental illness in smaller urban and rural communities. Purpose The purpose was to describe the priorities for supportive housing from the viewpoints of tenants recovering from mental illness in northeastern Ontario. Methods This descriptive study used Q methodology to engage 52 adults regarding their impressions about enhancing supportive housing services. Participants ranked 39 housing and support priority statements on a nine-point Likert-type scale. Results Four discrete viewpoints about priorities for supportive housing were building a home, letting others in, moving outside the walls, and accessing personalized services. Common across these viewpoints was the need to increase financial assistance offered through existing programs. Conclusions Fostering individual pathways to recovery involves mitigating health and social disparities, relative to supportive housing, one size does not fit all. Service providers and decision makers are compelled to situate each individual within an evidence-informed supportive housing system for citizenship.
3D2SeqViews: Aggregating Sequential Views for 3D Global Feature Learning by CNN With Hierarchical Attention Aggregation

Learning 3D global features by aggregating multiple views is important. Pooling is widely used to aggregate views in deep learning models. However, pooling disregards a lot of content information within views and the spatial relationship among the views, which limits the discriminability of learned features. To resolve this issue, 3D to Sequential Views (3D2SeqViews) is proposed to more effectively aggregate the sequential views using convolutional neural networks with a novel hierarchical attention aggregation. Specifically, the content information within each view is first encoded. Then, the encoded view content information and the sequential spatiality among the views are simultaneously aggregated by the hierarchical attention aggregation, where view-level attention and class-level attention are proposed to hierarchically weight sequential views and shape classes. View-level attention is learned to indicate how much attention is paid to each view by each shape class, which subsequently weights sequential views through a novel recursive view integration. Recursive view integration learns the semantic meaning of view sequence, which is robust to the first view position. Furthermore, class-level attention is introduced to describe how much attention is paid to each shape class, which innovatively employs the discriminative ability of the fine-tuned network. 3D2SeqViews learns more discriminative features than the state-of-the-art, which leads to the outperforming results in shape classification and retrieval under three large-scale benchmarks.
Transcriptome‐Wide Mapping of m6A and m6Am at Single‐Nucleotide Resolution Using miCLIP

The most prevalent modified base in mRNA, N6‐methyladenosine (m6A), is found in several thousand transcripts, typically near the stop codon, although it can occur anywhere in the mRNA. In addition, the highly similar nucleotide N6,2′‐O‐dimethyladenosine (m6Am), which is difficult to distinguish from m6A, occurs as the first transcribed nucleotide of certain transcripts. Both the m6A and m6Am modifications have been implicated in numerous biological processes, and their precise mapping is crucial to understanding their functions. To address this need, we developed miCLIP, a method that maps both m6A and m6Am at individual nucleotide resolution. Here we describe the miCLIP protocol, with slight improvements to the initially published protocol for both the experimental methodology and bioinformatics analysis. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Validation of a Career Guidance Brochure for Student Nurses Using the Nominal Group Technique

Background: Nursing is a career which, especially for male students, requires one making an informed choice prior to pursuing it. A mixed-method, qualitative study, investigating the professional socialization process of male student nurses in Malawi found that most students did not make an informed choice regarding their selected career. This resulted in some of them facing many challenges which compromised their academic performance, and in some cases, contributed to high attrition rates. An “unmet need” for career guidance was identified by the study participants. Further, the study participants made recommendations on the need to address the unmet need for career guidance. A brochure entitled “A career in nursing and midwifery in Malawi” was designed. This article reports on the validation of the brochure. Objective: The goal of the study was to validate the brochure utilising the Nominal Group Technique. Methods: The validation exercise was part of the mixed method study. Five steps of the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) were utilised, as expounded by Vigra-Atkins, aimed at evaluating the content contained in the brochure. Study participants in four nursing colleges (n = 37) participated by studying the draft brochure and identifying strong and weak areas for improvements. Responses were ranked based on group consensus. Findings: A total of five groups were involved in NGT discussions. Four of the five groups found the brochure relevant and motivating to prospective students. However, two groups suggested that pictures needed to be more gender sensitive. Conclusion: Through the NGT, the brochure was commended by the majority of the participants as being clear and relevant in terms of giving information necessary for a nursing career choice. Finally, the authors recommend the use of the NGT compared to other group-based research techniques, considering the benefits the NGT offers.
Embryo sHLA-G secretion is related to pregnancy rate

Summary HLA-G expression has been detected in early preimplantation embryos and it has been postulated that a relationship between embryonic expression of this factor and successful pregnancy may exist. Forty-six patients were prospectively selected from our centre ‘Unidad de Reproducción Humana, Hospital Universitario de Canarias’ for conducting this study. In all cases, metaphase II (MII) oocytes were fertilized using intracytoplasmic sperm injection 2–4 h after retrieval. Embryos were cultured individually in 20 µl droplets of G-1 medium (VitroLife) under oil at 37°C and a 6% CO2 environment. Fertilization was assessed at 18 h postinsemination and all oocytes fertilized were passed into a new culture plaque individually in 300 µl culture medium until day 3 of culture. The culture medium was examined for the expression and secretion of sHLA-G with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (BioVendor, Heidelberg, Germany) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. We found statistical significance between higher levels of sHLA-G secretion and pregnancy rate. When both groups were compared there was no difference in embryo quality of transferred embryos, but a significant difference in the number of oocytes and the embryo quality of the cohort existed that was greater in the pregnant group. A standardized sHLA-G assay with a specifically defined range and standard units provides a non-invasive method to identify the most competent embryos for transfer.
Association of Protein Intake in Three Meals with Muscle Mass in Healthy Young Subjects: A Cross-Sectional Study

Protein intake of >0.24 g/kg of body weight (BW) at a single meal is necessary to maximize muscle protein synthesis in a young population. However, the association between the protein intake rate for three meals and muscle mass in the young population has not been evaluated. We hypothesized that a protein intake of >0.24 g/kg BW at all three meals is effective for maintaining muscle mass. Therefore, we cross-sectionally examined the association between protein intake at all three meals with muscle mass in 266 healthy young subjects (aged 21.4 ± 2.4 years). Subjects were divided into the AP group, which achieved protein intake >0.24 g/kg BW at all three meals; and the NP group, which did not. We calculated total fat-free mass (FFM) and appendicular fat-free mass (AppFFM) with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the percentage of total FFM (TotalFFM%) and appendicular FFM (AppFFM%) were calculated as the percentage of BW (%BW). We demonstrated that TotalFFM% (77.0 ± 0.5 vs. 75.2 ± 0.4%, p = 0.008) and AppFFM% (34.7 ± 0.3 vs. 34.1 ± 0.2%, p = 0.058) were higher in the AP than in the NP group. This finding suggests that achieving protein intake of >0.24 g/kg BW at all three meals is important for muscle mass maintenance in young populations.
Test–retest reproducibility of white matter parcellation using diffusion MRI tractography fiber clustering

There are two popular approaches for automated white matter parcellation using diffusion MRI tractography, including fiber clustering strategies that group white matter fibers according to their geometric trajectories and cortical‐parcellation‐based strategies that focus on the structural connectivity among different brain regions of interest. While multiple studies have assessed test–retest reproducibility of automated white matter parcellations using cortical‐parcellation‐based strategies, there are no existing studies of test–retest reproducibility of fiber clustering parcellation. In this work, we perform what we believe is the first study of fiber clustering white matter parcellation test–retest reproducibility. The assessment is performed on three test–retest diffusion MRI datasets including a total of 255 subjects across genders, a broad age range (5–82 years), health conditions (autism, Parkinson's disease and healthy subjects), and imaging acquisition protocols (three different sites). A comprehensive evaluation is conducted for a fiber clustering method that leverages an anatomically curated fiber clustering white matter atlas, with comparison to a popular cortical‐parcellation‐based method. The two methods are compared for the two main white matter parcellation applications of dividing the entire white matter into parcels (i.e., whole brain white matter parcellation) and identifying particular anatomical fiber tracts (i.e., anatomical fiber tract parcellation). Test–retest reproducibility is measured using both geometric and diffusion features, including volumetric overlap (wDice) and relative difference of fractional anisotropy. Our experimental results in general indicate that the fiber clustering method produced more reproducible white matter parcellations than the cortical‐parcellation‐based method.
Transcriptome profiling of Plasmodium vivax in Saimiri monkeys identifies potential ligands for invasion

Significance Plasmodium vivax infects humans by interacting with the Duffy blood group antigen (Duffy antigen) that is expressed on erythrocytes. Duffy antigen is absent in most Africans; hence, P. vivax infection is rare in Africa. However, low levels of P. vivax infections have been observed throughout Africa, suggesting that an alternative invasion pathway may be utilized to infect Africans. Duffy binding protein 1 binds to Aotus but not Saimiri erythrocytes, suggesting the involvement of an alternate invasion pathway in Saimiri infections. Hence, we performed comparative transcriptomics between Aotus- and Saimiri-infected P. vivax to identify these alternate invasion ligands. Transcriptomic analysis has identified genes belonging to tryptophan-rich antigen and merozoite surface protein families, which may play an important role in P. vivax infection in Africans. Unlike the case in Asia and Latin America, Plasmodium vivax infections are rare in sub-Saharan Africa due to the absence of the Duffy blood group antigen (Duffy antigen), the only known erythrocyte receptor for the P. vivax merozoite invasion ligand, Duffy binding protein 1 (DBP1). However, P. vivax infections have been documented in Duffy-negative individuals throughout Africa, suggesting that P. vivax may use ligands other than DBP1 to invade Duffy-negative erythrocytes through other receptors. To identify potential P. vivax ligands, we compared parasite gene expression in Saimiri and Aotus monkey erythrocytes infected with P. vivax Salvador I (Sal I). DBP1 binds Aotus but does not bind to Saimiri erythrocytes; thus, P. vivax Sal I must invade Saimiri erythrocytes independent of DBP1. Comparing RNA sequencing (RNAseq) data for late-stage infections in Saimiri and Aotus erythrocytes when invasion ligands are expressed, we identified genes that belong to tryptophan-rich antigen and merozoite surface protein 3 (MSP3) families that were more abundantly expressed in Saimiri infections compared with Aotus infections. These genes may encode potential ligands responsible for P. vivax infections of Duffy-negative Africans.
Generation of virtual lung single‐photon emission computed tomography/CT fusion images for functional avoidance radiotherapy planning using machine learning algorithms

Functional image‐guided radiotherapy (RT) planning for normal lung avoidance has recently been introduced. Single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT can help identify the functional areas of lungs, but it is associated with delayed treatment time, additional costs and unexpected radiation exposure. In this study, we propose a machine learning algorithm that can generate functional chest CT images using the conditional generative adversarial networks (cGANs).
Nonlinear Hysteresis Modeling of Piezoelectric Actuators Using a Generalized Bouc–Wen Model

Hysteresis behaviors exist in piezoelectric ceramics actuators (PCAs), which degrade the positioning accuracy badly. The classical Bouc–Wen (CB–W) model is mainly used for describing rate-independent hysteresis behaviors. However, it cannot characterize the rate-dependent hysteresis precisely. In this paper, a generalized Bouc–Wen (GB–W) model with relaxation functions is developed for both rate-independent and rate-dependent hysteresis behaviors of piezoelectric actuators. Meanwhile, the nonlinear least squares method through MATLAB/Simulink is adopted to identify the parameters of hysteresis models. To demonstrate the validity of the developed model, a number of experiments based on a 1-DOF compliant mechanism were conducted to characterize hysteresis behaviors. Comparisons of experiments and simulations show that the developed model can describe rate-dependent and rate-independent hysteresis more accurately than the classical Bouc–Wen model. The results demonstrate that the developed model is effective and useful.
A modified magnetic resonance wireless power transfer system for capsule endoscopy

ABSTRACT Background: The current study presents a fully planar wireless power transfer (WPT) scheme with the aim of providing enough power for capsule endoscopy performance. The method’s implementation on patients is more convenient than that of the previous conventional WPT plans in which a cylindrical wire coil is placed around the patient’s body. In addition to this, while using the present printed power receiver structure, the capsule’s internal space of opens up for other components such as the image sensors and data transmitting components. To improve the efficiency, a two-layer printed coil has been used as the transmitter, a two-layer printed coil as the receiver and a power coil on the transmitter side excited at 13.56 MHz.Results: Applying this method, the efficiency has increased to more than 2% for the proposed structure. Moreover, the effect of the body tissue on power efficiency has been simulated and measured and the maximum specific absorption rate (SAR) value considered for the desired system. Conclusions: The obtained results indicate that the proposed system meets the medical standards requirements.
Synthesis of Thymidine Phosphorylase Inhibitor Based on Quinoxaline Derivatives and Their Molecular Docking Study

We have synthesized quinoxaline analogs (1–25), characterized by 1H-NMR and HREI-MS and evaluated for thymidine phosphorylase inhibition. Among the series, nineteen analogs showed better inhibition when compared with the standard inhibitor 7-Deazaxanthine (IC50 = 38.68 ± 4.42 µM). The most potent compound among the series is analog 25 with IC50 value 3.20 ± 0.10 µM. Sixteen analogs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21 and 24 showed outstanding inhibition which is many folds better than the standard 7-Deazaxanthine. Two analogs 8 and 9 showed moderate inhibition. A structure-activity relationship has been established mainly based upon the substitution pattern on the phenyl ring. The binding interactions of the active compounds were confirmed through molecular docking studies.
Poverty Does Make Us Sick

This study evaluates the direct causal effects of household wealth on health. We discuss several specific mechanisms that that could relate poverty with worse health and hypothesize that poverty will undermine population health. This hypothesis was tested based on data drawn from a recent cross-country survey in 12 post-Soviet countries and Mongolia using classic regression (OLS) and instrumental variable 2SLS regressions. The results indicate that poverty does indeed lead to worsening health. This negative effect of poverty on health remains unchanged after controlling for a wide range of individual characteristics, healthcare performance indicators, trust in individuals, government, parliament, and political parties, as well as country-level unobserved characteristics. Using an instrumental variable increases our confidence in being able to isolate the effects of poverty on health status and confirms that our results are not due to endogeneity. In addition, the strong negative effect of poverty on health remains robust to the use of a set of country-level aggregated indicators (e.g. GDP and Gini) instead of country dummies, the employment of a subjective self-assessment indicator of poverty instead of an objective one, and an alternative conceptualization of health status as a binomial variable (for bad and very bad health) instead of a continuous one.
Chromothripsis during telomere crisis is independent of NHEJ, and consistent with a replicative origin

Telomere erosion, dysfunction, and fusion can lead to a state of cellular crisis characterized by large-scale genome instability. We investigated the impact of a telomere-driven crisis on the structural integrity of the genome by undertaking whole-genome sequence analyses of clonal populations of cells that had escaped crisis. Quantification of large-scale structural variants revealed patterns of rearrangement consistent with chromothripsis but formed in the absence of functional nonhomologous end-joining pathways. Rearrangements frequently consisted of short fragments with complex mutational patterns, with a repair topology that deviated from randomness showing preferential repair to local regions or exchange between specific loci. We find evidence of telomere involvement with an enrichment of fold-back inversions demarcating clusters of rearrangements. Our data suggest that chromothriptic rearrangements caused by a telomere crisis arise via a replicative repair process involving template switching.
Emerin Is Required for Proper Nucleus Reassembly after Mitosis: Implications for New Pathogenetic Mechanisms for Laminopathies Detected in EDMD1 Patients

Emerin is an essential LEM (LAP2, Emerin, MAN1) domain protein in metazoans and an integral membrane protein associated with inner and outer nuclear membranes. Mutations in the human EMD gene coding for emerin result in the rare genetic disorder: Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy type 1 (EDMD1). This disease belongs to a broader group called laminopathies—a heterogeneous group of rare genetic disorders affecting tissues of mesodermal origin. EDMD1 phenotype is characterized by progressive muscle wasting, contractures of the elbow and Achilles tendons, and cardiac conduction defects. Emerin is involved in many cellular and intranuclear processes through interactions with several partners: lamins; barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF), β-catenin, actin, and tubulin. Our study demonstrates the presence of the emerin fraction which associates with mitotic spindle microtubules and centrosomes during mitosis and colocalizes during early mitosis with lamin A/C, BAF, and membranes at the mitotic spindle. Transfection studies with cells expressing EGFP-emerin protein demonstrate that the emerin fusion protein fraction also localizes to centrosomes and mitotic spindle microtubules during mitosis. Transient expression of emerin deletion mutants revealed that the resulting phenotypes vary and are mutant dependent. The most frequent phenotypes include aberrant nuclear shape, tubulin network mislocalization, aberrant mitosis, and mislocalization of centrosomes. Emerin deletion mutants demonstrated different chromatin binding capacities in an in vitro nuclear assembly assay and chromatin-binding properties correlated with the strength of phenotypic alteration in transfected cells. Aberrant tubulin staining and microtubule network phenotype appearance depended on the presence of the tubulin binding region in the expressed deletion mutants. We believe that the association with tubulin might help to “deliver” emerin and associated membranes to decondensing chromatin. Preliminary analyses of cells from Polish patients with EDMD1 revealed that for several mutations thought to be null for emerin protein, a truncated emerin protein was present. We infer that the EDMD1 phenotype may be strengthened by the toxicity of truncated emerin expressed in patients with certain nonsense mutations in EMD.
Development and characterization of a novel conductive polyaniline-g-polystyrene/Fe3O4 nanocomposite for the treatment of cancer

Abstract The goal of this study is to synthesize, characterize and investigate some physicochemical properties of conductive polyaniline-g-polystyrene/Fe3O4 (Fe3O4/PSt-g-PANi) nanocomposites. For this purpose, initially, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by a co-precipitation method. Then, the desired nanocomposite was synthesized in two steps. First, the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene was performed using an ATRP initiator attached to the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, followed by functionalization of the Fe3O4-PSt with amine groups (–NH2). Second, surface oxidative graft copolymerization of aniline was accomplished using the –NH2 moieties on the Fe3O4/PSt-NH2 as the anchoring sites. The prepared materials were characterized by various instruments, including TEM, SEM, TGA, EDX, FT-IR, XRD and conductivity measurements. The results indicated that the synthesized conductive polymer/Fe3O4 nanocomposites had higher electrical conductivity and thermal resistance than those of the corresponding homopolymers.
Nanomaterials for the Removal of Heavy Metals from Wastewater

Removal of contaminants in wastewater, such as heavy metals, has become a severe problem in the world. Numerous technologies have been developed to deal with this problem. As an emerging technology, nanotechnology has been gaining increasing interest and many nanomaterials have been developed to remove heavy metals from polluted water, due to their excellent features resulting from the nanometer effect. In this work, novel nanomaterials, including carbon-based nanomaterials, zero-valent metal, metal-oxide based nanomaterials, and nanocomposites, and their applications for the removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater were systematically reviewed. Their efficiency, limitations, and advantages were compared and discussed. Furthermore, the promising perspective of nanomaterials in environmental applications was also discussed and potential directions for future work were suggested.