Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of climatic stress on nonmetric sexually dimorphic features of the skull and pelvis

Human sexual dimorphism is frequently assessed through skull and pelvic size and shape. Researchers suggest that climatic variation and the associated stress may be significant factors in sexual dimorphism's etiology. However, little research has specifically investigated climatic effects on nonmetric skeletal indicators of sex. To further appreciate the plasticity of human biology, a comparative study of standard skull and pelvic nonmetric sex indicators is presented.
Novel Detection of Nasty Bugs, Prevention Is Better than Cure

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a growing concern around the world. They contribute to increasing mortality and morbidity rates and are an economic threat. All hospital patients have the potential to contract an HAI, but those with weakened or inferior immune systems are at highest risk. Most hospital patients will contract at least one HAI, but many will contract multiple ones. Bacteria are the most common cause of HAIs and contribute to 80–90% of all HAIs, with Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae accounting for the majority. Each of these bacteria are highly resistant to antibiotics and can produce a protective film, known as a biofilm, to further prevent their eradication. It has been shown that by detecting and eradicating bacteria in the environment, infection rates can be reduced. The current methods for detecting bacteria are time consuming, non-specific, and prone to false negatives or false positives. Aptamer-based biosensors have demonstrated specific, time-efficient and simple detection, highlighting the likelihood that they could be used in a similar way to detect HAI-causing bacteria.
Replicative Aging in Pathogenic Fungi

Candida albicans, Candida auris, Candida glabrata, and Cryptococcus neoformans are pathogenic yeasts which can cause systemic infections in immune-compromised as well as immune-competent individuals. These yeasts undergo replicative aging analogous to a process first described in the nonpathogenic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The hallmark of replicative aging is the asymmetric cell division of mother yeast cells that leads to the production of a phenotypically distinct daughter cell. Several techniques to study aging that have been pioneered in S. cerevisiae have been adapted to study aging in other pathogenic yeasts. The studies indicate that aging is relevant for virulence in pathogenic fungi. As the mother yeast cell progressively ages, every ensuing asymmetric cell division leads to striking phenotypic changes, which results in increased antifungal and antiphagocytic resistance. This review summarizes the various techniques that are used to study replicative aging in pathogenic fungi along with their limitations. Additionally, the review summarizes some key phenotypic variations that have been identified and are associated with changes in virulence or resistance and thus promote persistence of older cells.
Maternal Overweight vs. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Disentangling Their Impact on Insulin Action in Pregnancy—A Prospective Study

Background: To investigate insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in pregnant lean and overweight polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients vs. lean and overweight controls without PCOS. Methods: Prospective cohort study on 67 pregnant women (31 with PCOS and 36 controls, subdivided into overweight or obese and normal weight). All women underwent a 2h-OGTT including glucose, insulin, and C-peptide in early- and mid-gestation and were followed-up until delivery. Results: Insulin sensitivity and glucometabolic parameters were comparable between PCOS patients and controls, whereas marked differences were observed between overweight/obese and lean mothers. Impaired whole-body insulin sensitivity at early pregnancy is mainly a consequence of higher BMI (body mass index; p < 0.001) compared to PCOS (p = 0.216), whereby no interaction between overweight/obesity and PCOS was observed (p = 0.194). Moreover, overweight was significantly associated with gestational diabetes (p = 0.0003), whereas there were no differences between women with and without PCOS (p = 0.51). Birth weight was inversely related to whole-body insulin sensitivity (rho = −0.33, p = 0.014) and positively associated with higher pregestational BMI (rho = 0.33, p = 0.012), whereas there was no association with PCOS. Conclusions: Impaired insulin action was mainly a consequence of overweight rather than PCOS. Our data suggest that overweight is more relevant than PCOS for the effects on insulin sensitivity and impaired glucose metabolism.
Multiple Solutions Starting from Real Shaped Beams in Equispaced Linear Arrays

In the present work, the theoretical basis of the multiplicity of solutions obtained from an initial real symmetric distribution is derived. This initial solution is devoted to generating an equivalent pure real shaped-beam pattern for a concrete synthesis scenario. However, these new solutions are not based on real symmetric distributions; hence, not based on the generation of pure real patterns. The bandwidth performances and tolerance to errors provided by the multiple solutions in the array design are analyzed by considering different architectures, also including mutual coupling models and element factor expressions due to accuracy purposes. In addition, a technique to obtain efficient linear arrays by designing resonant structures is addressed. Examples involving both standard linear arrays of half-wavelength cylindrical dipoles and resonant linear arrays generating flat-top beam patterns are reported and discussed. Additionally, an extension to planar arrays performed by means of a generalisation of the Baklanov transformation through collapsed distribution techniques inspired in the well-known method devised by Tseng and Cheng is performed. In such a way, an analysis of the quality of solutions for generating circular and elliptical footprints with controlled both SLL and ripple which are highly interesting in the framework of space vehicle applications.
Microwave-Assisted Fabrication of Mesoporous Silica-Calcium Phosphate Composites for Dental Application

Herein, the microwave-assisted wet precipitation method was used to obtain materials consisting of mesoporous silica (SBA-15) and calcium orthophosphates (CaP). Composites were prepared through immersion of mesoporous silica in different calcification coating solutions and then exposed to microwave radiation. The composites were characterized in terms of molecular structure, crystallinity, morphology, chemical composition, and mineralization potential by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The application of microwave irradiation resulted in the formation of different types of calcium orthophosphates such as calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA), octacalcium phosphate (OCP), and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) on the SBA-15 surface, depending on the type of coating solution. The composites for which the progressive formation of hydroxyapatite during incubation in simulated body fluid was observed were further used in the production of final pharmaceutical forms: membranes, granules, and pellets. All of the obtained pharmaceutical forms preserved mineralization properties.
Green Space Exposure Association with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Physical Activity, and Obesity: A Systematic Review

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a public health challenge that must be addressed considering the large number of risk factors involved in its appearance. Some environmental risk factors are currently described as predictors of diabetes, with access to green spaces being an element to consider in urban settings. This review aims to study the association between exposure to green spaces and outcomes such as diabetes, obesity, and physical activity in the general population. A systematic review was carried out using the PubMed, Embase, and LILACS databases and other sources. The search strategy was carried out from October 2019 to October 2020. Cross-sectional and cohort studies were included. The article selection was made by a pair of reviewers, and data extraction was carried out using a data extraction sheet. The quality assessment of the included studies was carried out using a validated tool. Finally, 19 scientific articles were included in this review. Evidence supports that people and communities exposed to green spaces, especially in their neighborhood, reduce the risk of T2DM and reduce the risk of being obese and increase the likelihood of physical activity. The onset of T2DM can be moderated by using green spaces, improving physical activity levels, and reducing the risk of being overweight and obese.
Will Proton Pump Inhibitors Lead to a Higher Risk of COVID-19 Infection and Progression to Severe Disease? A Meta-analysis

Background: Previous researches on the association between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) use and the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 have generated inconsistent findings. Therefore, this Meta-analysis was conducted to clarify the outcome in patients who take PPIs. Methods: We carried out a systematic search to identify potential studies until November 2020. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I-squared statistic. Odds ratios (ORs) with its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by fixed-effects or random-effects models according to the heterogeneity. Sensitivity analyses and tests for publication bias were also performed. Results: Eight articles with more than 268,683 subjects were included. PPI use was not associated with increased or decreased risk of COVID-19 infection (OR:3.16, 95%CI = 0.74-13.43, P=0.12) or mortality risk of COVID-19 patients (OR=1.91, 95% CI=0.86-4.24, P=0.11). While it can add risk of severe disease (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.20-1.99, P<0.001;) and secondary infection (OR=4.33, 95% CI=2.57-7.29). No publication bias was detected. Conclusions: PPI use is not associated with increased risk infection and may not change the mortality risk of COVID-19, but appeared to be associated with increased risk of progression to severe disease and secondary infection. However, more original studies to further clarify the relationship between PPI and COVID-19 are still urgently needed.
A Cross-Sectional Study of Psychological Flexibility as a Mediator for the Relationship Between Acculturative Stress and Cardiovascular Health Behaviors Among Second-Generation Arab Americans

Introduction: Second-generation Arab Americans may be at risk for poor cardiovascular health behaviors, but these behaviors are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acculturative stress and psychological flexibility on cardiovascular health behaviors among second-generation Arab Americans. Method: In a cross-sectional study, survey data were collected in 2018 at local mosques, churches, and a university campus. Cardiovascular health behaviors were measured with a questionnaire based on the American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7. Acculturative stress and psychological flexibility were assessed using reliable and valid measures. Results: Participants (n = 325) with higher acculturative stress were significantly more likely to report intermediate overall cardiovascular health behaviors (p = .01) and poor to intermediate diet (p = .00). Psychological flexibility partially mediated poor/intermediate smoking (p = .02) and intermediate diet (p = .00) scores. Discussion: Nurses may consider the role of acculturation when designing culturally sensitive interventions to promote cardiovascular health in second-generation populations.
The Features of Phase Stability of GaN and AlN Films at Nanolevel

Recently, two-dimensional gallium and aluminum nitrides have triggered a vast interest in their tunable optical and electronic properties. Continuation of this research requires a detailed understanding of their atomic structure. Here, by using first-principles calculations we reported a systematic study of phase stability of 2D-GaN and 2D-AlN. We showed that the films undergo a phase transition from a graphene-like to a wurtzite structure with a thickness increase, whereas the early reported body-centered-tetragonal phase requires specific conditions for stabilization. Additionally, we studied how the functionalization of the surface can modify the film structure as exemplified by hydrogenation.
Development of copper—iron bimetallic nanoparticle impregnated activated carbon derived from coconut husk and its efficacy as a novel adsorbent toward the removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous solution

The present work demonstrates the preparation of biodegradable coconut husk derived activated carbon (CAC) impregnated with bimetallic nanoparticles consisting of zerovalent iron and copper to produce a new adsorbent (Fe0/Cu‐CAC). The new adsorbent was further employed to determine the removal efficiency of Chromium (VI) from aqueous solutions. Chromium (VI) adsorption process by Fe0/Cu‐CAC was found to be favorable at pH ~ 3, attaining 95.28% removal efficiency while its counterpart CAC attained only ~41%. Negative ΔG0 value suggests that the process was thermodynamically spontaneous and ΔH0 was observed to be 8.496 kJ/mol, further corroborating the endothermic nature of the process. Pseudo‐second order model was best suited to explain the kinetics of the process with R2 value of 0.99683 and an error of 6.73%. Equilibrium parameter (RL) derived from Langmuir isotherm was calculated to be 0.1103, indicating favorable adsorption and thus Langmuir isotherm can be used to describe the process of adsorption of Cr (VI) by Fe0/Cu‐CAC. Finally, a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 173.9 mg/g indicated the suitability of the prepared adsorbent in treating chromium contaminated wastewater streams.
Elaboration and Validation of Two Predictive Models of Postpartum Traumatic Stress Disorder Risk Formed by Variables Related to the Birth Process: A Retrospective Cohort Study

This study aimed to develop and validate two predictive models of postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk using a retrospective cohort study of women who gave birth between 2018 and 2019 in Spain. The predictive models were developed using a referral cohort of 1752 women (2/3) and were validated on a cohort of 875 women (1/3). The predictive factors in model A were delivery type, skin-to-skin contact, admission of newborn to care unit, presence of a severe tear, type of infant feeding at discharge, postpartum hospital readmission. The area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) in the referral cohort was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.67–0.74), while in the validation cohort, it was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.63–0.75). The predictive factors in model B were delivery type, admission of newborn to care unit, type of infant feeding at discharge, postpartum hospital readmission, partner support, and the perception of adequate respect from health professionals. The predictive capacity of model B in both the referral cohort and the validation cohort was superior to model A with an AUC-ROC of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.79–0.85) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.78–0.87), respectively. A predictive model (model B) formed by clinical variables and the perception of partner support and appropriate treatment by health professionals had a good predictive capacity in both the referral and validation cohorts. This model is preferred over the model (model A) that was formed exclusively by clinical variables.
Anti-Proliferative Effect of Allium senescens L. Extract in Human T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells

Allium species are well known plants distributed throughout the world, and they contain various bioactive components with different biological activities including anti-cancer effects. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Allium senescens L. (A.S.) extract on cell survival and IL-2-mediated inflammation in human T cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (T-ALL) Jurkat cells. Our results showed that A.S. extract induced caspase-dependent apoptosis of Jurkat cells with no significant cytotoxicity in the normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. A.S. extract induced ROS generation through the activation of MAPK p38 phosphorylation. It also inhibited IL-2 mRNA expression and NF-κB signaling mediated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and phytohemagglutinin. Combined treatment with A.S. extract and axitinib/dovitinib exerted enhanced inhibitory effects on T-ALL cell growth and IL-2 production. These results provide novel information on the potential use of A.S. extract as a therapeutic herbal agent for the treatment and prevention of T-ALL.
A Novel Herbal Hydrogel Formulation of Moringa oleifera for Wound Healing

Treatment of wounds is essential as the wound can also be lethal at some point in time if not healed properly. Ethnomedicinal plants can treat wounds as they have no side effects, whereas, in the case of chemical drugs, the side effects are on the rise. In this study, seeds of Moringa oleifera which is the essential ethnomedicinal plant, were studied for wound healing efficacy. The study was planned for the assessment of in vitro (antioxidant and antimicrobial activities) and in vivo (excision and incision wound healing models) wound healing efficacy of n-hexane extract and hydrogels of Moringa oleifera seeds. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were assessed by DPPH free radical scavenging assay and Agar well diffusion method, respectively. In excision and incision wound models, Swiss albino mice were used for wound healing efficacy of hydrogels, i.e., 5% and 10% hexane extracts of Moringa oleifera seeds. The n-hexane extract showed antioxidant as well as antibacterial activities. Moreover, the hydrogels formulated using n-hexane extract of Moringa oleifera seeds showed significant wound healing activity compared to both control and standard until the end of the protocol in both the models. Furthermore, the histopathological investigation confirmed the findings of accelerated regeneration of tissue accompanied by a decrease in inflammatory cells and increased vascularity of the immediate skin. The results (both in vitro and in vivo) claimed conclusively that our n-hexane hydrogel formulation of Moringa oleifera seeds might serve as an alternative therapy in skin restoration during wound healing.
An Intracellular Model of Hepatitis B Viral Infection: An In Silico Platform for Comparing Therapeutic Strategies

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major focus of antiviral research worldwide. The International Coalition to Eliminate HBV, together with the World Health Organisation (WHO), have prioritised the search for a cure, with the goal of eliminating deaths from viral hepatitis by 2030. We present here a comprehensive model of intracellular HBV infection dynamics that includes all molecular processes currently targeted by drugs and agrees well with the observed outcomes of several clinical studies. The model reveals previously unsuspected kinetic behaviour in the formation of sub-viral particles, which could lead to a better understanding of the immune responses to infection. It also enables rapid comparative assessment of the impact of different treatment options and their potential synergies as combination therapies. A comparison of available and currently developed treatment options reveals that combinations of multiple capsid assembly inhibitors perform best.
Stochastic Latency Guarantee in Wireless Powered Virtualized Sensor Networks

How to guarantee the data rate and latency requirement for an application with limited energy is an open issue in wireless virtualized sensor networks. In this paper, we integrate the wireless energy transfer technology into the wireless virtualized sensor network and focus on the stochastic performance guarantee. Firstly, a joint task and resource allocation optimization problem are formulated. In order to characterize the stochastic latency of data transmission, effective capacity theory is resorted to study the relationship between network latency violation probability and the transmission capability of each node. The performance under the FDMA mode and that under the TDMA mode are first proved to be identical. We then propose a bisection search approach to ascertain the optimal task allocation with the objective to minimize the application latency violation probability. Furthermore, a one-dimensional searching scheme is proposed to find out the optimal energy harvesting time in each time block. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is finally validated by extensive numerical simulations. Particularly, the proposed scheme is able to lower the latency violation probability by 11.6 times and 4600 times while comparing with the proportional task allocation scheme and the equal task allocation scheme, respectively.
High Vulnerability of Oligodendrocytes to Oxidative Stress Induced by Ultrafine Urban Particles

Oligodendrocytes, myelin-forming cells in the brain, are vulnerable to oxidative stress. Recent work indicates that air pollution causes demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. However, little is known about the mechanism of toxicity of ultrafine particulate matters (PMs) to oligodendrocytes. Here, we aimed to determine whether oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and mature oligodendrocytes (mOLs) are more vulnerable to ultrafine urban PMs (uf-UPs) than other types of brain cells and damage to adult OPCs and mOLs in the mouse brain exposed to uf-UPs. For in vitro experiments, following exposure to various concentrations (2, 20, and 200 μg/mL) of uf-UPs, we measured survival rates, the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the total antioxidant capacities (TACs) of brain cells isolated from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats. For animal experiments, after a four-week exposure to a uf-UP suspension (20 μL, 0.4 mg/mL), we enumerated the number of damaged cells and typed damaged cells in the white matter of the cerebellum of uf-UP-exposed mice. MTT assays and Hoechst staining demonstrated that OPCs and mOLs were more vulnerable to uf-UP-induced damage than astrocytes and cortical neurons at 2, 20, and 200 μg/mL of uf-UPs examined in this study (p < 0.05). Damage to OPCs and mOLs depended on uf-UP concentration. DCF assays and DHE staining indicated that the amount of ROS generated in OPCs and mOLs was significantly higher than in other brain cell types (p < 0.05). In contrast, TAC values in OPCs and mOLs were significantly lower than those of other brain cell types (p < 0.05). Fluoro-Jade B (FJB)-positive cells in the cerebellar white matter of the uf-UP-exposed group were significantly greater in number relative to the control group. Double immunofluorescence indicated that FJB-positive cells are NG2-positive adult OPCs and carbon anhydrase II-positive mOLs. Taken together, our findings suggest that oxidative stress induced by uf-UPs in the brain impairs adult OPCs and mOLs, causing demyelination and reducing the capacity for remyelination.
Combined Focused Electron Beam-Induced Deposition and Etching for the Patterning of Dense Lines without Interconnecting Material

High resolution dense lines patterned by focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID) have been demonstrated to be promising for lithography. One of the challenges is the presence of interconnecting material, which is often carbonaceous, between the lines as a result of the Gaussian line profile. We demonstrate the use of focused electron beam-induced etching (FEBIE) as a scanning electron microscope (SEM)-based direct-write technique for the removal of this interconnecting material, which can be implemented without removing the sample from the SEM for post processing. Secondary electron (SE) imaging has been used to monitor the FEBIE process, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements confirm the fabrication of well separated FEBID lines. We further demonstrate the application of this technique for removing interconnecting material in high resolution dense lines using backscattered electron (BSE) imaging to monitor the process.