Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardiopulmonary recovery after COVID-19: an observational prospective multicentre trial

Background After the 2002/2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak, 30% of survivors exhibited persisting structural pulmonary abnormalities. The long-term pulmonary sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are yet unknown, and comprehensive clinical follow-up data are lacking. Methods In this prospective, multicentre, observational study, we systematically evaluated the cardiopulmonary damage in subjects recovering from COVID-19 at 60 and 100 days after confirmed diagnosis. We conducted a detailed questionnaire, clinical examination, laboratory testing, lung function analysis, echocardiography and thoracic low-dose computed tomography (CT). Results Data from 145 COVID-19 patients were evaluated, and 41% of all subjects exhibited persistent symptoms 100 days after COVID-19 onset, with dyspnoea being most frequent (36%). Accordingly, patients still displayed an impaired lung function, with a reduced diffusing capacity in 21% of the cohort being the most prominent finding. Cardiac impairment, including a reduced left ventricular function or signs of pulmonary hypertension, was only present in a minority of subjects. CT scans unveiled persisting lung pathologies in 63% of patients, mainly consisting of bilateral ground-glass opacities and/or reticulation in the lower lung lobes, without radiological signs of pulmonary fibrosis. Sequential follow-up evaluations at 60 and 100 days after COVID-19 onset demonstrated a vast improvement of symptoms and CT abnormalities over time. Conclusion A relevant percentage of post-COVID-19 patients presented with persisting symptoms and lung function impairment along with radiological pulmonary abnormalities >100 days after the diagnosis of COVID-19. However, our results indicate a significant improvement in symptoms and cardiopulmonary status over time. 100 days after COVID-19 onset, a high portion of patients exhibit persisting symptoms and cardiopulmonary impairment. Still, a marked improvement of symptoms, pulmonary function and CT pathologies was found at follow-up. https://bit.ly/35YP13g
Mapping Africa’s Biodiversity: More of the Same Is Just Not Good Enough

Abstract Species distribution data are fundamental to the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes. Yet, such data are strongly affected by sampling biases, mostly related to site accessibility. The understanding of these biases is therefore crucial in systematics, biogeography, and conservation. Here we present a novel approach for quantifying sampling effort and its impact on biodiversity knowledge, focusing on Africa. In contrast to previous studies assessing sampling completeness (percentage of species recorded in relation to predicted), we investigate whether the lack of knowledge of a site attracts scientists to visit these areas and collect samples of species. We then estimate the time required to sample 90% of the continent under a Weibull distributed biodiversity sampling rate and the number of sampling events required to record \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{upgreek} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document} }{}$ \ge $\end{document}50% of the species. Using linear and spatial regression models, we show that previous sampling has been strongly influencing the resampling of areas, attracting repeated visits. This bias has existed for over two centuries, has increased in recent decades, and is most pronounced among mammals. It may take between 172 and 274 years, depending on the group, to achieve at least one sampling event per grid cell in the entire continent. Just one visit will, however, not be enough: in order to record \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{upgreek} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document} }{}$ \ge $\end{document}50% of the current diversity, it will require at least 12 sampling events for amphibians, 13 for mammals, and 27 for birds. Our results demonstrate the importance of sampling areas that lack primary biodiversity data and the urgency with which this needs to be done. Current practice is insufficient to adequately classify and map African biodiversity; it can lead to incorrect conclusions being drawn from biogeographic analyses and can result in misleading and self-reinforcing conservation priorities. [Amphibians; birds; mammals; sampling bias; sampling gaps; Wallacean shortfall. ]
Prognostic value of plasma pentraxin 3 levels in patients with septic shock admitted to intensive care

Objective To evaluate the usefulness of a new marker, pentraxin, as a prognostic marker in septic shock patients. Materials and methods Single-centre prospective observational study that included all consecutive patients 18 years or older who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with septic shock. Serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and pentraxin (PTX3) were measured on ICU admission. Results Seventy-five septic shock patients were included in the study. The best predictors of in-hospital mortality were the severity scores: SAPS II (AUC = 0.81), SOFA (AUC = 0.79) and APACHE II (AUC = 0.73). The ROC curve for PTX3 (ng/mL) yielded an AUC of 0.70, higher than the AUC for PCT (0.43) and CRP (0.48), but lower than lactate (0.79). Adding PTX3 to the logistic model increased the predictive capacity in relation to SAPS II, SOFA and APACHE II for in-hospital mortality (AUC 0.814, 0.795, and 0.741, respectively). In crude regression models, significant associations were found between in-hospital mortality and PTX3. This positive association increased after adjusting for age, sex and immunosuppression: adjusted OR T3 for PTX3 = 7.83, 95% CI 1.35–45.49, linear P trend = 0.024. Conclusion Our results support the prognostic value of a single determination of plasma PTX3 as a predictor of hospital mortality in septic shock patients.
The Impact of Polymer Size and Cleavability on the Intravenous Pharmacokinetics of PEG-Based Hyperbranched Polymers in Rats

A better understanding of the impact of molecular size and linkers is important for PEG-based hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) intended as tailored drug delivery vehicles. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of crosslinker chemistry (cleavable disulphide versus non-cleavable ethylene glycol methacrylate (EGDMA) linkers) and molecular weight within the expected size range for efficient renal elimination (22 vs. 48 kDa) on the intravenous pharmacokinetic and biodistribution properties of 89Zr-labelled HBPs in rats. All HBPs showed similar plasma pharmacokinetics over 72 h, despite differences in linker chemistry and size. A larger proportion of HBP with the cleavable linker was eliminated via the urine and faeces compared to a similar-sized HBP with the non-cleavable linker, while size had no impact on the proportion of the dose excreted. The higher molecular weight HBPs accumulated in organs of the mononuclear phagocyte system (liver and spleen) more avidly than the smaller HBP. These results suggest that HBPs within the 22 to 48 kDa size range show no differences in plasma pharmacokinetics, but distinct patterns of organ biodistribution and elimination are evident.
Kaolinite:Dimethylsulfoxide IntercalateA Theoretical Study

Three models of the kaolinite:dimethylsulfoxide intercalate with 25, 50, and 100% saturation of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) have been investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT, fully periodic approach). The analysis of interatomic distances was used to characterize interactions between DMSO molecules and kaolinite layers. It was found that the most dominant forces in the formation of stable intercalates are the hydrogen bonds formed between the sulfonyl oxygen atom and surface hydroxyl groups. Weak hydrogen bonds, formed between the methyl groups and oxygen atoms of both adjacent layers, play an important role in the final localization and stabilization of the DMSO molecule in the interlayer space. Very good agreement was obtained between calculated (13.0 and 15.2 kJ mol-1) and experimental (13.0 and 16.5 kJ mol-1) energetic barriers for the free rotations of both methyl groups of the intercalated DMSO molecule. The calculation of the reaction energy of the intercalation process has shown a rel.
Effect of chromium dopant towards the physical and chemical properties of vanadium phosphorus oxide Catalysts

0.1 wt%, 0.3 wt% and 0.5 wt% chromium-promoted VPO catalysts and unpromoted vanadyl pyrophosphate, VPO catalysts were synthesized via VOHPO4·1.5H2O precursor synthesis route. The samples were calcined in 0.75 % n-butane/air environment at 460°C for 24 hours and were denoted as BulkVPO, 0.1CrVPO, 0.3CrVPO and 0.5CrVPO. The physical and chemical properties were studied by XRD, BET, SEM-EDAX, redox titration and ICP-OES. Results from XRD analysis had found that the crystallite size of plane (2 0 4) had decreased from 111.3192 A to 95.5499 A. The specific surface area measured from BET analysis had shown increment from 8.76 m 2 g -1 to 27.32 m 2 g -1 as well with increasing promoter concentration. This corresponds to the XRD results that having decreasing crystallite size will mean having bigger specific surface area. Observation from SEM showed that all samples displayed plate-like crystals formed in rosette agglomerates. EDX study had detected the presence of vanadium and phosphorus in all VPO samples. The presence of chromium in increasing amount was detected in only the promoted samples. The average valence from redox titration was found to be ranging from 4.2326 to 4.7021. The average P/V obtained from ICP-OES was 1.28.
Barrier‐Type anodic films on aluminium in aqueous borate solutions: 1—Film density and stopping power of anodic alumina films for alpha particles

Stopping powers of an anodic film, formed on aluminium in aqueous ammonium pentaborate solution, have been measured experimentally for α particles, over the energy range 0.7–2.3 MeV. Comparison between the measured stopping powers and theoretically calculated values shows that Bragg's Rule may be applied, with reasonable accuracy (∼5%), to predict the stopping powers of anodic alumina. The density of the barrier-type film was determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy to be 3.10±0.15 × 103 kg m−3.
Bayesian Modeling for Epistasis Analysis Using Data-Driven Reversible Jump

We propose a procedure for modeling a phenotype using QTLs which estimate the additive and dominance effects of genotypes and epistasis. The estimation of the model is implemented through a Bayesian approach which uses the data-driven reversible jump (DDRJ) for multiple QTL mapping and model selection. We compare the DDRJ’s performance with the usual reversible jump (RJ), QTLBim, multiple interval mapping (MIM) and LASSO using real and simulated data sets. The DDRJ outperforms the available methods to estimate the number of QTLs in epistatic models and it identifies their locations in the genome, without increasing the number of false-positive QTLs in the considered data. Since QTL mapping is a regression model involving complex non-observable variables and their interactions, the model selection procedure proposed here is also useful in other areas of research. The application for identifying main and epistatic relevant QTLs to systolic blood pressure after salt intervention is our main motivation.
Preoperative Intranasal Decolonization with Topical Povidone-Iodine Antiseptic and the Incidence of Surgical Site Infection: A Review

Surgical site infection (SSI) occurs at the incisional site of a surgical procedure and usually involves the skin. The use of antibacterial courses to manage SSIs is still very challenging in clinical settings. When not used appropriately, antibacterial agents can lead to increased rates of adverse events. However, various antibacterial agents that can destroy the growth of bacteria are now available. This article aims to discuss the role of preoperative intranasal decolonization with topical povidone-iodine antiseptic in the incidence of SSI based on a review of the literature. Topical bactericidal agents can be administered intranasally before surgery to eliminate potentially harmful bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Therefore, a few studies have recommended the use of intranasal povidone-iodine solution in the clinical setting; however, it also appears to be a promising antiseptic regimen for preoperative decontamination in patients planned to undergo surgery. Povidone-iodine is a commonly used medical antiseptic agent that is used by surgeons to promote wound healing and prevent postoperative bacterial infections. Chlorhexidine gluconate is both an antiseptic and a disinfectant, which is used to clean the skin and surgical instruments. Our review of the literature on studies on the effectiveness of intranasal povidone-iodine in the reduction of intranasal bacterial colonization and the prevention of SSI identified only 5 controlled clinical studies. One study, however, showed increased effectiveness in preventing SSI when topical intranasal povidone-iodine was combined with the use of chlorhexidine gluconate washcloths. Further large-scale controlled clinical studies are needed before proper guidelines can be made.
Drug-Resistant Fungi: An Emerging Challenge Threatening Our Limited Antifungal Armamentarium

The high clinical mortality and economic burden posed by invasive fungal infections (IFIs), along with significant agricultural crop loss caused by various fungal species, has resulted in the widespread use of antifungal agents. Selective drug pressure, fungal attributes, and host- and drug-related factors have counteracted the efficacy of the limited systemic antifungal drugs and changed the epidemiological landscape of IFIs. Species belonging to Candida, Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, and Pneumocystis are among the fungal pathogens showing notable rates of antifungal resistance. Drug-resistant fungi from the environment are increasingly identified in clinical settings. Furthermore, we have a limited understanding of drug class-specific resistance mechanisms in emerging Candida species. The establishment of antifungal stewardship programs in both clinical and agricultural fields and the inclusion of species identification, antifungal susceptibility testing, and therapeutic drug monitoring practices in the clinic can minimize the emergence of drug-resistant fungi. New antifungal drugs featuring promising therapeutic profiles have great promise to treat drug-resistant fungi in the clinical setting. Mitigating antifungal tolerance, a prelude to the emergence of resistance, also requires the development of effective and fungal-specific adjuvants to be used in combination with systemic antifungals.
Expert consensus and perspectives on recovery following road traffic crashes: a Delphi study

Abstract Purpose To reach expert consensus on a definition for recovery following minor and moderate road traffic crash-related injuries and key factors that influence recovery, and to explore expert perspectives on risk identification methods. Materials and methods A three-round Delphi study was conducted in which 47 experts (insurance representatives, health care professionals and researchers) were consulted. Results Strong expert agreement (86%) was reached for the definition: “Recovery is multifaceted and includes return to activities of daily living (ADLs), work and social/leisure activities at pre-injury level or at a level deemed acceptable by the individual, with minimal ongoing pain and symptoms, considering physical and mental health and wellbeing”. Agreed key factors that influenced recovery included: resilience; coping skills; recovery expectations; pre-existing physical and mental health; workplace support; and, collaboration between the injured individual, treating providers and claim handlers. Expert perspectives on risk identification methods were mixed. Conclusions An accepted definition for recovery following minor and moderate road traffic crash-related injury was established, which could facilitate communication and engagement between different rehabilitation stakeholders. Strong consensus was achieved on nine key factors that influenced recovery. Further research is needed to evaluate whether injured persons agree with this definition and on the utility of risk identification methods. Implications for rehabilitation Expert consensus was established for a definition of recovery following minor and moderate road traffic crash-related injuries and nine key influencing factors. An established definition could facilitate communication and engagement between all rehabilitation stakeholders, which could improve the recovery process of the injured person. Rehabilitation professionals need to be familiar with the role of psychosocial factors, such as recovery expectations, resilience and coping skills, in the recovery process. The use of physical and psychological outcome measures at regular intervals could help to identify risk of poor recovery following minor and moderate road traffic crash-related injuries.
Anisotine and amarogentin as promising inhibitory candidates against SARS-CoV-2 proteins: a computational investigation

Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), presents an unprecedented challenge to global public health with researchers striving to find a possible therapeutic candidate that could limit the spread of the virus. In this context, the present study employed an in silico molecular interaction-based approach to estimate the inhibitory potential of the phytochemicals from ethnomedicinally relevant Indian plants including Justicia adhatoda, Ocimum sanctum and Swertia chirata, with reported antiviral activities against crucial SARS-CoV-2 proteins. SARS-CoV-2 proteins associated with host attachment and viral replication namely, spike protein, main protease enzyme Mpro and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) are promising druggable targets for COVID-19 therapeutic research. Extensive molecular docking of the phytocompounds at the binding pockets of the viral proteins revealed their promising inhibitory potential. Subsequent assessment of physicochemical features and potential toxicity of the compounds followed by robust molecular dynamics simulations and analysis of MM-PBSA energy scoring function revealed anisotine against SARS-CoV-2 spike and Mpro proteins and amarogentin against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp as potential inhibitors. It was interesting to note that these compounds displayed significantly higher binding energy scores against the respective SARS-CoV-2 proteins compared to the relevant drugs that are currently being targeted against them. Present research findings confer scopes to explore further the potential of these compounds in vitro and in vivo towards deployment as efficient SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors and development of novel effective therapeutics. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Rivaroxaban improves vascular response in LPS-induced acute inflammation in experimental models

Rivaroxaban (RVX) was suggested to possess anti-inflammatory and vascular tone modulatory effects. The goal of this study was to investigate whether RVX impacts lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute vascular inflammatory response. Male rats were treated with 5 mg/kg RVX (oral gavage) followed by 10 mg/kg LPS i.p injection. Circulating levels of IL-6, MCP-1, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 were measured in plasma 6 and 24 hours after LPS injection, while isolated aorta was used for gene expression analysis, immunohistochemistry, and vascular tone evaluation. RVX pre-treatment significantly reduced LPS mediated increase after 6h and 24h for IL-6 (4.4±2.2 and 2.8±1.7 fold), MCP-1 (1.4±1.5 and 1.3±1.4 fold) VCAM-1 (1.8±2.0 and 1.7±2.1 fold). A similar trend was observed in the aorta for iNOS (5.5±3.3 and 3.3±1.9 folds reduction, P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively), VCAM-1 (1.3±1.2 and 1.4±1.3 fold reduction, P<0.05), and MCP-1 (3.9±2.2 and 1.9±1.6 fold reduction, P<0.01). Moreover, RVX pre-treatment, improved LPS-induced PE contractile dysfunction in aortic rings (Control vs LPS, Emax reduction = 35.4 and 31.19%, P<0.001; Control vs LPS+RVX, Emax reduction = 10.83 and 11.48%, P>0.05, respectively), resulting in 24.5% and 19.7% change in maximal constriction in LPS and LPS+RVX respectively. These data indicate that RVX pre-treatment attenuates LPS-induced acute vascular inflammation and contractile dysfunction.
Wheelchair control for disabled patients using EMG/EOG based human machine interface: a review

Abstract The human-machine interface (HMI) and bio-signals have been used to control rehabilitation equipment and improve the lives of people with severe disabilities. This research depicts a review of electromyogram (EMG) or electrooculogram (EOG) signal-based control system for driving the wheelchair for disabled. For a paralysed person, EOG is one of the most useful signals that help to successfully communicate with the environment by using eye movements. In the case of amputation, the selection of muscles according to the distribution of power and frequency highly contributes to the specific motion of a wheelchair. Taking into account the day-to-day activities of persons with disabilities, both technologies are being used to design EMG or EOG based wheelchairs. This review paper examines a total of 70 EMG studies and 25 EOG studies published from 2000 to 2019. In addition, this paper covers current technologies used in wheelchair systems for signal capture, filtering, characterisation, and classification, including control commands such as left and right turns, forward and reverse motion, acceleration, deceleration, and wheelchair stop.
Feasibility and Effect of the Exergame BOOSTH Introduced to Improve Physical Activity and Health in Children: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Despite the well-known beneficial health effects of physical activity (PA), the majority of Dutch primary school children do not meet the recommended PA guidelines. Although there is growing evidence on the effectiveness of exergames for PA in children, there is limited evidence on their effect on health outcomes, such as cardiovascular health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and on factors influencing their effectiveness and feasibility. The exergame BOOSTH uses a wrist-worn activity tracker to measure steps per day. As a reward for the performed PA, children can unlock levels in the online BOOSTH game. In addition, “BOOSTH battle” enables competition between groups. Objective This protocol describes a cluster randomized controlled trial in 16 primary schools in the Netherlands investigating the effect of BOOSTH on moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) using accelerometry. Secondary aims are to investigate the feasibility of BOOSTH (mixed methods: questionnaires and focus group interviews) and its effect on cardiovascular risk factors (anthropometrics, blood pressure, and retinal microvasculature) and HRQOL. Methods Stratification variables and relevant variables related to outcomes (such as BMI [z-score], sex, age, and parenting style) and/or missingness will be taken into account. Measurements will be performed at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months. Results The study has received funding from Province Limburg (SAS-2015-04956) and received ethical approval from the Medical Ethics Committee of Maastricht University Medical Centre (METC172043/NL64324.068.17). The results of the analyses are expected to be published in 2021. Conclusions With this study, the ability of the exergame BOOSTH to increase PA and improve health in children of primary school age will be investigated. The insights into effectiveness and feasibility will result in scientific and societal recommendations, which could potentially contribute to widespread implementation of exergames for children. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03440580; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03440580. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/24035