Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical challenges in the diagnosis and assessment of sports-related concussion.

With growing concerns about long-term complications and expert consensus that premature return to play may increase the risk of adverse outcomes, there has been an increased emphasis on accurate diagnosis and a conservative management approach to concussion in sport.1 The diagnosis and clinical assessment of concussion, however, remains challenging. In addition to the variability in clinical presentation and the absence of a reliable direct biomarker of injury and recovery,2 the evolution of concussion symptoms is unpredictable, complicating the clinical assessment. While some athletes demonstrate the symptoms and signs of concussion immediately following impact, in many the symptoms evolve over minutes, and in some, over days. This is particularly common in younger athletes. Thus, concussion assessment performed too early, or using a single diagnostic modality, frequently fails to accurately diagnose concussion. Consequently, a multimodal approach is currently recommended for the assessment of concussion to maximize the sensitivity of the clinical evaluation.1
Maternal vaccination for the prevention of influenza: current status and hopes for the future

ABSTRACT Influenza is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among pregnant women and young infants, and influenza infection during pregnancy has also been associated with adverse obstetric and birth outcomes. There is substantial evidence – from randomized trials and observational studies – that maternal influenza immunization can protect pregnant women and their infants from influenza disease. In addition, there is compelling observational evidence that prevention of influenza in pregnant women can also protect against certain adverse pregnancy outcomes, including stillbirth and preterm birth. In this article we will review and evaluate the literature on both the burden of influenza disease in pregnant women and infants, as well as the multiple potential benefits of maternal influenza immunization for mother, fetus, and infant. We will also review key clinical aspects of maternal influenza immunization, as well as identify remaining knowledge gaps, and discuss avenues for future investigation.
Is the A-Chain the Engine That Drives the Diversity of C1q Functions? Revisiting Its Unique Structure

The immunopathological functions associated with human C1q are still growing in terms of novelty, diversity, and pathologic relevance. It is, therefore, not surprising that C1q is being recognized as an important molecular bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. The secret of this functional diversity, in turn, resides in the elegant but complex structure of the C1q molecule, which is assembled from three distinct gene products: A, B, and C, each of which has evolved from a separate and unique ancestral gene template. The C1q molecule is made up of 6A, 6B, and 6C polypeptide chains, which are held together through strong covalent and non-covalent bonds to form the 18-chain, bouquet-of-flower-like protein that we know today. The assembled C1q protein displays at least two distinct structural and functional regions: the collagen-like region (cC1q) and the globular head region (gC1q), each being capable of driving a diverse range of ligand- or receptor-mediated biological functions. What is most intriguing, however, is the observation that most of the functions appear to be predominantly driven by the A-chain of the molecule, which begs the question: what are the evolutionary modifications or rearrangements that singularly shaped the primordial A-chain gene to become a pluripotent and versatile component of the intact C1q molecule? Here, we revisit and discuss some of the known unique structural and functional features of the A-chain, which may have contributed to its versatility.
Fly Ash, Slag, Silica Fume, and Rice Husk Ash in Concrete: A Review

Environmental problems associated with waste product disposal, resource conservation considerations, and the cost of portland cement will demand the increasing use of of fly ash, slag, condensed silica fume and rice-husk ash in the production of cement and ready-mixed and precast concretes. This article discusses this issue, the properties and limitations of these materials, and the effects that this will have on concrete properties. It is noted that North American trends indicate preference for the separate batching of these materials at concrete-batching plants rather than the intergrinding with portland cement clinker at a cement plant. This, however, is not advised in developing countries. It is also noted that recent developments in chemical admixtures, especially the introduction of superplasticizers, will increasingly facilitate the incorporation of supplementary cementing materials in concrete. Technology transfer needs are also noted.
Geometric methods for microstructure rendition and atomic characterization of poly- and nano-crystalline materials

Polycrystalline materials of both coarse-grain and nanometer scales have complex topological structures with multi-dimensions, including vertices (zero dimension), triple junction lines (one dimension), interfaces or grain boundaries (two dimensions), and grain volumes (three dimensions). Collectively, they contribute to the properties that make these materials valuable for many applications. However, for both numerical modeling and theoretical analysis, connecting the microstructures quantitatively with the properties remains a challenge, due simply to their complexity and also limitations in direct probing of the microstructures at atomic scales in experiments. Without an accurate description of the microstructures, it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine quantitatively the factors and parameters of microstructures and their contributions to the properties. In this study, we present systematic methods, using a series of geometric constructions, to render microstructures in the polycrystalline materials and their characterization at atomic scales. We tested the methods in nanocrystalline (nc) copper using molecular dynamics simulation, as it is the only polycrystalline sample that could be handled at atomic scale. We present the first set of results of atomic scale characterization of the microstructure attributes, grain boundary profile, effects of misorientation, grain size and temperature on grain boundaries, and discuss further applications of the methods.
Clinical Significance of Reporting Benign-Appearing Endometrial Cells in Pap Tests in Women Aged 40 Years and Over

OBJECTIVE To determine the clinical significance of reporting benign-appearing endometrial cells on Pap tests from women > or = 40 years. STUDY DESIGN Pap tests from 149 women demonstrating cytologically benign endometrial cells with histologic follow-up within 12 months were included. Age, menopausal status, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) status, abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), number of children and information from subsequent endometrial sampling were recorded when available. RESULTS Of the total number of cases, 60.84% had no endometrial pathology (group 3), 35.66% presented with benign pathologic changes (group 2) and 3.50% demonstrated endometrial carcinoma (group 1). The average age for groups 1-3 was 51.40, 46.72 and 46.17 years, respectively. Overall, 13.99% were postmenopausal (13.79% of group 3, 9.80% of group 2 and 60.00% of group 1); 25.87% were known to use HRT (28.74% of group 3, 23.53% of group 2 and 0.00% of group 1) and 80.42% had AUB (75.86% of group 3, 86.27% of group 2 and 100.00% of group 1). CONCLUSION Benign-appearing endometrial cells in Pap tests from women > or = 40 years were associated with endometrial pathology in 39.16% of the cases, with 3.50% being carcinoma, demonstrating the efficacy of reporting their occurrence.
Cutting Edge: IL-2–Induced Expression of the Amino Acid Transporters SLC1A5 and CD98 Is a Prerequisite for NKG2D-Mediated Activation of Human NK Cells

Priming of human NK cells with IL-2 is necessary to render them functionally competent upon NKG2D engagement. We examined the underlying mechanisms that control NKG2D responsiveness in NK cells and found that IL-2 upregulates expression of the amino acid transporters SLC1A5 and CD98. Using specific inhibitors to block SLC1A5 and CD98 function, we found that production of IFN-γ and degranulation by CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells following NKG2D stimulation were dependent on both transporters. IL-2 priming increased the activity of mTORC1, and inhibition of mTORC1 abrogated the ability of the IL-2–primed NK cells to produce IFN-γ in response to NKG2D-mediated stimulation. This study identifies a series of IL-2–induced cellular changes that regulates the NKG2D responsiveness in human NK cells.
Draft Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli Strain M15-4, a Typical Enteropathogenic E. coli Strain Isolated in Mexico

ABSTRACT We present here the first draft genome sequence of a typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli serotype O55:H51 strain, M15-4, isolated from a 2-month-old infant girl with acute diarrhea. The study of this Mexican isolate will provide insights to the virulence and drug resistance traits involved in its pathogenic potential.
Vagal Recovery From Cognitive Challenge Moderates Age-Related Deficits in Executive Functioning

Decline in executive functioning (EF) is a hallmark of cognitive aging. We have previously reported that faster vagal recovery from cognitive challenge is associated with better EF. This study examined the association between vagal recovery from cognitive challenge and age-related differences in EF among 817 participants in the Midlife in the U.S. study (aged 35–86). Cardiac vagal control was measured as high-frequency heart rate variability. Vagal recovery moderated the association between age and EF (β = .811, p = .004). Secondary analyses revealed that older participants (aged 65–86) with faster vagal recovery had superior EF compared to their peers who had slower vagal recovery. In contrast, among younger (aged 35–54) and middle-aged (aged 55–64) participants, vagal recovery was not associated with EF. We conclude that faster vagal recovery from cognitive challenge is associated with reduced deficits in EF among older, but not younger individuals.
Synthesis of Large-Scale Single-Crystalline Monolayer WS2 Using a Semi-Sealed Method

As a two-dimensional semiconductor, WS2 has attracted great attention due to its rich physical properties and potential applications. However, it is still difficult to synthesize monolayer single-crystalline WS2 at larger scale. Here, we report the growth of large-scale triangular single-crystalline WS2 with a semi-sealed installation by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Through this method, triangular single-crystalline WS2 with an average length of more than 300 µm was obtained. The largest one was about 405 μm in length. WS2 triangles with different sizes and thicknesses were analyzed by optical microscope and atomic force microscope (AFM). Their optical properties were evaluated by Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. This report paves the way to fabricating large-scale single-crystalline monolayer WS2, which is useful for the growth of high-quality WS2 and its potential applications in the future.
Structure and Mechanical Properties of AlCrN Thin Films Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering

A magnetron sputtering system was used to deposit AlCrN thin films. Chemical compositions of the films were determined by both EDXS and RBS, while structures analyses were conducted by XRD in a Seifert XRD3000 diffractometer. Macroscopic residual stresses of films were determined by curvature measurements using DEKTAK IIA profilometer, while in-grain stresses were extracted by the “sin²Y method” from XRD measurements. A nanoindenter from CSM (Switzerland) was used to determine the hardness of the films. A CrN type FCC structure was obtained with a strong (200) fiber texture for the range of compositions Al1-xCrxNy (0.56 < x< 0.89) of interest here. The global stresses were compressive for all FCC films resulting from the high energetic deposition conditions used. In-grain compressive stresses were determined for the films with thickness < 500nm, while thicker films (> 500nm) showed tensile in-grain stresses. Stress-free lattice parameter a0 strongly decreased from 4.13 to 3.97 A°. Hardness values were obtained in a range extending from 17 to 27 GPa with an increase obtained as Cr content increases and correlated to the residual-stress level.
Physical activity and sedentary behavior of US immigrant versus non-immigrant adolescents: findings from the NEXT Generation Health Study data

ABSTRACT Objective: This study examined associations of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) with adolescents’ immigration status and language spoken at home and with friends. Methods: Participants (N = 2475) were included from Wave 1 of the NEXT Generation Health Study, a nationally representative 10th-grade cohort study starting in 2009. PA included recommended moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and vigorous PA (VPA); SB included screen viewing and social-media use. Linear and logistic regressions were conducted controlling for complex survey variables. Results: Adolescents with non US-born compared with US-born parents were less likely to engage in VPA (odds ratio = 0.60, p ≤ .05, 95% CI = 0.38–0.96). Parent country of origin and language spoken were not significantly associated with recommended MVPA engagement. None of screen viewing and social-media use was significantly associated with immigration status. Conclusions: Recent immigration status was negatively associated with adolescents’ PA documenting an important health disparity.
Significance of Epstein-Barr virus (HHV-4) and CMV (HHV-5) infection among subtype-C human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals.

PURPOSE Opportunistic viral infections are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in HIV infection and their molecular detection in the whole blood could be a useful diagnostic tool. OBJECTIVE The frequency of opportunistic DNA virus infections among HIV-1-infected individuals using multiplex real-time PCR assays was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS The subjects were in two groups; group 1: Having CD4 counts<100 cells/µl (n=118) and the group 2: counts>350 cells/µl (n=173). Individuals were classified by WHO clinical staging system. Samples from 70 healthy individuals were tested as controls. In-house qualitative multiplex real-time PCR was standardised and whole blood samples from 291 were tested, followed by quantitative real-time PCR for positives. In a proportion of samples genotypes of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and CMV were determined. RESULTS The two major viral infections observed were EBV and CMV. The univariate analysis of CMV load showed significant association with cryptococcal meningitis, oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL), CMV retinitis, CD4 counts and WHO staging (P<0.05) while the multivariate analysis showed an association with OHL (P=0.02) and WHO staging (P=0.05). Univariate analysis showed an association of EBV load with CD4 counts and WHO staging (P<0.05) and multivariate analysis had association only with CD4 counts. The CMV load was significantly associated with elevated SGPT and SGOT level (P<0.05) while the EBV had only with SGOT. CONCLUSION This study showed an association of EBV and CMV load with CD4+ T cell counts, WHO staging and elevated liver enzymes. These viral infections can accelerate HIV disease and multiplex real-time PCR can be used for the early detection. Genotype 1 and 2 of EBV and genotype gB1 and gB2 of CMV were the prevalent in the HIV-1 subtype C-infected south Indians.
Psychology and psychosomatic illness: reflections on theory and research methodology.

The term ‘denial’, as commonly used in respect to patients with psychosomatic disorders, implies that the widely observed absence of affect and fantasy, in such patients, is the result of psychological defense mechanisms. Careful observation of the mental functioning of those with psychosomatic disorders discloses a basic incapacity in patients with these illnesses to experience or express affect and related fantasies that is different from that seen in patients with psychoneuroses, in whom psychological defense mechanisms are clearly operating. It is suggested that the phenomena seen in psychosomatic patients are not primarily the result of psychodynamic conflicts but can be better understood in neurophysiological concepts, and that further understanding of psychosomatic processes is to be sought for in an increased knowledge of brain function.
UNDERSTANDING OF FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS RESULTS UNDER THE FRAMEWORK OF OXLEY'S MACHINING MODEL

ABSTRACT We introduce an accurate coupled thermo-mechanical finite element analysis (FEA) of machining using the Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) analysis capability of ABAQUS/Explicit. This analysis provides detailed information about the cutting forces, chip thickness, contact length, the extent of the primary and secondary shear zones as well as the distribution of strain, strain rate and temperature in the deformation zones. This information has to be viewed under the framework of an analytical model for it to lead to better understanding of the physics of machining. We use the best available analytical model, namely, Oxley's machining model, for this purpose and the FEA results are compared with the assumptions and predictions of Oxley's analysis. The strain rate in the primary shear zone, the hydrostatic pressure variation along the shear plane, the distribution of normal and shear stresses along the tool-chip interface and the shape of the secondary shear zone are the quantities compared. Due to the key role of temperature in the prediction of tool wear, the fraction of heat conducted away into the workpiece, the maximum temperature along the tool-chip interface and the maximum temperature along the flank face are also compared. The comparison reveals that Oxley's model captures the physics of machining quite well. However, some details such as the heat partition module and the assumptions on stress and temperature distribution at the tool-chip interface need to be revisited.
Current perspectives on the etiology and manifestation of the “silent” component of the Female Athlete Triad

The Female Athlete Triad (Triad) represents a syndrome of three interrelated conditions that originate from chronically inadequate energy intake to compensate for energy expenditure; this environment results in insufficient stored energy to maintain physiological processes, a condition known as low energy availability. The physiological adaptations associated with low energy availability, in turn, contribute to menstrual cycle disturbances. The downstream effects of both low energy availability and suppressed estrogen concentrations synergistically impair bone health, leading to low bone mineral density, compromised bone structure and microarchitecture, and ultimately, a decrease in bone strength. Unlike the other components of the Triad, poor bone health often does not have overt symptoms, and therefore develops silently, unbeknownst to the athlete. Compromised bone health among female athletes increases the risk of fracture throughout the lifespan, highlighting the long-term health consequences of the Triad. The purpose of this review is to examine the current state of Triad research related to the third component of the Triad, ie, poor bone health, in an effort to summarize what we know, what we are learning, and what remains unknown.
Nature-Based Tourism Elicits a Phenotypic Shift in the Coping Abilities of Fish

Nature-based tourism is gaining extensive popularity, increasing the intensity and frequency of human-wildlife contacts. As a consequence, behavioral and physiological alterations were observed in most exposed animals. However, while the majority of these studies investigated the effects of punctual exposure to tourists, the consequences of constant exposition to humans in the wild remains overlooked. This is an important gap considering the exponential interest for recreational outdoor activities. To infer long-term effects of intensive tourism, we capitalized on Odontostilbe pequira, a short-lived sedentary Tetra fish who spends its life close to humans, on which it feeds on dead skin. Hence, those fish are constantly exposed to tourists throughout their lifecycle. Here we provide an integrated picture of the whole phenomenon by investigating, for the first time, the expression of genes involved in stress response and neurogenesis, as well as behavioral and hormonal responses of animals consistently exposed to tourists. Gene expression of the mineralocorticoid (and cortisol) receptor (mr) and the neurogenic differentiation factor (NeuroD) were significantly higher in fish sampled in the touristic zone compared to those sampled in the control zone. Additionally, after a simulated stress in artificial and controlled conditions, those fish previously exposed to visitors produced more cortisol and presented increased behavioral signs of stress compared to their non-exposed conspecifics. Overall, nature-based tourism appeared to shift selection pressures, favoring a sensitive phenotype that does not thrive under natural conditions. The ecological implications of this change in coping style remain, nevertheless, an open question.
Heparanase regulates the M1 polarization of renal macrophages and their crosstalk with renal epithelial tubular cells after ischemia/reperfusion injury

Heparanase (HPSE) is part of the biologic network triggered by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, a complication of renal transplantation and acute kidney injury. During this period, the kidney or graft undergoes a process of macrophages recruitment and activation. HPSE may therefore control these biologic effects. We measured the ability of HPSE and its inhibitor, SST0001, to regulate macrophage polarization and the crosstalk between macrophages and HK‐2 renal tubular cells during in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Furthermore, we evaluated in vivo renal inflammation, macrophage polarization, and histologic changes in mice subjected to monolateral I/R and treated with SST0001 for 2 or 7 d. The in vitro experiments showed that HPSE sustained M1 macrophage polarization and modulated apoptosis, the release of damage associated molecular patterns in post‐H/R tubular cells, the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines, and the up‐regulation of TLRs on both epithelial cells and macrophages. HPSE also regulated M1 polarization induced by H/R‐injured tubular cells and the partial epithelial–mesenchymal transition of these epithelial cells by M1 macrophages. All these effects were prevented by inhibiting HPSE. Furthermore, the inhibition of HPSE in vivo reduced inflammation and M1 polarization in mice undergoing I/R injury, partially restored renal function and normal histology, and reduced apoptosis. These results show for the first time that HPSE regulates macrophage polarization as well as renal damage and repair after I/R. HPSE inhibitors could therefore provide a new pharmacologic approach to minimize acute kidney injury and to prevent the chronic profibrotic damages induced by I/R. —Masola, V. , Zaza, G. , Bellin, G. , Dall'Olmo, L. , Granata, S. , Vischini, G. , Secchi, M. F. , Lupo, A. , Gambaro, G. , Onisto, M. Heparanase regulates the M1 polarization of renal macrophages and their crosstalk with renal epithelial tubular cells after ischemia/reperfusion injury. FASEB J. 32, 742–756 (2018). www.fasebj. org