Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elemental Characterization of Leaded and Lead-Free Inorganic Primer Gunshot Residue Standards Using Single Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

This study describes the use of single particle inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (spICP-TOFMS) for the detection and classification of inorganic gunshot residue (IGSR) particles. To establish reliable multi-element criteria to classify IGSR particles, leaded and lead-free IGSR reference materials were analyzed, and the elemental compositions of the individual particles were quantified. The results suggest that expanded element compositions may be used to classify IGSR particles via spICP-TOFMS compared to those used in conventional IGSR analysis using scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). For spICP-TOFMS analysis of leaded IGSR particles, classification may be based on the presence of lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), and barium (Ba) just as in SEM-EDS; however, additional particle types, such as lead-copper (Pb–Cu) particles, contribute significantly (∼30%) to the leaded IGSR particle population. In lead-free IGSR particles, the dominate multi-metal particle composition found is titanium–zinc (Ti–Zn) with a conserved Zn:Ti ratio of 1.4:1, but other elements, such as copper (Cu), are also characteristic. In mixtures of the two IGSR reference materials, we were able to classify over 80% of the multi-metal particles detected with no false-positive particle-type assignments. With spICP-TOFMS, particles smaller than those typically measured by SEM-EDS are detected, with estimated median diameters for leaded and lead-free IGSR of 180 and 320 nm, respectively. Through measuring these smaller particles, up to ∼two times more particles per mL are recorded by spICP-TOFMS compared to that found by SEM-EDS. Overall, high-sensitivity and high-throughput analysis using spICP-TOFMS enables quantitative, rapid multi-elemental characterization, and classification of individual IGSR particles. Graphical Abstract This is a visual representation of the abstract.
Regional Four-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation in a Quasi-Operational Forecasting Environment

Abstract Four-dimensional variational data assimilation is applied to a regional forecast model as part of the development of a new data assimilation system at the National Meteorological Center (NMC). The assimilation employs an operational version of the NMC's new regional forecast model defined in eta vertical coordinates, and data used are operationally produced optimal interpolation (OI) analyses (using the first guess from the NMC's global spectral model), available every 3 h. Humidity and parameterized processes are not included in the adjoint model integration. The calculation of gradients by the adjoint model is approximate since the forecast model is used in its full-physics operational form. All experiments are over a 12-h assimilation period with subsequent 48-h forecast. Three different types of assimilation experiments are performed: adjustment of initial conditions only (standard “adjoint” approach), adjustment of a correction to the model equations only (variational continuous assimilation.
Impact of elexacaftor–tezacaftor–ivacaftor on bacterial colonization and inflammatory responses in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multisystem disease with progressive deterioration. Recently, CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies were introduced that repair underlying protein defects. Objective of this study was to determine the impact of elexacaftor–tezacaftor–ivacaftor (ETI) on clinical parameters and inflammatory responses in people with CF (pwCF).
Automatic Detection of Twitter Users Who Express Chronic Stress Experiences via Supervised Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing

Americans bear a high chronic stress burden, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although social media have many strengths to complement the weaknesses of conventional stress measures, including surveys, they have been rarely utilized to detect individuals self-reporting chronic stress. Thus, this study aimed to develop and evaluate an automatic system on Twitter to identify users who have self-reported chronic stress experiences. Using the Twitter public streaming application programming interface, we collected tweets containing certain stress-related keywords (eg, “chronic,” “constant,” “stress”) and then filtered the data using pre-defined text patterns. We manually annotated tweets with (without) self-report of chronic stress as positive (negative). We trained multiple classifiers and tested them via accuracy and F1 score. We annotated 4195 tweets (1560 positives, 2635 negatives), achieving an inter-annotator agreement of 0.83 (Cohen's kappa). The classifier based on Bidirectional Encoder Representation from Transformers performed the best (accuracy of 83.6% [81.0-86.1]), outperforming the second best-performing classifier (support vector machines: 76.4% [73.5-79.3]). The past tweets from the authors of positive tweets contained useful information, including sources and health impacts of chronic stress. Our study demonstrates that users' self-reported chronic stress experiences can be automatically identified on Twitter, which has a high potential for surveillance and large-scale intervention.
Toward a large telescope facility for submm/FIR astronomy at Dome C

Submillimetre astronomy is the prime technique to unveil the birth and early evolution of stars and galaxies in the local and distant Universe. Preliminary meteorological studies and atmospheric transmission models tend to demonstrate that Dome C might offer atmosphere conditions that open the 200-μm atmospheric windows, and could potentially be a site for a large ground-based telescope facility. However, Antarctic climate conditions might also severely impact and deform any telescope mirror and hardware. We present prerequisite conditions and their associate experiments for defining a large telescope facility for submillimetre astronomy at Dome C: (1) Whether the submm/THz atmospheric windows open from 200 μm during a large and stable fraction of time; (2) The knowledge of thermal gradient and (3) icing formation and their impact on a telescope mirror and hardware. This paper will present preliminary results on current experiments that measure icing, thermal gradient and sky opacity at Dome C. We finally discuss a possible roadmap toward the deployment of a large telescope facility at Dome C.
Sex or Socialization? Replicating Heterosexual Couples’ Gender Differences in the Association between Orgasm and Satisfaction in Same-Gender/Sex Couples

ABSTRACT Orgasm is commonly considered an important aspect of sexual activity. The current study sought to replicate and extend prior work by examining gender/sex differences in the association between orgasm and satisfaction in a sample of same-gender/sex couples. We also examined how desire for an orgasm moderated this association. Although prior research found a curvilinear association between orgasm and satisfaction for heterosexual women (but not men), we found that orgasm curvilinearly predicted relationship and sexual satisfaction across genders/sexes, indicating more frequent orgasm was associated with higher satisfaction only to an extent for all individuals in our sample. We also found that when desire for orgasm was high, orgasm was associated with higher relationship and sexual satisfaction than when desire was low, suggesting that desire for orgasm may differentially affect how orgasm is related to satisfaction. We discuss our findings in terms of sexual scripting theory, contextualizing our results by considering the socially constructed nature of sexuality and how sexual scripts may vary across individuals with different sexual and gender identities.
The effectiveness of third wave cognitive behavioural therapies for children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract Objectives Third wave cognitive behavioural therapies are increasingly used with children and adolescents. This meta‐analysis aimed to determine the effectiveness of four third‐wave interventions (acceptance and commitment therapy, compassion focused therapy, mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy, and metacognitive therapy) for youth. Methods Four electronic databases were used to identify randomized controlled trials, which tested effects related to health, well‐being and functioning. Sensitivity analyses considering study quality were conducted and moderators were explored. Results The results based on 50 RCTs meeting inclusion criteria indicated emotional symptoms/internalizing problems (g = −.68, 95% CI −.98 to −.37, k = 43, N = 3265), behavioural difficulties/externalizing problems (g = −.62, 95% CI −1.01 to −.22, k = 23, N = 1659), interference from difficulties (g = −.46, 95% CI −.87 to −.05, k = 21, N = 1786), third wave processes (g = .39, 95% CI .17 to .62, k = 22, N = 1900), wellbeing/flourishing (g = .76, 95% CI .35 to 1.17, k = 21, N = 1303) and physical health/pain (g = .72, 95% CI .01 to 1.44, k = 9, N = 1171) yielded significant effects. Effect for quality of life (g = .62, 95% CI −.08 to 1.31, k = 12, N = 1271) was non‐significant. When analysing only those studies rated moderate‐high quality, third wave interventions yielded significant superiority effects compared to controls for emotional symptoms/internalizing problems (g = −.55, 95% CI −.82 to −.27, k = 28, N = 2110), interference from difficulties (g = −.48, 95% CI −.90 to −.05, k = 21, N = 1605), third wave processes (g = .27, 95% CI .11 to .43, k = 18, N = 1692), well‐being/flourishing (g = .50, 95% CI .18 to .81, k = 16, N = 1063), and quality of life (g = .32, 95% CI .04 to .60, k = 10, N = 1212). Behavioural difficulties/externalizing problems (g = −.38, 95% CI −.86 to .10, k = 15, N = 1351) and physical health/pain (g = .52, 95% CI −.14 to 1.17, k = 8, N = 1139) ceased to be significant. Widespread heterogeneity raised concerns about generalizability and follow‐up data was relatively sparse. Conclusions This meta‐analysis finds promising results for use of third wave CBT with youth, though the review has limitations.
Selective Enrichment of Nitrososphaera viennensis-Like Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea over Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria from Drinking Water Biofilms

Chloramination has been known to increase the risk of nitrification episodes in DWDS due to the presence of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. Among them, AOB are more frequently detected than AOA. ABSTRACT Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) can oxidize ammonia to nitrite for energy gain. They have been detected in chloraminated drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) along with the more common ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). To date, no members of the AOA have been isolated or enriched from drinking water environments. To begin the investigation of the role of AOA in chloraminated DWDS, we developed a selective approach using biofilm samples from a full-scale operational network as inoculum. A Nitrososphaera viennensis-like AOA taxon was enriched from a mixed community that also included Nitrosomonas-like AOB while gradually scaling up the culture volume. Dimethylthiourea (DMTU) and pyruvate at 100 μM were added to promote the growth of AOA while inhibiting AOB. This resulted in the eventual washout of AOB, while NOB were absent after 2 or 3 rounds of amendment with 24 μM sodium azide. The relative abundance of AOA in the enrichment increased from 0.2% to 39.5% after adding DMTU and pyruvate, and further to 51.6% after filtration through a 0.45-μm pore size membrane, within a period of approximately 6 months. IMPORTANCE Chloramination has been known to increase the risk of nitrification episodes in DWDS due to the presence of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. Among them, AOB are more frequently detected than AOA. All publicly available cultures of AOA have been isolated from soil, marine or surface water environments, meaning they are allochthonous to DWDS. Hence, monochloramine exposure studies involving these strains may not accurately reflect their role in DWDS. The described method allows for the rapid enrichment of autochthonous AOA from drinking water nitrifying communities. The high relative abundance of AOA in the resulting enrichment culture reduces any confounding effects of co-existing heterotrophic bacteria when investigating the response of AOA to varied levels of monochloramine in drinking water.
Theory & Methods: Fisher’s Information on the Correlation Coefficient in Bivariate Logistic Models

From a theoretical perspective, the paper considers the properties of the maximum likelihood estimator of the correlation coefficient, principally regarding precision, in various types of bivariate model which are popular in the applied literature. The models are: ‘Full‐Full’, in which both variables are fully observed; ‘Censored‐Censored’, in which both of the variables are censored at zero; and finally, ‘Binary‐Binary’, in which both variables are observed only in sign. For analytical convenience, the underlying bivariate distribution which is assumed in each of these cases is the bivariate logistic. A central issue is the extent to which censoring reduces the level of Fisher’s information pertaining to the correlation coefficient, and therefore reduces the precision with which this important parameter can be estimated.
Genetic analysis and physiological relationships of drought response in fennel: Interaction with mating system

The consequences of water deficit and its interaction with pollination system (deliberate selfing compared with open-pollination) on physiological, agronomic and phytochemical traits are not understood in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). A research was started by creating selfed (S1) and half-sib (HS) families on a fennel germplasm in 2018. Populations were studied in the field, applying a normal and a water deficit condition during two years (2019–2020). Considerable genotypic variation was observed within S1 and HS families for all of the evaluated traits, demonstrating that selection for these traits would be successful. Consequences of water deficit were manifested as declined most of the traits; and significantly increased essential oil content, harvest index, and proline content, in both populations. Mandatory selfing reduced the performance of genotypes for most of the traits confirming the existence of inbreeding depression (ID) with higher values for plant dry weight, seed yield, essential oil content, and number of umbelets per umbel. In S1 population, some of the studied traits had higher heritability estimates under normal condition and some of them showed higher heritability under water deficit. Positive relationship between GCA and STI in OP population indicated that it is possible to identify genotypes having high values of combining ability and drought tolerance. Results of the present study suggest that physiological traits cannot be used as an indicator to distinguish drought-tolerant genotypes in S1 progenies, whereas in OP progenies Chl a, Chl b, TChl, CAR, PRO, and RWC, which had significant correlations with drought tolerance, may be used for this purpose. Based on the results contrasting genotypes were identified, which can be used to develop mapping populations for genome studies of drought tolerance and physiological traits of this species in future studies.
Detection of Antimalarial Resistance-Associated Mutations in Plasmodium falciparum via a Platform of Allele-Specific PCR Combined with a Gold Nanoparticle-Based Lateral Flow Assay

Rapid detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is essential for malaria treatment. Based on the techniques of allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) and lateral flow assay (LFA), an accurate and powerful platform for SNP detection of pfmdr1 was developed and evaluated with plasmid and clinical isolates. It offers a useful tool to identify antimalarial drug resistance and can support the effort to eliminate malaria globally. ABSTRACT Since single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have attracted attention, there have been many explorations and improvements in screening and detection methods for SNPs. Traditional methods are complex and time-consuming and rely on expensive instruments. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a low-cost, simple, and accurate method that is convenient for use in resource-poor areas. Thus, a platform based on allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) and a gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow assay (LFA) was developed, optimized, and used to detect the SNPs of the drug resistance gene pfmdr1. Subsequently, the system was assessed on clinical isolates and compared with nested PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. The sensitivity and specificity of the AS-PCR-LFA platform were up to 99.43% and 100%, respectively, based on the clinical isolates. The limit of detection is approximately 150 fg/μL for plasmid DNA as the template and 50 parasites/μL for dried filter blood spots from clinical isolates. The established and optimized AS-PCR-LFA system is more adaptable and rapidly translated to SNP analysis of other drug resistance genes and genetic diseases. In addition, while actively responding to the point-of-care testing policy, it also contributes to the Global Malaria Eradication Program. IMPORTANCE Rapid detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is essential for malaria treatment. Based on the techniques of allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) and lateral flow assay (LFA), an accurate and powerful platform for SNP detection of pfmdr1 was developed and evaluated with plasmid and clinical isolates. It offers a useful tool to identify antimalarial drug resistance and can support the effort to eliminate malaria globally.
The deletion of HK-1 gene affects the bacterial virulence of Pseudomonas stutzeri LH-42

Two-component systems (TCSs) are widespread regulatory systems in bacteria, which control cellular functions and play an important role in sensing various external stimuli and regulating gene expression in response to environmental changes. Among the nineteen genes for the two-component system found in the whole genome of Pseudomonas stutzeri LH-42, one of the TCS coded by the HK-1 gene, has a structural domain similar to the HAMP domain, which plays an important role in regulating bacterial virulence in other bacteria. In this study, the deletion mutant LH-42△HK-1 was successfully constructed using the lambda Red recombinase system. Compared with the wild-type strain, the mutant strain LH-42△HK-1 showed a significantly slower growth time and a longer stationary phase time. In addition, in the plate bacteriostatic experiment with Escherichia coli DH5α as an indicator strain, the inhibition zone size of the mutant strain showed significantly less than the wild-type strain(P<0.05), indicating that the virulence of the mutant strain was significantly reduced compared with the wild-type strain. Overall, the results indicate that the deletion of the gene HK-1 decreased bacterial virulence in Pseudomonas stutzeri LH-42.
A nonparametric simultaneous confidence band for biomarker effect on the restricted mean survival time

Study of prognostic and predictive biomarkers plays an important role in the design and analysis of clinical trials. The Cox proportional hazards model is often used to study the biomarker main effect and the treatment‐biomarker interaction effect for survival data. The estimated effects can be biased if the proportional hazards assumption is violated. The restricted mean survival time is becoming popular in clinical studies for having a clear intuitive interpretation. In this article, we first propose nonparametric methods to make statistical inference for the one‐sample problem of the biomarker effect on the restricted mean survival time; we then extend the methods to the two‐sample problem for studying the difference in the biomarker effects between treatment groups in clinical trials. For a given biomarker, the restricted mean survival time is estimated by kernel smoothing methods with the inverse probability of censoring weights. We prove the consistency for the estimates and develop simultaneous confidence bands for the biomarker effects on the restricted mean survival time. The simultaneous confidence bands are evaluated in extensive simulation studies and are found to have good finite sample performance. We then apply the proposed methods to a breast cancer study conducted by the Breast International Group (BIG) to illustrate how the Ki67 biomarker, a protein marker of cell proliferation, affects the survival time of patients, compared between the treatment groups.
Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Living Alone Associations With Mortality Risk in Individuals Living With Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of associations between loneliness, social isolation, and living alone and risk of mortality among individuals with established cardiovascular disease. Methods Five electronic databases were searched (MEDLINE [Ovid], PsycINFO, EMBASE, PubMed, and SCOPUS) from inception to November 25, 2021. In all, 35 studies were included in a narrative synthesis and, where appropriate, a meta-analytic evaluation using a random-effects model. Results Living alone was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality (k = 15, n = 80,243, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20–1.83, I2 = 83%), and meta-regressions found that the effects were stronger in studies from Europe and with longer follow-up. However, there was evidence of publication bias. Social isolation was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, measured both as a dichotomous variable (k = 3, n = 2648, HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.08–2.04, I2 = 31%) and as a continuous variable (k = 5, n = 2388, HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.02–1.24, I2 = 51%). Meta-analysis was not feasible for loneliness as exposure, but narrative synthesis of four studies suggested a tentative association between loneliness and increased risk of all-cause mortality. Conclusions Supporting public health concerns, our review finds that loneliness, social isolation, and living alone are associated with premature mortality among individuals with established cardiovascular disease. However, evidence of publication bias and large methodological differences across studies point to the need for more rigorous research.
Human T cells recognize HLA-DP–bound peptides in two orientations

Significance Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) present peptides to T cells, thereby allowing them to recognize pathogen-infected and cancer cells. Conventionally, it was thought that peptides bind to HLA molecules in a conserved N- to C-terminal orientation. Here, we demonstrate that peptides in HLA-DP can also bind in a reverse C- to N-terminal orientation and show recognition of such reverse peptides by virus-specific human T cells from the memory repertoire. We provide the molecular basis for reverse binding by a high-resolution HLA–peptide crystal structure. Our findings have impact on our basic understanding of how peptides bind to HLA molecules and expand the identification of novel peptides recognized by T cells, which will help improving treatment of viral infections and cancers.