Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rating and ranking preparedness characteristics important for veterinary workplace clinical training: a novel application of pairwise comparisons and the Elo algorithm

Quantitatively eliciting perspectives about a large number of similar entities (such as a list of competences) is a challenge for researchers in health professions education (HPE). Traditional survey methods may include using Likert items. However, a Likert item approach that generates absolute ratings of the entities may suffer from the “ceiling effect,” as ratings cluster at one end of the scale. This impacts on researchers’ ability to detect differences in ratings between the entities themselves and between respondent groups. This paper describes the use of pairwise comparison (this or that? ) questions and a novel application of the Elo algorithm to generate relative ratings and rankings of a large number of entities, on a unidimensional scale. A study assessing the relative importance of 91 student “preparedness characteristics” for veterinary workplace clinical training (WCT) is presented as an example of this method in action. The Elo algorithm uses pairwise comparison responses to generate an importance rating for each preparedness characteristic on a scale from zero to one. This is continuous data with measurement variability which, by definition, spans an entire spectrum and is not susceptible to the ceiling effect. The output should allow for the detection of differences in perspectives between groups of survey respondents (such as students and workplace supervisors) which Likert ratings may be insensitive to. Additional advantages of the pairwise comparisons are their low susceptibility to systematic bias and measurement error, they can be quicker and arguably more engaging to complete than Likert items, and they should carry a low cognitive load for respondents. Methods for evaluating the validity and reliability of this survey design are also described. This paper presents a method that holds great potential for a diverse range of applications in HPE research. In the pursuit quantifying perspectives on survey items which are measured on a relative basis and a unidimensional scale (e.g., importance, priority, probability), this method is likely to be a valuable option.
POD-based reduced-order modeling study for thermal analysis of gas-cooled microreactor core

Small modular reactors require multi-physics coupling calculations to balance economy and stability, due to their compact structures. Traditional tools used for light water reactors are not effective in addressing the several modeling challenges posed by these calculations. The lumped parameter method is commonly used in the thermal analysis for its high computational speed, but it lacks accuracy due to the thermal model is one-dimensional. While computational fluid dynamics software (CFD) can provide high-precision and high-resolution thermal analysis, its low calculation efficiency making it challenging to be coupled with other programs. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) is one of the Reduced Order Model (ROM) methods employed in this study to reduce the dimensionality of sample data and to improve the thermal modelling of gas-cooled microreactors. In this work, a non-inclusive POD with neural network method is proposed and verified using a transient heat conduction model for a two-dimensional plate. The method is then applied to build a reduced order model of the gas-cooled micro-reactor core for rapid thermal analysis. The results show that the root mean square error of the reactor core temperature is less than 1.02% and the absolute error is less than 8.2°C while the computational cost is reduced by several orders of magnitude, shortening the calculation time from 1.5-hour to real-time display. These findings proved the feasibility of using POD and neural network in the development of ROMs for gas-cooled microreactor, providing a novel approach for achieving precise thermal calculation with minimized computational costs.
Understanding post-surgical decline in left ventricular function in primary mitral regurgitation using regression and machine learning models

Background Class I echocardiographic guidelines in primary mitral regurgitation (PMR) risks left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50% after mitral valve surgery even with pre-surgical LVEF > 60%. There are no models predicting LVEF < 50% after surgery in the complex interplay of increased preload and facilitated ejection in PMR using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Objective Use regression and machine learning models to identify a combination of CMR LV remodeling and function parameters that predict LVEF < 50% after mitral valve surgery. Methods CMR with tissue tagging was performed in 51 pre-surgery PMR patients (median CMR LVEF 64%), 49 asymptomatic (median CMR LVEF 63%), and age-matched controls (median CMR LVEF 64%). To predict post-surgery LVEF < 50%, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and support vector machine (SVM) were developed and validated in pre-surgery PMR patients. Recursive feature elimination and LASSO reduced the number of features and model complexity. Data was split and tested 100 times and models were evaluated via stratified cross validation to avoid overfitting. The final RF model was tested in asymptomatic PMR patients to predict post-surgical LVEF < 50% if they had gone to mitral valve surgery. Results Thirteen pre-surgery PMR had LVEF < 50% after mitral valve surgery. In addition to LVEF (P = 0.005) and LVESD (P = 0.13), LV sphericity index (P = 0.047) and LV mid systolic circumferential strain rate (P = 0.024) were predictors of post-surgery LVEF < 50%. Using these four parameters, logistic regression achieved 77.92% classification accuracy while RF improved the accuracy to 86.17%. This final RF model was applied to asymptomatic PMR and predicted 14 (28.57%) out of 49 would have post-surgery LVEF < 50% if they had mitral valve surgery. Conclusions These preliminary findings call for a longitudinal study to determine whether LV sphericity index and circumferential strain rate, or other combination of parameters, accurately predict post-surgical LVEF in PMR.
Explanation of near-death experiences: a systematic analysis of case reports and qualitative research

Background and objective Some individuals report a near-death experience (NDE) after a life-threatening crisis, which refers to a range of subjective experiences related to impending death. This experience is a phenomenon with transcendental elements, which leads to deep permanent changes in both the individual and the social lives of the NDEr's. Therefore, this study aims to review the near-death experiences of individuals with different religious and cultural views. Methodology This is a systematic analysis study. All the case report, case series and qualitative research studies which presented patients' NDE experiences were included in the study, without language restrictions, and in the period of 1980–2022. The stages of screening, selection, data extraction, and quality assessment have been gone through by two of the researchers. Data analysis and synthesis has been done qualitatively. JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. Findings After the initial search, 2,407 studies were included, 54 of which underwent final examination. The total number of the NDEr's in the studies was 465 men, women, and children. Among these studies, 27 were case reports, 20 were case series, and 7 were qualitative studies. Near-death experiences have been categorized into 4 main categories and 19 subcategories. The main categories include emotional experiences (2 subcategories), cognitive experiences (4 subcategories), spiritual and religious experiences (4 subcategories), and supernatural experiences [9 subcategories in two categories (out of body experiences, and supernatural and metaphysical perceptions)]. Conclusion The most frequent near-death experiences were supernatural experiences, especially the experience of leaving the body. The basis and the content of the patterns mentioned by the NDEr's are similar, and the differences are in the explanation and the interpretation of the experience. There is a common core among them such as out-of-body experiences, passing through a tunnel, heightened senses, etc. Therefore, correct knowledge of near-death experiences leads to providing helpful answers to patients.
Vector competence evaluation of mosquitoes for Tahyna virus PJ01 strain, a new Orthobunyavirus in China

Introduction Tahyna virus (TAHV), an arbovirus of the genus Orthobunyavirus, is a cause of human diseases and less studied worldwide. In this study, a new strain of TAHV was isolated from Aedes sp. mosquitoes collected in Panjin city, Liaoning province. However, the competent vector of TAHV in China is still unknown. Methods The genome of newly isolated TAHV was sequenced and phylogenetic analysis is performed. Aedes albopictus and Culex pipiens pallens were orally infected with artificial virus blood meals (1:1 of virus suspension and mouse blood), the virus was detected in the midgut, ovary, salivary gland and saliva of the mosquitoes. Then, the transmission and dissemination rates, vertical transmission and horizontal transmission of the virus by the mosquitoes were assessed. Results Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the virus shared high similarity with TAHV and was named the TAHV PJ01 strain. After oral infection with virus blood meals, Ae. albopictus showed positive for the virus in all tested tissues with an extrinsic incubation period of 2 days and a fluctuating increasement of transmission and dissemination rates. Whereas no virus was detected in the saliva of Cx. pipiens pallens. Suckling mice bitten by infectious Ae. albopictus developed obvious neurological symptoms, including inactivity, hind-leg paralysis and difficulty turning over, when the virus titer reached 1.70×105 PFU/mL in the brain. Moreover, TAHV was detected in the eggs, larvae and adults of F1 offspring of Ae. albopictus. Discussion Ae. albopictus is an efficient vector to transmit TAHV but Cx. pipiens pallens is not. Ae. albopictus is also a reservoir host that transmits the virus vertically, which further increases the risk of outbreaks. This study has important epidemiological implications for the surveillance of pathogenic viruses in China and guiding comprehensive vector control strategies to counteract potential outbreaks in future.
Clinical and histopathological responses to bee venom phonophoresis in treating venous and diabetic ulcers: a single-blind randomized controlled trial

Introduction Chronic venous and diabetic ulcers are hard to treat that cause patients long time of suffering as well as significant healthcare and financial costs. Purpose The conducted study was to evaluate the efficacy of bee venom (BV) phonophoresis on the healing of chronic unhealed venous and/or diabetic foot ulcers Also, to compare the healing rate of diabetic and venous ulcers. Methodology The study included 100 patients (71 males and 29 females) with an age range of 40-60 years' old who had chronic unhealed venous leg ulcers of grade I, grade II, or diabetic foot ulcers with type II diabetes mellitus. They randomly assigned into four equal groups of 25: Group A (diabetic foot ulcer study group) and group C (venous ulcer study group) who both received conservative treatment of medical ulcer care and phonophoresis with BV gel, in addition to group B (diabetic foot ulcer control group) and group D (venous ulcer control group) who both received conservative treatment of medical ulcer care and received ultrasound sessions only without BV gel. Wound surface area (WSA) and ulcer volume measurement (UVM) were used to assess the ulcer healing pre-application (P0), post-6 weeks of treatment (P1), and after 12 weeks of treatment (P2). In addition to Ki-67 immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the cell proliferative in the granulation tissue of ulcers pre-application (P0) and after 12 weeks of treatment (P2) for all groups. Results This research revealed a statistical significance improvement (p ≤ 0.0) in the WSA, and UVM with no significant difference between study groups after treatment. Regarding Ki-67 immunohistochemistry showed higher post treatment values in the venous ulcer group in comparison to the diabetic foot ulcer group. Conclusion Bee venom (BV) provided by phonophoresis is effective adjuvant treatment in accelerating venous and diabetic foot ulcer healing with higher proliferative effect on venous ulcer. Clinical trial registration www.ClinicalTrials. gov, identifier: NCT05285930.
A strategy for high antibody expression with low anti-drug antibodies using AAV9 vectors

Introduction Use of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors is complicated by host immune responses that can limit transgene expression. Recent clinical trials using AAV vectors to deliver HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) by intramuscular administration resulted in poor expression with anti-drug antibodies (ADA) responses against the bNAb. Methods Here we compared the expression of, and ADA responses against, an anti-SIV antibody ITS01 when delivered by five different AAV capsids. We first evaluated ITS01 expression from AAV vectors three different 2A peptides. Rhesus macaques were selected for the study based on preexisiting neutralizing antibodies by evaluating serum samples in a neutralization assay against the five capsids used in the study. Macaques were intramuscularly administered AAV vectors at a 2.5x10^12 vg/kg over eight administration sites. ITS01 concentrations and anti-drug antibodies (ADA) were measured by ELISA and a neutralization assay was conducted to confirm ex vivo antibody potency. Results We observed that ITS01 expressed three-fold more efficiently in mice from AAV vectors in which heavy and light-chain genes were separated by a P2A ribosomal skipping peptide, compared with those bearing F2A or T2A peptides. We then measured the preexisting neutralizing antibody responses against three traditional AAV capsids in 360 rhesus macaques and observed that 8%, 16%, and 42% were seronegative for AAV1, AAV8, and AAV9, respectively. Finally, we compared ITS01 expression in seronegative macaques intramuscularly transduced with AAV1, AAV8, or AAV9, or with the synthetic capsids AAV-NP22 or AAV-KP1. We observed at 30 weeks after administration that AAV9- and AAV1-delivered vectors expressed the highest concentrations of ITS01 (224 µg/mL, n=5, and 216 µg/mL, n=3, respectively). The remaining groups expressed an average of 35-73 µg/mL. Notably, ADA responses against ITS01 were observed in six of the 19 animals. Lastly, we demonstrated that the expressed ITS01 retained its neutralizing activity with nearly the same potency of purified recombinant protein. Discussion Overall, these data suggest that the AAV9 capsid is a suitable choice for intramuscular expression of antibodies in nonhuman primates.
Alleviation of DSS-induced colitis in mice by a new-isolated Lactobacillus acidophilus C4

Introduction Probiotic is adjuvant therapy for traditional drug treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). In the present study, Lactobacillus acidophilus C4 with high acid and bile salt resistance has been isolated and screened, and the beneficial effect of L. acidophilus C4 on Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice has been evaluated. Our data showed that oral administration of L. acidophilus C4 remarkably alleviated colitis symptoms in mice and minimized colon tissue damage. Methods To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we have investigated the levels of inflammatory cytokines and intestinal tight junction (TJ) related proteins (occludin and ZO-1) in colon tissue, as well as the intestinal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces. Results Compared to the DSS group, the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in L. acidophilus C4 group were reduced, while the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) were found to be elevated. In addition, proteins linked to TJ were elevated after L. acidophilus C4 intervention. Further study revealed that L. acidophilus C4 reversed the decrease in intestinal microbiota diversity caused by colitis and promoted the levels of SCFAs. Discussion This study demonstrate that L. acidophilus C4 effectively alleviated DSS-induced colitis in mice by repairing the mucosal barrier and maintaining the intestinal microecological balance. L. acidophilus C4 could be of great potential for colitis therapy.
Are inflammatory bowel diseases associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 susceptibility and severity? A two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Background: Due to inconsistent findings in observational studies regarding the relationship between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), and COVID-19, our objective is to explore a potential causative correlation between IBD and COVID-19 susceptibility and its severity using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: Using summary data from genome-wide association studies, IBD, including UC and CD, were used as exposure instruments, while COVID-19 susceptibility, hospitalization, and very severe illness were employed as the outcome. The five analysis methods were adopted to evaluate the causal relationship between two diseases, with the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method being the most important. Also, sensitivity analyses were done to make sure that the main results of the MR analyses were reliable. Results: In the analysis using five methods, all p-values were higher than 0.05. There was no association between IBD and COVID-19 susceptibility, hospitalization, and severity in our MR study. The random-effect model was applied due to the existence of heterogeneity. MR-Egger regression revealed no indication of directional pleiotropy, and sensitivity analysis revealed similar relationships. Conclusion: This MR study found no evidence to support that IBD (which includes UC and CD) increases the risk of COVID-19 susceptibility or severity. Our result needs further confirmation through larger epidemiological studies.
Increasing breast support is associated with altered knee joint stiffness and contributing knee joint biomechanics during treadmill running

Introduction Greater breast support has been associated with improved running performance as measured by oxygen cost and running economy. Several candidate mechanisms have been proposed to underlie breast support-related improvements in running performance including increased knee joint stiffness. Greater knee joint stiffness has been associated with improved running performance (speed and metabolic cost), though the influence of breast support on knee joint stiffness has not been previously investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of increasing breast support on knee joint stiffness and its constituent components during treadmill running. Methods Thirteen recreational runners performed a 3-min running bout at their preferred running velocity in each of three breast support conditions: bare chested (CON), low support (LOW) and high support (HIGH) sports bras. Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected simultaneously using a 10-camera motion capture system (240 Hz, Qualisys Inc.) and instrumented treadmill (1,200 Hz, Bertec Inc.). Visual3D (C-Motion Inc.) was used to calculate knee joint excursions, moments, powers and work while custom software (MATLAB) was used to calculate knee joint stiffness and breast displacements during the stance phase of running in each experimental condition. A series of 1 × 3 repeated measures analysis of covariance with post-hoc t-tests was used to evaluate the effect of breast support on knee joint biomechanics during treadmill running. Results Increasing levels of breast support were associated with greater knee joint stiffness (p = 0.002) as a result of smaller knee flexion excursions (p < 0.001). Increases in knee extension power (p = 0.010) were observed with increasing levels of breast support while no differences were observed in knee extension moments (p = 0.202) or work (p = 0.104). Conclusion Greater breast support is associated with increased knee joint stiffness resulting from smaller joint excursions. These findings may provide insight into the biomechanical mechanisms underlying previously reported improvements in running performance including reduced oxygen consumption and greater running economy.
Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

As a highly economic small fruit crop, blueberry is enjoyed by most people in terms of color, taste, and rich nutrition. To better understand its coloring mechanism on the process of ripening, an integrative analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome profiles was performed in three blueberry varieties at three developmental stages. In this study, 41 flavonoid metabolites closely related to the coloring in blueberry samples were analyzed. It turned out that the most differential metabolites in the ripening processes were delphinidin-3-O-arabinoside (dpara), peonidin-3-O-glucoside (pnglu), and delphinidin-3-O-galactoside (dpgal), while the most differential metabolites among different varieties were flavonols. Furthermore, to obtain more accurate and comprehensive transcripts of blueberry during the developmental stages, PacBio and Illumina sequencing technology were combined to obtain the transcriptome of the blueberry variety Misty, for the very first time. Finally, by applying the gene coexpression network analysis, the darkviolet and bisque4 modules related to flavonoid synthesis were determined, and the key genes related to two flavonoid 3′, 5′-hydroxylase (F3′5′H) genes in the darkviolet module and one bHLH transcription factor in the bisque4 module were predicted. It is believed that our findings could provide valuable information for the future study on the molecular mechanism of flavonoid metabolites and flavonoid synthesis pathways in blueberries.