Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An inquiry into the treatment of sepsis using plasma exchange therapy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Sepsis is a potentially lethal condition that occurs when the body's response to infection damages tissue and organs. The production of inflammatory mediators typically assists in defending the body against infection; however, an overreaction to inflammation can cause coagulation problems, vascular endothelial damage, and organ hypoperfusion. Blood purification methods, such as plasmapheresis, can effectively remove inflammatory mediators from plasma. The purpose of this meta‐analysis was to explore the efficacy of plasma exchange for sepsis treatment as noted in recent studies. The authors searched the Pubmed (Medline), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library), Embase (Ovid), and Scopus databases and included controlled clinical studies that compared plasmapheresis or plasma filtration with conventional treatment in patients with severe sepsis. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale literature quality assessment tool was used to assess the risk of bias. The primary study outcome was all‐cause mortality. The random effects model was adopted for conducting the meta‐analysis. Among the 1013 records found, the study included 5 trials, all of which carried a low risk of bias. The use of plasmapheresis was associated with a longer stay in the intensive care unit (odds ratio [OR], 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39–1.32, heterogeneity [I2] = 0%), a significant reduction in all‐cause mortality (OR, 0.54, 95% CI, 0.33–0.89, I2 = 70%), and reduced mortality (OR, 0.29, 95% CI, 0.13–0.67, I2 = 0%) in adults; the results for children differed from this (OR, 0.79, 95% CI, 0.36–1.72, I2 = 89%). Four trials reported no adverse events; one trial reported an adverse event related to plasma exchange, including an instance of hypotension in one patient. Plasmapheresis appeared to be an effective treatment for patients suffering from sepsis. A large number of additional randomised controlled trials are needed to confirm this finding.
Experimentally Validated Ab Initio Crystal Structure Prediction of Novel Metal–Organic Framework Materials

First-principles crystal structure prediction (CSP) is the most powerful approach for materials discovery, enabling the prediction and evaluation of properties of new solid phases based only on a diagram of their underlying components. Here, we present the first CSP-based discovery of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), offering a broader alternative to conventional techniques, which rely on geometry, intuition, and experimental screening. Phase landscapes were calculated for three systems involving flexible Cu(II) nodes, which could adopt a potentially limitless number of network topologies and are not amenable to conventional MOF design. The CSP procedure was validated experimentally through the synthesis of materials whose structures perfectly matched those found among the lowest-energy calculated structures and whose relevant properties, such as combustion energies, could immediately be evaluated from CSP-derived structures.
Translation and Validation of Low Back Pain Knowledge Questionnaire Among Hindi-Speaking Indian Women

Abstract Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem encountered among women worldwide. This research aimed at the cross-cultural translation, adaptation, and equivalence assessment of the Low Back Pain Knowledge Questionnaire (LBPKQ) in the Hindi language. The LBPKQ, originally in English (E-LBPKQ) was translated and validated in the Hindi language (H-LBPKQ). The forward-backward procedure was adapted from the recommended guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of measures. Psychometric properties of the H-LBPKQ were evaluated among 250 Hindi-speaking Indian women with LBP. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in the first 161 participants of the study sample. The overall LBPKQ scores obtained a mean of 3.1 ± 1.1. The internal consistency was excellent for both E-LBPKQ and H-LBPKQ, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.983 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.980–0.986) and 0.975 (95% CI, 0.970–0.979), respectively. Construct validity was good, with Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0.892 for E-LBPKQ and 0.852 for H-LBPKQ. Bartlett’s test of sphericity (P < .0001) was significant for E-LBPKQ and H-LBPKQ. Two factors were extracted through principal component analysis. The H-LBPKQ is valid and reliable to assess LBP knowledge among Hindi speaking population. Low LBPKQ scores indicate poor LBP knowledge; hence, LBP sensitization is needed among Indian women.
Effects of interband excitations on Raman phonons in heavily doped n − Si

Raman-active inter-conduction-band transitions from the ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{1}$ to ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{{2}^{\ensuremath{'}}}$ bands in heavily doped $n\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Si}$ ($n\ensuremath{\simeq}1.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{20}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$) interfere with the zone-center optical phonon to produce Fano-type asymmetric phonon line shapes typical of a discrete-continuum interaction. We have studied the line shapes as a function of exciting frequency and uniaxial stress along the [001] and [111] directions. The asymmetry is removed under [001] uniaxial stress for the doublet component of the phonon that couples to the stress-depleted doublet valley, and is enhanced for the singlet component that couples to the carrier-enhanced singlet valley. We have calculated from microscopic theory the parameters that describe the Fano interaction---the asymmetry parameter, the broadening, and the frequency shift due to the self-energy of the phonon deformation-potential interaction with the free electrons in the conduction-band valley. These parameters have been calculated for zero stress and a high stress and a high stress along the [001] direction, and are found to be in excellent agreement with experiment. We have also investigated the second-order acoustical-phonon scattering [$2\mathrm{TA}(X)$]; it shows no change in line shape for heavily doped $n\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Si}$. Under uniaxial stress along the [001] and [111] directions, it exhibits only the hydrostatic shift, as does pure Si, which was measured for comparison.
Plasticity and Stereotypic Rewiring of the Transcriptome Upon Bacterial Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

Abstract Bacterial evolution of antibiotic resistance frequently has deleterious side effects on microbial growth, virulence, and susceptibility to other antimicrobial agents. However, it is unclear how these trade-offs could be utilized for manipulating antibiotic resistance in the clinic, not least because the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Using laboratory evolution, we demonstrate that clinically relevant resistance mutations in Escherichia coli constitutively rewire a large fraction of the transcriptome in a repeatable and stereotypic manner. Strikingly, lineages adapted to functionally distinct antibiotics and having no resistance mutations in common show a wide range of parallel gene expression changes that alter oxidative stress response, iron homeostasis, and the composition of the bacterial outer membrane and cell surface. These common physiological alterations are associated with changes in cell morphology and enhanced sensitivity to antimicrobial peptides. Finally, the constitutive transcriptomic changes induced by resistance mutations are largely distinct from those induced by antibiotic stresses in the wild type. This indicates a limited role for genetic assimilation of the induced antibiotic stress response during resistance evolution. Our work suggests that diverse resistance mutations converge on similar global transcriptomic states that shape genetic susceptibility to antimicrobial compounds.
Executive function measured by BRIEF in adolescents diagnosed and treated for ADHD: problem profiles and agreement between informants

ABSTRACT Executive functional deficits (EFDs) play an important role in functional impairment in adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). More knowledge of executive function (EF) profiles and informant discrepancies will guide clinicians and provide tailored treatment advice. The objectives of this study were to use teacher, parent, and self-reported EF ratings to describe (a) problem profiles and (b) the correlation and agreement between informants. This study included 100 adolescents aged 14–18 years with ADHD still experiencing clinically impairing symptoms despite standard treatment including medication. EFs were measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Agreement between informants was quantified using Pearson correlation and informant discrepancies were analyzed using paired samples t-test. Overall, the results indicated considerable EFDs in the study population. Correlation and agreement varied between the informants. Agreement was highest between adolescents and their parents, especially for female participants, and lowest between male participants and their teachers. Teachers reported the highest level of EFDs, whereas adolescents generally self-reported EFDs at a lower level than both parents and teachers. Identifying and tailoring treatment for EFDs might improve future prognosis for adolescents with ADHD, however, self-awareness of these difficulties is a challenge that needs to be considered when planning interventions.
Compact design of a transmission electron microscope-scanning tunneling microscope holder with three-dimensional coarse motion

A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with a compact, three-dimensional, inertial slider design is presented. Inertial sliding of the STM tip, in three dimensions, enables coarse motion and scanning using only one piezoelectric tube. Using the same electronics both for scanning and inertial sliding, step lengths of less than 5% of the piezo range were achieved. The compact design, less than 1 cm3 in volume, ensures a low mechanical noise level and enables us to fit the STM into the sample holder of a transmission electron microscope (TEM), while maintaining atomic scale resolution in both STM and TEM imaging.
Barriers to driving and psychosocial outcomes after traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Objective Examine considerations and perceived barriers to return to driving, and their association with psychosocial outcomes among adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who were not driving. Methods 174 adults with moderate-to-severe TBI enrolled in the TBI Model System participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants were drivers prior to their TBI. Outcome measures included the Barriers to Driving Questionnaire, Disability Rating Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder-7, and Satisfaction With Life Scale. Descriptive analyses examined considerations and barriers to driving, including differences associated with demographic characteristics. Moderation analyses investigated the extent to which disability moderated the relationship between barriers and psychosocial outcomes. Results Social barriers were the most strongly endorsed domain, whereas physical barriers were endorsed least. The profile of endorsements differed for men and women, and for Black and White participants, on both theoretical considerations in returning to drive and experiences of barriers in doing so. Disability level moderated the relationship between barriers to driving and depression and life satisfaction, but not anxiety. Conclusion The experience of barriers to driving is differentially associated with psychosocial outcomes among nondriving adults with TBI. Adults with low disability appear to be at risk for distress, even compared to other nondrivers.
The transcription factor VviNAC60 regulates senescence- and ripening-related processes in grapevine

Abstract Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most widely cultivated fruit crops because the winemaking industry has huge economic relevance worldwide. Uncovering the molecular mechanisms controlling the developmental progression of plant organs will prove essential for maintaining high-quality grapes, expressly in the context of climate change, which impairs the ripening process. Through a deep inspection of transcriptomic data, we identified VviNAC60, a member of the NAC transcription factor family, as a putative regulator of grapevine organ maturation. We explored VviNAC60 binding landscapes through DNA affinity purification followed by sequencing and compared bound genes with transcriptomics datasets from grapevine plants stably and transiently overexpressing VviNAC60 to define a set of high-confidence targets. Among these, we identified key molecular markers associated with organ senescence and fruit ripening. Physiological, metabolic, and promoter activation analyses showed that VviNAC60 induces chlorophyll degradation and anthocyanin accumulation through the upregulation of STAY-GREEN PROTEIN 1 (VviSGR1) and VviMYBA1, respectively, with the latter being upregulated through a VviNAC60–VviNAC03 regulatory complex. Despite sharing a closer phylogenetic relationship with senescence-related homologs to the NAC transcription factor AtNAP, VviNAC60 complemented the nonripening(nor) mutant phenotype in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), suggesting a dual role as an orchestrator of both ripening- and senescence-related processes. Our data support VviNAC60 as a regulator of processes initiated in the grapevine vegetative- to mature-phase organ transition and therefore as a potential target for enhancing the environmental resilience of grapevine by fine-tuning the duration of the vegetative phase.
Novel inflammation-combined prognostic index to predict survival outcomes in patients with gastric cancer

Background: We focused on the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and devised an inflammation-combined prognostic index (ICPI) as a prognostic marker of cancer-specific survival (CSS). Methods: We reviewed the clinicopathological data of 480 patients with gastric cancer undergoing curative laparoscopic gastrectomy between 2009 and 2019. This study examined the significance of LMR, NLR, PLR, and ICPI as cancer-specific prognostic markers. Results: In univariate analysis, tumor diameter, histological differentiation, pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) stage, LMR, NLR, PLR, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and postoperative chemotherapy were significantly associated with CSS. In multivariate analysis, pTNM stage and CEA were the independent risk factors for CSS, although LMR, NLR, and PLR were not the independent risk factors for CSS. The ICPI formula was constructed using hazard ratios for three inflammation-based biomarkers with worse prognosis identified in the univariate analysis: LMR <4.315, NLR ≥2.344, and PLR ≥212.01, which were each scored as 1, with all remaining values pointed at 0. ICPI was calculated as follows: ICPI = 2.9 × LMR + 2.8 × NLR + 2.8 × PLR. The optimal cutoff value of ICPII was 2.9. On multivariate analysis, pTNM stage, CEA, and ICPI were independent prognostic factors for CSS. In the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, CSS in the high ICPI group was significantly worse than that in the low ICPI group. Conclusion: ICPI was devised as a novel predictive index for prognosis, and its usefulness was clarified.
Fast Numerical Solutions of Gas-Particle Two-Phase Vacuum Plumes

The free molecule point source and Simons models coupled to the particle Lagrangian trajectory model are employed, respectively, to establish the fast solving method for gas-particle two-phase vacuum plumes. Density, velocity and temperature distributions of gas phase, and velocity and temperature of particles are solved to present the flow properties of two-phase plumes. The method based on free molecule point source model predicts the velocity and temperature distributions of vacuum plumes more reasonably and accurately than the Simons model. Comparisons of different drag coefficients show that Loth's drag formula can calculate exactly particle initial acceleration process for high Re r and M r two-phase flows. The response characteristics of particles along their motion paths are further analyzed. Smaller particles can easily reach momentum equilibrium, while larger ones accelerate very difficultly. The thermal response is more relaxed than momentum response for different particle sizes. The present study is guidable to consider the effects of two-phase plumes on spacecraft in engineering.
Exploitation of the host exocyst complex by bacterial pathogens

Intracellular bacterial pathogens remodel the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells in order to establish infection. A common and well‐studied mechanism of plasma membrane remodelling involves bacterial stimulation of polymerization of the host actin cytoskeleton. Here, we discuss recent results showing that several bacterial pathogens also exploit the host vesicular trafficking pathway of ‘polarized exocytosis’ to expand and reshape specific regions in the plasma membrane during infection. Polarized exocytosis is mediated by an evolutionarily conserved octameric protein complex termed the exocyst. We describe examples in which the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Shigella flexneri co‐opt the exocyst to promote internalization into human cells or intercellular spread within host tissues. We also discuss results showing that Legionella pneumophila or S. flexneri manipulate exocyst components to modify membrane vacuoles to favour intracellular replication or motility of bacteria. Finally, we propose potential ways that pathogens manipulate exocyst function, discuss how polarized exocytosis might promote infection and highlight the importance of future studies to determine how actin polymerization and polarized exocytosis are coordinated to achieve optimal bacterial infection.
In vitro magnetohydrodynamics system for modulating cell migration

Fluid shear stress (FSS) is an important parameter that regulates various cell functions such as proliferation and migration. While there are a number of techniques to generate FSS in vitro, many of them require physical deformation or movement of solid objects to generate the fluid shear, making it difficult to decouple the effects of FSS and mechanical strains. This work describes the development of a non-mechanical means to generate fluid flow and FSS in a 2D in vitro setting. This was accomplished with a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pump, which creates liquid flow by generating a Lorentz force through the interaction between an electric field and an orthogonal magnetic field. The MHD pump system presented here consisted of trapezoidal prism-shaped magnets, a pair of platinum electrodes, and a modified petri dish. The system was validated and tested on an in vitro wound model, which is based on analyzing the migration of fibroblast cells through an artificially created scratch on a confluent cell culture surface. Experiments were performed to a control group, an electric field only group, and a group that was subject to fluid flow with the application of both electric field and magnetic field. Results show that fibroblast cells that experienced fluid shear have higher wound closure rate compared to the control group and the electric field only group. The data shows that the MHD pump can be a great tool to study FSS in vitro. Furthermore, due to its fluid flow generation without mechanical force, this system can be adapted and implemented to study the role of FSS and electric field on wound healing in vivo.
Visual perception of support surface deformability from human body kinematics

Riccio and Stoffregen (1988) argued that dynamical properties of a surface of support influence the control of behavior. This implies that the kinematic form of events, including the movements of a behaving animal, will be influenced by the dynamics (e.g., rigidity, tilt, friction) of the surfaces on which they occur. For any behavior in which the execution is constrained (influenced) by a surface, the kinematics of the body should provide information about the dynamics of the surface. Such kinematics could be used for perception of action-relevant surface properties by the behaving animal or by observers who view the animal's behavior. We evaluated the latter possibility by presenting observers with point-light displays (Johansson, 1973) of an actor on rigid and deformable surfaces. In Experi- ment 1, observers identified support-surface deformability as the dimension of variability, selecting it from a variety of dynamical dimensions. In the remaining experiments observers differentiated the surfaces ac.
Plane wave fast color flow mode imaging: a parameter study

A new Plane wave fast color flow imaging method (PWM) has been investigated, and performance evaluation of the PWM based on experimental measurements has been made. The results show that it is possible to obtain a CFM image using only 8 echo-pulse emissions for beam to flow angles between 45o. and 75o. Compared to the conventional ultrasound imaging the frame rate is ~ 30-60 times higher. The bias, Best of the velocity profile estimate, based on 8 pulse-echo emissions, is between 3.3 % and 6.1 % for beam to flow angles between 45o. and 75o, and the standard deviation, σest of the velocity profile estimate is around 2 % for beam to flow angles between 45o. and 75o. relative to the peak velocity, when the flow angle is known in advance. A study is performed to investigate how different parameters influence the blood velocity estimation. The results confirmed expectations for beam to flow angles between 45o. and 75o. The parameter study shows that the PWM using Directional velocity estimation gives the best results using spatial sampling interval ≤λ/10, correlation range ≥10λ, and number of directional signals ≥6. It is hereby shown that, by carefully choosing the set of parameters, PWM is feasible for fast CFM imaging with an acceptable bias and standard deviation.
Developing an assistive technology usability questionnaire for people with neurological diseases

Purpose This study describes the development of a questionnaire for assessing the usability of assistive technologies accessible to people with neurological diseases. Methods A Delphi study was conducted to identify relevant items for the questionnaire. After that, the content validity was addressed to identify the essential items. Once the questionnaire was designed following the results of the Delphi study and content validity, the reliability, validity, and the Rasch model of the questionnaire were examined. Results Two rounds of the Delphi study were carried out. A total of 73 participants (42 experts and 31 users) participated in round 1, and 59 people (27 experts and 32 users) in round 2. A total of 53 and 29 items were identified in rounds 1 and 2, respectively. In the content validity, we found nine items above the threshold of 0.58. Finally, ten items were included in the questionnaire. Fifty-one participants participate in the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. The internal consistency reliability of the questionnaire analyzed by Cronbach’s Alpha was α = 0,895. There was moderate to considerable concordance among our questionnaire items test-retest in the Kappa coefficient and a strong association between test-retest in the Spearman’s coefficient ρ = 0.818 (p<0,001). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0,869 with a 95% confidence interval (0,781;0,923). There was a strong correlation between the total scores of the new questionnaire and other validated questionnaires analyzed with Spearman’s coefficient ρ = 0.756 (p<0,001). The ten items demonstrated a satisfactory fit to the Rasch model. Conclusions The present study suggested that the new questionnaire is a reliable 10-item usability questionnaire that allows subjective and quick assessment of the usability of assistive technologies by people with neurological diseases.