Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prophylactic Probiotic Supplementation for Preterm Neonates-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nonrandomized Studies.

Systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) show that probiotics reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC ≥ Stage II), late onset sepsis (LOS), all-cause mortality, and feeding intolerance in preterm neonates. Data from observational studies is important to confirm probiotic effects in clinical practice. We aimed to compare outcomes before and after implementing routine probiotic supplementation (RPS) in preterm neonates (<37 weeks of gestation) by performing a systematic review of non-RCTs using Cochrane methodology. Databases including PubMed, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, Cochrane Central library, and Google Scholar were searched in May 2020. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. Categorical measure of effect size was expressed as OR and 95% CI. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed by the chi-squared test, I2 statistic. The level of evidence (LOE) was summarized using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) guidelines. Primary outcomes were NEC ≥ Stage II, LOS, and all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included probiotic sepsis. Thirty good-quality non-RCTs (n = 77,018) from 18 countries were included. The meta-analysis showed RPS was associated with significantly reduced: 1) NEC ≥ Stage II (30 studies, n = 77,018; OR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.50, 0.73; P <0.00001, I2: 65%; LOE: Moderate), 2) LOS: (21 studies, n = 65,858; OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.97; P = 0.02, I2: 74%; LOE: Low), and 3) all-cause mortality (27 non-RCTs, n = 70,977; OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.88; P = 0.0001, I2: 49%; LOE: Low). Subgroups: 1) extremely low birth weight (ELBW: birth weight <1000 g) neonates: RPS was associated with significantly reduced NEC ≥ Stage II (4.5% compared with 7.9%). However, there was no difference in LOS and mortality. 2) Multistrain RPS was more effective than single strain. One study reported 3 nonfatal cases of probiotic sepsis. In summary, moderate- to low-quality evidence indicates that RPS was associated with significantly reduced NEC ≥ Stage II, LOS, and all-cause mortality in neonates <37 weeks of gestation and NEC ≥ Stage II in ELBW neonates.
Increasing Polymer Solar Cell Active Layer Efficiency and Organization by Adding Gold-Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide

Relatively low efficiency is one of the main obstacles to overcome in the engineering of organic bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Reduced graphene oxide (RGO), which has high conductivity, has been proposed to enhance the function of PCBM in the interfacial dissociation of excitons, but incorporating it into the hydrophobic photoactive polymers has proved challenging. Here we describe a novel technique for incorporating Au nanoparticles (AuNp) into the structure of the RGO. The AuNps then interact with the sulfur groups on the photoactive polymer component, while the RGO interacts via π – π stacking with the chemically similar PCBM, thereby anchoring the complex to the polymer interface. Graphene oxide was synthesized and then reduced in the presence of a gold salt. The resulting gold-functionalized RGO (AuRGO) sheets were characterized using TGA, FTIR, and TEM. The AuRGO was not soluble in chlorobenzene; however, in the presence of P3HT, the AuRGO dissolved, suggesting a reaction between the gold and the sulfur of the P3HT via a metal-thiolate bond. At 2 mg/ml, AuRGO increased the solar cell efficiency approximately 50% over the control, but higher concentrations produced large, columnar structures which blocked the electrode from having a uniform contact with the active layer.
STEREOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF HYDRATION OF CARBOHYDRATES IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS .3. DENSITY AND ULTRASOUND MEASUREMENTS

Density and ultrasound measurements have been performed in aqueous solutions of pentoses, hexoses, methylpyranosides, and disaccharides as a function of molality of carbohydrate (0-0.3 mol kg-1). Partial molar volumes, partial molar isentropic compressibilities, and hydration numbers have been calculated. The data reveal that the compatibility of a carbohydrate into the three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded structure of water is governed by the stereochemistry of the carbohydrate. The carbohydrates can be divided into three groups with different fit into water, dependent on the relative position of OH(4) in conjunction with OH(2). This is discussed in terms of the fit of the O2-O4 distances of the carbohydrate molecule with the O-O distances of water. The smaller hydration numbers are found for the carbohydrates which fit the water structure best. The results agree with previously obtained kinetic data.
Process evaluation of a bio-behavioural HIV research combined with prevention among GBMSM in 13 European countries

ABSTRACT Comparative European data using Second Generation Surveillance System (SGSS) are scarce among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. This study evaluated the implementation of Sialon II, a bio-behavioural HIV research combined with targeted HIV prevention in 13 European cities conducted in collaboration with community partners. A mixed-methods process evaluation assessed the project’s coverage, outputs, quality, challenges and opportunities for improvement. Data collected through structured questionnaire from 71 data collectors from community-based organisations and semi-structured interviews with 17 managers of participating gay venues were analysed. Overall implementation was successful, achieving 4901 valid behavioural questionnaires and obtaining 4716 biological samples. Challenges in conducting bio-behavioural research in gay venues related to strict research protocols and unfavourable characteristics of venues. Formative research, collaboration with community gay venues, and offering HIV prevention emerged as facilitators. Community researchers’ training was crucial for fidelity to research protocols, increased trust amongst communities and enabled data collectors to effectively address practical problems in the field. Scientifically sound SGSS with community participation is feasible and allows for including ‘hard-to-reach’ populations. Prevention benefits include awareness raising, capacity building and sexual health promotion in gay venues. The findings are beneficial for epidemiological research among other HIV key populations.
Fine Tuning of Intracellular Ca2+ Content by Pharmacological Agents - a Strategy to Prevent Synapse Loss in Alzheimer Disease Hippocampal Neurons.

Alzheimer disease is the dominant form of elderly dementia. Today all clinical trials that target β-amyloid have failed to indicate that β-amyloid may not be a causative agent in AD pathogenesis. Thus there is a need to search for alternative ways to treat AD patients. Neuronal store-operated calcium entry is a fine-tuning mechanism that regulates intracellular Ca2+ content. Recent evidence suggests that store-operated calcium channels may be targeted with pharmacological agents in order to prevent synapse loss, recover long-term potentiation and change behavior. Current mini-review discusses basic chemical structures that modulate intracellular calcium dysbalance via targeting store-operated calcium channels and their applicability as anti-AD pharmacological agents.
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

In this paper, we contribute to the recent debate on resilience by exploring a specific issue of the armed forces’ resilience towards hybrid interference. While hard (or technical) resilience of some hybrid campaign elements such as cyber-attacks has been addressed in the literature, the soft dimension of resilience is seriously underdeveloped. For that purpose, we elaborate on the concept of soft resilience and describe its psychological, institutional, social, and national dimensions. This theoretical discussion enabled us to develop an understanding of resilience in the military as the capacity of the military to fulfil its core mission enabled by physical and moral components of the fighting power and to continually transform and adapt in face of external hostile influence targeting perception and decision-making of the armed forces members and leadership.
Evolutionary history of sickle-cell mutation: implications for global genetic medicine

Abstract Resistance afforded by the sickle-cell trait against severe malaria has led to high frequencies of the sickle-cell mutation [HBB; c.20T>A, p.Glu6Val; OMIM: 141900 (HBB-βS)] in most parts of Africa. High-coverage sequencing and genotype data have now confirmed the single African origin of the sickle-cell gene variant [HBB; c.20T>A, p.Glu6Val; OMIM: 141900 (HBB-βS)]. Nevertheless, the classical HBB-like genes cluster haplotypes remain a rich source of HBB-βS evolutionary information. The overlapping distribution of HBB-βS and other disease-associated variants means that their evolutionary genetics must be investigated concurrently. In this review: (1) we explore the evolutionary history of HBB-βS and its implications in understanding human migration within and out of Africa: e.g. HBB haplotypes and recent migration paths of the Bantu expansion, occurrence of ~7% of the Senegal haplotype in Angola reflecting changes in population/SCD dynamics, and existence of all five classical HBB haplotype in Cameroon and Egypt suggesting a much longer presence of HBB-βS in these regions; (2) we discuss the time estimates of the emergence of HBB-βS in Africa and finally, (3) we discuss implications for genetic medicine in understanding complex epistatic interactions between HBB-βS and other gene variants selected under environmental pressure in Africa e.g. variants in HBB, HBA, G6PD, APOL1, APOE, OSBPL10 and RXRA.
Dual electroluminescence from a single‐component light‐emitting electrochemical cell, based on water‐soluble conjugated polymer

Poly [[2-methoxy-5-(3-sulfonatopropoxy)-1, 4-phenylene]-1, 2-ethenediyl] (MPS-PPV) was an anionic water-soluble conjugated polymer. A novel single-component light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) with an indium tin oxide/MPS-PPV/aluminum sandwich structure has been successfully fabricated. MPS-PPV serves as both luminescent material and ionic conductor in the active layer. Electroluminescence can be observed under both forward and reverse bias with emission maxima at about 520 nm (green light). In particular, the device has a low turn-on voltage of about +3V and −4V, and can sustain long-term operations without much loss of efficiency at ambient conditions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 2930–2936, 2006
Thermally Responsive Biomineralization on Biodegradable Substrates

Biomineralization offers an elegant example of how nature can design complex, hierarchical, and structurally/morphologically controllable materials. In this work, the surface of bioactive substrates prepared from poly(L‐lactic acid) and reinforced with Bioglass are modified by the graft polymerization of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide), (PNIPAAm) after plasma activation. It is found that such treatment, together with temperature, could trigger the formation of apatite on the biodegradable substrate upon immersion in simulated body fluid above the PNIPAAm lower critical solution temperature (LCST); in contrast, no apatite is formed at room temperature. A control experiment on a material that is not subjected to surface treatment does not show any evidence of mineral deposition at the two analyzed temperatures. This “smart” biomineralization concept is combined with patterning methodologies to control the microstructure of the surface onto which PNIPAAm is grafted. In this case, the apatite is formed at 37 °C in the modified regions. We suggest that this concept could be extended in the biomimetic production of other minerals, where it would be triggered by another kind of stimulus (e.g., pH or ionic strength) in substrates with more complex geometries.
Attentional Templates Are Sharpened through Differential Signal Enhancement, Not Differential Allocation of Attention

Abstract In visual search, the internal representation of the target feature is referred to as the attentional template. The attentional template can be broad or precise depending on the task requirements. In singleton search, the attentional template is broad because the target is the only colored element in the display. In feature search, a precise attentional template is required because the target is in a specific color in an array of varied colors. To measure the precision of the attentional template, we used a cue-target paradigm where cueing benefits decrease when the cue color differs from the target color. Consistent with broad and precise attentional templates, the decrease of cueing effects was stronger in feature than in singleton search. Measurements of ERPs showed that the N2pc elicited by the cue decreased with increasing color difference, suggesting that attention was more strongly captured by cues that were similar to the target. However, the cue-elicited N2pc did not differ between feature and singleton search, making it unlikely to reflect the mechanism underlying attentional template precision. Furthermore, there was no evidence for attentional suppression as there was no cue-elicited PD, even in conditions where the cueing benefit turned into a same-location cost. However, an index of signal enhancement, the contralateral positivity, reflected attention template precision. In general, there was sensory enhancement of the stimulus appearing at the cued location in the search display. With broad attentional templates, any stimulus at the cued location was enhanced, whereas enhancement was restricted to target-matching colors with precise attentional templates.
Programming course for health science as a strategy to engage students during the coronavirus pandemic

Programming is an important skill for different areas of knowledge. While in the past, programming skills were much more related to fields of computer sciences and engineering, today, professionals from different areas benefit from the ability to write codes for different applications. Furthermore, programming stimulates logical thinking, which impacts other personal abilities. Health science students have limited exposure to programming during their studies. Aware of this and considering the prolonged time in social distancing in Brazil due to the SARS-COV2 pandemic in 2020, we organized an outreach course dedicated to teaching introductory concepts of programming for health science students. The activity was developed fully online using the Zoom web conference agent, lasting 12 wk (8 synchronous classes, 15 synchronous hours in total), and attended by 27 undergraduate and graduate students from two different universities. A collaborative problem-based learning and group-learning methodology were developed through asynchronous homework and mainly online synchronous activities. In this article, we describe our approach and provide some suggestions for replicating the course in other universities. We observed that the activities of the outreach course improved programming skills and confidence for most of the students. More importantly, it piqued their interest enough to motivate them to continue to practice writing and testing their programs. We concluded that an outreach course dedicated to programming promoted improvements in programming skills in health science students. Furthermore, the program was an opportunity to keep the students active in science while working from their homes during the pandemic.
Part II: Oxidative Thermal Aging of Pd/Al2O3 and Pd/CexOy-ZrO2 in Automotive Three Way Catalysts: The Effects of Fuel Shutoff and Attempted Fuel Rich Regeneration

The Pd component in the automotive three way catalyst (TWC) experiences deactivation during fuel shutoff, a process employed by automobile companies for enhancing fuel economy when the vehicle is coasting downhill. The process exposes the TWC to a severe oxidative aging environment with the flow of hot (800 °C–1050 °C) air. Simulated fuel shutoff aging at 1050 °C leads to Pd metal sintering, the main cause of irreversible deactivation of 3% Pd/Al2O3 and 3% Pd/CexOy-ZrO2 (CZO) as model catalysts. The effect on the Rh component was presented in our companion paper Part I. Moderate support sintering and Pd-CexOy interactions were also experienced upon aging, but had a minimal effect on the catalyst activity losses. Cooling in air, following aging, was not able to reverse the metallic Pd sintering by re-dispersing to PdO. Unlike the aged Rh-TWCs (Part I), reduction via in situ steam reforming (SR) of exhaust HCs was not effective in reversing the deactivation of aged Pd/Al2O3, but did show a slight recovery of the Pd activity when CZO was the carrier. The Pd+/Pd0 and Ce3+/Ce4+ couples in Pd/CZO are reported to promote the catalytic SR by improving the redox efficiency during the regeneration, while no such promoting effect was observed for Pd/Al2O3. A suggestion is made for improving the catalyst performance.
Pore Characterization of Cellulase Enzyme Treated Cotton Fabric

The pore volume and surface area of cotton fabric are dominant parameters in determining the accessibility of dyes and finishes during wet processing. Cellulase enzyme hydrolysis of cellulose may result in changes in pore volume and surface area of the fabric. This work characterizes these changes using size exclusion liquid chromatography with cotton in the form of rolled stationary phases, which are prepared by rolling and inserting a whole woven fabric into a chromatography column, and pore volume and surface area of the enzyme treated cotton are then determined. The volume and surface area of pores smaller than 60 Å in cotton fabric decreases after cellulase enzyme treatment, and does not change for pores larger than 60 Å. This method shows that enzyme hydrolysis significantly decreases small pores in cotton fabric. Direct dyed samples show no observable color difference between untreated and enzyme treated cotton.
Preparation of Hydroxyapatite Microspheres by Interfacial Reaction in a Multiple Emulsion

Interfacial reaction in a multiple emulsion, was carried out with the aim of preparing hollow hydroxyapatite (HAp) microspheres. The multiple emulsion was a W/O/W emulsion, made of dipotassium hydrogen phosphate solution as an inner aqueous phase, cyclohexane as an oil phase, and calcium nitrate solution as an outer aqueous phase. The phase diagrams of Ca(NO3)2-K2HPO4-H2O system were drawn by thermodynamic computations and used to simulate the chemical process in a multiple emulsion for determining the experimental conditions. Single phase HAp was synthesized at an initial pH of 12.0. HAp with a Ca/P ratio was measured by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy to correspond to 1.49. The product was composed of microspheres of 0.5 to 2 μm in diameter. Each microsphere was composed of acicular particles with an aspect ratio of 2.5-10 with a short axis length of about 20 nm.
The environmental fate and behaviour of antifouling paint booster biocides: A review

Antifouling paint booster biocides are a group of organic compounds added to antifouling paints to improve their efficacy. They have become prevalent since the requirement for alternative antifouling paints formulations for small boats (< 25 m). This need followed a ban on the use of triorganotin biocides in antifouling paints for small boats, in the late 1980's. Worldwide, around eighteen compounds are currently used as antifouling biocides, viz. benzmethylamide, chlorothalonil, copper pyrithione, dichlofluanid, diuron, fluorofolpet, Irgarol 1051, Sea‐Nine 211, Mancozeb, Polyphase, pyridine‐triphenyl‐borane, TCMS (2,3,5,6‐tetrachloro‐4‐methylsulfonyl) pyridine, TCMTB [2‐(thiocyanomethylthio)benzothia‐zole], Thiram, tolyfluanid, zinc pyrithione (ZPT), ziram and Zineb. Any booster biocide released into the environment is subjected to a complex set of processes. These processes include transport mechanisms, transformation, degradation, cross media partitioning, and bioaccumulation. This paper reviews the fate and behaviour data currently available in the public domain concerning antifouling paint booster biocides.
Designing and analyzing clinical trials for personalized medicine via Bayesian models

Patients with different characteristics (e.g., biomarkers, risk factors) may have different responses to the same medicine. Personalized medicine clinical studies that are designed to identify patient subgroup treatment efficacies can benefit patients and save medical resources. However, subgroup treatment effect identification complicates the study design in consideration of desired operating characteristics. We investigate three Bayesian adaptive models for subgroup treatment effect identification: pairwise independent, hierarchical, and cluster hierarchical achieved via Dirichlet Process (DP). The impact of interim analysis and longitudinal data modeling on the personalized medicine study design is also explored. Interim analysis is considered since they can accelerate personalized medicine studies in cases where early stopping rules for success or futility are met. We apply integrated two‐component prediction method (ITP) for longitudinal data simulation, and simple linear regression for longitudinal data imputation to optimize the study design. The designs' performance in terms of power for the subgroup treatment effects and overall treatment effect, sample size, and study duration are investigated via simulation. We found the hierarchical model is an optimal approach to identifying subgroup treatment effects, and the cluster hierarchical model is an excellent alternative approach in cases where sufficient information is not available for specifying the priors. The interim analysis introduction to the study design lead to the trade‐off between power and expected sample size via the adjustment of the early stopping criteria. The introduction of the longitudinal modeling slightly improves the power. These findings can be applied to future personalized medicine studies with discrete or time‐to‐event endpoints.
Spontaneous interpersonal complementarity in the lab: A multilevel approach to modeling the antecedents and consequences of people's interpersonal behaviors and their dynamic interplay.

The principles of "interpersonal complementarity" posit that one person's behavior tends to evoke reactions from others that are similar with regard to affiliation, but dissimilar with regard to status (Carson, 1969). Empirical support for these assumptions has been mixed, especially with regard to the status dimension. The present study investigated influences of level of observation (behaviors vs. traits), personality, and instructional set on complementarity. Previously unacquainted participants (N = 182) were randomly assigned to dyads who engaged in videotaped discussions with either a cooperative or a competitive framing. Their behaviors were rated every 10 s in terms of affiliation and status. We used a multilevel modeling approach that enables powerful omnibus tests of core tenets of interpersonal theory, including previously overlooked influences of person and situation, as well as time-lags. Interpersonal complementarity was found for both affiliation and status. It was highest for simultaneous behaviors, (i.e., occurring within the same 10-s interval), but for status we also found lagged effects being anticomplementary. Complementarity was also moderately predicted by some personality traits. The situational context predicted the mean levels of interpersonal behaviors but not complementarity. Concerning consequences of complementarity, the participants' individual complementarity coefficients predicted their being liked by the interaction partner, observer judgments of their social competence, and their overall discussion performance. We clearly recommend this type of comprehensive multilevel modeling for future research into these and related issues. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).