Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early-Life Adversity, but Not Suicide, Is Associated With Less Prefrontal Cortex Gray Matter in Adulthood

Background Suicide and major depression (MDD) are more prevalent in individuals reporting early life adversity (ELA). Prefrontal cortex volume is reduced by stress acutely and progressively in vivo, and changes in neuron and glia density are reported in depressed suicide decedents. We previously found reduced levels of the neurotrophic factor BDNF in suicide decedents and with ELA, and in the present study we sought to determine whether cortex thickness, neuron density or glia density in the dorsolateral prefrontal (BA9) and anterior cingulate (BA24) cortex are associated with ELA or suicide. Methods A total of 52 brains, constituting 13 quadruplets of nonpsychiatric nonsuicide controls and MDD suicide decedents with and without ELA (n=13/group), all with psychological autopsy, were matched for age, sex and postmortem interval. Brains were collected at autopsy and frozen and blocks containing BA9 and BA24 were later dissected, post-fixed and sectioned. Sections were immunostained for NeuN to label neurons and counterstained with thionin to stain glial cell nuclei. Cortex thickness, neuron and glial density and neuron volume were measured by stereology. Results Cortical thickness was 6% less with an ELA history in BA9 and 12% less in BA24 (p<0.05), but not in depressed suicide decedents in either BA9 or BA24. Neuron density was not different in ELA or in suicide decedents, but glial density was 17% greater with ELA history in BA9 and 15% greater in BA24, but not in suicides. Neuron volume was not different with ELA or suicide. Discussion Reported ELA, but not the stress associated with suicide, is associated with thinner prefrontal cortex and greater glia density in adulthood. ELA may alter normal neurodevelopment and contribute to suicide risk.
Awareness Level about Breast Cancer Risk Factors, Barriers, Attitude and Breast Cancer Screening among Indonesian Women

Background: Globally, breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women and is a leading cause of mortality in Indonesia. Raising awareness of breast cancer is particularly important to help at risk women seek medical treatment for this disease. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the Indonesian women’s level of knowledge about breast cancer risk factors, barriers, attitude and breast cancer screening. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study administered the breast cancer awareness Indonesian scale (BCAS-I) to 856 Indonesian women. Samples were selected in rural and urban combinations from three provinces by stratified random sampling. The ordinal logistic model was used to investigate the clustering effect of the participant’s characteristics in this study. Results: Of the women, 62% lived in rural areas and 38% lived in urban areas. Living in an urban area was significantly associated with a lower knowledge of the risk factors. However, living in an urban area was significantly associated with better attitudes and healthier behaviours related to breast cancer awareness. Women with higher education levels had 70% worse attitudes toward breast cancer awareness. Women living South of Sumatera, women living in Yogyakarta, and unmarried women were 5.03, 3.84, and 1.56 times as likely to have higher perceived barriers, respectively. Conclusion: Urban women had a poorer level of knowledge of breast cancer risk factors compared to women living in more rural areas. The result of this study may reflect inadequate breast cancer awareness campaigns or a lack of breast cancer awareness campaigns. These findings suggest that additional education programs aiming to increase awareness and educate the public are needed.
The Buttressed Walls Problem: An Application of a Hybrid Clustering Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

The design of reinforced earth retaining walls is a combinatorial optimization problem of interest due to practical applications regarding the cost savings involved in the design and the optimization in the amount of CO 2 emissions generated in its construction. On the other hand, this problem presents important challenges in computational complexity since it involves 32 design variables; therefore we have in the order of 10 20 possible combinations. In this article, we propose a hybrid algorithm in which the particle swarm optimization method is integrated that solves optimization problems in continuous spaces with the db-scan clustering technique, with the aim of addressing the combinatorial problem of the design of reinforced earth retaining walls. This algorithm optimizes two objective functions: the carbon emissions embedded and the economic cost of reinforced concrete walls. To assess the contribution of the db-scan operator in the optimization process, a random operator was designed. The best solutions, the averages, and the interquartile ranges of the obtained distributions are compared. The db-scan algorithm was then compared with a hybrid version that uses k-means as the discretization method and with a discrete implementation of the harmony search algorithm. The results indicate that the db-scan operator significantly improves the quality of the solutions and that the proposed metaheuristic shows competitive results with respect to the harmony search algorithm.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Conventional Cell Blocks Along with p16INK4 and Ki67 Biomarkers as Triage Tests in Resource-poor Organized Cervical Cancer Screening Programs

Background: Liquid based cytology with dual biomarkers has improved sensitivity and specificity in detecting high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). In low resource settings, especially in organized camps, LBC is costly and immunohistochemistry on conventional pap smears is difficult to standardize with consumption of lots of reagents. In present study, to improve the accuracy of conventional pap smears and reduce the cost of biomarker testing, we evaluated conventional cell blocks (CCBs) preparations with biomarkers to detect high-grade CIN in resource-poor organized screening programs. We also studied feasibility of using CCB as primary screening test. Material and Methods: A total of 350 participants were included in the cross-sectional evaluation of the screening tests. A conventional Papanicolaou (Pap) smear was obtained, and another sample was then collected and placed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for CB preparation. All abnormal Pap tests and CBs were stained for the biomarkers p16INK4a and Ki67. Histopathology with p16INK4a expression was considered the gold standard. Diagnostic tests were compared using MacNemar’s test and receiver operating curves were plotted. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of CCB cytology, CB + p16 cytology and CB + p16Ki67 cytology for detecting CIN2+ lesions were 85.71%, 100%, 97.44%; 100%, 93.75%, 94.87%; and 85.71%, 100%, 97.44%, respectively. The Ki67 index could further categorize low grade lesions into lesions with low proliferative index and with high proliferative index (Pearson chi-square p value <0.001). Conclusion: If CB preparation is standardized, CCB cytology with biomarkers can have better diagnostic accuracy than conventional cytology, can classify low grade lesions likely to progress and can be used in field settings as primary screening test.
Do Low-Openness, Low-Transparency Procedures in Academic Hiring Disadvantage Women?

Research has shown that low openness and low transparency in the process of recruitment of new (associate) professors put women at a systematic disadvantage. Examples include professorships awarded by direct invitation (as opposed to job calls); contexts where nominally open job calls routinely get only one applicant; and procedural rules that allow the filtering out of qualified applicants without sharing the grounds of the decision with the candidates. We investigated one decade (2007–2017) of hiring of new (associate) professors in one Faculty at the largest university in Norway, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) (n = 79). The Faculty is a highly gender-equal setting, in that the share of women among associate professors has been >40% for over a decade. We found (1) a high share (about 40%) of women among applicants, maintained among winners; (2) a very sporadic use of direct invitations (two in a decade) and no sign that their use advantages men; (3) no nominally ‘open’ job calls with only one applicant; (4) no disadvantage for women when the pool of applicants is small; (5) no systematic filtering out of women when low-transparency internal formal preselection procedures are used because of organizational contingencies (e.g., a high number of applicants). We found an overall high degree of openness in the selection procedure when compared to other Scandinavian and Western European studies. Contrary to our expectations (based on the relevant literature), we found no link between low openness in the selection process and gender inequality in the outcome. The latter finding must be interpreted in context. We conclude that the overall good gender balance locally is an antidote to the potential biasing effect of low-openness and low-transparency procedures, so long as such procedures are used only exceptionally, and their use is clearly tied with organizational contingencies. At the same time, we found no indication that low-openness and low-transparency procedures systematically advantage women.
Soft Robots for Extreme Environments: Removing Electronic Control

The ignition of flammable liquids and gases in offshore oil and gas environments is a major risk and can cause loss of life, serious injury, and significant damage to infrastructure. Power supplies that are used to provide regulated voltages to drive motors, relays, and power electronic controls can produce heat and cause sparks. As a result, the European Union requires ATEX certification on electrical equipment to ensure safety in such extreme environments. Implementing designs that meet this standard is time-consuming and adds to the cost of operations. Soft robots are often made with soft materials and can be actuated pneumatically, without electronics, making these systems inherently compliant with this directive. In this paper, we aim to increase the capability of new soft robotic systems moving from a one-to-one control-actuator architecture and implementing an electronics-free control system. We have developed a robot that demonstrates locomotion and gripping using three-pneumatic lines: a vacuum power line, a control input, and a clock line. We have followed the design principles of digital electronics and demonstrated an integrated fluidic circuit with eleven, fully integrated fluidic switches and six actuators. We have realized the basic building blocks of logical operation into combinational logic and memory using our fluidic switches to create a two-state automata machine. This system expands on the state of the art increasing the complexity over existing soft systems with integrated control.
Balloon Tamponade and Esophageal Stenting for Esophageal Variceal Bleeding in Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract Failure to control variceal bleeding with current recommendations occurs in 10 to 20% of cases. This systematic review and meta-analysis analyzes the experience, results, and complications of “bridge” therapies for failure to control acute variceal bleeding: balloon tamponade and esophageal stents. The main outcomes assessed were failure to control bleeding and mortality in the short-term and medium-term follow-up, and adverse events. Balloon tamponade studies had a pooled rate of short-term failure to control bleeding of 35.5%, and adverse events in over 20% of cases; 9.7% resulting in death. Stenting failed to control bleeding in the short term and medium term in 12.7 and 21.5% of cases of severe or refractory variceal bleeding, respectively, despite stent migration in 23.8% of cases. Medium-term mortality rates were similar in both therapies. Although only one trial compared these treatments, the available evidence consistently supports that stents serve as a better and safer bridge therapy in refractory acute variceal bleeding.
Progress in modelling solidification microstructures in metals and alloys. Part II: dendrites from 2001 to 2018

This is the first account of the history of modelling dendritic and cellular solidification. While Part I reviewed the progress up to the year 2000 [Kurz W, Fisher DJ, Trivedi R. Progress in modelling solidification microstructures in metals and alloys: dendrites from 1700 to 2000. Intern Mater Rev. 2019;64:311–354], Part II retraces our modelling capabilities developed during the early years of the present century. Advances in in-situ X-ray observations of solidification of metallic alloys are also presented. While the most important contributions are mentioned, the authors are aware that such a historical review must leave many worthy articles by the wayside. This overview considers dendrite tip growth and morphology, rapid solidification, melt flow, fragmentation, columnar-to-equiaxed transition, dendrite spacings, coalescence, grain competition, and cellular growth. Modelling across the length scales from nano- up to macroscopic solidification phenomena by massive phase field computations or multiscale approaches show the potential for the simulation of real processes such as additive manufacturing, single crystal casting, welding or advanced solidification processes.
Thermodynamic, kinetic, and structural parameterization of human carbonic anhydrase interactions toward enhanced inhibitor design

Abstract Abstract The aim of rational drug design is to develop small molecules using a quantitative approach to optimize affinity. This should enhance the development of chemical compounds that would specifically, selectively, reversibly, and with high affinity interact with a target protein. It is not yet possible to develop such compounds using computational (i.e., in silico) approach and instead the lead molecules are discovered in high-throughput screening searches of large compound libraries. The main reason why in silico methods are not capable to deliver is our poor understanding of the compound structure–thermodynamics and structure–kinetics correlations. There is a need for databases of intrinsic binding parameters (e.g., the change upon binding in standard Gibbs energy (ΔGint), enthalpy (ΔHint), entropy (ΔSint), volume (ΔVintr), heat capacity (ΔCp,int), association rate (ka,int), and dissociation rate (kd,int)) between a series of closely related proteins and a chemically diverse, but pharmacophoric group-guided library of compounds together with the co-crystal structures that could help explain the structure–energetics correlations and rationally design novel compounds. Assembly of these data will facilitate attempts to provide correlations and train data for modeling of compound binding. Here, we report large datasets of the intrinsic thermodynamic and kinetic data including over 400 primary sulfonamide compound binding to a family of 12 catalytically active human carbonic anhydrases (CA). Thermodynamic parameters have been determined by the fluorescent thermal shift assay, isothermal titration calorimetry, and by the stopped-flow assay of the inhibition of enzymatic activity. Kinetic measurements were performed using surface plasmon resonance. Intrinsic thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of binding were determined by dissecting the binding-linked protonation reactions of the protein and sulfonamide. The compound structure–thermodynamics and kinetics correlations reported here helped to discover compounds that exhibited picomolar affinities, hour-long residence times, and million-fold selectivities over non-target CA isoforms. Drug-lead compounds are suggested for anticancer target CA IX and CA XII, antiglaucoma CA IV, antiobesity CA VA and CA VB, and other isoforms. Together with 85 X-ray crystallographic structures of 60 compounds bound to six CA isoforms, the database should be of help to continue developing the principles of rational target-based drug design.
Ancient Hermione revealed: the contribution of high‐performance computing and digital methods to the analysis of a hidden cityscape

This article explores the potential of combining high‐performance computing techniques and a set of integrated digital methods to investigate the cityscape of ancient Hermione, Greece. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), terrestrial laser scanning, image‐based modelling techniques and high‐performance computing have been combined to provide a fully‐three‐dimensional (3D) representation of the city landscape, which encompasses both the topography and those still visible archaeological features, which are nowadays annexed into the modern buildings. As a consequence, the resulting geo‐located digital platform is now opening up interesting opportunities for research, such as the possibility to analyse spatial interconnections between sacred buildings, to formulate hypotheses about their location and to put them in comparison with the accounts made by historical sources. By taking advantage both of an entirely‐3D reconstruction and the analytic tools provided by geographical information systems (GISs), more sophisticated analyses can now be performed and specific issues such as visual perception and movement to and from prominent buildings/spaces can now be investigated.
BIOGENIC SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES FROM MANGROVE PLANT Lumnitzera racemosa AND ITS PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING & ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

Recent advancements in nanotechnology based compounds have opened a new horizon for combating multi drug resistance in microorganisms. In particular, the use of silver nanoparticles as a potent for antibacterial agent has focused much attention. Silver nanoparticles exhibit their antimicrobial abilities through multifaceted mechanisms. Silver nanoparticles adhesive to microbial cells, penetration inside the cells, and modulation of the microbial signal transduction pathways have been recognized as the most empirical mode of antimicrobial action. Therefore, an attempt was made to produce silver nanoparticles having physicochemical properties. Thus, eco-friendly, non-toxic silver nanoparticles were green synthesized using the leaf extract of Lumnitzera racemosa and its phytochemical screening & antibacterial activity were carried out against clinical pathogens. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by a change in extract color from dark green to brown and surface Plasmon resonance spectra obtained at the range of approximately 537 nm. The antibacterial activity of the green synthesized silver nanoparticles against bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae using well diffusion method. The results of antimicrobial activity by the well diffusion assay also clearly expressed that test extract have high concentration of active principles. The aqueous leaf extract of Lumnitzera racemosa shows the presence of phytochemical compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, saponins, tannins and terpenoids.
Asymptotic behavior of solutions to a tumor angiogenesis model with chemotaxis–haptotaxis

This paper studies the following system of differential equations modeling tumor angiogenesis in a bounded smooth domain [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]): [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are positive parameters. For any reasonably regular initial data [Formula: see text], we prove the global boundedness ([Formula: see text]-norm) of [Formula: see text] via an iterative method. Furthermore, we investigate the long-time behavior of solutions to the above system under an additional mild condition, and improve previously known results. In particular, in the one-dimensional case, we show that the solution [Formula: see text] converges to [Formula: see text] with an explicit exponential rate as time tends to infinity.
Do porcine Sertoli cells represent an opportunity for Duchenne muscular dystrophy?

Sertoli cells (SeC) are responsible for the immunoprivileged status of the testis thanks to which allogeneic or xenogeneic engraftments can survive without pharmacological immune suppression if co‐injected with SeC. This peculiar ability of SeC is dependent on secretion of a plethora of factors including maturation factors, hormones, growth factors, cytokines and immunomodulatory factors. The anti‐inflammatory and trophic properties of SeC have been largely exploited in several experimental models of diseases, diabetes being the most studied. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal X‐linked recessive pathology in which lack of functional dystrophin leads to progressive muscle degeneration culminating in loss of locomotion and premature death. Despite a huge effort to find a cure, DMD patients are currently treated with anti‐inflammatory steroids. Recently, encapsulated porcine SeC (MC‐SeC) have been injected ip in the absence of immunosuppression in an animal model of DMD resulting in reduction of muscle inflammation and amelioration of muscle morphology and functionality, thus opening an additional avenue in the treatment of DMD. The novel protocol is endowed with the advantage of being potentially applicable to all the cohort of DMD patients regardless of the mutation. This mini‐review addresses several issues linked to the possible use of MC‐SeC injected ip in dystrophic people.
Metabolic responses of osteochondral allografts to re‐warming

Symptomatic chondral and osteochondral defects affect a large and growing number of patients. A safe and effective surgical treatment for large articular defects is osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation. One of the major causes of failure for OCA transplantation is loss of essential chondrocyte viability during the preservation and storage period. It is also possible that metabolic responses of the OCA when transitioning from storage temperature to body temperature may contribute to mechanisms causing failure. The present study was designed to compare MOPSSM‐preserved OCAs to those stored using the current standard of care (SOC) method with respect to metabolic responses when rewarmed for transplantation to and maintenance at body temperature (37°C). It was theorized that grafts stored using the MOPSSM protocol would maintain significantly higher chondrocyte viability and produce significantly lower levels of inflammatory mediators and degradative enzymes, and significantly higher levels of chemokines compared to grafts stored using the SOC protocol. Left over SOC and MOPSSM‐stored OCA tissues were collected after surgery, and cartilage explants were cultured for 6 days. Media was analyzed for biomarkers using commercially available assays. Cartilage from SOC grafts released significantly higher levels of PGE2, MMP‐1, MMP‐2, and MMP‐13, and significantly lower levels of IL‐8 and Gro‐α, compared to cartilage from MOPSSM‐stored grafts. Clinical significance: These data suggest that OCAs stored using the MOPSSM protocol have potentially less detrimental initial inflammatory and degradative responses to re‐warming for transplantation compared to OCAs stored using the current tissue bank protocols. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:1530–1536, 2019.