Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Defining an Intermediate-risk Group for Low-grade Glioma: A National Cancer Database Analysis

Background: RTOG 9802 identified a cohort of patients with age less than 40 years and undergoing gross total resection as having low-risk, low-grade glioma (LR-LGG). European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer studies have demonstrated additional prognostic features in this group. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical factors associated with overall survival (OS), identify a potentially higher risk group within LR-LGG, and investigate patterns of care for adjuvant therapy. Materials and Methods: Patients with LR-LGG diagnosed between 2010 to 2013 were identified in the National Cancer Database. Kaplan–Meier method was used to analyze OS. Propensity score matching and multivariate analysis were utilized to adjust for differences in cohorts. Results: A total of 1,032 patients with LR-LGG were identified. Histological breakdown was 42.0% astrocytoma, 33.2% oligodendroglioma, and 25.8% mixed. Median follow-up was 3.9 years; median pre-operative tumor size was 4.0 cm. Overall, 834 (80.8%) underwent observation and 198 (19.2%) received adjuvant therapy. Tumor size >5 cm predicted for receipt of adjuvant therapy on regression analyses (OR=2.02, p=0.001). On multivariate analysis, tumor size >5 cm (hazard ratio=1.95) and non-oligodendroglioma histology (hazard ratio=2.50) were associated with inferior OS (both p<0.05). For patients with both poor prognostic features (a subset we consider “intermediate-risk”), 5-year OS was 78.4%, compared to 94.1% for all other low-risk patients (p<0.001). After propensity score matching, the intermediate-risk group continued to be associated with worse 5-year OS: 80.5% vs. 94.0%, p=0.004. Conclusion: Due to inferior OS for patients with LR-LGG with >5 cm, non-oligodendroglioma tumors, we propose an ‘intermediate-risk’ clinical classification for this subset.
Characterization of Photoactive Fe-TiO2 Lime Coatings for Building Protection: The Role of Iron Content

Iron-doped TiO2 nanoparticles, ranging in Fe concentrations from 0.05 up to 1.00% w/w, were synthesized through a simple sol-gel method. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption−desorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) were used to characterize the synthesized nanoparticles. The characterization of the Fe-doped TiO2 nanoparticles revealed the predominant presence of anatase crystalline form, as well as the incorporation of the Fe3+ ions into the crystal lattice of TiO2. The photocatalytic assessment of the Fe-doped TiO2 nanoparticles indicated that the low iron doping titania (0.05 and 0.10% w/w) have a positive effect on the photocatalytic degradation of Methyl Orange under visible radiation. Moreover, FTIR monitoring of calcium hydroxide pastes enriched with low Fe-doped TiO2 revealed enhancement of carbonation at both early and later stages. Improved photocatalytic performance and increased lime carbonation, observed in lime coatings with low Fe-doped TiO2 admixtures, established them as invaluable contributors to the protection of the built environment.
The Impact of Heat Load on Cattle

Simple Summary It is well known that the thermal environment has an integral role in maintaining the health and productivity of cattle. Although cold stress has been identified to negatively influence cattle comfort and productivity, the predominant focus herein has been describing the influence of heat stress on bovines. The impact of heat stress is particularly important due to the changing global environment. Global warming is likely to occur, however, the nature and magnitude of environmental changes, both climatic and non-climatic, are difficult to elucidate. Therefore a predominant focus on the impact of hot environments on cattle is warranted. This review provides an overview of the dynamic relationship that exists between the thermal environment and bovines. Abstract Heat stress and cold stress have a negative influence on cattle welfare and productivity. There have been some studies investigating the influence of cold stress on cattle, however the emphasis within this review is the influence of heat stress on cattle. The impact of hot weather on cattle is of increasing importance due to the changing global environment. Heat stress is a worldwide phenomenon that is associated with reduced animal productivity and welfare, particularly during the summer months. Animal responses to their thermal environment are extremely varied, however, it is clear that the thermal environment influences the health, productivity, and welfare of cattle. Whilst knowledge continues to be developed, managing livestock to reduce the negative impact of hot climatic conditions remains somewhat challenging. This review provides an overview of the impact of heat stress on production and reproduction in bovines.
State of the Art: Tissue Engineering in Congenital Heart Surgery.

Congenital heart disease is the leading cause of death secondary to congenital abnormalities in the United States and the incidence has increased significantly over the last 50 years. For those defects requiring surgical repair, bioprosthetic xenografts, allografts, and synthetic materials have traditionally been used. However, none of these modalities offer the potential for growth and accommodation within the pediatric population. Tissue engineering has been an area of great interest in a variety of cardiac applications as an innovative solution to create a product that can grow and regenerate within the body over time. Over the last thirty years, the original tissue engineering paradigm of a scaffold seeded with cells and cultured in a bioreactor has been expanded upon to include innovative methods of decellularization and production of "off-the-shelf" tissue engineered products capable of in situ host cell repopulation. Despite progress in conceptual design and promising clinical results, widespread use of tissue engineered products remains limited due to both regulatory and ongoing scientific challenges. Here we describe the current state of the art with regards to in vitro, in vivo, and in situ tissue engineering as applicable within the field of congenital heart surgery and provide a brief overview of challenges and future directions.
The association of self-reported respiratory system diseases with farming activity among farmers of greenhouse vegetables

Objectives Several studies have investigated the link between agricultural activities of open-field farmers and the prevalence of respiratory diseases, but the relationship with greenhouse vegetable farmers remains unclear. Methods A total of 1,366 participants from four villages in China provided information about their agricultural activities and symptoms of diagnosed respiratory system diseases. The Poisson regression model and zero-inflated Poisson regression model were used to assess the association between diseases, symptoms, and agricultural activities. Results The prevalence of respiratory diseases was 3.59%, and the rates of four main symptoms (cough, tachypnea, chest distress, and hemoptysis) were 17.21%, 8.56%, 10.25%, and 1.61%, respectively. Mix spray of pesticides associated with cough, tachypnea and chest distress, 1.740-, 3.385- and 2.882-fold likelihood were found than hand spray, and the significant association were detected in empty, general information, life-style information adjusted models. Conclusions The relationship between agricultural activities and respiratory diseases is unclear. However, use of the mix spray method of pesticide application may increase the risk of cough, tachypnea, and chest distress.
Aging women and their endothelium: Probing the relative role of estrogen on vasodilator function.

Despite significant decreases in cardiovascular disease mortality in the past three decades, it still remains the leading cause of death in women. Following menopause and the accompanying loss of estrogen, women experience a unique, accelerated rise in CVD risk factors. Dysfunction of the endothelium represents an important antecedent to CVD development, with rapid declines in endothelial vasodilator function reportedly taking place across the menopause transition. Importantly the decline in endothelial function is independent of chronological age and is associated with estrogen deficiency. Estrogen-mediated effects, including increasing nitric oxide bioavailability and attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation, contribute to preserving endothelial health. This review will discuss studies that have probed the role of estrogen on endothelial vasodilator function in women at discrete stages of the menopause transition and the effects of estradiol supplementation in postmenopausal women. Estrogen receptor signaling is also an important aspect of endothelial function in women and studies suggests that expression is reduced with both acute and prolonged estrogen deficiency. Changes in regulatory mechanisms of estrogen receptor alpha expression as well as sensitivity to estrogen may underly the differential effects of estrogen therapy in early (≤5 years past final menstrual period) and late postmenopausal women (>5 years past final menstrual period). Lastly, this review presents potential therapeutic targets, that includes increasing L-arginine bioavailability and estrogen receptor activation, to prevent endothelial dysfunction in postmenopausal women as a strategy for decreasing CVD mortality in this high risk population.
Differing climate and landscape effects on regional dryland vegetation responses during wet periods allude to future patterns

Dryland vegetation is influenced by biotic and abiotic land surface template (LST) conditions and precipitation (PPT), such that enhanced vegetation responses to periods of high PPT may be shaped by multiple factors. High PPT stochasticity in the Chihuahuan Desert suggests that enhanced responses across broad geographic areas are improbable. Yet, multiyear wet periods may homogenize PPT patterns, interact with favorable LST conditions, and in this way produce enhanced responses. In contrast, periods containing multiple extreme high PPT pulse events could overwhelm LST influences, suggesting a divergence in how climate change could influence vegetation by altering PPT periods. Using a suite of stacked remote sensing and LST datasets from the 1980s to the present, we evaluated PPT‐LST‐Vegetation relationships across this region and tested the hypothesis that enhanced vegetation responses would be initiated by high PPT, but that LST favorability would underlie response magnitude, producing geographic differences between wet periods. We focused on two multiyear wet periods; one of above average, regionally distributed PPT (1990–1993) and a second with locally distributed PPT that contained two extreme wet pulses (2006–2008). 1990–1993 had regional vegetation responses that were correlated with soil properties. 2006–2008 had higher vegetation responses over a smaller area that were correlated primarily with PPT and secondarily to soil properties. Within the overlapping PPT area of both periods, enhanced vegetation responses occurred in similar locations. Thus, LST favorability underlied the geographic pattern of vegetation responses, whereas PPT initiated the response and controlled response area and maximum response magnitude. Multiyear periods provide foresight on the differing impacts that directional changes in mean climate and changes in extreme PPT pulses could have in drylands. Our study shows that future vegetation responses during wet periods will be tied to LST favorability, yet will be shaped by the pattern and magnitude of multiyear PPT events.
ContextPlay: Evaluating User Control for Context-Aware Music Recommendation

Music preferences are likely to depend on contextual characteristics such as location and activity. However, most recommender systems do not allow users to adapt recommendations to their current context. We therefore built ContextPlay, a context-aware music recommender that enables user control for both contextual characteristics and music preferences. By conducting a mixed-design study (N=114) with four typical scenarios of music listening, we investigate the effect of controlling contextual characteristics in a music recommender system on four aspects: perceived quality, diversity, effectiveness, and cognitive load. Compared to our baseline which only allows to specify music preferences, having additional control for context leads to higher perceived quality and does not increase cognitive load. We also find that the contexts of mood, weather, and location tend to influence user perception of the system. Moreover, we found that users are more likely to modify contexts and their profile during relaxing activities.
Exosomes Carry microRNAs into Neighboring Cells to Promote Diffusive Infection of Newcastle Disease Virus

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), an avian paramyxovirus, was shown to prefer to replicate in tumor cells instead of normal cells; however, this mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Exosomes play a crucial role in intercellular communication due to the bioactive substances they carry. Several studies have shown that exosomes are involved in virus infections. However, the effect that exosomes have on NDV-infected tumor cells is not known. In this study, we focus on the role of exosomes secreted by NDV-infected HeLa cells in promoting NDV replication. Three miRNA candidates (miR-1273f, miR-1184, and miR-198) embraced by exosomes were associated with enhancing NDV-induced cytopathic effects on HeLa cells. Furthermore, luciferase assays, RT-qPCR, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) all demonstrated that these miRNAs could suppress interferon (IFN)-β gene expression. Enhanced NDV replication in HeLa cells was identified by Western blot and plaque assays. Based on these results, we speculate that NDV employed exosomes entry into neighboring cells, which carry miRNAs, resulting in inhibition of the IFN pathway and promotion of viral infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the involvement of NDV-employed exosomes in tumor cells, and as such, it provides new insights into the development of anti-tumor therapies.
The effects of coarse corn and refined functional carbohydrates on the live performance and cecal Salmonella prevalence in coccidiosis-vaccinated broilers1.

The interaction between corn particle size and feed additives as it pertains to broiler live performance has been overlooked. This study evaluated the effects of corn particle size and refined-functional carbohydrates (RFC; 100 g/MT) on live performance and Salmonella prevalence in coccidiosis-vaccinated broilers. The following treatments were applied: fine corn (FC), coarse corn (CC), FC+RFC, CC+RFC, and CC+SAL (salinomycin). A natural, non-experimental necrotic enteritis (NE) outbreak began at 12 D of age, and mortality was impacted by dietary treatments. The use of RFC was observed to increase NE-associated mortality compared to broilers fed CC+SAL (P ≤ 0.10). At 19 D, greater than 50% of all broilers were found to be Salmonella-positive; however, at 48 D the use of RFC was shown to decrease cecal Salmonella prevalence. Although differences in early mortality were observed, coccidiosis-vaccinated broilers fed CC or CC+RFC exhibited similar BW and FCR as broilers fed CC+SAL at 48 D (P ≤ 0.05). These data suggested that CC use after 10 D may provide value in a production system free of antibiotic growth promoters and coccidiostats by ameliorating live performance losses associated with coccidiosis vaccination. Further research is warranted to determine how RFC and CC specifically affect Eimeria cycling and the immune response following coccidiosis vaccination and an NE challenge.
Temporal characteristics of stop consonants in pediatric cochlear implant users

Objectives: The benefits of Cochlear Implant (CI) in improving speech production abilities in children with hearing impairment can be reflected through acoustic analysis. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the temporal characteristics of stop consonants in Malayalam speaking children using CI. Methods: Twelve children using CI and 12 age- and gender-matched typically developing children (TDC) participated in the study. Simple bisyllabic words with selected target consonants were elicited through a picture naming task and were recorded. Acoustic analysis was carried out using Praat software to derive the acoustic measures – Voice Onset Time (VOT), Burst duration and Closure duration. Results: The results of the study revealed that children using CI differed significantly from TDC for a few target consonants in burst duration and closure duration. However, VOT did not show any significant difference between children using CI and TDC. Conclusion: With early implantation and intensive speech intervention, there is a significant improvement in the speech of children using CI. Yet may have minor deficits which could impact the naturalness of speech. The study highlights the importance of acoustic analyses in identifying these speech errors at a finer level and utilizing the same to evaluate intervention efficacy.
Personalized Recommendations for Music Genre Exploration

Most recommender systems generate recommendations to match the user's current preference. However, users sometimes might have the goal to develop new preferences away from their current preference and use the recommender to guide them towards it. In this paper, we asked users to select a new genre to explore and studied what kind of recommendations would be more helpful for users to start exploring this new music taste. Three different recommendation methods are tested: one non-personalized which recommends the most representative tracks of the genre, one personalized method which considers songs from the new genre that best matches users' current preferences, and one mixed method which makes a trade-off between the two approaches. A comparative design was used in a user experiment in which participants were asked to evaluate the differences between the personalized method/mixed method and the non-personalized baseline. The mixed method results in recommendations that are more accurate and representative for the new genre than the personalized method. Users' perceived helpfulness for exploring the new genre is positively related to both perceived accuracy and perceived representativeness of the recommended items. Besides, recommendations from the mixed method are perceived more helpful for users high on Musical Sophistication Index for Active Engagement (MSAE). To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies using a recommender system to support users' preference development, and provides insights in how recommender systems can help users attain new goals and tastes.
Marijuana as a Substitute for Prescription Medications: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Background: Over the past few decades in the United States, marijuana for medical purposes has become increasingly prevalent. Initial qualitative and epidemiological research suggests that marijuana may be a promising substitute for traditional pharmacotherapies. Objectives: This qualitative study examined perceptions relating to (1) using medical marijuana in comparison to other prescription medications and (2) user perception of policy issues that limit adoption of medical marijuana use. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with Rhode Island medical marijuana card holders (N = 25). The interviews followed a semi-structured agenda designed to collect information from participants about their reasons for, and perceptions of, medical marijuana use. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and de-identified. Qualitative codes were developed from the agenda and emergent topics raised by the participants. Results: Three themes emerged related to medical marijuana use, including (1) comparison of medical marijuana to other medications (i.e., better and/or fewer side effects than prescription medications, improves quality of life), (2) substitution of marijuana for other medications (i.e., in addition to or instead of), and (3) how perception of medical marijuana policy impacts use (i.e., stigma, travel, cost, and lack of instruction regarding use). Conclusions: Several factors prevent pervasive medical marijuana use, including stigma, cost, and the inability for healthcare providers to relay instructions regarding dosing, strain, and method of use. Findings suggest that medical patients consider marijuana to be a viable alternative for opioids and other prescription medications, though certain policy barriers inhibit widespread implementation of marijuana as a treatment option.
Advances in Immunotherapy and Periocular Malignancy

ABSTRACT Immunotherapy has significantly advanced the field of oncology in recent decades. Understanding normal immunosurveillance, as well as the ways in which tumor cells have evolved to evade it, has provided the knowledge for development of drugs that allow one’s own immune system to target and destroy malignant cells (immunotherapy). Cutaneous malignancies are particularly sensitive to this class of drugs. In a very sensitive anatomic region such as the periocular tissue, where surgical excision may come with significant morbidity, this technology has had a strong impact in the successful treatment of historically challenging tumors.
A User Study on Groups Interacting with Tourist Trip Recommender Systems in Public Spaces

Tourist groups exploring a city often face the problem of finding a sequence of points of interest that satisfies all group members. In this work, we present three different configurations of a group recommender system that suggests such trips even when tourists are already traveling: connecting multiple smartphones, sharing a public display, and combining both devices in a distributed user interface approach. We conducted a large user study with real groups to evaluate these configurations. Our results show that public displays are attractive for users who prefer an open discussion of their preferences. However, we have empirical evidence that decisions on group preferences often tend to be unfair for some group members, especially when they do not know each other very well. A distributed recommender system aggregating group members' individual preferences fairly with the option to display selected content on a public display was the most appreciated solution for overcoming this problem.
Simplicity and complexity preferences in causal explanation: An opponent heuristic account

People often prefer simple to complex explanations because they generally have higher prior probability. However, simpler explanations are not always normatively superior because they often do not account for the data as well as complex explanations. How do people negotiate this trade-off between prior probability (favoring simple explanations) and goodness-of-fit (favoring complex explanations)? Here, we argue that people use opponent heuristics to simplify this problem-that people use simplicity as a cue to prior probability but complexity as a cue to goodness-of-fit. Study 1 finds direct evidence for this claim. In subsequent studies, we examine factors that lead one or the other heuristic to predominate in a given context. Studies 2 and 3 find that people have a stronger simplicity preference in deterministic rather than stochastic contexts, while Studies 4 and 5 find that people have a stronger simplicity preference for physical rather than social causal systems, suggesting that people use abstract expectations about causal texture to modulate their explanatory inferences. Together, we argue that these cues and contextual moderators act as powerful constraints that can help to specify the otherwise ill-defined problem of what distributions to use in Bayesian hypothesis comparison.