Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Original Reduction in pain scores and improvement in depressive symptoms in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa treated with adalimumab in a phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory skin disease with frequent comorbidities of pain and depression. Adalimumab treatment for 16 weeks improved HS lesions significantly versus placebo (NCT00918255). Objective: The relationship between pain and depressive symptoms and the effects of adalimumab on each was examined in this post hoc analysis. Methods: Patients with moderate to severe HS (N=154) were randomized 1:1:1 to adalimumab 40 mg weekly (ew), adalimumab 40 mg every other week (eow), or placebo. Skin pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS; 0–100 mm). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; score ≥10 indicative of depression). Results: At baseline, overall mean±SD pain VAS was 54.3±26.5 mm and 41.8% of patients had PHQ-9 Conclusion: Patients with moderate to severe HS had a high degree of pain and depressive symptoms at baseline. Adalimumab therapy was associated with decreased pain and depressive symptoms compared to baseline.
Phytosterol supplements do not possess dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitory activity similar to gliptins

Background and Aims Several commercially available phytosterol supplements are promoted for their cholesterol-lowering effects. However, limited information is available about their potential anti-hyperglycaemic effects. This study aimed to evaluate the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory effects of phytosterol supplements in silico and in vitro to determine their potential for anti-diabetic activity. Docking studies were carried out in silico to evaluate the potential for interactions between three major phytosterol compounds (stigmasterol,  -sitosterol, campesterol) and the DPP-4 enzyme, the enzyme that is inhibited by the anti-diabetic gliptins. spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to analyse three different supplements for phytosterol content. DPP-4 inhibitory activity was tested in vitro for these phytosterol supplements and two major phytosterol standards. In silico calculations predicted free binding energies for DPP-4 with the phytosterols to be: stigmasterol -8.78 kcal/mol;  -sitosterol -8.70 kcal/mol; campesterol -8.40 kcal/mol. These indicated a potential for significant DPP-4 inhibition. However, these results were not supported by the in vitro studies. Stigmasterol and  -sitosterol had an IC 50 >50 mg/ml (maximum tested concentration) and the supplements Thompson’s Cholesterol Manager® and Mega Strength Beta Sitosterol® gave an IC 50 >100 mg/ml (maximum tested concentration). Blackmores Cholesterol Health® gave an IC 50 value of 40 mg/ml which was attributed to  -carotene content. Phytosterol supplements do not appear to offer any anti-diabetic activity potential via pathways that involve the inhibition of DPP-4.
Nanomedicine May Provide New Hope for Brain Cancer Therapy

Cancer cells are notoriously resistant to drugs intended to kill them by rerouting signaling networks responsible for cancer growth, proliferation and survival. They also contribute to drug resistance to conventional treatment and high recurrence rates. For brain cancers (glioblastomas), the brain protective barriers, particularly the blood brain barrier, inhibit or even preclude the entry of many (if not most) therapeutic drugs. Because of this barrier, the several drugs approved by the FDA have had little effect. Fortunately, nanobiotechnology has come to the rescue offering nanoparticles and nanodevices to ferry therapeutic drugs across the barrier and deposit them theoretically at the right location, at the right time, and in the right dosage or dose fractionation. These developments are described below, and comments are made regarding the needed advances in nanobiotechnology as well as the lacking understanding of the deep biology of glioblastomas. Mannitol; Osteopontin.
Definition of Mass Spring Parameters for Knitted Fabric Simulation Using the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm

The 3D simulation of fabrics is an interesting issue in many fields, such as computer engi - neering, textile engineering, cloth design and so on. Several methods have been presented for fabric simulation. The mass spring model, a typical physically-based method, is one of the methods for fabric simulation which is widely considered by researchers due to rapid simulation and being more consistent with reality. The aim of this paper is the optimization of mass spring parameters in the simulation of the drape behaviour of knitted fabric using the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm. First a mass spring model is proposed to simulate the drape behavior of knitted fabric. Then in order to reduce the error value between the simulated and actual result (reducing the simulation error value), parameters of the mass spring model such as the stiffness coefficient, damping coefficient, elongation rate, topology and natural length of the spring are optimized using the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA). The ICA parameters are specified using the Taguchi Design of Experiment. Finally fabrics drape shapes are simulated in other situations and compared with their actual results to validate the model parameters. Results show that the optimized model is able to predict the drape behavior of knitted fabric with an error value of 2.4 percent.
Hyperinflammation in Septic Peritonitis Type I IFN Modulates Host Defense and Late

TLRs are considered important for the control of immune responses during endotoxic shock or polymicrobial sepsis. Signaling by TLRs may proceed through the adapter proteins MyD88 or TIR domain-containing adaptor inducinng IFN- (cid:1) . Both pathways can lead to the production of type I IFNs (IFN- (cid:2)(cid:1) ). In the present study, the role of the type I IFN pathway for host defense and immune pathology in sepsis was investigated using a model of mixed bacterial peritonitis. Systemic levels of IFN- (cid:2)(cid:1) protein were markedly elevated during septic peritonitis. More detailed analyses revealed production of IFN- (cid:1) , but not IFN- (cid:2) subtypes, and identiﬁed CD11b (cid:3) CD11c (cid:4) macrophage-like cells as major producers of IFN- (cid:1) . The results further demonstrate that in IFN- (cid:2)(cid:1) receptor I chain (IFNARI)-deﬁcient mice, the early recruitment of neutrophils to the infected peritoneal cavity was augmented, most likely due to an increased local production of MCP-1 and leukotriene B 4 . In the absence of IFNARI, peritoneal neutrophils also exhibited enhanced production of reactive oxygen intermediates and elevated expression of Mac-1. Conversely, administration of recombinant IFN- (cid:1) resulted in reduced leukotriene B 4 levels and decreased peritoneal neutrophil recruitment and activation. Analysis of the cytokine response to septic peritonitis revealed that IFNARI deﬁciency strongly attenuated late, but not early, hyperinﬂammation. In accordance with these ﬁndings, bacterial clearance and overall survival of IFNARI (cid:4) / (cid:4) mice were improved. Therefore, the present study reveals critical functions of the type I IFN pathway during severe mixed bacterial infections leading to sepsis. The results suggest that type I IFN exerts predominantly adverse effects under these conditions. The Journal of Immunology, 2006, 177: 5623–5630.
Interactions Between Emotion Regulation and Mental Health

Reappraisal and suppression are among the most commonly studied emotion regulation strategies and refer to the cognitive reframing of emotional events (reappraisal), and the behavioral inhibition of emotional reactions (suppression). This selective review examines relationships between trait-expressions of these two emotion regulation styles and psychopathology as well as links with mental health. Findings generally suggest a beneficial role of reappraisal and a maladaptive role of suppression. However, exaggerations of emotion regulation-mental health links are possible as both are subject to reporting biases. Ideally, self-reported emotion regulation styles should be assessed together with behavioral and physiological measures of emotional responding and actual emotion regulation success, to delineate their link to mental health.
STABILITY OF Staphylococcus aureus BIOFILM AGAINST DIFFERENT CHEMICAL AGENTS AND SOME ENZYMES

The Biofilm of Staphylococcus aureus was tested against a various of substances at different concentrations for 12 hr. , to show its stability. The chelating agent Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) (1-5%) didn't show any effect on the biofilm stability. Oxidizing agents also didn`t show a negative effect on the biofilm stability. By adding enzymes like Pepsin and Papain (100-500µl) the stability of biofilm did not affect. Organic solvents e.g. ; hexan, toluene and methyl alchohol added at 1-5% also did not destabilize the biofilm stability. Acids and basics like (HCl and NaOH) were added with concentrations of 1-5%. The effect of different substance on the stability of biofilm were very slight. Adjusting the bacterial media to pH 2-13 using HCl and NaOH before the biofilm formation was effected and showed positive effect and prevent biofilm formation between pH (2-5) and pH (10-13).
A 2-Categorical Analysis of the Tripos-to-Topos Construction

We characterize the tripos-to-topos construction of Hyland, Johnstone and Pitts as a biadjunction in a bicategory enriched category of equipment-like structures. These abstract concepts are necessary to handle the presence of oplax constructs --- the construction is only oplax functorial on certain classes of cartesian functors between triposes. A by-product of our analysis is the decomposition of the tripos-to-topos construction into two steps, the intermediate step being a weakened version of quasitoposes.
Selected paper for presentation at AAEA Annual Meeting, Chicago, August 2001 Technological Change and Risk Management: An Application to the Economics of Corn Production by

The paper investigates the linkages between technological change and production risk, with an application to corn. The effects of technology on risk exposure are characterized based on the properties of the risk premium. We define technological progress to be risk-increasing (riskdecreasing) if it increases (decreases) the relative risk premium. The analysis is applied to panel data from Wisconsin research stations. Conditional moments (including mean, variance and skewness) of corn yield, grain moisture and corn profit are estimated for different sites. We investigate how the trade-off between expected return and the risk premium varies over time and over space. The empirical results indicate that technological progress contributes to reducing the exposure to risk as well as downside risk in corn production, although this effect varies across sites. They also stress the role of the relative maturity of corn hybrid as a means of managing risk.
(2017). Depression, psychological distress and Internet use among community-based Australian adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Background: There has been rapid increase in time spent using Internet as a platform for entertainment, socialising and information sourcing. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between duration of time spent using Internet for leisure, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress among Australian adolescents. Methods: Depressive symptoms were indicated by the youth self-report module from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Version IV criteria, and psychological distress was measured by Kessler Psychological Distress scale. Internet use was self-reported based on use on an average weekday, and an average weekend day. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between Internet use and mental health outcomes. Models were adjusted for potential confounders: age; relative level of socio-economic disadvantage, and body mass index. Results: Adolescents were aged 11 – 17 years (M = 14.5 years, SD = 2.04 years). Greatest time spent using internet ( ≥ 7 h a day) was significantly associated with experiencing depressive symptoms among females (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.16, 3.76, p < 0.05), and high/very high levels of psychological distress for male (OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.36, 3. 65, p < 0.01) and female (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.55, 3.67, p < 0.01) adolescents. Conclusions: With current initiatives to improve health behaviours among adolescents to improve physical health outcomes such as overweight or obesity, it is imperative that the reciprocal relationship with mental health is known and included in such public health developments. Internet use may interact with mental health and therefore could be a modifiable risk factor to reach and improve mental health outcomes for this age group. Caution is advised in interpretation of findings, with some inconsistencies emerging from this evidence.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND ANTIOXIDANT RELATED ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

The thrust on utilization of bioactive chemicals from plant sources is known since ancient times. Plants are rich in bioactive compounds and are used to cure a wide range of ailments, in the form of crude preparations in Ayurveda and Siddha, and Unani. The most commonly used four medicinal plants are selected for the present study. The plant phytochemicals are extracted using water and methanol separately and concentrated on water bath. In vitro antioxidant activity is done by DPPH radical scavenging activity and ABTS radical cation decolourization assay. In addition, the estimation of bacterial inhibition against five bacteria are done; three are gram positive and two are gram negative inorder to know the antioxidant activity related bacterial inhibition. The medicinal plants that are used showed maximum antioxidant property and maximum inhibition against the test organisms.
Edinburgh Explorer The role of improved housing and living environments in malaria control and elimination

Malaria risk and endemicity is often associated with the nature of human habitation and living environment. The disappearance of malaria from regions where it had been endemic for centuries, such as coastal areas of southern England, has been attributed, at least in part, to improvement in the quality of housing. Moreover, indigenous malaria transmission ceased throughout England without the necessity to eliminate the vector mosquitoes. The principles of malaria transmission, as formulated following the thinking of the pioneers of malaria epidemiology, Ronald Ross and George Macdonald, show how this may happen. Malaria ceases to be sustainable where its reproduction number, R0, the number of new cases generated on average for each existing case of malaria, falls below 1. In the terms of a Ross/Macdonald analysis the reduced contact between humans and blood-feeding mosquitoes that is achieved through housing that is secure against mosquito entry can have a powerful effect in reducing malaria R0. The island of Sri Lanka, where malaria had been endemic probably for centuries previously, has reported no indigenous cases of malaria since 2012. The disappearance of malaria from Sri Lanka followed an effective attack upon malaria transmission by the Sri Lanka Anti Malaria Campaign. The targeted and enhanced efforts of this campaign launched in 1999, drove the malaria R0 below 1 for most of the period up to 2012, leading to a nearly continuous decline in malaria cases until their extinction. The decades leading up to the launch of these efforts were ones of general improvement of living environment and notably in the quality of housing stock. Studies in the late 1980s had shown that quality of housing in a highly malarious district of Sri Lanka was a strong determinant of malaria risk. Through its effects on malaria R0, improved housing is likely to have facilitated the malaria control and cessation of indigenous malaria transmission in Sri Lanka and that it will help reduce the risk of the re-introduction of malaria to the island.
Force Oscillations Distort Avalanche Shapes Force Oscillations Distort Avalanche Shapes

Contradictory scaling behavior in experiments testing the principle of universality may be due to external oscillations. Thus, the effect of damped oscillatory external forces on slip avalanches in slowly deformed solids is simulated using a mean-field model. Akin to a resonance effect, oscilla- tory driving forces change the dynamics of avalanches with durations close to the oscillation period. This problem can be avoided by tuning mechanical resonance frequencies away from the range of the inverse avalanche durations. The results provide critical guidance for experimental tests for universality and a quantitative understanding of avalanche dynamics under a wide range of driving conditions. Simulations of deformation show how commonly neglected errant oscillations distort the dynamics of discrete plastic events and how the effects of these oscillations can be mitigated in experiments and applications.
An Authenticated Way for Privacy Preservation to Enhance Network Lifetime for VANETS

—In Vehicular Ad hoc networks (VANETs), verification is a pivotal security administration for both between vehicle and vehicle roadside correspondences. Then again, vehicles must be shielded from the abuse of their private information and the assaults on their privacy. In this paper, we explore the verification issues with security protection. We propose a novel structure with protection for VANETs. The self-created PKC based pseudonyms are utilized as identifiers rather than vehicle IDs for the security safeguarding confirmation. The current ID-based signature (IBS) scheme and the ID-based online/offline signature (IBOOS) scheme are utilized, for the validation between the road side units (RSUs) and vehicles, and the confirmation among vehicles themselves. Authentication, privacy preservation and different destinations of ACPN have been analyzed for VANETs. Performance assessment has been done utilizing IBS and IBOOS schemes. We demonstrate that the proposed ACPN is practical and sufficient to be utilized productively as a part of the VANET environment.
Determining Factors of Location Choice in the Modern Era

The emergence of digitalization and globalization has given birth to firms who cater to a global customer base and source resources from around the world at the click of a button. Nevertheless, as companies continue to innovate how they communicate, govern and internationalize, much of the research is built on a world before the emergence of the digitalized and globalized society we live in today. Finding a lucrative market is a crucial source of competitive advantage but if modern opportunities and challenges are disregarded, it could lead to grave economic downfalls. This paper investigates what factors modern technology firms take into account when evaluating potential location choice. This question further investigates how the nature of technology companies influence location choice. A qualitative study was conducted, five semi-structured interviews with five companies were conducted with each interview lasting on average 47 minutes. Three general findings were deducted from these interviews. Firstly, internal factors to the firm are still very much relevant to tech companies. Determinants such as top managements' experiential learning and networks, industry characteristics and the nature of the customer relationship. The second finding was that country-specific determinants were of less importance. There was no evidence showing that determinants such as natural resources were a factor. It was also shown that psychic and geographic distances were of less importance while human capital are of higher importance. Lastly factors which have lowered the barriers to enter a foreign location were found. These include the emergence of the gig economy and better communication technologies allowing for companies to govern distant offices from a centralized headquarter. These findings have been compiled by the authors into a new model of location choice factors for technology companies.
CMAR_A_282746 11793..11802

Department of Health Systems and Policy, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world and accounts for 5.8% of deaths in Ethiopia. High out-of-pocket payment for the cost of illness of cancer could be linked to the low adherence to cancer treatment. This study aimed to assess the economic burden and predictors of cost variability among adult cancer patients at comprehensive specialized hospitals in West Amhara, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to February 2019 at the University of Gondar and Felege Hiwot hospitals. The cost of illness of cancer was estimated using a bottom-up micro-costing approach. Direct costs of illness of cancer were measured by calculating out-of-pocket expenditure. The indirect costs were estimated using human capital model approach. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the predictors for the log-transformed data. Unstandardized β-coefficient with 95% CI and p-value < 0.05 were used to declare factors associated with cost of illness of cancer. Results: The mean cost of cancer illness among adult patients was US$ 1103.7 ±33.2, and median cost was US$ 951.0 with IQR of 822.1. Factors such as urban residents (β = 0.147; 95% CI: 0.047, 0.246), distance (β = 0.0007; 95% CI: 0.0002, 0.001), married (β = 0.125; 95% CI: 0.037, 0.212), higher education (β = 0.318; 95% CI: 0.202, 0.435), buying drugs at private facilities (β = 0.134; 95% CI: 0.026, 0.243), richest households (β = 0.320; 95% CI: 0.143, 0.496) and frequent cycles of chemotherapy (β = 0.093; 95% CI: 0.061, 0.125) were positively associated with cost, while being female patients (β = −0.144; 95% CI: − 0.210, − 0.018) were negatively associated. Conclusion: The cost of illness of cancer was high. The government, therefore, should expand health insurance and invest an additional budget to safeguard patients from financial catastrophic shock.
Shimura Curves and Special Values of p-adic L-functions

We construct “generalized Heegner cycles” on a variety fibered over a Shimura curve, defined over a number field. We show that their images under the p-adic Abel–Jacobi map coincide with the values (outside the range of interpolation) of a p-adic L-function L p( f, χ) which interpolates special values of the Rankin–Selberg convolution of a fixed newform f and a theta-series θχ attached to an unramified Hecke character of an imaginary quadratic field K. This generalizes previous work of Bertolini, Darmon, and Prasanna, which demonstrated a similar result in the case of modular curves. Our main tool is the theory of Serre–Tate coordinates, which yields p-adic expansions of modular forms at CM points, replacing the role of q-expansions in computations on modular curves.
Mapping properties of the heat operator on edge manifolds

We consider the heat operator acting on differential forms on spaces with complete and incomplete edge metrics. In the latter case we study the heat operator of the Hodge Laplacian with algebraic boundary conditions at the edge singularity. We establish the mapping properties of the heat operator, recovering and extending the classical results from smooth manifolds and conical spaces. The estimates, together with strong continuity of the heat operator, yield short‐time existence of solutions to certain semilinear parabolic equations. Our discussion reviews and generalizes earlier work by Jeffres and Loya.