Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Men’s mental health and the arts: perceived benefits and dynamics of engagement

Abstract Arts engagement is gaining recognition as a non-clinical approach to promote mental health and well-being. However, the perceived utility of the arts to promote mental health among men with low socioeconomic status (SES) and how to best engage them is underexplored. This study explores the lived experiences of men with low SES who engage with the arts in Northern Ireland (n = 41). Data collected via focus groups (n = 5) and interviews (n = 11) were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to inductively derive four themes. Theme 1 highlights how the arts facilitated friendship, a collective identity, peer support and a reason to socialize. Themes 2 and 3 explore how the arts enhanced self-esteem and emotional regulation by developing a routine, purpose, sense of mastery, a sense of catharsis through immersion in a soothing endeavour and an alternative outlet for self-expression. Theme 4 covers strategies that facilitate male engagement in the arts such as using a familiar space, delivering to an existing male group, framing the programme around male interests not health or creativity, building on existing strengths and capacities, enabling ownership, using tangible action-orientated activities, and being non-authoritative and flexible with delivery. This is one of the first studies to highlight the gendered dimensions in which men with low SES engage with and experience mental health benefits through arts engagement. This study points towards relevant theories to further understand the pathways between the arts and improved mental health among men which can inform development of tailored arts programmes for men.
Quality of life assessment in women with breast cancer

Resumo O Câncer da mama causa alteracoes fisicas, sociais e emocionais gerando um grande impacto na vida das mulheres. Esse impacto pode ser mensurado por escalas de qualidade de vida. Neste trabalho, e apresentada uma revisao da literatura sobre como a qualidade de vida e avaliada em mulheres com câncer da mama, quais sao os instrumentos disponiveis e a metodologia utilizada para inferi-la. A maioria dos trabalhos analisados sao realizados em paises de lingua inglesa, utilizam metodologia quantitativa e nao ha consenso sobre qual melhor instrumento para medir a qualidade de vida. Os estudos revelam pior qualidade de vida em mulheres submetidas a mastectomia quando comparadas aquelas submetidas a cirurgia conservadora da mama. Mulheres mais velhas sentem menos o impacto da doenca do que mulheres mais jovens. Mulheres submetidas a terapia sistemica, como quimioterapia, apresentam pior escore de qualidade de vida global, saude geral, funcao fisica e social. Na busca da melhoria da qualidade da assistencia a mulheres com câncer da mama, os indicadores de qualidade de vida poderao auxiliar na pratica clinica, nortear estrategias de intervencao terapeutica, avaliar sucesso da intervencao apos cirurgia e tratamento oncologico, alem de criar parâmetros para definicao de acoes no sentido de promocao de saude individual ou coletiva. Palavras-chave: Câncer da mama; Mastectomia; Qualidade de vida.
Aerosol retrieval based on combination use of multi-sensor data

Satellite based aerosol remote sensing plays an important role for monitoring of the Earth environment and global climatology. Many of new generation sensors, e.g., MODIS, GLI, POLDER and MISR, are designed to acquire more accurate aerosol information than classical ones. For instance, both POLDER (Polarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectances) and GLI (Global Imager) sensors mounted on the satellite ADEOS-2 (Advance Earth Observing Satellite-2), and working during April to October in 2003 are considered here. POLDER sensor has such a unique facility as directional polarization measurements with three channels, and GLI provides highresolution images over the wide range of wavelength from near ultra violet to the thermal infrared. This fact looks promising that combining both sensor data presents effective information of aerosols.
Laetoli : a Pliocene site in northern Tanzania

This work presents the results of intensive fieldwork carried out from 1974 to 1981 at the site of one of the richest fossil sites yet discovered in Africa. In addition to hominid fossils, the remains of a large number of other vertebrate species have been collected. The vertebrate faunas from Laetoli are of special interest because of the differences in composition from other East African faunas of comparable age. Invertebrate fossils include terrestrial gastropods, the ova of solitary Hymenoptera, and some superbly preserved termitaries. This volume also details for the first time accumulated findings from the remarkable Footprint Tuff, a volcanic ash deposit in which are preserved the tracks and trails of a great variety of animals, many long extinct.
Formate production is dispensable for Haemophilus ducreyi virulence in human volunteers

ABSTRACT Haemophilus ducreyi is a causative agent of cutaneous ulcers in children who live in the tropics and of the genital ulcer disease chancroid in sexually active persons. In the anaerobic environment of abscesses and ulcers, anaerobic respiration and mixed acid fermentation (MAF) can be used to provide cellular energy. In Escherichia coli, MAF produces formate, acetate, lactate, succinate, and ethanol; however, MAF has not been studied in H. ducreyi. In human challenge experiments with H. ducreyi 35000HP, transcripts of the formate transporter FocA and pyruvate formate lyase (PflB) were upregulated in pustules compared to the inocula. We made single and double mutants of focA and pflB in 35000HP. Growth of 35000HPΔfocA was similar to 35000HP, but 35000HPΔpflB and 35000HPΔfocA-pflB had growth defects during both aerobic and anaerobic growth. Mutants lacking pflB did not secrete formate into the media. However, formate was secreted into the media by 35000HPΔfocA, indicating that H. ducreyi has alternative formate transporters. The pH of the media during anaerobic growth decreased for 35000HP and 35000HPΔfocA, but not for 35000HPΔpflB or 35000HPΔfocA-pflB, indicating that pflB is the main contributor to media acidification during anaerobic growth. We tested whether formate production and transport were required for virulence in seven human volunteers in a mutant versus parent trial between 35000HPΔfocA-pflB and 35000HP. The pustule formation rate was similar for 35000HP (42.9%)- and 35000HPΔfocA-pflB (62%)-inoculated sites. Although formate production occurs during in vitro growth and focA-pflB transcripts are upregulated during human infection, focA and pflB are not required for virulence in humans.
Propranolol for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas: a nine-year monocentric experience from a tertiary hospital

Propranolol is currently considered the first-line therapy for problematic infantile hemangiomas (IH), the most common benign vascular neoplasm of infancy. We present a retrospective observational study aimed at assessing the efficacy of propranolol in 44 IH patients. A nine-year retrospective review considering clinicodemographical and therapy-related variables was performed on medical records of infants treated for IH with oral propranolol. Each lesion was assessed through a numeric severity score based on size and colour both at baseline and after treatment conclusion (p <0.05 was considered statistically significant). Complete remission was achieved in 90.7% cases of IH with a general mean improvement in severity of 94.94%. No severe adverse effects were reported. Preterm patients showed a superior response compared to term infants, even though the difference was not significant (p=0.185). Propranolol showed high efficacy in terms of safety profile and cosmetic results. Prematurity and precocious therapy could be linked to a superior response.
Pluxy : un proxy Web dynamiquement extensible

Pluxy est un proxy Web modulaire capable d'heberger un nombre variable et dynamiquement extensible de services. Il fournit l'infrastructure necessaire au telechargement, a l'execution et a la collaboration de ces services. Pluxy est accompagne d'un jeu de services de base qui permettent aux services presents de participer a plusieurs au traitement d'une meme requete HTTP, de disposer d'une interface d'interaction avec l'utilisateur et d'interagir avec des services distants. Trois applications utilisant Pluxy sont presentees : un systeme d'evaluation collaborative des pages Web, un cache etendu et un outil permettant de suivre l'evolution des ressources Web.
Human performance and medical treatment during cold weather operations – synthesis of a symposium

ABSTRACT In October 2022, the Human Factors and Medicine (HFM) panel of the NATO Science and Technology Organization convened a review of progress in military biomedical research for cold weather operations. This paper represents a summary of the research presentations and future directions. The importance of realistic training was an overarching theme. Many reported studies took advantage of cold weather training exercises to monitor soldiers’ health and performance; these are valuable data, using winter exercises as a platform to gain further knowledge regarding human performance in the cold and represent an excellent extension of controlled laboratory studies. Topics also included prevention of Cold Weather Injuries (CWI); effects of cold weather stressors on cognitive function; field treatment of freezing cold injuries (FCI); and new consideration to injury and trauma care in the cold. Future work programmes re-emphasise development of cold weather training and establishment of consensus diagnostic criteria and treatments for FCI and non-FCI. CWI prevention should take advantage of biomathematical models that predict risk of CWI and provide guidance regarding optimal clothing and equipment and move from group averages to personalised predictions. The publication of selected presentations from the symposium in this special issue increases attention to military cold weather research.
End-stage heart failure in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries: a multicentre study

Abstract Background and Aims For patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA), factors associated with progression to end-stage congestive heart failure (CHF) remain largely unclear. Methods This multicentre, retrospective cohort study included adults with ccTGA seen at a congenital heart disease centre. Clinical data from initial and most recent visits were obtained. The composite primary outcome was mechanical circulatory support, heart transplantation, or death. Results From 558 patients (48% female, age at first visit 36 ± 14.2 years, median follow-up 8.7 years), the event rate of the primary outcome was 15.4 per 1000 person-years (11 mechanical circulatory support implantations, 12 transplantations, and 52 deaths). Patients experiencing the primary outcome were older and more likely to have a history of atrial arrhythmia. The primary outcome was highest in those with both moderate/severe right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation (n = 110, 31 events) and uncommon in those with mild/less RV dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation (n = 181, 13 events, P < .001). Outcomes were not different based on anatomic complexity and history of tricuspid valve surgery or of subpulmonic obstruction. New CHF admission or ventricular arrhythmia was associated with the primary outcome. Individuals who underwent childhood surgery had more adverse outcomes than age- and sex-matched controls. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified older age, prior CHF admission, and severe RV dysfunction as independent predictors for the primary outcome. Conclusions Patients with ccTGA have variable deterioration to end-stage heart failure or death over time, commonly between their fifth and sixth decades. Predictors include arrhythmic and CHF events and severe RV dysfunction but not anatomy or need for tricuspid valve surgery.
Enhanced Mitophagy in Cholesteatoma Epithelial Cells

Hypothesis Mitophagy may have a potential role in the pathogenesis of acquired cholesteatoma. Background Enhanced mitophagy has been proven to be involved in various cancers. However, its role in the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma, which shares some common features with cancer, is controversial. This study investigated mitophagy in cholesteatoma epithelial cells. Methods The autophagy protein markers LC3-II and p62 and mitophagy proteins BNIP3, Parkin, and PINK1 were analyzed in cholesteatoma epithelial cells and external auditory canal epithelium cells by immunoblotting. The results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Adenovirus Ad-mCherry-GFP-LC3B and Ad-GFP-LC3B were used to evaluate autophagic activity. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe and analyze autophagosomes. Results LC3-II expression was increased in cholesteatoma cells, whereas soluble and insoluble p62 levels were decreased. The expressions of BNIP3, Parkin, and PINK1 were higher in total protein and mitochondrial protein of cholesteatoma cells compared with normal external auditory canal epithelium cells. Autophagic activity was increased in cholesteatoma cells compared with normal external auditory canal epithelium cells. Conclusion Mitophagy was enhanced in cholesteatoma epithelial cells and may have a potential role in the pathogenesis of acquired cholesteatoma.
Behavioral Attitudes towards Water Conservation and Re-use among the United States Public

Water scarcity is among the most pressing environmental problems of the 21st century. In the United States, almost half of the country is experiencing moderate to extreme droughts with the western part being the most severely hit. Water conservation behavior has emerged as an important solution to water scarcity. While many studies investigated the behavioral aspects of environmental concern, little is known about the links between pro-environmental behavior and water conservation attitude. Using the 2010 General Social Survey (GSS) in the United States, this study answers two questions. First, what is the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and pro-environmental behavior? Second, is there a relationship between pro-environmental behavior and water conservation attitudes? Regression analysis revealed that while socio-economic characteristics did not significantly predict water conservation behavior, pro-environmental behavior emerged as a significant predictor. People who were pro-environmental had greater tendency to conserve water compared to those who were not.
BALDR: A Web-based platform for informed comparison and prioritization of biomarker candidates for type 2 diabetes mellitus

Novel biomarkers are key to addressing the ongoing pandemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus. While new technologies have improved the potential of identifying such biomarkers, at the same time there is an increasing need for informed prioritization to ensure efficient downstream verification. We have built BALDR, an automated pipeline for biomarker comparison and prioritization in the context of diabetes. BALDR includes protein, gene, and disease data from major public repositories, text-mining data, and human and mouse experimental data from the IMI2 RHAPSODY consortium. These data are provided as easy-to-read figures and tables enabling direct comparison of up to 20 biomarker candidates for diabetes through the public website https://baldr.cpr. ku.dk.
Production and perception of Libyan Arabic vowels

This study investigates the production and perception of Libyan Arabic (LA) vowels by native speakers and the relation between these major aspects of speech. The aim was to provide a detailed acoustic and auditory description of the vowels available in the LA inventory and to compare the phonetic features of these vowels with those of other Arabic varieties. A review of the relevant literature showed that the LA dialect has not been investigated experimentally. The small number of studies conducted in the last few decades have been based mainly on impressionistic accounts. This study consists of two main investigations: one concerned with vowel production and the other with vowel perception. In terms of production, the study focused on gathering the data necessary to define the vowel inventory of the dialect and to explore the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the vowels contained in this inventory. Twenty native speakers of LA were recorded while reading target monosyllabic words in carrier sentences. Acoustic and auditory analyses were used in order to provide a fairly comprehensive and objective description of the vocalic system of LA. The results showed that phonologically short and long Arabic vowels vary significantly in quality as well as quantity; a finding which is increasingly being reported in experimental studies of other Arabic dialects. Short vowels in LA tend to be more centralised than has been reported for other Arabic vowels, especially with regards to short /a/. The study also looked at the effect of voicing in
A scoping review of sexual and reproductive health recommendations in the context of migration to Europe

In recent years, growing instability and conflict around the world have continued to fuel outward migration, including migration to the EU/EEA. Many migrants hail from countries and regions with a higher burden of STIs—including HIV—and are exposed to enhanced risks of sexual and gender‐based violence leading to sexual health issues during their journeys. This scoping review aims to identify existing sexual health recommendations for non‐European migrants in the EU/EEA and identify gaps in their implementation. Sexual health recommendations formulated in relation to the migrant population in peer‐ reviewed journals or by expert consensus, between 2010 and 2021, were included. A keyword search was used to retrieve relevant publications on PubMed, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library databases, WHO and ECDC websites. The search strategy employed was charted in a dedicated Prisma Chart. Overall, 180 publications were retrieved. Based on the abstract and after eliminating duplicates, 33 publications were included for full‐text reading. The references of these publications were screened. In total, 19 publications met the inclusion criteria. Evidence‐based sexual health recommendations target only newly arrived migrants and migrant children (at arrival and during stay in the country). Screening practices are mostly informed by the country of origin and related prevalence, which remains a limitation; challenges faced during migration should also be considered. Implementation and compliance with these recommendations remain uncertain, as sexual health is not funded and addressed in a uniform manner across Europe.
A Force-Matched Approach to Large-Strain Nonlinearity in Elasticity Imaging for Breast Lesion Characterization

Objective: Ultrasound elasticity imaging is a class of ultrasound techniques with applications that include the detection of malignancy in breast lesions. Although elasticity imaging traditionally assumes linear elasticity, the large strain elastic response of soft tissue is known to be nonlinear. This study evaluates the nonlinear response of breast lesions for the characterization of malignancy using force measurement and force-controlled compression during ultrasound imaging. Methods: 54 patients were recruited for this study. A custom force-instrumented compression device was used to apply a controlled force during ultrasound imaging. Motion tracking derived strain was averaged over lesion or background ROIs and matched with compression force. The resulting force-matched strain was used for subsequent analysis and curve fitting. Results: Greater median differences between malignant and benign lesions were observed at higher compressional forces (p-value < 0.05 for compressional forces of 2-6N). Of three candidate functions, a power law function produced the best fit to the force-matched strain. A statistically significant difference in the scaling parameter of the power function between malignant and benign lesions was observed (p-value = 0.025). Conclusions: We observed a greater separation in average lesion strain between malignant and benign lesions at large compression forces and demonstrated the characterization of this nonlinear effect using a power law model. Using this model, we were able to differentiate between malignant and benign breast lesions. Significance: With further development, the proposed method to utilize the nonlinear elastic response of breast tissue has the potential for improving non-invasive lesion characterization for potential malignancy.
Interictal high‐frequency oscillations, spikes, and connectivity profiles: A fingerprint of epileptogenic brain pathologies

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), hippocampal sclerosis (HS), nonspecific gliosis (NG), and normal tissue (NT) comprise the majority of histopathological results of surgically treated drug‐resistant epilepsy patients. Epileptic spikes, high‐frequency oscillations (HFOs), and connectivity measures are valuable biomarkers of epileptogenicity. The question remains whether they could also be utilized for preresective differentiation of the underlying brain pathology. This study explored spikes and HFOs together with functional connectivity in various epileptogenic pathologies.
INCCA: Integrated Climate and Carbon Final Report of the LLNL LDRD Strategic Initiative

The INCCA (Integrated Climate and Carbon) strategic initiative developed and applied the ability to simulate the fate and climate impact of fossil fuel-derived carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) on a global scale. Coupled climate and carbon cycle modeling like that of INCCA is required to understand and predict the future environmental impacts of fossil fuel burning. At present, atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations are prescribed, not simulated, in large climate models. Credible simulations of the entire climate system, however, need to predict time-evolving climate forcing using anthropogenic emissions as the fundamental input. Predicting atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations represents a substantial scientific advance because there are large natural sources and sinks of carbon that are likely to change as a result of climate change. Both terrestrial (e.g., vegetation on land) and oceanic components of the carbon cycle are known to be sensitive to climate change. Estimates of the amount of man-made CO{sub 2} that will accumulate in the atmosphere depend on understanding the carbon cycle. For this reason, models that use CO{sub 2} emissions, not prescribed atmospheric concentrations, as fundamental inputs are required to directly address greenhouse-related questions of interest to policymakers.
Prostagram magnetic resonance imaging in a screening population: Prostate Imaging‐Reporting and Data System or Likert?

To compare biopsy recommendation rates and accuracy of the Prostate Imaging‐Reporting and Data System, version 2 (PI‐RADSv2) with the Likert scale for detection of clinically significant and insignificant prostate cancer in men screened within the Imperial Prostate 1 Prostate Cancer Screening Trial Using Imaging (IP1‐PROSTAGRAM).