Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nursing Support for Parents of Hospitalized Children

Background: Having a child in hospital is a stressful experience for most parents. Support from nurses can assist parents to maintain their parenting role and promote quality pediatric nursing care. Aims and objectives: The aim of the study is to describe the quality of nurse-parent support in Iranian parents of hospitalized children in pediatric sites. Methods: This was a descriptive study using a convenience sample. Two hundred and thirty parents (183 mothers and 47 fathers) with hospitalized children took part in this survey that used the Nurse Parent Support Tool (NPST). This validated instrument has 21 items and 4 subscales (Informational Giving and Communication Support; Emotional Support; Appraisal Support and Instrumental Support), and was translated into Farsi. Results: The total mean of the NPST was M = 4.1 (SD = 0.7). There was a significant difference between gender of the parents and the Instrumental Support subscale. Also, there was significant difference between among education level of parents and Emotional Support. In addition, there was significant difference related to the gender of the child and Information Giving and Communication Support and Appraisal Support. There was no significant difference in any of the subscales when analyzed for length of hospitalization, kind of diseases and age of children. Conclusions: The findings indicate that parents received a high level of support from nurses. Nurses can promote the quality of family care and should be aware of the importance of the several types of nursing support in meeting the requests of parents. It is important that nurses continue to develop their knowledge about types of communication with the family, especially in providing support for the parent role.
Magnetic brain activity phase-locked to the envelope, the syllable onsets, and the fundamental frequency of a perceived speech signal.

During speech perception, acoustic correlates of syllable structure and pitch periodicity are directly reflected in electrophysiological brain activity. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings were made while 10 participants listened to natural or formant-synthesized speech at moderately fast or ultrafast rate. Cross-correlation analysis was applied to show brain activity time-locked to the speech envelope, to an acoustic marker of syllable onsets, and to pitch periodicity. The envelope yielded a right-lateralized M100-like response, syllable onsets gave rise to M50/M100-like fields with an additional anterior M50 component, and pitch (ca. 100 Hz) elicited a neural resonance bound to a central auditory source at a latency of 30 ms. The strength of these MEG components showed differential effects of syllable rate and natural versus synthetic speech. Presumingly, such phase-locking mechanisms serve as neuronal triggers for the extraction of information-bearing elements.
The Effect of Chronic Deafferentation on Mental Imagery: A Case Study

Visual- and motor imagery rely primarily on perceptual and motor processes, respectively. In healthy controls, the type of imagery used to solve a task depends on personal preference, task instruction, and task properties. But how does the chronic loss of proprioceptive and tactile sensory inputs from the body periphery influence mental imagery? In a unique case study, we investigated the imagery capabilities of the chronically deafferented patient IW when he was performing a mental rotation task. We found that IW's motor imagery processes were impaired and that visual imagery processes were enhanced compared to controls. These results suggest that kinaesthetic afferent signals from the body periphery play a crucial role in enabling and maintaining central sensorimotor representations and hence the ability to incorporate kinaesthetic information into the imagery processes.
A Compact Evolutionary Interval-Valued Fuzzy Rule-Based Classification System for the Modeling and Prediction of Real-World Financial Applications With Imbalanced Data

The current financial crisis has stressed the need to obtain more accurate prediction models in order to decrease risk when investing money on economic opportunities. In addition, the transparency of the process followed to make the decisions in financial applications is becoming an important issue. Furthermore, there is a need to handle real-world imbalanced financial datasets without using sampling techniques that might introduce noise in the used data. In this paper, we present a compact evolutionary interval-valued fuzzy rule-based classification system, which is based on interval-valued fuzzy rule-based classification system with tuning and rule selection (IVTURSFA RC-HD) for the modeling and prediction of real-world financial applications. This proposed system allows obtaining good prediction accuracies using a small set of short fuzzy rules implying a high degree of interpretability of the generated linguistic model. Furthermore, the proposed system deals with the financial imbalanced datasets with no need for any preprocessing or sampling method and, thus, avoiding the accidental introduction of noise in the data used in the learning process. The system is also provided with a mechanism to handle examples that are not covered by any fuzzy rule in the generated rule base. To test the quality of our proposal, we will present an experimental study including 11 real-world financial datasets. We will show that the proposed system outperforms the original C4.5 decision tree, type-1, and interval-valued fuzzy counterparts that use the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) to preprocess data and the original FURIA, which is a fuzzy approximative classifier. Furthermore, the proposed method enhances the results achieved by the cost-sensitive C4.5, and it gives competitive results when compared with FURIA using SMOTE, while our proposal avoids preprocessing techniques, and it provides interpretable models that allow obtaining more accurate results.
Experiments on COTS Diversity as an Intrusion Detection and Tolerance Mechanism

COTS (Components-Off-The-Shelf) diversity has been proposed by many recent projects to ensure intrusion detection and tolerance. However using COTS in a N-version architecture presents some drawbacks, especially in intrusion detection, which have consequences on intrusion tolerance. COTS Diversity is prone to raise many false positives (false alerts). In this article, we explain what a COTS Diversity architecture can detect and propose a masking mechanism to reduce the false positive rate. We apply this method to web servers and provide some experimental results that confirm the necessity of this mechanism.
Evaluation of Kostiakov’s and Philip’s infiltration models on the soil of Dediapada, India

Infiltration models are used in designing and optimizing irrigation projects as they are capable of predicting infiltration rate and accumulated infiltration depth to a reasonable level of accuracy. The objective of this study deals with obtaining the parameters of infiltration models like Kostiakov and Philip, applying these models to the soil of Dediapada and evaluating their performance by comparing it with the observed infiltration. Firstly, the accumulated infiltration and infiltration rates were determined by the field measurement using a double ring infiltrometer. Kostiakov’s and Philip’s infiltration models were then applied to obtain simulated data once its parameters were ascertained. The estimated parameters ‘m’ and ‘n’ for the Kostiakov model were 0.1311 and -0.3092 respectively and the corresponding equations obtained for estimating infiltration rate and accumulated infiltration depth were 0.13t-0.30 and 0.19t0. 69. The estimated parameters ‘s’ and ‘k’ for the Philip model were 0.32 and 0.014 respectively and the corresponding equations obtained for estimating infiltration rate and accumulated infiltration depth were 0.16t-0.5+0.014 and 0.32t0.5+0.014t. The coefficient of determination values for evaluating the performance of the model were obtained in excess of 0.95 for both the models. Due to lack of research on the application of infiltration models on the clay loam soil of Dediapada, this study would prove to be useful for estimation of infiltration rate and depth.
Myosin is involved in postmitotic cell spreading

We have investigated a role for myosin in postmitotic Potoroo tridactylis kidney (PtK2) cell spreading by inhibitor studies, time- lapse video microscopy, and immunofluorescence. We have also determined the spatial organization and polarity of actin filaments in postmitotic spreading cells. We show that butanedione monoxime (BDM), a known inhibitor of muscle myosin II, inhibits nonmuscle myosin II and myosin V adenosine triphosphatases. BDM reversibly inhibits PtK2 postmitotic cell spreading. Listeria motility is not affected by this drug. Electron microscopy studies show that some actin filaments in spreading edges are part of actin bundles that are also found in long, thin, structures that are connected to spreading edges and substrate (retraction fibers), and that 90% of this actin is oriented with barbed ends in the direction of spreading. The remaining actin in spreading edges has a more random orientation and spatial arrangement. Myosin II is associated with actin polymer in spreading cell edges, but not retraction fibers. Myosin II is excluded from lamellipodia that protrude from the cell edge at the end of spreading. We suggest that spreading involves myosin, possibly myosin II.
Neural correlates of explicit and implicit emotion processing in relation to treatment response in pediatric anxiety

BACKGROUND Approximately 40%-45% of youth with anxiety disorders do not achieve remission (or a substantial reduction in symptoms) following treatment, highlighting the need to identify predictors of treatment response. Given the well-established link between attentional biases and anxiety disorders in youth and adults, this study examined the neural correlates of directing attention toward and away from emotional faces in relation to pediatric anxiety treatment response. METHOD Prior to beginning treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) sertraline or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), 37 youth (age 7-19 years) with generalized and/or social anxiety disorder completed a task with conditions that manipulated whether participants were instructed to match emotional faces (explicit emotion processing) or match shapes in the context of emotional face distractors (implicit emotion processing) during functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Results revealed that reduced activation in superior frontal gyrus (SFG), encompassing the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (PFC), during implicit processing of emotional faces predicted a greater reduction in anxiety severity pre-to-post treatment. Post hoc analyses indicated that effects were not significantly moderated by the type of treatment or anxiety type. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that less recruitment of SFG, including the dorsal ACC and dorsomedial PFC, during implicit emotion processing predicts a greater reduction in youth anxiety symptoms pre-to-post treatment. Youth who exhibit reduced activation in these areas while matching shapes in the context of emotional face distractors may have more to gain from CBT and SSRI treatment due to preexisting deficits in attentional control. These findings suggest that neuroimaging may be a useful tool for predicting which youth are most likely to benefit from anxiety treatment.
Fast-Food Restaurant Advertising on Television and its Influence on Youth Body Composition

We examine the effects of fast-food restaurant advertising on television on the body composition of adolescents as measured by percentage body fat (PBF) and to assess the sensitivity of these effects to using conventional measures of youth obesity based on body-mass index (BMI). We merge measures of body composition from bioelectrical-impedance analysis (BIA) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with individual level data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 and data on local fast-food restaurant advertising on television from Competitive Media Reporting. Exposure to fast-food restaurant advertising on television causes statistically significant increases in PBF in adolescents. These results are consistent with those obtained by using BMI-based measures of obesity. The responsiveness to fast-food advertising is greater for PBF than for BMI. Males are more responsive to advertising than females regardless of the measure. A complete advertising ban on fast-food restaurants on television would reduce BMI by 2 percent and PBF by 3 percent. The elimination of the tax deductibility of food advertising costs would still leave a considerable number of youth exposed to fast-food advertising on television but would still result in non-trivial reductions in obesity.
An efficient analytical approach for the nonlinear analysis of RF amplifiers implemented with the FET structures

One of the most important characteristics to be maintained with respect to the quality of generic RF amplifiers is the linearity since that the absence of it can generate a series of effects and distortions in the signal to be transmitted. With this constant demand of the discovery of new technologies many additional impositions are imposed on the transmission equipments, which require an accurate treatment of the nonlinear propriety that appears in modern TV transmission systems. Ideally, always we try to reach the linear condition of operation and in consequence, the output signal must to be a rejoinder of the input one. In this case, it is possible to detect only some variations on the amplitude in a constant way as well as on the phase in a linear way. The main purpose of this paper is to present the theoretical approach for the treatment of the nonlinearity when the electronic structure of the amplifier is totally built on the FET devices. Although, did not appear in the current literature any modeling with respect to the classical theory in this field of research, the approach adopted here not only can be extended for MOS, MES and LDMOS structures without no additional essential changes but also can be applied for amplifiers with higher order of nonlinearity.
Improved photodynamic inactivation of gram‐positive bacteria using hematoporphyrin encapsulated in liposomes and micelles

Antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a promising treatment modality for local infections. To increase the efficacy of photosensitizer, hematoporphyrin (Hp) was used as a model drug and encapsulated in liposomes and micelles. The bactericidal efficacy of the carrier‐entrapped Hp was assessed against gram‐positive bacteria.
Comparison of the effects of canola oil versus sunflower oil on the biochemical markers of bone metabolism in osteoporosis

Background: Recently, omega-3 fatty acids are in the center of attention for their potent anti-inflammatory effects. Osteoporosis as a chronic senile disease is associated with inflammation, and the role of inflammatory mediators has been demonstrated in the recent years. The beneficial effects of n-3 fatty acids on bone were proven in many animal studies, while to date, no conclusive data is available in human. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of n-3 fatty acids on bone biomarkers in osteoporotic women. Material and Methods: Forty osteoporotic post-menopausal women were recruited in the study and randomized in receiving either 40 g canola oil or the same amount sunflower oil per day as their dietary oil for 3 months. Serum levels of osteocalcin, bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), N telo peptide collagen (NTX) and 25- hydroxy vitamin D3 were measured at baseline and at the end of the third month in both groups. Results: In the canola oil group, BALP and NTX were increased after 3 months while Osteocalcin decreased in both groups slightly; however,none of these changes were significant. In both groups, serum vitamin D3 was increased significantly; however, this change between groups was not significant. Conclusion: Canola oil did not affect bone formation and resorption significantly after 3 months consumption. Further investigations with longer follow up are recommended.
Effect of the Green/Blue Flicker Matrix for P300-Based Brain–Computer Interface: An EEG–fMRI Study

The visual P300-brain–computer interface, a popular system for EEG-based BCI, utilizes the P300 event-related potential to select an icon arranged in a flicker matrix. In the conventional P300-BCI speller paradigm, white/gray luminance intensification of each row/column in the matrix is used. In an earlier study, we applied green/blue luminance and chromatic change in the P300-BCI system and reported that this luminance and chromatic flicker matrix was associated with better performance and greater subject comfort compared with the conventional white/gray luminance flicker matrix. In this study, we used simultaneous EEG-functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recordings to identify brain areas that were more enhanced in the green/blue flicker matrix than in the white/gray flicker matrix, as these may highlight areas devoted to improved P300-BCI performance. The peak of the positive wave in the EEG data was detected under both conditions, and the peak amplitudes were larger at the parietal and occipital electrodes, particularly in the late components, under the green/blue condition than under the white/gray condition. fMRI data showed activation in the bilateral parietal and occipital cortices, and these areas, particularly those in the right hemisphere, were more activated under the green/blue condition than under the white/gray condition. The parietal and occipital regions more involved in the green/blue condition were part of the areas devoted to conventional P300s. These results suggest that the green/blue flicker matrix was useful for enhancing the so-called P300 responses.
Haar Wavelet Based Approach for Image Compression and Quality Assessment of Compressed Image

With the increasing growth of technology and the entrance into the digital age, we have to handle a vast amount of information every time which often presents difficulties. So, the digital information must be stored and retrieved in an efficient and effective manner, in order for it to be put to practical use. Wavelets provide a mathematical way of encoding information in such a way that it is layered according to level of detail. This layering facilitates approximations at various intermediate stages. These approximations can be stored using a lot less space than the original data. Here a low complex 2D image compression method using wavelets as the basis functions and the approach to measure the quality of the compressed image are presented. The particular wavelet chosen and used here is the simplest wavelet form namely the Haar Wavelet. The 2D discrete wavelet transform (DWT) has been applied and the detail matrices from the information matrix of the image have been estimated. The reconstructed image is synthesized using the estimated detail matrices and information matrix provided by the Wavelet transform. The quality of the compressed images has been evaluated using some factors like Compression Ratio (CR), Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), Mean Opinion Score (MOS), Picture Quality Scale (PQS) etc.
Mesons and flavor on the conifold

We explore the addition of fundamental matter to the Klebanov-Witten field theory. We add probe D7-branes to the N=1 theory obtained from placing D3-branes at the tip of the conifold and compute the meson spectrum for the scalar mesons. In the UV limit of massless quarks we find the exact dimensions of the associated operators, which exhibit a simple scaling in the large-charge limit. For the case of massive quarks we compute the spectrum of scalar mesons numerically.
Effect of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormone Levels in Healthy Adult Men: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study

Background/Aims. Products of Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) are touted worldwide as an alimentary supplement to enhance fertility and restore hormonal balance. Enhancing properties of maca on semen parameters in animals were previously reported by various authors, but we present to the best of our knowledge the first double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial in men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of maca on semen parameters and serum hormone levels in healthy adult men. Methods. A group of 20 volunteers aged 20–40 years was supplied by milled hypocotyl of maca or placebo (1.75 g/day) for 12 weeks. Negative controls of semen were compared to the samples after 6 and 12 weeks of maca administration; negative blood controls were compared to the samples after 12 weeks of treatment. Results. Sperm concentration and motility showed rising trends compared to placebo even though levels of hormones did not change significantly after 12 weeks of trial. Conclusion. Our results indicate that maca possesses fertility enhancing properties in men. As long as men prefer to use alimentary supplement to enhance fertility rather than prescribed medication or any medical intervention, it is worth continuing to assess its possible benefits.
A Variation of the Translation Attenuation Model Can Explain the Inducible Regulation of the pBC16 Tetracycline Resistance Gene in Bacillus subtilis

ABSTRACT Expression of the tet resistance gene from plasmid pBC16 is induced by the antibiotic tetracycline, and induction is independent of the native promoter for the gene. The nucleotide sequence at the 5′ end of the tet mRNA (the leader region) is predicted to assume a complex secondary structure that sequesters the ribosome binding site for the tet gene. A spontaneous, constitutively expressed tet gene variant contains a mutation predicted to provide the tet gene with a nonsequestered ribosome binding site. Lastly, comparable levels of tet mRNA can be demonstrated in tetracycline-induced and uninduced cells. These results are consistent with the idea that the pBC16 tet gene is regulated by translation attenuation, a model originally proposed to explain the inducible regulation of the cat and erm genes in gram-positive bacteria. As with inducible cat and erm genes, the pBC16 tet gene is preceded by a translated leader open reading frame consisting of a consensus ribosome binding site and an ATG initiation codon, followed by 19 sense codons and a stop codon. Mutations that block translation of cat and erm leaders prevent gene expression. In contrast, we show that mutations that block translation of the tet leader result in constitutive expression. We provide evidence that translation of the tet leader peptide coding region blocks tet expression by preventing the formation of a secondary-structure complex that would, in the absence of leader translation, expose the tet ribosome binding site. Tetracycline is proposed to induce tet by blocking or slowing leader translation. The results indicate that tet regulation is a variation of the translation attenuation model.