Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Social Health Insurance on Diabetes and Hypertension Process Indicators among Older Adults in Mexico.

OBJECTIVE To examine the impact of Seguro Popular (Mexican social health insurance for the poor; SP) on diabetes and hypertension care, intermediate process indicators for older adults (>50 years): pharmacological treatment, blood glucose tests, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and adherence to their nutrition and exercise program. (CAM was defined as products or practices that were not part of the medical standard of care.) DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING Repeated cross-sectional surveys from Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Mexican Health and Nutrition Survey, ENSANUT), a nationally representative health and nutrition survey sampling N = 45,294 older adults in 2000, N = 45,241 older adults in 2005-2006, and N = 46,277 older adults in 2011-2012. STUDY DESIGN Fixed-effects instrumental variable (FE-IV) repeated cross-sectional at the individual level with municipality fixed-effects estimation was performed. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We found a marginally significant effect of SP on the use of insulin and oral agents (40 percentage points). Contrary to that expected, no other significant differences were found for diabetes or hypertension treatment and care indicators. CONCLUSIONS Social health insurance for the poor improved some but not all health care process indicators among diabetic and hypertensive older people in Mexico.
Dynamic impact of brief electrical nerve stimulation on the neural immune axis—polarization of macrophages toward a pro‐repair phenotype in demyelinated peripheral nerve

Demyelinating peripheral nerves are infiltrated by cells of the monocyte lineage, including macrophages, which are highly plastic, existing on a continuum from pro‐inflammatory M1 to pro‐repair M2 phenotypic states. Whether one can therapeutically manipulate demyelinated peripheral nerves to promote a pro‐repair M2 phenotype remains to be elucidated. We previously identified brief electrical nerve stimulation (ES) as therapeutically beneficial for remyelination, benefits which include accelerated clearance of macrophages, making us theorize that ES alters the local immune response. Thus, the impact of ES on the immune microenvironment in the zone of demyelination was examined. Adult male rat tibial nerves were focally demyelinated via 1% lysophosphatidyl choline (LPC) injection. Five days later, half underwent 1 hour 20 Hz sciatic nerve ES proximal to the LPC injection site. ES had a remarkable and significant impact, shifting the macrophage phenotype from predominantly pro‐inflammatory/M1 toward a predominantly pro‐repair/M2 one, as evidenced by an increased incidence of expression of M2‐associated phenotypic markers in identified macrophages and a decrease in M1‐associated marker expression. This was discernible at 3 days post‐ES (8 days post‐LPC) and continued at the 5 day post‐ES (10 days post‐LPC) time point examined. ES also affected chemokine (C‐C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2; aka MCP‐1) expression in a manner that correlated with increases and decreases in macrophage numbers observed in the demyelination zone. The data establish that briefly increasing neuronal activity favorably alters the immune microenvironment in demyelinated nerve, rapidly polarizing macrophages toward a pro‐repair phenotype, a beneficial therapeutic concept that may extend to other pathologies. GLIA 2016;64:1546–1561
A Family of Scalable Polynomial Multiplier Architectures for Ring-LWE Based Cryptosystems

Many lattice based cryptosystems are based on the Ring learning with errors (Ring-LWE) problem. The most critical and computationally intensive operation of these Ring-LWE based cryptosystems is polynomial multiplication over rings. In this paper, we exploit the number theoretic transform (NTT) to build a family of scalable polynomial multiplier architectures, which provide designers with a trade-off choice of speed vs. area. Our polynomial multipliers are capable to calculate the product of two n-degree polynomials in about (1.5n lgn+1.5n)/b clock cycles, where b is the number of the butterfly operators. In addition, we exploit the cancellation lemma to reduce the required ROM storage. The experimental results on a Spartan-6 FPGA show that the proposed polynomial multiplier architectures achieve a speedup of 3 times on average and consume less Block RAMs and slices when compared with the compact design. Compared with the state of the art of high-speed design, the proposed hardware architectures save up to 46.64% clock cycles and improve the utilization rate of the main data processing units by 42.27%. Meanwhile, our designs can save up to 29.41% block RAMs.
Predictive modeling for monocular vision based rail track extraction

Camera based approaches are the most widely analyzed applications of track extraction for railway systems. Finalizing the extraction with an analytic representation of the rail tracks is very useful both for representing the smooth characteristics of the railways well and for compensating the faulty image processing results. Moreover, polynomial or geometric definition of the rails creates parametric representations, which can be transformed to generate a dynamic ROI around the rails and can be used for applications like obstacle detection. However, the existing studies only use presumed knowledge and assumptions about the geometry of railway tracks. This paper provides a statistical analysis of railway track turns on various video records to quantify the margins of variations. Moreover, based on the results of those statistical analyses, this study introduces a method to predict the railway tracks by means of polynomial approximation followed by multilayer perceptron networks.
Preliminary Results on the Evaluation of the Occurrence of Tetrodotoxin Associated to Marine Vibrio spp. in Bivalves from the Galician Rias (Northwest of Spain)

Tetrodotoxins (TTX) are a potent group of natural neurotoxins putatively produced by symbiotic microorganisms and affecting the aquatic environment. These neurotoxins have been recently found in some species of bivalves and gastropods along the European Coasts (Greece, UK, and The Netherlands) linked to the presence of high concentrations of Vibrio, in particular Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This study is focused on the evaluation of the presence of Vibrio species and TTX in bivalves (mussels, oysters, cockles, clams, scallops, and razor clams) from Galician Rias (northwest of Spain). The detection and isolation of the major Vibrio spp. and other enterobacterial populations have been carried out with the aim of screening for the presence of the pathways genes, poliketide synthase (PKS) and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) possibly involved in the biosynthesis of these toxins. Samples containing Vibrio spp. were analyzed by biochemical (API20E-galery) and genetic tests (PCR-RT). These samples were then screened for TTX toxicity by a neuroblastoma cell-based assay (N2a) and the presence of TTX was further confirmed by LC-MS/MS. TTX was detected in two infaunal samples. This is the first confirmation of the presence of TTX in bivalve molluscs from the Galician Rias.
Activity of Brazilian HCI Community from 2012 to 2017 in the Context of the Challenge 'Future, Smart Cities, and Sustainability'

Grand Challenges are ranked and defined to guide an area/discipline so that efforts and long term initiatives focus on providing disruptive solutions. These challenges represent a key component to highlight core issues that cannot be tackled in a short term or by a single person, requiring multiple efforts and sometimes whole communities. This position paper presents a discussion involving activities of the Brazilian Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community in the 2012-2017 period in the context of the challenge Future, Smart Cities and Sustainability, which is part of the Grand Research Challenges in Human-Computer Interaction in Brazil (GranDIHC-BR). The analysis performed shows that this challenge is one of the least addressed by the Brazilian HCI community and that actions fommenting GranDIHC-BR must be taken continuously, e.g., conferences, competitions, or submission tracks related to GranDIHC-BR challenges less covered by the Brazilian HCI community. From the presented results, one expects to summarize: (1) activities performed in the context of the challenge, (2) reflections around the theme, and (3) to outline a research agenda for the next 5 years.
Awareness of Standardised Tobacco Packaging among Adults and Young People during the Final Phase of Policy Implementation in Great Britain

Background: In May 2016, along with the latest European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), standardised packaging legislation was implemented in the UK. During the following 12-month transition period, both new and old types of packaging were allowed on the market. This study aimed to assess awareness of standardised packaging and other TPD changes in the UK population in March 2017, when both forms of packaging were in widespread use. Methods: We conducted two surveys—one in adults and one in young people—investigating awareness of plain packaging legislation. In young people, we also measured susceptibility to smoking using previously validated questions. We asked smokers whether they had recently changed the product they used and also whether they used any of the products that are banned by the new legislation. Results: In the adult survey, 73.5% (95% CI: 71.5–75.5%) of the participants were aware of the new legislation and 32.4% (95% CI: 30.3–34.5%) had noticed changes in tobacco packaging, this proportion being considerably higher among smokers (83.7%; 95% CI: 78.9–87.5%) than never smokers (20.7%; 95% CI: 18.2–23.4%). More than half (52.4%; 95% CI: 46.5–58.4%) were using pack sizes or shapes (typically less than 20 cigarettes or 30 g loose tobacco), that would become illegal after full TPD implementation, and 31.4% (95% CI: 26.2–37.1%) reported switching to a different product since October 2016, in most cases to a cheaper brand. Among young people, 20.2% (95% CI: 17.8–22.7%) reported that they had noticed standardised packaging, comprising 16.2% (95% CI: 13.7–19.0%) of non-susceptible never smokers, 25.6% (95% CI: 18.0–35%) of susceptible never smokers, and 49% (95% CI: 37.8–60.2%) of ever smokers. Conclusions: In the final stages of implementation, awareness of the introduction of standardised packs was highest among smokers. The TPD will cause nearly half of adult smokers to purchase larger packs, and may cause many smokers to switch to cheaper brands.
Bonding effectiveness of different dentin conditions on etch-and-rinse mode of two universal adhesives: the confocal laser scanning and shear bond strength

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength and the morphological differences of adhesive/dentin interface of two one-step universal adhesives to dentin using different dentin-conditioning methods with etch-and-rinse mode. Ninety-six dentin specimens were randomly divided into two groups based on application of two adhesives and assigned to three subgroups according to different dentin conditioning (wet-bonding; air-dried; rewetting). After etching and rinsing, experimental dentin conditioning was conducted on the etched dentin specimens. All specimens were subjected to shear bond strength testing using a universal testing machine, and all data were statistically analyzed using two- way analysis of variance with Tukey’s post hoc test. All debonded specimens were examined for fracture pattern by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Adjunctively, one specimen per group was prepared by the same processing and longitudinally sectioned. Then, the infiltration ability of adhesives into dentin was examined by observing the interface using confocal laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM). Wet and Rewet groups exhibited significantly higher shear bond strength than dry groups on the etch-and-rinse system, regardless of different adhesives. The bond strength between wet and rewet groups showed no significant difference in Tukey’s test. Analysis of failure surface using SEM showed that predominant failure patterns were mixed in both the wet-bonding group and dry-bonding group. CLSM presented that resin penetration into etched dentin was enhanced similarly in wet and rewet group. Application of rewetting agents on dried dentin increased the bonding performance of universal adhesives on etch-and-rinse mode.
Gaussian flow sigma point filter for nonlinear Gaussian state-space models

We propose a deterministic recursive algorithm for approximate Bayesian filtering. The proposed filter uses a function referred to as the approximate Gaussian flow transformation that transforms a Gaussian prior random variable into an approximate posterior random variable. Given a Gaussian filter prediction distribution, the succeeding filter prediction is approximated as Gaussian by applying sigma point moment-matching to the composition of the Gaussian flow transformation and the state transition function. This requires linearising the measurement model at each sigma point, solving the linearised models analytically, and introducing the measurement information gradually to improve the linearisation points progressively. Computer simulations show that the proposed method can provide higher accuracy and better posterior covariance matrix approximation than some state-of-the art computationally light approximative filters when the measurement model function is nonlinear but differentiable and the noises are additive and Gaussian. We also present a highly nonlinear scenario where the proposed filter occasionally diverges. In the accuracy-computational complexity axis the proposed algorithm is between Kalman filter extensions and Monte Carlo methods.
Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis Update

This current study analyzes the content of popular pornographic videos, with the objectives of updating depictions of aggression, degradation, and sexual practices and comparing the study’s results to previous content analysis studies. Findings indicate high levels of aggression in pornography in both verbal and physical forms. Of the 304 scenes analyzed, 88.2% contained physical aggression, principally spanking, gagging, and slapping, while 48.7% of scenes contained verbal aggression, primarily name-calling. Perpetrators of aggression were usually male, whereas targets of aggression were overwhelmingly female. Targets most often showed pleasure or responded neutrally to the aggression.
Bayesian optimization for computationally extensive probability distributions

An efficient method for finding a better maximizer of computationally extensive probability distributions is proposed on the basis of a Bayesian optimization technique. A key idea of the proposed method is to use extreme values of acquisition functions by Gaussian processes for the next training phase, which should be located near a local maximum or a global maximum of the probability distribution. Our Bayesian optimization technique is applied to the posterior distribution in the effective physical model estimation, which is a computationally extensive probability distribution. Even when the number of sampling points on the posterior distributions is fixed to be small, the Bayesian optimization provides a better maximizer of the posterior distributions in comparison to those by the random search method, the steepest descent method, or the Monte Carlo method. Furthermore, the Bayesian optimization improves the results efficiently by combining the steepest descent method and thus it is a powerful tool to search for a better maximizer of computationally extensive probability distributions.
Toward Domain Transfer for No-Reference Quality Prediction of Asymmetrically Distorted Stereoscopic Images

We have presented a no-reference quality prediction method for asymmetrically distorted stereoscopic images, which aims to transfer the information from source feature domain to its target quality domain using a label consistent K-singular value decomposition classification framework. To this end, we construct a category-deviation database for dictionary learning that assigns a label for each stereoscopic image to indicate if it is noticeable or unnoticeable by human eyes. Then, by incorporating a category consistent term into the objective function, we learn view-specific feature and quality dictionaries to establish a semantic framework between the source feature domain and the target quality domain. The quality pooling is comparatively simple and only needs to estimate the quality score based on the classification probability. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our blind metric.
Age–Period–Cohort Analysis of Stroke Mortality in China: Data From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Background and Purpose— Stroke has been the leading cause of death in China. The aim of this study is to assess the long-term trends of stroke mortality in China between 1994 and 2013. Methods— The mortality data were obtained from the GBD 2013 (Global Burden of Disease Study 2013) and were analyzed with the age–period–cohort framework. Results— We found that the net drift was −2.665% (95% confidence interval, −2.854% to −2.474%) per year for men and −4.064% (95% confidence interval, −4.279% to −3.849%) per year for women, and the local drift values were below 0 in all age groups (P<0.05 for all) in both sexes during the period of 1994 to 2013. In the same birth cohort, the risk of death from stroke rose exponentially with age for both sexes after controlling for period deviations. The estimated period and cohort relative risks were found in similar monotonic downward patterns (significantly with P<0.05 for all) for both sexes, with more quickly decreasing for women than for men during the whole period (significantly with P<0.05 for both). Conclusions— The decreased mortality rates of stroke in China are likely to be related to improvements in medical care and techniques, spectacular economic growth and fast urbanization, and better early life nutrition conditions of Chinese people. Besides, better education and better awareness of stroke-related knowledge in successive generations could also probably play a role.
State of the Science: Using Telomeres as Biomarkers During the First 1,000 Days of Life

Telomere biology shows promise as an integrative biomarker of exposures and increased occurrence of chronic disease and early mortality. This integrative review examined the state of the science regarding toxicokinetic risks and maternal factors in humans and in vivo models that are correlated with telomere length during the first 1,000 days of life. The Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework assisted in guiding this integrative by aiding researchers in identifying, selecting, and critically appraising the literature. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases were searched. The initial search yielded a total of 381 published articles. Full-text screening resulted in 19 articles retained for review (14 quasi-experimental studies and five experimental studies). Findings suggest a relationship between toxicokinetic exposures creating inflammation or oxidative stress (i.e., smoking) and maternal health conditions such as sleep apnea to shorter telomere length in children below 2 years old.
Genetic and Environmental Associations Between Procrastination and Internalizing/Externalizing Psychopathology

Recent work on procrastination has begun to unravel the genetic and environmental correlates of this problematic behavior. However, little is known about how strongly procrastination is associated with internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, and the extent to which shared genetic/environmental factors or relevant personality constructs (e.g., fear of failure, impulsivity, and neuroticism) can inform the structure of these associations. The current study examined data from 764 young adult twins who completed questionnaires assessing procrastination and personality and structured interviews regarding psychopathology symptoms. Results indicated that procrastination was positively correlated with both internalizing and externalizing latent variables and that these correlations were driven by shared genetic influences. Moreover, the association between procrastination and internalizing was accounted for by fear of failure and neuroticism, whereas the association between procrastination and externalizing was primarily explained by impulsivity. The role of procrastination in psychopathology is discussed using a framework that highlights common and broadband-specific variance.
Characterization of mercury-induced stress biomarkers in Fagopyrum tataricum plants

ABSTRACT The effect of mercury stress on antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, photosynthetic pigments, hydrogen peroxide content, osmolytes, and growth parameters in Tartary buckwheat were investigated. The effect of Hg-exposure was found to be time (15 and 30 days) and concentration (0, 25, 50, and 75 μM) dependent. Hg was readily absorbed by seedlings with higher content in roots and it resulted in reduction of root and shoot length. The root and shoot Hg uptakes were significantly and directly correlated with each other. However, the fresh mass and biomass increased up to 50 μM Hg-treatment at both time periods. A significant positive correlation was observed between biomass accumulation with relative water content. Hg levels were positively correlated with the production of hydrogen peroxide in leaves as evidenced by 3, 3-diaminobenzidine (DAB)-mediated tissue fingerprinting. The osmolyte levels in general were elevated except for proline and protein which showed a decline at 75 μM Hg-treatment at 30-days. Amongst the photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll showed a decline while as carotenoid and anthocyanin levels were elevated. The activity of antioxidant enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), glutathione reductase (GR), Glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were positively correlated with Hg-treatment except SOD, which declined at 75 μM Hg-treatment in 30-days old seedlings. Catalase (CAT) activity showed a positive correlation up to 50 μM Hg-treatment but at 75 μM Hg-stress it decreases at both 15 and 30 days.
On the Origin of Bastnaesite-(La,Nd,Y) in the Nissi (Patitira) Bauxite Laterite Deposit, Lokris, Greece

A detailed geochemical study and a thorough mineralogical description of the rare-earth elements (REE)-minerals and associated minerals were carried out in two vertical profiles of approximately 4 m length, from the Nissi (Patitira) bauxite laterite deposit, Lokris, Greece, characterized by the presence of goethite in small sizes resembling bacterial cell coated by goethite and a significant REE enrichment. The enrichment of the REE concentrated in bastnaesite-group minerals, the intergrowths between REE-minerals and Al–Ni–silicates with significant sulfur contents and their association with goethite microtextures interpreted as bacteriomorphic, indicate REE remobilization along with iron bio-leaching and re-precipitation on karstified limestone. In addition to the previous-reported hydroxylbastnaesites, a (La,Nd,Y)(CO3)F member of the bastnaesite-group associated with Al–Ni–silicates were identified, the stability of which may reflect the dependence on the source rocks and the local variations of pH-Eh. Interaction between downward percolating water and carbonate rocks seems to be a very effective mechanism for REE fluorocarbonates deposition under alkaline and reducing conditions.