Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Effects of an Animal-Assisted Intervention for Pediatric Oncology Patients and Their Parents: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: This multicenter, parallel-group, randomized trial examined the effects of an animal-assisted intervention on the stress, anxiety, and health-related quality of life for children diagnosed with cancer and their parents. Method: Newly diagnosed patients, aged 3 to 17 years (n = 106), were randomized to receive either standard care plus regular visits from a therapy dog (intervention group), or standard care only (control group). Data were collected at set points over 4 months of the child’s treatment. Measures included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory™, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Pediatric Inventory for Parents, and child blood pressure and heart rate. All instruments were completed by the child and/or his/her parent(s). Results: Children in both groups experienced a significant reduction in state anxiety (P < .001). Parents in the intervention group showed significantly decreased parenting stress (P = .008), with no changes in stress among parents in the control group. However, no significant differences between groups over time on any measures were observed. Conclusions: Animal-assisted interventions may provide certain benefits for parents and families during the initial stages of pediatric cancer treatment.
Novel Time-Domain Schottky Diode Modeling for Microwave Rectifier Designs

A novel modeling methodology of Schottky diode for microwave rectifier design is proposed in this paper. The challenge was to consider the effective capacitance of the diode under different status being usually ignored in previous works. In addition, the charging and discharging behaviors causing extra power consumption had been considered for a higher modeling accuracy. To improve the diode modeling, Kirchhoff current and charge conservation law are utilized to analyze the charge and discharge effects and synthesize the corresponding close-form equations. Based on these equations, once the diode model, operating frequency, output dc current are determined, the optimal performance prediction for the diode, load value selection, and impedance matching design can be implemented accordingly. For validation, the proposed modeling methodology is compared with the commercial simulation software advanced design system and other related works. For further verification, a compact single diode rectifier operating at 5.8 GHz is designed, fabricated, and measured. Good agreement between the calculated, simulated, and measured data can be obtained, demonstrating the effectiveness of proposed method.
Age-Related Changes in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE)

Background Age-related changes in the retina are often accompanied by visual impairment but their mechanistic details remain poorly understood. Methodology Proteomic studies were pursued toward a better molecular understanding of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) aging mechanisms. RPE cells were isolated from young adults (3–4 month-old) and old (24–25 month-old) F344BN rats, and separated into subcellular fractions containing apical microvilli (MV) and RPE cell bodies (CB) lacking their apical microvilli. Proteins were extracted in detergent, separated by SDS-PAGE, digested in situ with trypsin and analyzed by LC MS/MS. Select proteins detected in young and old rat RPE were further studied using immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis. Principal Findings A total of 356 proteins were identified in RPE MV from young and 378 in RPE MV from old rats, 48% of which were common to each age group. A total of 897 proteins were identified in RPE CB from young rats and 675 in old CB, 56% of which were common to each age group. Several of the identified proteins, including proteins involved in response to oxidative stress, displayed both quantitative and qualitative changes in overall abundance during RPE aging. Numerous proteins were identified for the first time in the RPE. One such protein, collectrin, was localized to the apical membrane of apical brush border of proximal tubules where it likely regulates several amino acid transporters. Elsewhere, collectrin is involved in pancreatic β cell proliferation and insulin secretion. In the RPE, collectrin expression was significantly modulated during RPE aging. Another age-regulated, newly described protein was DJ-1, a protein extensively studied in brain where oxidative stress-related functions have been described. Conclusions/Significance The data presented here reveals specific changes in the RPE during aging, providing the first protein database of RPE aging, which will facilitate future studies of age-related retinal diseases.
Templated-assembly of conducting antimony cluster wires

Wires with meso- and nanoscale widths have been fabricated using a novel assembly technique based on the deposition of Sb clusters on templated surfaces. The template elements are V-grooves etched into the surface of a Si wafer. It is demonstrated that the clusters bounce or slide to the apex of the V-grooves, without significant fragmentation, and that this motion is the underlying mechanism behind the formation of the wires. The flow rate of inert gas into the cluster growth chamber controls the average velocity of the clusters and the morphology and width of the wires. Sb cluster-assembled wires with lengths over 150 µ ma nd widths down to 100 nm have been assembled from ∼40 nm diameter Sb clusters. Electrical contacts to the wire sh av eb een achieved via lithographic alignment of NiCr/Au contacts to the V-grooves prior to deposition.
Allelic Heterogeneity and Genetic Modifier Loci Contribute to Clinical Variation in Males with X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa Due to RPGR Mutations

Mutations in RPGR account for over 70% of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XlRP), characterized by retinal degeneration and eventual blindness. The clinical consequences of RPGR mutations are highly varied, even among individuals with the same mutation: males demonstrate a wide range of clinical severity, and female carriers may or may not be affected. This study describes the phenotypic diversity in a cohort of 98 affected males from 56 families with RPGR mutations, and demonstrates the contribution of genetic factors (i.e., allelic heterogeneity and genetic modifiers) to this diversity. Patients were categorized as grade 1 (mild), 2 (moderate) or 3 (severe) according to specific clinical criteria. Patient DNAs were genotyped for coding SNPs in 4 candidate modifier genes with products known to interact with RPGR protein: RPGRIP1, RPGRIP1L, CEP290, and IQCB1. Family-based association testing was performed using PLINK. A wide range of clinical severity was observed both between and within families. Patients with mutations in exons 1–14 were more severely affected than those with ORF15 mutations, and patients with predicted null alleles were more severely affected than those predicted to make RPGR protein. Two SNPs showed association with severe disease: the minor allele (N) of I393N in IQCB1 (p = 0.044) and the common allele (R) of R744Q in RPGRIP1L (p = 0.049). These data demonstrate that allelic heterogeneity contributes to phenotypic diversity in XlRP and suggest that this may depend on the presence or absence of RPGR protein. In addition, common variants in 2 proteins known to interact with RPGR are associated with severe disease in this cohort.
Explorations and Experiments on the Use of Auditory and Visual Feedback in Pen-Gesture Interfaces

We explore the use of auditory feedback in pen gesture interfaces in a series of informal and formal experiments. Initial iterative studies showed that gaining performance or learning advantage with auditory feedback beyond the obvious is difficult. To establish a baseline, Experiment 1 formally evaluated gesture production accuracy as a function of auditory and visual feedback. Size of gestures and the aperture of the closed gesture were influenced by the visual or auditory feedback, while most other features were not. Design implications from this experiment were taken in developing a revised form of EdgeWrite that was proved successful. Experiment 2 focused on the emotional and aesthetic aspects of auditory feedback in pen-gesture interfaces. Participants' views with regard to the dimension of being wonderful and stimulating was significantly higher with musical feedback. Our exploration points to several general rules of auditory feedback that may serve as a foundation for future research and development. Author
Unravelling growth trajectories from complicated otoliths - the case of Brazilian codling Urophycis brasiliensis.

Uncertainty regarding the age determination of the Brazilian codling Urophycis brasiliensis has hampered its stock assessment. Transverse sections of otoliths displayed up to seven (in males) and 12 (in females) alternate opaque and translucent bands that could not be conclusively validated as annuli, resulting in unrealistically high ages of first maturity (A50 ) (A50male = 4·5 years and A50female = 6 years). Therefore, growth was described by the von Bertalanffy (VB) model using an alternative approach that combined microstructure data (daily growth increments) and a fixed asymptotic total length (L∞ ). This approach was supported by applying it to two other co-occurring species, the whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri and the king weakfish Macrodon atricauda, for which daily and annual ring formation has previously been validated. The sensitivity to realistic errors associated with the choice of the L∞ and the daily increment readings was shown to be low. The results show that U. brasiliensis has a fast growth rate (Kmale = 1·19 year-1 , Kfemale = 0·71 year-1 ) and early maturation (A50male = 1·1-1·5 years, A50female = 1·6-1·8 years); typical life-history traits for a sub-tropical coastal gadiform. This novel study offers an alternative approach for age and growth reconstruction for species with complex patterns of opaque and translucent bands provided that daily growth increments in the yearlings can be counted and L∞ reliably estimated.
Van der Waals Interactions Between Two Hydrogen Atoms: The Slater-Kirkwood Method Revisited

We examine a technique of Slater and Kirkwood [Phys. Rev., 37 (1931), 682] which provides an exact resolution of the asymptotic behavior of the van der Waals attraction between two hydrogen atoms. We modify their technique to make the problem more tractable analytically and more easily solvable by numerical methods. Moreover, we prove rigorously that this approach provides an exact solution for the asymptotic electron correlation. The proof makes use of recent results [Anapolitanos, On van der Waals Forces, Ph.D. thesis, University of Toronto, Toronto, 2011] (see also [Anapolitanos and Sigal, Long Range Behaviour of van der Waals Force, arXiv.org, 2013]. We provide visual representations of the asymptotic electron correlation (entanglement) based on the use of Laguerre approximations.
NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF HELICITY CONDENSATION IN THE SOLAR CORONA

The helicity condensation model has been proposed by Antiochos to explain the observed smoothness of coronal loops and the observed buildup of magnetic shear at filament channels. The basic hypothesis of the model is that magnetic reconnection in the corona causes the magnetic stress injected by photospheric motions to collect only at those special locations where prominences are observed to form. In this work we present the first detailed quantitative MHD simulations of the reconnection evolution proposed by the helicity condensation model. We use the well-known ansatz of modeling the closed corona as an initially uniform field between two horizontal photospheric plates. The system is driven by applying photospheric rotational flows that inject magnetic helicity into the corona. The flows are confined to a finite region on the photosphere so as to mimic the finite flux system of a bipolar active region, for example. The calculations demonstrate that, contrary to common belief, opposite helicity twists do not lead to significant reconnection in such a coronal system, whereas twists with the same sense of helicity do produce substantial reconnection. Furthermore, we find that for a given amount of helicity injected into the corona, the evolution of the magnetic shear is insensitive to whether the pattern of driving photospheric motions is fixed or quasi-random. In all cases, the shear propagates via reconnection to the boundary of the flow region while the total magnetic helicity is conserved, as predicted by the model. We discuss the implications of our results for solar observations and for future, more realistic simulations of the helicity condensation process.
Genetic polymorphisms in caveolin-1 associate with breast cancer risk in Chinese Han population

Caveolin-1(CAV-1) was demonstrated to be a tumor suppressor gene and be implicated in the development of breast cancer (BC). Numerous potentially functional polymorphisms in CAV-1 have been identified, but their effects on BC were not clear. This case-control study aims to evaluate the relationship between CAV-1 polymorphisms and BC risk. 560 BC patients and 583 healthy controls were enrolled in the present study, all from Chinese Han population. We detected 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3807987, rs1997623, and rs7804372) in CAV-1 using the Sequenom MassARRAY method. The association between CAV-1genotypes and BC risk was assessed in six genetic models by calculating the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) with χ2-test. The CAV-1 rs3807987 polymorphism was observed to increase the risk of BC And the A allele of rs3807987 relates to a larger tumor size (≥2cm) and lower incidence of PR-positive BC while the AA genotype of rs7804372 associates with a higher ER and Her-2 positive rate among BC patients. In addition, Ars1997623Grs3807987Trs7804372 haplotype was linked to a decreased risk of BC (OR =0.64, 95%CI=0.44-0.93), whereas Crs1997623Ars3807987Trs7804372 haplotype was related to an increased BC risk (OR =1.74, 95%CI=1.04-2.92). Our study suggests that CAV-1 rs3807987 can increase the BC risk among Chinese Han women. And the rs3807987 and rs7804372 in CAV-1 may serve as predictors for prognosis of BC.
Dizziness and the Acute Vestibular Syndrome at the Emergency Department: A Population-Based Descriptive Study

Background: Dizziness is a common occurrence witnessed at emergency departments (EDs). This study aims to describe the epidemiology and management of dizzy patients with and without an acute vestibular syndrome (AVS) in the ED at Umeå University Hospital. Methods: A total of n = 2,126 ED dizziness visits during 3 years were identified. Data were obtained through retrospective review of medical records. Cases were stratified based on presentation, including AVS and neurological deficits. The outcomes analyzed included cerebrovascular causes of dizziness. A Poisson distribution was assumed when calculating incidence CIs. Results: Dizziness accounted for 2.1% of all ED visits, incidence 477/100,000 inhabitants (95% CI 457–498). Among dizzy patients, 19.2% had an AVS, incidence 92/100,000 inhabitants (95% CI 74–113). Top medical diagnostic groups were otovestibular (15.1%), cardiovascular (8.7%) and neurological diseases (7.7%), including stroke and transitory ischemic attack (4.8%). Cerebrovascular causes of dizziness were more common among those with an AVS (10.0%) vs. those without (3.6%), p < 0.01. Conclusion: The risk for cerebrovascular causes of dizziness, although low in an unselected cohort, increases with the presence of neurological signs and an AVS. These population-based data may be useful when planning and implementing dizziness and AVS management algorithms at EDs.
A comparison of aerobic granular sludge with conventional and compact biological treatment technologies

ABSTRACT The aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology is growing towards becoming a mature option for new municipal wastewater treatment plants and capacity extensions. A process based on AGS was compared to conventional activated sludge processes (with and without enhanced biological phosphorus removal), an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) process and a membrane bioreactor (MBR) by estimating the land area demand (footprint), electricity demand and chemicals’ consumption. The process alternatives compared included pre-settling, sludge digestion and necessary post-treatment to achieve effluent concentrations of 8 mg/L nitrogen and 0.2 mg/L phosphorus at 7°C. The alternative based on AGS was estimated to have a 40–50% smaller footprint and 23% less electricity requirement than conventional activated sludge. In relation to the other compact treatment options IFAS and MBR, the AGS process had an estimated electricity usage that was 35–70% lower. This suggests a favourable potential for processes based on AGS although more available experience of AGS operation and performance at full scale is desired.
A Spectral Method (of Exponential Convergence) for Singular Solutions of the Diffusion Equation with General Two-Sided Fractional Derivative

An open problem in the numerical solution of fractional partial differential equations (FPDEs) is how to obtain high-order accuracy for singular solutions; even for smooth right-hand sides solutions of FPDEs are singular. Here, we consider the one-dimensional diffusion equation with general two-sided fractional derivative characterized by a parameter $p\in [0,1]$; for $p=1/2$ we recover the Riesz fractional derivative, while for $p = 1$, 0 we obtain the one-sided fractional derivative. We employ a Petrov--Galerkin projection in a properly weighted Sobolev space with (two-sided) Jacobi polyfracnomials as basis and test functions. In particular, we derive these two-sided Jacobi polyfractonomials as eigenfunctions of a Sturm--Liouville problem with weights uniquely determined by the parameter $p$. We provide a rigorous analysis and obtain optimal error estimates that depend on the regularity of the forcing term, i.e., for smooth data (corresponding to singular solutions) we obtain exponential convergence, wh.
Fabrication of highly conductive stretchable textile with silver nanoparticles

A method has been developed for the deposition of conductive metals onto fibers within textile structures. The resultant fabric exhibited full metal coverage with good adhesion to the fibers. As well as being conductive and extremely flexible with little effect on its handle and drape properties. In order to make a conductive fabric, cotton was first mercerized followed by immersion in poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) solution. Silver nitrate was then reduced on the surface of the fabric which allowed formation of silver nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy studies of the conductive fabric confirmed the deposition of the polymer resulted in more uniform attachment of nanosilver to the surface of fibers. The fabric was then electroless plated to obtain a surface resistivity less than 0.2 Ω/square. This method can be used for woven, non-woven and knitted types of fabric. It can be applied on to the fibers before or after being made into a textile.
Characterisation of warm recycled porous asphalt mixtures prepared with different WMA additives

The use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) into new asphalt mixtures and the reduction in the production temperatures by means of Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) additives are two recognised solutions for sustainable pavements. Despite their environmental advantages, the reduced production temperatures of WMA mixtures may lead to rutting and moisture susceptibility issues. Such concerns need to be properly investigated, particularly in case of porous asphalt mixtures (PA) due to their low durability and high water sensitivity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility to reduce the production temperature of recycled PA including 15% of coarse RAP aggregates; three different WMA additives were selected (organic, chemical additive and zeolite) to produce PA mixtures at 130 °C. One HMA mixture was also prepared at 170 °C and an additional WMA mixture was prepared at reduced temperature without any WMA additive for comparison purposes. The experimental programme focused on compactability and durability properties of the PA mixtures. Results highlight the issues related to the reduced production temperatures of PA mixtures, particularly in terms of moisture susceptibility. Only the presence of the chemical additive in the mixture ensures adequate water resistance, although it does not guarantee short-term performance comparable to the HMA mixture.
Efficient probabilistic group testing based on traitor tracing

Inspired by recent results from collusion-resistant traitor tracing, we provide a framework for constructing efficient probabilistic group testing schemes. In the traditional group testing model, our scheme asymptotically requires T ~ 2K ln N tests to find (with high probability) the correct set of K defectives out of N items. The framework is also applied to several noisy group testing and threshold group testing models, often leading to improvements over previously known results, but we emphasize that this framework can be applied to other variants of the classical model as well, both in adaptive and in non-adaptive settings.
Longitudinal Associations of Autonomy, Relatedness, and Competence with the Well-being of Nursing Home Residents.

Background and Objectives As proposed by the self-determination theory, satisfying nursing home residents' needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence may improve their well-being. This is the first study to test the longitudinal relations of the satisfaction of these three basic psychological needs to the subjective well-being of nursing home residents and to determine whether a balance among the satisfaction of the three needs is important for well-being. Research Design and Methods Participants in this longitudinal survey study included 128 physically frail residents (mean age 85 years) at four Dutch nursing homes. Satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs was measured at baseline, and depressive feelings and life satisfaction 5-8 months later. Absolute differences between the three basic need satisfaction scores were summed to create a score of need satisfaction balance. Results All three needs were related to both well-being measures over time, although autonomy had the strongest relationships. Only autonomy and competence were uniquely associated with depressive feelings, and only autonomy was uniquely associated with life satisfaction. The need satisfaction balance score was related to well-being independent of the autonomy and relatedness scores. Discussion and Implications These results confirm that all three basic psychological needs are important for nursing home residents' well-being, with autonomy having the strongest and most consistent relationship to their well-being. Additionally, high satisfaction of one need does not compensate for low satisfaction of another. Supporting residents' needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence should, therefore, have a central role in nursing home culture-change interventions.