Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regional Cultures and the Psychological Geography of Switzerland: Person–Environment–Fit in Personality Predicts Subjective Wellbeing

The present study extended traditional nation-based research on person–culture–fit to the regional level. First, we examined the geographical distribution of Big Five personality traits in Switzerland. Across the 26 Swiss cantons, unique patterns were observed for all traits. For Extraversion and Neuroticism clear language divides emerged between the French- and Italian-speaking South-West vs. the German-speaking North-East. Second, multilevel modeling demonstrated that person–environment–fit in Big Five, composed of elevation (i.e., mean differences between individual profile and cantonal profile), scatter (differences in mean variances) and shape (Pearson correlations between individual and cantonal profiles across all traits; Furr, 2008, 2010), predicted the development of subjective wellbeing (i.e., life satisfaction, satisfaction with personal relationships, positive affect, negative affect) over a period of 4 years. Unexpectedly, while the effects of shape were in line with the person–environment–fit hypothesis (better fit predicted higher subjective wellbeing), the effects of scatter showed the opposite pattern, while null findings were observed for elevation. Across a series of robustness checks, the patterns for shape and elevation were consistently replicated. While that was mostly the case for scatter as well, the effects of scatter appeared to be somewhat less robust and more sensitive to the specific way fit was modeled when predicting certain outcomes (negative affect, positive affect). Distinguishing between supplementary and complementary fit may help to reconcile these findings and future research should explore whether and if so under which conditions these concepts may be applicable to the respective facets of person–culture–fit.
Using Procalcitonin in Septic Shock to Guide Antibacterial Therapy

Over the last decade, the biomarkers procalcitonin and C-reactive protein have gained interest in sepsis research. Procalcitonin is a unique biomarker that is specific to bacterial infection and has demonstrated utility in the risk stratification of patients with potential life-threatening bacterial infections. In addition, procalcitonin has been documented as having a role in reducing the rate of unnecessary antibiotics while positively impacting antibiotic resistance rates and cost savings. The purposes of this review article are to discuss the clinical relevance of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin as diagnostic and prognostic markers for sepsis with a focus on the use of serial procalcitonin levels as a component of antibiotic stewardship programs. The federal government has recently become invested in combating the progression of antibiotic resistance; a 5-year national plan has been developed to address these concerns. Establishing a reliable antibiotic stewardship program is one of the goals of this national plan.
Identification and Characterization of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

Background/Aims: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in stem cell differentiation. However, their role in osteogenesis of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), a promising cell source for bone regeneration, remains unknown. Here, we investigated the expression profile and potential roles of lncRNAs in osteogenic differentiation of human ASCs. Methods: Human ASCs were induced to differentiate into osteoblasts in vitro, and the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in undifferentiated and osteogenic differentiated ASCs were obtained by microarray. Bioinformatics analyses including subgroup analysis, gene ontology analysis, pathway analysis and co-expression network analysis were performed. The function of lncRNA H19 was determined by in vitro knockdown and overexpression. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was utilized to examine the expression of selected genes. Results: We identified 1,460 upregulated and 1,112 downregulated lncRNAs in osteogenic differentiated human ASCs as compared with those of undifferentiated cells (Fold change ≥ 2.0, P < 0.05). Among these, 94 antisense lncRNAs, 85 enhancer-like lncRNAs and 160 lincRNAs were further recognized. We used 12 lncRNAs and 157 mRNAs to comprise a coding-non-coding gene expression network. Additionally, silencing of H19 caused a significantly increase in expression of osteogenesis-related genes, including ALPL and RUNX2, while a decrease was observed after H19 overexpression. Conclusion: This study revealed for the first time the global expression profile of lncRNAs involved in osteogenic differentiation of human ASCs and provided a foundation for future investigations of lncRNA regulation of human ASC osteogenesis.
Analysis of Different Blade Architectures on small VAWT Performance

The present paper aims at describing and comparing different small Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) architectures, in terms of performance and loads. These characteristics can be highlighted by resorting to the Blade Element-Momentum (BE-M) model, commonly adopted for rotor pre-design and controller assessment. After validating the model with experimental data, the paper focuses on the analysis of VAWT loads depending on some relevant rotor features: blade number (2 and 3), airfoil camber line (comparing symmetrical and asymmetrical profiles) and blade inclination (straight versus helical blade). The effect of such characteristics on both power and thrusts (in the streamwise direction and in the crosswise one) as a function of both the blades azimuthal position and their Tip Speed Ratio (TSR) are presented and widely discussed.
Cell-Based Therapies for Joint Disease in Veterinary Medicine: What We Have Learned and What We Need to Know

Biological cell-based therapies for the treatment of joint disease in veterinary patients include autologous-conditioned serum, platelet-rich plasma, and expanded or non-expanded mesenchymal stem cell products. This narrative review outlines the processing and known mechanism of action of these therapies and reviews current preclinical and clinical efficacy in joint disease in the context of the processing type and study design. The significance of variation for biological activity and consequently regulatory approval is also discussed. There is significant variation in study outcomes for canine and equine cell-based products derived from whole blood or stem cell sources such as adipose and bone marrow. Variation can be attributed to altering bio-composition due to factors including preparation technique and source. In addition, study design factors like selection of cases with early vs. late stage osteoarthritis (OA), or with intra-articular soft tissue injury, influence outcome variation. In this under-regulated field, variation raises concerns for product safety, consistency, and efficacy. Cell-based therapies used for OA meet the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) definition of a drug; however, researchers must consider their approach to veterinary cell-based research to meet future regulatory demands. This review explains the USA’s FDA guidelines as an example pathway for cell-based therapies to demonstrate safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing consistency. An understanding of the variation in production consistency, effectiveness, and regulatory concerns is essential for practitioners and researchers to determine what products are indicated for the treatment of joint disease and tactics to improve the quality of future research.
Registering Reconstructions of the Two Sides of Fruit Tree Rows

We consider the problem of building accurate three dimensional (3D)reconstructions of orchard rows. This problem arises in many applications including yield mapping and measuring traits (e.g. trunk diameters)for phenotyping. While 3D reconstructions of side views can be obtained using standard methods, merging the two side-views is difficult due to the lack of overlap between the two partial reconstructions. We present a novel method that utilizes global features to constrain the solution. Specifically, we use information from the silhouettes and the ground plane for alignment. The method is evaluated using multiple simulated and real datasets. For additional information and demonstration of experimental results please see https://www.youtube. com/watch? v=6mGMF2gFv4M.
Psychopathology , Psychosocial Factors and Quality of Life in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis

Psychopathology, Psychosocial Factors and Quality of Life in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis Vahap Ozan KOTAN, Zeynep KOTAN, Birgül AYDIN, Özlem TAŞKAPILIOĞLU, Hamdi Necdet KARLI, Hayriye Dilek YALVAÇ, Güven ÖZKAYA, Aslı SARANDÖL, Ömer Faruk TURAN, Selçuk KIRLI Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey Dr Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey Dört Mevsim Psychological Counseling Center, Bursa, Turkey Uludağ University Medical Faculty, Department of Neurology, Bursa, Turkey Uludağ University Medical Faculty, Department of Biostatistics, Bursa, Turkey Uludağ University Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry, Bursa, Turkey Summary
Influence of Avocado Purée as a Fat Replacer on Nutritional, Fatty Acid, and Organoleptic Properties of Low-Fat Muffins

ABSTRACT Objective: The feasibility of developing reduced-fat muffins with avocado is investigated by preparing muffins with 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% avocado purée as a fat (butter) replacer. Methodology: The resulting products were compared to the control muffin, which was made with 100% butter. Muffins were analyzed for nutritional content, fatty acid profiles, and sensory acceptability. Result: Muffins incorporated with avocado purée revealed a significant increase (p < 0.05) with respect to moisture, ash, and carbohydrate in comparison with the control sample. However, no significant changes (p > 0.05) were detected in all muffin formulations for protein and dietary fiber content. Both fat content and caloric value of muffins incorporated with avocado purée were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The fatty acid profile showed that there was an increment in the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) content by 16.51% at full-fat substitution. The sensory evaluation test demonstrated that muffins had acceptability at up to 50% substitution. Fat substitution at higher than 50% lead to undesirable flavor and aftertaste, which was significant (p < 0.05) to the panelists. Conclusion: The findings indicated the feasibility of avocado purée in fat-reduced muffin preparation with an optimal level of 50% avocado purée substitution.
Speeding up snakes

In this paper we summarize new and existing approaches for the semiautomatic image segmentation based on active contour models. In order to replace the manual segmentation of images of the medical research of the Center of Anatomy at the Georg August University of Gottingen we developed a user interface based on snakes. Due to the huge images (sometimes bigger than 100 megapixels) the research deals with, an efficient implementation is essential. We use a multiresolution model to achieve a fast convergence in coarse scales. The subdivision of an active contour into multiple segments and their treatment as open snakes allows us to exclude those parts of the contour from the calculation, which have already aligned with the desired curve. In addition, the band structure of the iteration matrices can be used to set up a linear algorithm for the computation of one single deformation step. Finally, we gained an acceleration of the initial computation of the Edge Map and the Gradient Vector Flow by the use of contemporary CPU architectures. Furthermore, the storage of huge images next to additional data structures, such as the Gradient Vector Flow, requires lots of memory. We show a possibility to save memory by a lossy scaling of the traditional potential image forces.
On the accuracy of North Atlantic temperature and heat storage fields from Argo

The accuracy with which the Argo profiling float dataset can estimate the upper ocean temperature and heat storage in the North Atlantic is investigated. A hydrographic section across 36°N is used to assess uncertainty in Argo-based estimates of the temperature field. The root-mean-square (RMS) difference in the Argo-based temperature field relative to the section measurements is about 0.6°C. The RMS difference is smaller, less than 0.4°C, in the eastern basin and larger, up to 2.0°C, toward the western boundary. In comparison, the difference of the section with respect to the World Ocean Atlas (WOA) is 0.8°C. For the upper 100 m, the improvement with Argo is more dramatic, the RMS difference being 0.56°C, compared to 1.13°C with WOA. The Ocean Circulation and Climate Advanced Model (OCCAM) is used to determine the Argo sampling error in mixed layer heat storage estimates. Using OCCAM subsampled to typical Argo sampling density, it is found that outside of the western boundary, the mixed layer monthly heat storage in the subtropical North Atlantic has a sampling error of 10–20 Wm-2 when averaged over a 10° A~ 10° area. This error reduces to less than 10 Wm-2 when seasonal heat storage is considered. Errors of this magnitude suggest that the Argo dataset is of use for investigating variability in mixed layer heat storage on interannual timescales. However, the expected sampling error increases to more than 50 Wm-2 in the Gulf Stream region and north of 40°N, limiting the use of Argo in these areas.
Creating and utilizing symbolic representations of spatial knowledge using mobile robots

A map is a description of an environment allowing an agent—a human, or in our case a mobile robot—to plan and perform effective actions. From a single location, an agent's sensors can not observe the whole structure of a complex, large environment. For this reason, the agent must build a map from observations gathered over time and space. We distinguish between large-scale space, with spatial structure larger than the agent's sensory horizon, and small-scale space, with structure within the sensory horizon. We propose a factored approach to mobile robot map-building that handles qualitatively different types of uncertainty by combining the strengths of topological and metrical approaches. Our framework is based on a computational model of the human cognitive map; thus it allows robust navigation and communication within several different spatial ontologies. Our approach factors the mapping problem into natural sub-goals: building a metrical representation for local small-scale spaces; finding a topological map that represents the qualitative structure of large-scale space; and (when necessary) constructing a metrical representation for large-scale space using the skeleton provided by the topological map. The core contributions of this thesis are a formal description of the Hybrid Spatial Semantic Hierarchy (HSSH), a framework for both small-scale and large-scale representations of space, and an implementation of the HSSH that allows a robot to ground the large-scale concepts of place and path in a metrical model of the local surround. Given metrical models of the robot's local surround, we argue that places at decision points in the world can be grounded by the use of a primitive called a gateway. Gateways separate different regions in space and have a natural description at intersections and in doorways. We provide an algorithmic definition of gateways, a theory of how they contribute to the description of paths and places, and practical uses of gateways in spatial mapping and learning.
[Breast feeding in premature babies: development-centered care in Palestine].

UNLABELLED In addition to its important role in the initiation of breastfeeding, early skin-to-skin contact benefits both mothers and their babies. OBJECTIVE To inform all mothers of premature babies about the importance of skin-to-skin contact and breast-feeding in order to foment a closer bond between mother and child (development-centered care). MATERIALS AND METHOD A prospective cohort study was conducted in various hospitals on the West Bank in Palestine during 2008-2011. The universe was made up of an estimated average of 2,500 childbirths per year in each hospital. All of the subjects in the sample population of n = 252 babies had a gestational age of less than 37 GWs, and had weighed less than 2,500 grams at birth. For health reasons, they were hospitalized in neonatal care units. RESULTS The results obtained showed that in Palestine, young women tend to breastfeed their babies and have skin-to-skin contact with them more often than older mothers. Once the new mothers were informed of the advantages of these practices, they showed greater interest in learning how to care for their babies in the neonatal care units. CONCLUSIONS Breastfeeding premature babies as well as having skin-to-skin contact with them was made possible by informing and teaching new mothers about the advantages of this type of infant care. This research has had widespread impact and has been very well received by the female population in the country. This is the first study of its kind to be carried out in Palestine.
Rociletinib in EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a mutation in the gene encoding epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is sensitive to approved EGFR inhibitors, but resistance develops, mediated by the T790M EGFR mutation in most cases. Rociletinib (CO-1686) is an EGFR inhibitor active in preclinical models of EGFR-mutated NSCLC with or without T790M. METHODS In this phase 1-2 study, we administered rociletinib to patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC who had disease progression during previous treatment with an existing EGFR inhibitor. In the expansion (phase 2) part of the study, patients with T790M-positive disease received rociletinib at a dose of 500 mg twice daily, 625 mg twice daily, or 750 mg twice daily. Key objectives were assessment of safety, side-effect profile, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary antitumor activity of rociletinib. Tumor biopsies to identify T790M were performed during screening. Treatment was administered in continuous 21-day cycles. RESULTS A total of 130 patients were enrolled. The first 57 patients to be enrolled received the free-base form of rociletinib (150 mg once daily to 900 mg twice daily). The remaining patients received the hydrogen bromide salt (HBr) form (500 mg twice daily to 1000 mg twice daily). A maximum tolerated dose (the highest dose associated with a rate of dose-limiting toxic effects of less than 33%) was not identified. The only common dose-limiting adverse event was hyperglycemia. In an efficacy analysis that included patients who received free-base rociletinib at a dose of 900 mg twice daily or the HBr form at any dose, the objective response rate among the 46 patients with T790M-positive disease who could be evaluated was 59% (95% confidence interval [CI], 45 to 73), and the rate among the 17 patients with T790M-negative disease who could be evaluated was 29% (95% CI, 8 to 51). CONCLUSIONS Rociletinib was active in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC associated with the T790M resistance mutation. (Funded by Clovis Oncology; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01526928.).
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Seasonality: A Global Overview

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children. By the age of 1 year, 60%-70% of children have been infected by RSV. In addition, early-life RSV infection is associated with the development of recurrent wheezing and asthma in infancy and childhood. The need for precise epidemiologic data regarding RSV as a worldwide pathogen has been growing steadily as novel RSV therapeutics are reaching the final stages of development. To optimize the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of RSV infection in a timely manner, knowledge about the differences in the timing of the RSV epidemics worldwide is needed. Previous analyses, based on literature reviews of individual reports obtained from medical databases, have failed to provide global country seasonality patterns. Until recently, only certain countries have been recording RSV incidence through their own surveillance systems. This analysis was based on national RSV surveillance reports and medical databases from 27 countries worldwide. This is the first study to use original-source, high-quality surveillance data to establish a global, robust, and homogeneous report on global country-specific RSV seasonality.
NMR-based metabolomics to evaluate the milk composition from Friesian and autochthonous cows of Northern Italy at different lactation times

Abstract It is well established that different factors affect milk composition in cows and that milk composition, in turn, affect both technological and nutritional qualities. In this respect the comprehension of the metabolic variability of milk composition in relation to the lactation time as well as to the genetic background may be of paramount importance for the agri-food industries. In the present study we investigated the variations of the metabolic profiles during lactation in milks obtained from Friesian and autochthonous races from Northern Italy by 1H NMR metabolomics. Furthermore, the external factors influencing the milk composition were minimized: the cows were breeded in the same farm, were fed with the same diet and were paired for the lactation interval and lactation stage. Our results showed a difference in milk composition between races and in relation to late lactation. The PLS-DA analysis permitted to distinguish the Friesian and autochthonous cow milks at the investigated different lactation times. Interestingly, the metabolites significantly involved into the discrimination between races appeared to be also technological property parameters, highlighting the importance of maintaining the biodiversity of cow breeds. Therefore, NMR-based metabolomics of milk could represent an informative tool to identify metabolites involved in milk quality both from a nutritional and industrial perspective.
Pedestrian-Synthesis-GAN: Generating Pedestrian Data in Real Scene and Beyond

State-of-the-art pedestrian detection models have achieved great success in many benchmarks. However, these models require lots of annotation information and the labeling process usually takes much time and efforts. In this paper, we propose a method to generate labeled pedestrian data and adapt them to support the training of pedestrian detectors. The proposed framework is built on the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) with multiple discriminators, trying to synthesize realistic pedestrians and learn the background context simultaneously. To handle the pedestrians of different sizes, we adopt the Spatial Pyramid Pooling (SPP) layer in the discriminator. We conduct experiments on two benchmarks. The results show that our framework can smoothly synthesize pedestrians on background images of variations and different levels of details. To quantitatively evaluate our approach, we add the generated samples into training data of the baseline pedestrian detectors and show the synthetic images are able to improve the detectors' performance.