Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epigenetic variation in OPRM1 gene in opioid‐exposed mother‐infant dyads

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) due to in‐utero opioid exposure has significant variability of severity. Preliminary studies have suggested that epigenetic variation within the μ‐opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene impacts NAS. We aimed to determine if DNA methylation in OPRM1 within opioid‐exposed mother‐infant dyads is associated with differences in NAS severity in an independent cohort. Full‐term opioid‐exposed newborns and their mothers (N = 68 pairs) were studied. A DNA sample was obtained and then assessed for level of DNA methylation at 20 CpG sites within the OPRM1 promoter region by next‐generation sequencing. Infants were monitored for NAS and treated with replacement opioids according to institutional protocol. The association between DNA methylation level at each CpG site with NAS outcome measures was evaluated using linear and logistic regression models. Higher methylation levels within the infants at the −18 (11.4% vs 4.4%, P = .0001), −14 (46.1% vs 24.0%, P = .002) and +23 (26.3% vs 12.9%, P = .008) CpG sites were associated with higher rates of infant pharmacologic treatment. Higher levels of methylation within the mothers at the −169 (R = 0.43, P = .008), −152 (R = 0.40, P = .002) and +84 (R = 0.44, P = .006) sites were associated point‐wise with longer infant length of stay. Maternal associations remained significant point‐wise for −169 (β = 0.07, P = .007) and on an experiment‐wise level for +84 (β = −0.10, P = .003) using regression models. These results suggest an association of higher levels of OPRM1 methylation at specific CpG sites and increased NAS severity, replicating prior findings. These findings have important implications for personalized treatment regimens for infants at high risk for severe NAS.
Including Topography and Vegetation Attributes for Developing Pedotransfer Functions

With the advent of advanced geographical informational systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies in recent years, topographic (elevation, slope, aspect, and flow accumulation) and vegetation attributes are routinely available from digital elevation models (DEMs) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at different spatial (remote sensor footprint, watershed, regional) scales. Based on the correlation of soil distribution and vegetation growth patterns across a topographically heterogeneous landscape, this study explores the use of topographic and vegetation attributes in addition to pedologic attributes to develop pedotransfer functions (PTFs) for estimating soil hydraulic properties in the Southern Great Plains of the USA. The extensive Southern Great Plains 1997 (SGP97) hydrology experiment database was used to derive these functions by using artificial neural networks. Eighteen models combining bootstrapping technique with artificial neural networks were developed in a hierarchical manner to predict the soil water contents at eight different soil water potentials (u at 5, 10, 333, 500, 1000, 3000, 8000, and 15000 cm) and the van Genuchten hydraulic parameters (ur, us, a, n). The performance of the neural network models was evaluated using the Spearman correlation coefficient between the observed and the predicted values and root mean square error (RMSE). Although variability exists within bootstrapped replications, improvements (of different levels of statistical significance) were achieved with certain input combinations of basic soil properties, topography and vegetation information compared with using only the basic soil properties as inputs. Topography (DEM) and vegetation (NDVI) attributes at finer scales were useful to capture the variations within the soil mapping units for the SGP97 region dominated by perennial grass cover.
03.06: A study on the behaviour of steel beam‐column connections to deep wide flange columns for seismic applications

The use of deep column profiles in lateral force resisting systems is becoming increasingly commonplace for the purpose of providing sufficient stiffness to meet lateral drift limits. Existing research on the behaviour of connections to deep column profiles is limited, and consequently this study aims to explore potential issues with these configurations. A parametric analytical investigation was performed focusing on the behaviour of one‐sided reduced beam section connections to columns of variable depths. A total of forty assemblies were designed according to the 2010 AISC Specification. Four column sizes were considered, namely W14×426, W24×192, W27×194, and W30×191 (in metric designations, W360×634, W610×285, W690×289, and W760×284). Columns were subjected to five levels of axial load and were configured with either medium or weak panel zone strength. A common size beam was used for all configurations, namely a W36×150 (W920×223), so that the shear and bending moments transferred to the column were not a variable. Imperfections and second‐order geometric effects were considered as part of the parametric investigation which used geometry and material characteristics from a previous experimental study. The results of this study suggest that the use of doubler plates to strengthen column webs causes a larger twist of the column when the connection is loaded, leading to the recommendation of using heavier profiles instead of reinforcement plates when strength limit states govern. Finally, this study shows that the use of deeper columns does not have a negative impact on the behaviour of the connection as long as the axial loads in the column are relatively low. When column axial loads approach the stability limit of the member, the connection detail used does not perform as intended, as local buckling phenomena reduce the connection capacity before a plastic hinge can fully form in the connected beam.
Self-Reported Adverse Drug Reactions, Medication Adherence, and Clinical Outcomes among Major Depressive Disorder Patients in Ethiopia: A Prospective Hospital Based Study

Background There is paucity of data on prevalence of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) and adherence and clinical outcomes of antidepressants. The present study determined the magnitude of ADRs of antidepressants and their impact on the level of adherence and clinical outcome. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among depression patients from September 2016 to January 2017 at Gondar University Hospital psychiatry clinic. The Naranjo ADR probability scale was employed to assess the ADRs. The rate of medication adherence was determined using Morisky Medication Adherence Measurement Scale-Eight. Results Two hundred seventeen patients participated in the study, more than half of them being males (122; 56.2%). More than one-half of the subjects had low adherence to their medications (124; 57.1%) and about 186 (85.7%) of the patients encountered ADR. The most common ADR was weight gain (29; 13.2%). More than one-half (125; 57.6%) of the respondents showed improved clinical outcome. Optimal level of medication adherence decreased the likelihood of poor clinical outcome by 56.8%. Conclusion ADRs were more prevalent. However, adherence to medications was very poor in the setup. Long duration of depression negatively affects the rate of adherence. In addition, adherence was found to influence the clinical outcome of depression patients.
Pectoral Fin Locomotion in Fishes: Testing Drag-based Models Using Three-dimensional Kinematics

Paired fin propulsion in fishes has classically been divided into two categories which represent biomechanical extremes in the use of appendages for propulsion: lift-based and drag-based mechanisms of thrust production. Theoretical models predict that fishes using drag-based propulsion should have wedge-shaped fins with relatively blunt distal edges, a fin beat cycle that is oriented along the anteroposterior (x) axis, feathering of the fin to reduce drag during the protraction phase, and maximal fin area during the retraction phase as the fin sweeps posteriorly perpendicular to the body. In this paper we use a three-dimensional analysis of pectoral fin propulsion in the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides , to (1) evaluate the extent to which bass pectoral fin kinematics fit predictions of drag-based propulsion, and (2)demonstrate the complexity of fin movement when the traditional two-dimensional analysis is extended into three dimensions. We attached small markers to visualize the diaphanous distal fin edge, and we videotaped lateral and ventral views from which we could measure x, y, and z coordinates from the fin and body. We divided the fin into two triangular elements for which we calculated planar (three-dimensional) angles relative to each of three reference planes (XY, YZ and XZ) during the fin beat cycle. We show how angles of attack based only on two-dimensional data may result in gross errors that severely compromise understanding of the mechanics and hydrodynamics of pectoral propulsion. Furthermore, three-dimensional analysis revealed that bass fin kinematics are much more complex than expected on a rowing model of drag-based propulsion, and that the pectoral fins may produce drag-based thrust even during protraction. Three dimensional kinematic data are critical to understanding the hydrodynamics of aquatic animal propulsion. Such data are a necessary foundation for reconstructing patterns of movement, modeling (both theoretical and empirical), and for assessing the extent to which motion is under active control or a passive consequence of fluid resistance.
Local Model Predictive Control for T–S Fuzzy Systems

In this paper, a new linear matrix inequality-based model predictive control (MPC) problem is studied for discrete-time nonlinear systems described as Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems. A recent local stability approach is applied to improve the performance of the proposed MPC scheme. At each time <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${k}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, an optimal state-feedback gain that minimizes an objective function is obtained by solving a semidefinite programming problem. The local stability analysis, the estimation of the domain of attraction, and feasibility of the proposed MPC are proved. Examples are given to demonstrate the advantages of the suggested MPC over existing approaches.
Destination competitiveness measurement: analysis of effective factors and indicators

Even though competition will become increasingly fierce in the 21st century (Ireland and Hitt 1999), little research has been carried out dealing with the topic of competitiveness of different tourist destinations either at the regional/national or international level (e.g. Briguglio and Vella 1995; Edwards 1993). It is claimed that a full competitive destination analysis has not received widespread recognition in the tourism literature (Pearce 1997).
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Virtual Cue Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nicotine Dependence

Previous studies have reported promising results regarding the effect of repeated virtual cue exposure therapy on nicotine dependence. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of virtual cue exposure therapy (CET) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for nicotine dependence. Thirty subjects with nicotine dependence participated in 4 weeks of treatment with either virtual CET (n=15) or CBT (n=15). All patients were male, and none received nicotine replacement treatment during the study period. The main setting of the CET used in this study was a virtual bar. The primary foci of the CBT offered were (a) smoking cessation education, (b) withdrawal symptoms, (c) coping with high-risk situations, (d) cognitive reconstruction, and (e) stress management. Daily smoking count, level of expiratory carbon monoxide (CO), level of nicotine dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and subjective craving were examined on three occasions: week 0 (baseline), week 4 (end of treatment), and week 12 (follow-up assessment). After treatment, the daily smoking count, the expiratory CO, and nicotine dependence levels had significantly decreased. These effects continued during the entire study period. Similar changes were observed in both virtual CET and CBT groups. We found no interaction between type of therapy and time of measurement. Although the current findings are preliminary, the present study provided evidence that virtual CET is effective for the treatment of nicotine dependence at a level comparable to CBT.
Aumann Type Set-valued Lebesgue Integral and Representation Theorem

In this paper, we shall firstly illustrate why we should discuss the Aumann type set-valued Lebesgue integral of a set-valued stochastic process with respect to time t under the condition that the set-valued stochastic process takes nonempty compact subset of d-dimensional Euclidean space. After recalling some basic results about set-valued stochastic processes, we shall secondly prove that the Aumann type set-valued Lebesgue integral of a set-valued stochastic process above is a set-valued stochastic process. Finally we shall give the representation theorem, and prove an important inequality of the Aumann type set-valued Lebesgue integrals of set-valued stochastic processes with respect to t, which are useful to study set-valued stochastic differential inclusions with applications in finance.
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and associated health and social vulnerabilities in older jail inmates

ABSTRACT Objectives: To examine post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in older jail inmates, and to determine whether adverse social and health-related characteristics were associated with having PTSD symptoms. Method: We performed an exploratory cross-sectional study of 238 older (age ≥55 years) jail inmates from a county jail. PTSD symptoms were determined using the Primary Care PTSD (PC-PTSD) screen. Reporting three or more PTSD symptoms was defined as a positive screen. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were used to examine the prevalence of a positive PTSD screen and associations with social and health-related characteristics. Results: The mean age was 59 years, 64% were Black, and 82% reported an annual income ≤$15,000. Nearly 40% of older jail inmates had a positive PTSD screen and 10% reported a prior PTSD diagnosis by a physician. Older jail inmates with a positive PTSD screen were significantly more likely than those with a negative PTSD screen to report medication insecurity in the past year, impairment in two or more activities of daily living, traumatic brain injury, pain in the past week, and poor self-rated health. Conclusion: Over one in three of the older jail inmates in this study had a positive PTSD screen, though only one in five of those with a positive screen reported a prior PTSD diagnosis. Screening for PTSD in jails may help identify older inmates who would benefit from additional mental health treatment and reentry planning to improve health in this population.
Rapid regeneration offsets losses from warming-induced tree mortality in an aspen-dominated broad-leaved forest in northern China

Worldwide tree mortality as induced by climate change presents a challenge to forest managers. To successfully manage vulnerable forests requires the capacity of regeneration to compensate for losses from tree mortality. We observed rapid regeneration and the growth release of young trees after warming-induced mortality in a David aspen-dominated (Populus davidiana) broad-leaved forest in Inner Mongolia, China, as based on individual tree measurements taken in 2012 and 2015 from a 6-ha permanent plot. Warming and drought stress killed large trees 10–15 m tall with a total number of 2881 trees during 2011–2012, and also thinned the upper crowns. David aspen recruitment increased 2 times during 2012–2015 and resulted in a high transition probability of David aspen replacing the same or other species, whereas the recruitment of Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) was much lower: it decreased from 2012 to 2015, indicating that rapid regeneration represented a regrowth phase for David aspen, and not succession to Mongolian oak. Further, we found that the recruitment density increased with canopy openness, thus implying that warming-induced mortality enhanced regeneration. Our results suggest that David aspen has a high regrowth ability to offset individual losses from warming-induced mortality. This important insight has implications for managing this vulnerable forest in the semi-arid region of northern China.
Air- and Dust-Borne Fungi in Indoor and Outdoor Home of Allergic Patients in a Dust-Storm-Affected Area

ABSTRACT Despite the recent increases in fungi-induced allergic diseases, there is no report yet in the region of the Persian Gulf on concentration levels of fungi in relationship with health state. Therefore, our aim was to measure fungi prevalence as well as to evaluate the relationships between air- and dust-borne fungal genera and allergic diseases. A matched case-control study was carried out including 45 allergic cases and 45 age- and gender-matched controls for each individual. Indoor and outdoor dust and indoor air samples were collected from participant homes during May to October 2015. A Quick Take 30 Pump and sterile wet swab were used to determine fungal types and their amounts in the air (CFU/m3) and dust (CFU/100 cm2) samples, respectively. A significant reverse association was found between indoor dust-borne Alternaria and asthma (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.02–0.86). Contrarily, increased levels of indoor air-borne Aspegillus fumigatus (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 0.37–10.55) and Alternaria (OR = 3.00, 95% CI = 0.34–25.83) were correlated with asthma development. Also, correlation analysis showed a significant relation between indoor air-borne Penicillium levels and reactivity to skin prick test in asthmatic patients (p = 0.04). Our findings support the notion that fungal exposures can either cause or prevent the development of allergic diseases. Accordingly, appropriate measures should be taken for a better management of fungi-induced allergic diseases.
Is decreased lung function associated with chronic kidney disease? A retrospective cohort study in Korea

Objective There is some evidence that lung function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be related. We evaluated the impact of lung function on the development of CKD in a large-scale longitudinal study. Method Retrospective longitudinal analyses were conducted among subjects who participated in comprehensive health check-ups at least four times during 7 years (between 2006 and 2012). We investigated the development of CKD during the follow-up period according to lung function status. Results Ten thousand one hundred and twenty-eight individuals (mean age =51.2 years) without CKD at baseline were enrolled. During the mean follow-up of 5 years (58.5±14.4 months), 167 of the 10 128 subjects (1.6%) developed CKD. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, estimated glomerular filtration rate, uric acid, triglycerides, serum albumin, and the presence of diabetes and hypertension revealed that a decrease of 10% in the forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio was associated with a 35% increase in the development of CKD during the follow-up. The incidence of CKD was higher in those with an FEV1/FVC ratio <0.8 compared with those with FEV1/FVC ratio ≥0.8 (HR=1.454; 95% CI 1.042 to 2.028, p=0.028). Conclusions Limited airflow as measured by the FEV1/FVC ratio was associated with an increased risk of CKD.
The Development and Application of Organic Rankine Cycle for Vehicle Waste Heat Recovery

The development of engine waste heat recovery (WHR) technologies attracts ever increasing interests due to the rising strict policy requirements and environmental concerns. Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) can convert low medium grade heat into electrical or mechanical power and has been widely recognized as the most promising heat-driven technologies. A typical internal combustion engine (ICE) converts around 30% of the overall fuel energy into effective mechanical power and the rest of fuel energy is dumped through the engine exhaust system and cooling system. Integrating a well-designed ORC system to ICE can effectively improve the overall energy efficiency and reduce emissions with around 2–5 years payback period through fuel saving. This book chapter is meant to provide an overview of the technical development and application of ORC technology to recover wasted thermal energy from the ICE with a particular focus on vehicle applications.
Defining a Hospital Volume Threshold for Minimally Invasive Pancreaticoduodenectomy in the United States

Importance There is increasing interest in expanding use of minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD). This procedure is complex, with data suggesting a significant association between hospital volume and outcomes. Objective To determine whether there is an MIPD hospital volume threshold for which patient outcomes could be optimized. Design, Setting, and Participants Adult patients undergoing MIPD were identified from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample from 2000 to 2012. Multivariable models with restricted cubic splines were used to identify a hospital volume threshold by plotting annual hospital volume against the adjusted odds of postoperative complications. The current analysis was conducted on August 16, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Incidence of any complication. Results Of the 865 patients who underwent MIPD, 474 (55%) were male and the median patient age was 67 years (interquartile range, 59-74 years). Among the patients, 747 (86%) had cancer and 91 (11%) had benign conditions/pancreatitis. Overall, 410 patients (47%) had postoperative complications and 31 (4%) died in-hospital. After adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics, increasing hospital volume was associated with reduced complications (overall association P < .001); the likelihood of experiencing a complication declined as hospital volume increased up to 22 cases per year (95% CI, 21-23). Median hospital volume was 6 cases per year (range, 1-60). Most patients (n = 717; 83%) underwent the procedure at low-volume (⩽22 cases per year) hospitals. After adjustment for patient mix, undergoing MIPD at low- vs high-volume hospitals was significantly associated with increased odds for postoperative complications (odds ratio, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.03-2.94; P = .04). Conclusions and Relevance Hospital volume is significantly associated with improved outcomes from MIPD, with a threshold of 22 cases per year. Most patients undergo MIPD at low-volume hospitals. Protocols outlining minimum procedural volume thresholds should be considered to facilitate safer dissemination of MIPD.
Loss recovery through spectral interpolation for robust speech recognition over packet voice communications

Packet voice communications generally suffer packet losses as a result of various network- or transmission-related impairments. Upon decoding, these lost packets result in missing speech segments that degrade automatic speech recognition (ASR) performance. We present a novel loss recovery scheme that reproduces the missing speech waveform by interpolating its spectrum from the speech spectra on both sides of a loss. An adaptive mechanism is used to determine the FFT width of the speech waveform before and after a loss to capture as much spectral detail as possible. A linearly weighted spectral interpolation ensues to obtain the spectra of missing speech. The missing speech waveform is then reconstructed through IFFT, followed by smoothing at packet boundaries. Tests on Bluetooth voice packets with a high loss rate of 38% show that our scheme improves ASR performance considerably (up to 20%) while being computationally efficient, as it is an FFT-based scheme.