Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Red blood cell distribution width is associated with incidence of atrial fibrillation

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW), a measure of variation in erythrocyte volume, has been associated with several cardiovascular disorders, but the relationship with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. We investigated the association between RDW and incidence of first hospitalization due to AF in a population‐based cohort.
Non-GPS Positioning Systems

An enormous amount of research has been conducted in the area of positioning systems and thus it calls for a detailed literature review of recent localization systems. This article focuses on recent developments of non-Global Positioning System (GPS) localization/positioning systems. We have presented a new hierarchical method to classify various positioning systems. A comprehensive performance comparison of the techniques and technologies against multiple performance metrics along with the limitations is presented. A few indoor positioning systems have emerged as more successful in particular application environments than others, which are presented at the end.
Microscopic analysis of the wood bond line using liquefied wood as adhesive

The bonding of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) with liquefied wood (LW) causes deterioration of the wood surface, resulting in a high percentage of wood failure at a relatively low bond shear strength. Light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR micro-spectroscopy and elemental carbon, nitrogen and sulphur (CNS) analysis techniques were used to investigate the formation of such bonds. It was assumed that the degradation of lignin, hemicelluloses and parts of the cellulose occurred in the cells of the wood surface where the LW had been applied. At the elevated temperatures occurring during the bonding process, the deteriorated cells were carbonised to some extent. The weak boundary layer of the bond was determined to be a layer of delignified cells located between the zone of partly carbonised cells on the one side and the cells of the undamaged wood of the adherend on the other side. The bonds which formed during the bonding of wood with LW were found to be very untypical compared to bonds formed by synthetic wood adhesives. No adhesive film was formed, the adhesive-adherend interface was not clear and the cells of the adherend subsurface were damaged.
Anxiety and depression and mortality among cognitively intact nursing home residents with and without a cancer diagnosis: a 5-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND Studies are lacking on how anxiety and depression symptoms influence mortality among cognitively intact older people in nursing homes (NHs) with a diagnosis of cancer versus those without cancer. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that anxiety or depression was associated with survival and has greater effects on survival for residents with cancer than for those without cancer. METHODS A cohort of 227 cognitively intact (Clinical Dementia Rating scale score ≤0.5) older residents (60 with cancer and 167 without) from 30 NHs were followed from 2004-2005 to 2010. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews. Anxiety and depression were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale subscales. Sociodemographic variables and medical diagnoses were obtained from the records. RESULTS The overall survival after 5 years was 17% for residents with cancer and 22% for residents without cancer. Depression and comorbidity were associated with significantly worse survival independent of a cancer diagnosis. Residents with cancer and symptoms of anxiety (subscores at least 8) had worse survival than those without anxiety symptoms (P = .02), but this was not found among the noncancer group. CONCLUSIONS Independent of a cancer diagnosis, depression symptoms and comorbidity were associated with mortality among cognitive intact NH residents. Having symptoms of anxiety predicted shorter survival among residents with a cancer diagnosis. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Nurses should pay attention to depression symptoms among NH residents with and without a cancer diagnosis. Giving attention to residents with cancer and anxiety symptoms is especially important.
Flight Performance and Competitive Displacement of Hummingbirds across Elevational Gradients

Hummingbirds, with their impressive flight ability and competitive aerial contests, make ideal candidates for applying a mechanistic approach to studying community structure. Because flight costs are influenced by abiotic factors that change systematically with altitude, elevational gradients provide natural experiments for hummingbird flight ecology. Prior attempts relied on wing disc loading (WDL) as a morphological surrogate for flight performance, but recent analyses indicate this variable does not influence either territorial behavior or competitive ability. Aerodynamic power, by contrast, can be derived from direct measurements of performance and, like WDL, declines across elevations. Here, I demonstrate for a diverse community of Andean hummingbirds that burst aerodynamic power is associated with territorial behavior. Along a second elevational gradient in Colorado, I tested for correlated changes in aerodynamic power and competitive ability in two territorial hummingbirds. This behavioral analysis revealed that short‐winged Selasphorus rufus males are dominant over long‐winged Selasphorus platycercus males at low elevations but that the roles are reversed at higher elevations. Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that the burst rather than sustained aerodynamic performance mediates competitive ability at high elevation. A minimum value for burst power may be required for successful competition, but other maneuverability features gain importance when all competitors have sufficient muscle power, as occurs at low elevations.
Responses of Tectal Neurons to Contrasting Stimuli: An Electrophysiological Study in the Barn Owl

The saliency of visual objects is based on the center to background contrast. Particularly objects differing in one feature from the background may be perceived as more salient. It is not clear to what extent this so called “pop-out” effect observed in humans and primates governs saliency perception in non-primates as well. In this study we searched for neural-correlates of pop-out perception in neurons located in the optic tectum of the barn owl. We measured the responses of tectal neurons to stimuli appearing within the visual receptive field, embedded in a large array of additional stimuli (the background). Responses were compared between contrasting and uniform conditions. In a contrasting condition the center was different from the background while in the uniform condition it was identical to the background. Most tectal neurons responded better to stimuli in the contrsating condition compared to the uniform condition when the contrast between center and background was the direction of motion but not when it was the orientation of a bar. Tectal neurons also preferred contrasting over uniform stimuli when the center was looming and the background receding but not when the center was receding and the background looming. Therefore, our results do not support the hypothesis that tectal neurons are sensitive to pop-out per-se. The specific sensitivity to the motion contrasting stimulus is consistent with the idea that object motion and not large field motion (e.g., self-induced motion) is coded in the neural responses of tectal neurons.
Efficacy of Blue-Light Cross-linking on Human Scleral Reinforcement

PurposeTo evaluate the biomechanical effects of collagen cross-linking by riboflavin/blue light (460 nm) on human sclera. MethodsForty-two sclera samples from donated human eyes were treated with riboflavin at 0.5% on the equatorial sclera for 20 minutes and then randomly divided into seven groups and irradiated, respectively, with blue light at different intensities (14.6, 19.5, 22.5, 26, 32.5, and 40.6 mW/cm2) for 20 minutes using a light-emitting diode source with an exposure area of 10 mm in diameter. The untreated samples constituted the control group. During irradiation, continuous riboflavin solution infiltration was carried out for 20 minutes. Stress-strain measurements of scleral strips were performed with a biomaterial tester. Stress data and Young modulus values in different groups were compared by one-way analysis of variance. ResultsBlue-light (460 nm) cross-linking was efficient in stiffening human sclera strips. Interestingly, eyes treated with 22.5 mW/cm2 exhibited higher Young modulus values (19.12 [±4.88] MPa) at 8% strain compared with other groups, representing a 307.68% increase over control eye values (4.69 [±1.26] MPa). Stress and Young modulus increased gradually with irradiation intensity from 19.5 to 22.5 mW/cm2 before decreasing for higher intensities. ConclusionsThe biomechanical strength of human sclera may be enhanced by collagen cross-linking with riboflavin/460 nm blue-light irradiation; the dose of 22.5 mW/cm2 might be used for blue-light (460 nm) scleral cross-linking to achieve a higher efficacy.
Meteorological factors and risk of community-acquired Legionnaires’ disease in Switzerland: an epidemiological study

Objectives The aim of this study was to identify meteorological factors that could be associated with an increased risk of community-acquired Legionnaires’ disease (LD) in two Swiss regions. Design Retrospective epidemiological study using discriminant analysis and multivariable Poisson regression. Setting We analysed legionellosis cases notified between January 2003 and December 2007 and we looked for a possible relationship between incidence rate and meteorological factors. Participants Community-acquired LD cases in two Swiss regions, the Canton Ticino and the Basle region, with climatically different conditions were investigated. Primary outcome measures Vapour pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind, precipitation and radiation recorded in weather stations of the two Swiss regions during the period January 2003 and December 2007. Results Discriminant analysis showed that the two regions are characterised by different meteorological conditions. A multiple Poisson regression analysis identified region, temperature and vapour pressure during the month of infection as significant risk factors for legionellosis. The risk of developing LD was 129.5% (or 136.4% when considering vapour pressure instead of temperature in the model) higher in the Canton Ticino as compared to the Basle region. There was an increased relative risk of LD by 11.4% (95% CI 7.70% to 15.30%) for each 1 hPa rise of vapour pressure or by 6.7% (95% CI 4.22% to 9.22%) for 1°C increase of temperature. Conclusions In this study, higher water vapour pressure and heat were associated with a higher risk of community-acquired LD in two regions of Switzerland.
Context-sensitive evaluation and correction of phone recognition output

In speech and language processing, information about the errors made by a learning system is commonly used to assess and improve its performance. Because of high computational complexity, the context of the errors is usually either ignored, or exploited in a simplistic form. The complexity becomes tractable, however, for phone recognition because of the small lexicon. For phonebased systems, an exhaustive modeling of local context is possible. Furthermore, recent research studies have shown phone recognition to be useful for several spoken language processing tasks. In this paper, we present a mechanism which learns patterns of context-sensitive errors from ASR-output aligned with the “true” phone transcriptions. We also show how this information, encoded as a context-sensitive weighted transducer, can provide a modest improvement to phone recognition accuracy even when no transcriptions are available for the domain of interest.
Combination therapies: The next logical Step for the treatment of synucleinopathies?

Currently there are no disease‐modifying alternatives for the treatment of most neurodegenerative disorders. The available therapies for diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD), PD dementia (PDD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA), in which the protein alpha‐synuclein (α‐Syn) accumulates within neurons and glial cells with toxic consequences, are focused on managing the disease symptoms. However, using strategic drug combinations and/or multi‐target drugs might increase the treatment efficiency when compared with monotherapies. Synucleinopathies are complex disorders that progress through several stages, and toxic α‐Syn aggregates exhibit prion‐like behavior spreading from cell to cell. Therefore, it follows that these neurodegenerative disorders might require equally complex therapeutic approaches to obtain significant and long‐lasting results. Hypothetically, therapies aimed at reducing α‐Syn accumulation and cell‐to‐cell transfer, such as immunotherapy against α‐Syn, could be combined with agents that reduce neuroinflammation with potential synergistic outcomes. Here we review the current evidence supporting this type of approach, suggesting that such rational therapy combinations, together with the use of multi‐target drugs, may hold promise as the next logical step for the treatment of synucleinopathies. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Occurrence of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Infection in an Endemic Area of Tuberculosis

The majority of investigations of the epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have focused on highly developed nations with a low prevalence of tuberculosis. In contrast, the Para state of north Brazil represents an area of high tuberculosis prevalence and increasing NTM incidence. Toward the goal of understanding the dynamics of infection by all Mycobacterium species, we report patient characteristics and the identification of NTM strains isolated from sputum samples from patients that were residents of Para, a state in the Amazon region, Northern of Brazil, over the period January 2010 through December 2011 (2 years). The 29 NTM patients comprised 13.5% of positive mycobacterial cultures over the 2-year period. A major risk factor for NTM pulmonary disease was previous tuberculosis (76%). Further, the average age of NTM patients (52 years) was significantly higher than that of tuberculosis patients (39 years) and more were female (72.4% vs. 37.4%). Unlike other Brazilian states, NTM pulmonary patients in Para were infected with a different spectrum of mycobacteria; primarily the rapidly growing Mycobacterium massiliense and Mycobacterium simiae complex.
New insights into potential mechanisms of ischemic preconditioning.

O ur concepts of myocardial injury have undergone considerable revision in recent years. Traditionally, myocardium reversibly injured by an episode of ischemia was thought to be more vulnerable to the effects of a subsequent episode; an extension of this view was that brief repeated ischemic episodes might cumulatively cause infarction. Multiple studies have now shown that this is not the case. Paradoxically, brief episodes of ischemia increase the heart's tolerance to a subsequent sustained period of ischemia, such that the rate of cell death is slowed substantially. Induction of tolerance in this manner has been termed ischemic preconditioning.1 In the current issue of Circulation, Liu et a12 have provided new evidence for a role for adenosine in mediating this ischemic tolerance. In this editorial comment we shall review what is known about the basic biology of preconditioning and its potential mechanisms, including the adenosine hypothesis, and address what is unknown and in need of future study.
Statistical Process Monitoring of Nonlinear Profiles Using Wavelets

Many modern industrial processes are capable of generating rich and complex data records that do not readily permit the use of traditional statistical process-control techniques. For example, a “single observation” from a process might consist of n pairs of (x, y) data that can be described as y = f (x) when the process is in control. Such data structures or relationships between y and x are called profiles. Examples of profiles include calibration curves in chemical processing, oxide thickness across wafer surfaces in semiconductor manufacturing, and radar signals of military targets. In this paper, a semiparametric wavelet method is proposed for monitoring for changes in sequences of nonlinear profiles. Based on a likelihood ratio test involving a changepoint model, the method uses the spatial-adaptivity properties of wavelets to accurately detect profile changes taking nearly limitless functional forms. The method is used to differentiate between different radar profiles and its performance is assessed with Monte Carlo simulation. The results presented indicate the method can quickly detect a wide variety of changes from a given, in-control profile.
A revised method of calculating auditory exciation patterns and loudness for time-varying sounds

Previously we described a method of calculating auditory excitation patterns and loudness for steady sounds, based on a nonlinear filterbank. Here the method is extended to deal with time-varying sounds. Firstly, the input waveform is transformed to short-term spectrum by a structure with six FFTs, which using longer signal segments for low frequencies and shorter segments for higher frequencies. Secondly, the excitation patterns are calculated from the short-term spectrum, and the summation of the excitation gives a value for the instantaneous loudness. Thirdly, the short-term loudness is calculated from the instantaneous loudness using an averaging mechanism similar to an automatic gain control system, with attack and release times. Finally the long-term loudness is calculated from the short-term loudness using a similar averaging mechanism, but with longer attack and release time. The method gives good predictions of loudness for both steady sounds and time-varying sounds.
On the Glass Transition Temperature of Polyethylene as Revealed by Microhardness Measurements

Polyethylene (PE) has been and is the most common and most studied polymer. Nevertheless, there is still no full consensus among researchers about such a basic property as the value of its glass transition temperature Tg. Values as different as around −25°C and −120°C are reported [1]. These discrepancies can be found, also, in more recent publications: Tg = −35°C [2], and Tg = −125°C [3]. They are obviously related to the fact that PE is not commonly accessible in the completely amorphous state (below its melting temperature) due to its extremely high crystallization rate originating from the perfect chain structure, particularly for linear, unbranched samples. Even the preparation of samples with different degrees of crystallinity is not a routine task. The frequently used approach by means of variation of crystallization temperatures and/or crystallization times is not applicable as for many other polymers. Better results can be obtained if one takes PE samples differing in the degree of branching. By introducing various amounts of defects in the main chain, it is possible to control the degree of crystallinity. In this way, even at constant crystallization conditions (temperature and duration), one is able to prepare a series of samples with systematic variations in the structural parameters such as degree of crystallinity, crystal size, long spacing, density, paracrystalline lattice distortions, melting temperature, and the like, as demonstrated, for instance, by Baltá Calleja et al. [4–6]. Following a given property of such a series of samples and applying extrapolation, one can find support in favor of one or the other of the two rather different values of Tg of PE. Coming back to the nonbranched linear polyethylene (LPE), it should be mentioned
Atypical signed language development: A case study of challenges with visual–spatial processing

In signed languages, the articulatory space in front of the signer is used grammatically, topographically, and to depict a real or imagined space around a signer and thus is an important consideration in signed language acquisition. It has been suggested that children who acquire signed languages rely on concomitant visual–spatial development to support their linguistic development. We consider the case of a native-signing deaf adolescent female with average intelligence who had been reported to struggle with spatial aspects of American Sign Language (ASL) as a child. Results of a battery of linguistic and nonlinguistic tests suggest that she has relatively good ASL skills with the exception of some specific difficulties on spatial tasks that require attention to ASL and nonlinguistic topographic space or changes in visual perspective (e.g., classifiers and referential shift). This child has some difficulties with visual–spatial abilities, and we suggest that this has affected her acquisition of those aspects of ASL that are heavily dependent on visual–spatial processing.
Eyeing your exposure: quantifying and controlling information sharing for improved privacy

A large body of research has focused on disclosure policies for controlling information release in social sharing (e.g., location-based) applications. However, less work has considered how exposed these policies actually leave users; i.e., to what extent are disclosures in compliance with these policies actually being made? For instance, consider a disclosure policy granting Alice's coworkers access to her location during work hours. Alice might feel that this policy appropriately controls her exposure, but may feel differently if she learned that her boss was accessing her location every 5 minutes. In addition to specifying who has access to personal information, users need a way to quantify, interpret, and control the extent to which this data is shared. We propose and evaluate an intuitive mechanism for summarizing and controlling a user's exposure on smartphone-based platforms. Our approach uses the visual metaphor of eyes appearing and growing in size on the home screen; the rate at which these eyes grow depends on the number of accesses granted for a user's location, and the type of person (e.g., family vs. friend) making these accesses. This approach gives users an accurate and ambient sense of their exposure and helps them take actions to limit their exposure, all without explicitly identifying the social contacts making requests. Through two systematic user studies (N = 43,41) we show that our interface is indeed effective at summarizing complex exposure information and provides comparable information to a more cumbersome interface presenting more detailed information.
In Situ Isothermal Calorimetric Measurement of Precipitation Behaviour in Al-Mg-Si Alloys

Isothermal time-temperature-precipitation (TTP) diagrams deliver important material data like temperature and time ranges critical for precipitation. During the last years an in-situ calorimetric method to record continuous cooling precipitation diagrams has been developed to application level by our group. However, isothermal TTP-diagrams were still determined by ex-situ analyses only. In this work in-situ measurements of precipitation reactions were carried out during isothermal soaking. Therefore the whole heat treatment cycle was performed in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Al-Mg-Si-alloys 6063 and 6005A were analysed. Solution annealing and overcritical quenching to several temperatures between 450 °C and 250 °C was followed by isothermal soaking. Based on the heat flow curves during isothermal soaking TTP-diagrams were determined. Further microstructure investigations by scanning electron microscopy and hardness tests after artificial ageing were performed. Both alloys show similar results. In the TTP-diagramms three so-called ”C-curves” could be observed. Every C-curve is expected to represent precipitation of a different phase. Hardness and microstructure investigations correspond with the data of the TTP-diagramms.