Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asymptomatic Gallstones in a Sample of Population in Basrah, Iraq

Background: Asymptomatic gallstones can be identified as incidental finding during routine ultrasound examination for other abdominal condition. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, which was conducted at the ultrasound departments of Al-Basrah General Hospital and Al-Fayhaa Hospital in Basrah city, over a period of six months from June to December 2015. A total sample of 1001 participants were included in the study, interviewing them was done using a questionnaire covering information about socio-demographic characteristics and medical history related to the risk of gallstone formation in general population (history of DM, family history of gallstones, history of smoking and history of oral contraceptives use in females). Results: The prevalence of gallstone was 13.6%. It increased with advanced age. Female gender, people with low level of education, and women who had more than 4 children were more liable to have gallstones. Those with medical history of diabetes mellitus, persons with family history of gallstones, high serum cholesterol, and overweight or obesity also showed significant association with gallstones. No association was found between gallstones and history of smoking, history of hemolytic anemia, and history of oral contraceptive use. Conclusion: The prevalence of asymptomatic gallstone was relatively high in this region. Female gender, age, high cholesterol level, family history of gallstones, and increased BMI were independent risk factors for gallstones formation.
Long-Term Diagnostic Accuracy of Curriculum-Based Measures in Reading and Mathematics

Abstract. This study examined the relation between benchmark data and rate of growth across the year for reading, math computation, and math concepts and applications curriculum-based measures, and a statewide and large-scale achievement test. Results showed that reading and math benchmarks were significantly and moderately correlated with performance on both achievement measures 1 and 2 years later. Rate of growth in first-grade reading was significantly and moderately related to third-grade statewide achievement performance, with the relation decreasing to nonsignificance by Grade 3. Math computation growth was also related to performance on the statewide achievement test. Curriculum-based measures provided adequate diagnostic accuracy for screening of performance on statewide and large-scale achievement tests both 1 and 2 years later. These data suggest the importance of early identification of students who are at risk for developing academic problems in reading and math.
A cross-sectional study of the knowledge, attitude, and practice of patients aged 50 years or above towards herpes zoster in an out-patient setting.

INTRODUCTION There has been limited research on the knowledge of and attitudes about herpes zoster in the Hong Kong population. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of patients aged 50 years or above towards herpes zoster and its vaccination. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study in the format of a structured questionnaire interview carried out in Sai Ying Pun Jockey Club General Outpatient Clinic in Hong Kong. Knowledge of herpes zoster and its vaccination was assessed, and patient attitudes to and concerns about the disease were evaluated. Factors that affected a decision about vaccination against herpes zoster were investigated. RESULTS A total of 408 Hong Kong citizens aged 50 years or above were interviewed. Multiple regression analysis revealed that number of correct responses regarding knowledge about herpes zoster was positively correlated with educational attainment (B=0.313, P=0.026) and history of herpes zoster (B=0.408, P=0.038), and negatively correlated with age (B= -0.042, P<0.001) and male gender (B= -0.396, P=0.029). Answers to several questions revealed a sizable number of misconceptions about the disease. Among all respondents, 35% stated that they were worried about getting the disease, and 17% would consider vaccination against herpes zoster. CONCLUSIONS Misconceptions about herpes zoster were notable in this study. More health education is needed to improve the understanding and heighten awareness of herpes zoster among the general public. Although the majority of participants indicated that herpes zoster would have a significant impact on their health, a relatively smaller proportion was actually worried about getting the disease. Further studies on this topic should be encouraged to gauge the awareness and knowledge of herpes zoster among broader age-groups.
PVT-variations-tolerant clock design using self-correcting adjustable delay buffers

As the process technology scaling, the tolerance to PVT (process/ voltage/temperature) variation has become a serious concern. During the post-silicon stage, ADBs (adjustable delay buffers) can be used to adjust the delay of the clock path for eliminating the clock skew. However, in fact, unless that the clock tree has a self-correcting mechanism, the clock skew caused by PVT variations still cannot be properly controlled. In this paper, we propose the first self-correcting ADB system to control the clock skew during circuit execution. Experimental results show that our design methodology can achieve very good results.
Use of Laser-Capture Microdissection for the Identification of Marker Genes for the Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus

The ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) plays an important role in the control of feeding and energy homeostasis. In contrast to other hypothalamic nuclei that are also known to regulate energy balance, there is a paucity of nucleus-specific marker genes for the VMH, limiting the application of molecular approaches for analyzing VMH information processing, function, and circuitry. Here, we report the use of laser-capture microdissection to isolate a set of cDNAs that are enriched in the VMH relative to two adjacent hypothalamic nuclei, the arcuate and dorsomedial hypothalamus. The relative expression levels of nine of the 12 most robustly expressed VMH-enriched genes were confirmed by real-time PCR analysis using separate RNAs from these three nuclei. Three of these VMH-enriched genes were further characterized by in situ hybridization histochemistry, including pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide, cerebellin 1, and an expressed sequence tag named LBH2. Finally, to test whether some of these genes were coordinately regulated, we monitored their expression in steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) knock-out mice. SF-1 is a transcription factor that controls the development of the VMH. The RNA levels for four of these genes were reduced in these knock-out animals, further suggesting that they are direct or indirect targets of this orphan nuclear receptor. The VMH-enriched genes identified here provide a basis for a functional analysis of VMH neuronal subpopulations via the use of bacterial artificial chromosome transgenics and related technologies. These results also demonstrate the utility of laser-capture microdissection coupled with microarray technology to identify nucleus-specific transcriptional networks.
Molecular dynamics simulations of organically modified layered silicates

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to study the static and dynamic properties of 2:1 layered silicates ion exchanged with alkyl-ammonium surfactants. These systems are in the form of oligomeric alkanes grafted by cationic groups on atomically smooth crystalline layers 10 A thick and several microns wide. The organically modified layers self-assemble parallel to each other to form alternating, well-ordered organic/inorganic multilayers. By studying the systems at the experimentally measured layer separations, computer modeling directly provides the structure and dynamics of the intercalated surfactant molecules. The grafted-chain conformations are also expressed through the trans-gauche conformer ratios and transition frequencies which compare well with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) experiments.
Computer-aided dynamic simulation of microwave-induced thermal distribution in coagulation of liver cancer

To develop a method of dynamic three-dimensional (3-D) simulation of thermal distribution in ultrasound-guided microwave coagulation therapy of liver cancer and to verify its accuracy. The specific absorption rate (SAR) values were established by measuring the temperature in equivalent phantom tests. Those values were different under different power output condition. Dynamic 3-D temperature distributions were reconstructed with a finite-element model. Testing and rectification were performed through animal experiments and clinical trials, respectively. The temperature curves in the experiments corresponded well with simulated ones in vitro--91.4% and 88.9% using single and double electrodes, respectively. The measured coagulated boundary and simulated temperature boundary had a good correspondence in 85.7% of the specimens. In both in vivo experiments and clinical trials, blood perfusion influenced the rise in temperature significantly. Temperature curves between the simulations and actual measured results showed good correspondence--67.8% (19/28) in the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Distance between electrodes and combined thermal distributions were both optimized with computer-aided simulation during simultaneous two-electrode coagulation. The results demonstrated that computer-aided simulation of microwave thermal distribution is an accurate and reliable method which provides a theoretical and technical basis for controlling coagulated tissue volume and placement of the electrodes during microwave coagulation therapy of liver cancer.
Beaming effect for Fermi/LAT blazars

Abstract In this talk, we will show the beaming effect for Fermi/LAT blazars, then we discuss the correlations between γ-ray luminosity and other parameters, such as radio Doppler factors, superluminal motions, and core-dominance parameters. We also compare the Doppler factors determined from the γ-ray luminosity, X-ray emissions, and the short-term time scales with those from other methods. Our discussions suggest that γ-ray emissions may be strongly beamed.
Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Growth, Nutrition, and Adipokines at School Age

This study evaluated nutrition and growth in relation to plasma adipokine levels in 21 very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) children with radiographic bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), 19 VLBW controls, and 19 term controls with a median age of 11.3 years. We took anthropometric measurements; assessed plasma levels of adipsin, resistin, adiponectin, and leptin; and analyzed the children’s 3-day food records. Children with BPD had a smaller age-adjusted head circumference and more microcephaly but no other significant growth differences. Daily recommended nutritional intake levels were poorly met but did not differ between the groups. Leptin levels correlated positively with the body mass index standard deviation score in VLBW children. No other associations between adipokine concentrations and growth were found. There were negative correlations between leptin concentrations and fat intake, resistin levels and carbohydrate intake, and adiponectin, adipsin, and leptin levels and energy intake.
Percutaneous balloon mitral commissurotomy during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous balloon mitral commissurotomy for the treatment of pregnant women with severe mitral stenosis over a period of six years. DESIGN: Analysis of clinical, haemodynamic, and echocardiographic data before and immediately after the procedure, the pregnancy outcome, and the fate of newborn babies. SETTING: Academic cardiovascular centre in Monastir, Tunisia. PATIENTS: 44 pregnant patients who underwent percutaneous transvenous dilatation of the mitral valve between January 1990 and February 1996. Grade 2 mitral regurgitation was present in two patients and densely calcific valves in three (7%). RESULTS: Commissurotomy was successfully achieved in all cases. The total mean (SD) duration of teh procedure was 72 (18) minutes and that of fluoroscopy 16 (7) minutes. Left atrial pressure decreased from 28 (10) to 14 (7) mm Hg, mitral pressure gradient fell from 22 (8) to 5 (3) mm Hg. Cardiac output increased from 4.8 (1.1) to 6.3 (1.2) l/min and Gorlin mitral valve area from 0.96 (0.21) to 2.4 (0.4) cm2 (all P < < 0.001). Cross sectional echocardiographic mitral valve area increased from 1.07 (0.21) to 2.32 (0.36) cm2. There were no maternal or fetal deaths. Complications included a grade 4 mitral regurgitation in one patient that required early valve replacement. All patients delivered at full term, 42 vaginally and two (5%) by caesarean section; 41 babies were normal and three whose mothers had the procedure near term were relatively hypotrophic. At a mean follow up of 28 (12) months (range 2 to 26) all children had normal growth. CONCLUSIONS: During pregnancy, balloon mitral commissurotomy is the treatment of choice of severe pliable mitral stenosis in patients who are refractory to medical treatment.
Key Design Considerations for Personalized Learning on the Web

Technologically, researchers are making rapid progress realizing the personalized learning dream with object architecture and adaptive learning technology. However, a whole -person understanding of how individuals want or intend to learn (more than just building, processing, and storing knowledge) is still missing from most online solutions. Primarily cognitive solutions that overlook the power of emotions and intentions may be insufficient for online learning, especially when instructors are unavailable to facilitate instruction. This paper describes a study that examines how individuals learn in adaptive Web learning environments. Included are guidelines that have evolved from the study’s results for designing interactive learning environments from an alternative perspective. Offering a whole -perspective perspective about learning, this paper introduces (a) profiles that describe fundamental differences in how people learn, (b) specific reasons why some learners may be more successful than others, (c) strategies for helping learners improve Web learning ability, and (d) design guidelines that tap into the dominant influence of emotions, intentions, and social factors on learning.
Computational modeling of texture formation and optical performance of liquid crystal films on patterned surfaces

An integrated microstructural‐optical model based on the tensorial Landau–de Gennes liquid crystal theory, the Matrix–Berreman optical model, and the finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) optical method is used to investigate texture formation and polarized light propagation in thin nematic liquid crystal (NLC) films for various anchoring boundary conditions mimicking surface conditions of an existing liquid crystal (LC)‐based biosensor device used to detect biological binding events. The integrated mathematical model of the optical device describes the signal generation process of the biosensor based on LC vision. The FDTD optical method predicts two important optical signatures of the transmitted polarized light: oscillations and nonsymmetric optical signals. However, the approximate Matrix–Berreman optical method cannot predict these important optical responses when strong lateral orientation gradients are present. The model predictions are found to be in good agreement with actual experimental results,.
Dual RNA Sequencing Reveals the Expression of Unique Transcriptomic Signatures in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced BV-2 Microglial Cells

Microglial cells become rapidly activated through interactions with pathogens, and the persistent activation of these cells is associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies have investigated the transcriptomic signatures in microglia or macrophages using microarray technologies. However, this method has numerous restrictions, such as spatial biases, uneven probe properties, low sensitivity, and dependency on the probes spotted. To overcome this limitation and identify novel transcribed genes in response to LPS, we used RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq) to determine the novel transcriptomic signatures in BV-2 microglial cells. Sequencing assessment and quality evaluation showed that approximately 263 and 319 genes (≥ 1.5 log2-fold), such as cytokines and chemokines, were strongly induced after 2 and 4 h, respectively, and the induction of several genes with unknown immunological functions was also observed. Importantly, we observed that previously unidentified transcription factors (TFs) (irf1, irf7, and irf9), histone demethylases (kdm4a) and DNA methyltransferases (dnmt3l) were significantly and selectively expressed in BV-2 microglial cells. The gene expression levels, transcription start sites (TSS), isoforms, and differential promoter usage revealed a complex pattern of transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation upon infection with LPS. In addition, gene ontology, molecular networks and pathway analyses identified the top significantly regulated functional classification, canonical pathways and network functions at each activation status. Moreover, we further analyzed differentially expressed genes to identify transcription factor (TF) motifs (−950 to +50 bp of the 5’ upstream promoters) and epigenetic mechanisms. Furthermore, we confirmed that the expressions of key inflammatory genes as well as pro-inflammatory mediators in the supernatants were significantly induced in LPS treated primary microglial cells. This transcriptomic analysis is the first to show a comparison of the family-wide differential expression of most known immune genes and also reveal transcription evidence of multiple gene families in BV-2 microglial cells. Collectively, these findings reveal unique transcriptomic signatures in BV-2 microglial cells required for homeostasis and effective immune responses.
The Relationship Between Visual Orienting Responses and Clinical Characteristics in Children Attending Special Education for the Visually Impaired

We recently introduced a method based on quantification of orienting responses toward visual stimuli to assess the quality of visual information processing in children. In the present study, we examined the relationship between orienting responses and factors that are associated with visual processing impairments in current clinical practice. Response time and fixation quality to visual features such as form, contrast, motion, and color stimuli were assessed in 104 children from 1 to 12 years attending special education for the visually impaired. Using regression analysis, we investigated whether these parameters were affected by clinical characteristics of children. Response times significantly depended on stimulus type. Responses to high-contrast cartoons were significantly slower in children with a clinical diagnosis of cerebral visual impairment. Fixation quality was significantly affected by visual acuity and nystagmus. The results suggest that the quantitative measurement of orienting responses is strongly related to cerebral visual impairment in children.
RhBMP-2/alphaBSM induces significant vertical alveolar ridge augmentation and dental implant osseointegration.

BACKGROUND Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) in a carrier has been shown to induce significant bone formation. Several candidate carriers, however, lack structural integrity to offset compressive forces that may compromise rhBMP-2 bone induction, in particular, for challenging onlay indications such as alveolar ridge augmentation. PURPOSE The objective of this study was to evaluate rhBMP-2 in a calcium-phosphate cement carrier, alphaBSM, for vertical alveolar ridge augmentation and immediate dental implant osseointegration. MATERIALS AND METHODS Six adult Hound Labrador mongrels with 5 mm critical size supra-alveolar peri-implant defects were used. Three animals received rhBMP-2/alphaBSM (rhBMP-2 at 0.40 and 0.75 mg/mL) in contralateral jaw quadrants (total implant volume/defect approximately 1.5 mL). Three animals received alphaBSM without rhBMP-2 (control group). The animals were euthanized at 16 weeks post surgery, and block biopsies were processed for histologic and histometric analysis. RESULTS rhBMP-2/alphaBSM induced substantial augmentation of the alveolar ridge. Control sites exhibited limited new bone formation. Vertical bone augmentation averaged (+/- SD) 4.9 +/- 1.0 mm (rhBMP-2 at 0.40 mg/mL), 5.3 +/- 0.3 mm (rhBMP-2 at 0.75 mg/mL), and 0.4 +/- 0.4 mm (control); new bone area 8.5 +/- 4.2 mm2, 9.0 +/- 1.9 mm2, and 0.5 +/- 0.4 mm2; new bone density 55.1 +/- 6.4%, 61.1 +/- 6.0%, and 67.7 +/- 9.5%; and new bone-implant contact 26.9 +/- 17.5%, 28.5 +/- 1.4%, and 24.6 +/- 16.1%, respectively. Residual alphaBSM comprised < 1% of the new bone. Bone density for the contiguous resident bone ranged from 65 to 71%, and bone-implant contact ranged from 49 to 64%. CONCLUSIONS Surgical implantation of rhBMP-2/alphaBSM appears an effective protocol for vertical alveolar ridge augmentation procedures and immediate dental implant osseointegration and for onlay indications of lesser complexity.
Optimal Allocation of Energy Storage System for Risk Mitigation of DISCOs With High Renewable Penetrations

Along with the increasing penetration of renewable energy, distribution system power flow may be significantly altered in terms of direction and magnitude. This will make delivering reliable power, on demand, a major challenge. In this paper, a novel battery energy storage system (BESS) based energy acquisition model is proposed for the operation of distribution companies (DISCOs) in regulating price or locational marginal price (LMP) mechanisms, while considering energy provision options within DISCO controlled areas. Based on this new model, a new battery operation strategy is proposed for better utilization of energy storage system (ESS) and mitigation operational risk from price volatility. Meanwhile, optimal sizing and siting decisions for BESS is obtained through a cost-benefit analysis method, which aims at maximizing the DISCO's profit from energy transactions, system planning and operation cost savings. The proposed energy acquisition model and ESS control strategy are verified on a modified IEEE 15-bus distribution network, and risk mitigation is also quantified in two different markets. The promising results show that the capacity requirement for ESS can be reduced and the operational risk can also be mitigated.
Motivation and Autonomy in Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Behavior Change: A Look at Theory and Practice 1ψ7

Motivation has received increasing attention across counseling approaches, presumably because clients’ motivation is key for treatment effectiveness. The authors define motivation using a self-determination theory taxonomy that conceptualizes motivation along a relative-autonomy continuum. The authors apply the taxonomy in discussing how various counseling approaches address client motivation and autonomy, both in theory and in practice. The authors also consider the motivational implications of nonspecific factors such as therapeutic alliance. Across approaches, the authors find convergence around the idea that clients’ autonomy should be respected and collaborative engagement fostered. The authors also address ethical considerations regarding respect for autonomy and relations of autonomy to multicultural counseling. The authors conclude that supporting autonomy is differentially grounded in theories and differentially implemented in approaches. Specifically, outcome-oriented treatments tend to consider motivation a prerequisite for treatment and emphasize transparency and up-front consent; process-oriented treatments tend to consider motivation a treatment aspect and give less emphasis to transparency and consent.