Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selection of common bean lines with high agronomic performance and high calcium and iron concentrations

The objective of this work was to evaluate the genetic variability of common bean lines for cycle, weight of 100 grains, grain yield, cooking time, and grain calcium and iron concentrations. Twenty‐four common bean lines were evaluated in two crop cycles (2010 and 2011). The Z̄ index was used for the selection of superior lines for most of the traits. The DF 06‐19, DF 06‐03, DF 06‐17, DF 06‐20, DF 06‐11, DF 06‐14, DF 06‐01, DF 06‐08, DF 06‐22, and DF 06‐04 lines showed high grain yield. All lines were of semi‐early cycle and of fast cooking. The DF 06‐08 and DF 06‐23 lines showed high calcium concentration in grains (>1.4 g kg‐1 dry matter – DM), and the DF 06‐09, DF 06‐03, DF 06‐04, and DF 06‐06 lines presented high iron concentration in grains (>0.95 g kg‐1 DM) in the two crop cycles. The DF 06‐09 and DF 06‐03 carioca lines present high agronomic performance and high iron concentration in grains. The DF 06‐17 and DF 06‐08 black lines present high agronomic performance and high calcium concentration in grains. The selection of the DF 06‐09, DF 06‐03, DF 06‐17, and DF 06‐08 lines is recommended.
Galaxy Zoo: Dust in Spirals

We investigate the effect of dust on spiral galaxies by measuring the inclination-dependence of optical colours for 24,276 well-resolved SDSS galaxies visually classified in Galaxy Zoo. We find clear trends of reddening with inclination which imply a total extinction from face-on to edge-on of 0.7, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.4 magnitudes for the ugri passbands. We split the sample into "bulgy" (early-type) and "disky" (late-type) spirals using the SDSS fracdeV (or f_DeV) parameter and show that the average face-on colour of "bulgy" spirals is redder than the average edge-on colour of "disky" spirals. This shows that the observed optical colour of a spiral galaxy is determined almost equally by the spiral type (via the bulge-disk ratio and stellar populations), and reddening due to dust. We find that both luminosity and spiral type affect the total amount of extinction, with "disky" spirals at M_r ~ -21.5 mags having the most reddening. This decrease of reddening for the most luminous spirals has not been observed before and may be related to their lower levels of recent star formation. We compare our results with the latest dust attenuation models of Tuffs et al. We find that the model reproduces the observed trends reasonably well but overpredicts the amount of u-band attenuation in edge-on galaxies. We end by discussing the effects of dust on large galaxy surveys and emphasize that these effects will become important as we push to higher precision measurements of galaxy properties and their clustering.
The Relationship Between Rural Health Clinic Use and Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits Among Medicare Beneficiaries

PURPOSE High rates of potentially preventable hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits indicate limited primary care access. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) are intended to increase access to primary care. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of RHCs and their impact on potentially preventable hospitalizations and ED visits among Medicare beneficiaries based on actual individual-level utilization patterns. METHODS With Medicare Part A and Part B claims data from 2007 to 2010, we constructed a series of individual-level negative binomial regression models to examine the relationship between RHC use and the number of potentially preventable hospitalizations and ED visits. FINDINGS RHC use was associated with a 27% increase in potentially preventable hospitalizations and a 24% increase in potentially preventable ED visits among older Medicare enrollees. Among younger, disabled Medicare beneficiaries, RHC use was associated with a 14% increase in potentially preventable hospitalizations and an 18% increase in potentially preventable ED visits. Potentially preventable hospitalizations and ED visits were more common among beneficiaries who were black or who had more chronic conditions. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study highlight that the Medicare population using RHCs is at especially high risk for potentially preventable hospitalizations and ED visits. The mechanisms behind this are not well understood and should receive continued attention from policy makers and researchers.
An interpretable LSTM neural network for autoregressive exogenous model

In this paper, we propose an interpretable LSTM recurrent neural network, i.e., multi-variable LSTM for time series with exogenous variables. Currently, widely used attention mechanism in recurrent neural networks mostly focuses on the temporal aspect of data and falls short of characterizing variable importance. To this end, our multi-variable LSTM equipped with tensorized hidden states is developed to learn variable specific representations, which give rise to both temporal and variable level attention. Preliminary experiments demonstrate comparable prediction performance of multi-variable LSTM w.r. t. encoder-decoder based baselines. More interestingly, variable importance in real datasets characterized by the variable attention is highly in line with that determined by statistical Granger causality test, which exhibits the prospect of multi-variable LSTM as a simple and uniform end-to-end framework for both forecasting and knowledge discovery.
An Experimental Study of Friction and Lubrication in Hip Prostheses

McKee-Farrar, Charnley and Muller prostheses have been studied in a hip function simulator using a range of silicone fluids as lubricants. Frictional resistance was measured continuously while the joints were subjected to dynamic loading.It was observed that the lubricant viscosity was very important to the mode of lubrication prevailing and that for viscosities in excess of 0.1 Pas, full fluid film lubrication was achieved. At viscosities which were less than this, mixed lubrication resultedThese results can be extrapolated to the clinical situation where it was found that after hip surgery for total joint replacement, the synovial fluid produced around the prosthesis had a viscosity which was less than 0.1 Pas, and therefore could not give the most advantageous lubrication in these joints in vivo.
Monitoring the autoproteolysis of HIV-1 protease by site-directed spin-labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

Site-directed spin-labeling with continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to monitor autoproteolysis of HIV-1 protease, an enzyme essential for viral maturation. Two protein constructs were examined, namely subtype F and the circulating recombinant form CRF01_A/E. As the protease undergoes self-cleavage, protein unfolds and small peptide fragments containing the spin label are generated, which collectively give rise to a sharp spectral component that is easily discernable in the high-field resonance line in the EPR spectrum. By monitoring the intensity of this spectral component over time, the autoproteolytic stability of each construct was characterized under various conditions. Data were collected for samples stored at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C, and on a subtype F HIV-1 protease sample stored at 25 °C and containing the FDA-approved protease inhibitor Tipranavir. As expected, the rate of autoproteolysis decreased as the storage temperature was lowered. Minimal autoproteolysis was seen for the sample that contained Tipranavir, providing direction for future spectroscopic studies of active protease samples. When compared to standard methods of monitoring protein degradation such as gel electrophoresis or chromatographic analyses, spin-labeling with CW EPR offers a facile, real-time, non-consuming way to monitor autoproteolysis or protein degradation. Additionally, mass spectrometry studies revealed that the N-termini of both constructs are sensitive to degradation and that the sites of specific autoproteolysis vary.
Motivational Effects of Goal Orientation

According to achievement goal theory, individuals set mastery or performance goals to accomplish challenging tasks. In addition, they can either approach or avoid the goal they are achieving. Mastery goals show positive correlation to intrinsic motivation while performance goals are linked to extrinsic motivation. Goal setting also affects motivation for completing tasks and perception of self-efficacious behavior while performing tasks. Receiving feedback has been positively correlated with success in learning and intrinsic motivation. The present research manipulates goal orientation through the accomplishment of a word find in an online experimental setting to test the effect on feedback, intrinsic motivation, choice, and self-efficacy. Positive versus highly positive feedback conditions were used after the word find to test effects on perceived competence following a task. For the approach-mastery goal condition, we found main effects for intrinsic motivation, perceived choice, task choice, and views of task importance. Additionally, we found a main effect for perceived competence for our highly positive feedback condition versus giving just positive feedback. These results demonstrate support for accomplishing challenging tasks with mastery goals versus performance goals and the usage of more positive feedback in a feedback condition.
Waveguides produced by ultrashort laser pulses inside glasses and crystals

Using tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses waveguides are fabricated inside glasses and crystalline materials. The guiding and attenuation properties at different wavelengths as well as the micro morphology of the irradiated samples are studied. We demonstrate the fabrication of single- and multi-mode waveguides with damping losses well below 1 dB/cm in fused silica. In crystalline quartz we found that the irradiated area has become amorphous due to the absorption of the laser radiation. In this case waveguiding is observed in a stress-induced region surrounding the irradiated, amorphous area.
The watt or Kibble balance: a technique for implementing the new SI definition of the unit of mass

The redefinition of the SI unit of mass in terms of a fixed value of the Planck constant has been made possible by the Kibble balance, previously known as the watt balance. Once the new definition has been adopted, the Kibble balance technique will permit the realisation of the mass unit over a range from milligrams to kilograms. We describe the theory underlying the Kibble balance and practical techniques required to construct such an instrument to relate a macroscopic physical mass to the Planck constant with an uncertainty, which is achievable at present, in the region of 2 parts in 108. A number of Kibble balances have either been built or are under construction and we compare the principal features of these balances.
Characterization of Fatigue Behavior in Quasi-Isotropic Laminate of Ceramic Composite

Fatigue damage mechanisms in a quasi-isotropic laminate, [0/ 2 45/90] s of silicon carbide fiber reinforced calcium-alumino-silicate glass ceramic composite was investigated. Several tests were conducted at different maximum stress levels which intro duced varying degree of initial matrix cracking in 90°, 45° and 0° plies. The initial damage and change in modulus was monitored during the fatigue cycling. Specimens with a considerable amount of initial cracking in 0° plies failed in less than 700 cycles, and others did not fail over one million cycles. The results of this study confirmed the findings of the previous studies regarding the existence of fatigue limit in ceramic composites. The fatigue limit did not correspond to the proportional limit of the static test as reported in the previous studies, however, it corresponded to the initial damage or static loading condition where 0° plies were largely intact.
Localization of the pathogenic gene of Behçet's disease by microsatellite analysis of three different populations.

PURPOSE Behçet's disease (BD) is known to be associated with HLA-B51 in many ethnic groups. However, the pathogenic gene responsible for BD is as yet unknown. To localize the critical region of the pathogenic gene, microsatellite markers distributed around the HLA-B gene were investigated. The BD patients studied were of three ethnic origins: Japanese, Greek, or Italian. METHODS The total group consisted of 172 BD patients, of whom were 95 Japanese, 55 Greek, and 22 Italian. Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers distributed within 1100 kb of the HLA-B gene were analyzed using PCR and subsequent automated fragment detection by fluorescent-based technology. RESULTS Among the eight markers, allele 348 of the MIB microsatellite was remarkably common in all three BD populations (Japanese, PC: = 0.000014; Greek, PC: = 0. 00047; Italian, PC: = 0.11). However, HLA-B51 was found to be the marker most strongly associated with BD in each population (Japanese, PC: = 0.000000000017; Greek, PC: = 0.00000032; Italian, PC: = 0. 0074). In genotypic differentiation between the patients and controls, only HLA-B51 was found to be significantly associated with BD in all three populations. Stratification analysis suggested that significant associations of BD with MICA and other microsatellites resulted from a linkage disequilibrium with HLA-B51. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the pathogenic gene of BD is HLA-B51 itself and not other genes located in the vicinity of HLA-B.
Effect of Packaging Shape and Storage on the Keeping Quality of Mineral Water and a Development of Water-Treatment Device

A notable change of quality and increase in the cost of water-treatment devices has resulted from the current watertreatment and packaging techniques in the food industry. Because of these factors, efforts to discover alternative, less stringent packaging techniques have taken a place of high priority in food science. Pyramidal food packages are capable of altering the crystallization mode of water’s mineral content. The effects of pyramidal and square packaging shapes on mineral water were studied by examining ice surface morphology. Ice surface morphology was examined by variable pressure scanning electron microscopy VP-SEM. The pyramid shaped package promotes the formation of filament-shaped crystals, and reduction of solid substrate-bound crystals. These results provide evidence that a pyramidal package acts to structure water and mineral particles in an ordered manner.
Treatment Gap in the National Health-screening Program in Korea: Claim-based Follow-up of Statin Use for Sustained Hypercholesterolemia

Participation in a screening program by itself may not improve clinical outcomes. Treatment gaps in the program may limit its full benefit. We evaluated statin prescription rates for subjects with sustained hypercholesterolemia to assess the treatment gaps in the National Health Screening Program (NHSP) in Korea. A retrospective, random cohort was established among National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) members. Finally, we examined 465,499 individuals who attended the NHSP from 2003 to 2010 without any history of dyslipidemia, statin prescription, or hospitalization for cardiovascular events until the end of 2002. The subsequent statin prescription rates were identified from the NHIC medical service claim database from 2003 to 2011. Descriptive data and odds ratio from multivariate logistic analyses on statin prescription rates and the corresponding correlations were evaluated. The NHSP detected 114,085 (24.5%) cases of newly diagnosed hypercholesterolemia. However, only 8.6% of these received statin prescription within 6 months of diagnosis. For cases of sustained hypercholesterolemia determined in the next screening visit by the NHSP, the statin prescription rate increased, but only to 12.2%. Statin prescriptions were more common among females, older individuals, and hypertension or diabetes patients. Furthermore, the statin prescription rates had increased over the study period. The NHSP exhibited low statin prescription rate which has been improving. For the NHSP to be effective, it would be worthwhile to decrease the gap between the diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia and the following treatment. Graphical Abstract
Mechanism and Therapy of Brain Edema after Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a subtype of stroke with a severe high mortality and disability rate and accounts for about 10-15% of all strokes. The oppression and destruction by hematoma to brain tissue cause the primary brain injury. The inflammation and coagulation response after ICH would accelerate the formation of brain edema around hematoma, resulting in a more severe and durable injury. Currently, treatments for ICH are focusing on the primary injury including reducing intracranial hypertension, blood pressure control, and rehabilitation. There is a short-of-effective medical treatment for secondary inflammation and reducing brain edema in ICH patients. So, it is very important to study on the relationship between brain edema and ICH. Summary: Many molecular and cellular mechanisms contribute to the formation and progress of brain edema after ICH; inhibition of brain edema provides favorable outcome of ICH. Key Messages: This review mainly discusses the pathology and mechanism of brain edema, the effects of brain edema on ICH, and the methods of treating brain edema after ICH.
To Choose or to Avoid: Age Differences in Learning from Positive and Negative Feedback

In this study, we investigated whether older adults learn more from bad than good choices than younger adults and whether this is reflected in the error-related negativity (ERN). We applied a feedback-based learning task with two learning conditions. In the positive learning condition, participants could learn to choose responses that lead to monetary gains, whereas in the negative learning condition, they could learn to avoid responses that lead to monetary losses. To test the stability of learning preferences, the task involved a reversal phase in which stimulus–response assignments were inverted. Negative learners were defined as individuals that performed better in the negative than in the positive learning condition (and vice versa for positive learners). The behavioral data showed strong individual differences in learning from positive and negative outcomes that persisted throughout the reversal phase and were more pronounced for older than younger adults. Older negative learners showed a stronger tendency to avoid negative outcomes than younger negative learners. However, contrary to younger adults, this negative learning bias was not associated with a larger ERN, suggesting that avoidance learning in older negative learners might be decoupled from error processing. Furthermore, older adults showed learning impairments compared to younger adults. The ERP analyses suggest that these impairments reflect deficits in the ability to build up relational representations of ambiguous outcomes.
Numerical approximation of the Boltzmann equation : moment closure

This work applies the moment method onto a generic form of kinetic equations to simplify kinetic models of particle systems. This leads to the moment closure problem which is addressed using entropy-based moment closure techniques utilizing entropy minimization. The resulting moment closure system forms a system of partial differential equations that retain structural features of the kinetic system in question. This system of partial differential equations generate balance laws for velocity moments of a kinetic density that are symmetric hyperbolic, implying well-posedness in finite time. In addition, the resulting moment closure system satisfies an analog of Boltzmann's H-Theorem, i.e. solutions of the moment closure system are entropy dissipative. Such a model provides a promising alternative to particle methods, such as the Monte Carlo approaches, which can be prohibitive with regard to computational costs and inefficient with regard to error decay. However, several challenges pertaining to the analytical formulation and computational implementation of the moment closure system arise that are addressed in this work. The entropy minimization problem is studied in light of the classical results by Junk [18] showing that this technique suffers from a realizability problem, i.e. there exists realizable moments such that the entropy minimizer does not exist. Recent results by Hauck [17], Schneider [31] and Pavan [29] are used to investigate and circumvent this issue. The resulting moment closure system involves moments of exponentials of polynomials of, in principle, arbitrary order. In the context of numerical approximations, this is regarded as a complication. A novel and mathematically tractable moment system is developed that is based on approximating the entropy minimizing distribution. It will be shown that the resulting system retains the same structural features of the kinetic system in question. This system can be seen as a refinement of Grad's original moment system [15, 32]. Finally, a numerical approximation of the resulting moment systems is devised using discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite elements method. Energy analysis based on the work of Barth [1, 2] is employed to investigate energy stable numerical flux functions to be used for the DG discretization of the moment systems. In contrast to the work of Barth [1], the numerical flux function suggested for the tractable system does not require a simplified construction since it is computable. In addition, higher order (approximated) moment systems, beyond the 10-moment system investigated by Barth [1], can be considered.
Conjunctival melanoma in the Netherlands: a nationwide study.

PURPOSE To evaluate risk factors for local recurrence, regional and distant metastases, and mortality associated with conjunctival melanoma. METHODS This was a retrospective study of 194 patients with histologically confirmed conjunctival melanoma diagnosed between 1950 and 2002 in the Netherlands. Data were collected from all university centers and many nontertiary hospitals, using the National Pathology and the Leiden Oncologic Registration Systems. Based on the number of incidences, this study included 70% of the conjunctival melanomas in The Netherlands. Clinical and histopathological data for conjunctival tumors were reviewed and compared with data reported in the literature. Risk factors for local, regional, and distant metastases and survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. RESULTS Of 194 patients with conjunctival melanoma, 112 had a local recurrence (median, 1; range, 1-9) during follow-up (median, 6.8 years; range, 0.1-51.5). Location was the most important risk factor for development of local recurrence, and significantly more occurred with nonepibulbar (log rank, P=0.044) tumors. Significantly fewer local recurrences occurred with tumors initially treated with excision and adjuvant brachytherapy rather than with excision only (log rank, P=0.008) or with excision and cryotherapy (log rank, P <0.038). Forty-one (21%) patients had regional lymph node metastases, mostly to the parotid or preauricular lymph nodes (n=26; 13%). Risk factors for regional metastases were tumor thickness (log rank, P <0.001) and tumor diameter (log rank, P=0.010). Forty-nine (25%) patients (mean, 4.37 years) had development of distant metastases, mainly in the lung, liver, skin, and brain. Tumor-related survival was 86.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81.0-91.6) at 5 years, 72% (95% CI, 79.7-64.4) at 10 years, and 67% (95% CI, 58.9-76.1) at 15 years. The main mortality risk factors were nonepibulbar location (log rank, P <0.0001) and tumor thickness (log rank, P=0.0004). CONCLUSIONS Nonepibulbar tumors more often recur locally and are associated with a shorter survival independent of other risk factors. Tumor thickness is also an important predictor of regional and distant metastases, as well as survival. A prospective study is needed to compare the effect of excision with radiotherapy and excision with cryotherapy on the number of local recurrences, exenteration rate, and survival.