Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Limits of agreement method for comparing TSD and FWD measurements

This article uses the limits of agreement (LOA) method to compare the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) and the traffic speed deflectometer (TSD), two pavement structural evaluation devices. The TSD measures deflection slope, whereas the FWD measures deflection. For this reason, measurements were converted to the surface curvature index (SCI) and the base damage index (BDI), which can be obtained from each device. The SCI and BDI agreement between the two devices was then evaluated. Although the relationship between the calculated SCI and BDI using both equipments is reasonably close to the line of equality, there is a significant variation and a bias in this relationship. For example, for an average SCI or BDI value of 300 μm, the bias was 30 μm (FWD values lower than TSD values), and the LOA was 380 μm.
Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency.

This article addresses the centrality of the self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. Self-per- cepts of efficacy influence thought patterns, actions, and emotional arousal. In causal tests the higher the level of induced self-efficacy, the higher the perfor- mance accomplishments and the lower the emotional arousal. Different lines of research are reviewed, show- ing that the self-efficacy mechanism may have wide explanatory power. Perceived self-efficacy helps to ac- count for such diverse phenomena as changes in coping behavior produced by different modes of influence, level of physiological stress reactions, self-regulation of refractory behavior, resignation and despondency to failure experiences, self-debilitating effects of proxy control and illusory inefficaciousness, achievement strivings, growth of intrinsic interest, and career pur- suits. The influential role of perceived collective effi- cacy in social change is analyzed, as are the social con- ditions conducive to development of collective inefficacy. Psychological theorizing and research tend to cen- ter on issues concerning either acquisition of knowledge or execution of response patterns. As a result the processes governing the interrelation- ship between knowledge and action have been largely neglected (Newell, 1978). Some of the re- cent efforts to bridge this gap have been directed at the biomechanics problem—how efferent com- mands of action plans guide the production of ap- propriate response patterns (Stelmach, 1976,1978). Others have approached the matter in terms of algorithmic knowledge, which furnishes guides for executing action sequences (Greeno, 1973; Newell, 1973). ,
Endocytosis of Corn Oil-Caseinate Emulsions In Vitro: Impacts of Droplet Sizes

The relative uptake and mechanisms of lipid-based emulsions of three different particle diameters by Caco-2 cells were studied. The corn oil-sodium caseinate emulsions showed little or no cytotoxicity even at 2 mg/mL protein concentration for any of the three droplet size emulsions. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) of Nile red containing emulsions showed that the lipid-based emulsions were absorbed by Caco-2 cells. A negative correlation between the mean droplet size and cellular uptake was observed. There was a time-dependent and energy-dependent uptake as shown by incubation at different times and treatment with sodium azide a general inhibitor of active transport. The endocytosis of lipid-based emulsions was size-dependent. The internalization of nanoemulsion droplets into Caco-2 cells mainly occurred through clathrin- and caveolae/lipid raft-related pathways, while macropinocytosis route played the most important role for 556 nm emulsion endocytosis as shown by the use of specific pathway inhibitors. Permeability of the emulsion through the apical or basal routes also suggested that active transport may be the main route for lipid-based nanoemulsions. The results may assist in the design and application of lipid-based nanoemulsions in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals delivery.
Stable group theory and approximate subgroups

We note a parallel between some ideas of stable model theory and certain topics in finite combinatorics related to the sum-product phenomenon. For a simple linear group G, we show that a finite subset X with |X X \^{-1} X |/ |X| bounded is close to a finite subgroup, or else to a subset of a proper algebraic subgroup of G. We also find a connection with Lie groups, and use it to obtain some consequences suggestive of topological nilpotence. Combining these methods with Gromov's proof, we show that a finitely generated group with an approximate subgroup containing any given finite set must be nilpotent-by-finite. Model-theoretically we prove the independence theorem and the stabilizer theorem in a general first-order setting.
Predicting the Types of Ion Channel-Targeted Conotoxins Based on AVC-SVM Model

The conotoxin proteins are disulfide-rich small peptides. Predicting the types of ion channel-targeted conotoxins has great value in the treatment of chronic diseases, epilepsy, and cardiovascular diseases. To solve the problem of information redundancy existing when using current methods, a new model is presented to predict the types of ion channel-targeted conotoxins based on AVC (Analysis of Variance and Correlation) and SVM (Support Vector Machine). First, the F value is used to measure the significance level of the feature for the result, and the attribute with smaller F value is filtered by rough selection. Secondly, redundancy degree is calculated by Pearson Correlation Coefficient. And the threshold is set to filter attributes with weak independence to get the result of the refinement. Finally, SVM is used to predict the types of ion channel-targeted conotoxins. The experimental results show the proposed AVC-SVM model reaches an overall accuracy of 91.98%, an average accuracy of 92.17%, and the total number of parameters of 68. The proposed model provides highly useful information for further experimental research. The prediction model will be accessed free of charge at our web server.
Development of methods and feasibility of using hyperpolarized carbon‐13 imaging data for evaluating brain metabolism in patient studies

Hyperpolarized carbon‐13 (13C) metabolic imaging is a noninvasive imaging modality for evaluating real‐time metabolism. The purpose of this study was to develop and implement experimental strategies for using [1‐13C]pyruvate to probe in vivo metabolism for patients with brain tumors and other neurological diseases.
Changing times to optimise reachability in temporal graphs

Temporal graphs (in which edges are active only at speciﬁed time steps) are an increasingly important and popular model for a wide variety of natural and social phenomena. We propose a new extension of classical graph modiﬁcation problems into the temporal setting, and describe several variations on a modiﬁcation problem in which we assign times to edges so as to maximise or minimise reachability sets within a temporal graph. We give an assortment of complexity results on these problems, showing that they are hard under a variety of restrictions. In particular, if edges can be grouped into classes that must be assigned the same time, then our problem is hard even on directed acyclic graphs when both the reachability target and the classes of edges are of constant size, as well as on an extremely restrictive class of trees. We further show that one version of the problem is W [1] -hard when parameterised by the vertex cover number of the instance graph. In the case that each edge is active at a unique timestep, we identify some very restricted cases in which the problem is solvable in polynomial time; however, list versions of both problems (each edge may only be assigned times from a speciﬁed lists) remain NP -complete in this setting even if the graph is of bounded degree and the reachability target is a constant.
Managing hyperparathyroidism in hemodialysis: role of etelcalcetide

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is common in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis and is associated with adverse outcomes. Currently, SHPT is managed by reducing circulating levels of phosphate with oral binders and parathyroid hormone (PTH) with vitamin D analogs and/or the calcimimetic cinacalcet. Etelcalcetide, a novel calcimimetic administered intravenously (IV) at the end of a hemodialysis treatment session, effectively reduces PTH in clinical trials when given thrice weekly. Additional clinical effects include reductions in circulating levels of phosphate and FGF-23 and an improved profile of markers of bone turnover. However, despite being administered IV, etelcalcetide appears to be associated with rates of nausea and vomiting comparable to those of cinacalcet. Additionally, etelcalcetide, relative to placebo, causes hypocalcemia and prolonged electrocardiographic QT intervals, effects that must be considered when contemplating its use. Etelcalcetide likely has a role in treating hemodialysis patients with uncontrolled SHPT or with hypercalcemia or hyperphosphatemia receiving activated vitamin D compounds. However, its use should be at least partially constrained by consideration of the risk of hypocalcemia and resultant prolonged QT intervals in vulnerable patients. Because of its effectiveness as a PTH-reducing agent administered in the dialysis unit, etelcalcetide represents a potentially promising new therapeutic approach to the often vexing problem of SHPT in hemodialysis patients. However, whether its use is associated with changes in surrogate clinical end points, such as effects on rates of parathyroidectomy, fracture, vascular calcification, or mortality or on quality of life, remains to be studied.
Neuropsychiatric subsyndromes and brain metabolic network dysfunctions in early onset Alzheimer's disease

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) often occur in early‐age‐of‐onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) and cluster into sub‐syndromes (SSy). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between 18F‐FDG‐PET regional and connectivity‐based brain metabolic dysfunctions and neuropsychiatric SSy. NPSs were assessed in 27 EOAD using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and further clustered into four SSy (apathetic, hyperactivity, affective, and psychotic SSy). Eighty‐five percent of EOAD showed at least one NPS. Voxel‐wise correlations between SSy scores and brain glucose metabolism (assessed with 18F‐FDG positron emission tomography) were studied. Interregional correlation analysis was used to explore metabolic connectivity in the salience (aSN) and default mode networks (DMN) in a larger sample of EOAD (N = 51) and Healthy Controls (N = 57). The apathetic, hyperactivity, and affective SSy were highly prevalent (>60%) as compared to the psychotic SSy (33%). The hyperactivity SSy scores were associated with increase of glucose metabolism in frontal and limbic structures, implicated in behavioral control. A comparable positive correlation with part of the same network was found for the affective SSy scores. On the other hand, the apathetic SSy scores were negatively correlated with metabolism in the bilateral orbitofrontal and dorsolateral frontal cortex known to be involved in motivation and decision‐making processes. Consistent with these SSy regional correlations with brain metabolic dysfunction, the connectivity analysis showed increases in the aSN and decreases in the DMN. Behavioral abnormalities in EOAD are associated with specific dysfunctional changes in brain metabolic activity, in particular in the aSN that seems to play a crucial role in NPSs in EOAD. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4234–4247, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mental Well‐Being Differences in Cohabitation and Marriage: The Role of Childhood Selection

Abstract Prior studies have found that marriage benefits well‐being, but cohabitation may provide similar benefits. An analysis of the British Cohort Study 1970, a prospective survey following respondents to age 42, examines whether partnerships in general, and marriage in particular, influence mental well‐being in midlife. Propensity score matching indicates whether childhood characteristics are a sufficient source of selection to eliminate differences in well‐being between those living with and without a partner and those cohabitating and married. The results indicate that matching on childhood characteristics does not eliminate advantages to living with a partner; however, matching eliminates differences between marriage and cohabitation for men and women more likely to marry. On the other hand, marriage may provide benefits to women less likely to marry unless they have shared children and are in long‐lasting partnerships. Hence, childhood selection attenuates differences between cohabitation and marriage, except for women less likely to marry.
Update on bipolar disorder biomarker candidates

ABSTRACT Introduction: Bipolar disorder is a chronic and disabling mood disorder with a complex pathophysiological basis. A significant percentage of patients do not receive correct diagnosis which directly influences therapeutic response, rendering recovery troublesome. There is a long-standing need for proper non-clinically based tools for diagnosis, treatment selection and follow-up of such patients. Areas covered: In the past decade, the scientific community has shown a great interest in biomarker development. Here, we highlight the different potential biomarkers and we discuss their feasibility and their possible clinical relevance. Expert commentary: To date, despite the major ongoing trials and consortia with promising future perspectives, no reliable biomarker of bipolar disorder has been fully defined.
Further analysis of the size effect in indentation hardness tests of some metals

The variation of apparent hardness observed in previously reported Vickers indentation tests of metals is reexamined. Common deseriptions of the effect are shown to be inaccurate: the variation of apparent hardness is monotonic but not simple. The effect is consistent with varying size of a previously postulated “plastic hinge” at the perimeter of the indent. This complexity confers uncertainty on the estimation of characteristic macrohardness from small scale tests. Association of the indentation size effect with friction and with strain hardening is confirmed.
A Genome-Wide Association Study of Field and Seedling Response to Individual Stem Rust Pathogen Races Reveals Combinations of Race-Specific Genes in North American Spring Wheat

Stem rust of wheat caused by the fungal pathogen Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici historically caused major yield losses of wheat worldwide. To understand the genetic basis of stem rust resistance in contemporary North American spring wheat, genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) was conducted on an association mapping panel comprised of 250 elite lines. The lines were evaluated in separate nurseries each inoculated with a different P. graminis f. sp. tritici race for 3 years (2013, 2015, and 2016) at Rosemount, Minnesota allowing the evaluation of race-specificity separate from the effect of environment. The lines were also challenged with the same four races at the seedling stage in a greenhouse facility at the USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory. A total of 22,310 high-quality SNPs obtained from the Infinium 90,000 SNPs chip were used to perform association analysis. We observed often negative and sometimes weak correlations between responses to different races that highlighted the abundance of race-specific resistance and the inability to predict the response of the lines across races. Markers strongly associated with resistance to the four races at seedling and field environments were identified. At the seedling stage, the most significant marker-trait associations were detected in the regions of known major genes (Sr6, Sr7a, and Sr9b) except for race QFCSC where a strong association was detected on chromosome arm 1AL. We postulated the presence of Sr2, Sr6, Sr7a, Sr8a, Sr9b, Sr11, Sr12, Sr24, Sr25, Sr31, and Sr57 (Lr34) in this germplasm based on phenotypic and marker data. We found over half of the panel possessed three or more Sr genes, and most commonly included various combinations of Sr6, Sr7a, Sr8a, Sr9b, Sr11, Sr12, and Sr57. Most of these genes confer resistance to specific P. graminis f. sp. tritici races accounting for the prevalent stem rust resistance in North American spring wheat.
Allocentric to Egocentric Spatial Switching: Impairment in aMCI and Alzheimer's Disease Patients?

OBJECTIVE Deficits in egocentric (subject-to-object) and allocentric (object-to-object) spatial representations, with a mainly allocentric impairment, characterize the first stages of the Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS To identify early cognitive signs of AD conversion, some studies focused on amnestic-Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) by reporting alterations in both reference frames, especially the allocentric ones. However, spatial environments in which we move need the cooperation of both reference frames. Such cooperating processes imply that we constantly switch from allocentric to egocentric frames and vice versa. This raises the question of whether alterations of switching abilities might also characterize an early cognitive marker of AD, potentially suitable to detect the conversion from aMCI to dementia. Here, we compared AD and aMCI patients with Normal Controls (NC) on the Ego-Allo- Switching spatial memory task. The task assessed the capacity to use switching (Ego-Allo, Allo-Ego) and non-switching (Ego-Ego, Allo-Allo) verbal judgments about relative distances between memorized stimuli. RESULTS The novel finding of this study is the neat impairment shown by aMCI and AD in switching from allocentric to egocentric reference frames. Interestingly, in aMCI when the first reference frame was egocentric, the allocentric deficit appeared attenuated. CONCLUSION This led us to conclude that allocentric deficits are not always clinically detectable in aMCI since the impairments could be masked when the first reference frame was body-centred. Alongside, AD and aMCI also revealed allocentric deficits in the non-switching condition. These findings suggest that switching alterations would emerge from impairments in hippocampal and posteromedial areas and from concurrent dysregulations in the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system or pre-frontal cortex.
Two-phase Separation of Primary MX Carbonitride during Tempering in Creep Resistant 9Cr1MoVNb Steel

Precipitation behaviour during heat treatment has been investigated on 9Cr1 MoVNb steel. Coarse primary and fine secondary MX carbonitrides are observed in the as normalized condition. On the other hand, coarse primary MX is not detected after tempering at 1 038 K, and Nb-rich and V-rich fine secondary MX carbonitrides and M 23 C 6 carbide are observed in the as tempered condition. Variations of metallic elements concentrations of Nb-rich MX and V-rich MX in the as tempered condition are within the relatively small ranges. Average diameter of 34 nm for V-rich MX is slightly larger than that of 24 nm for Nb-rich MX in the as tempered condition. Both size and metallic elements concentrations of the fine secondary MX observed in the as normalized condition are almost the same as those of Nb-rich MX observed in the as tempered condition. A composition of metallic elements of the coarse primary MX varies along the line between those of Nb-rich MX and V-rich MX in a Cr-Nb-V ternary phase diagram. It has been considered that, at normalizing temperature of 1 323 K, Nb-rich MX and V-rich MX forms solid solution and composition of the primary MX varies along the tie line between those two phases. Two-phase separation of primary MX into Nb-rich MX and V-rich MX may be caused by the miscibility gap in primary MX and another two phases at the tempering temperature of 1 038 K.
Comparative Evaluation of Pain, Stress, Neuropeptide Y, ACTH, and Cortisol Levels Between a Conventional Postoperative Care Protocol and a Fast-Track Recovery Program in Patients Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery

Background: Fast-track (FT) postoperative protocol in oncological patients after major abdominal surgery reduces complications and length of postoperative stay compared to the conventional (CON) protocol. However, stress and pain responses have not been compared between the two protocols. Objectives: To compare stress, pain, and related neuropeptidic responses (adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH], cortisol, and neuropeptide Y [NPY]) between FT and CON protocols. Method: A clinical trial with repeated measurements was conducted (May 2012 to May 2014) with a sample of 63 hepatectomized or pancreatectomized patients randomized into two groups: FT (n = 29) or CON (n = 34). Demographic and clinical data were collected, and pain (Visual Analog Scale [VAS] and Behavioral Pain Scale [BPS]) and stress responses (3 self-report questions) assessed. NPY, ACTH, and cortisol plasma levels were measured at T1 = day of admission, T2 = day of surgery, and T3 = prior to discharge. Results: ACTHT1 and ACTHT2 levels were positively correlated with self-reported stress levels (ρ = .43 and ρ = .45, respectively, p < .05) in the FT group. NPY levels in the FT group were higher than those in the CON group at all time points (p ≤ .004); this difference remained significant after adjusting for T1 levels through analysis of covariance for age, gender, and body mass index (F = .003, F = .149, F = .015, respectively, p > .05). Conclusions: Neuropeptidic levels were higher in the FT group. Future research should evaluate this association further, as these biomarkers might serve as objective indicators of postoperative pain and stress.
Interobserver and Intraobserver Variability in the Cytologic Diagnosis of Normal and Abnormal Metaplastic Squamous Cells in Pap Smears

OBJECTIVE Interoberver variability has important implications for patient care, diagnostic error and medical litigation. In the management of any cervical epithelial abnormality, its biologic significance as well as diagnostic reproducibility is very important. Interobserver variability has not been measured adequately for metaplastic squamous lesions. We analyzed interobserver and intraobserver variability and diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of dysplastic metaplastic cells. STUDY DESIGN Sixty Pap smears from patients with abnormalities of metaplastic squamous cells of varying severity were selected from the files of Lankenau Hospital, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. , diagnosed between 1990 and 1996. These were reviewed by four observers with different levels of cytology experience. Each of the observers blindly and independently reviewed all Pap smears. Tabulated results were analyzed to determine interobserver and intraobserver variability and diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS Statistically significant interobserver reproducibility was found between both inexperienced observers as well as between observers 1 (experienced) and 3 (inexperienced) and between observers 2 (experienced) and 4 (inexperienced). The observed degree of agreement between both experienced observers (1 and 2) reflected random rating rather than reproducibility. There was no difference in interobserver reproducibility in low vs. high grade lesions. Intraobserver reproducibility had no significant correlation with experience of the observer. The sensitivity ranged from 0.69 to 0.97 (mean, 0.79), while the specificity ranged from 0.09 to 0.46 (mean, 0.30). Mean diagnostic accuracy was better in benign and low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in comparison to high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. CONCLUSION There was good interobserver agreement in classifying squamous metaplastic lesions. The agreement did not correlate with grade of dysplasia or experience of the cytopathologists. These findings should be considered in making treatment, quality assurance and legal decisions. A larger study is indicated to study interobserver and intraobserver variability and define cytologic criteria for lesions of metaplastic squamous cells.