Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognition and Health Literacy in Older Adults’ Recall of Self-Care Information

Purpose of the Study Health literacy is associated with health outcomes presumably because it influences the understanding of information needed for self-care. However, little is known about the language comprehension mechanisms that underpin health literacy. Design and Methods We explored the relationship between a commonly used measure of health literacy (Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults [STOFHLA]) and comprehension of health information among 145 older adults. Results Results showed that performance on the STOFHLA was associated with recall of health information. Consistent with the Process-Knowledge Model of Health Literacy, mediation analysis showed that both processing capacity and knowledge mediated the association between health literacy and recall of health information. In addition, knowledge moderated the effects of processing capacity limits, such that processing capacity was less likely to be associated with recall for older adults with higher levels of knowledge. Implications These findings suggest that knowledge contributes to health literacy and can compensate for deficits in processing capacity to support comprehension of health information among older adults. The implications of these findings for improving patient education materials for older adults with inadequate health literacy are discussed.
The effect of inkjet printed polymer on the mechanical properties of carbon fibre reinforced plastic

A new toughening method is presented in this thesis that uses inkjet printing to deposit toughening materials between carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminate plies prior to the curing cycle. Inkjet printing has the ability of precisely depositing material onto targeted positions, thus a controlled amount of toughening materials can be used to print dimension controllable patterns. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were dissolved in suitable solvents respectively to form printable solutions for inkjet printing. Different patterns and substrates were employed to investigate the repeatability of using inkjet printing to deposit polymer solutions. Microscopy showed that the designed patterns can be repeatedly printed onto substrates with controllable dimensions. A range of 0.025 – 0.2 vol.% of toughening material was used to prepare CFRP laminates for mechanical tests. Mechanical properties of the inkjet printed CFRP laminates were tested by means of double cantilever beam and short beam shear tests to determine mode I interlaminar facture toughness (GIc) and apparent interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) respectively. The GIc of polymer printed laminates increased as the overall amount of polymer deposits increased before reaching to an optimum. A maximum 40% increase in GIc was observed in a system with printed 10 wt. % PMMA deposits that were hexagonally patterned. Different patterns and pattern densities were investigated, among which the hexagon with a higher pattern density performed the best in terms of material usage efficiency. Although laminates with a printed PMMA film possessed the highest GIc compared to the other printed groups that used discrete dots, the crack propagation was unstable. Additionally, the improvement in GIc did not result in a reduction of the ILSS for the polymer printed laminates, except for the film printed group. The damage tolerance of PMMA printed laminates was also enhanced based on the images obtained from X-ray tomography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The proposed toughening mechanism is as follows: the polymer deposits remain strategically dispersed along predicted crack pathways with controllable size. Once microcracks occur between composite plies, the arrayed toughening materials can address crack propagation by plastic deformation and/or deflection of crack pathways due to debonding between toughening material and surrounded epoxy resin. The plasticization of localised epoxy region is also believed to be a contribution to the observed mechanical improvement.
Why we are still failing to measure the nutrition transition

### Summary box Malnutrition in all its forms—both underweight and micronutrient deficiencies, as well as overweight, obesity and associated non-communicable disease—is a global health issue, with the majority of cases arising in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). 1 Much of this malnutrition, particularly shifts towards an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, is driven by dietary changes described as the ‘nutrition transition’, whereby populations move from traditional diets high in fibre and micronutrients, to more highly processed diets high in sugar, fat, salt, low in fibre and less nutrient dense–with these dietary changes accompanied by changes in eating behaviours and physical activity patterns.2 Ultraprocessed food products have been defined by Monteiro et al as ‘not entirely or mostly made from foods, but from industrial ingredients and additives, and are highly profitable’. 3 Distinctions are made between processed …
Association of Anxiety Symptom Clusters with Sleep Quality and Daytime Sleepiness

Objectives To better understand links between anxiety and sleep disturbances in older adults, we examined the association of different phenotypic presentations of anxiety (i.e., affective, cognitive, and somatic clusters) with global sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. Methods 109 community-dwelling adults aged 66-92 years old (57% female) completed assessments of global sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), affective anxiety symptoms (Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS) affective subscale), cognitive anxiety symptoms (GAS cognitive subscale), and somatic anxiety symptoms (GAS somatic subscale). Results In hierarchical regression models adjusted for depressive symptoms and health status, greater affective and somatic anxiety were associated with poorer global sleep quality (affective B = 0.30, p = .01; somatic B = 0.41, p = .01). Somatic and cognitive anxiety were associated with greater daytime sleepiness (somatic B = 0.74, p < .001; cognitive B = 0.30, p = .03), but these associations were attenuated by covariates added to the models. Discussion These findings indicate that anxiety symptom clusters are differentially associated with specific sleep-related disturbances, underscoring the complex relationship of late-life anxiety to sleep. Results suggest that personalized treatments, such as targeted sleep interventions, may improve specific anxiety-symptom domains, or vice versa.
Do We Have a Sense for Irrational Numbers?

Number sense requires, at least, an ability to assess magnitude information represented by number symbols. Most educated adults are able to assess magnitude information of rational numbers fairly quickly, including whole numbers and fractions. It is to date unclear whether educated adults without training are able to assess magnitudes of irrational numbers, such as the cube root of 41. In a computerized experiment, we asked mathematically skilled adults to repeatedly choose the larger of two irrational numbers as quickly as possible. Participants were highly accurate on problems in which reasoning about the exact or approximate value of the irrational numbers’ whole number components (e.g., 3 and 41 in the cube root of 41) yielded the correct response. However, they performed at random chance level when these strategies were invalid and the problem required reasoning about the irrational number magnitudes as a whole. Response times suggested that participants hardly even tried to assess magnitudes of the irrational numbers as a whole, and if they did, were largely unsuccessful. We conclude that even mathematically skilled adults struggle with quickly assessing magnitudes of irrational numbers in their symbolic notation. Without practice, number sense seems to be restricted to rational numbers.
The association between maternal serum first trimester free βhCG, second trimester intact hCG levels and foetal growth restriction and preeclampsia

Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyse the association between free beta hCG (fβhCG) increased levels and pregnancy complications (PC), foetal growth restriction (FGR) and preeclampsia (PE). This connection was evaluated in two stages (i) investigating the association between those PC with first trimester fβhCG and second trimester intact hCG (ihCG), and (ii) studying the association between these two analytes in the same pregnancy. This was a retrospective study in two settings: medical centre that provided data on fβhCG and ihCG levels in pregnancies with FGR and PE, and central laboratory that provided fβhCG and ihCG levels that were compared in the same pregnancy. No association was found between those PC and the hCG analytes, except for elevated ihCG levels and FGR. Elevated fβhCG (>3.00 MoM) was found in 570/16,849 (3.4%) women. However, only 14% of whom had elevated second trimester ihCG. A positive correlation was found between the magnitude of first trimester fβhCG levels and the percentage of women who had elevated second trimester ihCG. This association was determined by the magnitude of the elevation of fβhCG levels. Impact statement What is already known on this subject: The two analytes, first trimester fβhCG and second trimester ihCG, are independently produced and parameters of the biochemical screening during pregnancy. What the results of this study add: Referring to 3.00 MoM as cut-off levels, most pregnancies with elevated levels of first trimester fβhCG will have normal ihCG second trimester levels. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research: The risk of developing pregnancy complications, FGR and PE should be associated with second trimester ihCG levels. About 3.5% of women had high fβhCG levels during the first trimester. However, only 14% also had increased ihCG levels, defined as >3.00 MoM; additional studies are needed to explore the association between increased first trimester fβhCG levels and the risk of developing pregnancy complications, independent of ihCG levels in the second trimester.
Mutation of the OsSAC1 Gene, which Encodes an Endoplasmic Reticulum Protein with an Unknown Function, Causes Sugar Accumulation in Rice Leaves

Sugars are the most abundant organic compounds produced by plants, and can be used to build carbon skeletons and generate energy. The sugar accumulation 1 (OsSAC1) gene encodes a protein with an unknown function that exhibits four N-terminal transmembrane regions and two conserved domains of unknown function, DUF4220 and DUF594. OsSAC1 was found to be poorly and specifically expressed at the bottoms of young leaves and in the developing leaf sheaths. Subcellular location results showed that OsSAC1 was co-localized with ER:mCherry and targeted the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). OsSAC1 has been found to affect sugar partitioning in rice (Oryza sativa). I2/KI starch staining, ultrastructure observations and starch content measurements indicated that more and larger starch granules accumulated in ossac1 source leaves than in wild-type (WT) source leaves. Additionally, higher sucrose and glucose concentrations accumulated in the ossac1 source leaves than in WT source leaves, whereas lower sucrose and glucose concentrations were observed in the ossac1 young leaves and developing leaf sheaths than in those of the WT. Much greater expression of OsAGPL1 and OsAGPS1 (responsible for starch synthesis) and significantly less expression of OscFBP1, OscFBP2, OsSPS1 and OsSPS11 (responsible for sucrose synthesis) and OsSWEET11, OsSWEET14 and OsSUT1 (responsible for sucrose loading) occurred in ossac1 source leaves than in WT source leaves. A greater amount of the rice plasmodesmatal negative regulator OsGSD1 was detected in ossac1 young leaves and developing leaf sheaths than in those of the WT. These results suggest that ER-targeted OsSAC1 may indirectly regulate sugar partitioning in carbon-demanding young leaves and developing leaf sheaths.
The effect analysis of 55 cases of type III acromioclavicular dislocation treated surgically

Objective To explore the best operative method for type Ⅲ acromioclavicular joint dislocation. Methods Three internal fixation methods(double pinning for 10 cases, double pinning plus wire tension band for 22 cases and clavicular hook plate for 23 cases) were applied to treat type Ⅲ acromioclavicular joint dislocation. Results According to Karlsson grading system, 5 cases were excellent, 2 good and 3 poor in group of double pinning. 16 cases were excellent, 5 good and 1 poor in group of double pinning plus wire tension band. 17 cases were excellent, 5 good and 1 poor in group of clavicular hook plate. Conclusions Double pinning plus wire tension band and clavicular hook plate are better way to treat type Ⅲ acromioclavicular joint dislocation.
A Comparative Study of Impedance Measurement Techniques for Structural Health Monitoring Applications

Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems are scientifically and economically relevant as methods of detecting structural damage to various types of structures, thus increasing safety and reducing maintenance costs. Among the various principles of damage detection, the electromechanical impedance (EMI) method is based on the electrical impedance measurement of piezoelectric transducers attached to the monitored structure. Here, the accuracy and precision of the measurement system are fundamental for the correct diagnosis of the structure. Therefore, this paper performs a comparative analysis of two impedance measurement techniques for damage detection that are typically used in commercial impedance analyzers and other alternative measurement systems: 1) transient-state measurements using a sweep excitation signal and 2) steady-state measurements using a pure sinusoidal signal for each excitation frequency. Tests were performed with resistive and capacitive loads with known values and a piezoelectric transducer fixed to an aluminum bar representing a monitored structure. The two techniques were compared based on the accuracy, precision, and time required for the measurements. The results highlight the important features of each technique that should be considered for the development of impedance-based SHM systems and the correct diagnosis of monitored structures.
Dopamine D1 and D3 Receptors Modulate Heroin-Induced Cognitive Impairment through Opponent Actions in Mice

Abstract Background: Chronic abuse of heroin leads to long-lasting and complicated cognitive impairment. Dopamine receptors are critically involved in the impulsive drug-driven behavior and the altered attention, processing speed, and mental flexibility that are associated with higher relapse rates. However, the effects of the different dopamine receptors and their possible involvement in heroin-induced cognitive impairment remain unclear. Methods: The 5-choice serial reaction time task was used to investigate the profiles of heroin-induced cognitive impairment in mice. The expression levels of dopamine D1- and D2-like receptors in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and caudate-putamen were determined. The effects of dopamine receptors on heroin-induced impulsivity in the 5-choice serial reaction time task were examined by agonist/antagonist treatment on D1 or D3 receptor mutant mice. Results: Systemic heroin administration influences several variables in the 5-choice serial reaction time task, most notably premature responses, a measure of motor impulsivity. These behavioral impairments are associated with increased D1 receptor and decreased D3 receptor mRNA and protein levels in 3 observed brain areas. The heroin-evoked increase in premature responses is mimicked by a D1 agonist and prevented by a D1 antagonist or genetic ablation of the D1 receptor gene. In contrast, a D3 agonist decreases both basal and heroin-evoked premature responses, while genetic ablation of the D3 receptor gene results in increased basal and heroin-evoked premature responses. Conclusions: Heroin-induced impulsive behavior in the 5-choice serial reaction time task is oppositely modulated by D1 and D3 receptor activation. The D1 receptors in the cortical-mesolimbic region play an indispensable role in modulating such behaviors.
Synergistic action of cinnamaldehyde with silver nanoparticles against spore-forming bacteria: a case for judicious use of silver nanoparticles for antibacterial applications

Silver has long been advocated as an effective antimicrobial. However, toxicity issues with silver have led to limited use of silver in nanoform, especially for food preservation. With the aim of exploring combinatorial options that could increase the antibacterial potency of silver nanoparticles and reduce the effective dosage of silver, we evaluated the extent of synergy that a combination of silver nanoparticles and an essential oil representative (cinnamaldehyde) could offer. A battery of gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains was utilized for antibacterial assays, and extents of synergism were calculated from fractional inhibitory concentration indices. The activity of nanoparticles was greatly enhanced when utilized in the presence of cinnamaldehyde. We observed combinatorial effects that were strongly additive against all the bacterial strains tested, and genuine synergy was found against spore forming Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens – bacterial strains associated with release of cytotoxins in contaminated food and known for their persistence. Bacterial kill curve analysis revealed a very fast bactericidal action when a combination of two agents was used. The electron and atomic force microscopy also revealed extensive damage to the bacterial cell envelop in the presence of both agents. We also performed hemolysis assays to investigate and approximate the extent of toxicity exhibited by the two agents, and observed no adverse effect at the concentrations required for synergy. This study shows that safe levels of silver in nanoform in combination with essential oil component cinnamaldehyde can be effectively used for controlling the spore-forming bacterial species.
Estimation of Symptom Severity During Chemotherapy From Passively Sensed Data: Exploratory Study

Background Physical and psychological symptoms are common during chemotherapy in cancer patients, and real-time monitoring of these symptoms can improve patient outcomes. Sensors embedded in mobile phones and wearable activity trackers could be potentially useful in monitoring symptoms passively, with minimal patient burden. Objective The aim of this study was to explore whether passively sensed mobile phone and Fitbit data could be used to estimate daily symptom burden during chemotherapy. Methods A total of 14 patients undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer participated in the 4-week study. Participants carried an Android phone and wore a Fitbit device for the duration of the study and also completed daily severity ratings of 12 common symptoms. Symptom severity ratings were summed to create a total symptom burden score for each day, and ratings were centered on individual patient means and categorized into low, average, and high symptom burden days. Day-level features were extracted from raw mobile phone sensor and Fitbit data and included features reflecting mobility and activity, sleep, phone usage (eg, duration of interaction with phone and apps), and communication (eg, number of incoming and outgoing calls and messages). We used a rotation random forests classifier with cross-validation and resampling with replacement to evaluate population and individual model performance and correlation-based feature subset selection to select nonredundant features with the best predictive ability. Results Across 295 days of data with both symptom and sensor data, a number of mobile phone and Fitbit features were correlated with patient-reported symptom burden scores. We achieved an accuracy of 88.1% for our population model. The subset of features with the best accuracy included sedentary behavior as the most frequent activity, fewer minutes in light physical activity, less variable and average acceleration of the phone, and longer screen-on time and interactions with apps on the phone. Mobile phone features had better predictive ability than Fitbit features. Accuracy of individual models ranged from 78.1% to 100% (mean 88.4%), and subsets of relevant features varied across participants. Conclusions Passive sensor data, including mobile phone accelerometer and usage and Fitbit-assessed activity and sleep, were related to daily symptom burden during chemotherapy. These findings highlight opportunities for long-term monitoring of cancer patients during chemotherapy with minimal patient burden as well as real-time adaptive interventions aimed at early management of worsening or severe symptoms.
Split and shift methodology on cellular processor arrays: area saving versus time penalty

This paper addresses the so‐called split and shift methodology. This methodology deals with the implementation of kernels of sizes that go above the physically implemented resources (local connections and weighting circuits) on synchronous cellular processor arrays (CPA), including the realization of large neighborhood operations and/or the reduction of the available hardware in order to drop the area consumption. Two main goals are pursued in the development of the methodology, namely: (1) minimum penalty at processing time and (2) absolutely no penalty at functional level. The paper presents different techniques and guidelines for the methodology application and introduces a Figure of Merit to evaluate them by relating area gains with time penalty. This, along with a kernel shape analysis, led us to propose more adequate configurations of weighting circuits and to justify the classical choice of North‐East‐West‐South connectivity. To validate the methodology, we realize several estimates over actual physical implementations, and we propose the realization over CPAs of the spin filters, scale invariant feature transform and speeded‐up robust features algorithms. A more in‐depth trade‐off analysis is realized over the implementation of the pixel level snakes algorithm. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.