Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Ecological Momentary Intervention for Smoking Cessation: Evaluation of Feasibility and Effectiveness

Background Despite substantial public health progress in reducing the prevalence of smoking in the United States overall, smoking among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults remains high. Objective To determine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a novel smartphone-based smoking cessation app designed for socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers. Methods Participants were recruited from a safety-net hospital smoking cessation clinic in Dallas, Texas, and were followed for 13 weeks. All participants received standard smoking cessation clinic care (ie, group counseling and cessation pharmacotherapy) and a smartphone with a novel smoking cessation app (ie, Smart-T). The Smart-T app prompted 5 daily ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) for 3 weeks (ie, 1 week before cessation and 2 weeks after cessation). During the precessation period, EMAs were followed by messages that focused on planning and preparing for the quit attempt. During the postcessation period, participant responses to EMAs drove an algorithm that tailored messages to the current level of smoking lapse risk and currently present lapse triggers (eg, urge to smoke, stress). Smart-T offered additional intervention features on demand (eg, one-click access to the tobacco cessation quitline; “Quit Tips” on coping with urges to smoke, mood, and stress). Results Participants (N=59) were 52.0 (SD 7.0) years old, 54% (32/59) female, and 53% (31/59) African American, and 70% (40/57) had annual household income less than US $16,000. Participants smoked 20.3 (SD 11.6) cigarettes per day and had been smoking for 31.6 (SD 10.9) years. Twelve weeks after the scheduled quit date, 20% (12/59) of all participants were biochemically confirmed abstinent. Participants responded to 87% of all prompted EMAs and received approximately 102 treatment messages over the 3-week EMA period. Most participants (83%, 49/59) used the on-demand app features. Individuals with greater nicotine dependence and minority race used the Quit Tips feature more than their counterparts. Greater use of the Quit Tips feature was linked to nonabstinence at the 2 (P=.02), 4 (P<.01), and 12 (P=.03) week follow-up visits. Most participants reported that they actually used or implemented the tailored app-generated messages and suggestions (83%, 49/59); the app-generated messages were helpful (97%, 57/59); they would like to use the app in the future if they were to lapse (97%, 57/59); and they would like to refer friends who smoke to use the Smart-T app (85%, 50/59). A minority of participants (15%, 9/59) reported that the number of daily assessments (ie, 5) was “too high. ” Conclusions This novel just-in-time adaptive intervention delivered an intensive intervention (ie, 102 messages over a 3-week period), was well-liked, and was perceived as helpful and useful by socioeconomically disadvantaged adults who were seeking smoking cessation treatment. Smartphone apps may be used to increase treatment exposure and may ultimately reduce tobacco-related health disparities among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults.
Co-Ferrite (CoFe2O4): A Material with High Magnetostriction Produced by Sol-Gel Method

Polycrystalline Co-ferrite was produced by modified citrate gel method. Samples were afterward heat treated at different temperatures upto 1300°C. The XRD pattern shows that all samples exhibit a single phase spinel structure and improvement and sharpness in intensity of peaks with increasing annealing temperature. Measurement of hysteresis loops demonstrate that after the heat treatment a saturation magnetization of 60- 84 emu/gis obtained. Measurements of the longitudinal magnetostriction gave values between 20 ppm and 130 ppm. Magnetostriction increases gradually with increase in annealing temperature and becomes highest when the saturation magnetization values are larger.
Word Sense Disambiguation with Distribution Estimation

A word sense disambiguation (WSD) system trained on one domain and applied to a different domain will show a decrease in performance. One major reason is the different sense distributions between different domains. This paper presents novel application of two distribution estimation algorithms to provide estimates of the sense distribution of the new domain data set. Even though our training examples are automatically gathered from parallel corpora, the sense distributions estimated are good enough to achieve a relative improvement of 56% when incorporated into our WSD system.
Identification of a gene essential for piliation in Haemophilus influenzae type b with homology to the pilus assembly platform genes of gram-negative bacteria

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) pili are complex filamentous surface structures consisting predominantly of pilin protein subunits. The gene encoding the major pilin protein subunit of Hib adherence pili has been cloned and its nucleotide sequence has been determined. In order to identify specific accessory genes involved in pilus expression and assembly, we constructed isogenic Hib mutants containing insertional chromosomal mutations in the DNA flanking the pilin structural gene. These mutants were screened for pilin production, pilus expression, and hemagglutination. Pili and pilin production were assessed by immunoassays with polyclonal antisera specific for pilin and pili of Hib strain Eagan. Hemagglutination was semiquantitatively evaluated in a microtiter plate assay. Six Hib mutants produced proteins immunoreactive with antipilin antiserum but no longer produced structures reactive with antipilus antiserum. In addition, the mutants were unable to agglutinate human erythrocytes. Nucleotide sequence analysis localized the insertion sites in the six mutants to 2.5-kb open reading frame upstream of the pilin structural gene and immediately downstream of an Hib pilin chaperone gene. The amino acid sequence encoded by this open reading frame has significant homology to members of the pilus assembly platform protein family, including FhaA of Bordetella pertussis, MrkC of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the Escherichia coli assembly platform proteins FimD and PapC. This open reading frame, designated hifC, appears to represent a gene essential to Hib pilus biogenesis that has genetic and functional similarity to the pilus platform assembly genes of other gram-negative rods.
Effects of mixed mode I/II loading and grain orientation on crack initiation and stable tearing in 2024-T3 aluminum

The effects of material grain orientation and mixed mode I/II loading on crack initiation and stable tearing in 2.3-mm-thick, unclad 2024-T3 aluminum is experimentally investigated. Mode I experiments were performed on center-cracked specimens with the crack being oriented at various angles relative to the rolling direction. Defining {theta} to be the angle between the normal to the initial crack plane and the loading direction, Mode I/II experiments were performed using an Arcan test fixture for 0{degree} {le} {theta} {le} 90{degree} [corresponding to 90{degree} {ge} {beta} {ge} 0{degree}, where {beta} = atan (K{sub II}/K{sub I})] with the crack oriented either along the rolling direction (T-L) or perpendicular to the rolling direction (L-T). Results indicate that: 1. The Mode I crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) is a strong function of the orientation of the crack relative to the rolling direction; CTOD for a T-L specimen is 0.84 mm, increasing linearly with orientation angle to 1.05 mm for an L-T case. 2. The Mode I/II CTOD increases rapidly during initial increments of crack growth and then decreases towards a constant value as crack growth continues. 3. For {theta} 29{degree}), all cracks kinked and the Mode I/II plastic zones aremore » similar to rotated Mode I plastic zones throughout the crack growth process. 4. J{sub II} = 0 reasonably predicts the direction of tension-dominated crack growth, but does not predict the transition to shear crack growth which occurs for {theta} {ge} 75{degree}. 5. K{sub II} {ge} K{sub I} for {theta} {approx} 58{degree} ({beta} = 45{degree}) does not quantitatively predict the transition to shear crack growth for {theta} {ge} 75{degree} ({beta} {le} 22{degree}), but does provide an indication of changing conditions in the crack tip region. « less
Nanocrystalline TiO2 Thin Films Fabricated Via a Polyelectrolyte Multilayer‐Assisted Sol–Gel Reaction

Nanostructured anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films were fabricated with an in situ, sol–gel process in a self-assembled, polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) template. Because the PEM template is formed by the sequential adsorption of appositively charged, weak polyelectrolytes, polyacrylic acid, and polyallylamine, it contains nonionized carboxylic groups that are able to react with the inorganic precursor, resulting in the formation of an inorganic–organic hybrid network. After annealing, nanocrystalline TiO2 films with a controlled surface morphology, crystallite size, and a thickness on the nanometer scale were obtained. The average TiO2 crystallite size was approximately 10 nm. The surface morphology and the roughness of the nanocrystalline films were evaluated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. UV-vis spectroscopy was used to establish the optical parameters of the nanocrystalline TiO2 films. The as-fabricated, nanostructured TiO2 films showed high absorption in the UV region and the controlled transmission of visible light.
Reliability and validity of the Mywellness Key physical activity monitor

Background This study evaluated the reliability and criterion validity of the Mywellness Key accelerometer (MWK) using treadmill protocols and indirect calorimetry. Methods Twenty-five participants completed two four-stage 20-minute treadmill protocols while wearing two MWK accelerometers. Reliability was assessed using raw counts. Validity was assessed by comparing the estimated VO2 calculated from the MWK with values from respiratory gas exchange. Results Good overall and point estimates of reliability were found for the MWK (all intraclass correlations > 0.93). Generalizability theory coefficients showed lower values for running speed (0.70) versus walking speed (all > 0.84), with the majority of the overall percentage of variability derived from the participant (68%–88% of the total 100%). Acceptable validity was found overall (Pearson’s r = 0.895–0.902, P < 0.0001), with an overall mean absolute error of 16.22% and a coefficient of variance of 16.92%. Bland-Altman plots showed an overestimation of energy expenditure during the running speed, but total kilocalories were underestimated during the protocol by approximately 10%. Conclusion Good validity was found during light and moderate walking, while running was slightly overestimated. The MWK may be useful for clinicians and researchers interested in promotion or assessment of physical activity.
Antenatal Betamethasone Changes Cord Blood Monocyte Responses to Endotoxin in Preterm Lambs

Corticosteroids are routinely administered to women at risk for preterm delivery to induce fetal lung maturation. Antenatal corticosteroids have immunomodulatory effects on fetal immune cells that are poorly understood. We hypothesized that maternal betamethasone would alter in fetal monocytes both the initiation of inflammation in response to pro-inflammatory stimuli and the resolution of inflammation by phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils. Preterm lambs at 124 d gestation were delivered 15 h, 1 d, 2 d, or 7 d after 0.5 mg/kg maternal intramuscular betamethasone. Monocytes from cord blood were isolated and cultured and results were compared with monocytes from preterm lambs exposed to maternal saline or monocytes from adult sheep. Phagocytosis of Escherichia coli was not changed, however, phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils was low in fetal monocytes but increased after 7 d exposure to maternal betamethasone to the level found in adult monocytes. Hydrogen peroxide production after endotoxin stimulus was significantly reduced to 7.1 ± 2.2 μ mol at 5 h, 8.7 ± 2.9 μ mol at 24 h, and 4.1 ± 1.9 μ mol at 48 h versus 16.4 ± 3.6 μ mol in control animals; at 7 d, the hydrogen peroxide production increased to 74.3 ± 19.7 μ mol (p < 0.05, per 106 monocytes). IL-6 production was reduced at 15 h after maternal betamethasone but at no other time point. Maternal betamethasone initially suppressed several fetal monocyte functions, however, at 7 d, measurements of initiation and resolution of inflammation were increased to levels similar to monocytes from adult sheep. The time-dependent changes in maternal betamethasone modulation of the responses of fetal monocytes may influence immune function of the preterm lamb after delivery.
Design, implementation and test of a multiband multistatic passive radar system for operational use in airspace surveillance

Passive Radar systems use the target illumination by third-party transmitters, e.g. FM radio or terrestrial TV broadcast stations, for target detection and localisation. Due to the great number and wide frequency spacing of the different broadcast services, the resulting multistatic and multiband illumination of air targets can be used to generate a wide-area air picture and to achieve a sound tracking performance even for small and low-altitude air targets. However, to facilitate the operational use of Passive Radar e.g. as primary or complementary sensor within air surveillance or air traffic management systems, the performance and maturity levels of Passive Radar sensors have to be further increased. Thereby, the performance of active air surveillance radars can be considered a as benchmark. To close the gap to operational employment, a combined FM/ DAB/DVB Passive Radar system was developed. Extensive test campaigns have lead to numerous improvements to the signal processing algorithms, to the diversity approach and to the accuracy of the model-based performance prediction toolset. This paper summarizes the results and the experience obtained during this effort.
Nonlinear left‐handed metamaterials

We analyze nonlinear properties of microstructured materials with the negative refractive index, the so‐called left‐handed metamaterials. We demonstrate that the hysteresis‐type dependence of the magnetic permeability on the field intensity allows changing the material properties from left to right handed and back. Using the finite difference time domain simulations, we study the wave reflection from a slab of a nonlinear left‐handed material and observe generation and propagation of temporal solitons in such materials. We demonstrate also that the nonlinear left‐handed metamaterials can support both transverse electric– and transverse magnetic–polarized self‐trapped localized beams, spatial electromagnetic solitons. Such solitons appear as single‐hump and multihump beams, being either symmetric or antisymmetric, and they can exist because of the hysteresis‐type magnetic nonlinearity and the effective domains of negative magnetic permeability.
Surgical left atrial appendage occlusion during cardiac surgery for patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES Concomitant left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) during surgical ablation has emerged as a potential treatment strategy to reduce stroke and perioperative mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The present meta-analysis aims to assess current evidence on the efficacy and safety between LAAO and LAA preservation cohorts for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS Electronic searches were performed using six electronic databases from their inception to November 2013, identifying all relevant comparative randomized and observational studies comparing LAAO with non-LAAO in AF patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Data were extracted and analysed according to predefined endpoints including mortality, stroke, postoperative AF and reoperation for bleeding. RESULTS Seven relevant studies identified for qualitative and quantitative analyses, including 3653 patients undergoing LAAO (n = 1716) versus non-LAAO (n = 1937). Stroke incidence was significantly reduced in the LAAO occlusion group at the 30-day follow-up [0.95 vs 1.9%; odds ratio (OR) 0.46; P = 0.005] and the latest follow-up (1.4 vs 4.1%; OR 0.48; P = 0.01), compared with the non-LAAO group. Incidence of all-cause mortality was significantly decreased with LAAO (1.9 vs 5%; OR 0.38; P = 0.0003), while postoperative AF and reoperation for bleeding was comparable. CONCLUSIONS While acknowledging the limitations and inadequate statistical power of the available evidence, this study suggests LAAO as a promising strategy for stroke reduction perioperatively and at the short-term follow-up without a significant increase in complications. Larger randomized studies in the future are required, with clearer surgical and anticoagulation protocols and adequate long-term follow-up, to validate the clinical efficacy of LAAO versus non-LAAO groups.
Tetanus surveillance--United States, 1991-1994.

PROBLEM/CONDITION Despite the widespread availability of a safe and effective vaccine against tetanus, 201 cases of the disease were reported during 1991-1994. Of patients with known illness outcome, the case-fatality rate was 25%. REPORTING PERIOD COVERED 1991-1994. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM Physician-diagnosed cases of tetanus are reported to local and state health departments, the latter of which reports these cases on a weekly basis to CDC's National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System. Since 1965, state health departments also have submitted supplemental clinical and epidemiologic information to CDC's National Immunization Program. RESULTS During 1991-1994, 201 cases of tetanus were reported from 40 states, for an average annual incidence of 0.02 cases per 100,000 population. Of the 188 patients for whom age was known, 101 (54%) were aged > or = 60 years and 10 (5%) were aged < 20 years. No cases of neonatal tetanus were reported. Among adults, the risk for tetanus increased with age; the risk for persons aged > or = 80 years was more than 10 times greater than the risk for persons aged 20-29 years. All deaths occurred among persons aged > or = 30 years. The case-fatality rate (overall: 25%) increased with age, from 11% in persons aged 30-49 years to 54% in persons aged > or = 80 years. Only 12% of all patients were reported to have received a primary series of tetanus toxoid before onset of illness. For 77% of patients, tetanus occurred after an acute injury was sustained. Of patients who obtained medical care for their injury, only 43% received tetanus toxoid as part of wound prophylaxis. INTERPRETATION The epidemiology of reported tetanus in the United States during 1991-1994 was similar to that during the 1980s. Tetanus continued to be a severe disease primarily of older adults who were unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated. Most tetanus cases occurred after an acute injury was sustained, emphasizing the need for appropriate wound management. ACTIONS TAKEN In addition to decennial booster doses of tetanus-diphtheria toxoid during adult life, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends vaccination visits for adolescents at age 11-12 years and for adults at age 50 years to enable health-care providers to review vaccination histories and administer any needed vaccine. Full implementation of the ACIP recommendations should virtually eliminate the remaining tetanus burden in the United States.
Level of FABP3, FABP4, Nt-proBNP and Total Cardiovascular Risk in the Population of Central Kazakhstan

AIM: The study analyzed the level of cytokines playing the significant role in the diagnosis of circulatory system diseases and total cardiovascular risk. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 1,244 residents of Karaganda region. We had studied baseline participant characteristics, in addition to calculating the total cardiovascular risk and assessment of Fatty Acid Binding Proteins 3 (FABP3), Fatty Acid Binding Proteins 4 (FABP4) and N-Terminal Prohormone of Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) level. RESULTS: The results showed the combination of high cardiovascular risk (CVR) with increased titers of cardiac markers, reflecting common pathogenic mechanisms in its development, among residents of Karaganda region. CONCLUSION: The combination of high CVR with the increased titers of cardiac markers showed common pathogenic mechanisms in its development, and support the diagnostic and prognostic value of these parameters among residents of Karaganda region, and also reflects the possibility to include these cardiac markers in the program of screening survey of population for early prevention of cardiovascular disease and its complications.
Empirical Evidence for a Diminished Sense of Agency in Speech Interfaces

While the technology underlying speech interfaces has improved in recent years, our understanding of the human side of speech interactions remains limited. This paper provides new insight on one important human aspect of speech interactions: the sense of agency - defined as the experience of controlling one's own actions and their outcomes. Two experiments are described. In each case a voice command is compared with keyboard input. Agency is measured using an implicit metric: intentional binding. In both experiments we find that participants' sense of agency is significantly reduced for voice commands as compared to keyboard input. This finding presents a fundamental challenge for the design of effective speech interfaces. We reflect on this finding and, based on current theory in HCI and cognitive neuroscience, offer possible explanations for the reduced sense of agency observed in speech interfaces.
Genomic Variability of the Xanthomonas Pathovar mangiferaeindicae, Agent of Mango Bacterial Black Spot

The genetic diversity of 138 strains of the Xanthomonas pathovar mangiferaeindicae, which were isolated from three different hosts (mango, ambarella, and pepper tree) in 14 different countries, was assessed with restriction fragment length polymorphism markers. An analysis of patterns obtained by hybridization with an hrp cluster probe from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae separated 11 of the strains from all of the other strains, which suggested that these 11 strains may not be Xanthomonas pv. mangiferaeindicae strains. Hybridization with an avirulence gene from X. oryzae pv. oryzae and a repetitive DNA fragment from Xanthomonas pv. mangiferaeindicae separated the remaining 127 strains into four groups that were consistent with both geographic and host origins. The group with the greatest diversity consisted of strains from Southeast Asia, where mango originated. Other groups and subgroups contained strains that were either from widely separated countries, which suggested that wide dissemination from a single site occurred, or from localized areas, which suggested that evolution of separate lineages of strains occurred. One group of strains contained only strains isolated from pepper trees in Reunion, indicating that pepper tree may not be an alternate host for Xanthomonas pv. mangiferaeindicae strains.
Mutations in the motor and stalk domains of KIF5A in spastic paraplegia type 10 and in axonal Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 2

Crimella C, Baschirotto C, Arnoldi A, Tonelli A, Tenderini E, Airoldi G, Martinuzzi A, Trabacca A, Losito L, Scarlato M, Benedetti S, Scarpini E, Spinicci G, Bresolin N, Bassi MT. Mutations in the motor and stalk domains of KIF5A in spastic paraplegia type 10 and in axonal Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 2.