Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physical Characteristics and Level of Performance in Badminton: A Relationship Study

The aim of the present study was to establish a relationship between selected variables of physical characteristics and the level of performance of male badminton players. 20 male badminton players who represented State Badminton Championship were selected as the subjects for the study. The age of the selected subjects were ranged from 20 to 27 years of age. Arm strength, leg strength, agility, spine flexibility and wrist flexibility were taken as the variables of physical characteristics. Level of performance was recognized as the playing ability of the players. Rogers's formula was employed to estimate the arm strength of the selected subjects. Leg Strength of the subjects was taken by leg dynamometer to the nearest kilogram. To measure the agility of the subjects 10 yards shuttle run was administered and time was recorded to the nearest 1/10 th of a second. Spine and wrist flexibility of the subjects was taken by flexomeasure with yard stick and it was recorded to the nearest inches. For determining the level of performance of the players they were asked to participate in a series of three matches, seven points each. The fixture of the matches was drawn on the basis of lottery system. The level of badminton performers were categorized on the basis of players' performance which was evaluated and rated by a panel of three experts on the court during the matches on a 10 points likert type rating scale having score from 1 to 10 points. Some more addition points were awarded according to the results of the matches i.e. 5 points for winning and 2 points for losing the match. The Person's Product Moment Coefficient of correlation was computed to determine the relationship between badminton performance and selected variables of physical characteristics. The results of this study indicated that there is a significant relationship between agility and wrist flexibility a variable of physical characteristics and level of performance where as an in significant relationship were observed between arm length, leg length and spine flexibility the variables of physical characteristics and level of performance at 0.05 level of confidence. The finding indicates that agility and flexibility of wrist of the subjects were important variables for better performance in Badminton. Keywords: Physical Characteristics, Performance, Badminton
Closed-form Estimators for High-dimensional Generalized Linear Models

We propose a class of closed-form estimators for GLMs under high-dimensional sampling regimes. Our class of estimators is based on deriving closed-form variants of the vanilla unregularized MLE but which are (a) well-defined even under high-dimensional settings, and (b) available in closed-form. We then perform thresholding operations on this MLE variant to obtain our class of estimators. We derive a unified statistical analysis of our class of estimators, and show that it enjoys strong statistical guarantees in both parameter error as well as variable selection, that surprisingly match those of the more complex regularized GLM MLEs, even while our closed-form estimators are computationally much simpler. We derive instantiations of our class of closed-form estimators, as well as corollaries of our general theorem, for the special cases of logistic, exponential and Poisson regression models. We corroborate the surprising statistical and computational performance of our class of estimators via extensive simulations.
Dark-Adapted Chromatic Perimetry for Measuring Rod Visual Fields in Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa

Purpose Although rod photoreceptors are initially affected in retinitis pigmentosa (RP), the full-field of rod vision is not routinely characterized due to the unavailability of commercial devices detecting rod sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to quantify rod-mediated vision in the peripheral field from patients with RP using a new commercially available perimeter. Methods Participants had one eye dilated and dark-adapted for 45 minutes. A dark-adapted chromatic (DAC) perimeter tested 80 loci 144° horizontally and 72° vertically with cyan stimuli. The number of rod-mediated loci (RML) were analyzed based on normal cone sensitivity (method 1) and associated with full-field electroretinography (ERG) responses by Pearson's r correlation and linear regression. In a second cohort of patients with RP, RML were identified by two-color perimetry (cyan and red; method 2). The two methods for ascribing rod function were compared by Bland-Altman analysis. Results Method 1 RML were correlated with responses to the 0.01 cd.s/m2 flash (P < 0.001), while total sensitivity to the cyan stimulus showed correlation with responses to the 3.0 cd.s/m2 flash (P < 0.0001). Method 2 detected a mean of 10 additional RML compared to method 1. Conclusions Scotopic fields measured with the DAC detected rod sensitivity across the full visual field, even in some patients who had nondetectable rod ERGs. Two-color perimetry is warranted when sensitivity to the cyan stimulus is reduced to ≤20 dB to get a true estimation of rod function. Translational Relevance Many genetic forms of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are caused by mutations in rod-specific genes. However, treatment trials for patients with RP have relied primarily on photopic (cone-mediated) tests as outcome measures because there are a limited number of available testing methods designed to evaluate rod function. Thus, efficient methods for quantifying rod-mediated vision are needed for the rapidly increasing numbers of clinical trials.
A parallel-group, randomised controlled trial of a multimedia, self-directed, coping skills training intervention for patients with cancer and their partners: design and rationale

Introduction Coping skills training interventions have been found to be efficacious in helping both patients and their partners manage the physical and emotional challenges they face following a cancer diagnosis. However, many of these interventions are costly and not sustainable. To overcome these issues, a self-directed format is increasingly used. The efficacy of self-directed interventions for patients has been supported; however, no study has reported on the outcomes for their partners. This study will test the efficacy of Coping-Together—a multimedia, self-directed, coping skills training intervention for patients with cancer and their partners. Methods and analysis The proposed three-group, parallel, randomised controlled trial will recruit patients diagnosed in the past 4 months with breast, prostate, colorectal cancer or melanoma through their treating clinician. Patients and their partners will be randomised to (1) a minimal ethical care (MEC) condition—selected Cancer Council New South Wales booklets and a brochure for the Cancer Council Helpline, (2) Coping-Together generic—MEC materials, the six Coping-Together booklets and DVD, the Cancer Council Queensland relaxation audio CD and login to the Coping-Together website or (3) Coping-Together tailored—MEC materials, the Coping-Together DVD, the login to the website and only those Coping-Together booklet sections that pertain to their direct concerns. Anxiety (primary outcome), distress, depression, dyadic adjustment, quality of life, illness or caregiving appraisal, self-efficacy and dyadic and individual coping will be assessed before receiving the study material (ie, baseline) and again at 3, 6 and 12 months postbaseline. Intention-to-treat and per protocol analysis will be conducted. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the relevant local area health and University ethics committees. Study findings will be disseminated not only through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations but also through educational outreach visits, publication of lay research summaries in consumer newsletters and publications targeting clinicians. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000491763 (03/05/2013)
Increased dairy consumption differentially improves metabolic syndrome markers in male and female adults.

BACKGROUND Effects of dairy consumption on metabolic health and adiposity are inconsistent. Most clinical trials have investigated dairy intake, frequently during caloric restriction, in overweight or obese populations but not in a metabolic syndrome population. We investigated the effect of increased dairy intake without caloric restriction on anthropometrics, plasma lipids, and glucose in typically low-dairy consumers who met the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) metabolic syndrome criteria. METHODS Male (n=14) and female (n=23) adults (54.1 ± 9.7 years) with metabolic syndrome were randomized to consume low-fat dairy (LFD) (10 oz of 1% milk, 6 oz of nonfat yogurt, 4 oz of 2% cheese) or carbohydrate control (CNT) (1.5-oz granola bar and 12 oz of 100% juice) foods for 6 weeks in a crossover study design. Anthropometrics, metabolic syndrome parameters, insulin resistance, and parathyroid hormone were measured. Body composition was analyzed by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan for a subset of subjects (n=22). RESULTS LFD modulated metabolic syndrome parameters differently according to gender. Following LFD, men had lower glucose (95.4 ± 9.1 vs. 98.9 ± 10.6 mg/dL, P=0.048), whereas women had lower body weight (BW), waist circumference, and body mass index (P<0.01) compared to CNT. Women also had lower energy intake following LFD compared to CNT. Increases in phosphorus (a dairy nutrient) were negatively correlated with decreases in BW (r=-0.537; P<0.01) and body fat in women (r=-0.593, P<0.025), whereas the decreases in energy intake had no correlation with anthropometrics. CONCLUSIONS Three dairy servings/day promoted small but significant improvements differentially by gender in a metabolic syndrome population.
Circadian patterns of gene expression in the human brain and disruption in major depressive disorder

A cardinal symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD) is the disruption of circadian patterns. However, to date, there is no direct evidence of circadian clock dysregulation in the brains of patients who have MDD. Circadian rhythmicity of gene expression has been observed in animals and peripheral human tissues, but its presence and variability in the human brain were difficult to characterize. Here, we applied time-of-death analysis to gene expression data from high-quality postmortem brains, examining 24-h cyclic patterns in six cortical and limbic regions of 55 subjects with no history of psychiatric or neurological illnesses (“controls”) and 34 patients with MDD. Our dataset covered ∼12,000 transcripts in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and cerebellum. Several hundred transcripts in each region showed 24-h cyclic patterns in controls, and >100 transcripts exhibited consistent rhythmicity and phase synchrony across regions. Among the top-ranked rhythmic genes were the canonical clock genes BMAL1(ARNTL), PER1-2-3, NR1D1(REV-ERBa), DBP, BHLHE40 (DEC1), and BHLHE41(DEC2). The phasing of known circadian genes was consistent with data derived from other diurnal mammals. Cyclic patterns were much weaker in the brains of patients with MDD due to shifted peak timing and potentially disrupted phase relationships between individual circadian genes. This transcriptome-wide analysis of the human brain demonstrates a rhythmic rise and fall of gene expression in regions outside of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in control subjects. The description of its breakdown in MDD suggests potentially important molecular targets for treatment of mood disorders.
A Cardiac-Specific Robotized Cellular Assay Identified Families of Human Ligands as Inducers of PGC-1α Expression and Mitochondrial Biogenesis

Background Mitochondrial function is dramatically altered in heart failure (HF). This is associated with a decrease in the expression of the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1α, which plays a key role in the coordination of energy metabolism. Identification of compounds able to activate PGC-1α transcription could be of future therapeutic significance. Methodology/Principal Findings We thus developed a robotized cellular assay to screen molecules in order to identify new activators of PGC-1α in a cardiac-like cell line. This screening assay was based on both the assessment of activity and gene expression of a secreted luciferase under the control of the human PGC-1α promoter, stably expressed in H9c2 cells. We screened part of a library of human endogenous ligands and steroid hormones, B vitamins and fatty acids were identified as activators of PGC-1α expression. The most responsive compounds of these families were then tested for PGC-1α gene expression in adult rat cardiomyocytes. These data highly confirmed the primary screening, and the increase in PGC-1α mRNA correlated with an increase in several downstream markers of mitochondrial biogenesis. Moreover, respiration rates of H9c2 cells treated with these compounds were increased evidencing their effectiveness on mitochondrial biogenesis. Conclusions/Significance Using our cellular reporter assay we could identify three original families, able to activate mitochondrial biogenesis both in cell line and adult cardiomyocytes. This first screening can be extended to chemical libraries in order to increase our knowledge on PGC-1α regulation in the heart and to identify potential therapeutic compounds able to improve mitochondrial function in HF.
Diode-pumped mid-infrared fiber laser with 50% slope efficiency

Until now, the field of mid-infrared fiber laser research has been constrained by the limitation imposed by the Stokes efficiency limit. The conversion of high-power diode light emission operating at near-infrared wavelengths into mid-infrared light invariably results in the deposition of significant amounts of heat in the fiber. This issue is compounded by the fact that mid-infrared transmitting glasses are thermomechanically weak, which means scaling the output power has been a longstanding challenge. In this report, we show that by cascading the adjacent transitions of the erbium ion at 2.8 and 1.6 μm in combination with a low-loss fluoride fiber, the slope efficiency for emission at 2.8 μm can reach 50%, thus exceeding the Stokes limit by 15%. We also show that by highly resonating the 1.6 μm transition, a highly non-resonant excited-state absorption process efficiently recycles the excitation back to the upper laser level of the mid-infrared transition. This demonstration represents a significant advancement for the field that paves the way for future demonstrations that will exceed the 100 W power level.
Effect of Er,Cr:YSGG Laser at Different Output Powers on the Micromorphology and the Bond Property of Non-Carious Sclerotic Dentin to Resin Composites

Background The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiated at different powers on the micromorphology and the bonding property of non-carious sclerotic dentin to resin composites. Methods Two hundred bovine incisors characterized by non-carious sclerotic dentin were selected, and the seventy-two teeth of which for surface morphological analysis were divided into nine groups according to various treatments (A: the control group, B: only treated with the adhesive Adper Easy One, C: diamond bur polishing followed by Adper Easy One, D-I: Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiating at 1W, 2W, 3W, 4W, 5W, 6W output power, respectively, followed by Adper Easy One). The surface roughness values were measured by the non-contact three-dimensional morphology scanner, then the surface micromorphologies of surfaces in all groups were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); meanwhile, Image Pro-Plus 6.0 software was used to measure the relative percentage of open tubules on SEM images. The rest, one hundred twenty-eight teeth for bond strength test, were divided into eight groups according to the different treatments (A: only treated with the adhesive Adper Easy One, B: diamond bur polishing followed by the above adhesive, C-H: Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiating at 1 W, 2 W, 3 W, 4 W, 5 W, 6 W output power, respectively, followed by the above adhesive), and each group was subsequently divided into two subgroups according to whether aging is performed (immediately tested and after thermocycling). Micro-shear bond strength test was used to evaluate the bond strength. Results The 4W laser group showed the highest roughness value (30.84±1.93μm), which was statistically higher than the control group and the diamond bur groups (p<0.05). The mean percentages ((27.8±1.8)%, (28.0±2.2)%, (30.0±1.9)%) of open tubules area in the 4W, 5W, 6W group were higher than other groups (p<0.05). The 4W laser group showed the highest micro-shear bond strength not only in immediately tested (17.60±2.55 PMa) but after thermocycling (14.35±2.08MPa). Conclusion The Er,Cr:YSGG laser at 4W power can effectively improve the bonding property between non-carious sclerotic dentin and resin composites by increasing the roughness and mean percentage area of open tubules.
Why are climate models reproducing the observed global surface warming so well?

Climate models reproduce the observed surface warming better than one would expect given the uncertainties in radiative forcing, climate sensitivity and ocean heat uptake, suggesting that different models show similar warming for different reasons. It is shown that while climate sensitivity and radiative forcing are indeed correlated across the latest ensemble of models, eliminating this correlation would not strongly change the uncertainty range of long‐term temperature projections. However, since most models do not incorporate the aerosol indirect effects, model agreement with observations may be partly spurious. The incorporation of more detailed aerosol effects in future models could lead to inconsistencies between simulated and observed past warming, unless the effects are small or compensated by additional forcings. It is argued that parameter correlations across models are neither unexpected nor problematic if the models are interpreted as conditional on observations.
Evaluating cloud frameworks on genomic applications

We are developing a new, holistic data management system for genomics, which uses cloud-based computing for querying thousands of heterogeneous genomic datasets. In our project, it is essential to leverage upon a modern cloud computing framework, so as to encode our query expressions into high-level operations provided by the framework. After releasing our first implementation using Pig and Hadoop 1, we are currently targeting Spark and Flink, two emerging frameworks for general-purpose big data analytics. While Spark appears to have a stronger critical mass, Flink supports high-level optimization for data management operations; both systems appear suited to support our domain-specific data management operations. In this paper, we focus on a comparison of the two frameworks at work based upon three typical genomic applications, stemming from our data management requirements and needs; we describe the coding of the genomic applications using Flink and Spark, discuss their common aspects and differences, and comparatively evaluate the performance and scalability of the implementations over datasets consisting of billions of genomic regions.
Agreement between two methods for retrospective assessment of occupational exposure intensity to six chlorinated solvents: Data from The National Birth Defects Prevention Study

ABSTRACT The wide variety of jobs encountered in population-based studies makes retrospective exposure assessment challenging in occupational epidemiology. In this analysis, two methods for estimating exposure intensity to chlorinated solvents are compared: rated (assigned by an expert rater) and modeled (assigned using statistical models). Estimates of rated and modeled intensities were compared for jobs held by mothers participating in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study with possible exposure to six chlorinated solvents: carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and trichloroethylene. For each possibly exposed job, an industrial hygienist assigned (1) an exposure intensity (rated intensity) and (2) determinants of exposure to be used in a statistical model of exposure intensity (modeled intensity). Of 12,326 reported jobs, between 31 (0.3%) and 746 (6%) jobs were rated as possibly exposed to each of the six solvents. Agreement between rated and modeled intensities was low overall (Spearman correlation coefficient range: −0.09 to 0.28; kappa range: −0.23 to 0.43). Although no air measurements were available to determine if rated or modeled estimates were more accurate, review of participants' job titles showed that modeled estimates were often unexpectedly high given the low-exposure tasks found in these jobs. Differences between the high-exposure jobs used to create the statistical models (obtained from air measurements in the published literature) and the low-exposure jobs in the actual study population is a potential explanation for the disagreement between the two methods. Investigators should be aware that statistical models estimating exposure intensity using existing data from one type of worker population might not be generalizable to all populations of workers.
Models of Stephan’s Quintet: hydrodynamic constraints on the group’s evolution

We present smoothed particle hydrodynamic models of the interactions in the compact galaxy group, Stephan’s Quintet. This work is extension of the earlier collisionless N-body simulations of Renaud et al. in which the large-scale stellar morphology of the group was modelled with a series of galaxy–galaxy interactions in the simulations. Including thermohydrodynamic effects in this work, we further investigate the dynamical interaction history and evolution of the intergalactic gas of Stephan’s Quintet. The major features of the group, such as the extended tidal features and the group-wide shock, enabled us to constrain the models reasonably well, while trying to reproduce multiple features of the system. We found that reconstructing the two long tails extending from NGC 7319 towards NGC 7320c one after the other in two separate encounters is very difficult and unlikely, because the second encounter usually destroys or distorts the already-generated tidal structure. Our models suggest that the two long tails may be formed simultaneously from a single encounter between NGC 7319 and NGC 7320c, resulting in a thinner and denser inner tail than the outer one. The tails then also run parallel to each other as observed. The model results support the idea that the group-wide shock detected in multiwavelength observations between NGC 7319 and NGC 7318b and also the starburst region north of NGC 7318b are triggered by the high-speed collision between NGC 7318b and the intergalactic gas. Our models show that a gas bridge is formed by the high-speed collision and clouds in the bridge continue to interact for some tens of millions of years after the impact. This produces many small shocks in that region, resulting in a much longer cooling time than that of a single impact shock.