Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Task Interruptions in Requirements Engineering: Reality Versus Perceptions!

Task switching and interruptions are a daily reality in software development projects: developers switch between Requirements Engineering (RE), coding, testing, daily meetings, and other tasks. Task switching may increase productivity through increased information flow and effective time management. However, it might also cause a cognitive load to reorient the primary task, which accounts for the decrease in developers' productivity and increases in errors. This cognitive load is even greater in cases of cognitively demanding tasks as the ones typical for RE activities. In this paper, to compare the reality of task switching in RE with the perception of developers, we conducted two studies: (i) a case study analysis on 5,076 recorded tasks of 19 developers and (ii) a survey of 25 developers. The results of our retrospective analysis show that in ALL of the cases that the disruptiveness of RE interruptions is statistically different from other software development tasks, RE related tasks are more vulnerable to interruptions compared to other task types. Moreover, we found that context switching, the priority of the interrupting task, and the interruption source and timing are key factors that impact RE interruptions. We also provided a set of RE task switching patterns along with recommendations for both practitioners and researchers. While the results of our retrospective analysis show that self-interruptions are more disruptive than external interruptions, developers have different perceptions about the disruptiveness of various sources of interruptions.
Relationship between Brain Age-Related Reduction in Gray Matter and Educational Attainment

Inter-subject variability in age-related brain changes may relate to educational attainment, as suggested by cognitive reserve theories. This voxel-based morphometry study investigated the impact of very low educational level on the relationship between regional gray matter (rGM) volumes and age in healthy elders. Magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired in elders with low educational attainment (less than 4 years) (n = 122) and high educational level (n = 66), pulling together individuals examined using either of three MRI scanners/acquisition protocols. Voxelwise group comparisons showed no rGM differences (p<0.05, family-wise error corrected for multiple comparisons). When within-group voxelwise patterns of linear correlation were compared between high and low education groups, there was one cluster of greater rGM loss with aging in low versus high education elders in the left anterior cingulate cortex (p<0.05, FWE-corrected), as well as a trend in the left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (p<0.10). These results provide preliminary indication that education might exert subtle protective effects against age-related brain changes in healthy subjects. The anterior cingulate cortex, critical to inhibitory control processes, may be particularly sensitive to such effects, possibly given its involvement in cognitive stimulating activities at school or later throughout life.
Muscle changes with eccentric exercise: implications on Earth and in space.

The effects of eccentric exercise on skeletal muscle fluid pressure, morphology, and enzyme activities are reviewed. Topics related to muscle injury are the exercise protocol, intramuscular pressures, muscle soreness, resting intramuscular pressures, peak pressure during eccentric and concentric exercise, and peak pressure during isometric contractions. Enzyme activity examined levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, lactic dehydrogenase, and serum creatine kinase. Muscle morphology was examined with light microscopy and electron microscopy. Implications for exercise in space are examined.
A gene-environment interaction between smoking and shared epitope genes in HLA-DR provides a high risk of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE The main genetic risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the shared epitope (SE) of HLA-DR, while smoking is an important environmental risk factor. We studied a potential gene-environment interaction between SE genes and smoking in the etiology of the 2 major subgroups of RA: rheumatoid factor (RF)-seropositive and RF-seronegative disease. METHODS A population-based case-control study involving incident cases of RF-seropositive and RF-seronegative RA (858 cases and 1,048 controls) was performed in Sweden. Cases and controls were classified according to their cigarette smoking status and HLA-DRB1 genotypes. The relative risk of developing RA was calculated for different gene/smoking combinations and was compared with the relative risk in never smokers without SE genes. RESULTS The relative risk of RF-seropositive RA was 2.8 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.6-4.8) in never smokers with SE genes, 2.4 (95% CI 1.3-4.6) in current smokers without SE genes, and 7.5 (95% CI 4.2-13.1) in current smokers with SE genes. Smokers carrying double SE genes displayed a relative risk of RF-seropositive RA of 15.7 (95% CI 7.2-34.2). The interaction between smoking and SE genes was significant, as measured by the attributable proportion due to interaction, which was 0.4 (95% CI 0.2-0.7) for smoking and any SE, and 0.6 (95% CI 0.4-0.9) for smoking and a double SE. Neither smoking nor SE genes nor the combination of these factors increased the risk of developing RF-seronegative RA. CONCLUSION The disease risk of RF-seropositive RA associated with one of the classic genetic risk factors for immune-mediated diseases (the SE of HLA-DR) is strongly influenced by the presence of an environmental factor (smoking) in the population at risk.
Serologic markers of viral infection and risk of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma: A pooled study of three prospective cohorts in China and Singapore

Incidence rates of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and distributions of certain viruses differ between East Asian and Western populations. There are limited data on associations between serologic markers of multiple viral infections in pre‐diagnostic blood and NHL risk in East Asians. We conducted a nested case‐control study of 214 NHL cases and 214 matched controls from three population‐based prospective cohorts in Shanghai and Singapore. Antibodies against antigens from herpesviruses, Hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus and polyomaviruses were measured in plasma or serum using fluorescent bead‐based multiplex assays. Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between antibody levels and NHL risk. An increased risk of NHL was observed for higher compared to lower EA‐D (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.04, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.10‐3.81; ptrend = 0.005) and ZEBRA (OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 0.96‐4.89; ptrend = 0.008) Epstein‐Barr Virus (EBV) antibodies, as well as for antibody seropositivity against the IE1A human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) antigen (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.04‐3.29). An increased NHL risk was also observed for higher compared to lower antibodies against the HBV‐HBc and HBe antigens. An increased risk of NHL in relation to EBV and HBV infection in East Asians is consistent with findings in several studies of Western populations, suggesting similar viral risk factors for NHL in these diverse populations with distinct patterns of NHL. The association between HHV‐6 antibodies and NHL has not previously been reported in a prospective study in this population and will require replication.
Marine plankton phenology and life history in a changing climate: current research and future directions

Increasing availability and extent of biological ocean time series (from both in situ and satellite data) have helped reveal significant phenological variability of marine plankton. The extent to which the range of this variability is modified as a result of climate change is of obvious importance. Here we summarize recent research results on phenology of both phytoplankton and zooplankton. We suggest directions to better quantify and monitor future plankton phenology shifts, including (i) examining the main mode of expected future changes (ecological shifts in timing and spatial distribution to accommodate fixed environmental niches vs. evolutionary adaptation of timing controls to maintain fixed biogeography and seasonality), (ii) broader understanding of phenology at the species and community level (e.g. for zooplankton beyond Calanus and for phytoplankton beyond chlorophyll), (iii) improving and diversifying statistical metrics for indexing timing and trophic synchrony and (iv) improved consideration of spatio-temporal scales and the Lagrangian nature of plankton assemblages to separate time from space changes.
Detergent Insoluble Proteins and Inclusion Body-Like Structures Immunoreactive for PRKDC/DNA-PK/DNA-PKcs, FTL, NNT, and AIFM1 in the Amygdala of Cognitively Impaired Elderly Persons

Misfolded protein in the amygdala is a neuropathologic feature of Alzheimer disease and many other neurodegenerative disorders. We examined extracts from human amygdala (snap-frozen at autopsy) to investigate whether novel and as yet uncharacterized misfolded proteins would be detectable. Polypeptides from the detergent-insoluble, urea-soluble protein fractions of amygdala were interrogated using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. Among the detergent-insoluble proteins identified in amygdala of demented subjects but not controls were Tau, TDP-43, Aβ, α-synuclein, and ApoE. Additional detergent-insoluble proteins from demented subjects in the high-molecular weight portion of SDS gels included NNT, TNIK, PRKDC (DNA-PK, or DNA-PKcs), ferritin light chain (FTL), AIFM1, SYT11, STX1B, EAA1, COL25A1, M4K4, CLH1, SQSTM, SYNJ1, C3, and C4. In follow-up immunohistochemical experiments, NNT, TNIK, PRKDC, AIFM1, and FTL were observed in inclusion body-like structures in cognitively impaired subjects' amygdalae. Double-label immunofluorescence revealed that FTL and phospho-PRKDC immunoreactivity colocalized partially with TDP-43 and/or Tau inclusion bodies. Western blots showed high-molecular weight "smears", particularly for NNT and PRKDC. A preliminary genetic association study indicated that rare NNT, TNIK, and PRKDC gene variants had nominally significant association with Alzheimer-type dementia risk. In summary, novel detergent-insoluble proteins, with evidence of proteinaceous deposits, were found in amygdalae of elderly, cognitively impaired subjects.
Social Constructions of Stigmatizing Discourse Around Type 2 Diabetes Diagnoses in Appalachian Kentucky

ABSTRACT Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem among Appalachian Kentucky residents. Several issues contribute to diabetes disparities in the region, including lack of access to health care and geographic isolation. Previous studies also indicate that social stigma may be associated with type 2 diabetes. We used 28 semistructured interviews to explore how stigma is socially constructed across health status (diagnosed/undiagnosed). Perceived severity of the disease is high, yet the etiology of diabetes is not well understood. Thus, onset is perceived to occur “out of the blue,” and a positive diagnosis is perceived as having life-threatening consequences. Diagnosed participants, who had learned more about the disease’s etiology, prevention, and management, expressed intrapersonal stigma. In interpersonal situations, the visible indicators of a diabetes diagnosis (i.e., physical weight, insulin injection), rather than diagnosis status, tended to evoke stigmatizing interactions. These findings form the foundation for our recommendations for prevention messages in the region.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Reveal Genetic Structuring of the Carpathian Newt and Provide Evidence of Interspecific Gene Flow in the Nuclear Genome

Genetic variation within species is commonly structured in a hierarchical manner which may result from superimposition of processes acting at different spatial and temporal scales. In organisms of limited dispersal ability, signatures of past subdivision are detectable for a long time. Studies of contemporary genetic structure in such taxa inform about the history of isolation, range changes and local admixture resulting from geographically restricted hybridization with related species. Here we use a set of 139 transcriptome-derived, unlinked nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) to assess the genetic structure of the Carpathian newt (Lissotriton montandoni, Lm) and introgression from its congener, the smooth newt (L. vulgaris, Lv). Two substantially differentiated groups of Lm populations likely originated from separate refugia, both located in the Eastern Carpathians. The colonization of the present range in north-western and south-western directions was accompanied by a modest loss of variation; admixture between the two groups has occurred in the middle of the Eastern Carpathians. Local, apparently recent introgression of Lv alleles into several Lm populations was detected, demonstrating increased power for admixture detection in comparison to a previous study based on a limited number of microsatellite markers. The level of introgression was higher in Lm populations classified as admixed than in syntopic populations. We discuss the possible causes and propose further tests to distinguish between alternatives. Several outlier loci were identified in tests of interspecific differentiation, suggesting genomic heterogeneity of gene flow between species.
ENCASE: An ENsemble ClASsifiEr for ECG classification using expert features and deep neural networks

We propose ENCASE to combine expert features and DNNs (Deep Neural Networks) together for ECG classification. We first explore and implement expert features from statistical area, signal processing area and medical area. Then, we build DNNs to automatically extract deep features. Besides, we propose a new algorithm to find the most representative wave (called centerwave) among long ECG record, and extract features from centerwave. Finally, we combine these features together and put them into ensemble classifiers. Experiment on 4-class ECG data classification reports 0.84 F\ score, which is much better than any of the single model.
Effect of Benomyl on Chitinase and -1,3-Glucanase Production by Free and Alginate Encapsulated Trichoderma harzianum

Summary On PDA-benomyl plates growth of Trichoderma harzianum was inhibited by 20 and 30 % at benomyl 1 and 2 g/mL, respectively, and was completely inhibited at 5 g/mL. In minimal synthetic medium (MSM) amended with different concentrations of benomyl (1.0, 3.0, 5.0, 7.0 and 10.0 g/mL), fungal immobilisation improved chitinase and -1,3-glucanase production at low benomyl concentrations (1, 3 and 5 g/mL). Further increase in the production of both enzymes was obtained by immobilisation at higher benomyl concentrations (7 and 10 g/mL). Fungal immobilisation increased bound chitinase by 15- to 30-fold at 3 and 5 g/mL benomyl concentration, respectively. However, no effect was obtained on the bound -1,3-glucanase. Different benomyl concentrations (0.3 to 1500 g/mL) had no significant inhibitory effect on the activities of free or immobilised chitinase and -1,3-glucanase. It could be suggested that either immobilised Trichoderma or immobilised chitinase and -1,3-glucanase could be used in combination with benomyl to control plant pathogens.
Temporal Trends in Gender-Affirming Surgery Among Transgender Patients in the United States

Importance Little is known about the incidence of gender-affirming surgical procedures for transgender patients in the United States. Objectives To investigate the incidence and trends over time of gender-affirming surgical procedures and to analyze characteristics and payer status of transgender patients seeking these operations. Design, Setting, and Participants In this descriptive observational study from 2000 to 2014, data were analyzed from the National Inpatient Sample, a representative pool of inpatient visits across the United States. The initial analyses were done from June to August 2015. Patients of interest were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnosis codes for transsexualism or gender identity disorder. Subanalysis focused on patients with procedure codes for surgery related to gender affirmation. Main Outcomes and Measures Demographics, health insurance plan, and type of surgery for patients who sought gender-affirming surgery were compared between 2000-2005 and 2006-2011, as well as annually from 2012 to 2014. Results This study included 37 827 encounters (median [interquartile range] patient age, 38 [26-49] years) identified by a diagnosis code of transsexualism or gender identity disorder. Of all encounters, 4118 (10.9%) involved gender-affirming surgery. The incidence of genital surgery increased over time: in 2000-2005, 72.0% of patients who underwent gender-affirming procedures had genital surgery; in 2006-2011, 83.9% of patients who underwent gender-affirming procedures had genital surgery. Most patients (2319 of 4118 [56.3%]) undergoing these procedures were not covered by any health insurance plan. The number of patients seeking these procedures who were covered by Medicare or Medicaid increased by 3-fold in 2014 (to 70) compared with 2012-2013 (from 25). No patients who underwent inpatient gender-affirming surgery died in the hospital. Conclusions and Relevance Most transgender patients in this national sample undergoing inpatient gender-affirming surgery were classified as self-pay; however, an increasing number of transgender patients are being covered by private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. As coverage for these procedures increases, likely so will demand for qualified surgeons to perform them.
A Repeated Power Training Enhances Fatigue Resistance While Reducing Intraset Fluctuations.

Oliver, GS, Julio, TF, Moras, G, José Luis, AS, and Alberto, MV. A repeated power training enhances fatigue resistance while reducing intraset fluctuations. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-The present study analyzed the effects of adding an upper-body repeated power ability (RPA) training to habitual strength training sessions. Twenty young elite male basketball players were randomly allocated into a control group (CON, n = 10) or repeated power group (RPG, n = 10) and evaluated by 1 repetition maximum (1RM), incremental load, and RPA tests in the bench press exercise before and after a 7-week period and a 4-week cessation period. Repeated power group performed 1-3 blocks of 5 sets of 5 repetitions using the load that maximized power output with 30 seconds and 3 minute of passive recovery between sets and blocks, respectively. Between-group analysis showed substantial greater improvements in RPG compared with CON in: best set (APB), last set (APL), mean power over 5 sets (APM), percentage of decrement, fluctuation decrease during APL and RPA index (APLpost/APBpre) during the RPA test (effect size [ES] = 0.64-1.86), and 1RM (ES = 0.48) and average power at 80% of 1RM (ES = 1.11) in the incremental load test. The improvements of APB and APM were almost perfectly correlated. In conclusion, RPA training represents an effective method to mainly improve fatigue resistance together with the novel finding of a better consistency in performance (measured as reduced intraset power fluctuations) at the end of a dynamic repeated effort.
Is Body Dysmorphic Disorder Associated with Abnormal Bodily Self-Awareness? A Study Using the Rubber Hand Illusion

Evidence from past research suggests that behaviours and characteristics related to body dissatisfaction may be associated with greater instability of perceptual body image, possibly due to problems in the integration of body-related multisensory information. We investigated whether people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a condition characterised by body image disturbances, demonstrated enhanced susceptibility to the rubber hand illusion (RHI), which arises as a result of multisensory integration processes when a rubber hand and the participant's hidden real hand are stimulated in synchrony. Overall, differences in RHI experience between the BDD group and healthy and schizophrenia control groups (n = 17 in each) were not significant. RHI strength, however, was positively associated with body dissatisfaction and related tendencies. For the healthy control group, proprioceptive drift towards the rubber hand was observed following synchronous but not asynchronous stimulation, a typical pattern when inducing the RHI. Similar drifts in proprioceptive awareness occurred for the BDD group irrespective of whether stimulation was synchronous or not. These results are discussed in terms of possible abnormalities in visual processing and multisensory integration among people with BDD.
Physiologic Effects of Leptin, Insulin and Triamcinolon on Adult Male Japanese Quail

Maaajova M . , D . L amo‰ova, M . Z eman: Physiological Effects of Leptin, Insulin and Triamcinolon on Adult Male Japanese Quail.Acta Vet. Brno 2003, 72: 515-522. The effects of leptin, insulin and triamcinolone on body weight, food intake and some physiological parameters of adult Japanese quail males were investigated in this study. Hormones were administered intramuscularly for 4 days. The birds were weighed and decapitated 24 hours after the last dose. Drug administration did not change the body weight of quail. The weight of testes decreased and the weight of liver increased ( P < 0.001) after administration of triamcinolone. Food intake in animals treated with leptin and insulin did not change, but after triamcinolone administration higher food consumption (P < 0.01) was recorded. The activity of alkaline phosphatase in plasma was significantly higher in triamcinolone ( P < 0.001) treated group compared to control. After triamcinolone administration the amount of proteins in muscle decreased ( P < 0.05). Concentration of leptin in plasma among groups did not differ. The most considerable changes were observed after triamcinolone injection, especially in glucose and lipid metabolism.