Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sparse Matrix-Variate t Process Blockmodels

We consider the problem of modeling network interactions and identifying latent groups of network nodes. This problem is challenging due to the facts i) that the network nodes are interdependent instead of independent, ii) that the network data are very noisy (e.g., missing edges), and iii) that the network interactions are often sparse. To address these challenges, we propose a Sparse Matrix-variate t process Blockmodel (SMTB). In particular, we generalize a matrix-variate t distribution to a t process on matrices with nonlinear covariance functions. Due to this generalization, our model can estimate latent memberships for individual network nodes. This separates our model from previous t distribution based relational models. Also, we introduce sparse prior distributions on the latent membership parameters to select group assignments for individual nodes. To learn the model efficiently from data, we develop a variational method. When compared with several state-of-the-art models, including the predictive matrix-variate t models and mixed membership stochastic blockmodels, our model achieved improved prediction accuracy on real world network datasets.
A Novel Sleep Respiratory Rate Detection Method for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Based on Characteristic Moment Waveform

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affecting human's health is a kind of major breathing-related sleep disorders and sometimes leads to nocturnal death. Respiratory rate (RR) of a sleep breathing sound signal is an important human vital sign for OSA monitoring during whole-night sleeping. A novel sleep respiratory rate detection with high computational speed based on characteristic moment waveform (CMW) method is proposed in this paper. A portable and wearable sound device is used to acquire the breathing sound signal. And the amplitude contrast decreasing has been done first. Then, the CMW is extracted with suitable time scale parameters, and the sleep RR value is calculated by the extreme points of CMW. Experiments of one OSA case and five healthy cases are tested to validate the efficiency of the proposed sleep RR detection method. According to manual counting, sleep RR can be detected accurately by the proposed method. In addition, the apnea sections can be detected by the sleep RR values with a given threshold, and the time duration of the segmentation of the breath can be calculated for detailed evaluation of the state of OSA. The proposed method is meaningful for continued research on the sleep breathing sound signal.
Comparative weathering tests of North American and European exterior wood finishes

With the goal of comparing the performance of exterior paints on weather-exposed wood surfaces in the United States and western Europe, a number of commercially available coating systems were applied to various wood surfaces and exposed on test fences in the U.S. Midwest in Madison, Wis. (43° north), and in northern Switzerland near Zurich (47° north) for 5 years. This report summarizes the results of the performance and durability tests of the different coating systems
Estimating and reducing dose received by cardiac devices for patients undergoing radiotherapy

The objectives of this project are to quantify the dose reduction effect provided by a lead shield for patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) during a clinically realistic radiation treatment on phantom and to provide a simple model of dose estimation to predict dose received by CIED in a wide range of situations. The shield used in this project is composed of a lead sheet wrapped in thermoplastic. Dose measurements were made with a plastic scintillation detector (PSD). The phantom was treated with ten different plans. Three of these cases were treated with intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and the others received standard 3D conformal radiation therapy (3D CRT). Lateral dose measurement for photon fields was made to establish a dose prediction model. On average, the use of the lead shield reduced the dose to CIEDs by 19%±13%. Dose reduction was most important for breast cases, with a mean reduction of 31%±15%. In three cases, the total dose reduction was more than 25 cGy over the complete treatment. For the three IMRT cases, the mean dose reduction was 11%±9%. On average, the difference between the TPS prediction and the measurement was 71%, while it was only 14% for the dose prediction model. It was demonstrated that a lead shield can be efficiently used for reducing doses to CIED with a wide range of clinical plans. In patients treated with IMRT modality treatment, the shielding should be used only for those with more than two anterior fields over seven fields. In the case of 3D CRT patients, the shielding should be used for those with a dose on the CIED higher than 50 cGy and with a reduction of dose higher than 10 cGy. The dose prediction model developed in this study can be an easy way to have a better estimation of the out‐of‐field dose than the TPS. PACS number(s): 87.55. N, 87.55. km
Factors Affecting Compliance With Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Households Residing in the Largely Haitian Community of Little Haiti, Miami-Dade County, Florida

AbstractThe United States Black population is disproportionately affected by colorectal cancer (CRC) in terms of incidence and mortality. Studies suggest that screening rates are lower among Blacks compared with non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). However, studies on CRC screening within Black subgroups are lacking. This study examined disparities in blood stool test (BST) compliance and colonoscopy use by race/ethnicity (Haitian, NHW, non-Hispanic Black [NHB], and Hispanic) among randomly selected households in Little Haiti, Miami-Dade County, Florida.This study used cross-sectional, health and wellness data from a random-sample, population-based survey conducted within 951 households in Little Haiti between November 2011 and December 2012. BST compliance and colonoscopy use were self-reported and defined, conservatively, as the use of BST within the past 2 years and the ever use of colonoscopy by any household member. Factors associated with BST compliance and colonoscopy use were identified using logistic regression models. Analyses were restricted to households containing at least 1 member ≥50 years (n = 666). Nearly half of the households were compliant with BST (rate [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 45% [41%–49%]) and completed colonoscopy (rate [95% CI] = 53% [49%–58%]). Compliance with BST was not associated with race/ethnicity (P = 0.76). Factors independently associated with BST compliance included low educational attainment (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.63, P = 0.03), being single (AOR = 0.47, P = 0.004), retirement (AOR = 1.96, P = 0.01), and the presence of diagnosed health problems (AOR = 1.24, P = 0.01). Colonoscopy use was lower among Haitian households (46%) compared with NHW (63%), NHB (62%), and Hispanic households (54%) (P = 0.002). Factors independently associated with colonoscopy use included identifying as NHB (compared with Haitian) (AOR = 1.80, P = 0.05), being single (AOR = 0.44, P = 0.001), retirement (AOR = 1.86, P = 0.02), lack of continuous insurance (AOR = 0.45, P < 0.001), and the presence of diagnosed health problems (AOR = 1.44, P < 0.001) and physical limitations/disabilities (AOR = 1.88, P = 0.05). Compliance with BST and use of colonoscopy are low within households in the Little Haiti community. Significant disparities in the use of colonoscopy exist between Haitian and NHB households. Barriers and facilitators of colonoscopy within each racial/ethnic group need to be identified as the next step to developing culturally appropriate, community-based interventions aimed at increasing colonoscopy use in this large minority population.
Evaluation of Potential Disease‐Mediated Drug–Drug Interaction in Patients With Moderate‐to‐Severe Atopic Dermatitis Receiving Dupilumab

This open‐label drug–drug interaction study assessed whether blockade by dupilumab of interleukin (IL)‐4 and IL‐13 signaling affects the pharmacokinetics of drugs metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes. The pharmacokinetics of five CYP450 substrates given orally (midazolam, omeprazole, S‐warfarin, caffeine, and metoprolol, metabolized by CYP3A, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP1A2, and CYP2D6, respectively) were evaluated before and 28 days after initiation of dupilumab treatment (subcutaneous 300 mg weekly) in 14 patients with moderate‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis. Dupilumab had no clinically relevant effects on the pharmacokinetics of CYP450 substrates, provided substantial clinical benefit, and was generally well tolerated. Only one serious adverse event was reported, an episode of systemic inflammatory response syndrome that resolved after treatment was discontinued. In summary, blockade of IL‐4/IL‐13 signaling in patients with type 2 inflammation does not appear to significantly affect CYP450 enzyme activities; the use of dupilumab in atopic dermatitis patients is unlikely to influence the pharmacokinetics of CYP450 substrates.
Illusory Motion Reproduced by Deep Neural Networks Trained for Prediction

The cerebral cortex predicts visual motion to adapt human behavior to surrounding objects moving in real time. Although the underlying mechanisms are still unknown, predictive coding is one of the leading theories. Predictive coding assumes that the brain's internal models (which are acquired through learning) predict the visual world at all times and that errors between the prediction and the actual sensory input further refine the internal models. In the past year, deep neural networks based on predictive coding were reported for a video prediction machine called PredNet. If the theory substantially reproduces the visual information processing of the cerebral cortex, then PredNet can be expected to represent the human visual perception of motion. In this study, PredNet was trained with natural scene videos of the self-motion of the viewer, and the motion prediction ability of the obtained computer model was verified using unlearned videos. We found that the computer model accurately predicted the magnitude and direction of motion of a rotating propeller in unlearned videos. Surprisingly, it also represented the rotational motion for illusion images that were not moving physically, much like human visual perception. While the trained network accurately reproduced the direction of illusory rotation, it did not detect motion components in negative control pictures wherein people do not perceive illusory motion. This research supports the exciting idea that the mechanism assumed by the predictive coding theory is one of basis of motion illusion generation. Using sensory illusions as indicators of human perception, deep neural networks are expected to contribute significantly to the development of brain research.
Noninvasive FFR derived from coronary CT angiography in the management of coronary artery disease: technology and clinical update

After a decade of clinical use of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to evaluate the anatomic severity of coronary artery disease, new methods of deriving functional information from CCTA have been developed. These methods utilize the anatomic information provided by CCTA in conjunction with computational fluid dynamics to calculate fractional flow reserve (FFR) values from CCTA image data sets. Computed tomography-derived FFR (CT-FFR) enables the identification of lesion-specific drop noninvasively. A three-dimensional CT-FFR modeling technique, which provides FFR values throughout the coronary tree (HeartFlow FFRCT analysis), has been validated against measured FFR and is now approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for clinical use. This technique requires off-site supercomputer analysis. More recently, a one-dimensional computational analysis technique (Siemens cFFR), which can be performed on on-site workstations, has been developed and is currently under investigation. This article reviews CT-FFR technology and clinical evidence for its use in stable patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
Medication Reviews by a Clinical Pharmacist at an Irish University Teaching Hospital

Purpose: Pharmacist-led medication reviews in hospitals have shown improvement in patient outcomes. The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence and nature of pharmacist interventions (PIs) following a medication review in an Irish teaching hospital. Methods: PIs were recorded over a six-month period in 2015. PIs were assessed by a panel of healthcare professionals (n = 5) to estimate the potential of adverse drug events (ADEs). Descriptive statistics were used for the variables and the chi square test for independence was used to analyse for any association between the variables. Results: Of the 1216 patients (55.8% female; median age 68 years (interquartile range 24 years)) who received a medication review, 313 interventions were identified in 213 patients. 412 medicines were associated with PIs, of which drugs for obstructive airway disease (n = 82), analgesics (n = 56), and antibacterial products for systemic use (n = 50) were the most prevalent. A statistically significant association was found between PI and patient’s age ≥65 years (p = 0.000), as well as female gender (p = 0.037). A total of 60.7% of the PIs had a medium or high likelihood of causing an ADE. Conclusion: Pharmacist-led medication review in a hospital setting prevented ADEs. Patients ≥65 years of age and female patients benefited the most from the interventions.
Behavioral diversity measures for Evolutionary Robotics

In Evolutionary Robotics (ER), explicitly rewarding for behavioral diversity recently revealed to generate efficient results without recourse to complex fitness functions. The principle of such approaches is to explicitly encourage diversity in the robot behavior space instead of in the space of genotypes (the space explored by the evolutionary algorithm) or the space of phenotypes (the space of robot controllers and morphologies). To implement such approaches, a similarity between behaviors needs to be evaluated but, up to now, used similarity measures are problem-specific. The goal of this work is to explore generic behavioral similarity measures that only rely on sensori-motor values. With such a measure, we managed to evolve the topology and the parameters of neuro-controllers that make a simulated robot go towards a ball, take it, find a basket, put the ball into the basket, perform a half-turn, search and take another ball, put it into the basket, etc. In this experiment, two objectives were simultaneously optimized with NSGA-II: the number of collected balls and the generic behavioral diversity objective. Several generic behavioral measures are compared. To confirm the interpretation of behavioral diversity objective and in an attempt to characterize behavioral similarity measures, they are also compared to human-made behavioral similarity evaluations. They reveal to classify behaviors globally as humans did, but with no clear correlation between the closeness to human classification and the efficiency within an evolutionary run.
Heterogeneity in barriers regarding the motivation, the opportunity and the ability to choose low-calorie snack foods and beverages: associations with real-life choices

Abstract Objective Employing Rothschild’s Motivation–Opportunity–Ability framework, the present study examines the extent to which heterogeneity in barriers regarding the motivation, the perceived opportunity and the perceived ability to choose low-calorie over high-calorie snacks is associated with the proportion of low-calorie snack choices in real life. Furthermore, the study investigates which dominant barrier profiles can be discerned. Design Data were obtained from a survey about participants’ motivation, opportunity and ability to choose low-calorie over high-calorie snacks and an FFQ that measured habitual consumption of snack foods and beverages. Data were analysed using R packages lavaan and NbClust, and IBM SPSS Statistics. Setting A representative sample (n 1318) of the Dutch population based on gender (686 women), age and education level. Results For both snack foods and beverages, motivation to choose low-calorie over high-calorie snacks was associated strongest with proportions of low-calorie choices. The perceived ability and perceived opportunity were also associated with proportions of low-calorie choices, albeit to a lesser extent. Furthermore, three dominant profiles of barriers were identified: the no-barrier profile, the lack-of-opportunity profile and the lack-of-motivation profile. These profiles differed significantly on proportions of low-calorie snack choices, daily meal consumption and sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions Heterogeneity in barriers regarding the motivation, the perceived opportunity and the perceived ability to choose low-calorie over high-calorie snacks is associated with the proportion of low-calorie snack choices in real life. By identifying and appreciating heterogeneity in barriers, the present study provides further incentives for the tailoring of intervention strategies.
Three-dimensional computed tomography reconstruction for operative planning in robotic segmentectomy: a pilot study.

Background The objective of our pilot study was to assess if three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction performed by Visible Patient™ could be helpful for the operative planning, efficiency and safety of robot-assisted segmentectomy. Methods Between 2014 and 2015, 3D reconstructions were provided by the Visible Patient™ online service and used for the operative planning of robotic segmentectomy. To obtain 3D reconstruction, the surgeon uploaded the anonymized computed tomography (CT) image of the patient to the secured Visible Patient™ server and then downloaded the model after completion. Results Nine segmentectomies were performed between 2014 and 2015 using a pre-operative 3D model. All 3D reconstructions met our expectations: anatomical accuracy (bronchi, arteries, veins, tumor, and the thoracic wall with intercostal spaces), accurate delimitation of each segment in the lobe of interest, margin resection, free space rotation, portability (smartphone, tablet) and time saving technique. Conclusions We have shown that operative planning by 3D CT using Visible Patient™ reconstruction is useful in our practice of robot-assisted segmentectomy. The main disadvantage is the high cost. Its impact on reducing complications and improving surgical efficiency is the object of an ongoing study.
Messages to Motivate Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: National Studies of Parents and Physicians

Background: Physician communication about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a key determinant of uptake. To support physician communication, we sought to identify messages that would motivate HPV vaccination. Methods: From 2014 to 2015, we surveyed national samples of parents of adolescents ages 11 to 17 (n = 1,504) and primary care physicians (n = 776). Parents read motivational messages, selected from nine longer messages developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and six brief messages developed by the study team. Parents indicated whether each message would persuade them to get HPV vaccine for their adolescents. Physicians read the brief messages and indicated whether they would use them to persuade parents to get HPV vaccine for 11- to 12-year-old children. Results: The highest proportion of parents (65%) and physicians (69%) found this brief message to be persuasive: “I strongly believe in the importance of this cancer-preventing vaccine for [child's name]. ” Parents disinclined to vaccinate were most receptive to messages with information about HPV infection being common, cancers caused by HPV, and HPV vaccine effectiveness. Parents' endorsement did not vary by race/ethnicity, education, child age, or child sex (all P > 0.05). Conclusions: Our national surveys of parents and physicians identified messages that could motivate HPV vaccination, even among parents disinclined to vaccinate their children. The lack of difference across demographic subgroups in parental endorsement may suggest that these messages can be used across these subgroups. Impact: Our findings support physicians' use of these messages with parents to help motivate uptake of this important cancer-preventing vaccine. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(10); 1383–91. ©2016 AACR.
Comparison of culture and a multiplex probe PCR for identifying Mycoplasma species in bovine milk, semen and swab samples

Mycoplasma spp. are a major cause of mastitis, arthritis and pneumonia in cattle, and have been associated with reproductive disorders in cows. While culture is the traditional method of identification the use of PCR has become more common. Several investigators have developed PCR protocols to detect M. bovis in milk, yet few studies have evaluated other sample types or other important Mycoplasma species. Therefore the objective of this study was to develop a multiplex PCR assay to detect M. bovis, M. californicum and M. bovigenitalium, and evaluate its analytical performance against traditional culture of bovine milk, semen and swab samples. The PCR specificity was determined and the limit of detection evaluated in spiked milk, semen and swabs. The PCR was then compared to culture on 474 field samples from individual milk, bulk tank milk (BTM), semen and swab (vaginal, preputial, nose and eye) samples. Specificity analysis produced appropriate amplification for all M. bovis, M. californicum and M. bovigenitalium isolates. Amplification was not seen for any of the other Mollicutes or eubacterial isolates. The limit of detection of the PCR was best in milk, followed by semen and swabs. When all three Mycoplasma species were present in a sample, the limit of detection increased. When comparing culture and PCR, overall there was no significant difference in the proportion of culture and PCR positive samples. Culture could detect significantly more positive swab samples. No significant differences were identified for semen, individual milk or BTM samples. PCR identified five samples with two species present. Culture followed by 16S-23S rRNA sequencing did not enable identification of more than one species. Therefore, the superior method for identification of M. bovis, M. californicum and M. bovigenitalium may be dependent on the sample type being analysed, and whether the identification of multiple target species is required.