Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved Photo-Ignition of Carbon Nanotubes/Ferrocene Using a Lipophilic Porphyrin under White Power LED Irradiation

The aim of this work is to investigate and characterize the photo-ignition process of dry multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) mixed with ferrocene (FeCp2) powder, using an LED (light-emitting diode) as the light source, a combination that has never been used, to the best of our knowledge. The ignition process was improved by adding a lipophilic porphyrin (H2Pp) in powder to the MWCNTs/FeCp2 mixtures—thus, a lower ignition threshold was obtained. The ignition tests were carried out by employing a continuous emission and a pulsed white LED in two test campaigns. In the first, two MWCNT typologies, high purity (HP) and industrial grade (IG), were used without porphyrin, obtaining, for both, similar ignition thresholds. Furthermore, comparing ignition thresholds obtained with the LED source with those previously obtained with a Xenon (Xe) lamp, a significant reduction was observed. In the second test campaign, ignition tests were carried out by means of a properly driven and controlled pulsed XHP70 LED source. The minimum ignition energy (MIE) of IG-MWCNTs/FeCp2 samples was determined by varying the duration of the light pulse. Experimental results show that ignition is obtained with a pulse duration of 110 ms and a MIE density of 266 mJ/cm2. The significant reduction of the MIE value (10–40%), observed when H2Pp in powder form was added to the MWCNTs/FeCp2 mixtures, was ascribed to the improved photoexcitation and charge transfer properties of the lipophilic porphyrin molecules.
Mapping Monthly Air Temperature in the Tibetan Plateau From MODIS Data Based on Machine Learning Methods

Detailed knowledge of air temperature (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T_{a}$</tex-math></inline-formula> ) is desired for various scientific applications. However, in the Tibetan Plateau (TP), the meteorologically observed <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T_{a}$</tex-math></inline-formula> is limited due to the low density and uneven distribution of stations. This paper aims to develop a 1-km resolution monthly mean <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T_{a}$</tex-math></inline-formula> dataset over the TP during 2001–2015 from remote sensing and auxiliary data. 11 environmental variables were extracted from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) data and topographic index data. Ten machine learning algorithms were implemented and compared to determine the optimal model for <italic>T<sub>a</sub></italic> estimation in the TP. The Cubist algorithm outperformed other methods, having the highest accuracy and the lowest sensitivity to cloud contamination. To minimize the overfitting problem, a simple forward variable selection method was introduced and six variables were selected from the original 11 environmental variables. Among these six variables, nighttime land surface temperature (T<sub>s</sub>) was the most important predictor, followed by elevation and solar radiance. The seasonal performance of the Cubist model was also assessed. The model had good accuracies in all four seasons, with the highest accuracy in winter (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.98 and MAE = 0.63 °C) and the lowest accuracy in summer (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.91 and MAE = 0.86 °C). Due to the gaps in MODIS data caused by cloud cover, there were 0.39% missing values in the estimated <italic>T<sub>a</sub></italic>. To improve the data integrity, Delaunay triangulation interpolation was applied to fill the missing <italic>T<sub>a</sub></italic> values. The final monthly (2001–2015) <italic>T<sub>a</sub> </italic> dataset had an overall accuracy of RMSE = 1.00 °C and MAE = 0.73 °C. It provides valuable information for climate change assessment and other environmental studies in the TP.
Outcome of Guillain-Barre syndrome patients with respiratory paralysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS To evaluate the outcome of patients with Guillain -: Barre syndrome (GBS) having respiratory failure treated with modified intubation policy. DESIGN AND METHODS Consecutive patients with GBS having single breath count below 12 and respiratory rate >30/min were included and their clinical details noted. The patients were intubated and mechanically ventilated (MV) if their PaO2 was <60 mmHg on venturi mask, PaCo2 > 50 mmHg or pH < 7.3. Their electrophysiological subtypes and complications were noted. The hospital mortality and 3 months outcome were compared in MV and those could be managed without MV even with respiratory compromise. RESULTS Out of 369 patients, 102 (27.6%) patients had respiratory compromise who were included in this study. Of the patients with respiratory compromise, 44 (43.1%) were intubated and mechanically ventilated after a median of 4 days of hospitalization. The median duration of MV was 21 (range 1-88) days. The patients with autonomic dysfunction (56.8% vs. 19%), facial weakness (78% vs. 36.2%), bulbar weakness (81.8% vs. 31%), severe weakness (63.8% vs. 31%) and high transaminase level (47.7% vs. 25.9%) needed MV more frequently. In our study, 6.8% patients died and 26.6% had poor outcome which was similar between MV and non-MV patients. The MV patients had longer hospitalization and more complications compared with non-MV group. CONCLUSION In GBS patients with respiratory compromise, conservative intubation does not increase mortality and disability.
Enhancement of light absorption by blood to Nd:YAG laser using PEG‐modified gold nanorods

On the basis of the principle of selective photothermolysis, laser therapy has been the most effective treatment strategy for Port‐wine stains (PWSs) caused by the expansion of dermal capillaries. Neodymium:Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser at 1064 nm wavelength has great potential for deeply buried PWS, although its application is limited because of its weak absorption by blood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of PEG‐modified gold nanorods (NRs) on the blood absorption enhancement for Nd:YAG laser.
Normal Ranges of Renal Physiological Parameters for Technetium-99m Mercaptoacetyltriglycine and the Influence of Age and Sex Using a Camera-Based Method

162 normal Chinese men and women underwent a 99mTc MAG3 renal study. Seventy-two males and 90 females were evaluated in 5 age groups: group 1, 61–80 years; group 2, 51–60 years; group 3, 41–50 years; group 4, 31–40 years, and group 5, 21–30 years. Each subject was required to fit the following criteria: (1) clinically no history of renal, urinary disorders and systemic diseases, normal blood pressure, kidney morphology, urinary examination and serum creatinine, and (2) for the gamma camera study normal hydration and renal images, and no pelvic, ureteric dilatation or retention of tracer should be found. The normal range of common physiological parameters for 99mTc MAG3 renal studies was measured in normal subjects. The effective renal plasma flow (ERPF, camera-based Schlegel method), percent function in each kidney (renal index, RI), time of peak renal parenchymal activity (Tmax) and half time of parenchymal activity following the peak (T1/2) were evaluated. The Tmax and T1/2 were determined with regions of interest over the entire kidney. The results showed that (1) between the sexes, there were no significant differences for any parameter; (2) between the age groups, the only significant difference was a decrease in ERPF, normalized for body surface area, with increasing age (group 1, 511.3 ± 91.2; group 2, 559.5 ± 102.1; group 3, 577.1 ± 79.2; group 4, 607.8 ± 101.1, and group 5, 610.2 ± 109.2), and (3) the RI, Tmax and T1/2 were symmetrical and did not vary between the sexes or age groups (left vs. right: RI = 49.6 ± 2.2 vs. 50.4 ± 2.2%, Tmax = 3.63 ± 1.13 vs. 3.75 ± 1.11 min, and T1/2 = 5.38 ± 1.65 vs. 5.83 ± 1.88 min). We find that (1) ERPF for 99mTc MAG3 decreases with age in normal Chinese, which is similar to the results of Western countries, and (2) the RI, Tmax and T1/2 were symmetrical and did not vary between the sexes or age groups in normal Chinese, and are also similar to the results of Western countries.
Competing influences on morphological modularity in biomechanical systems: a case study in mantis shrimp

Related species that share similar biomechanical systems and segmentation patterns may exhibit different patterns of morphological covariation. We examined morphological covariation of the potent prey capture appendage of two mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda) species—a spearer (Squilla empusa) and smasher (Gonodactylaceus falcatus). We assessed three frameworks for modularity, two based on the biomechanics of the appendage and one based on its segmentation as a proxy for shared developmental pathways. We collected morphometric data from S. empusa, and compared morphological covariation patterns across the raptorial appendage with patterns from a new analysis of previously published morphometric data from G. falcatus. The relative importance of the different hypothetical influences differed between the two species, and was dependent on whether specimens were analyzed all together or subdivided based on sex or sub‐populations, including one particularly distinct population in the Gulf of Mexico. We also found an intriguing handedness pattern in which right‐hand appendages had a variable number of spines, whereas the left had a constant number of spines. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of testing multiple, alternative frameworks for morphological covariation and suggest that mantis shrimp experience contrasting influences on covariation depending on their feeding mechanisms.
A Technique for the Application of Systemic Insecticides Through 'Tetiolar Wells" in Coconut.

Application of systemic insecticide through a cavity in the base of a petiole ("petiolar well") in the coconut palm has been demonstrated to be useful in the control of foliar pests of coconut. The movement of systemic insecticides through the crown of mature coconut palms was monitored through larval mortality of the coconut caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Wlk. (Nephantis serinopa Meyr). Maximum effect was recorded when the insecticide was fed via "petiolar wells" in the 11th frond. The usefulness of other fronds for treatment and the advantage of this method over the conventional trunk injection and soil dressing methods are also discussed.
Platelet rich plasma for treatment of non-scarring hair loss: systematic review of literature

Abstract Background: Although there are many studies showing the role of platelet rich plasma (PRP) in bone grafts, teeth osteosynthesis, and wound healing, there have been little peer reviewed studies about the safety and efficacy of PRP application in the treatment of hair loss. Materials and methods: In this systematic review, we searched Ovid Medline, Scopus and Web of Knowledge till November 2015 for human studies evaluating the efficacy of PRP for the treatment of non-cicatricial alopecia. Results: Among 704 articles retrieved in first search, 18 articles matched our inclusion criteria, 14 for androgenic alopecia and four for alopecia areata. They included two case reports, eight case series, six controlled clinical trials and only two randomized controlled trials. Conclusions: Most of the available evidence has shown low quality and controversial results about the efficacy of PRP in treating non-cicatricial alopecias, including androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. Further randomized controlled studies with more sample size and standard protocols regarding the number and interval of treatment sessions, number of platelets, method of activation, etc., are required to investigate the efficacy and safety of PRP in treating hair loss.
The effects of combined repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation on motor function in patients with stroke.

BACKGROUND Both transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), when provided to stroke patients in combination with motor training, enhance therapeutic efficacy and motor function. However, the majority of previous studies have only examined a single treatment modality. OBJECTIVE The authors investigated the modulating influence of combination dual-mode brain stimulation upon bihemispheric stimulation with motor training in stroke patients. METHODS Twenty stroke patients with hemiparesis underwent five randomly arranged sessions of diverse combinations of rTMS and tDCS. We applied cathodal or anodal tDCS over the contralesional primary motor cortex (cM1) and 10 Hz rTMS over the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (iM1) in a simultaneous or preconditioning method including sham stimulation. Immediately after dual-mode stimulation, sequential hand motor training was performed for 5 minutes. The total pulses of rTMS and the duration of tDCS and motor training were the same for all sessions. Cortical excitability and sequential motor performance were evaluated before and after each session. RESULTS Motor function and corticomotor excitability following simultaneous stimulation via cathodal tDCS over the cM1 combined with 10 Hz rTMS over the iM1 were significantly increased after the intervention, with significantly greater motor improvement than seen with other treatment conditions (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION For the combination of bihemispheric rTMS and tDCS, simultaneous stimulation of cathodal tDCS and 10 Hz rTMS results in better motor performance in stroke patients than other combination methods. This result seemed to be related to effective modulation of interhemispheric imbalance of cortical excitability by dual-mode stimulation.
The First Comparative Study of the Perioperative Outcomes Between Pure Laparoscopic Donor Hepatectomy and Laparoscopy-Assisted Donor Hepatectomy in a Single Institution

Background In a statement from the second International Consensus Conference for Laparoscopic Liver Resection, adult-to-adult laparoscopic donor surgery was the earliest phase of development. It was recommended that the procedure be performed under institutional ethical approval and a reporting registry. Method At our institute, we started laparoscopy-assisted donor hepatectomy (LADH) in 2007 and changed to pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy (PLDH) in 2012. This study included 40 living donors who underwent LADH and 14 live donors who underwent PLDH. We describe the technical aspects and outcomes of our donor hepatectomy from assist to pure and examine the liver allograft outcomes of the recipients after LADH and PLDH. Results There was significantly less blood loss in the PLDH group (81.07 ± 52.78 g) than that in the LADH group (238.50 ± 177.05 g), although the operative time was significantly longer in the PLDH group (454.93 ± 85.60 minutes) than in the LADH group (380.40 ± 44.08 minutes). And there were no significant differences in postoperative complication rate in the 2 groups. The liver allograft outcomes were acceptable and comparable with open living donor hepatectomy. Conclusions By changing our routine approach from assist to pure, PLDH can be performed safely, with better exposure due to magnification, and with less blood loss under pneumoperitoneal pressure. PLDH, which has become our promising donor procedure, results in less blood loss, better cosmesis, and the donor’s complete rehabilitation without deterioration in donor safety.
Dynamic Power Splitting Schemes for Non-Linear EH Relaying Networks: Perfect and Imperfect CSI

This paper considers a non-linear energy harvesting (EH) model, better reflecting the properties of practical circuits compared to the linear model, in an amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying network. We focus on the design of relay's power splitting scheme to optimize the system outage performance, and derive the optimal power splitting ratios with both perfect and imperfect channel state information (CSI), respectively. Using the dynamic power splitting scheme, we find that the system outage performance is enhanced in the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime while converging to an upper bound in the high SNR regime. This finding is significant since it illustrates that the nonlinearity of practical energy harvester brings changes to the design of relaying networks. Simulation results are provided to support our work.
Exploring strategies to improve the health promotion orientation of Flemish sports clubs

Sports clubs are increasingly recognized as an innovative setting for health promotion, as exemplified by the health promoting sports club concept. This study aims to assess the health promotion orientation of both youth sports clubs (YSC) and adult sports clubs (ASC) in Flanders and to identify the motives and barriers as reported by their representatives as a basis for proposing intervention strategies to improve the health promotion orientation in sports clubs. A total of 253 Flemish sports clubs, consisting of 156 YSC and of 97 ASC, completed the online questionnaire, covering club characteristics (e.g. finances, human resources), perceived motives and barriers for health promotion and the health promoting sports club index. Even though YSC were more health promoting than ASC, the results indicated that all sports clubs could improve their health promotion orientation. The most consistent predictors of health promotion orientation are perceived motives index for YSC and perceived lack of resources for ASC. Based on these results, interventions to enhance the health promoting orientation need to tackle the lack of resources such as lack of expertise regarding health promotion. Interventions aimed specifically at YSC should emphasize the direct benefits, for example by demonstrating how health promotion helps clubs to improve the provision of high quality sports participation and by awarding a health promotion quality label.
Optical fiber specklegram sensor analysis by speckle pattern division.

An optical fiber specklegram sensor interrogation method based on speckle pattern fragmentation is presented. The acquired specklegram images are divided in a square grid, creating sub-images that are further processed by a correlation technique, allowing the quantification of localized changes in the specklegrams. The methodology was tested on the assessment of linear displacements using a microbending transducer, by evaluating different grid sizes. For a 5×5 grid, a 2.53 mm-1 sensitivity over a 0.27 mm range was obtained, representing an extension of 237.5% in comparison to the standard interrogation technique. Therefore, the presented technique allows enhancing the sensor dynamic range without modifying the experimental setup.
Escherichia coli Sequence Type ST131 as an Emerging Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Uropathogen among Renal Transplant Recipients

ABSTRACT Among 40 Escherichia coli urine isolates from renal transplant recipients (Galveston, TX, 2003 to 2005), sequence type ST131 (O25:H4) was highly prevalent (representing 35% of isolates overall and 60% of fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates), virulent appearing, antimicrobial resistant (but extended-spectrum-cephalosporin susceptible), and associated with black race. Pulsotypes were diverse; some were linked to other locales. ST131 emerged significantly during the study period. These findings suggest that E. coli ST131 may constitute an important new multidrug-resistant threat to renal transplant recipients.
High serum lipopolysaccharide binding protein is associated with increased mortality in patients with decompensated cirrhosis

Lipopolysaccharide‐binding‐protein (LBP) is an acute‐phase‐protein produced by hepatocytes. Changes in LBP are associated with the dynamics of bacterial translocation and intestinal permeability in decompensated cirrhosis (DC). We assessed serum and ascitic‐fluid (AF) LBP and examined their association with mortality in patients with DC.
Quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination in boys and risk of autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases and venous thromboembolism.

Background In recent years, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of boys has been added to childhood vaccination programmes in several countries but, so far, no systematic population-based assessment with long-term follow-up has been undertaken of the relative incidence of adverse outcomes following HPV vaccination in this group. We investigated if quadrivalent HPV (qHPV) vaccination of 10-17-year-old boys is associated with any unusual risk of autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases or venous thromboembolism. Methods We conducted a national cohort study of 568 410 boys born in Denmark 1988-2006 and followed for 4 million person-years during 2006-16, using nationwide registers to obtain individual-level information about received doses of the qHPV vaccine and hospital records for 39 autoimmune diseases, 12 neurological diseases and venous thromboembolism. For each outcome, we estimated incidence rate ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) according to qHPV vaccination status. Results Altogether 7384 boys received at least one dose of the qHPV vaccine at age 10-17 years. Overall, RRs were close to unity for the combined groups of autoimmune diseases (RR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.71-1.28, n = 46 cases in qHPV-vaccinated boys) and neurological diseases (RR = 0.67; 0.41-1.10, n = 16), as well as for venous thromboembolism (RR = 0.88; 0.33-2.35, n = 4). After taking multiple testing into account, none of the 52 individual outcomes studied appeared to occur in excess among qHPV-vaccinated boys. Conclusions Although additional large-scale epidemiological studies are warranted, our findings provide population-based reassurance that qHPV vaccination of 10-17-year-old boys is unlikely to be associated with an elevated risk of autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases or venous thromboembolism.
Stochastic Approximation and Least-Squares Regression, with Applications to Machine Learning. (Approximation Stochastique et Régression par Moindres Carrés : Applications en Apprentissage Automatique)

Many problems in machine learning are naturally cast as the minimization of a smooth function defined on a Euclidean space. For supervised learning, this includes least-squares regression and logistic regression. While small problems are efficiently solved by classical optimization algorithms, large-scale problems are typically solved with first-order techniques based on gradient descent. In this manuscript, we consider the particular case of the quadratic loss. In the first part, we are interestedin its minimization when its gradients are only accessible through a stochastic oracle. In the second part, we consider two applications of the quadratic loss in machine learning: clustering and estimation with shape constraints. In the first main contribution, we provided a unified framework for optimizing non-strongly convex quadratic functions, which encompasses accelerated gradient descent and averaged gradient descent. This new framework suggests an alternative algorithm that exhibits the positive behavior of both averaging and acceleration. The second main contribution aims at obtaining the optimal prediction error rates for least-squares regression, both in terms of dependence on the noise of the problem and of forgetting the initial conditions. Our new algorithm rests upon averaged accelerated gradient descent. The third main contribution deals with minimization of composite objective functions composed of the expectation of quadratic functions and a convex function. Weextend earlier results on least-squares regression to any regularizer and any geometry represented by a Bregman divergence. As a fourth contribution, we consider the the discriminative clustering framework. We propose its first theoretical analysis, a novel sparse extension, a natural extension for the multi-label scenario and an efficient iterative algorithm with better running-time complexity than existing methods. The fifth main contribution deals with the seriation problem. We propose a statistical approach to this problem where the matrix is observed with noise and study the corresponding minimax rate of estimation. We also suggest a computationally efficient estimator whose performance is studied both theoretically and experimentally.