Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Near-infrared (NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for the prediction of carbon and nitrogen in an Oxisol Espectroscopia de reflectancia difusa por infrarrojo cercano (NIR) para la predicción de carbono y nitrógeno de un Oxisol

RESUMEN The characterization of soil properties through laboratory analysis is an essential part of the diagnosis of the potential use of lands and their fertility. Conventional chemical analyzes are expensive and time consuming, hampering the adoption of crop management technologies, such as precision agriculture. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the potential of near-infrared (NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for the prediction of the carbon and nitrogen of Typic Hapludox. In the A and B horizons, 1,240 samples were collected in order to determine the total carbon (TC) and nitrogen (TN) contents, obtain the NIR spectral curve, and build models using partial least squares regression. The use of diffuse reflectance spec troscopy and statistical techniques allowed for the quantifica tion of the TC with adequate models of prediction based on a small number of samples, an residual prediction deviation RPD greater than 2.0, an R 2 greater than 0.80 and a low root mean square error RMSE. For TN, models with a good level of prediction were not obtained. The results based on the NIR models were able to be integrated directly into the geostatistical evaluations, obtaining similar digital maps from the observed and predicted TC. The use of pedometric techniques showed promising results for these soils and constitutes a basis for the development of this area of research on soil science in Colombia. La caracterizacion de las propiedades del suelo mediante analisis de laboratorio es parte esencial en el diagnostico del potencial de uso de las tierras y de su fertilidad. Los analisis quimicos convencionales son costosos y demorados, lo que dificulta la adopcion de tecnologias de gestion de cultivos, como la agricultura de precision. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el potencial de la espectroscopia de reflectancia difusa por infrarrojo lejano (NIR) en la prediccion del carbono y del nitrogeno de un Typic Hapludox. Se recolectaron 1.240 muestras en los horizontes A y B, para determinar los contenidos de carbono total (TC) y nitrogeno total (TN), obtener las respuestas espectrales NIR y elaborar los modelos mediante regresion por minimos cuadrados parciales. El uso de las espectroscopia de reflectancia difusa y de tecnicas estadisticas permitio la cuantificacion del TC, con modelos de prediccion adecuados con bajo numero de muestras, desviacion residual de la prediccion RPD mayores de 2,0, R 2 mayores de 0,80 y error cuadratico medio RMSE bajos. Para TN no se obtuvieron modelos con buen nivel de prediccion. Para TC, los resultados obtenidos a partir de los modelos NIR pudieron integrarse directamente en las evaluaciones geoestadisticas, obteniendo mapas digitales y espectro-digitales similares. El uso de las tecnicas pedometricas, mostro resultados promisorios para estos suelos y se constituye en una base para el desarrollo de esta area de investigacion de la ciencia del suelo en Colombia.
What changes in health‐related quality of life matter to multiple myeloma patients? A prospective study *

Objective: To determine the clinical significance of changes in quality‐of‐life scores in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), we have estimated the minimal important difference (MID) for the health‐related quality‐of‐life instrument, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ‐C30. The MID is the smallest change in a quality‐of‐life score considered important to patients. Methods: Between 2006 and 2008, 239 patients with MM completed the EORTC QLQ‐C30 at inclusion (T1) and after 3 months (T2). At T2, a structured quality‐of‐life interview was also performed. MIDs were calculated by using mean score changes (T2–T1) for patients who in the interview stated they had improved, deteriorated or were unchanged. MIDs were also estimated by the receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve method as well as by calculation effect sizes using standard deviations of baseline scores. Results: MIDs varied slightly depending on the method used. Patients stating in the interview that they had ‘improved’ or ‘deteriorated’ had a corresponding change in EORTC QLQ‐C30 score ranging from 6 to15 (improvement) and from 9 to17 (deterioration) (scale range 0–100). The ROC analysis indicated that changes in score from 7 to17 represent clinically important changes to patients. The effect size method suggested 5–6 to be a small and 11–15 to be a medium change. Conclusion: Calculation of MIDs as mean score changes or by ROC analysis suggested that a change in the EORTC QLQ‐C30 score in the range of approximately 6–17 is considered important by patients with MM. These MIDs are closer to a medium effect size than to a small effect size. Our findings imply that mean score changes smaller than 6 are unlikely to be important to the patients, even if these changes are statistically significant.
Influence of employees' emotions on their use of new information technology

How to promote the use of new information technology (IT) among employees has become a major challenge for enterprises' informatization construction. Most of the extant studies on the adoption of IT are based on the cognitive theory. By contrast, little research has been engaged in exploring the effect of emotions on the IT use. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between emotions and IT use. It analyzes how employees' four emotions (i.e., anger, anxiety, excitement and happiness) affect their use of IT. In addition, it considers the mediation effect of employees' four coping strategies (i.e., social support, avoidance; positive coping and approaching strategy) on the relationship between emotions and the use of IT. By deriving several theoretical sound and managerial useful propositions, this research advances knowledge in the relationship between emotions and IT use.
Data-driven design and implementation of an alternately adaptive residual generator for Hammerstein systems

This paper addresses the data-driven design and implementation of an adaptive observer-based residual generator for Hammerstein systems. The basic idea behind this study is the application of a one-to-one mapping between a parity vector and the solution of Luenberger equations, the identification of the parity space and the Hammerstein nonlinearity via the over-parameterization and least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM). For the realization of adaptivity, the linear and nonlinear parameters are separated and estimated recursively in a parallel manner, with each updating algorithm using the most up-to-date estimation produced by the other algorithm at each time instant. Hence the procedure is termed the alternately adaptive algorithm. Furthermore, the stability condition of algorithm is investigated.
The “Instrumentality” Heuristic

The literature overwhelmingly demonstrates that feelings of ease are good and that objects that are easy to process are much liked. We propose, and demonstrate across three experiments, that this is not the case when people are pursuing a goal. This is because people pursuing a goal (e.g., “become kinder”) usually invest efforts in whichever means (e.g., donate to a particular charity) they perceive as most instrumental for attaining their goal. Consequently, in their minds there is a correspondence between instrumentality of a means and feelings of effort. This correspondence becomes reversed in people's minds during goal pursuit, and they also come to view an object that is associated with feelings of effort rather than ease as more instrumental for goal attainment and consequently more desirable. When an object is not a means to fulfill an accessible goal, or when goals relating to the means are not accessible, subjective feelings of ease improve evaluation, as found in previous research on ease of processing.
Physical Activity Trends of Finnish Adolescents With Long-Term Illnesses or Disabilities From 2002-2014.

BACKGROUND Adolescents' physical activity level is a major source of concern. For adolescents with long-term illnesses or disabilities (LTID), being physically active can prevent secondary conditions. This is one of the first studies reporting trends in physical activity of adolescents with LTID in relation to gender, age, and sports club membership. METHODS Data were collected from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children study in Finland during 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014. In 13- and 15-year-olds (N = 2206), 17.1% reported having LTID. Daily physical activity recall was the dependent variable. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted separately for sports club members (n = 936) and nonmembers (n = 1270). RESULTS The proportion of physically active adolescents with LTID in 2014 was higher than in 2002 for girls (15.6% vs 8.7%) and boys (26.6% vs 13.0%). Girl sports club members were 2 times more likely to be physically active in 2014 than in 2002. The largest trend between 2014 and 2002 was among boy nonmembers (odds ratio: 4.62, 95% confidence interval, 2.02-10.58). CONCLUSIONS More adolescents with LTID took part in daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in 2014 than in 2002; however, physical activity levels still remain low. Sports club membership was similar to that of the general population.
Use of High-Resolution CT Imaging Data in Lung Cancer Drug Development : Measuring Progress April

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death throughout the United States. [1] Despite massive efforts, tobacco consumption continues to grow, with a large and predictable impact on premature mortality across the globe. [2] There is an urgent need to improve outcomes for lung cancer patients, but the process of developing more effective drugs for lung cancer is hampered by the extraordinary cost of pharmaceutical development and a cumbersome development process. While many factors contribute to high development costs, one of the most significant is the cost of clinical validation trials. This cost is increased by the lack of precision inherent in using the manual measurement technique for drug response evaluation using the current standard approach, called the RECIST criteria (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors). [3] RECIST is the validated tool used in most clinical trials.
A Key Role for Plasmodium Subtilisin-like SUB1 Protease in Egress of Malaria Parasites from Host Hepatocytes*

Background: The subtilisin-like SUB1 is involved in Plasmodium egress from erythrocytes. Results: Using conditional mutagenesis, we show that SUB1 plays an essential role during Plasmodium hepatic stages. Conclusion: SUB1 has a dual pivotal role in parasite egress from host hepatocytes and erythrocytes. Significance: Its critical involvement in hepatic and erythrocytic parasite development qualifies SUB1 as a multistage drug target. In their mammalian host, Plasmodium parasites have two obligatory intracellular development phases, first in hepatocytes and subsequently in erythrocytes. Both involve an orchestrated process of invasion into and egress from host cells. The Plasmodium SUB1 protease plays a dual role at the blood stage by enabling egress of the progeny merozoites from the infected erythrocyte and priming merozoites for subsequent erythrocyte invasion. Here, using conditional mutagenesis in P. berghei, we show that SUB1 plays an essential role at the hepatic stage. Stage-specific sub1 invalidation during prehepatocytic development showed that SUB1-deficient parasites failed to rupture the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and to egress from hepatocytes. Furthermore, mechanically released parasites were not adequately primed and failed to establish a blood stage infection in vivo. The critical involvement of SUB1 in both pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic developmental phases qualifies SUB1 as an attractive multistage target for prophylactic and therapeutic anti-Plasmodium intervention strategies.
Asthma and other pulmonary diseases in former elite athletes.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of asthma is rising and there are recent reports of increasing asthma rates among top level skiers and runners in the Nordic countries. METHODS: The lifetime occurrence of pulmonary diseases (asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema) and current bronchitis symptoms was compared in former elite male athletes (n = 1282) who represented Finland between 1920 and 1965 at least once in international competitions and controls (n = 777) who, at the age of 20, were classified as healthy and who responded to a questionnaire in 1985. The presence of disease and symptoms was identified from the questionnaire and, in the case of asthma, also from a nationwide reimbursable medication register. The death certificates of the subjects of our original cohort who died between 1936 and 1985 were also investigated to determine the cause of death. RESULTS: The occurrence of the pulmonary diseases was associated with age, smoking habits, occupational group, and a history of exposure to chemicals. After adjusting for these variables, athletes who participated in mixed sports (odds ratio (OR) 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23 to 0.92) and power sports (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.87) had lower odds ratios for emphysema, and endurance sports athletes had a lower odds ratio for the presence of at least one pulmonary disease (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.98) when compared with controls. Athletes also tended to have fewer reimbursable medications for asthma and fewer current symptoms for chronic bronchitis. Between 1936 and 1985 two controls but none of the athletes died of asthma. CONCLUSIONS: The lifetime occurrence of asthma or other pulmonary diseases is not increased in former elite athletes, and exercise alone, even in a cold environment, did not appear to increase the prevalence of asthma, at least up to the mid 1980s.
Assessment of the 10‐Year Probability of Osteoporotic Hip Fracture Combining Clinical Risk Factors and Heel Bone Ultrasound: The EPISEM Prospective Cohort of 12,958 Elderly Women

This study aimed to develop a hip screening tool that combines relevant clinical risk factors (CRFs) and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) at the heel to determine the 10‐yr probability of hip fractures in elderly women. The EPISEM database, comprised of ∼13,000 women ≥70 yr of age, was derived from two population‐based white European cohorts in France and Switzerland. All women had baseline data on CRFs and a baseline measurement of the stiffness index (SI) derived from QUS at the heel. Women were followed prospectively to identify incident fractures. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the CRFs that contributed significantly to hip fracture risk, and these were used to generate a CRF score. Gradients of risk (GR; RR/SD change) and areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) were calculated for the CRF score, SI, and a score combining both. The 10‐yr probability of hip fracture was computed for the combined model. Three hundred seven hip fractures were observed over a mean follow‐up of 3.2 yr. In addition to SI, significant CRFs for hip fracture were body mass index (BMI), history of fracture, an impaired chair test, history of a recent fall, current cigarette smoking, and diabetes mellitus. The average GR for hip fracture was 2.10 per SD with the combined SI + CRF score compared with a GR of 1.77 with SI alone and of 1.52 with the CRF score alone. Thus, the use of CRFs enhanced the predictive value of SI alone. For example, in a woman 80 yr of age, the presence of two to four CRFs increased the probability of hip fracture from 16.9% to 26.6% and from 52.6% to 70.5% for SI Z‐scores of +2 and −3, respectively. The combined use of CRFs and QUS SI is a promising tool to assess hip fracture probability in elderly women, especially when access to DXA is limited.
Effect of Mitochondrial and/or Cytosolic Glycerol 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Overexpression on Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion From MIN6 and HIT Cells

The glycerol phosphate shuttle consists of FAD-linked mitochondrial glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (mGPDH) and its cytosolic NAD-linked isoform (cGPDH). Impaired mGPDH activity has recently been suggested to be one of the primary causes of insulin secretory defects in β-cells. We found that mGPDH and cGPDH activities in MIN6 cells are comparable to those of isolated islets and higher than those in HIT cells by eightfold and threefold, respectively. Therefore, we selected the MIN6 cell line as a β-cell model with normally regulated insulin secretion and normal shuttle enzyme activities and the HIT cell line as a β-cell model with impaired insulin secretion and lower activities of these enzymes. The role of these dehydrogenases in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was addressed by examining the effects of overexpression of mGPDH and/or cGPDH via recombinant adenoviruses in these cells. Infection with recombinant adenovirus with a cDNA encoding the Escherichia coli β-galactosidase gene resulted in expression of its gene in 90% of MIN6 and HIT cells. Infection with a recombinant adenovirus with mGPDH cDNA (AdexlCAmGPDH) caused 2.1- fold and 5.7-fold increases in dehydrogenase activity as compared with those of control MIN6 and HIT cells, respectively. Infection with a recombinant adenovirus with cGPDil cDNA (AdexlCAcGPDH) caused a more than 50-fold increase in activity in both cell lines. Glycerol phosphate shuttle flux, as estimated by [2-3H]glycerol conversion to [3H]H2O, was increased to 120–130% by infection with AdexlCAmGPDH, but not with AdexlCAcGPDH infection, in both MIN6 and HIT cells. No further increase in flux through the glycerol phosphate shuttle was detected when the cells were infected with AdexlCAmGPDH together with AdexlCAcGPDH. Furthermore, neither [U-14C]glucose oxidation nor the insulin secretory response to glucose was affected in either cell line. Thus, mGPDH abundance in MIN6 and HIT cells is not directly related to their insulin secretory capacity in response to glucose, and reduced expression of mGPDH is not the primary cause of abnormal insulin secretory responses in HIT cells. The present data indicate that the emerging hypothesis pointing to mGPDH deficiency as a possible cause of NIDDM needs to be carefully evaluated.
Three decades of progress in treating childhood-onset lupus nephritis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Childhood-onset lupus nephritis (LN) carries a worse renal prognosis compared with adults. Controlled treatment trials in children are lacking. We compared renal and patient survival in a cohort of pediatric patients followed over 3 decades. DESIGN, SETTINGS, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 138 patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus from 1980 to 2010. The core cohort included 95 with severe LN: 28 progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD group) whereas 67 did not (no-ESRD group). Patients were stratified into four "eras" according to the introduction of the primary immuno-suppressive drug: era 1: triple oral therapy with corticosteroids (CS), cyclophosphamide (CYC), and azathioprine (AZA); era 2: intravenous CYC; era 3: mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) ± CYC; era 4: rituximab (RTX) ± CYC ± MMF. RESULTS Mean age at diagnosis was 12.3 ± 2.9 years with median follow-up of 5 years. Poor renal function (estimated GFR < 60 ml/min per 1.73 m(2)) and nephrotic proteinuria at diagnosis imparted a poor prognosis. Increasing proteinuria correlated with progression of kidney disease. The addition of MMF in era 3 improved 5-year renal survival from 52% to 91% and overall patient survival from 83% to 97%. African-American ethnicity was associated with significant risk for progression to ESRD whereas Hispanic ethnicity conferred an advantage. Infection and cardiovascular disease were the primary causes of patient demise. CONCLUSIONS Renal and patient survival in childhood-onset LN has improved during the past 3 decades with progressive treatment regimens. Future trials in children are very much warranted.
Relationship between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene (A1298C) polymorphism with the risk of stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Studies on relationship between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR) gene A1298C polymorphism with the risk of ischemic as well as hemorrhagic stroke have shown discordant results. Present meta-analysis was aimed to clarify the relationship between MTHFR gene A1298C polymorphism with risk of stroke. A comprehensive literature search for all published articles was performed in electronic database including PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, Trip Databases, Worldwide Science, CINAHL, and Google Scholar up to 31st December 2019. Pooled odds ratio (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CIs) under dominant, recessive, and allelic models was calculated. Sensitivity analysis was also performed to detect the heterogeneity. In our meta-analysis, a total of 20 studies with 19 case control studies involving 2871 ischemic stroke (IS) cases and 3984 controls and 3 studies with 201 hemorrhagic stroke cases and 1349 controls were included. Our findings suggest that there was a significant relationship between MTHFR gene A1298C gene polymorphism with risk of ischemic stroke (dominant model: OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.06–1.66, recessive model: OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.06–1.99 and allelic model: OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.00–1.84, respectively). However, no significant relationship between MTHFR gene A1298C gene polymorphism with the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Findings of this meta-analysis concludes that MTHFR gene A1298 C polymorphism could be capable of increasing stroke susceptibility in Asian, but not in Caucasian population. Genotyping of MTHFR gene A1298C polymorphism may be used as a predictor for the occurrence of ischemic stroke.
Predicting Lipid-Lowering Medication Persistence after the First Cardiovascular Disease Hospitalization

Abstract Objectives This study analyzed patient factors in medication persistence after discharge from the first hospitalization for cardiovascular disease (CVD) with the aim of predicting persistence to lipid-lowering therapy for 1 to 2 years. Methods A subcohort having a first CVD hospitalization was selected from 313,207 patients for proportional hazard model analysis. Logistic regression, support vector machine, artificial neural networks, and boosted regression tree (BRT) models were used to predict 1- and 2-year medication persistence. Results Proportional hazard modeling found significant association of persistence with age, diabetes history, complication and comorbidity level, days stayed in hospital, CVD diagnosis type, in-patient procedures, and being new to therapy. BRT had the best predictive performance with c-statistic of 0.811 (0.799–0.824) for 1-year and 0.793 (0.772–0.814) for 2-year prediction using variables potentially available shortly after discharge. Conclusion The results suggest that development of a machine learning-based clinical decision support tool to focus improvements in secondary prevention of CVD is feasible.
Diaphragm Motion During Suspended Breathing : Implications for MR Imaging of the Heart

Introduction Although many advances have been made in magnetic resonance imaging of the heart, motion of the heart during the image acquisition is still a major source of artifacts. Motion of the heart is a combined product of normal respiration and the cardiac cycle itself. Image artifacts range from periodic ghosting to local image blur. Many investigators have used cardiac triggering and breathholding to image at a single point in the respiratory and cardiac cycle.3 Assumptions are made that the heart will return to the same position on consecutive heartbeat. We have observed a significant upward movement of the diaphragm during suspended breathing. This will result in a complex movement of the heart and cause the heart to return to a slightly different location.