Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Theory, Implementation, and Evaluation of Spring Mass Running on ATRIAS, a Bipedal Robot

We expect legged robots to be highly mobile. Human walking and running can execute quick changes in speed and direction, even on non-flat ground. Indeed, analysis of simplified models shows that these quantities can be tightly controlled by adjusting the leg placement between steps, and that leg placement can also compensate for disturbances including changes in the ground height. However, to date, legged robots do not exhibit this level of agility or robustness, nor is it well understood what prevents them from attaining this performance. This thesis begins to bridge the gap between the theoretical motions of simplified models and the implementation of agile behaviors on legged robots. The state of the art allows room for improvement at the level of the simplified model, at the level of hardware demonstration, and at the level of theoretical understanding of applying the simplified model to a real system. We make progress on each of these facets of the problem as we work towards leveraging theory from the simplified model to generate effective control for locomotion on robots. In particular, spring mass theory has identified deadbeat stability for planar running, but it must be formulated in 3D to be applicable to a real system. We extend this behavior to 3D, adding deadbeat steering to the tracking of apex height on unobserved terrain. Running robots have yet to demonstrate the agile and robust behavior that the spring mass model describes; existing implementations do not target the deadbeat behavior. We apply state of the art control techniques to map the deadbeat stabilized planar running onto our robot ATRIAS, and we successfully demonstrate tight tracking of commanded velocities and robustness to unobserved changes in ground height. Despite this empirical proof of concept, it remains unclear how exactly the targeted behavior of the simplified model affects the closed loop behavior of the full order system. There are additional degrees of freedom which affect the tracking of original goals and additional layers of control which may offer other sources of stability. Furthermore, the hardware introduces perturbations and uncertainties which detract from the nominal performance of the full order model. To answer these questions, we formulate a framework founded on linear theory, and we use it to examine the contributions of each component of the control and to quantify the expected effects of the disturbances we encounter. This analysis reveals insights for effective control strategies for legged locomotion and presents a tool for scientific iteration between theory-based control design and evidence-based revision of the underlying theory. February 18, 2015 Thesis
Retrospective study of hepatic encephalopathy by different transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt ways in portal hypertension

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the use of different shunting ways in patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the data of 36 patients with liver cirrhosis who received de novo TIPS implantation. Sixteen patients had elective TIPS by shunting the blood to the left downstream veins and 20 to the right ones. All patients were followed up for 2 years. We assessed hepatic encephalopathy (HE), rebleeding, and survival rate in all patients post-TIPS. RESULTS: Under our surgical procedure, more post-TIPS HE was observed in the TIPS-left group, whereas rebleeding was detected in the TIPS-right group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The decision regarding TIPS placement way for portal hypertension patients needs individualization to allow its safe use, with concomitant improvement in perioperative morbidity.
Effects of various agents and laser systems on antibacterial activity and microtensile bond strength when used for cavity disinfection

Context: Cavity disinfection is recommended with the routine caries removal methods in order to eliminate the microorganisms and to reduce potential secondary caries. Aims: The aims of this study were to evaluate the antibacterial effects of Corsodyl; Cervitec; Cervitec Plus; Fluor Protector agents and FotoSan; diode laser; and erbium, chromium: yttrium, scandium, gallium, garnet (Er, Cr:YSGG) laser systems on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus as well as their effects on the microtensile bond strength. Materials and Methods: A cavity tooth model test was used to determine antibacterial activity after which the effects of the same agents and systems on the microtensile bond strength were evaluated. Eight cylindrical cavities were prepared on the dentin surface of 24 bovine incisors, and 12 of them were left in contact with S. mutans; others were left in contact with L. acidophilus. Test agents and systems were applied, and standardized amounts of dentin chips were obtained from the cavity walls. The number of bacteria recovered was counted. The effect of tested agents and systems on bond strength was evaluated with microtensile bond strength test. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was carried out using the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests for the cavity tooth model test, and one-way ANOVA and Tukey test for microtensile bond strength test. Results: Test results showed that all of the disinfection methods demonstrated significant antibacterial activity on both S. mutans and L. acidophilus (P < 0.01). The agents used in this study significantly reduced the microtensile bond strength (P < 0.05) whereas the Er, Cr:YSGG laser significantly increased the bond strength (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Er, Cr:YSGG laser can be recommended for cavity disinfection due to its superior antibacterial activity and increased bond strength.
Oral Candidal leukoplakia treated with CO2 laser

Oral leukoplakia (OL) is one of the most common physiologic as well as pathologic white lesions in oral cavity. Of the many variants of OL, chronic hyperplastic candidosis, also called candidal leukoplakia (CL), is associated with Candida yeast species, which generally is an opportunistic microbe of normal oral microbiota. Many published cases and researches suggest a positive role of Candida albicans as potential culprit in malignant transformation of leukoplakia to squamous cell carcinomas at molecular level as trigger at cell signaling pathway. This article describes a case report of CL in the light of current information with clinical and histological aspect in a young patient, which was successfully treated with CO2 laser. This article also makes an attempt to provide and update the knowledge about potential malignant disorders such as leukoplakia and cofactors such as candidiasis superimposed to leukoplakia to health-care providers in order to help in early detection and treatment, thus decreasing mortality.
How to decide adequately? Qualitative study of GPs’ view on decision-making in self-referred and physician-referred emergency department consultations in Berlin, Germany

Objectives Patients with acute symptoms present not only to general practitioners (GPs), but also frequently to emergency departments (EDs). Patients’ decision processes leading up to an ED self-referral are complex and supposed to result from a multitude of determinants. While they are key providers in primary care, little is known about GPs’ perception of such patients. This qualitative study explores the GPs’ view regarding motives and competences of patients self-referring to EDs, and also GPs’ rationale for or against physician-initiated ED referrals. Design Qualitative study with semi-structured, face-to-face interviews; qualitative content analysis. Setting GP practices in Berlin, Germany. Participants 15 GPs (female/male: 9/6; mean age 53.6 years). Results The interviewed GPs related a wide spectrum of factors potentially influencing their patients’ decision to visit an ED, and also their own decision-making in potential referrals. Considerations go beyond medical urgency. Statements concerning patients’ surmised rationale corresponded to GPs’ reasoning in a variety of important areas. For one thing, the timely availability of an extended spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic options may make ED services attractive to both. Access difficulties in the ambulatory setting were mentioned as additional triggers for an ED visit initiated by a patient or a GP. Key patient factors like severity of symptoms and anxiety also play a major role; a desire for reassurance may lead to both self-referred and physician-initiated ED visits. Patients’ health competence was prevailingly depicted as limited, with the internet as an important influencing factor. Counselling efforts by GP were described as crucial for improving health literacy. Conclusions Health education could hold promise when aiming to reduce non-urgent ED consultations. Primary care providers are in a key position here. Amelioration of organisational shortages in ambulatory care, for example, limited consultation hours, might also make an important impact, as these trigger both self-referrals and GP-initiated ED referrals. Trial registration number DRKS00011930.
Risk assessment of metabolic syndrome in adolescents using the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and the total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio

Purpose This study was conducted to investigate the distributions of the triglyceride (TG) to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio and total cholesterol (TC) to HDL-C ratio, and to explore their usefulness as markers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean adolescents. Methods We obtained data for 2,721 adolescents (1,436 boys and 1,285 girls) aged 10–18 years who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2008 to 2010. International Diabetes Federation criteria were used to define MetS. Results There were no significant gender-related differences in TG/HDL-C or TC/HDL-C ratios. These lipid ratios showed significant associations with homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and waist circumference. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve to identify MetS were 0.947 for TG/HDL-C and 0.924 for TC/HDL-C, which were higher than that of HOMA-IR (0.822). Optimal cutoff values (sensitivity, specificity) of TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C ratios for MetS prediction were 3.3 (85.7%, 89.9%), and 3.8 (92.9%, 82.8%), respectively. Odds ratio (OR; 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for MetS in adolescents with TC/HDL-C ratio above the cutoff value was 14.8 (2.8–77.4), while that for TG/HDL-C ratio about the cutoff value was 30.6 (6.0–157.6). In adolescents who had both lipid ratios above the cutoff values, the OR (95% CI) for MetS was 36.2 (7.2–186.2). Conclusion TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C ratios are useful markers of metabolic syndrome with high predictive value in Korean adolescents.
An ordered probit analysis of monetary policy inertia

Abstract The two leading explanations of the observed persistence in policy interest rate changes are monetary policy inertia and omitted serially correlated shocks. This paper addresses the persistence debate from the perspective of how to properly model policy rates. An ordered probit model is used to account for the discrete nature of interest rate adjustment, an aspect of policy absent in standard models. Ordered probit results show that the impact of inertia on interest rate setting is considerably smaller than indicated by standard models.
Validation of a semi-quantitative FFQ for 18-month-old toddlers: the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study

Abstract Objective Dietary intake of toddlers has been of growing interest due to its long-term consequences on health. However, previous works have focused largely on Caucasian populations and less is known about Asian toddlers. We aimed to validate a semi-quantitative FFQ designed to assess dietary intakes of 18-month-old toddlers in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort. Design An FFQ of ninety-four food items, identified based on food records of 12-month-old GUSTO children, the Southampton Women’s Survey 12 Month Infancy Questionnaire and inputs from paediatric dietitians, was filled out two weeks before the 18th-month clinic visit. As the reference method, two non-consecutive 24 h recalls (24HR) were administered during and two weeks after the clinic visit. FFQ nutrient intakes were validated against averaged 24HR nutrient intakes, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Spearman’s rank-order correlation, cross-classification and the Bland–Altman method. Setting Data from the Singapore Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) mother–offspring birth cohort. Participants Toddlers (n 188) aged 18 months. Results Absolute nutrient intakes from the FFQ were significantly higher than from the 24HR, except for vitamin A. After energy adjustments, r range was 0·56–0·78 (macronutrients) and 0·40–0·54 (micronutrients). De-attenuation increased r to 0·58–0·96 and 0·45–0·65 for macro- and micronutrients, respectively. Of participants, ≥82·4 % (macronutrients) and ≥77·7 % (micronutrients) were classified in the same and adjacent quartiles. No clear systematic increase in intake differences with increasing mean intake was observed in Bland–Altman plots. Conclusions This FFQ can provide a satisfactory assessment of toddlers’ energy-adjusted nutrient intakes, as well as accurately rank them in a group.
Preliminary Report of Seroprevalence of Anti-Measles Immunoglobulin G among Healthcare Workers of 6 Teaching Hospitals of Daegu, Korea in 2019

The measles outbreak in Daegu of January 2019 made 6 teaching hospitals' organization test the measles immunity of their healthcare workers (HCWs). We found that 6,935 (75.9%) of 9,132 HCWs tested seropositive for anti-measles immunoglobulin G (IgG), and seropositivity rate was very different between 6 hospitals (range, 59.9–93.1%). The seroprevelence was lowest in the age of twenties, but the rate was different between 6 hospitals (range 47.0–85.5%). Therefore, to prevent measles from spreading to HCWs, each hospital should make their own data periodically about anti-measles IgG seropositivity of their HCWs.
Psychometric properties and diagnostic utility of a Brazilian version of the PCL-5 (complete and abbreviated versions)

ABSTRACT Background: With the release of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) has been updated to meet the revisions of the diagnostic criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, the diagnostic utility and reliability of a Brazilian version of the new Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) have not been investigated yet. Objective: To investigate the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and diagnostic utility of the complete version (21-item) and two abbreviated (8-item and 4-item) versions of the Brazilian PCL-5. Methods: A total of 85 individuals with a history of exposure to at least one traumatic event underwent a diagnostic interview using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5-CV) and completed the Brazilian version of the PCL-5. Moreover, participants were invited to complete the checklist for a second time 10–30 days after the first assessment. Results: Both the complete and abbreviated versions of the Brazilian PCL-5 showed good internal consistency (complete PCL-5, α = .96; 8-item, α = .93; 4-item, α = .85) and test-retest reliability (complete PCL-5, ICC .87 [95% CI, 0.65–0.95]; 8-item, ICC .84 [95% CI, 0.60–0.94]; 4-item, ICC .84 [95% CI, 0.58–0.94]). Diagnostic utility analyses using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5-CV) revealed that a cutoff point of 36 presented the higher overall efficiency for predicting a PTSD diagnosis Overall Efficiency (OE, .80) and corresponded to Youden’s index J (.65). For the 8-item version, a cutoff point of 13 corresponded to Youden’s index J (.61), while scores of 21 or more were associated with the highest OE (.78). For the 4-item PCL-5, scores > 7 presented the highest OE (.77) and corresponded to Youden’s index J (.59). Conclusions: Overall, the findings provide relevant evidence regarding the high reliability and diagnostic utility of this Brazilian version of the PCL-5. HIGHLIGHTS • PCL-5 complete/abbreviated versions demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. • Cutoff point > 35 presented the higher overall efficiency for predicting PTSD diagnosis. • For the 8-item version the cutoff point > 12 is suggested for screening PTSD. • For the 4-item PCL-5, a score > 7 presented the higher overall efficiency (.77). • PCL-5 and its abbreviated versions are adequate for research use among Brazilian samples.
Friendship in Later Life: A Research Agenda

Abstract Friendship is a relationship that can endure across the entire lifespan, serving a vital role for sustaining social connectedness in late life when other relationships may become unavailable. This article begins with a description of the importance of studying friendship in late life and the benefits of friendship for older adults, pointing to the value of additional research for enhancing knowledge about this crucial bond. Next is discussion of theoretical approaches for conceptualizing friendship research, followed by identification of emerging areas of late-life friendship research and novel questions that investigators could explore fruitfully. We include a presentation of innovative research methods and existing national and international data sets that can advance late-life friendship research using large samples and cross-national comparisons. The final section advocates for development and assessment of interventions aimed at improving friendship and reducing social isolation among older adults.
Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century: An Overview

Abstract Thomas Piketty’s capitalism in the twenty-first century is arguably the most significant book in empirical economics since Simon Kuznets’s Modern Economic Growth (1966) and, on a theoretical plane, since Keynes’s General Theory (1936). Like Kuznets’s masterpiece, this massive report on long-term trends in shares of income and wealth in the top decile and centile percent of their distribution quantifies a crucial and until now underreported dimension of aggregate economic performance. Like Keynes’s, it raises fundamental questions about economics conceived as a science uniquely concerned with the allocation of scarce resources regardless of how the resources are distributed among individuals. Piketty’s study focuses on that distribution, and in particular the share of the 10% of individuals who currently own 50–60% of private wealth in western societies and take home 35–50% of the national income (Piketty, 2014, pp. 247–249). The findings are new.
Advocacy in Nonprofit Organizations: A Leadership Perspective

Abstract The influence of nonprofit leaders in organizational advocacy strategies and outcomes has not been fully explored in the literature, despite the recognition that political or policy entrepreneurs are crucial to the American policy process. These leaders are placed squarely in the political arena with other political elites, including elected officials, and this study uses a common agency framework to describe the ways in which leaders should be expected to leverage their own personal preferences in guiding their organization’s behavior. Using data from a unique survey of nonprofit leaders in California, I measure the ways that a leader’s personal values and characteristics – specifically their political ideology on a left-right spectrum – have an effect on the organization’s advocacy efforts. Results indicate that political ideology is related to whether or not a leader identifies their group as one that engages in political or policy issues, and what types of tactics they use.
Structuring of polyolefins during processing conditions

Nucleation of semi-crystalline polymers is very sensitive to perturbations of the melt state. In contrast to the case of flow, the influence of pressure changes on nucleation has been almost neglected so far. In this work we explore the effect of the pressure history on isotactic polypropylene crystallization by applying a brief step-like increase of pressure to the undercooled melt. Using dilatometry and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, an enhancement of crystallization kinetics proportional to the magnitude of the pressure pulse is revealed. This acceleration is linked to an increase of the number of active nuclei after the short term pressurization, as confirmed by ex-situ optical microscopy observations. Up to an order of magnitude increase in nucleation density is found, for pressure pulses around 600-700 bar. The pressure-induced nucleating effect is interpreted in the light of classical nucleation theory; although a non-classical “barrier-less” nucleation mechanism is also envisaged. Largely reproduced from: E. M. Troisi, S. Formenti, F. Briatico-Vangosa, D. Cavallo, G. W. M. Peters. “Nucleation induced by Short-Term Pressurization of an undercooled isotactic polypropylene melt”, European Polymer Journal, 85: 553-563, 2016.
What Are the Characteristics of Caregivers Logging in for Support Services?

Abstract Background and Objectives Online service delivery options have the potential to increase access to informational resources among caregivers to older adults. However, it is unknown which caregivers will use online-delivered services over usual service delivery modes (e.g., by phone) when both options are available in social service settings. This is important for service providers to know when making decisions that best serve their communities. Research Design and Methods Guided by Andersen’s model of health service utilization, we used step-wise logistic regression models to compare the characteristics of caregivers who used an online information service called FCA CareJourney (FCA CJ) with those who accessed the same services using the usual mode of service delivery (N = 540). Online and usual-care services were available through two social service organizations in California. Results In all, 13.7% of clients used FCA CJ to receive services online. Enabling characteristics were the main predictors of using online-delivered services. Caregivers employed part-time had 3.82 times the odds of using online-delivered services compared to those employed full-time (odds ratio [OR] = 3.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.58–9.22). Caregivers who learned about services from health care providers had 2.91 times the odds of using FCA CJ as those who learned about services through social services (OR = 2.91; 95% CI: 1.28–6.62). Even among those who learned about services online, 62.2% still accessed services using usual delivery modes. Discussion and Implications Based on differences in the characteristics of caregivers using different service delivery modes and the low uptake of online-delivered services, we suggest online service delivery should supplement, not replace, usual delivery modes in social service settings. At the same time, user rates of online service delivery are likely modifiable. Given the potential for online-delivered programming to expand access to information services for caregivers, we recommend further examination into the effects of marketing online service delivery options to caregivers in novel ways.