Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vibration of Steel–Concrete Composite Beams Using the Timoshenko Beam Model

In this paper we present a solution of the problem of free vibrations of steel–concrete composite beams. Three analytical models describing the dynamic behavior of this type of constructions have been formulated: two of these are based on Euler beam theory, and one on Timoshenko beam theory. All three models have been used to analyze the steel–concrete composite beam researched by others. We also give a comparison of the results obtained from the models with the results determined experimentally. The model based on Timoshenko beam theory describes in the best way the dynamic behavior of this type of construction. The results obtained on the basis of the Timoshenko beam theory model achieve the highest conformity with the experimental results, both for higher and lower modes of flexural vibrations of the beam. Because the frequencies of higher modes of flexural vibrations prove to be highly sensitive to damage occurring in the constructions, this model may be used to detect any damage taking place in such constructions.
Principal Component Analysis for the Nonlinear Portfolio Model

The present study improves the nonlinear portfolio model by using principal component analysis. To enhance the portfolio effect of spreading risks efficiently, we aim for lower correlations among each asset movement. For this reason, we apply the principal components of assets to the nonlinear portfolio model, which uses nonlinear prediction to estimate future movements. However, because we are not sure whether these principal components have nonlinearity, we perform Fourier-shuffled surrogate tests on the principal components. Finally, we confirm the efficiency of our nonlinear principal-component portfolio model through some investment simulations with real financial data.
Amniotic membrane as an accelator in mandibular bone defects repair

ABSTRACT Background: The fetal amniotic membrane is a biological graft with unique qualities which all lead to wound protection, reducing discomfort, and achieving adequate epithelialization. Materials and Methods: In this animal study, the second and third premolars of the mandible of 4 dogs were extracted. After 4 weeks, 20 mm of mandibular premolar site area were resected on both sides. The created defects on both sides were filled with xenograft. On one side, an amniotic membrane was placed over the graft particles and the reflected flap was sutured. The amount of bone formation in the defects was measured after 4 weeks for two of the dogs and after 8 weeks for the other two, using a caliper. Three histopathological samples from both sides were taken. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis (Wilcoxon signed-rank and paired sample t-test) using SPSS software at a significant P = 0.05. Results: In the test group, the quantity of bone was 56.81, whereas in the control group bone quantity was 37.38 with statistically significant differences (P = 0.025). In the amniotic membrane group, the inflammation intensity after the graft procedure was moderate (50%) in comparison to the control group where the inflammation was severe (62.5%) (P = 0.041). Conclusion: The amniotic membrane can induce positive osteoinduction effects and be helpful in repairmen of bone defects such as the natural periosteum.
Serum Magnesium is Inversely Associated with Body Composition and Metabolic Syndrome

Purpose Magnesium is vital to maintain normal physiological functions. We aimed to identify the association between serum magnesium and different measures of body adiposity among Qatari adults. We hypothesized that the association was mediated by depression and sleep duration. Patients and Methods The study included 1000 adults aged 20 years and above who attended the Qatar Biobank Study (QBB) between 2012 and 2019. Body adiposity was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Serum magnesium concentration was measured. Sub-optimal magnesium was defined as magnesium concentration less than 0.85 mmol/L. The association was examined using linear regression. Results The mean age of the participants (n=1000) was 35.8 (SD 10.3) years. More than half of the participants had sub-optimal magnesium concentrations (60.2% in men and 52.3% in women). Serum magnesium was inversely associated with different types of fat mass. In the fully adjusted model, per 1 SD increment of serum magnesium had standardized regression coefficients of −0.09 (p 0.005) for total fat mass, −0.08 (p 0.008) for trunk fat, −0.09 (p 0.003) for gynoid fat and −0.08 (p 0.008) for android fat. There was no gender difference in the association. The inverse association between serum magnesium and fat mass was significant in those with sleep duration ≥7 hours but not in those <7 hours. Depressive symptom and sleep did not mediate the association between serum magnesium and fat mass. Serum magnesium was inversely associated with metabolic syndrome (per 1 SD increment had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.70 (95% CI 0.57–0.85)). Conclusion There was an inverse association between serum magnesium and fat mass, especially among those with an adequate sleep duration and without chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension and depression.
Thompson Sampling-Based Dynamic Spectrum Access in Non-Stationary Environments

In dynamic spectrum access (DSA), unlicensed secondary users (SUs) estimate the idle probabilities of primary channels by using historical sensing results and opportunistically access the channel with the highest idle probability for transmission. Due to the rapid traffic changes and irregular user mobility, primary channels can be highly dynamic and their idle probabilities are generally time-varying. In this paper, we investigate DSA in non-stationary environments. Specifically, we consider two channel state models, i.e., the non-stationary Bernoulli model with a time-varying mean and the non-stationary Markovian model with a time-varying transition matrix. For the single-SU scenario, we propose a Thompson sampling based method with a change detection technique, which is capable of detecting the variations of channel statistics and adjusting the channel access strategy accordingly. For the multi-SU scenario, we propose a Thompson sampling based collision alleviation method to coordinate the transmissions of SUs, which does not need any prior protocol or information exchange among SUs. Numerical results show that the proposed methods outperform the existing ones in terms of successful transmission ratio in various network settings.
Developmental trajectories of ethnic and national identities in adolescents from migrant families: The role of social identification with family and classmates

Given that adolescents from migrant families live within at least two cultural contexts (i.e., the heritage and the destination cultures), they generally must negotiate and construct ethnic and national identities. Accordingly, the present three-wave longitudinal study was designed to identify distinct developmental trajectories of ethnic and national identities among adolescents from migrant families (n = 244, 56.6% female; Mage = 14.90, SDage = 0.84 at Time 1). Multivariate latent class growth analyses indicated that participants could be classified into one of four groups based on their identity profiles: ethnic-oriented identity, national-oriented identity, dual identity, and marginalized identity. Further, social identification with family and classmates was examined as a predictor of memberships in these distinct identity profiles. Results of multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that greater social identification with family increased the probability of being classified into the ethnic-oriented and dual identity profiles rather than into the marginalized identity profile, whereas greater social identification with classmates increased the likelihood of being classified into either national-oriented or dual identity profiles rather than into the marginalized identity profile. These findings provide novel insights into the roles of families and peers as influential socializing agents during the negotiation of ethnic and national identities among immigrant youth.
Accurate Small-Signal Terminal Characteristic Model and SISO Stability Analysis Approach for Parallel Grid-Forming Inverters in Islanded Microgrids

This article derives a small-signal terminal characteristic model for the grid-forming inverter with droop-control in the synchronous reference (dq-) frame, accurately covering the dynamics of the power controller, the voltage and current control loops, and all circuit components, where a new set of terminal characteristics is proposed to characterize the small-signal dynamics of fundamental frequency introduced by the fundamental frequency-active power droop scheme. Based on the terminal characteristics of individual inverters, the stability of parallel grid-forming inverters can be predicted by the generalized Nyquist criterion. Furthermore, to simplify the stability analysis process and reduce calculation complexity, a single-input single-output (SISO) stability analysis approach is proposed by exploring the interaction among the droop-control of parallel inverters through analyzing mathematical feature of the proposed terminal characteristic model of individual inverters as well as the return ratio of the parallel inverters, which uses d-d channel element of system return ratio matrix and Nyquist criterion to predict the stability. Finally, simulation and experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed small-signal model and SISO stability analysis approach.
Risk assessment validation in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: Data from a Southern Brazil registry (RESPHIRAR study)

Abstract Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe and progressive disease characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance, ultimately leading to right heart failure and death. Registries are a valuable tool in the research of rare conditions such as PAH. Moreover, the risk assessment strategy has been validated in European and North American registries and has been reported to provide an accurate prediction of mortality and the clinical advantage of reaching low‐risk status. However, there is no available data from Brazil. Thus, the aim of the present study was to describe the characteristics of a sample of PAH from Southern Brazil and to retrospectively validate the risk assessment at our population. The RESPHIRAR is a retrospective and multicentric registry on pulmonary hypertension. With a join collaboration from nine centers in Southern Brazil, demographics, clinical presentation, and hemodynamics data of PAH were collected between 2007 and 2017. Moreover, the REVEAL 2.0 and REVEAL 2.0 Lite risk assessments were validated in our population. Overall, 370 PAH patients were included in the present study. Patients were predominantly female (78.5%) and had a mean age of 41.8 ± 18.8 years. Most patients (33.4%) had idiopathic PAH, 30.2% had PAH associated with congenital heart disease, and 23.5% had PAH associated with connective tissue disease. The low‐risk group showed significantly lower mortality than the intermediated‐ or high‐risk group at diagnosis (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our data suggest that REVEAL 2.0 and REVEAL 2.0 Lite risk assessments can predict mortality risk in PAH patients in Southern Brazil.
Driver Profile and Driving Pattern Recognition for Road Safety Assessment: Main Challenges and Future Directions

This study reviews the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning approaches developed thus far for driver profile and driving pattern recognition, representing a set of macroscopic and microscopic behaviors respectively, to enhance the understanding of human factors in road safety, and therefore reduce the number of crashes. It provides a definition of the two scientific fields in terms of safety, and identifies the most efficient approaches used regarding methodology, data collection and driving metrics. Results show that K-means and Neural Networks are the most commonly used methodologies for driver profile identification, and Dynamic Time Warping for driving pattern detection. Most studies discovered driver profiles related to aggressiveness, considering mainly speed and acceleration as driving metrics. Based on the gaps and challenges identified, this paper provides a new framework for combining microscopic and macroscopic driving behavior analysis, instead of examining them separately as is the state-of-theart. Such combined results can potentially improve the development of traffic risk models, which could be exploited in applications that monitor drivers in real-time and provide feedback. These models will represent human behavior more accurately, which can eventually lead to the recognition of “optimal” human driving patterns that Automated Vehicles (AV) could ‘mimic’ to become safer.
Executive protocol designed for new review study called: systematic review and artificial intelligence network meta-analysis (RAIN) with the first application for COVID-19

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) as a suite of technologies can complement systematic review and meta-analysis studies and answer questions that cannot be typically answered using traditional review protocols and reporting methods. The purpose of this protocol is to introduce a new protocol to complete systematic review and meta-analysis studies. In this work, systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-analysis network based on selected AI technique, and for P < 0.05 are followed, with a view to responding to questions and challenges that the global population is facing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, it is expected that conducting reviews by following the proposed protocol can provide suitable answers to some of the research questions raised due to COVID-19.
More information is not better: examining appropriate information for estimating sales performance in concept testing

ABSTRACT Research on the requirements for improving the quality of concept testing is scarce because of the high degree of confidentiality in new product developments. In this study, we clarified the factors that can improve sales performance estimation accuracy in concept testing. A randomised controlled trial for the Japanese personal computer market showed that presenting the product and corporate brand yielded the most accurate estimations. Other factors (design, price, and product colour) did not show significant effects. Even a good concept may not increase consumers’ purchase intention if there is lack of clarity about the product’s brand.
Validation of Noninvasive Assessment of Pulmonary Gas Exchange in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease during Initial Exposure to High Altitude

Investigation of pulmonary gas exchange efficacy usually requires arterial blood gas analysis (aBGA) to determine arterial partial pressure of oxygen (mPaO2) and compute the Riley alveolar-to-arterial oxygen difference (A-aDO2); that is a demanding and invasive procedure. A noninvasive approach (AGM100), allowing the calculation of PaO2 (cPaO2) derived from pulse oximetry (SpO2), has been developed, but this has not been validated in a large cohort of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Our aim was to conduct a validation study of the AG100 in hypoxemic moderate-to-severe COPD. Concurrent measurements of cPaO2 (AGM100) and mPaO2 (EPOC, portable aBGA device) were performed in 131 moderate-to-severe COPD patients (mean ±SD FEV1: 60 ± 10% of predicted value) and low-altitude residents, becoming hypoxemic (i.e., SpO2 < 94%) during a short stay at 3100 m (Too-Ashu, Kyrgyzstan). Agreements between cPaO2 (AGM100) and mPaO2 (EPOC) and between the O2-deficit (calculated as the difference between end-tidal pressure of O2 and cPaO2 by the AGM100) and Riley A-aDO2 were assessed. Mean bias (±SD) between cPaO2 and mPaO2 was 2.0 ± 4.6 mmHg (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.2 to 2.8 mmHg) with 95% limits of agreement (LoA): −7.1 to 11.1 mmHg. In multivariable analysis, larger body mass index (p = 0.046), an increase in SpO2 (p < 0.001), and an increase in PaCO2-PETCO2 difference (p < 0.001) were associated with imprecision (i.e., the discrepancy between cPaO2 and mPaO2). The positive predictive value of cPaO2 to detect severe hypoxemia (i.e., PaO2 ≤ 55 mmHg) was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.87 to 0.98) with a positive likelihood ratio of 3.77 (95% CI: 1.71 to 8.33). The mean bias between O2-deficit and A-aDO2 was 6.2 ± 5.5 mmHg (95% CI: 5.3 to 7.2 mmHg; 95%LoA: −4.5 to 17.0 mmHg). AGM100 provided an accurate estimate of PaO2 in hypoxemic patients with COPD, but the precision for individual values was modest. This device is promising for noninvasive assessment of pulmonary gas exchange efficacy in COPD patients.
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting According to Target-Controlled or Manual Remifentanil Infusion in Gynecological Patients Undergoing Pelviscopic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: We compared the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and postoperative outcomes, according to the remifentanil infusion method, during surgery in patients with a high-risk of PONV. Methods: Ninety patients undergoing elective gynecological pelviscopic surgery were randomly allocated to either target-controlled infusion (TCI, T) or manual (M) infusion. The primary outcome was the incidence of PONV until postoperative day (POD) 2. The secondary outcomes were perioperative heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), numerical rating scale pain scores up to POD2, and postoperative hospital length of stay. Results: Forty-four patients in the T group and 45 patients in the M group were analyzed. The total dose of remifentanil infusion was significantly higher in the T group (T group: 0.093 (0.078–0.112) μg/kg/min; M group: 0.062 (0.052–0.076) µg/kg/min, p < 0.001). Within POD2, the overall PONV was not significantly different (27 (61.4%) vs. 27 (60.0%), p = 0.895). The HR (82 ± 11.5/min vs. 87 ± 11.1/min, p = 0.046) and mean BP (83 ± 17.2 mmHg vs. 90 ± 16.7 mmHg, p = 0.035) were significantly lower in the T group after tracheal intubation. The other postoperative outcomes were comparable between the two groups. Conclusions: Although the total remifentanil infusion dose was higher in the T group than in the M group, the postoperative outcomes were similar. If stable vital signs are desired during tracheal intubation, remifentanil infusion with TCI should be considered.
The Impact of the Andes on Transient Atmospheric Systems: A Comparison between Observations and GCM Results

Abstract The high and low pressure transient systems that cross the Andes at various extratropical latitudes are strongly affected by this natural barrier. Available analysis from operational weather services, such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), provide a description of these migrating systems, which are often associated with regional features of orographic origin, such as the Northwestern Argentinean Depression. Their propagation is subject to a particularity: for distinct reasons both low and high pressure systems are commonly deflected to the north when crossing the Andes. The purpose of the paper is to test the ability of an atmospheric general circulation model, the LMD (Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique) GCM, to simulate correctly the behavior of these systems. This is done through the analysis of conventional meteorological parameters, but also by duplicating, from the output fields of the model, a series of composite analyses that were previously carried out.
Multicolor surface photometry of powerful radio galaxies. I. Observations and data reduction

The first of a series of papers which explore the optical morphology, photometric properties, and colors of powerful radio galaxies is presented. This paper reports the observations and data reduction process. The surface photometry techniques used in the analysis are described and the calibration of the results is given. The resulting images reveal that a significant fraction of powerful radio galaxies are morphologically distorted and that many of these galaxies have unusual colors. Results for individual objects are discussed. 75 references.
Shear resistance of electrorheological fluids under time‐varying electric fields

Computer simulations were carried out to investigate the shear resistance of electrorheological fluids, which are suspensions of electrically neutral particles in an insulating solvent, under ac and pulse electric fields. The shear stress of the system under a constant shear flow is found to pass through a minimum as the frequency of the electric field is increased. Two types of aggregation due to the induced dipoles are observed: at low frequencies the aggregation follows the applied field, while at high frequencies the particle clusters are unable to completely break up. This mechanism gives results which agree qualitatively with rheological experiments.
Progress of Endogenous and Exogenous Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy and Diagnostics

The focus of this brief review is to describe the application of nanoparticles, including endogenous nanoparticles (e.g., extracellular vesicles, EVs, and virus capsids) and exogenous nanoparticles (e.g., organic and inorganic materials) in cancer therapy and diagnostics. In this review, we mainly focused on EVs, where a recent study demonstrated that EVs secreted from cancer cells are associated with malignant alterations in cancer. EVs are expected to be used for cancer diagnostics by analyzing their informative cargo. Exogenous nanoparticles are also used in cancer diagnostics as imaging probes because they can be easily functionalized. Nanoparticles are promising targets for drug delivery system (DDS) development and have recently been actively studied. In this review, we introduce nanoparticles as a powerful tool in the field of cancer therapy and diagnostics and discuss issues and future prospects.
MicroRNAs Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease in the General Population and High-Risk Subgroups—A Systematic Review

The potential utility of microRNAs (miRNAs) as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers, as well as therapeutic targets, for chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been advocated. However, studies evaluating the expression profile of the same miRNA signatures in CKD report contradictory findings. This review aimed to characterize miRNAs associated with CKD and/or measures of kidney function and kidney damage in the general population, and also in high-risk subgroups, including people with hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Medline via PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost databases were searched to identify relevant studies published in English or French languages on or before 30 September 2022. A total of 75 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria: CKD (n = 18), diabetic kidney disease (DKD) (n = 51) and HTN-associated CKD (n = 6), with no study reporting on miRNA profiles in people with HIV-associated nephropathy. In individuals with CKD, miR-126 and miR-223 were consistently downregulated, whilst in DKD, miR-21 and miR-29b were consistently upregulated and miR-30e and let-7a were consistently downregulated in at least three studies. These findings suggest that these miRNAs may be involved in the pathogenesis of CKD and therefore invites further research to explore their clinical utility for CKD prevention and control.