Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Group cognitive behaviour therapy for managing peri-menopausal symptoms: feasibility and effectiveness of two delivery methods

The increased understanding of the role of behaviour, mood and cognition associated with menopause has resulted in menopause transition no longer being considered only a biological process, but also understood in a psychological and social context. This has lead to the development of psychological interventions to treat menopausal symptoms. This current pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of two delivery formats: Weekly (ten weekly, 1.5-hour sessions) and Weekend (two 7.5-hour sessions) of a Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (GCBT) program for managing peri-menopausal symptoms. The Menopause Made Manageable (MMM) GCBT program has incorporated many well-established cognitive and behavioural strategies including psychoeducation, relaxation, mindfulness, lifestyle intervention, cognitive strategies, and stress management. Participants were allocated to the Weekly (n = 51) or Weekend (n = 22) group according to their preference. A battery of standardised questionnaires: the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), the short form of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the short form 36-item Medical Outcome Study questionnaire (SF-36) was administered at waitlist (6-8 weeks before treatment), pretreatment, post-treatment, 3-month follow-up and 6-month follow-up. Participants were also asked to complete a symptoms diary (daily version of the MRS) during the MMM program to monitor their menopausal symptoms. Changes in mean scores over five assessment time points and between two groups were evaluated using a Linear Mixed Model. The current study design used participants as their own controls in the waiting control time period, where no significant change was identified. The results indicated that both Weekly and Weekend MMM program were effective in improving menopause-related symptoms (d = 0.66 – 0.86) and psychological symptoms (d = 0.19 – 0.51). The treatment gains were maintained at least for 6 months. No significant group
ELECTRICAL ENERGY POTENTIAL OF RICE HUSK AS FUEL FOR POWER GENERATION IN INDONESIA

This study was conducted to determine the potential of electrical energy of rice husk as fuel for power generation in Indonesia. The estimated potential of rice husk in each province of the country was calculated using the statistical data of rice production from 2011. The estimated annual potential of rice husk development was calculated using statistical data from 2001 to 2012. The results indicate that the development potential of rice husk, potential for electrical energy and economic potential increased by approximately 36.8% over 12 years; an average of about 3.1% per year. In 2011, the 33 provinces had rice husk potential of around 10.52 million tons, which is equivalent to about 5.24 million tons of coals, providing electrical energy and electrical power potentials of about 39,272 GWh and 4, 481 MW, respectively. About 26 provinces had potential rice husk electrical energy greater than 100 GWh, providing a total electrical energy potential of approximately 39,076 GWh, and electrical power of around 4, 460 MW. This potential could be turned into fuel for small power plants with mono-combustion applications. The other seven provinces had very small rice husk potential and should apply co-combustion with other fuels for very small power producers. Use of rice husk as fuel for power plants could overcome the shortage of electrical energy, reduce the use of coal and decrease negative environmental impacts in Indonesia.
The Regional Response to Federal Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects

Problem: The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) gave metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) the opportunity to spend federal funds on pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Their responses vary dramatically, however, contributing to significant differences in the quality of the walking and bicycling environment across regions. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to identify factors that explain differences in the spending of federal funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects across MPOs. In addition, we consider whether federal support for bicycle and pedestrian projects has led to increased attention to these modes within the transportation planning process. With the next federal transportation authorization bill now under consideration, understanding the efficacy of federal funding for nonmotorized modes is of critical importance. Methods: This article explores these questions through case studies of bicycle and pedestrian spending and policies in six metropolitan regions. Results and Conclusions: Making federal funding available for nonmotorized modes has clearly increased bicycle and pedestrian projects across the United States, although more so in some regions than others. Support from local governments and advocacy groups is a key driver of MPO-level support for bicycle and pedestrian investments. State policy also plays a role in encouraging and supporting bicycle and pedestrian spending at the regional level, both directly and through its influence on local governments. Other unique regional factors have also influenced spending. Takeaway for Practice: Although the effectiveness of federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects has so far depended on state policy and local support, the next federal transportation authorization bill offers an opportunity to reduce this dependence. If the intent of the federal government is to increase spending on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, it can provide more direction and stronger leadership in promoting nonmotorized modes. Research Support: This research was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its Active Living Research Program.
Chimpanzee vowel-like sounds and voice quality suggest formant space expansion through the hominoid lineage

The origins of human speech are obscure; it is still unclear what aspects are unique to our species or shared with our evolutionary cousins, in part due to a lack of a common framework for comparison. We asked what chimpanzee and human vocal production acoustics have in common. We examined visible supra-laryngeal articulators of four major chimpanzee vocalizations (hoos, grunts, barks, screams) and their associated acoustic structures, using techniques from human phonetic and animal communication analysis. Data were collected from wild adult chimpanzees, Taï National Park, Ivory Coast. Both discriminant and principal component classification procedures revealed classification of call types. Discriminating acoustic features include voice quality and formant structure, mirroring phonetic features in human speech. Chimpanzee lip and jaw articulation variables also offered similar discrimination of call types. Formant maps distinguished call types with different vowel-like sounds. Comparing our results with published primate data, humans show less F1–F2 correlation and further expansion of the vowel space, particularly for [i] sounds. Unlike recent studies suggesting monkeys achieve human vowel space, we conclude from our results that supra-laryngeal articulatory capacities show moderate evolutionary change, with vowel space expansion continuing through hominoid evolution. Studies on more primate species will be required to substantiate this. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part II)’.
The Pathophysiology and Management of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in COVID-19 Patients: a Literature Review

Abstract Diabetic individuals are considered a vulnerable population during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and several studies noted worse outcomes, including death, among those who get infected. Diabetic emergencies, such as ketoacidosis (DKA), are common and potentially life-threatening conditions in uncontrolled patients. While the pathophysiological background of the relationship between COVID-19 and DKA is not fully understood, early reports available so far indicate that patients with pre-existing diabetes who get infected with the SARS-CoV 2 virus are at higher risk of DKA. It was also suggested that DKA is a poor prognostic sign for infected patients, these being at higher risk of developing worse forms of COVID-19 disease and having high mortality. Therefore, healthcare personnel dealing with such patients face a considerable challenge, as the correct and safe emergency management of such cases is far from established. This article aimed to conduct a study that reviews the current published data available about patients with DKA and COVID-19.
The Predictive Potential of Elevated Serum Inflammatory Markers in Determining the Need for Intubation in CoVID-19 Patients

Abstract Introduction The predictive potential of demographics, clinical characteristics, and inflammatory markers at admission to determine future intubation needs of hospitalised CoVID-19 patients is unknown. The study aimed to determine the predictive potential of elevated serum inflammatory markers in determining the need for intubation in CoVID-19 Patients. Methods In a retrospective cohort study of hospitalised SARS-CoV2 positive patients, single and multivariable regression analyses were used to determine covariate effects on intubation odds, and a minimax concave penalty regularised logistic regression was used to build a predictive model. A second prospective independent cohort tested the model. Results Systemic inflammatory markers obtained at admission were higher in patients that required subsequent intubation, and adjusted odds of intubation increased for every standard deviation above the mean for c-reactive protein (CRP) OR:2.8 (95% CI 1.8-4.5, p<0.001) and lactate dehydrogenase OR:2.1 (95% CI 1.33.3, p=0.002). A predictive model incorporating C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and diabetes status at the time of admission predicted intubation status with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.78 with corresponding sensitivity of 86%, specificity of 63%. This predictive model achieved an AUC of 0.83, 91% sensitivity, and 41% specificity on the validation cohort. Conclusion In patients hospitalised with CoVID-19, elevated serum inflammatory markers measured within the first twenty-four hours of admission are associated with an increased need for intubation. Additionally, a model of C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and the presence of diabetes may play a predictive role in determining the future need for intubation.
Pilot study of dietary supplement consumption by kindergarten and elementary school children

Summary Introduction: The use of dietary supplements has been increasing globally, especially among children. A lot of parents are influenced by advertising. In addition, in Poland a trend to self-medication has been observed. Parents often do not distinguish dietary supplements, medicinal products and non-prescription drugs. These are the most common reasons for the increase in sales of dietary supplements in Poland. Until a few years ago, many products containing vitamins and minerals intended for children were sold as medicines. Today, a product with the same formulation is sold as a dietary supplement. However, a few studies have been conducted to assess the use of dietary supplements among Polish children. Objective: The aim of the study was to analyse the use of dietary supplements provided by parents and the study of the awareness of the risks associated with supplements intake among preschool and elementary school students. Methods: The study was conducted by questionnaire method among 316 parents/legal guardians of children attending elementary schools and preschools in three provinces. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 88.3% mothers and 11.7% fathers. The age of the respondents was as follows: 64.5% aged 31–40, 18.3% aged 41–45, 9.5% aged 26–30, 7.2% above 46 years and only 0.3% younger than 25. About 80% of parents administered their children with dietary supplements in specific situations. Vitamin and mineral supplements were predominant. A statistical analysis showed the effect of the education level as well as having many children on the administration of dietary supplements. Conclusion: The questionnaire shows that the vast majority of parents/legal guardians administer their children with dietary supplements. There is a need to educate parents/legal guardians about the use of supplements and the risks involved.
Religion and wellbeing: devotion, happiness and life satisfaction in Turkey

ABSTRACT Most of the published research addressing the relationship between subjective wellbeing and religiosity has relied on Western populations and used Judeo-Christian participants. The present study examined links between subjective wellbeing and religion in the predominantly Muslim country of Turkey. Using pooled data from the World Values Survey (n = 9289), this research explored whether religious devotion could be linked to happiness and life satisfaction in a Turkish population. The findings suggest that higher levels of religious self-identification, the importance given to religion and God and mosque attendance were all associated with greater levels of happiness and life satisfaction. In addition, the results show that mosque attendance, which is less common among women, did not have significantly different effects on the subjective wellbeing of women and men.
Declining citation accuracy in polar research

Abstract Accurate citation practices are important to ensure a robust knowledge base and overall trustworthy academic enterprise. The prevalence of poor citation practices has been assessed in multiple fields, resulting in estimates of inaccurate citations ranging typically between 15% and 25%. Here, we assessed the accuracy of citations in research articles extracted from 11 journals with a polar sciences focus. Thirty percent of citations from recent articles (published between 2018 and 2019) and 26 % of citations between 1980 and 2019 were found to be inaccurate. We found no evidence for differences in citation accuracy between the journals assessed, or effects on citation accuracy associated with the number of authors, number of references, position of references or if a citation was a self-citation or not. Importantly, we present evidence for a decline in citation accuracy between 1980 and 2019 in polar sciences. Citation practices are unlikely to improve unless journals provide incentives for scholars to be more meticulous, and we recommend active monitoring of citation accuracy and citation appropriateness by reviewers and editorial staff.
NBTI enhancement by nitrogen incorporation into ultrathin gate oxide for 0.10-/spl mu/m gate CMOS generation

We investigated the degradation of device reliability due to Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI) of PMOSFET with ultrathin gate oxide. It was experimentally demonstrated that the chemical reactions at the gate oxide/substrate interface and/or diffusion of hydrogen related species are the major cause of the NBTI. We also found that nitridation of gate oxide enhances NBTI. In order to suppress the NBTI, the density of hydrogen terminated silicon bond at the interface needs to be minimized. Thus, the concentration of nitrogen in thin gate oxide has to be optimized in terms of the reliability reduction due to NBTI.
Pulse width multiplier circuit with application to digital phase measurements

A digital, frequency independent, phase meter is discussed. Wide frequency range of operation is obtained by using a digital pulse width multiplier to multiply the pulse width of the phase comparator output, (S-R flip flop for example). The clock pulses to be counted will be then the reference input signal instead of conventional crystal controlled oscillator clock sources-the elimination of the PLL used to multiply the clock frequency makes it possible to operate without the limit of the PLL lock-in range. Another advantage is simplicity and elimination of gating error.
Behavioral and postural analyses establish sleep-like states for mosquitoes that can impact host landing and blood feeding

Sleep is an evolutionarily conserved process that has been described in different animal systems. For insects, sleep characterization has been primarily achieved using behavioral and electrophysiological correlates in a few systems. Sleep in mosquitoes, which are important vectors of disease-causing pathogens, has not been directly examined. This is surprising as circadian rhythms, which have been well studied in mosquitoes, influence sleep in other systems. In this study, we characterized sleep in mosquitoes using body posture analysis and behavioral correlates, and quantified the effect of sleep deprivation on sleep rebound, host landing and blood-feeding propensity. Body and appendage position metrics revealed a clear distinction between the posture of mosquitoes in their putative sleep and awake states for multiple species, which correlate with a reduction in responsiveness to host cues. Sleep assessment informed by these posture analyses indicated significantly more sleep during periods of low activity. Nighttime and daytime sleep deprivation resulting from the delivery of vibration stimuli induced sleep rebound in the subsequent phase in day and night active mosquitoes, respectively. Lastly, sleep deprivation suppressed host landing in both laboratory and field settings and also impaired blood feeding of a human host when mosquitoes would normally be active. These results suggest that quantifiable sleep states occur in mosquitoes, and highlight the potential epidemiological importance of mosquito sleep.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Tumor Microenvironment and Ferroptosis-Related Genes Predict Prognosis with Ovarian Cancer

The early diagnosis of ovarian cancer (OC) is critical to improve the prognosis and prevent recurrence of patients. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of factors which can accurately predict it. In this study, we focused on the interaction of immune infiltration and ferroptosis and selected the ESTIMATE algorithm and 15 ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) to construct a novel E-FRG scoring model for predicting overall survival of OC patients. The gene expression and corresponding clinical characteristics were obtained from the TCGA dataset (n = 375), GSE18520 (n = 53), and GSE32062 (n = 260). A total of 15 FRGs derived from FerrDb with the immune score and stromal score were identified in the prognostic model by using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)–penalized COX regression analysis. The Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and time-dependent ROC curves performed a powerful prognostic ability of the E-FRG model via multi-validation. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and Gene Set Variation Analysis elucidate multiple potential pathways between the high and low E-FRG score group. Finally, the proteins of different genes in the model were verified in drug-resistant and non–drug-resistant tumor tissues. The results of this research provide new prospects in the role of immune infiltration and ferroptosis as a helpful tool to predict the outcome of OC patients.
COPUS, PORTAAL, or DART? Classroom Observation Tool Comparison From the Instructor User’s Perspective

Classroom observation tools are used to evaluate teaching and learning activities, and to provide constructive feedback to instructors. To help instructors with selecting a suitable tool based on their needs and available resources, in this study, a group of observers assessed lectures of an introductory biology course using three, broadly cited classroom assessment tools in the STEM field: the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS); the Practical Observation Rubric to Assess Active Learning (PORTAAL); and the Decibel Analysis for Research in Teaching (DART). From a user’s perspective, we evaluated 1) the type and extent of information each tool provides, and 2) the time investment and difficulty of working with each tool. The assessment result of each tool was compared, with a list of expected outcomes generated by surveying a group of college instructors and with the result of a self-teaching assessment tool, Teaching Practices Inventory (TPI). Our findings conclude that each tool provided valuable assessment with a broad range of outcomes and time investment: PORTAAL offered the most detailed information on the quality of teaching practices and students’ engagement, but it demanded the greatest time investment. DART provided a basic estimation of active learning proportion with the least effort. The level of assessment outcome and the time investment when using COPUS was found to be less than PORTAAL, and more than DART. The TPI self-assessment outcome was found to be slightly optimistic regarding the proportion of active learning practices used in the studied course. This comparative study can help instructors in selecting a tool that suits their needs and available resources for a better assessment of their classroom teaching and learning.
Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Treatment Before Radiotherapy Protects Against Radiation-Induced Liver Disease in Mice

Radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) remains a major problem resulting from radiotherapy. In this scenario, immunotherapy with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) arises as an attractive approach that might improve the injured liver. Here, we investigated G-CSF administration’s impact before and after liver irradiation exposure using an association of alcohol consumption and local irradiation to induce liver disease model in C57BL/6 mice. Male and female mice were submitted to a previous alcohol-induced liver injury protocol with water containing 5% alcohol for 90 days. Then, the animals were treated with G-CSF (100 μg/kg/d) for 3 days before or after liver irradiation (18 Gy). At days 7, 30, and 60 post-radiation, non-invasive liver images were acquired by ultrasonography, magnetic resonance, and computed tomography. Biochemical and histological evaluations were performed to verify whether G-CSF could prevent liver tissue damage or reverse the acute liver injury. Our data showed that the treatment with G-CSF before irradiation effectively improved morphofunctional parameters caused by RILD, restoring histological arrangement, promoting liver regeneration, preserving normal organelles distribution, and glycogen granules. The amount of OV-6 and F4/80-positive cells increased, and α-SMA positive cells’ presence was normalized. Additionally, prior G-CSF administration preserved serum biochemical parameters and increased the survival rates (100%). On the other hand, after irradiation, the treatment showed a slight improvement in survival rates (79%) and did not ameliorate RILD. Overall, our data suggest that G-CSF administration before radiation might be an immunotherapeutic alternative to radiotherapy planning to avoid RILD.