Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and Psychometric Properties of the Community Implementation Behaviour Questionnaire (CIBQ) in the Context of Supporting Caring Relatives of People with Dementia

The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) investigates the determinants influencing the implementation behaviour of actors in healthcare. Caring for people with dementia (PWD) can be burdensome. Therefore, caring relatives (CRs) often rely on support of various actors in their community (CAs). However, the support of this target group is not sufficient, and the implementation of support services needs to be optimised. As it stands, there is no German-language questionnaire to investigate the factors that influence the implementation behaviour of CAs. Therefore, based on the TDF, the Community Implementation Behaviour Questionnaire (CIBQ) was developed in this study. A total of 205 CAs from 16 German communities were surveyed. The 34-item CIBQ asked about their implementation behaviour regarding support services for CRs of PWD. To identify the best model fit, the internal consistency and construct validity were computed. After adaptation, the final CIBQ consisted of ten domains and thirty-one items. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire are as follows: CMIN/DF = 1.63; SRMR = 0.05; RMSEA = 0.07; CFI = 0.92; Cronbach’s alpha 0.74–0.89; inter-item correlation 0.38–0.88. The initial results show satisfactory internal consistency and construct validity of the CIBQ. Using the CIBQ enables the health and care optimisation of CRs of PWD.
Identification of Halophilic and Halotolerant Bacteria from the Root Soil of the Halophyte Sesuvium verrucosum Raf

Soil salinity is a condition that limits crop growth and productivity, and soil-dwelling bacteria from halophytic plant roots may be a viable strategy to cope with low productivity due to salt stress. Halophilic and halotolerant bacteria of the root soil of Sesuvium verrucosum were analyzed in this study as there is little evidence regarding its associated microbiology. Soil was sampled from the roots of Sesuvium verrucosum to obtain the cultivable bacteria. Their morphological characteristics were identified and they were molecularly identified by the 16S sequence. The growth capacity of the bacteria was determined at different levels of pH and salinity, and several growth promotion characteristics were identified, such as phosphorus solubilization, indole acetic acid production by the tryptophan-dependent (AIAt) and tryptophan-independent (IAA) pathways, ammonium production from organic sources, solubilization of carbonates, and zinc and sodium capture capacity. In addition, the bacteria that presented the best characteristics for germination variables of Solanum lycopersicum were evaluated. A total of 20 bacteria from root soil of Sesuvium verrucosum Raf. belonging to the phyla Proteobacteria (50%), Firmicutes (45%) and Actinobacteria (5%) were identified, with each one having different morphological characteristics. Among the bacterial isolates, 45% had the ability to resist different levels of salinity and pH, ranging from 0 to 20% of NaCl, and pH between 5 and 11. Moreover, these bacteria had the capacity to solubilize carbonates, phosphorus and zinc, capture sodium, produce ammonium from organic substrates and IAA (indole acetic acid), and promote enzymatic activity of amylases, proteases, lipases and cellulases. The bacteria evaluated on the germination of Solanum lycopersicum had an influence on germination at different salinity levels, with greater influence at 100 mM NaCl. This demonstrated that halophilic bacteria belonging to the rhizosphere of Sesuvium verrucosum have the ability to promote growth in extreme salinity conditions, making them candidates for the recovery of productivity in saline soils.
Compression Supports Spatial Deep Learning

In the last decades, the domain of spatial computing became more and more data driven, especially when using remote sensing-based images. Furthermore, the satellites provide huge amounts of images, so the number of available datasets is increasing. This leads to the need for large storage requirements and high computational costs when estimating the label scene classification problem using deep learning. This consumes and blocks important hardware recourses, energy, and time. In this article, the use of aggressive compression algorithms will be discussed to cut the wasted transmission and resources for selected land cover classification problems. To compare the different compression methods and the classification performance, the satellite image patches are compressed by two methods. The first method is the image quantization of the data to reduce the bit depth. Second is the lossy and lossless compression of images with the use of image file formats, such as JPEG and TIFF. The performance of the classification is evaluated with the use of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) like VGG16. The experiments indicated that not all remote sensing image classification problems improve their performance when taking the full available information into account. Moreover, compression can set the focus on specific image features, leading to fewer storage needs and a reduction in computing time with comparably small costs in terms of quality and accuracy. All in all, quantization and embedding into file formats do support CNNs to estimate the labels of images, by strengthening the features.
Height and Active Arterial Wall Thickening in Relation to Thyroid Cysts Status among Elderly Japanese: A Prospective Study

Simple Summary Since active endothelial repair leads to arterial wall thickening, as defined based on the degree of yearly progression in arterial wall thickness, arterial wall thickening could indicate endothelial repair activity. Recent studies indicate that individuals with short stature might have disadvantages in endothelial healing. Therefore, the need for endothelial repair should be much stronger in individuals with short versus tall stature. Thus, height could be inversely associated with arterial wall thickness. Aging is a process associated with declining capacity for endothelial repair. In addition, as thyroid hormone plays an important role in activating endothelial repair, only individuals with enough capacity to produce thyroid hormone can activate endothelial repair efficiently. These findings indicate that height could be inversely associated with active arterial wall thickening among participants without latent thyroid damage. Our previous studies with thyroid ultrasound revealed that the absence of thyroid cysts could indicate the presence of latent damage of the ability to produce thyroid hormone. In this study, a significant inverse association between height and active arterial wall thickening was observed only among participants with thyroid cysts; this finding can help clarify a novel mechanism in vascular remodeling. Abstract Height is inversely associated with inflammation that stimulates endothelial repair. In our previous study involving elderly men aged 60–69 years, we found that active arterial wall thickening, which is known as the process of endothelial repair, requires CD34-positive cells. As thyroid hormone regulates CD34-positive cell production and as the absence of thyroid cysts might indicate latent damage in the thyroid, the status of thyroid cysts possibly influences the association between height and active arterial wall thickening. We conducted a 2-year follow-up study of Japanese aged 60–69 years. For participants with thyroid cysts, height was significantly inversely associated with active arterial wall thickening (thyroid function and baseline CIMT adjusted odds ratio of active arterial wall thickening for one increment of standard deviation of height (5.7 cm for men and 4.8 cm for women), 0.66 [0.49, 0.89]), while for those without thyroid cysts, a positive tendency between the two parameters was observed (1.19 [0.96, 1.50]). An inverse association between height and active arterial wall thickening was observed only for elderly participants with thyroid cysts possibly because of a supportive role of thyroid hormone, as the absence of thyroid cysts might indicate latent damage in the thyroid.
Comparison Between Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy and Nasogastric Feeding in 160 Patients with Swallowing Disturbances: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

Purpose We retrospectively compared the complications, blood biochemical indexes and outcomes in patients with swallowing disturbances receiving nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding and percutaneous endoscopy gastrostomy (PEG). Methods Among 160 patients, 72 cases received PEG and 88 cases received NGT. All patients were followed up for two years. We collected their clinical data from the medical records. Indicators, such as body mass index (BMI), white blood cell (WBC), hemoglobin (HGB), complications, including recurrent aspiration pneumonia, gastrointestinal bleeding, reflux esophagitis, and outcomes (survival or death) were compared between the two groups semi-annually. Results SAt both six months and one year after receiving treatment, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in indicators, complications and outcomes, with all P >0.05. It can be seen that, when the patients were followed up for one and a half years18 months, ALB was lower in the NGT group (33.81±0.46) compared with the PEG group (36.14±0.50) (P <0.05). After two years of follow-up, differences between the NGT and PEG group could be seen in a variety of indicators, including BMI (20.08±0.27 vs 21.03±0.25), WBC (9.12±0.56 vs 7.08±0.29), ALB (33.11±0.43 vs 35.75±0.49), creatinine (55.07±1.83 vs 63.21±2.94), and the complications, such as aspiration pneumonia, gastrointestinal bleeding, reflux esophagitis, and electrolyte disorder, in the PEG group were significantly reduced compared to the NGT groupthan that in its counterpart, P <0.05. In the two-year follow-up period, there were 13 and 22 patients died in the PEG group and NGT group, respectively. Conclusion Both techniques are safe and effective in the short term. However, on a longer-term basis, PEG is shown to be superior to NGT feeding in improving nutrition and preventing common complications for patients with swallowing disturbances.
A note on the relation between the “traditional approximation” and the metric of the primitive equations

The so-called “traditional approximation” consists in the neglect of certain terms in the equations of motion, in particular the horizontal Coriolis components. The validity of this approximation has long been discussed in the literature. In this study, it is shown that it is possible to exploit the shallowness of the atmosphere for a simplification of the spherical metric of the considered system (“Metrische Vereinfachung”). A Lagrange equation with this simplified metric may then be used to derive the equations of motion. These equations will not contain the problematic terms neglected in the “traditional approximation”. Using this procedure, it is possible to include a simple friction model through a dissipation function.
Low WIP1 Expression Accelerates Ovarian Aging by Promoting Follicular Atresia and Primordial Follicle Activation

Our previous study demonstrated that ovarian wild-type P53-induced phosphatase 1 (WIP1) expression decreased with age. We hypothesized that WIP1 activity was related to ovarian aging. The role of WIP1 in regulating ovarian aging and its mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Adult female mice with or without WIP1 inhibitor (GSK2830371) treatment were divided into three groups (Veh, GSK-7.5, GSK-15) to evaluate the effect of WIP1 on ovarian endocrine and reproductive function and the ovarian reserve. In vitro follicle culture and primary granulosa cell culture were applied to explore the mechanisms of WIP1 in regulating follicular development. This study revealed that WIP1 expression in atretic follicle granulosa cells is significantly lower than that in healthy follicles. Inhibiting WIP1 phosphatase activity in mice induced irregular estrous cycles, caused fertility declines, and decreased the ovarian reserve through triggering excessive follicular atresia and primordial follicle activation. Primordial follicle depletion was accelerated via PI3K-AKT-rpS6 signaling pathway activation. In vitro follicle culture experiments revealed that inhibiting WIP1 activity impaired follicular development and oocyte quality. In vitro granulosa cell experiments further indicated that downregulating WIP1 expression promoted granulosa cell death via WIP1-p53-BAX signaling pathway-mediated apoptosis. These findings suggest that appropriate WIP1 expression is essential for healthy follicular development, and decreased WIP1 expression accelerates ovarian aging by promoting follicular atresia and primordial follicle activation.
On the stability of randomly sampled systems

Randomly sampled linear systems with linear or non-linear feedback loops are studied by a stochastic Lyapunov function method. The input in this paper is assumed zero; driven systems will be treated in a later paper. Improved criteria for stability (with prebability one, on s th moment s > 1 , or in mean-square) are given when the sequence of holding times are independent. The method is relatively straightforward to apply, especially in comparison with the direct methods, and allows the study with nonlinear feedback or nonstationary holding times. A randomly sampled Lur'e problem is studied. Numerical results, describing some interesting phenomena, such as, jitter stabilized systems are presented.
Effects of different blood flow restriction pressure levels on muscular hemodynamics

Introduction: Resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) is an effective method to promote muscle strength gains and hypertrophy. However, little is known about the effects of different BFR levels on hemodynamic responses. Objective: To verify whether the different blood flow restriction pressures applied to the upper limb cause acute changes in vascular microcirculation in young, healthy male adults. Methods: Ten young male visited the laboratory on four occasions. In the first visit, after 10-min rest in supine position, the brachial artery occlusion pressure (AOP) was identified with a Doppler ultrasound. Thereafter, the participants were submitted to a protocol consisting of 1 min for baseline measurements, 2 min of BFR, and 2 min after cuff deflation. It was used a cuff placed on the proximal portion of the forearm and inflated with pressures equivalents to 30% (30BFR), 50% (50BFR) 80% (80BFR), or 100% (100BFR) of the AOP in a random order in separate days. Measurements of tissue saturation index (TSI), oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, and total hemoglobin were collected continuously using near-infrared spectrometry. Results: A two-way ANOVA with repeated measures demonstrated: 1) a significant decrease in TSI in all conditions, with higher decay in 100BFR; 2) a significant increase in oxyhemoglobin in all conditions, but 100BFR; 3) a similar increase in deoxyhemoglobin in all conditions; 4) a significant increase in total hemoglobin in all conditions, mainly in both 30BFR and 50BFR. Conclusion: The relative pressures adopted demonstrated that the hemodynamic changes do not occur linearly with the pressure level imposed by the inflated cuff.
Conjugate Effects on Steady Laminar Natural Convection Heat Transfer in Vertical Eccentric Annuli

Combined conduction-free convection heat transfer in vertical eccentric annuli is numerically investigated using finite-difference technique. Numerical results are presented for a fluid of Prandtl number 0.7 in an annulus of radius ratio 0.5 and dimensionless eccentricity 0.5. The conjugation effect on the induced flow rate and the total heat absorbed in the annulus is presented for the case of one wall being isothermally heated while the other wall is kept at inlet fluid temperature. The conjugate effects are controlled by solid-fluid conductivity ratio, cylinder walls thickness and dimensionless channel height (i.e. Grashof number). Solid-fluid conductivity ratio is varied over a range that covers practical cases with commonly encountered inner and outer walls thickness. Values of conductivity ratio over which conjugate effect can be neglected have been obtained. *On leave from Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
From Monitoring to Assisting: A Systematic Review towards Healthier Workplaces

Long-term stress is associated with a decline in global health, affecting social, intellectual, and economic development alike. Although comprehensive action plans have been implemented to provide people access to mental health services and promote mental well-being, employees’ mental health generally takes second place to productivity and profit in business settings. This review paper offers an overview of the current interactive approaches used for relieving work-related stress associated with mental health. Results from the 38 included studies show that affective computing is used mainly for monitoring purposes and is usually combined with tangible interfaces that collect workers’ physiological changes. Although the ability to sense and predict employees’ affective states can potentially improve mental health in the workplace, there is a substantial disparity between monitoring one’s health and the delivery of practical interventions to mitigate stress found in the surveyed studies. Designing systems that capitalize on embodied interaction principles is paramount, especially in the post-pandemic context, as the concepts of physical and mental safety take on new meanings that must be consciously and carefully addressed, particularly in workplace settings. Finally, this paper highlights the main design implications for the effective implementation of interfaces to help mitigate stress in the workplace.
Different Extracellular β-Amyloid (1-42) Aggregates Differentially Impair Neural Cell Adhesion and Neurite Outgrowth through Differential Induction of Scaffold Palladin

Extracellular amyloid β-protein (1-42) (Aβ42) aggregates have been recognized as toxic agents for neural cells in vivo and in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of extracellular Aβ42 aggregates in soluble (or suspended, SAβ42) and deposited (or attached, DAβ42) forms on cell adhesion/re-adhesion, neurite outgrowth, and intracellular scaffold palladin using the neural cell lines SH-SY5Y and HT22, and to elucidate the potential relevance of these effects. The effect of extracellular Aβ42 on neural cell adhesion was directly associated with their neurotrophic or neurotoxic activity, with SAβ42 aggregates reducing cell adhesion and associated live cell de-adherence more than DAβ42 aggregates, while causing higher mortality. The reduction in cell adhesion due to extracellular Aβ42 aggregates was accompanied by the impairment of neurite outgrowth, both in length and number, and similarly, SAβ42 aggregates impaired the extension of neurites more severely than DAβ42 aggregates. Further, the disparate changes of intracellular palladin induced by SAβ42 and DAβ42 aggregates, respectively, might underlie their aforementioned effects on target cells. Further, the use of anti-oligomeric Aβ42 scFv antibodies revealed that extracellular Aβ42 aggregates, especially large DAβ42 aggregates, had some independent detrimental effects, including physical barrier effects on neural cell adhesion and neuritogenesis in addition to their neurotoxicity, which might be caused by the rigid C-terminal clusters formed between adjacent Aβ42 chains in Aβ42 aggregates. Our findings, concerning how scaffold palladin responds to extracellular Aβ42 aggregates, and is closely connected with declines in cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth, provide new insights into the cytotoxicity of extracellular Aβ42 aggregates in Alzheimer disease.
MODELS OF MASSIVE PURE HYDROGEN STARS

If the earth's galaxy was initially composed of pure hydrogen, then the first stages of element formation would take place in massive stars condensing from such a medium. "Main-sequence" models were constructed for pure hydrogen stars ranging in mass from 1 to 2000 solar masses. It was found that there is a remarkably high average density in such models and that convection takes place in their cores. However, most of the models are purely formal ones, since appreciable helium formation takes place before such stars have fully contracted toward the main sequence. In stars of mass greater than about 26 solar masses, sufficient C/sup 12/ will form from this initial helium to alter the main- sequence structure through energy generation by the carbon cycle. (auth)
Rheological properties and fiber orientations of short fiber-reinforced plastics

The effect of fiber orientation on the rheological properties of short glass fiber-reinforced composites was investigated by dynamic oscillatory shearing with parallel plate fixtures. As an oscillatory shear amplitude and frequency applied to fiber-reinforced composites increased, more fibers in the composites were aligned in the flow direction, thus the complex viscosity gradually decreased. This phenomenon was confirmed by observing the fiber orientations using optical photographs. The complex viscosity depended upon the strain amplitude, and pre-oscillatory shearing frequency, and shearing time. Experimental results for fiber orientations and complex viscosity were compared with predictions available at the present time. The predictions of the dependence of fiber orientation upon strain amplitudes and fiber volume fractions are in qualitative agreement with experimental data. However, there were effects of the magnitude of frequency and oscillatory shearing time on fiber orientation, thus complex visco.
Uptake and Advanced Therapy of Butyrate in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The pathogenesis and refractory nature of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are related to multiple factors, including genetic factors, environmental factors, and abnormalities in gut microbial diversity, which lead to decreased levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Among SCFAs, butyrate plays an important role in mucosal barrier maintenance, serves as an energy source in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), and exhibits anti-inflammatory effects; therefore, it is a particularly important factor in gut homeostasis. Changes in gut microbiota and butyrate levels affect the outcomes of drug therapy for IBD. Butyrate is mainly absorbed in the large intestine and is transported by monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) and sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter 1 (SMCT1). During gut inflammation, butyrate utilization and uptake are impaired in IECs. Dysbiosis and low abundance of butyrate affect fecal microbiota transplantation and anticancer immunotherapy. Although butyrate administration has been reported as a treatment for IBD, its effects remain controversial. In this review, we discuss butyrate absorption and metabolism in patients with IBD and their relationship with drug therapy.
TW Hya under CRIRES light: evidence against the presence of a hot Jupiter

High-precision radial velocity measurements have suffered from stellar spots effects for more than one decade. With the advent of high-resolution infra-red spectrographs, one is allowed to move into a new spectral domain where the influence of these stellar phenomena on measurements is significantly reduced. We present the first results of our CRIRES campaign on TW Hya, around which a periodic optical radial velocity variation was found and attributed to a planet. Our work showed that the signal is not present in the infra-red, pointing to a cold spot instead of to a planet as the explanation for the different data sets. This campaign demonstrates the power of this new approach and shows that CRIRES can deliver high-precision radial velocity measurements.