Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A LSTM Network-based Learners’ Monitoring Model for Academic Self-efficacy Evaluation Using EEG Signal Analysis

Learners’ monitoring in Smart Education has attracted extensive interest because of its important educational values to our present and future generations. Among many indicators in learners’ monitoring, self-efficacy lies at the center of Bandura’s social cognitive theory but still remains a significant challenge in setting an effective and reliable evaluation model. Thereby, we propose a long short-term memory (LSTM) network-based model using electroencephalogram (EEG) signal analysis, rather than traditional subjective measurement, to evaluate three levels of academic self-efficacy more objectively and precisely. Firstly, we collected academic self-efficacy scales from a cohort of 39 students exposed to three learning tasks of different difficulties and recorded corresponding EEG signals simultaneously. The acquired EEG data were then processed by pass-band filter and baseline drift removal. Subsequently, five features were extracted from the preprocessed EEG data and linked as feature sequences before sending into classifier. Then, using LSTM Recurrent Neural Network as the classification algorithm, we adjusted the number of hidden layers and LSTM units in each layer to observe their influence in performance. Finally, the proposed model achieves the accuracy of 95.06%. We suggest that this model based on LSTM classification and EEG signal analysis promotes a new learners’ monitoring pattern for academic self-efficacy evaluation as a physiological data-driven method.
Epidemiologic and Health Economic Evaluation of Cervical Cancer Screening in Rural China

Background: Cervical cancer is preventable and curable by detected early and managed effectively. To explore the most economical and effective cervical cancer screening strategies would lay a solid foundation for reducing the health and economic burden of cervical cancer. Methods: A Markov model was established for a cohort of 100,000 female to simulate the natural history of cervical cancer. 18 screening strategies were estimated including careHPV, Thin prep cytologic (TCT), Visual inspection with acetic acid/ Lugol’s iodine (VIA / VILI), careHPV in series with VIA / VILI, careHPV in series with TCT, three methods parallel connection every 1, 3, 5 years respectively. Model outcomes included cumulative risk of incidence and death of cervical cancer, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), cost-effectiveness ratios (CERs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), cost-utility ratios (CURs) and benefits. Results: According to the results of epidemiological analysis, careHPV similar to the parallel connection every 1 year achieved highest epidemiological effects via reducing the cumulative risk of onset and death by more than 98 %. In health-economic terms, CER among all the screening strategies ranged from -756.34 to 113040.3 Yuan per year and CUR ranged from -169.91 to 11968.27 Yuan per QALY. The benefit ranged from -1629 to 996 Yuan. The incremental cost-effectiveness analysis showed that three methods in parallel every 1 year, TCT every 1 year, VIA/VILI every 1, 3, 5 years and careHPV every 5 years were dominant strategies. Conclusion: Considering the economic and health benefits of all the strategies, our results suggested careHPV every 3 or 5 years and VIA/VILI every 1 or 3 years eventually were more appropriate as screening methods in rural China.
Discovery of the Type Specimen of Lysiosquilla crassispinosa Fukuda, 1909(Crustacea: Stomatopoda)and Some Fukuda's Stomatopod Specimens

The holotype of Lysiosquilla crassispinosa Fukuda ,1909,which is currently assigned to the genus Bathysquilla Manning,1963,was discovered in the collection of the University Museum ,University of Tokyo.The discovery of the specimen invalidates the selection of the neotype of B.crassispinosa . Several o ther stomatopod specimens cited in Fukuda'papers and now located in the University Museum, University of Tokyo,are re-identified.Gonodactylus childi Manning ,1971 is reported for the first time from Japanese waters.
Geometric morphometric analyses of leaf variation in four oak species of the subgenus Quercus (Fagaceae)

Abstract This paper defines a protocol for the study of leaf morphology and morphometric relationships among Quercus frainetto, Quercus robur, Quercus petraea and Quercus pubescens. Leaf shapes were investigated in an attempt to characterize and discriminate among these four species. Landmark and outline data were compared in order to ascertain their relative efficacy for describing variation in leaf morphology. MANOVA was performed to assess intra‐specific differentiation and to compare the distribution of variance in individuals, populations and species. A strong correlation was found between landmark and outline datasets of the four species: both methods proved capable of discriminating among the four species. Finally, a Two‐Block Partial Least‐Squares analysis was performed for each species in order to assess the correlation between intra‐specific shape variation and environmental factors.
Comparison of the Diagnostic Value of MRI and Whole Body 18F-FDG PET/CT in Diagnosis of Spondylodiscitis

Spondylodiscitis is a spine infection for which a diagnosis by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the most appropriate imaging technique. The aim of this study was to compare the role of an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) and an MRI in this field. For 56 patients with suspected spondylodiscitis for whom MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT were performed, we retrospectively analyzed the results. Cohen’s κ was applied to evaluate the agreement between the two techniques in all patients and in subgroups with a different number of spinal districts analyzed by the MRI. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were also evaluated. The agreements of the 18F-FDG PET/CT and MRI in the evaluation of the entire population, whole-spine MRI, and two-districts MRI were moderate (κ = 0.456, κ = 0.432, and κ = 0.429, respectively). In patients for whom one-district MRI was performed, 18F-FDG PET/CT and MRI were both positive and completely concordant (κ = 1). We also separately evaluated patients with suspected spondylodiscitis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis for whom the MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT were always concordant excepting in 2 of the 18 (11%) patients. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT were 100%, 60%, 97%, and 92%, 100%, and 94%, respectively. Our results confirmed the 18F-FDG PET/CT diagnostic value in the diagnosis of spondylodiscitis is comparable to that of MRI for the entire spine evaluation. This could be considered a complementary technique or a valid alternative to MRI.
How Useful is Selection Based on Alarm Symptoms in Requesting Gastroscopy? An Evaluation of Diagnostic Determinants for Gastro-oesophageal Malignancy

Objective: To derive and evaluate diagnostic determinants of gastro-oesophageal malignancy as a means of helping family physicians select patients for 'open-access' gastroscopy. In this multicenter study, 861 consecutive patients were investigated with first-time gastroscopy (study population). Another 1153 patients were studied during the next 6 years (validation population). General practitioners registered symptoms relevant to malignancy and patient histories; the results of gastroscopies were received from the endoscopists. Methods: Univariate and multivariate analyses resulted in four relevant symptoms that were then compared with 'alarm symptoms' previously published in the literature. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the probability of finding malignancy using these two sets of symptoms. Results: Positive answers regarding the symptoms, weight loss and dysphagia, together with negative answers on pain during the night and heartburn, predicted malignancy in the study population with an AUC (area under the curve) of 0.90. 'Alarm symptoms' performed less well in the study population (AUC 0.85), although reproducibility was better in the validation population (0.71 versus 0.63). If exclusion of malignancy had been chosen as the only valid reason for requesting gastroscopy, then pre-selection with the help of these symptoms would have reduced the number of requests by 10%. Conclusion: Thorough evaluation of 'classical' alarm symptoms in dyspeptic patients might help minimize unnecessary gastroscopy requests by GPs seeking a safe treatment decision.
Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity of Stem and Root Extracts of Salvadora oleoides, a Medicinal Plant

The phenolic concentrations and antioxidant activities of root and stem extracts of Salvadora oleoides were analysed by different methods. The acetone fraction of root as well as acetone and aqueous extracts of the stem showed the highest antioxidant activity compared to other tested extracts. There was a positive correlation between the phenolic concentration of extracts and their respective antioxidant activity. The highest activity in superoxide radical scavenging assay was observed in the acetone stem extract (58.2%, r = 0.9744), while in hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, the aqueous stem extract (34.1%, r = 0.8750) was the most potent scavenger. Acetone root extract showed maximum metal chelating (59.6%, r = 0.9241) and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity (52.6%, r = 0.9463).
Effects of Slash Pine Silviculture on a Florida Population of Flatwoods Salamander

The largest known breeding migration of the flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum) was monitored over a 22-year period following its discovery in 1970 in Liberty County, Florida (U.S.A.). Nightly migrations of 200–300 adults across a 4.3-km stretch of paved highway in 1970–1972 had dwindled to less than one individual per night in 1990–1992; the decline apparently was already underway in the 1980s. We discuss possible natural and anthropogenic causes of the decline. The silvicultural practice of converting native longleaf pine savanna to bedded slash pine plantation, implemented on our study site about 1968, may have interfered with migration, successful hatching, larval life, feeding, and finding suitable cover post-metamorphosis. Longleaf pine-wiregrass flatwoods inhabited by adults have been drastically reduced and severely degraded throughout the coastal plain and may explain why the species is rare and deserving of threatened status. La mas grande migracion de crias conocida de la salamandra “flatwoods” (Ambystoma cingulatum) se seguio muy de cerca durante un plazo de 22 anos despues de su descrubrimiento en 1970 en el condado de Liberty, Florida. Las migraciones nocturnas de 200–300 adultos en 1970–1972 a traves de un tramo de 4.3 kilometros de carretera pavimentada habian disminuido a menos de un individuo por noche en 1990–1992. Segun parece, la disminucion ya estaba en marcha en los anos 1980. Deliberamos sobre posibles causas naturales y antropogenicas de esta disminucion. La practica silvicultural de convertir sabana de pinos “longleaf” autoctonos a plantio de pinos “slash” plantados se efectuo sobre nuestro sitio de estudio en 1968. Es posible que esta practica haya afectado la migracion, la salida de cascaron y la etapa larval de la salamandra, asi como su alimentacion y su habilidad de encontrar donde rirse despues de la metamorfosis. Se han reducido en forma drastica y se han visto afectados los bosques de pino “longleaf” y pasto alambre donde viven los adultos. Estas hechos sirven como posible explicacion de porque la especie ya es rara y merece una clasificacion como especie amenazada.
Doubleheader Logging: Eliminating Journal Write Overhead for Mobile DBMS

Various transactional systems use out-of-place up-dates such as logging or copy-on-write mechanisms to update data in a failure-atomic manner. Such out-of-place update methods double the I/O traffic due to back-up copies in the database layer and quadruple the I/O traffic due to the file system journaling. In mobile systems, transaction sizes of mobile apps are known to be tiny and transactions run at low concurrency. For such mobile transactions, legacy out-of-place update methods such as WAL are sub-optimal. In this work, we propose a crash consistent in-place update logging method - doubleheader logging (DHL) for SQLite. DHL prevents previous consistent records from being lost by performing a copy-on-write inside the database page and co-locating the metadata-only journal information within the page. This is done, in turn, with minimal sacrifice to page utilization. DHL is similar to when journaling is disabled, in the sense that it incurs almost no additional overhead in terms of both I/O and computation. Our experimental results show that DHL outperforms other logging methods such as out-of-place update write-ahead logging (WAL) and in-place update multi-version B-tree (MVBT).
In Vivo Sugar Diffusion in the Ileal Epithelium of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Background: D -glucose absorption, distinguishing between active and diffusive components, was studied in the ileum of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their normotensive control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Net water transport was also determined. Methods: A perfusion system in vivo with ileum loops was used, and experiments with phlorizin, phloretin and 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine (TAP) were performed in order to discriminate between active and diffusive components and between transcellular and paracellular routes. Results: A significant decrease in total D -glucose absorption was found in SHR compared to WKY rats, this reduction being due to a lower SGLT1-mediated component. The effect was not compensated by the total diffusive component, since the phlorizin-insensitive D -glucose absorption did not significantly change between rat strains. However, the diffusive component of D -glucose transport was relatively more important in hypertensive than in normotensive rats. The use of 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine (TAP), which blocks the transport across the paracellular route, showed that the paracellular diffusion of D -glucose was higher in SHR than in WKY rats. Intestinal net water absorption was not modified between either group of animals, though the presence of phlorizin in the perfusate decreased the ileal water absorption to a greater extent in normotensive rats. Conclusion: The observed reduction in D -glucose absorption in vivo in the ileum of SHR was due to a decrease in the SGLT1-active component. Despite the paracellular diffusion of D -glucose being higher in hypertensive than in normotensive rats, the total diffusion component was not high enough to compensate this alteration.
Dysfunction of the ciliary ARMC9/TOGARAM1 protein module causes Joubert syndrome.

Joubert syndrome (JBTS) is a recessive neurodevelopmental ciliopathy, characterized by a pathognomonic hindbrain malformation. All known JBTS-genes encode proteins involved in the structure or function of primary cilia, ubiquitous antenna-like organelles essential for cellular signal transduction. Here, we use the recently identified JBTS-associated protein ARMC9 in tandem-affinity purification and yeast two-hybrid screens to identify a novel ciliary module whose dysfunction underlies JBTS. In addition to known JBTS-associated proteins CEP104 and CSPP1, we identify CCDC66 and TOGARAM1 as ARMC9 interaction partners. We show that TOGARAM1 variants cause JBTS and disrupt TOGARAM1 interaction with ARMC9. Using a combination of protein interaction analyses and characterization of patient-derived fibroblasts, CRISPR/Cas9-engineered zebrafish and hTERT-RPE1 cells, we demonstrate that dysfunction of ARMC9 or TOGARAM1 results in short cilia with decreased axonemal acetylation and polyglutamylation, but relatively intact transition zone function. Aberrant cold- and serum-induced ciliary loss in both ARMC9 and TOGARAM1 patient cell lines suggests a role for this new JBTS-associated protein module in ciliary stability.
Prevalence and Correlates of Lymphatic Filariasis Infection and Its Morbidity Following Mass Ivermectin and Albendazole Administration in Mkinga District, North-Eastern Tanzania

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease targeted for elimination as public health problem through morbidity management and preventive annual mass drug administration (MDA). This cross-sectional community-based surveillance assessed the prevalence and correlates of LF infection in Mkinga district, Tanga-region, Tanzania. A total of 4115 individuals (49.7% males, 35.2% children) were screened for circulating filarial antigens (CFA), microfilaremia (mf) and disease manifestations in 15 villages between November 2018 and January 2019. MDA uptake in the previous year was assessed. Overall prevalence of CFA-positivity was 5.8% (239/4115; 95% CI: 5.1–6.6), with significant heterogeneity between villages (range 1.2% to 13.5%). CFA-positivity was higher in males (8.8%) than females (3.3%), and correlated with increasing age (p < 0.001). Prevalence of mf among CFA-positives was 5.2%. Only 60% of eligible inhabitants in the study area took MDA in the previous year, and CFA-positivity was 2-fold higher in those who missed MDA (p < 0.0001). Prevalence of scrotal enlargement, hydrocele, arms or legs swelling, lymphoedema and lymphadenopathy was 6.4%, 3.7%, 1.35%, 1.2% and 0.32%, respectively. Compared to baseline data, 16 years of MDA intervention significantly reduced LF transmission and morbidity, although the intended elimination target of <1% mf and <2% antigenemia to level where recrudescence is unlikely to occur by the year 2020 may not be attained. The finding of hotspots with ongoing transmission calls for intensified control measures.
Changes in actin microfilament arrays in developing pea root nodule cells

Various microorganisms that form symbiotic associations with plant roots alter the cytoskeleton of host cells. The objective of this study was to determine the organization of actin microfilaments in developing Pisum sativum L. (pea) root nodule cells at various stages after infection by Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae. Fluorescently labelled microfilaments in uninfected pea root nodule cells occur in association with the nucleus, along cytoplasmic strands, and as long microfilament bundles randomly organized in the cortex of the cell. These actin arrays are also present in recently infected cells that have been invaded by an infection thread and contain a small number of bacteroids. In addition, the recently infected cells contain diffuse cytoplasmic actin, long actin microfilament bundles near the vacuole, and a nuclear-associated network of microfilament bundles. In older infected cells, the predominant array is a network of cytoplasmic microfilaments that are wavy and extend in multiple directions .
Community Health Impacts of the Trident Copper Mine Project in Northwestern Zambia: Results from Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys

The application of a health impact assessment (HIA) for a large-scale copper mining project in rural Zambia triggered the long-term monitoring and evaluation of determinants of health and health outcomes in communities living in proximity to the mine. Three consecutive cross-sectional surveys were conducted at intervals of four years; thus, at baseline (2011), four (2015) and eight (2019) years into the project’s development. Using the same field and laboratory procedures, the surveys allowed for determining changes in health indicators at the household level, in young children (<5 years), school attendees (9–14 years) and women (15–49 years). Results were compared between communities considered impacted by the project and communities outside the project area (comparison communities). The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection increased in both the impacted and comparison communities between 2011 and 2019 but remained consistently lower in the impacted communities. Stunting in children < 5 years and the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in children aged 9–14 years mostly decreased. In women of reproductive age, selected health indicators (i.e., anaemia, syphilis, underweight and place of delivery) either remained stable or improved. Impacted communities generally showed better health outcomes than comparison communities, suggesting that the health interventions implemented by the project as a consequence of the HIA have mitigated potential negative effects and enhanced positive effects. Caution is indicated to avoid promotion of health inequalities within and beyond the project area.
He Figure transformation algorithm based on current-type CMOS circuit

Current-type CMOS circuits have strong anti-interference, low power consumption, high integration, and fast speed. Therefore, current-type CMOS circuits are a focus of current integrated circuit research. Based on the CMOS circuit design techniques and methods of threshold arithmetic algebra system, this paper proposes a new classification method, classifies all three variable functions, and implements some functions one by one through the newly proposed He Figure transformation algorithm. A new idea provides an effective way to fully implement any three-variable function based on CMOS circuits. Such classification methods and algorithms make the circuit simpler, consume less power, and operate faster.
New reconstruction of Weichselia reticulata (Stokes et Webb) Fontaine in Ward emend. Alvin, 1971 based on fertile remains from the middle Albian of Spain

Exceptionally well-preserved specimens from the middle Albian of Spain corresponding to a nearly complete fertile frond and fragments of pinnae containing soral clusters of the tree fern Weichselia reticulata have provided new data about the structure and arrangement of pinnae and their associated fertile reproductive structure. This new material has been compared with the previous studies, and recostructions of this fern and the new data indicate the segregation of vegetative and fertile fronds within the main stipe of this fern.
Analysis of Mortality in Patients With COVID-19: Clinical and Laboratory Parameters

Abstract Background Several reports on epidemiological and clinical features of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been published. However, mortality and morbidity analyses, important for better understanding the pathogenesis of this disease, are scarce. We examine the clinical and laboratory features of 14 patients who died of COVID-19. Methods The cohort consisted of 11 male and 3 female patients, with 9 patients aged 70 years or above, and nearly all had underlying diseases. Results Fever with bilateral pneumonia was the main manifestation. Most patients had consolidations combined with ground glass opacity (GGO) on chest computed tomography scan. Laboratory tests showed lymphocytopenia in 10 patients, high blood glucose in 11, GGT in 5 of the 14 patients, and high LDH in 5 of 6 patients tested. In addition, this cohort had high level of cytokines such as interleukin-6 in all 8 patients tested. Conclusions The clinical and laboratory parameters in the cohort of fatal cases may be incorporated into future clinical prognosis models and will be of help in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease.