Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predictors of negative outcomes in hospitalized patients with SARS‑CoV‑2 pneumonia: A retrospective study

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed a serious threat to human health worldwide after the first case was identified in December 2019. Specific therapeutic options for COVID-19 are lacking; thus, the treatment of patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is complex in clinical practice. Despite the development of treatment options and methods to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, certain patients experience critical illness and numerous deaths have occurred. Notably, treatment of this disease is complex due to the evolution of viral mutations and variants with different rates of infection. Moreover, specific patient characteristics may be associated with rapid disease progression and poor outcomes. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the specific characteristics of patients who developed poor outcomes, including clinical manifestations, blood samples (blood cell count and coagulation tests) at hospital admission and comorbidities. The present study included a total of 1,813 patients hospitalized with pneumonia and SARS-CoV-2 infection, and mortality rates associated with each patient characteristic were calculated. The characteristics associated with the highest risk of mortality were as follows: Age >90 years (OR, 105; 95% CI, 17.70-2,023.00); oxygen saturation at the time of hospital admission <89% in room air (OR, 14.3; 95% CI, 7.54-30.7), admission to the Intensive Care Unit (OR, 39.4; 95% CI, 27.7-57.0); and a neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio of 8.76-54.2 (OR, 14; 95% CI, 7.62-29.0). Treatment of patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia represents a challenge for the healthcare system, but there are a number of predictors for poor patient outcomes that could be identified at the time of hospital admission.
A scalar implicature-based account of the inference of pluralizedmass (and count) nouns

That plural marking cannot appear on mass nouns is a widely accepted generalization. In fact, the (in)ability of being pluralized is one of the diagnostics use for deciding whether a noun is mass or count. In English and similar languages, (1) is indeed ungrammatical. This sentence can only be salvaged when the mass term is coerced or reinterpreted as types of or standardized quantity of (see Chierchia 1998, 2010 among many others).
The Effectiveness and Safety of Intensive Lipid-Lowering with Different Rosuvastatin-Based Regimens in Patients at High Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Nonblind, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Background : A statin alone or non-statins as add-ons have been introduced to intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) -lowering therapy in patients at risk for high cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different rosuvastatin-based regimens for patients at high risk. Methods : Three hundred patients at high CVD risk were randomly assigned to the statin group (rosuvastatin, 20 mg/d), statin_EZ group (statin 10 mg/d + ezetimibe 10 mg/d), statin_pcsk group (statin 10 mg/d + alirocumab 75 mg/2 weeks) or combine3 group (statin 10 mg/d + ezetimibe 10 mg/d + alirocumab 75 mg/2 weeks). The primary outcome measure was cholesterol levels after 24 weeks of follow-up. Secondary outcomes included safety markers and the proportion of patients achieving the 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L) target for LDL-C. A logistic regression model was performed to explore the factors affecting lipid target achievement. Results : The total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-C levels in the four groups after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment. TC and LDL-C levels after treatment were significantly different among the four groups ( p < 0.05). The levels in both the combine3 and statin_pcsk9 groups were significantly lower than those in the statin and statin_EZ groups ( p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the combine3 and statin_pcsk9 groups. Fifty-one participants (69%) in the statin_pcsk9 group and 56 participants (78%) in the combine3 group achieved the target. Body mass index (BMI) and hypertensive status were related to LDL-C target achievement. The incidence of adverse events in the four groups was low. Conclusions : The combination of a statin and a PCSK9 inhibitor was safe and more effective for the treatment of high-risk CVD patients, while the addition of ezetimibe was unable to significantly lower lipid levels any further. The rate of achieving the target was higher in patients with hypertension and a low BMI. Clinical Trial Registration : Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Identifier: ChiCTR2200058389, Date of Registration: 2022-04-08.
Prevalence and Association of Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Blastocystis sp. in Poultry

Poultry and poultry meat are considered the most important sources of human campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis. However, data about the occurrence of Campylobacter and Salmonella concomitantly with intestinal protozoa such as Blastocystis sp. in poultry remain very scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the presence and possible interactions between these three microorganisms in fecal samples from 214 chickens collected either on farms or from live bird markets in Egypt. The results obtained showed that Campylobacter spp. , Salmonella spp. , and Blastocystis sp. were present in 91.6% (196/214), 44.4% (95/214), and 18.2% (39/214) of tested samples, respectively, highlighting an active circulation of these microorganisms. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was reported between the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. and Blastocystis sp. together with a significant negative correlation between Blastocystis sp. and Salmonella spp. This study confirms the association reported previously between Blastocystis sp. and Campylobacter spp. while disclosing an association between Blastocystis sp. and Salmonella spp. ; it also highlights the need to improve studies on the interactions between bacteria and eukaryotes in the gut microbiota of poultry.
The importance of long‐term post‐release studies in classical biological control: Insect–plant monitoring and public awareness of water hyacinth management (Pontederia crassipes) in Dique Los Sauces, Argentina

Several components of classical biological control (CBC) programmes are necessary to assess the success of the management strategy (e.g., post‐release monitoring) and also help prevent reintroductions or resurgences of invasive species (e.g., public awareness). Water hyacinth, Pontederia (= Eichhornia) crassipes (Mart.) Solms (Pontederiaceae) is an aquatic plant naturally distributed in the north‐eastern region of the Del Plata basin in Argentina. In the 1960s it was introduced into the Dique Los Sauces reservoir located outside of its native range in La Rioja Province, in western Argentina, where it became invasive. The natural enemy, Neochetina bruchi Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was intentionally introduced in 1974 to control the weed. To assess the success of this CBC programme, a long‐term post‐release study was conducted. Between 1965 and 2023, we monitored plant coverage, estimated N. bruchi densities, and quantified the associated damage by reanalysing previously published data and incorporating new sampling. We also conducted an online survey to analyse public knowledge and perception about this programme. Water hyacinth coverage fluctuated from its first record in 1965 (maximum coverage 90%) until the control of germinated plants (coverage 0%) in 2018. The plant decline was accompanied by an increase in the weevil population. In our survey, out of 325 respondents only a small group of mostly middle‐aged and elderly people knew that the restoration had been achieved through a management strategy and even fewer were aware of the biocontrol approach taken. Respondents who had a positive approach to biological control were more aware of the management plan than respondents who had neutral or negative opinions. Neochetina bruchi has played a key factor in the control of P. crassipes. The intrinsic dynamics of these populations, the dormant seed bank, and the lack of public awareness support the need for long post‐release evaluations including outreach campaigns to make a sustainable successful management programme.
Impact of COVID-19 on mental health in the Middle East: A cross-sectional study

Objective: This study aimed to shed the light on the relation between the COVID-19 outbreak and mental health, including depression and anxiety in the Middle East. Methods: This is a survey-based study that was conducted online to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the Middle East countries. The survey was uploaded on Google Form platform and was distributed through Facebook and WhatsApp platform. Results: In this study, 1,281 respondents completed the online survey. Results showed higher percentages of anxiety were diagnosed post-pandemic (38.0%) compared to pre-pandemic (6.8%). Similarly, higher percentages of participants were diagnosed with depression post-pandemic (32.0%) compared with pre-pandemic (5.0%). Also, 43.4% of the participants showed that they always or most of the time felt ‘loss of desire or interest in things. Moreover, many participants (22.4%) always/most of the time felt cramps in their chest and heart as soon as they thought of the pandemic. Finally, logistic regression analysis emphasized that gender and age significantly affected the diagnosis of anxiety and depression following the pandemic (p≤0.005). Conclusions: This current study highlighted an increase in the diagnosis of anxiety and depression among Middle Eastern following the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings revealed the importance of utilizing health coping or resilience strategies, mental health awareness campaigns, and education programs by the policymakers and stakeholders.
Generation mean analysis of important yield traits in Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia)

Generation mean analysis study in bitter gourd was undertaken using six basic generations viz. P1, P2, F1, F2, B1 and B2 population derived from crossing gynoecious line (IIHRBTGy - 491) with two monoecious lines (IIHR Sel -19 -1 and IIHR Sel-78-4). The gynoecious parent was superior for node for first female flowering, number of fruits and yield/plant whereas the monoecious parents were superior for fruit length, fruit diameter and fruit weight. The superior performance of F1 over better parent indicated over-dominance of these traits. F2 plants were significantly diverse. B1 and B2 population exhibited mean value closure to their recurrent parents. Significance of one or more scaling tests, i.e. A, B, C and D in most of the traits revealed the presence of epistasis in both the crosses except for node bearing 1st male flower. Days to 1st female flower opening, node bearing 1st female flower, fruit diameter and yield showed presence of duplicate epistasis whereas days to 1st male flower opening, number of fruits per plant, fruit length and fruit weight showed complimentary epistasis in IIHRBTGy - 491 × IIHR Sel -19 -1 cross. Node bearing 1st female flower, fruit length, fruit diameter and yield showed presence of duplicate epistasis whereas days to 1st female flower opening, days to 1st male flower opening, number of fruits and fruit weight showed complimentary epistasis in IIHRBTGy - 491× IIHR Sel-78-4 cross. Additive gene action may be predominant for inheritance of node bearing 1st male flower.
The "MATHEMA" application as a Mathematics Learning Media for Children with Down Syndrome

This research aims to create application-based learning media to help ease children with Down syndrome in learning mathematics. The research method used is a qualitative method, with research subjects of teachers, parents, and children with Down syndrome grade three SDLB. In accordance with the results of the analysis of objective conditions of the ability, inability, and needs of the subject, as well as theoretical analysis of learning mathematics, a 'Mathema' application was developed, namely an interactive learning media in which there are features to learn about the concept of numbers, number sequences, number symbols, and addition and subtraction operations, which based on conceptual validation is feasible to use and based on empirical validation has proven effective for improving the ability to learn mathematics in the subject so that the findings of the 'Mathema' media are expected a solution for teachers in helping ease learning mathematics in children with Down syndrome.
NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE Including Non-Boussinesq Effects in Boussinesq Ocean Circulation Models

A set of equations is derived to modify z-level Boussinesq ocean circulation models to account for nonBoussinesq effects. These equations take the same form as those of the Boussinesq models except for the addition of a few correction terms that require the calculation of integral density sources. These corrections are estimated to be significant based on a scale analysis.
How Organizational Commitment Mediates Teacher Competence and Work Discipline on Student Learning Outcomes

In the context of education, the achievement of learning outcomes has an important role as an indicator of the effectiveness of the learning process. This study aims to examine the role of organizational commitment as a mediating factor in the influence of teacher competence and work ethic on learning outcomes. This study involved 31 instructors as the study population and used a quantitative approach with the SmartPLS 3.0 analysis tool. The research findings show that: (1) teacher competence has no significant effect on learning outcomes, (2) teacher competence has a significant effect on organizational commitment, (3) work discipline has no significant effect on organizational commitment, (4) work discipline has an influence significant effect on organizational commitment, (5) organizational commitment has a significant impact on learning outcomes, and (6) teacher competence directly influences learning outcomes through work discipline factors and organizational commitment which are closely interrelated.
Influence of Peanut Seed Exposure to Microwave and X-ray Radiations on Sclerotium Stem Rot and Effects on Yield Improvement, and RAPD-PCR Mutagenic Analysis of Peanut Plants

Peanut seeds were exposed to microwave and X-ray radiation before planting in artificially infested soil with S. rolfsii under a greenhouse and natural field conditions. Results showed a high reduction of stem rot and improvement of yield and seed oil content of peanut following seeds exposed to X-ray at 45KeV for 5 sec and MR or 30 sec compared to the control (non-irradiated seeds). Based on the RAPD-PCR mutagenic analysis of DNA peanut plants using eight ten-mer (random primers used for molecular polymorphism analysis) random oligonucleotide primers following seed irradiation, six new DNA bands, and no missing bands were detected with mutagenic frequency (20%) in plants raised from seeds exposed to MR for 30 sec. In addition, four new DNA bands were detected, and only one missing band was detected with mutagenic frequency (18.51%) in plants generated from seeds exposed to X-ray at 45 KeV for 5 sec. In contrast, the most noticeable changes were the increased number of missing DNA bands by increasing the X-ray exposure dose, where the number of missing bands was increased from 1 in 45 KeV to 3 bands in 75 KeV and 6 bands in 95 KeV. Therefore, these findings demonstrated that seed exposure to X-rays at the low dose of 45 KeV for 5 sec effectively controlled Sclerotium stem rot of peanut but caused more severe plant injuries at high radiation doses.
Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy of Two-Dimensional Materials

Nonlinear optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), graphene, black phosphorus, and so on, play a key role of understanding nanoscale light-matter interactions, as well as developing nanophotonics applications from solar cells to quantum computation. With ultrafast lasers, we experimentally study nonlinear optical properties of 2D materials. Employing transient absorption microscopy, we study several members of 2D materials, such as WSe2, TiS3 and ReS2. The dynamical saturable absorption process of 2D excitons is spatiotemporally resolved. Intrinsic parameters of these 2D materials, such as exciton lifetime, exciton diffusion coefficient, and exciton mobility, are effectively measured. Especially, in-plane anisotropy of transient absorption and diffusive transport is observed for 2D excitons in monolayer ReS2, demonstrating the in-plane degree of freedom. Furthermore, with quantum interference and control nanoscopy, we all-optically inject, detect and manipulate nanoscale ballistic charge currents in a ReS2 thin film. By tuning the phase difference between one photon absorption and two photon absorption transition paths, sub-picosecond timescale of ballistic currents is coherently controlled for the first time in TMDs. In addition, the spatial resolution is two-order of magnitude smaller than optical diffraction limit. The second-order optical nonlinearity of 2D monolayers is resolved by second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. We measure the second-order susceptibility of monolayer MoS2. The angular dependence of SHG in monolayer MoS2 shows strong symmetry dependence on its crystal lattice structure. Hence, second harmonic generation microscopy can serve as a powerful tool to noninvasively determine the crystalline directions of 2D monolayers.
Impact of Sharing Disruption in MC CR-NOMA

Spectrum sharing disruption in cognitive radio networks (CRNs) can significantly degrade network performance. Most sharing disruption attacks in the literature focus on orthogonal multiple access (OMA) or higher layers, such as medium access control (MAC). However, this paper focuses on multi-carrier cognitive radio non-orthogonal multiple access (MC CR-NOMA). The sharing disruption mechanism is established by jamming the channel estimation phase. This is shown to cause a denial-of-service (DoS) for secondary users. We derive the optimal power allocation to disrupt spectrum sharing for a number of secondary users. This is demonstrated by deriving the maximum average number of DoS bands under a constraint on power of the adversary. Furthermore, a comparison between optimal power allocation and uniform power allocation is provided. Both the analytical and numerical results of the optimal sharing disruption are presented. Overall, this study highlights the vulnerabilities in spectrum sharing for MC CR-NOMA and presents a new type of attack.
Accurate retrieval of region of interest for estimating point spread function and image deblurring

ABSTRACT Extraction of an optimal region of interest (ROI) is crucial in many image processing applications, such as estimation of the point spread function (PSF) and blind deconvolution (BD). Although the amount of publications on PSF and BD is quite extensive; however, the work on ROI estimation has not received much attention. Existing methods which used heuristic models are not only time-consuming but also computationally expensive. In this paper, we proposed a new ROI retrieval scheme based on image partitioning and entropy measurement feedback. This method has low computation cost since it contains no matrix operations. Comprehensive experiments on real and synthetic datasets revealed that the proposed method is competitive when compared with existing search techniques, averaging at 26.1 dB, 0.46 and 1.44 on peak signal-to-noise ratio, universal image quality index and error ratio scales, respectively. On average, the proposed method takes less than 10 s to retrieve the ROI which is significantly faster compared to established solution.
Distributed Sensing of a Cantilever Beam and Plate using a Fiber Optic Sensing System

As the capabilities of Fiber Optic Sensing Systems continue to improve, their application to real-time distributed sensing for structural analysis and control of ﬂexible systems is increas-ingly feasible. This paper will report experimental results on the use of a Fiber Optic Sensing System for static and dynamic shape estimation of a cantilever beam and plate. Demonstrating the use of this sensor technology in benchtop experiments is the ﬁrst step in eﬀectively incorporating ﬁber optic sensors in the Integrated Adaptive Wing Technology Maturation aeroelastic half-span wind tunnel model for real-time shape sensing and feedback for drag optimization, maneuver load alleviation, gust load alleviation, and ﬂutter suppression control laws. The eﬀectiveness of the sensing system will be analyzed and the application of these results to aeroelasticity experimentation will be discussed.
Validation of a Chinese Version of the Digital Stress Scale and Development of a Short Form Based on Item Response Theory Among Chinese College Students

Purpose In 2021, Hall et al developed the Digital Stress Scale (DSS), but its psychometric characteristics were only tested using classical test theory (CTT). In this study, we use item response theory (IRT) and CTT to develop and verify a Chinese version of the DSS and its short version, which can improve the reliability and effectiveness of the digital stress measurement tool for Chinese college students. Methods In this study, we developed a Chinese version of the DSS (DSS-C) and recruited 1506 Chinese college students as participants to analyze its psychometric characteristics based on CTT and item response theory methods. First, we used CTT, including common method bias, construct validity, criterion-related validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability and measurement invariance. Then, we adopted the IRT approach to examine the item parameters, item characteristics, item information, differential item function, test information, and test reliability of the DSS-C. Finally, a short form (DSS-C-S) was constructed, and the psychometric characteristics of the DSS-C-S were examined. Results (1) The five-factor structure of the DSS-C was verified. The DSS-C shows good internal reliability, test-retest reliability, criterion-related validity and measurement invariance between urban college students and rural college students. (2) All 24 items had reasonable discrimination parameters and location parameters and were DIF-free by gender. Except for Items 4 and 10, all the other items had high information and measurement reliability at medium θ levels. (3) Compared with the DSS-C, the 22-item short form also has good reliability and validity and maintains sufficient measurement accuracy while reducing items of poor quality. Conclusion Both the DSS-C and the DSS-C-S have good psychometric characteristics and are accurate and effective tools for measuring the digital stress of Chinese college students.
Discontinuous Lyapunov functions for a class of piecewise affine systems

In this paper, a Lyapunov-based method is provided to study the local asymptotic stability of planar piecewise affine systems with continuous vector fields. For such systems, the state space is supposed to be partitioned into several bounded convex polytopes. A piecewise affine function, not necessarily continuous on the boundaries of the polytopic partitions, is proposed as a candidate Lyapunov function. Then, sufficient conditions for the local asymptotic stability of the system, including a monotonicity condition at switching instants, are formulated as a linear programming problem. In addition, when the problem does not have a feasible solution based on the original partitions of the system, a new partition refinement algorithm is presented. In this way, more flexibility can be provided in searching for the Lyapunov function. Owing to relaxation of the continuity condition imposed on the system boundaries, the proposed method reaches to less conservative results, compared with the previous methods based on continuous piecewise affine Lyapunov functions. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.