Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Behavioral Intention to Get a Booster Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine among Chinese Factory Workers

China started to offer a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to members of the adult population in October 2021. This study investigated the behavioral intention to receive a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine among factory workers who had completed their primary vaccination series. Participants were full-time factory employees at least 18 years of age in Shenzhen, China. In Shenzhen, factory workers need to receive a physical examination every year. The study sites covered all six organizations providing physical examinations for factory workers. All eligible workers attending these sites between 26 and 31 October 2021 were invited to complete an online survey. This study was based on 2329 participants who had completed the primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Two-level logistic regression models were fitted. Among the participants, 84% intended to receive a free booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine within the next six months. After controlling for significant background characteristics, we found that perceptions related to a booster dose as well as interpersonal level factors such as information exposure on social media, thoughtful consideration of the veracity of the information, and satisfaction with vaccine-related promotional materials were determinants of behavioral intention. Factory workers in China reported a high level of behavioral intention to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Effects of Olfactory Stimulation with Aroma Oils on Psychophysiological Responses of Female Adults

This study investigated the effects of olfactory stimulation with aroma oils on the psychophysiological responses in women. Ten aromatic oils (lavender, rosemary, rose, eucalyptus, jasmine, geranium, chamomile, clary sage, thyme, and peppermint) were used on 23 women aged between 20 and 60 years. They inhaled the scent for 90 s through a glass funnel attached to their lab apron, 10 cm below their nose, while the pump was activated. Electroencephalography, blood pressure, and pulse rate were measured before and during inhalation of the aroma oils. The relative alpha (RA) power spectrums indicating relaxation and resting state of the brain significantly increased when lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, jasmine, chamomile, clary sage, and thyme oils were inhaled compared to those of before olfactory stimulation. The ratio of alpha to high beta (RAHB), an indicator of brain stability and relaxation, significantly increased when rosemary, jasmine, clary sage, and peppermint oils were inhaled. The relative low beta (RLB) power spectrum, an indicator of brain activity in the absence of stress, significantly increased when stimulated with lavender, rosemary, rose, and geranium scents. Further, systolic blood pressure significantly decreased after introduction of all 10 types of aromatic oils, which indicates stress reduction. Thus, olfactory stimulation with aroma oil had a stabilizing effect on the prefrontal cortex and brain activity and decreased systolic blood pressure.
Disparities in COVID-19 Information Sources and Knowledge in South Korea

Applying Dervin’s sense-making theory, this study aims to examine the factors associated with the numbers and types of COVID-19 information sources, and the association between information sources and knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. An online survey was conducted among adults (19–69 years old) in December 2020. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic regression were conducted to examine (1) the associated factors with the numbers and types of COVID-19 information sources, and (2) whether the number and types of COVID-19 information sources predict the correct COVID-19 knowledge. On average, the participants utilized five different sources to find COVID-19 information. The information need was related to the number and type of information sources, while the information barrier was only related to the number of sources. Participants who utilized more sources and who utilized online sources were more likely to possess the correct knowledge regarding COVID-19 while utilizing the government website; however, doctors, as a source, were negatively related to COVID-19 knowledge. There should be more support for individuals with lower socioeconomic status, as they tend to look for fewer sources, while finding more sources is positively related to better COVID-19 knowledge.
Inverse Mixed-Solvent Molecular Dynamics for Visualization of the Residue Interaction Profile of Molecular Probes

To ensure efficiency in discovery and development, the application of computational technology is essential. Although virtual screening techniques are widely applied in the early stages of drug discovery research, the computational methods used in lead optimization to improve activity and reduce the toxicity of compounds are still evolving. In this study, we propose a method to construct the residue interaction profile of the chemical structure used in the lead optimization by performing “inverse” mixed-solvent molecular dynamics (MSMD) simulation. Contrary to constructing a protein-based, atom interaction profile, we constructed a probe-based, protein residue interaction profile using MSMD trajectories. It provides us the profile of the preferred protein environments of probes without co-crystallized structures. We assessed the method using three probes: benzamidine, catechol, and benzene. As a result, the residue interaction profile of each probe obtained by MSMD was a reasonable physicochemical description of the general non-covalent interaction. Moreover, comparison with the X-ray structure containing each probe as a ligand shows that the map of the interaction profile matches the arrangement of amino acid residues in the X-ray structure.
CAttSleepNet: Automatic End-to-End Sleep Staging Using Attention-Based Deep Neural Networks on Single-Channel EEG

Accurate sleep staging results can be used to measure sleep quality, providing a reliable basis for the prevention and diagnosis of sleep-related diseases. The key to sleep staging is the feature representation of EEG signals. Existing approaches rarely consider local features in feature extraction, and fail to distinguish the importance of critical and non-critical local features. We propose an innovative model for automatic sleep staging with single-channel EEG, named CAttSleepNet. We add an attention module to the convolutional neural network (CNN) that can learn the weights of local sequences of EEG signals by exploiting intra-epoch contextual information. Then, a two-layer bidirectional-Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) is used to encode the global correlations of successive epochs. Therefore, the feature representations of EEG signals are enhanced by both local and global context correlation. Experimental results achieved on two real-world sleep datasets indicate that the CAttSleepNet model outperforms existing models. Moreover, ablation experiments demonstrate the validity of our proposed attention module.
Path analysis of biomarkers for cognitive decline in early Parkinson’s disease

Clinical and biochemical diversity of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and numerous demographic, clinical, and pathological measures influencing cognitive function and its decline in PD create problems with the determination of effects of individual measures on cognition in PD. This is particularly the case where these measures significantly interrelate with each other producing intricate networks of direct and indirect effects on cognition. Here, we use generalized structural equation modelling (GSEM) to identify and characterize significant paths for direct and indirect effects of 14 baseline measures on global cognition in PD at baseline and at 4 years later. We consider 269 drug-naïve participants from the Parkinson’s Progression Marker Initiative database, diagnosed with idiopathic PD and observed for at least 4 years after baseline. Two GSEM networks are derived, highlighting the possibility of at least two different molecular pathways or two different PD sub-types, with either CSF p-tau181 or amyloid beta (1–42) being the primary protein variables potentially driving progression of cognitive decline. The models provide insights into the interrelations between the 14 baseline variables, and determined their total effects on cognition in early PD. High CSF amyloid concentrations (> 500 pg/ml) are associated with nearly full protection against cognitive decline in early PD in the whole range of baseline age between 40 and 80 years, and irrespectively of whether p-tau181 or amyloid beta (1–42) are considered as the primary protein variables. The total effect of depression on cognition is shown to be strongly amplified by PD, but not at the time of diagnosis or at prodromal stages. CSF p-tau181 protein could not be a reliable indicator of cognitive decline because of its significantly heterogeneous effects on cognition. The outcomes will enable better understanding of the roles of the clinical and pathological measures and their mutual effects on cognition in early PD.
Seismic probabilistic safety assessment and risk control of nuclear power plants in Northwest Europe

This article presents a stochastic ground-motion accelerogram model for Northwest Europe which simulates accelerograms compatible with seismic scenarios defined by earthquake magnitudes 4oMwo6.5, distance-to-site 10 kmoRepio100 km and different types of soil (rock, stiff and soft soil). This model is developed based on Rezaeian and Der Kiureghian (2008, 2010) [1,2] and is a set of predictive equations that define a time-modulated filtered white-noise process. Such predictive equations were calibrated by means of the random-effects regression technique using a subset of the European database of accelerograms. The model is validated in terms of PGA, PGV and spectral accelerations using GMPEs for the UK, Europe and Middle East, and other Stable Continental Regions. This model is the first of its kind for NW Europe. & 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Pilot Study of Attitudes of Taiwanese Veterinarians and Undergraduate Veterinary Students toward Animal Abuse and Interpersonal Violence

Simple Summary There is a strong association between animal abuse and interpersonal violence; therefore, veterinarians may encounter both. Dealing with animal abuse cases is beneficial for advancing animal welfare and the overall public health. Veterinarians play an important professional role in identifying and responding to this relationship. This is the first study in Taiwan to investigate the current situation of animal abuse from the perspective of veterinarians. Our results established that the incidence of suspected physical animal abuse encountered by veterinarians in Taiwan was 0.16 cases per 100 patients, and 63.9% of our respondents had seen suspected of animal physical abuse in the past five years. Approximately 10% of animal abuse cases were likely concurrent with human abuse. Most respondents (about 80%) agreed that animal abuse and human abuse frequently co-occur. However, it did not affect their willingness to assist or report abuse. In total, 88.7% of respondents supported mandatory reporting of animal abuse. The results of this study underscore the urgent advancement of education and the importance of the crucial veterinary role in both animal and interpersonal abuse cases. Abstract There is a strong association between animal abuse and interpersonal violence; therefore, veterinarians may encounter both. Dealing with animal abuse cases is beneficial for advancing animal welfare and the overall public health. Veterinarians play an important role in identifying and responding to this relationship. This study estimated the incidence of animal abuse encountered by veterinarians, examined veterinarians’ awareness of the relationship between animal abuse and human abuse, examined veterinarians’ attitudes towards how they deal with abuse cases, and related demographic characteristics to their attitudes of intervention and the frequency of encountering abuse cases. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was designed and distributed through social media. Our results show that respondents’ motivation to interfere for animal abuse cases was positively related to their moral or legal responsibility, willingness to assist, and agreement of mandatory reporting. Our results indicated that respondents who believed they had been provided with adequate training were more willing to deal with animal abuse, more capable of distinguishing abuse cases, and did not believe that dealing with abuse cases was beyond their ability. However, more than 60% of our respondents self-evaluated that the animal cruelty awareness training courses were insufficient. Hence, in addition to the traditional role of veterinarians, identifying and responding to animal cruelty should be enhanced through education.
Post-Hurricane Distress Scale (PHDS): Determination of General and Disorder-Specific Cutoff Scores

The Post-Hurricane Distress Scale (PHDS) was developed to assess mental health risk in the aftermath of hurricanes. We derive both disorder-specific cutoff values and a single nonspecific cutoff for the PHDS for field use by disaster relief and mental health workers. Data from 672 adult residents of Puerto Rico, sampled 3 to 12 months after Hurricane Maria, were collected. Participants completed a five-tool questionnaire packet: PHDS, Kessler K6, Patient Health Questionnaire 9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM V (PCL-5). ROC curves, AUC values, sensitivities, specificities, Youden’s index, and LR+ ratios are reported. The recommended single cutoff value for the PHDS is 41, whereby a respondent with a PHDS score of 41 or above is deemed high-risk for a mental health disorder. The single field use PHDS cutoff demonstrated high specificity (0.80), an LR + ratio (2.84), and a sensitivity of 0.56. The mean ROC values of PHDS for Kessler K6, Patient Health Questionnaire 9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7, and PCL-5 were all above 0.74. The derived cutoff for the PHDS allows efficient assessment of respondents’ and/or a community’s risk status for mental health disorders in the aftermath of hurricanes and natural disasters.
Reorganization of Parvalbumin Immunopositive Perisomatic Innervation of Principal Cells in Focal Cortical Dysplasia Type IIB in Human Epileptic Patients

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is one of the most common causes of drug-resistant epilepsy. As several studies have revealed, the abnormal functioning of the perisomatic inhibitory system may play a role in the onset of seizures. Therefore, we wanted to investigate whether changes of perisomatic inhibitory inputs are present in FCD. Thus, the input properties of abnormal giant- and control-like principal cells were examined in FCD type IIB patients. Surgical samples were compared to controls from the same cortical regions with short postmortem intervals. For the study, six subjects were selected/each group. The perisomatic inhibitory terminals were quantified in parvalbumin and neuronal nuclei double immunostained sections using a confocal fluorescent microscope. The perisomatic input of giant neurons was extremely abundant, whereas control-like cells of the same samples had sparse inputs. A comparison of pooled data shows that the number of parvalbumin-immunopositive perisomatic terminals contacting principal cells was significantly larger in epileptic cases. The analysis showed some heterogeneity among epileptic samples. However, five out of six cases had significantly increased perisomatic input. Parameters of the control cells were homogenous. The reorganization of the perisomatic inhibitory system may increase the probability of seizure activity and might be a general mechanism of abnormal network activity.
Effect of Feeding 0.8% Dried Powdered Chlorella vulgaris Biomass on Growth Performance, Immune Response, and Intestinal Morphology during Grower Phase in Broiler Chickens

Simple Summary Chlorella vulgaris (CV) is a microalgae of great interest for broiler production, due to its nutritional and functional properties. Currently, expensive bioprocessing steps are used to acquire the functional components that could achieve the desired biofunctionality of CV, in particular to maintain productivity and support health in broilers. This makes CV an expensive feed ingredient that can only be used in low inclusion levels, otherwise the cost of the feed is too high. However, it is not clear whether low CV inclusion levels have positive effects on broiler production and immune response. This study investigated whether the addition of CV biomass, at a low inclusion level of 0.8%, to broiler diets maintained the functional properties of microalgae and improved broiler productive performance. We found that the addition of 0.8% CV biomass affects the immune response, and has positive effects on the overall productive performance of broilers. Abstract An experiment was performed to study the effects of a low inclusion level of Chlorella vulgaris (CV) biomass in broiler diets on performance, immune response related to inflammatory status, and the intestinal histomorphology. The study was performed with 120 Ross 308 male broiler chickens from 0–35 days of age. The broilers were housed in 12 floor pens (1.5 m2) bedded with wood shavings. The broilers received a three phase diet program, either with 0.8% CV biomass (CV) or without CV (CON). Each diet program was replicated in six pens. The final body weight increased (p = 0.053), and the feed conversion ratio (FCR), corrected for body weight, was reduced (p = 0.02) in birds fed CV compared to birds fed CON. In addition, decreased haptoglobins (p = 0.02) and interleukin-13 (p < 0.01) responses were observed during the grower phase of birds fed CV compared to the birds fed CON. A strong correlation (r = 0.82, p < 0.01) was observed between haptoglobin response and FCR. Histomorphology parameters of the jejunum were not different between the groups. It was concluded that the inclusion of 0.8% CV biomass in broiler diets is effective in influencing immune responses related to inflammatory status and promoting broiler growth.
Material Extrusion of Structural Polymer–Aluminum Joints—Examining Shear Strength, Wetting, Polymer Melt Rheology and Aging

Generating polymer–metal structures by means of additive manufacturing offers huge potential for customized, sustainable and lightweight solutions. However, challenges exist, primarily with regard to reliability and reproducibility of the additively generated joints. In this study, the polymers ABS, PETG and PLA, which are common in material extrusion, were joined to grit-blasted aluminum substrates. Temperature dependence of polymer melt rheology, wetting and tensile single-lap-shear strength were examined in order to obtain appropriate thermal processing conditions. Joints with high adhesive strength in the fresh state were aged for up to 100 days in two different moderate environments. For the given conditions, PETG was most suitable for generating structural joints. Contrary to PETG, ABS–aluminum joints in the fresh state as well as PLA–aluminum joints in the aged state did not meet the demands of a structural joint. For the considered polymers and processing conditions, this study implies that the suitability of a polymer and a thermal processing condition to form a polymer–aluminum joint by material extrusion can be evaluated based on the polymer’s rheological properties. Moreover, wetting experiments improved estimation of the resulting tensile single-lap-shear strength.
Hydrophobic Effect of Soil Stabilization for a Sustainable Subgrade Soil Improvement

The chemical process of using additives to stabilize soils is to improve soil that lacks strong engineering properties. In particular, the moisture susceptibility of subgrade soil through seasonal rains is still questionable. The presence of water in the construction is the cause of deterioration and premature distress of pavements and their supporting geotechnical structures. In this work, the chemical use of hydrophobic caltite (HC) in various amounts (ranging from 3%, 5%, to 7%) and 5% of cement to enhance laterite soils is investigated. The investigation includes the evaluation of soil properties, such as, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) by curing in air and under water, flexural strength (FS), and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) soaked and unsoaked. The addition of caltite with cement increases the strength characteristics with the UCS values of 2078–2853 kPa during the early curing stages (7th day), and 4688–4876 kPa after 90 days of curing. The added caltite in the cement soil samples shows a reduction index of strength loss underwater with the UCS values of 3196, 3334, and 3751 kPa for caltite cemented soil when compared with cement soil alone. FS results suggest that the inclusion of caltite in cement means that post-peak behavior can be enhanced, reducing the brittleness and increasing the ductility. The successful reaction with soil additives occurred in the curing period of 7 days. In terms of the microstructural analysis, results show that HC with cement reduces the porosity, voids, and cracking of laterite soils. Furthermore, new polymer globules, products from the reaction, appeared on the clay particle surfaces, thereby reducing the water absorption. The addition of hydrophobic-caltite to the soil–cement mixture results in increased strength and reduced water absorption in a soil–cement mix, thus achieving a given strength value.
Attitudes toward the Legalization of Euthanasia or Physician-Assisted Suicide in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Survey

This study aimed to investigate the general South Korean public attitudes toward the legalization of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (EAS) and examine the reasons underpinning these attitudes. From March–April 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of a representative national sample of 1000 South Koreans aged 19 years or older. Three in four participants (76.4%) expressed positive attitudes toward the legalization of EAS. Participants who agreed with this legalization reported “meaninglessness of the rest of life” and “right to a good death” as their main reasons. Participants who disagreed with the legalization of EAS reported “respect for life”, “violation of the right to self-determination”, “risk of abuse or overuse”, and “violation of human rights” as theirs. In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, participants with poor physical status (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.41, 95%; confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.93) or comorbidity (aOR: 1.84, 95%; CI: 1.19–2.83) showed positive attitudes toward the legalization of EAS. In summary, most of the general South Korean population regards the legalization of EAS positively, especially participants with poor physical status or comorbidity.