Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering

Article history: Received: 14 July 2017 Accepted: 05 February 2018 In this article a physical model is presented. A trapezoidal shape of channel with 1.45 m width, 1 meter depth and banks slope of 1H: 1.5V was applied. Circular piers (6, 8 and 10cm diameter) were examined under three dissimilar flow discharges of 50, 65 and 80 lit/s and three different median bed material sizes equal to 0.94, 1.31 and 2.12 mm. Seven different longitude distance to pier diameter ratios (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4 and 5) were examined. Measurement of scour depth (upstream, around and downstream of pier) was accomplished in 10, 15, 20, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 360 minutes from the beginning of each examination. The results indicated that 30%-40%, up to 65% and more than 90% of local scour occurs at first two, 10, 120 and 200 minutes from the beginning of test respectively. The effect of dissimilar parameter especially the distance between piers on scour depth at group piers in series was evaluated and the results were compared to other researchers. It was found that our results is best fitted with the general form of well known Sheppard et al. (2004)’s equation.
The Relationship Between Injury Rates and Winning in the National Football League

An expert strength and conditioning coach can be an important component of a sports performance and medicine staff that will train their athletes to help them become more resilient to injury. Previous research in a variety of sports has shown that teams with players that have fewer games missed due to injury have achieved greater success. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between games missed due to injury by offensive and defensive starters on National Football League (NFL) rosters and a NFL team’s ability to win during the 2010-19 NFL seasons. A Spearman rankorder correlation analysis set at (p ≤ 0.01) level of significance indicated that fewer games missed by starters in the NFL is correlated with multiple variables associated with winning such as games won per season and playoff appearances. These results were obtained after analyzing all 32 NFL teams from the 2010-19 seasons. Descriptive statistics were also used to further analyze the data set and found that teams ranked in the top-five in terms of fewest injuries outperformed the remainder of the teams in the NFL according to multiple variables associated with winning. The data in this study supports that NFL organizations that have fewer games missed due to injury of their athletes may have a better opportunity of achieving success.
A N E XTENDED U TAUT2 P ERSPECTIVE - D ETERMINANTS O F M OBILE B ANKING U SE I NTENTION A ND U SE B EHAVIOR *

There are different theoretical models regarding the determinants of consumers’ intention to use technology and their use behavior. The Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology-2 (UTAUT-2) model explains the variance in behavioral intention and technology use variables in pursuit of a consumer-centric model. This research study aims to figure out the determinants and impacts of individuals’ intention to use mobile banking and their use behaviors within the context of Turkey. The data of the study was obtained from 684 participants aged 18 years or older in April-June 2018 via an online survey method. Findings of the research study reveal that the behavioral intention of using mobile banking is influenced by trust, social influence, price value, facilitating conditions, performance expectancy
Voltage Feedback Controller for Power System Damping Improvement

The main purpose of this paper is to report a design of damping controller for power system inter-area oscillation by using both local and remote bus voltages as feedback signals. The proposed controller for power system damping improvement is a dual-input voltage type power system stabilizer. A sample two-area power system is studied, in which voltage signals from local and remote buses are acquired via the Phasor Measurement Unit and then employed as the input signals for power system stabilizer. The methods of eigen-analysis and time domain simulations are used to investigate the system dynamic behaviors under different structures of power system stabilizer. The demonstrated results validate the effectiveness of the proposed voltage feedback controller for power system damping improvement.
Interest rate risk of life insurers: Evidence from accounting data

Life insurers are exposed to interest rate risk as their liability side is typically more sensitive to interest rate changes than their asset side. This paper explores why insurers assume this risk using a new accounting-based method to measure the interest rate sensitivity of assets and liabilities. Calculation at the insurer level yields a wide duration gap with pronounced heterogeneity in the cross-section. This could be explained by alternative investment strategies, such as asset insulation, which are at odds with interest rate risk manage-ment.Usinga2014–2018panel,factorsassociatedwithinterestrate risk support this view.
Knowledge of vaccine handlers and status of cold chain and vaccine management in primary health care facilities of Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: Institutional based cross-sectional study

Background Ethiopia federal ministry of health has been working on increasing access to immunization service by deploying solar refrigerators to primary health care facilities. However, there is limited evidence on cold chain and vaccine management status. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess knowledge of vaccine handlers and status of cold chain and vaccine management and their associated factors in primary health care facilities of Tigray region Northern Ethiopia. Methods Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted in four randomly selected districts of Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia. In each selected district, all primary health care facilities with functional vaccine refrigerators were included in the study. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and then exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 for analysis. All variables with p-value of < 0.25 in bivariate logistic regression analysis were included in multi-variable model to identify predictors of the dependent variables. Results In this study, fifty Primary Health Care Facilities (PHCFs) were included with a response rate of 94.4%. The overall level of good knowledge of vaccine handlers and good status of cold chain and vaccine management were 48% (95% CI; 30.7%-62%) and 46% (95%CI; 26.1%-61.3%) respectively. Receiving training on cold chain and vaccine management (AOR = 5.18; 95%CI: 1.48–18.18) was significantly associated with knowledge of vaccine handlers. Furthermore, receiving supportive supervision (AOR = 4.58; 95%CI: 1.04–20.17) and good knowledge of vaccine handlers (AOR = 10.97; 95%CI: 2.67–45.07) were significant associated with cold chain and vaccine management. Conclusions This study showed that knowledge of vaccine handlers on cold chain and vaccine management was poor. Similarly, the cold chain and vaccine management status was also poor. Therefore, on-site training should be provided to vaccine handlers to increase their knowledge, so as to improve their practices on cold chain and vaccine management. In addition, Programme based supportive supervision is needed to improve cold chain and vaccine management.
RSK1 promotes mammalian axon regeneration by inducing the synthesis of regeneration-related proteins

In contrast to the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS), the neurons in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) can regenerate their axons. However, the underlying mechanism dictating the regeneration program after PNS injuries remains poorly understood. Combining chemical inhibitor screening with gain- and loss-of-function analyses, we identified p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (RSK1) as a crucial regulator of axon regeneration in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons after sciatic nerve injury (SNI). Mechanistically, RSK1 was found to preferentially regulate the synthesis of regeneration-related proteins using ribosomal profiling. Interestingly, RSK1 expression was up-regulated in injured DRG neurons, but not retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Additionally, RSK1 overexpression enhanced phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) deletion-induced axon regeneration in RGCs in the adult CNS. Our findings reveal a critical mechanism in inducing protein synthesis that promotes axon regeneration and further suggest RSK1 as a possible therapeutic target for neuronal injury repair.
Treatment failure, death, and predictors among PLWHIV on second-line antiretroviral therapy in Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, northeast Ethiopia: A retrospective cohort study

Background The proportion of HIV patients on second-line antiretroviral therapy is becoming a growing public health concern, especially in a low-income country setting. However, unlike first-line therapy, to date, very little is known about the outcomes of second-line therapy in the Ethiopia context. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the rate of treatment failure, death, and their predictors among HIV patients receiving second-line therapy. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 642 people living with HIV in Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from October 2016 to November 2019. Poisson and competitive risk survival models were computed to explore predictors of treatment failure and death, respectively. Results During follow-up period, 39 (6.87%, 95% CI: 5–9.2%) of 568 patients had second-line treatment failure with 4.07 per 100 person-year rate of failure. Being on anti-TB treatment [Rate ratio, RR = 2.57 (95% CI: 1.25–5.25)], not having optimal medication adherence [RR = 2.29 (95% CI: 1.09–4.78)], and not timely switched [RR = 5.89 (95% CI: 1.36–25.54)] were positively associated with treatment failure. Similarly, 44 (6.85%, 95% CI: 5–9%) of 642 patients died with 4.5 per 100 person-year rate of death. Being on advanced clinical condition [Sub distribution Hazard ratio, SHR = 2.49 (95% CI: 1.31–4.74)], not having optimal medication adherence [SHR = 2.65 (95% CI: 1.31–4.74)], lower CD4 cell counts, and high viral load measurement were positively associated with death. Conclusions A significant number of patients had failed to respond to second-line therapy. A large number of patients had also died. Patient medical profile and monitoring practice were associated with treatment failure and death. Hence, patient-centered monitoring and interventions should be strengthened, besides treatment switch.
Reach adaption to a visuomotor gain with terminal error feedback involves reinforcement learning

Motor adaptation can be achieved through error-based learning, driven by sensory prediction errors, or reinforcement learning, driven by reward prediction errors. Recent work on visuomotor adaptation has shown that reinforcement learning leads to more persistent adaptation when visual feedback is removed, compared to error-based learning in which continuous visual feedback of the movement is provided. However, there is evidence that error-based learning with terminal visual feedback of the movement (provided at the end of movement) may be driven by both sensory and reward prediction errors. Here we examined the influence of feedback on learning using a visuomotor adaptation task in which participants moved a cursor to a single target while the gain between hand and cursor movement displacement was gradually altered. Different groups received either continuous error feedback (EC), terminal error feedback (ET), or binary reinforcement feedback (success/fail) at the end of the movement (R). Following adaptation we tested generalization to targets located in different directions and found that generalization in the ET group was intermediate between the EC and R groups. We then examined the persistence of adaptation in the EC and ET groups when the cursor was extinguished and only binary reward feedback was provided. Whereas performance was maintained in the ET group, it quickly deteriorated in the EC group. These results suggest that terminal error feedback leads to a more robust form of learning than continuous error feedback. In addition our findings are consistent with the view that error-based learning with terminal feedback involves both error-based and reinforcement learning.
Are you confident enough to act? Individual differences in action control are associated with post-decisional metacognitive bias

The art of making good choices and being consistent in executing them is essential for having a successful and fulfilling life. Individual differences in action control are believed to have a crucial impact on how we make choices and whether we put them in action. Action-oriented people are more decisive, flexible and likely to implement their intentions in the face of adversity. In contrast, state-oriented people often struggle to commit to their choices and end up second-guessing themselves. Here, we employ a model-based computational approach to study the underlying cognitive differences between action and state-oriented people in simple binary-choice decision tasks. In Experiment 1 we show that there is little-to-no evidence that the two groups differ in terms of decision-related parameters and strong evidence for differences in metacognitive bias. Action-oriented people exhibit greater confidence in the correctness of their choices as well as slightly elevated judgement sensitivity, although no differences in performance are present. In Experiment 2 we replicate this effect and show that the confidence gap generalizes to value-based decisions, widens as a function of difficulty and is independent of deliberation interval. Furthermore, allowing more time for confidence deliberation indicated that state-oriented people focus more strongly on external features of choice. We propose that a positive confidence bias, coupled with appropriate metacognitive sensitivity, might be crucial for the successful realization of intentions in many real-life situations. More generally, our study provides an example of how modelling latent cognitive processes can bring meaningful insight into the study of individual differences.
Single‐Layer‐Particle Electrode Design for Practical Fast‐Charging Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Efforts to enable fast charging and high energy density lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are hampered by the trade‐off nature of the traditional electrode design: increasing the areal capacity usually comes with sacrificing the fast charge transfer. Here a single‐layer chunky particle electrode design is reported, where red‐phosphorus active material is embedded in nanochannels of vertically aligned graphene (red‐P/VAG) assemblies. Such an electrode design addresses the sluggish charge transfer stemming from the high tortuosity and inner particle/electrode resistance of traditional electrode architectures consisting of randomly stacked active particles. The vertical ion‐transport nanochannels and electron‐transfer conductive nanowalls of graphene confine the direction of charge transfer to minimize the transfer distance, and the incomplete filling of nanochannels in the red‐P/VAG composite buffers volume change locally, thus avoiding the variation of electrodes thickness during cycling. The single‐layer chunky particle electrode displays a high areal capacity (5.6 mAh cm−2), which is the highest among the reported fast‐charging battery chemistries. Paired with a high‐loading LiNi0.6Co0. 2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622) cathode, a pouch cell shows stable cycling with high energy and power densities. Such a single‐layer chunky particle electrode design can be extended to other advanced battery systems and boost the development of LIBs with fast‐charging capability and high energy density.
A prospective cohort study to evaluate continuous wound infusion with local analgesics within an enhanced recovery protocol after colorectal cancer surgery

To reduce detrimental opioid‐related side effects, minimising the postoperative opioid consumption is needed, especially in older patients. Continuous wound infusion (CWI) with local analgesics appears to be an effective opioid‐sparing alternative. However, the added value of CWI to an enhanced recovery protocol after colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of CWI after CRC surgery within a strictly adhered to enhanced recovery protocol.
Long-term survival of Icelandic women following acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Objective. To evaluate the impact of sex on treatment and survival after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Iceland. Methods. A retrospective, nationwide cohort study of patients with STEMI (2008–2018) and NSTEMI (2013–2018) and obstructive coronary artery disease. Patient and procedural information were obtained from a registry and electronic health records. Survival was estimated with Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis used to identify risk factors for long-term mortality. Excess mortality from the AMI episode was estimated by comparing the survival with age- and sex-matched population in Iceland at 30-day interval. Results. A total of 1345 STEMI-patients (24% women) and 1249 NSTEMI-patients (24% women) were evaluated. Women with STEMI (mean age: 71 ± 11 vs. 67 ± 12) and NSTEMI (mean age: 69 ± 13 vs. 62 ± 12) were older and less likely to have previous cardiovascular disease. There was neither sex difference in the extent of coronary artery disease nor treatment. Although crude one-year post-STEMI survival was lower for women (88.7% vs. 93.4%, p = .006), female sex was not an independent risk factor after adjusting for age and co-morbidities after STEMI and was protective for NSTEMI (HR 0.67, 95% CI: 0.46–0.97). There was excess 30-day mortality in both STEMI and NSTEMI for women compared with sex-, age- and inclusion year-matched Icelandic population, but thereafter the mortality rate was similar. Conclusion. Women and men with AMI in Iceland receive comparable treatment including revascularization and long-term survival appears similar. Prognosis after NSTEMI is better in women, whereas higher early mortality after STEMI may be caused by delays in presentation and diagnosis.
Circulating biomarkers for management of cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction

Abstract Cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) has emerged as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors. Effective clinical management of CTRCD is impeded by a lack of sensitive diagnostic and prognostic strategies. Circulating molecular markers could potentially address this need as they are often indicative of cardiac stress before cardiac damage can be detected clinically. A growing understanding of the underlying physiological mechanisms for CTRCD has inspired research efforts to identify novel pathophysiologically relevant biomarkers that may also guide development of cardio-protective therapeutic approaches. The purpose of this review is to evaluate current circulating biomarkers of cardiac stress and their potential role in diagnosis and management of CTRCD. We also discuss some emerging avenues for CTRCD-focused biomarker investigations.
Design, fabrication, and characterization of ultra high speed AlGaAs/InGaAs MODFETs

The authors report the design, fabrication, and characterization of ultra-high-speed 0.15- mu m mushroom gate Al/sub 0.30/Ga/sub 0.70/As/In/sub 0.25/Ga/sub 0.75/As modulation-doped field-effect transistors (MODFETs) with current gain cutoff frequency (f/sub T/) over 150 GHz. It is demonstrated that with proper device design and fabrication techniques, the switching speed of the AlGaAs/InGaAs (on GaAs) MODFET approaches that of the best AlInAs/InGaAs (lattice matched to InP) devices (f/sub T/=165 GHz at 0.1- mu m gate length). The devices reported here typically exhibit a maximum current density of 630 mA/mm, peak transconductance of 650 mS/mm, peak f/sub T/ of 152 GHz, and best power-gain cutoff frequency in excess of 200 GHz. <<ETX>>
Patterns of venous thromboembolism risk, treatment, and outcomes among patients with cancer from uninsured and vulnerable populations

The epidemiology of cancer‐associated thrombosis (CAT) among uninsured and vulnerable populations in the US is not well‐characterized. We performed a retrospective cohort study for patients with newly diagnosed cancer from 2011 to 2020 at Harris Health System, which cares for uninsured residents in the Houston metropolitan area. Patient demographics, NCI comorbidity index, area of deprivation index (ADI), cancer histology, staging, and systemic therapy data were extracted. CAT included overall venous thromboembolism (VTE) or pulmonary embolism +/− lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (PE/LE‐DVT) within 1 year of diagnosis. We used multivariable Fine‐Gray models to assess the associations with CAT accounting for death as a competing risk. Among 15 342 patients, 74% were uninsured and 84% lived in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. There were 16% Non‐Hispanic White (NHW), 28% Non‐Hispanic Black (NHB), 50% Hispanic (27% Mexican), and 6% Asian/Pacific Islanders (API). The 1‐year CAT incidence rate was 14.6%. Overall VTE was lower for Hispanics versus NHW (SHR 0.87 [0.76–0.99]) and API versus NHW (SHR 0.58 [0.44–0.77]). PE/LE‐DVT was higher for NHB versus NHW (SHR 1.18 [1.01–1.39]). CAT was also associated with chemotherapy‐based regimens (+/− immunotherapy), age, obesity, cancer type/staging, VTE history, and recent hospitalization. NCI comorbidity and ADI scores were associated with mortality but not CAT. In a large cohort of underserved patients with cancer, we identified an elevated incidence of CAT with known and novel risk predictors. Hispanics had lower adjusted rates of CAT and mortality. Our findings highlight the need to investigate and incorporate vulnerable populations in clinical trials.
Chalk-steel Interface testing for marine energy foundations

To aid deployment and recovery of tidal stream generators, gravity-based foundations rather than fixed-foundation alternatives are being considered in areas where the foundation may be placed directly onto an exposed rock seabed. Horizontal loading is usually critical in such applications, therefore specific knowledge of the interface friction between the foundation (made of steel or concrete) and seabed is important for design. This paper presents results of an interface testing programme of chalk–steel interfaces carried out utilising a computer-controlled interface shear tester under constant normal stress conditions against steel of different roughness. Results indicate that interface strength is significantly affected by the normal stress applied, as interface strength degrades for normal stress levels in excess of 30% of the chalk's tensile strength (∼300 kPa). Large-displacement tests revealed a tendency of the ultimate interface frictional resistance to drop to values very similar to that of the b.