Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Associations between clinically diagnosed medical conditions and dietary supplement use: the US military dietary supplement use study

Abstract Objective: This study examined associations between multiple dietary supplement (DS) categories and medical conditions diagnosed by health professionals. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Volunteers completed an online questionnaire on DS use and demographic/lifestyle factors. Medical diagnoses were obtained from a comprehensive military electronic medical surveillance system and grouped into twenty-four clinically diagnosed medical conditions (CDMC). Participants: A stratified random sample of US service members (SM) from all military services (n 26 680). Results: After adjustment for demographic/lifestyle factors (logistic regression), higher risk was found for 92 % (22/24) of CDMC among individual vitamins/minerals users, 58 % (14/24) of CDMC among herbal users, 50 % (12/24) of CDMC among any DS users and 46 % (11/24) of CDMC among multivitamins/multiminerals (MVM) users. Among protein/amino acid (AA) users, risk was lower in 25 % (6/24) of CDMC. For combination products, risk was higher in 13 % (3/24) of CDMC and lower in 8 % (2/24). The greater the number of CDMC, the higher the prevalence of DS use in most DS categories except proteins/AA where prevalence decreased. Conclusions: Users in many DS categories had a greater number of CDMC, but protein/AA users had fewer CDMC; results for combination products were mixed. These data indicate those with certain CDMC were also users in some DS categories, especially individual vitamins/minerals, herbals and MVM. Data are consistent with the perception that use of DS enhances health, especially in those with CDMC. Protein/AA and combination product users were more likely to be younger, more physically active men, factors that likely reduced CDMC.
Enhanced low-temperature impact toughness of nanostructured Ti

Impact toughness is one of the major mechanical properties for structural materials. It is generally observed that in coarse-grained materials the impact toughness decreases with decreasing testing temperature. Here, we report that the impact toughness of nanostructured Ti processed by severe plastic deformation is enhanced at low temperatures of −70°C and −196°C, a unique phenomenon that contradicts the observations in coarse-grained materials. The enhanced impact toughness is attributed to the increased strength and ductility of nanostructured Ti as well as smaller fracture dimples at lower temperatures. This result demonstrates the advantage of using nanostructured Ti in low-temperature applications.
Genotoxic Risks to Male Reproductive Health from Radiofrequency Radiation

During modern era, mobile phones, televisions, microwaves, radio, and wireless devices, etc., have become an integral part of our daily lifestyle. All these technologies employ radiofrequency (RF) waves and everyone is exposed to them, since they are widespread in the environment. The increasing risk of male infertility is a growing concern to the human population. Excessive and long-term exposure to non-ionizing radiation may cause genetic health effects on the male reproductive system which could be a primitive factor to induce cancer risk. With respect to the concerned aspect, many possible RFR induced genotoxic studies have been reported; however, reports are very contradictory and showed the possible effect on humans and animals. Thus, the present review is focusing on the genomic impact of the radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) underlying the male infertility issue. In this review, both in vitro and in vivo studies have been incorporated explaining the role of RFR on the male reproductive system. It includes RFR induced-DNA damage, micronuclei formation, chromosomal aberrations, SCE generation, etc. In addition, attention has also been paid to the ROS generation after radiofrequency radiation exposure showing a rise in oxidative stress, base adduct formation, sperm head DNA damage, or cross-linking problems between DNA & protein.
A nonlinear oscillator with a strange attractor

We study the nonlinear oscillator ẍ + δẋ — βx + αx3 = f cos (ωt) (A) from a qualitative viewpoint, concentrating on the bifurcational behaviour occurring as f > 0 increases for α, β, δ, ω to fixed > 0. In particular, we study the global nature of attracting motions arising as a result of bifurcations. We find that, for small and for large f, the behaviour is much as expected and that the conventional Krylov-Bogoliubov averaging theorem yields acceptable results. However, for a wide range of moderate f extremely complicated non-periodic motions arise. Such motions are called strange attractors or chaotic oscillations and have been detected in previous studies of autonomous o.d. es of dimension > 3. In the present case they are intimately connected with homoclinic orbits arising as a result of global bifurcations. We use recent results of Mel’nikov and others to prove that such motions occur in (A) and we study their structure by means of the Poincare map associated with (A). Using analogue and digital computer simulations, we provide a fairly complete characterization of the strange attractor arising for moderate f. This ergodic motion arises naturally from the deterministic differential equation (A).
Functional connectivity and gray matter deficits within the auditory attention circuit in first-episode psychosis

Background Selective attention deficits in first episode of psychosis (FEP) can be indexed by impaired attentional modulation of auditory M100. It is unknown if the pathophysiology underlying this deficit is restricted to auditory cortex or involves a distributed attention network. We examined the auditory attention network in FEP. Methods MEG was recorded from 27 FEP and 31 matched healthy controls (HC) while alternately ignoring or attending tones. A whole-brain analysis of MEG source activity during auditory M100 identified non-auditory areas with increased activity. Time-frequency activity and phase-amplitude coupling were examined in auditory cortex to identify the attentional executive carrier frequency. Attention networks were defined by phase-locking at the carrier frequency. Spectral and gray matter deficits in the identified circuits were examined in FEP. Results Attention-related activity was identified in prefrontal and parietal regions, markedly in precuneus. Theta power and phase coupling to gamma amplitude increased with attention in left primary auditory cortex. Two unilateral attention networks were identified with precuneus seeds in HC. Network synchrony was impaired in FEP. Gray matter thickness was reduced within the left hemisphere network in FEP but did not correlate with synchrony. Conclusion Several extra-auditory attention areas with attention-related activity were identified. Theta was the carrier frequency for attentional modulation in auditory cortex. Left and right hemisphere attention networks were identified, with bilateral functional deficits and left hemisphere structural deficits, though FEP showed intact auditory cortex theta phase-gamma amplitude coupling. These novel findings indicate attention-related circuitopathy early in psychosis potentially amenable to future non-invasive interventions.
Lung Ultrasound for the Exclusion of Pneumothorax after Interventional Bronchoscopies—A Retrospective Study

A chest X-ray (CXR) is recommended after bronchoscopies with an increased risk of pneumothorax (PTX). However, concerns regarding radiation exposure, expenses and staff requirements exist. A lung ultrasound (LUS) is a promising alternative for the detection of PTX, though data are scarce. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic yield of LUS compared to CXR, to exclude PTX after bronchoscopies with increased risk. This retrospective single-centre study included transbronchial forceps biopsies, transbronchial lung cryobiopsies and endobronchial valve treatments. Post-interventional PTX screening consisted of immediate LUS and CXR within two hours. In total, 271 patients were included. Early PTX incidence was 3.3%. Sensitivity, specificity, and the positive and negative predictive values of LUS were 67.7% (95% CI 29.93–92.51%), 99.2% (95% CI 97.27–99.91%), 75.0% (95% CI 41.16–92.79%) and 98.9% (95% CI 97.18–99.54%), respectively. PTX detection by LUS enabled the immediate placement of two pleural drains along with the bronchoscopy. With CXR, three false-positives and one false-negative were observed; the latter evolved into a tension-PTX. LUS correctly diagnosed these cases. Despite low sensitivity, LUS enables early diagnosis of PTX, thus preventing treatment delays. We recommend immediate LUS, in addition to LUS or CXR after two to four hours and monitoring for signs and symptoms. Prospective studies with higher sample sizes are needed.
Multi-Morbidity and Risk of Breast Cancer among Women in the UK Biobank Cohort

Simple Summary (Multi-)Morbidity shares common biological mechanisms or risk factors with breast cancer. However, the risk of breast cancer among women with (multi-)morbidity remains unclear. In this study, using data of 239,436 female participants aged 40–69 of the UK Biobank cohort, we identified five chronic disease patterns: no-predominant morbidity, psychiatric morbidities, respiratory/immunological morbidities, cardiovascular/metabolic morbidities, and unspecific morbidities. After a median follow-up of 7 years, 5326 women developed breast cancer. We found no association between breast cancer risk and either the number of chronic diseases or chronic disease patterns, apart from an increased risk among women aged younger than 50 with a psychiatric pattern. Women with any multi-morbidity were more likely to die or to be diagnosed with other cancers. Our findings suggest that multi-morbidity may not be a key factor to help identify patients at an increased risk of breast cancer. Abstract (Multi-)Morbidity shares common biological mechanisms or risk factors with breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate the association between the number of morbidities and patterns of morbidity and the risk of female breast cancer. Among 239,436 women (40–69 years) enrolled in the UK Biobank cohort who had no cancer history at baseline, we identified 35 self-reported chronic diseases at baseline. We assigned individuals into morbidity patterns using agglomerative hierarchical clustering analysis. We fitted Cox models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for breast cancer risk. In total, 58.4% of women had at least one morbidity, and the prevalence of multi-morbidity was 25.8%. During a median 7-year follow-up, there was no association between breast cancer risk (5326 cases) and either the number of morbidities or the identified clinically relevant morbidity patterns: no-predominant morbidity (reference), psychiatric morbidities (HR = 1.04, 95%CI 0.94–1.16), respiratory/immunological morbidities (HR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.90–1.07), cardiovascular/metabolic morbidities (HR = 0.93, 95%CI 0.81–1.06), and unspecific morbidities (HR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.89–1.07), overall. Among women younger than 50 years of age only, however, there was a significant association with psychiatric morbidity patterns compared to the no-predominant morbidity pattern (HR = 1.25, 95%CI 1.02–1.52). The other associations did not vary when stratifying by age at baseline and adherence to mammography recommendations. In conclusion, multi-morbidity was not a key factor to help identify patients at an increased risk of breast cancer.
Highly Sensitive and Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensors Based on Vertical Graphene and Micro-Pyramidal Dielectric Layer

Many practical applications require flexible high-sensitivity pressure sensors. However, such sensors are difficult to achieve using conventional materials. Engineering the morphology of the electrodes and the topography of the dielectrics has been demonstrated to be effective in boosting the sensing performance of capacitive pressure sensors. In this study, a flexible capacitive pressure sensor with high sensitivity was fabricated by using three-dimensional vertical graphene (VG) as the electrode and micro-pyramidal polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the dielectric layer. The engineering of the VG morphology, size, and interval of the micro-pyramids in the PDMS dielectric layer significantly boosted the sensor sensitivity. As a result, the sensors demonstrated an exceptional sensitivity of up to 6.04 kPa−1 in the pressure range of 0–1 kPa, and 0.69 kPa−1 under 1–10 kPa. Finite element analysis revealed that the micro-pyramid structure in the dielectric layer generated a significant deformation effect under pressure, thereby ameliorating the sensing properties. Finally, the sensor was used to monitor finger joint movement, knee motion, facial expression, and pressure distribution. The results indicate that the sensor exhibits great potential in various applications, including human motion detection and human-machine interaction.
The Role of Weight Suppression in Intensive Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: A Longitudinal Study

The study aimed to establish the role of weight suppression in a cohort of adolescents with anorexia nervosa treated with intensive enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E). One hundred and twenty-eight adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa (128 females and 2 males), aged between 14 and 19 years, were recruited from consecutive referrals to a community-based eating disorder clinic offering intensive CBT-E. Weight, height, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, and Brief Symptom Inventory scores were recorded at admission, end-of-treatment, and at a 20-week follow-up. In addition, the developmental weight suppression (DWS, difference between one’s highest premorbid and current z-BMI, i.e., BMI z-scores) was calculated. The mean baseline z-BMI was −4.01 (SD = 2.27), and the mean DWS was 4.2 (SD = 2.3). One hundred and seven patients (83.4%) completed the treatment and showed both considerable weight gain and reduced scores for eating-disorder and general psychopathology. Among completers, 72.9% completed the 20-week follow-up and maintained the improvement reached at the end-of-treatment. DWS was negatively correlated with end-of-treatment and follow-up z-BMI. This indicates that weight suppression is a predictor of the BMI outcome of intensive CBT-E and confirms that this treatment is promising for adolescents with anorexia nervosa.
Emergency Management in the Event of Radiological Dispersion in an Urban Environment

Dispersion of a radiological source is a complex scenario in terms of first response, especially when it occurs in an urban environment. The authors in this paper designed, simulated, and analyzed the data from two different scenarios with the two perspectives of an unintentional fire event and a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) intentional explosion. The data of the simulated urban scenario are taken from a real case of orphan sources abandoned in a garage in the center of the city of Milan (Italy) in 2012. The dispersion and dose levels are simulated using Parallel Micro Swift Spray (PMSS) software, which takes into account the topographic and meteorological information of the reference scenarios. Apart from some differences in the response system of the two scenarios analyzed, the information provided by the modeling technique used, compared to other models not able to capture the actual urban and meteorological contexts, make it possible to modulate a response system that adheres to the real impact of the scenario. The authors, based on the model results and on the evidence provided by the case study, determine the various countermeasures to adopt to mitigate the impact for the population and to reduce the risk factors for the first responders.
Adapt, Explore, or Keep Going? The Role of Adaptability, Curiosity, and Perseverance in a Network of Study-Related Factors and Scholastic Success

Soft skills are the key characteristics for students’ success and wellbeing in the 21st century, but they were only rarely studied contemporarily or integrated into comprehensive models of self-regulated learning. This makes it difficult to understand the role that specific skills have above and beyond the others and how they work together to favor students’ achievement and life satisfaction. For this reason, in a sample of 585 students (10–18 years old), we applied an exploratory network analysis and studied three crucial soft skills (i.e., adaptability, curiosity, and perseverance) and their contemporary network of inter-relationships with a host of functional study-related factors, including self-regulated learning strategies, motivation, emotions, cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and life and school satisfaction. Results show that the three soft skills play a positive role within the school context through their association with the majority of the study-related factors that mediate their relationships with academic achievement. Importantly, the results differentiated adaptability (which mainly relates with wellbeing and emotional variables), perseverance (which relates with the cognitive and behavioral aspect of learning), and curiosity (which bridges the connection between the other skills and relates with emotional and behavioral variables) in the school context. Overall, these findings contribute to the deepening of the theoretical framework on soft skills and their role as part of a successful learning profile, and inform us about the possible effectiveness of intervention on soft skills for students’ achievement and wellbeing.
Scattering of Elastic Waves by Small Inhomogeneities

The scattering of elastic waves by a randomly inhomogeneous medium has been studied. The mean‐square amplitudes of the scattered waves averaged over a statistical ensemble of inhomogeneities are calculated. The space‐correlation functions of the elastic parameters are assumed to be Gaussian and isotropic. Terms of the second order in the variation of the elastic parameters from their means are neglected. The theory has been applied to the scattering of plane P and S waves in an inhomogeneous medium of infinite extent. The results give the amount of the P wave that is transformed into shear waves and vice versa. The fluctuations in phase and amplitude of the transmitted waves are also computed.
Abundances of the heavy elements in the Magellanic Clouds. II - H II regions and supernova remnants

The first consistent abundance analysis of both H II regions and SNRs in the Magellanic Clouds is presented. Detailed modeling of the SNRs results in abundance measures in good agreement with those from H II regions, confirming the overall accuracy of the generalized modeling code MAPPINGS for both photoionized and shock-excited nebulae. A differential analysis performed between SNRs and the Galactic Herbig-Haro (H-H) objects for elements heavier than Ar reveals that there is no difference for grain depletion in either Cloud SNR or Galactic H-H objects. It shows that there is no measurable zero point error between the Fe abundances determined from supergiants and those determined from SNRs. This permits the two traditionally separated abundance scales of the H II regions and supergiants to be combined for the first time into one comprehensive system for the first time. The importance of this overall abundance pattern for the determination of the star formation history in the Clouds is addressed. 118 refs.
Magnetostriction and texture relationships in annealed galfenol alloys

An investigation into the relationship between the measured bulk magnetostriction in rolled galfenol alloy sheet and the measured texture components was conducted. Galfenol rolled sheet was prepared using different texture annealing parameters such as temperature (1000–1300 °C), cooling rate, and dwell time (1–24 h), with their saturation magnetostrictions measured, followed by electron backscattered diffraction to determine the degree of texture that each sample possessed. The dominate orientation in all samples analyzed was the {011}⟨100⟩, along the desired η-fiber. Measurement results indicate that as the η-fiber texture improves the bulk magnetostriction increases in a linear fashion with a maximum strain value of 154 ppm measured for sheet samples containing 45 area % η-fiber texture.
Control and elimination of cracking of AlGaN using low-temperature AlGaN interlayers

We demonstrate that the insertion of low-temperature AlGaN interlayers is effective in reducing mismatch-induced tensile stress and suppressing the formation of cracks during growth of high-temperature AlGaN directly upon GaN epilayers. Stress evolution and relaxation is monitored using an in situ optical stress sensor. The combination of in situ and ex situ characterization techniques enables us to determine the degree of pseudomorphism in the interlayers. It is observed that the elastic tensile mismatch between AlGaN and GaN is mediated by the relaxation of interlayers; the use of interlayers offers tunability in the in-plane lattice parameters.
The impact of COVID-19 quarantine on lifestyle indicators in the United Arab Emirates

Introduction COVID-19 is a virus that has spread rapidly and brought economic and social crises all around the world. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 quarantine on dietary habits, physical activity, food purchasing, smoking, and sleeping patterns in the United Arab Emirates. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire between November 1st, 2020 and the end of January 2021. Citizens and residents of the UAE aged ≥ 18 years old were asked to complete an anonymous electronic questionnaire created via Google Forms and distributed on various platforms, such as WhatsApp, Twitter, and email. A total of 1682 subjects participated in the study. Results The results included that during the COVID-19 lockdown, more participants (44.4%) reported an increase in weight. This gain seems to be linked to increased food consumption [(Adjusted Odd Ratio) AOR = 1.68, 95% (Confidence Interval) CI = 1.12, 2.54, p = 0.022], decreased physical activity (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.58, 3.21, p < 0.001), and increased smoking (AOR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.04, 3.50, p = 0.038). The groups that were most likely to gain weight included those who consumed more cereals (AOR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.08, 2.57, p = 0.011), had an increased desire for sweets (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.50, 3.19, p < 0.001), and an increased desire for food (hunger) (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.53, 3.14, p < 0.001). In contrast, those who exercised more were more likely to lose weight (AOR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.44, 0.86, p < 0.001) as well as those who slept over 9 h a day (AOR = 1.90, 95% CI = 0.45, 0.88, p = 0.006). Discussion Overall, it is essential to promote healthy habits and methods of healthy diet maintenance during stressful and unusual times when people might find it difficult to put effort into their health.
Foot Care Behaviour among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study

Diabetic foot complications result in morbidity and lower extremity amputation. Our cross-sectional study aimed to assess the foot care behaviour among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. More than half of the participants (56.2%) reported a low level of foot care behaviour. Gender and educational level were significantly associated with foot care behaviour (p < 0.05). This study provides an overview of the current foot care behaviour in a multi-ethnic population in Southeast Asia. Future studies with rigorous methods are needed to examine the factors associated with the foot care behaviour among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.