Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Survey of Automatic Code Generation fromNatural Language

Many researchers have carried out studies related to programming languages since the beginning of computer science. Besides programming with traditional programming languages (i.e., procedural, object-oriented, functional programming language, etc.), a new paradigm of programming is being carried out. It is programming with natural language. By programming with natural language, we expect that it will free our expressiveness in contrast to programming languages which have strong constraints in syntax. This paper surveys the approaches that generate source code automatically from a natural language description. We also categorize the approaches by their forms of input and output. Finally, we analyze the current trend of approaches and suggest the future direction of this research domain to improve automatic code generation with natural language. From the analysis, we state that researchers should work on customizing language models in the domain of source code and explore better representations of source code such as embedding techniques and pre-trained models which have been proved to work well on natural language processing tasks.
Image Semantic Segmentation Using Improved ENet Network

An image semantic segmentation model is proposed based on improved ENet network in order to achieve the low accuracy of image semantic segmentation in complex environment. Firstly, this paper performs pruning and convolution optimization operations on the ENet network. That is, the network structure is reasonably adjusted for better results in image segmentation by reducing the convolution operation in the decoder and proposing the bottleneck convolution structure. Squeeze-and-excitation (SE) module is then integrated into the optimized ENet network. Small-scale targets see improvement in segmentation accuracy via automatic learning of the importance of each feature channel. Finally, the experiment was verified on the public dataset. This method outperforms the existing comparison methods in mean pixel accuracy (MPA) and mean intersection over union (MIOU) values. And in a short running time, the accuracy of the segmentation and the efficiency of the operation are guaranteed.
Three-Dimensional Upper Body Kinematics and Inter-articular Kinematic Sequence During a Canoe Polo Throw

Canoe polo is an increasingly popular discipline requiring both kayaking and ball-handling skills. While the kinematics of the upper body during throw has been investigated for several overhead sports, the canoe polo throw has still to be studied. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the canoe polo throw kinematics in terms of angles and inter-articular sequencing to understand its specificity. A secondary aim was to investigate whether adding pelvis mobility has an impact. Nineteen male players of canoe polo were equipped with reflective body markers for the throw analysis. They performed 5 throws with the pelvis fixed and 5 throws with additional pelvic mobility in rotation around a vertical axis. Inverse kinematics was performed with OpenSim providing pelvis, trunk, and glenohumeral rotations. Angular velocities were calculated to build the inter-articular sequences relative to these throws. Statistical parametric mapping was used to assess the effect of pelvis mobility on the throwing kinematics. Similar kinematics patterns as in other overhead sports were observed, however, a different inter-articular sequence was found for the canoe polo throw with a maximal angular velocity occurring sooner for the thorax in axial rotation than for the pelvis in rotation. While the limitation of rotation of the pelvis around a vertical axis has an influence on the pelvis and trunk kinematics, it did not modify the kinematic sequence.
Facemask Usage Among People With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Participatory Project

Objectives: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disease that causes recurrent respiratory infections. People with PCD may be at high risk of severe COVID-19 and protection against SARS-CoV-2 is therefore important. We studied facemask usage and problems reported in relation with their use among people with PCD. Methods: We used data from COVID-PCD, an international observational cohort study. A questionnaire was e-mailed to participants in October 2020 that asked about facemask usage. Results: In total, 282 participants from 27 countries were included (Median age 32 years; 63% female). In total, 252 (89%) wore facemasks everywhere in public, 13 (5%) wore facemasks in most places, and 17 (6%) did not wear facemasks in public. Half of the participants reported that it was uncomfortable to wear facemasks because of runny nose, cough, or difficulty breathing. Participants less often wore facemasks when there was no national requirement. Conclusion: Most people with PCD wore facemasks despite frequent respiratory problems related to their use. Facemask usage was most frequent in countries with a national requirement emphasizing the importance of nationwide policies mandating facemasks.
Acute Behavior of Oxygen Consumption, Lactate Concentrations, and Energy Expenditure During Resistance Training: Comparisons Among Three Intensities

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the oxygen consumption, lactate concentrations, and energy expenditure using three different intensities during the resistance training sessions. Methods: A total of 15 men (22.9 ± 2.61 years) experienced in resistance training underwent 3 sessions composed of 8 exercises (chest press, pec deck, squat, lat pull-down, biceps curl, triceps extension, hamstring curl, and crunch machine), which were applied in the same order. The weight lifted differed among the sessions [high session: 6 sets of 5 repetitions at 90% of 1-repetition maximum (1-RM); intermediary session: 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 75% of 1-RM; and low session: 2 sets of 15 repetitions at 60% of 1-RM]. The oxygen consumption (VO2)—during and after (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)) the session, blood lactate concentration, and energy expenditure (i.e., the sum of aerobic and anaerobic contributions, respectively) were assessed. Results: The VO2 significantly decreased in the function of the weight lifting (F(2.28) = 17.02; p < 0.01; ηG2 = 0.32). However, the aerobic contributions significantly increase in the function of the weight lifting (F(2.28) = 79.18; p < 0.01; ηG2 = 0.75). The anaerobic contributions were not different among the sessions (p > 0.05; ηG2 < 0.01). Thus, the total energy expenditure during the session (kcal) significantly increased in the function of the weight lifting (F(2.28) = 86.68; p < 0.01; ηG2 = 0.75). The energy expenditure expressed in time unit (kcal·min−1) was higher in low session than in high session (F(2.28) = 6.20; p < 0.01; ηG2 = 0.15). Conclusion: The weight lifted during resistance training-induced different physiological responses, which induced higher energy expenditure per unit of time during the low session.
Altered Plasma Metabolic Profiles in Chinese Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that leads to the demyelination of nerve axons. An increasing number of studies suggest that patients with MS exhibit altered metabolic profiles, which might contribute to the course of MS. However, the alteration of metabolic profiles in Chinese patients with MS and their potential roles in regulating the immune system remain elusive. In this study, we performed a global untargeted metabolomics approach in plasma samples from 22 MS-affected Chinese patients and 21 healthy subjects. A total of 42 differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) belonging to amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates were identified in the plasma of MS patients and compared with those in healthy controls. We observed an evident reduction in the levels of amino acids, such as L-tyrosine, L-isoleucine, and L-tryptophan, whereas there was a great increase in the levels of L-glutamic acid and L-valine in MS-affected patients. The levels of lipid and carbohydrate metabolites, such as sphingosine 1-phosphate and myo-inositol, were also reduced in patients with MS. In addition, the concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17 and TNF-α, were significantly increased, whereas those of several anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as IL-1ra, IL-7, and MIP-1α, were distinctly reduced in the plasma of MS patients compared with those in healthy subjects. Interestingly, some DAMs, such as L-tryptophan and sphingosine 1-phosphate, showed an evident negative correlation with changes in the level of TNF-α and IL-17, while tightly positively correlating with altered concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as MIP-1α and RANTES. Our results revealed that altered metabolomic profiles might contribute to the pathogenesis and course of MS disease by modulating immuno-inflammatory responses in the peripheral system, which is essential for eliciting autoimmune responses in the central nervous system, thus resulting in the progression of MS. This study provides potential clues for developing therapeutic strategies for MS in the near future.
Chinese Self, Australian Other: Chinese as a Foreign Language Teacher Identity Construction in Australian Contexts

Research in the field of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) education has been increasing in the past decades. However, the number of studies on CFL teacher identity is limited. To bridge the gap, this study employed a qualitative method to explore Chinese CFL teachers’ identity formation and reformation in Australian contexts. A Chinese-Australian language program was studied to examine the challenges, struggles and developments of Chinese CFL teachers who came to Australia to pursue professional growth. Five Master’s theses and three interview participants were included to paint a picture of how Chinese CFL teachers interact internally and externally with a new environment. Guided by Mead’s theory of self and other, we found that Chinese CFL teachers’ identity formation and reformation in Australian classrooms are deeply influenced by their self-identification and their integration with others in the community. Cultural connectedness is a key for organizational attitudes in the relationship of self and other. Chinese CFL teachers were found lacking the wholeness of self in Australian contexts, which led to obstacles in teacher identity construction. Insufficient communication between self and other resulted in their positioning crisis.
Neuroprotection Against NMDA-Induced Retinal Damage by Philanthotoxin-343 Involves Reduced Nitrosative Stress

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) overstimulation is known to mediate neurodegeneration, and hence represents a relevant therapeutic target for neurodegenerative disorders including glaucoma. This study examined the neuroprotective effects of philanthotoxin (PhTX)-343 against NMDA-induced retinal injury in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups; group 1 received phosphate buffer saline as the negative control, group 2 was injected with NMDA (160 nM) to induce retinal excitotoxic injury, and group 3 was pre-treated with PhTX-343 (160 nM) 24 h before NMDA exposure. All treatments were given intravitreally and bilaterally. Seven days post-treatment, rats were subjected to visual behaviour assessments using open field and colour recognition tests. Rats were then euthanized, and the retinas were harvested and subjected to haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining for morphometric analysis and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) ELISA protocol as the nitrosative stress biomarker. PhTX-343 treatment prior to NMDA exposure improved the ability of rats to recognize visual cues and preserved visual functions (i.e., recognition of objects with different colours). Morphological examination of retinal tissues showed that the fractional ganglion cell layer thickness within the inner retina (IR) in the PhTX-343 treated group was greater by 1.28-fold as compared to NMDA-treated rats (p < 0.05) and was comparable to control rats (p > 0.05). Additionally, the number of retinal cell nuclei/100 μm2 in IR for the PhTX-343-treated group was greater by 1.82-fold compared to NMDA-treated rats (p < 0.05) and was comparable to control group (p > 0.05). PhTX-343 also reduced the retinal 3-NT levels by 1.74-fold compared to NMDA-treated rats (p < 0.05). In conclusion, PhTX-343 pretreatment protects against NMDA-induced retinal morphological changes and visual impairment by suppressing nitrosative stress as reflected by the reduced retinal 3-NT level.
Intra- and Extra-Hospital Dissemination of IMP-22-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in Northern Portugal: The Breach of the Hospital Frontier Toward the Community

The emergence of infections (and colonization) with Enterobacteriaceae-producing carbapenemases is a threatening public health problem. In the last decades, we watched an isolated case becoming a brutal outbreak, a sporadic description becoming an endemic problem. The present study aims to highlight the dissemination of IMP-22-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in the North of Portugal, through the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of isolates collected from hospitalized patients (n=5) and out-patients of the emergency ward of the same acute care hospital (n=2), and isolates responsible for the intestinal colonization of residents in a Long-Term Care Facility (n=4). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) results, associated with conjugation experiments pointed to a pattern of both vertical and horizontal dissemination. Overall, and complementing other studies that give relevance to IMP-22-producing K. pneumoniae in the clinical settings, here we show for the first time the public health threatening breach of the hospital frontier of this resistance threat, toward the community.
Evidence of Microplastic Size Impact on Mobility and Transport in the Marine Environment: A Review and Synthesis of Recent Research

Marine Microplastics (MPs) exhibit a wide range of properties due to their variable origins and the weathering processes to which they are exposed. MP’s versatile properties are connected to their dispersal, accumulation, and deposition in the marine environment. MP transport and dispersion are often explained by analogy with sediments. For natural sediments, one of the key features linked to transport and marine morphology is particle size. There is, however, no size classification defined for MP particles and MPs constitute all plastic particles sized smaller than the threshold of 5 mm. In this study, based on existing knowledge in hydrodynamics and natural sediment transport, the impact of MP size on turbulent entrainment, particle settling, and resuspension is described. Moreover, by analyzing several quantitative studies that have provided size distribution, size-selective accumulation of MPs in various regions of the marine environment is reported on. The preferential presence of MPs based on their size in different marine compartments is discussed based on the governing hydrodynamic parameters. Furthermore, the linkage between polymer properties and MP shape and size is explored. Despite the evident connection between hydrodynamic transport and MP size presented, classification of MP size presents challenges. MP size, shape, and density appear simultaneously in the definition of many hydrodynamic parameters described in this study. Unlike mineral sediments that possess a narrow range of density and shape, plastics are manufactured in a wide variety of densities and marine MPs are versatile in shape. Classification for MP size should incorporate particle variability in terms of polymer density and shape.
Analysis of the neutral conductor current in a three phase supplied network with nonlinear single phase loads

This paper describes which factors (i.e. load and supply) have an important effect on the neutral conductor current. It is shown that an asymmetry up to 10/spl deg/ or an unbalance of 10% in the power supply has only a minor effect on the RMS-value of the neutral conductor current. An unbalance in load conditions increases the neutral conductor current. Harmonics in the power supply voltage highly affects the RMS-value of the neutral conductor current.
Hysteretic model of stiffened shear panel dampers

A properly designed two-way stiffened (stiffened both in longitudinal and transverse directions) shear panel can sustain large deformation without pinching and consequent strength degradation. Hence it can be used as an effective passive energy dissipating damper (PEDD) in building and bridge structures to absorb seismic energy. In this Technical Note, a series of steel shear panels with 1, 2, or 3 two-way stiffeners has been analyzed under cyclic loading by the general-purpose finite element program ABAQUS, in which a modified two-surface model is incorporated to trace the material nonlinearity. Slenderness of web, Rw , is employed as a key parameter to investigate the hysteretic performance of stiffened shear panels. The sensitivities of the ratio of stiffener rigidity to optimum stiffener rigidity, γs ∕ γs* , the ratio of flange thickness to web thickness, tf ∕ tw , and aspect ratio, α , are also investigated. Finally, a simplified bilinear model for stiffened shear panels acting as a PEDD is presented.
A Meta-Analysis of Microbial Therapy Against Metabolic Syndrome: Evidence From Randomized Controlled Trials

Background and aims: Metabolic syndrome (MetS), accompanied with significant intestinal dysbiosis, causes a great public health burden to human society. Here, we carried out a meta-analysis to qualify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and to systematically evaluate the effect of microbial therapy on MetS. Methods and results: Forty-two RCTs were eligible for this meta-analysis after searching the PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases. Pooled estimates demonstrated that treatment with microbial therapy significantly reduced the waist circumference (WC) (SMD = −0.26, 95% CI −0.49, −0.03), fasting blood glucose (FBG) (SMD = −0.35, 95% CI −0.52, −0.18), total cholesterol (TC) (SMD = −0.36, 95% CI −0.55, −0.17), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (SMD = −0.42, 95% CI −0.61, −0.22), and triacylglycerol (TG)(SMD = −0.38, 95% CI −0.55, −0.20), but increased the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (SMD = 0.28, 95% CI.03, 0.52). Sensitivity analysis indicated that after eliminating one study utilizing Bifidobacteriumlactis, results became statistically significant in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (SMD = −0.24, 95% CI −0.41, −0.07) and in Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) (SMD = −0.28, 95% CI −0.54, −0.03), while the body mass index (BMI) showed significant difference after eliminating one study utilizing oat bran (SMD = −0.16, 95% CI −0.31, −0.01). There was still no significant effect in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c%). Conclusion: In patients with MetS, the conditioning with microbial therapy notably improves FBG, TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, WC, BMI (except for the study using oat bran), HOMA-IR, and DBP (except for the Study using Bifidobacteriumlactis), however, with no effect in SBP and in HbA1c%.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Thymoquinone in Atherosclerosis: A Mini Review

Atherosclerosis poses serious health problems and increases the risk of various cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, ischemic stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. Atherosclerosis patients require long-term medications to prevent complications, some of which are costly and may result in unwanted adverse reactions. Natural products have emerged as potential sources of bioactive compounds that provide health benefits in cardiovascular diseases. Increased inflammation and vascular remodeling have been associated with atherosclerosis pathogenesis. The molecules involved in signaling pathways are considered valuable targets for new treatment approaches. Therefore, this review aimed to summarize the available evidence of the anti-inflammatory effects of thymoquinone, the major active compound isolated from Nigella sativa L. , via inflammatory signaling pathways in atherosclerosis. Specifically, nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways were considered. Furthermore, the potential toxic effects elicited by thymoquinone were addressed. These findings suggest a potential role of thymoquinone in managing atherosclerosis, and further studies are required to ascertain its effectiveness and safety profile.
Are Social and Ethnic Reading Inequalities Increasing During School Closures?—The Mediating Role of Parental Involvement in Distance Learning

From spring 2020 many countries throughout Europe and beyond temporarily closed schools to tackle the spread of the coronavirus. First studies indicate that these school closures resulted in lower learning gains compared to learning gains in preceding years and widened social and ethnic disparities by affecting disadvantaged students more strongly than their more advantaged peers. Moreover, during school closures, parental involvement in distance learning is regarded as crucial for successful learning, especially for younger children. In the current study, we examine whether social and ethnic disparities in the reading achievement of primary school students widened during COVID-related school closures in spring 2020 and whether increased disparities are mediated by parental involvement in distance learning. We use data from 409 Austrian 2nd graders, whose teachers participated in an ongoing study on the use of learning progress assessment. Adopting a within-subject design, we first compare the effects of social and ethnic family background on reading achievement during a pre-lockdown period with the respective effects during a lockdown period of similar length. Controlling for pre-lockdown reading differences, we found that low socioeconomic status and non-German language use at home negatively predicted post-lockdown reading achievement, indicating that post-lockdown disparities were larger than expected due to disparities at pre-lockdown. In contrast, we found no such effects during the pre-lockdown period. Second, a series of mediation models did not provide any support for the hypothesis that parental involvement accounted for family background effects on reading achievement during the lockdown period.
Biotechnology and food security in developing countries.

Food security is a necessity for every individual, home, community and nation. In developing countries, food security could be substantially improved by increased investment and policy reforms. Biotechnology’s ability to eliminate malnutrition and hunger through production of crops resistant to pests and diseases, having longer shelf-lives, refined textures and flavours, higher yields per units of land and time, tolerant to adverse weather and soil conditions, and generate employment, cannot be over-emphasized. This technology can be applied to improve agriculture in order to improve food production for the human population in an environmentally sustainable manner. However, there is need for government and public-private collaborations to invest in agricultural biotechnology-based companies, researches, or initiatives, in order to make the gene revolution beneficial to developing countries. Key words: Biotechnology, food security, developing countries, agriculture, public investment, policy reform.