Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Tai Chi on insomnia in elderly people with chronic non-specific low back pain: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Introduction Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is a complex condition characterized by pain, dysfunction, disturbed sleep, anxiety, and depression, all of which impair the quality of life. Previous studies showed that practicing Tai Chi had effects on chronic low back pain. However, there is a lack of evidence on its impact on sleep. The trial will evaluate the use of Tai Chi as a treatment for insomnia in elderly people with CNLBP. Methods The study design will be a randomized, controlled, open-label trial. Participants (n = 106) will be recruited from the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qing Yang District University for the Elderly, and Ci Tang Street Community. Participants will be randomly assigned to the Tai Chi group (n = 53) and the control group (n = 53). The Tai Chi group will undergo a Yang-style 24-form Tai Chi program for 8 weeks. The control group will have a waiting period of 8 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of Tai Chi practice. The primary outcomes of this study will be changes in sleep quality and pain intensity. Secondary outcomes of interest will include changes in the quality of pain, range of motion, physical performance, social support, and overall quality of life. Any adverse events and attendance rates will also be reported in this study. Clinical trial registration ChiCTR2200064977.
Epidemiological characteristics, virulence potential, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and phylogenetic analysis of Aeromonas caviae isolated from extra-intestinal infections

Objective Aeromonas caviae (A. caviae) is one of the major etiological agents in human intestinal infections reported to be associated with a broad spectrum of extra-intestinal infections with increasing incidence over recent years. Although previous studies have established its significance as a causative agent of both bloodstream and gastrointestinal infections, the characteristics of A. caviae that cause extra-intestinal infections remain unilluminated.In this single-center retrospective study, we investigated epidemiological characteristics, antimicrobial resistance genes and phenotypes, virulence genes, and phyloevolution of 47 clinical A. caviae isolated from patients with extra-intestinal infections from 2017 to 2020. Methods A. caviae strains were identified by biochemical tests and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS), ultimately confirmed to species level by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes were identified using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) and the virulence factor database (VFDB), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of 47 clinical strains was performed by combining with 521 A. caviae strains from NCBI database. Results A. caviae was an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients, especially those with underlying hepatobiliary diseases and malignancies. 19 out of 47 isolates were identified as multidrug resistance (MDR) strains. Piperacillin-tazobactam, levofloxacin, gentamicin, amikacin with a resistance rate of less than 10% remained as options to treat extra-intestinal infections. 24 out of 47 isolates exhibited non-susceptibility to cephalosporins and cephamycins, all of which carried β-lactamase gene, including bla MOX, bla PER-3, bla OXA, bla NDM, and bla CphA. Most stains (98%, 46/47) carried at least one of the virulence genes, but extra-intestinal infections had a low mortality rate. Phylogenetic analysis indicated the risk of nosocomial transmission but revealed no outbreak. However, the emergence of MDR and β-lactamase resistance genes in extra-intestinal isolates of A. caviae is becoming an increasing risk to public health and requires attention. Conclusions This study strengthen our understanding of A.caviae isolated from extra-intestinal infections. It may contribute to the management of extra-intestinal infections as well as the prevention and control of drug resistance.
Fuzzy modeling for short term load forecasting using the orthogonal least squares method

A fuzzy modeling method is developed in this paper for short term load forecasting. According to this method, identification of the premise part and consequent part is separately accomplished via the orthogonal least squares (OLS) technique. Particularly, the OLS is first employed to partition the input space and determine the number of fuzzy rules and the premise parameters. In the sequel, a second orthogonal estimator determines the input terms which should be included in the consequent part of each fuzzy rule and calculate its parameters. Input selection is automatically performed, given an input candidate set of arbitrary size, formulated by an expert. A satisfactory prediction performance is attained as shown in the test results, showing the effectiveness of the suggested method.
Gelsolin as a Potential Clinical Biomarker in Psoriasis Vulgaris

Although discovering novel biomarkers for psoriasis is challenging, it may play an essential role in diagnosis, severity assessment, and prediction of treatment outcome and prognosis. The study was aimed to determine potential serum biomarkers of psoriasis via proteomic data analysis and clinical validity assessment. Thirty-one subjects manifested psoriasis and 19 subjects were healthy volunteers who were enrolled in the study. Protein expression was performed via two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) using psoriasis patients’ sera before and after treatment and sera of patients without psoriasis. Image analysis was then performed. Nano-scale liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) experiments subsequently identified points showing differential expression in 2-DE image analysis. To measure levels of candidate proteins to validate results obtained from 2-DE, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was then conducted. Gelsolin was identified as a potential protein through LC-MS/MS analysis and database search. Serum gelsolin levels were lower in the groups of psoriasis patients before treatment than in the control group and the group of psoriasis patients after treatment. Additionally, in subgroup analysis, serum gelsolin level was correlated with various clinical severity scores. In conclusion, low serum gelsolin levels are associated with the severity of psoriasis, proposing the potential role of gelsolin as a biomarker for severity assessment and evaluation of treatment response of psoriasis.
Detecting moving targets in SAR imagery by focusing

A new method for detecting moving targets in a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image is presented. It involves segmenting a complex-valued SAR image into patches, focusing each patch separately, and measuring the sharpness increase in the focused patch. The algorithm is sensitive to azimuth velocities and is exquisitely sensitive to radial accelerations of the target, allowing it to detect motion in any direction. It is complementary to conventional Doppler-sensing moving target indicators, which can sense only the radial velocity of rapidly moving targets.
Effect of Porcine- and Bovine-Derived Xenografts with Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose for Bone Formation in Rabbit Calvaria Defects

In this study, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was mixed with particle-type xenografts, derived from two different species (bovine and porcine), to increase the manipulability of bone grafts and compare the bone regeneration ability. Four circular defects with a diameter of 6 mm were formed on each rabbit calvaria, and the defects were randomly divided into three groups: no treatment (control group), HPMC-mixed bovine xenograft (Bo-Hy group), and HPMC-mixed porcine xenograft (Po-Hy group). At eight weeks, micro-computed tomography (µCT) scanning and histomorphometric analyses were performed to evaluate new bone formation within the defects. The results revealed that the defects treated with the Bo-Hy and the Po-Hy showed higher bone regeneration than the control group (p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between the two xenograft groups (p > 0.05). Within the limitations of the present study, there was no difference in new bone formation between porcine and bovine xenografts with HPMC, and bone graft material was easily moldable with the desired shape during surgery. Therefore, the moldable porcine-derived xenograft with HPMC used in this study could be a promising substitute for the currently used bone grafts as it exhibits good bone regeneration ability for bony defects.
Advanced Technology Large-Aperture Space Telescope: science drivers and technology developments

Abstract. The Advanced Technology Large-Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST) is a concept for an 8- to 16-m ultraviolet optical near infrared space observatory for launch in the 2025 to 2030 era. ATLAST will allow astronomers to answer fundamental questions at the forefront of modern astrophysics, including: Is there life elsewhere in the Galaxy? We present a range of science drivers and the resulting performance requirements for ATLAST (8- to 16-marcsec angular resolution, diffraction limited imaging at 0.5-μm wavelength, minimum collecting area of 45 m2, high sensitivity to light wavelengths from 0.1 to 2.4 μm, high stability in wavefront sensing and control). We also discuss the priorities for technology development needed to enable the construction of ATLAST for a cost that is comparable to that of current generation observatory-class space missions.
VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE

Technology has been evolving radically over the last 25 years, creating consequently a wide range of IT related jobs, including software development, networking or database administration. Unfortunately, software engineers have to overcome many difficulties in order to perform well at their interviews and obtain their dream job. Having a great CV and knowledge is not enough, as both hard and soft skills must be proven at the interview. In order to achieve good interview performance, training becomes essential, especially for people who show signs of insecurity, introversion or lack of social contact. Job interview training should always be based on practice, not on theory, but even in this case, the existing methods of simulating an interview can have their drawbacks. Our paper proposes an innovative training system based on virtual reality (VR), meant to improve the interview performance of software engineers. By combining two emerging technologies, chatterbots and virtual reality, our system can reproduce in a precise manner the situation of an actual interview. Based on their chosen enterprise, the users will find themselves in different interview rooms (simulated through 3D environments) and will have to interact with different avatars, representing the interviewers. Both technical competencies and soft skills can be practiced in the system, as the chatterbot is trained to give relevant questions and to react accordingly to the user’s answers. Besides the real-time feedback, an evaluation module is also present in order to help the user assess the results of their performance. The system has a high degree of modularisation, thus easily allowing the integration of a text-to-speech module for visually impaired people.
Long-term postoperative quality of life in childhood survivors with cerebellar mutism syndrome

Background To investigate the long-term quality of life (QoL) of children with cerebellar mutism syndrome (CMS) and explore the risk factors for a low QoL. Procedure This cross-sectional study investigated children who underwent posterior fossa surgery using an online Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory questionnaire. CMS and non-CMS patients were included to identify QoL predictors. Results Sixty-nine patients were included (male, 62.3%), 22 of whom had CMS. The mean follow-up time was 45.2 months. Children with CMS had a significantly lower mean QoL score (65.3 vs. 83.7, p < 0.001) and subdomain mean scores (physical; 57.8 vs. 85.3, p < 0.001; social: 69.5 vs. 85.1, p = 0.001; academic: p = 0.001) than those without CMS, except for the emotional domain (78.0 vs. 83.7, p = 0.062). Multivariable analysis revealed that CMS (coefficient = −14.748.61, p = 0.043), chemotherapy (coefficient = −7.629.82, p = 0.013), ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement (coefficient = −10.14, p = 0.024), and older age at surgery (coefficient = −1.1830, p = 0.007) were independent predictors of low total QoL scores. Physical scores were independently associated with CMS (coefficient = −27.4815.31, p = 0.005), VP shunt placement (coefficient = −12.86, p = 0.025), and radiotherapy (coefficient = −13.62, p = 0.007). Emotional score was negatively associated with age at surgery (coefficient = −1.92, p = 0.0337) and chemotherapy (coefficient = −9.11, p = 0.003). Social scores were negatively associated with male sex (coefficient = −13.68, p = 0.001) and VP shunt placement (coefficient = −1.36, p = 0.005), whereas academic scores were negatively correlated with chemotherapy (coefficient = −17.45, p < 0.001) and age at surgery (coefficient = −1.92, p = 0.002). Extent of resection (coefficient = 13.16, p = 0.021) was a good predictor of higher academic scores. Conclusion CMS results in long-term neurological and neuropsychological deficits, negatively affecting QoL, and warranting early rehabilitation.
Formation and properties of proton-exchanged and annealed LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguides for surface acoustic wave

The proton-exchanged (PE) and annealed PE (APE) z-cut LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguides were fabricated using H/sub 4/P/sub 2/O/sub 7/. The positive strain, c-axis lattice constant change (/spl Delta/c/c), was calculated to be about +0.43%, which was almost independent of the exchanged conditions. The penetration depth of H measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) exhibited a step-like profile, which was assumed to be equal to the waveguide depth (d). The surface acoustic wave (SAW) properties of PE and APE z-cut LiNbO/sub 3/ samples were investigated. The phase velocity (V/sub p/) and electromechanical coupling coefficient (K/sup 2/) of PE samples were significantly decreased by the increase of kd, where k was the wavenumber (2/spl pi///spl lambda/). The insertion loss (IL) of PE samples was increased by the increase of kd and became nearly constant at kd>0.064. The temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) of PE samples allowed an apparent increase with kd, reaching a maximum at kd=0.292, then slightly decreased at higher kd. The effects of annealing resulted in a restoration of V/sub p/ and an improvement of IL.
Growth and decay of runaway electrons above the critical electric field under quiescent conditions

Extremely low density operation free of error field penetration supports the excitation of trace-level quiescent runaway electron (RE) populations during the flat-top of DIII-D Ohmic discharges. Operation in the quiescent regime allows accurate measurement of all key parameters important to RE excitation, including the internal broadband magnetic fluctuation level. RE onset is characterized and found to be consistent with primary (Dreicer) generation rates. Impurity-free collisional suppression of the RE population is investigated by stepping the late-time main-ion density, until RE decay is observed. The transition from growth to decay is found to occur 3–5 times above the theoretical critical electric field for avalanche growth and is thus indicative of anomalous RE loss. This suggests that suppression of tokamak RE avalanches can be achieved at lower density than previously expected, though extrapolation requires predictive understanding of the RE loss mechanism and magnitude.
COVID-19-induced discrimination toward tourists, emotional responses, and identity management strategies

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of tourists' perceived COVID-19-induced discrimination on negative emotional responses and identity management strategies. Data were collected from 431 Fijians who had recently travelled internationally. Covariance-based structural equation modelling analysis revealed that perceived COVID-19-induced discrimination significantly explained two negative emotional responses—anger and disappointment. Anger positively affected identity management strategies, revealing and avoidance, while disappointment positively affected passing and avoidance. The model explained the following variances: revealing (51%); passing (48%); and avoidance (42%). This study contributes to understanding post-pandemic travel behaviour related to COVID-19-induced discrimination against tourists and better management in response to the pandemic.
Assessing Orofacial Pain Behaviors in Animal Models: A Review

Orofacial pain refers to pain occurring in the head and face, which is highly prevalent and represents a challenge to clinicians, but its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, and more studies using animal models are urgently needed. Currently, there are different assessment methods for analyzing orofacial pain behaviors in animal models. In order to minimize the number of animals used and maximize animal welfare, selecting appropriate assessment methods can avoid repeated testing and improve the reliability and accuracy of research data. Here, we summarize different methods for assessing spontaneous pain, evoked pain, and relevant accompanying dysfunction, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. While the behaviors of orofacial pain in rodents are not exactly equivalent to the symptoms displayed in patients with orofacial pain, animal models and pain behavioral assessments have advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of such pain.
Initial breakup of a small-diameter liquid jet by a high-speed gas stream

The situation of a small-diameter liquid jet exposed to a large-diameter high-speed gas jet (gas-to-liquid nozzle area ratio of order 100 to 1000) is investigated experimentally. Flow visualization and particle-sizing techniques are employed to examine the initial jet breakup process and primary liquid atomization. Observations of the initial breakup of the liquid jet in the near-nozzle region, combined with droplet-size mea-surements, are used in an effort to elucidate the dominant mechanism of primary breakup of the liquid. It is shown that for large aerodynamic Weber numbers, the bulk of the liquid atomization is completed within a few gas-jet diameters of the nozzle exit, inside of the potential cone of the gas flow. Breakup is therefore completed within the zone of constant ambient gas velocity. It is argued that the mechanism of initial jet breakup is similar to that of a liquid drop suddenly exposed to a high-speed gas stream. A phenomenological breakup model is proposed for the initial droplet size, based upon the accelerative, secondary destabilization (via Rayleigh–Taylor instability) of the liquid wave crests resulting from the primary Kelvin–Helmholtz instability of the liquid jet surface. Primary mean droplet sizes are shown to scale well on the most unstable Rayleigh–Taylor wavelength, and the dependence of the droplet diameter on both the atomizing gas velocity and the liquid surface tension are successfully captured by the proposed breakup model.
A Fast Adaptive Multipole Algorithm for Particle Simulations

This paper describes an algorithm for the rapid evaluation of the potential and force fields in systems involving large numbers of particles whose interactions are described by Coulomb's law. Unlike previously published schemes, the algorithm of this paper has an asymptotic CPU time estimate of $O(N)$, where N is the number of particles in the simulation, and does not depend on the statistics of the distribution for its efficient performance. The numerical examples we present indicate that it should be an algorithm of choice in many situations of practical interest.
High-velocity iron absorption lines in supernova remnant 1006

The very strong, broad absorption lines of a sdOB star continuum shown in the International Ultraviolet Explorer spectrum of the Schweizer-Middleditch star projected near the center of supernova remnant SNR 1006 are investigated. It is found that strong Fe(+) resonance absorption lines are present whose centers show zero radial velocity while their profiles are broadened by approximately 5000-6000 km/s. Also identified are redshifted Si(+), Si(2+), and Si(3+) lines at velocities of approximately 5000 km/s. Results show that the absorptions must occur in the ejecta of the supernova. The strength and symmetric width of the Fe(+) line indicates that the bulk of the ejecta is iron, in agreement with the current theory for the origin of Type I supernova. It is suggested that the previous failure to detect strong Fe emission lines in the X-ray spectra of this and other young Type I SNRs may be a result of the ejecta not having had time to interact significantly with the ambient medium. In addition, the presence of redshifted adsorption lines due to supernova ejecta in its spectrum shows that this star is located behind the SNR and is not physically associated with it.
Zero product preserving functionals on C ( ˝ ) -valued spaces of functions

Let X be a compact Hausdorff space and Ω be a locally compact σ -compact space. In this paper we study (real-linear) continuous zero product preserving functionals ϕ : A −→ C on certain subalgebras A of the Fréchet algebra C ( X , C (Ω)) . The case that ϕ is continuous with respect to a speciﬁed complete metric on A will also be discussed. In particular, for a compact Hausdorff space K we characterize (cid:3)·(cid:3) -continuous linear zero product preserving functionals on the Banach algebra C 1 ( [ 0 , 1 ] , C ( K )) equipped with the norm (cid:3) f (cid:3) = (cid:3) f (cid:3) [ 0 , 1 ] +(cid:3) f (cid:4) (cid:3) [ 0 , 1 ] , where (cid:3)·(cid:3) [ 0 , 1 ] denotes the supremum norm. An application of the results is given for continuous ring homomorphisms on such subalgebras.
Implicit preconditioned high‐order compact scheme for the simulation of the three‐dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with pseudo‐compressibility method

This paper combines the pseudo‐compressibility procedure, the preconditioning technique for accelerating the time marching for stiff hyperbolic equations, and high‐order accurate central compact scheme to establish the code for efficiently and accurately solving incompressible flows numerically based on the finite difference discretization. The spatial scheme consists of the sixth‐order compact scheme and 10th‐order numerical filter operator for guaranteeing computational stability. The preconditioned pseudo‐compressible Navier–Stokes equations are marched temporally using the implicit lower–upper symmetric Gauss–Seidel time integration method, and the time accuracy is improved by the dual‐time step method for the unsteady problems. The efficiency and reliability of the present procedure are demonstrated by applications to Taylor decaying vortices phenomena, double periodic shear layer rolling‐up problem, laminar flow over a flat plate, low Reynolds number unsteady flow around a circular cylinder at Re = 200, high Reynolds number turbulence flow past the S809 airfoil, and the three‐dimensional flows through two 90°curved ducts of square and circular cross sections, respectively. It is found that the numerical results of the present algorithm are in good agreement with theoretical solutions or experimental data. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.