Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting choroidal thickness in normal myopic eyes in Egyptians using swept-source optical coherence tomography

Purpose: To study the influence of age, sex, refractive error, and axial length (AL) on choroidal thickness (CT) in normal myopic eyes, among Egyptian population, using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Patients and Methods: CT was measured by an SS-OCT in 97 eyes of 49 normal myopic volunteers. The subjects were classified according to age, degree of myopia, and AL. Correlation between CT and age, AL, and myopia was done for different groups. AL was measured using IOL Master. OCT measurements were performed using Topcon DRI-1 SS-OCT. CT was automatically calculated and shown as a colored topographic map with nine subfields defined by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study style grid. Results: CT tends to decrease with advance of age. A negative correlation found between the central subfoveal CT (SFCT) and the age (r = −0.329, P = 0.001, R2 = 0.108). Although there was no significant correlation between CT and degree of myopia (r = 0.159, P = 0.120, R2 = 0.025), CT decreases with increase of myopia except with >−8 D group. CT tends to decrease as the AL increases. A negative correlation found between the central SFCT and AL (r = −0.340, P = 0.001, R2 = 0.115). Conclusions: AL and age have a negative correlation with CT, while the sex and spherical equivalent of refractive error in myopes do not affect CT.
On the influence of head motion on the swimming kinematics of robotic fish

Up to now bio-inspired fish-mimicking robots fail when competing with the swimming performance of real fish. While tail motion has been studied extensively, the influence of the head motion is still not fully understood and its active control is challenging. In this experimental study, we show that head yawing strongly impacts on the propulsion force and determines the optimal fin actuation amplitude and tail beat frequency when aiming for a maximal propulsion force. In a parametric experimental study on a tethered 367 mm long fish robot the pivot point location of the head yaw has been varied along with tail beat frequency and actuation amplitude. The experiments took place in a still water tank and the swimming force has been measured with a single axis load cell. The robot is actuated with non-conventional area actuators based on micro fiber composites. 105 parameter sets have been investigated while the highest pivot point distance of roughly 0.36 body length from the nose tip provided the highest propulsion force of 500 mN with the lowest actuation frequency of 2.5 Hz and the highest head motion amplitude of a magnitude of 0.18 body length. Even though the pivot point location on a free swimming robot is a consequence of the complex fluid-structure interactions of fish and fluid, the results provide valuable information for the design of fish mimicking robots and questions the paradigm that head yaw is a simple recoil effect from tail motion and has to be minimized for an effective propulsion.
Generative Perturbation Network for Universal Adversarial Attacks on Brain-Computer Interfaces

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have successfully classified EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. However, recent studies have found that well-designed input samples, known as adversarial examples, can easily fool well-performed deep neural networks model with minor perturbations undetectable by a human. This paper proposes an efficient generative model named generative perturbation network (GPN), which can generate universal adversarial examples with the same architecture for non-targeted and targeted attacks. Furthermore, the proposed model can be efficiently extended to conditionally or simultaneously generate perturbations for various targets and victim models. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates that perturbations generated by the proposed model outperform previous approaches for crafting signal-agnostic perturbations. We demonstrate that the extended network for signal-specific methods also significantly reduces generation time while performing similarly. The transferability across classification networks of the proposed method is superior to the other methods, which shows our perturbations' high level of generality.
Allocation des terres agricoles et gestion des risques de subsistance

This PhD research proposes to study the relationship between informal risk-coping strategies and the nature of land allocation. Informal risk-coping mechanisms are studied here as one potential factor in the failure of land market reforms and the persistence of `non-market' exchange -gifts or free loans. In particular, we show that the bipolar view of land tenure, which opposes `customary' to `market' transfers, does not adequately approach informal risk-coping motivations in land transfers. Two hypotheses are analysed: first, in the absence of insurance markets and public social protection, land has a `safety net' function and households do not sell land but prefer other types of transfers (which retain part of the land's `safety net' function). Secondly, informal risk-coping leads households to participate to hybrid forms of transfers (neither market nor non-market) allowing to combine risk-coping motives with other types of economic necessities. Those two hypotheses are then looked at empirically in two case studies: in Vietnam, where households sell their land only if they are economically stable or have suffered income shocks (distress sales); and in Thailand, where a survey has been done among permanent rural-urban migrants. This surveyconfirms that informal risk-coping slows down land sale markets and sustains transfers such as free-loans. Finally, the Thai data identify traditional risk-sharing institutions in the allocation of land, especially through intra-family free-loans or `disguised rentals'. As a main conclusion, insurance and public protection policies could have a key role in the evaluation of land allocation systems in Thailand and Vietnam.
Comparison between endocrine activity assessed using ToxCast/Tox21 database and human plasma concentration of sunscreen active ingredients/UV filters

Abstract Sunscreen products are composed of ultraviolet (UV) filters and formulated to reduce exposure to sunlight thereby lessening skin damage. Concerns have been raised regarding the toxicity and potential endocrine disrupting (ED) effects of UV filters. The ToxCast/Tox21 program, that is, CompTox, is a high-throughput in vitro screening database of chemicals that identify adverse outcome pathways, key events, and ED potential of chemicals. Using the ToxCast/Tox21 database, octisalate, homosalate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, octinoxate, and avobenzone, 6 commonly used organic UV filters, were found to have been evaluated. These UV filters showed low potency in these bioassays with most activity detected above the range of the cytotoxic burst. The pathways that were most affected were the cell cycle and the nuclear receptor pathways. Most activity was observed in liver and kidney-based bioassays. These organic filters and their metabolites showed relatively weak ED activity when tested in bioassays measuring estrogen receptor (ER), androgen receptor (AR), thyroid receptor, and steroidogenesis activity. Except for oxybenzone, all activity in the endocrine assays occurred at concentrations greater than the cytotoxic burst. Moreover, except for oxybenzone, plasma concentrations (Cmax) measured in humans were at least 100× lower than bioactive (AC50/ACC) concentrations that produced a response in ToxCast/Tox21 assays. These data are consistent with in vivo animal/human studies showing weak or negligible endocrine activity. In sum, when considered as part of a weight-of-evidence assessment and compared with measured plasma concentrations, the results show these organic UV filters have low intrinsic biological activity and risk of toxicity including endocrine disruption in humans.
Alcohol screening and brief intervention by community pharmacists: Benefits and communication methods

Abstract Within the context of services to prevent or treat alcohol-related problems, the terms 'alcohol screening' and 'brief intervention', include all practices used to identify a real or potential alcohol problem, and motivate individuals to take positive action to promote health. Alcohol misuse and dependence affect 8.2 million adults in England, leading to an estimated cost to society of £20bn per annum. Alcohol misuse is now the third leading cause of ill health after tobacco use and high blood pressure. During the past 20 years, randomised controlled trials of brief interventions have been conducted in diverse practice settings. These have included hospital accident and emergency services, medical inpatients units and primary healthcare settings, such as General Practitioner (GP) surgeries. Currently there are no established services or training opportunities in the UK, for community pharmacists to engage in managing alcohol-related problems. It is well known that community pharmacies allow the general public to seek healthcare advice. The potential benefits of preventing alcohol problems through pharmacists' involvement in brief intervention have yet to be measured and further research is required. This paper therefore aims to explore the following questions: • What is the evidence for brief intervention and commutation methodology in public health? • How can community pharmacists be involved in conducting brief alcohol intervention? • What would be a good practice guide for pharmacists to communicate safe drinking advice to harmful and or hazardous drinkers, accessing community pharmacy services? • How could the potential benefits of brief intervention led by community pharmacists be measured?
Increased thromboinflammatory load in hereditary angioedema

Abstract C1 inhibitor (C1Inh) is a serine protease inhibitor involved in the kallikrein-kinin system, the complement system, the coagulation system, and the fibrinolytic system. In addition to the plasma leakage observed in hereditary angioedema (HAE), C1Inh deficiency may also affect these systems, which are important for thrombosis and inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the thromboinflammatory load in C1Inh deficiency. We measured 27 cytokines including interleukins, chemokines, interferons, growth factors, and regulators using multiplex technology. Complement activation (C4d, C3bc, and sC5b-C9/TCC), haemostatic markers (β-thromboglobulin (β-TG), thrombin-antithrombin complexes (TAT), prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), active plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and the neutrophil activation marker myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured by enzyme immunoassays. Plasma and serum samples were collected from 20 patients with HAE type 1 or 2 in clinical remission and compared with 20 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Compared to healthy controls, HAE patients had significantly higher levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-9, IL-12, and IL-17A, chemokine ligand (CXCL) 8, chemokine ligand (CCL) 3, CCL4, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 2 and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. HAE patients also had higher levels of TAT and F1 + 2. Although granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), β-TG and PAI-1 were higher in HAE patients, the differences did not reach statistical significance after correction for multiple testing. In conclusion, C1Inh deficiency is associated with an increased baseline thromboinflammatory load. These findings may reflect that HAE patients are in a subclinical attack state outside of clinically apparent oedema attacks.
Dynamic Analysis of a Planar Hydraulic Rock-Breaker Mechanism with Multiple Clearance Joints

Clearance exists in the joint of a mechanism because of the assemblage, manufacturing tolerances, wear, and other conditions, and it is a focus of research in the field of multibody dynamics. This study built a planar hydraulic rock-breaker model with multiple joint clearances by combining the hydraulic cylinder model, the clearance joints based on the Lankarani–Nikravesh contact force model, and the Lagrange multiplier method. Dynamic simulation results indicated that multiple clearance joints can degrade the dynamic responses of a rock-breaker model, which can be decomposed to rapid vibrations and slow movements. The rapid vibrations are excited by coupling the spring-mass system of hydraulic cylinder and clearances. The effects of the clearance size, input force, damping coefficient, and friction on the dynamic behaviour of the rock-breaker mechanism are also investigated. The friction could reduce the rapid vibration state significantly, which is feasible for practical engineering applications. As compared with the traditional models without clearances, the present model provides not only better predictions for the theoretical study of the hydraulic rock-breaker but also useful guidance for reducing the vibrations of the hydraulic rock-breaker in practical engineering applications.
Studies in Oscillatory Flow Bedload Sediment Transport

Author(s): King, David B. , Jr. | Abstract: A series of laboratory experiments have been conducted that reveal significant insights into the nature of oscillatory flow bedload sediment transport. The 730 data runs represent 170 combinations of flow field, sedi­ment size, and bed slope.An analysis of two grain sizes (440 and 1100 µm) shows that at high velocities, the bedload transport rate is independent of grain size. However, below a threshold which is a function of grain size, velocity and period, the transport rate is found to be inversely proportional to the grain size though the exact relationship is not well constrained. Observationally, this change occurs when the top layer of sediment becomes fully mobilized to an approximate depth of one to two grain diameters. These two types of transport occur in what has been tradition­ally termed the bedload regime, and this analysis indi­cates that it is more appropriate to consider bedload as two regimes which should be modeled with different equa­tions.While most bedload transport models include the velocity as the only flow parameter, the data show a clear dependence on at least one additional flow parameter in all regimes investigated While the instantaneous ac­celeration is a logical candidate for this second parameter, experiments show that it should not be modelled with a standard power law relationship, as is done with the velocity. Another possibility is that the transport rate is Markovian; it is not only a function of instan­taneous flow parameters, but also of the time history of those parameters.Sloping bed transport experiments are discussed and compared with the models of Bagnold (1963, 1966) and Kobayashi (1982). Agreement with Bagnold's theoretical development is quite good for a value of Φ ≈ 30°; and using his formulation, a model is developed to modify a flat bed transport model to account for the effects of bed slope.
The language network is not engaged in object categorization

Abstract The relationship between language and thought is the subject of long-standing debate. One claim states that language facilitates categorization of objects based on a certain feature (e.g. color) through the use of category labels that reduce interference from other, irrelevant features. Therefore, language impairment is expected to affect categorization of items grouped by a single feature (low-dimensional categories, e.g. “Yellow Things”) more than categorization of items that share many features (high-dimensional categories, e.g. “Animals”). To test this account, we conducted two behavioral studies with individuals with aphasia and an fMRI experiment with healthy adults. The aphasia studies showed that selective low-dimensional categorization impairment was present in some, but not all, individuals with severe anomia and was not characteristic of aphasia in general. fMRI results revealed little activity in language-responsive brain regions during both low- and high-dimensional categorization; instead, categorization recruited the domain-general multiple-demand network (involved in wide-ranging cognitive tasks). Combined, results demonstrate that the language system is not implicated in object categorization. Instead, selective low-dimensional categorization impairment might be caused by damage to brain regions responsible for cognitive control. Our work adds to the growing evidence of the dissociation between the language system and many cognitive tasks in adults.
The Cognitive Function at Work Questionnaire in memory clinic setting: a validation study

ABSTRACT Introduction As there is a trend toward more people seeking medical help due to cognitive symptoms, validated and targeted questionnaires are increasingly important in the clinical evaluation process. The Cognitive Function at Work Questionnaire (CFWQ) was developed to identify and rate subjective cognitive symptoms of individuals active in working life. However, its psychometric characteristics have not been previously studied in a memory clinic setting. Method The factorial structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity of the CFWQ were studied in a memory clinic setting (N = 113). We also investigated the instrument’s ability to identify cognitive symptoms in a cohort of early-onset dementia (EOD, N = 22), mild cognitive impairment-neurological (MCI-n, N = 18), MCI due to mood, sleep, or other physical health problems (MCI-o, N = 59), and subjective cognitive decline (SCD, N = 14) patients. Results Based on factor analysis, eight cognitive subscales were identified covering main cognitive domains: Memory, Language, Executive Function, Speed of Processing, Cognitive Control, Name Memory, Visuospatial/Praxis and Attention. The internal consistency (α = .93) and the test-retest reliability (ICC = .91) were high. Several correlations (r = .19 – .33, p < .05) were documented between neuropsychological impairment level and CFWQ scores. EOD, MCI-n, MCI-o, and SCD groups did not differ statistically significantly in the levels of cognitive symptoms as measured by the CFWQ Total score. EOD group scored higher (p = .009) than other patient groups on the Visuospatial/Praxis subscale, but the difference between EOD and MCI-o groups turned insignificant after correcting for multiple testing. Conclusions The results of the study support the validity and reliability characteristics of the CFWQ in a memory clinic setting. The instrument is easy-to-use and has clinical utility in capturing the subjective cognitive symptoms of patients active in working life and who need a referral to a more detailed evaluation.
Neural underpinnings of processing combinatorial unstated meaning and the influence of individual cognitive style

Abstract We investigated the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the processing of combinatorial unstated meaning. Sentences like “Charles jumped for 5 minutes. ” engender an iterative meaning that is not explicitly stated but enriched by comprehenders beyond simple composition. Comprehending unstated meaning involves meaning contextualization—integrative meaning search in sentential-discourse context. Meanwhile, people differ in how they process information with varying context sensitivity. We hypothesized that unstated meaning processing would vary with individual socio-cognitive propensity indexed by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), accompanied by differential cortical engagements. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined the processing of sentences with unstated iterative meaning in typically-developed individuals and found an engagement of the fronto-parietal network, including the left pars triangularis (L.PT), right intraparietal (R.IPS), and parieto-occipital sulcus (R.POS). We suggest that the L.PT subserves a contextual meaning search, while the R.IPS/POS supports enriching unstated iteration in consideration of event durations and interval lengths. Moreover, the activation level of these regions negatively correlated with AQ. Higher AQ ties to lower L.PT activation, likely reflecting weaker context sensitivity, along with lower IPS activation, likely reflecting weaker computation of events’ numerical-temporal specifications. These suggest that the L.PT and R.IPS/POS support the processing of combinatorial unstated meaning, with the activation level modulated by individual cognitive styles.
A proportional incidence rate model for aggregated data to study the vaccine effectiveness against COVID‐19 hospital and ICU admissions

We develop a proportional incidence model that estimates vaccine effectiveness (VE) at the population level using conditional likelihood for aggregated data. Our model assumes that the population counts of clinical outcomes for an infectious disease arise from a superposition of Poisson processes with different vaccination statuses. The intensity function in the model is calculated as the product of per capita incidence rate and the at‐risk population size, both of which are time‐dependent. We formulate a log‐linear regression model with respect to the relative risk, defined as the ratio between the per capita incidence rates of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. In the regression analysis, we treat the baseline incidence rate as a nuisance parameter, similar to the Cox proportional hazard model in survival analysis. We then apply the proposed models and methods to age‐stratified weekly counts of COVID‐19–related hospital and ICU admissions among adults in Ontario, Canada. The data spanned from 2021 to February 2022, encompassing the Omicron era and the rollout of booster vaccine doses. We also discuss the limitations and confounding effects while advocating for the necessity of more comprehensive and up‐to‐date individual‐level data that document the clinical outcomes and measure potential confounders.
Interpreting the Results of Trials of BCG Vaccination for Protection Against COVID-19

Abstract BCG vaccination has beneficial off-target (“nonspecific”) effects on nonmycobacterial infections. On this premise, trials set out to investigate whether BCG provides off-target protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A literature search identified 11 randomized “BCG COVID-19” trials, with conflicting results. These trials and the differences in their study design are discussed using the PICOT (participants, intervention, control, outcome, and timing) framework to highlight the factors that likely explain their inconsistent findings. These include participant age, sex and comorbid conditions, BCG vaccination strain and dose, outcome measure and duration of follow-up. Understanding how to control these factors to best exploit BCG's off-target effects will be important in designing future trials and intervention strategies.