Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Barriers to Participation in Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Patients with Coronary Heart Disease After Reperfusion Therapy: A Scoping Review

Abstract Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) experience many barriers to participate in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs. Several studies identify barriers that can affect participation in CR among patients with CHD after reperfusion therapy. However, there has yet to be a review specifically in this population. This review aims to identify the literature systematically that analyzes the barriers that affect the participation of CHD patients after reperfusion therapy in implementing the CR program. This study used the Preferred Reporting Item for PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) with databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, EBSCO-hosted Academic Search Complete, Scopus, Taylor & Francis, and Sage Journals. The keywords used in English were “coronary artery disease OR myocardial infarction OR cardiovascular disease OR heart disease” AND “Barrier OR obstacle”, AND “percutaneous coronary intervention OR PCI OR angioplasty OR coronary artery bypass graft surgery OR CABG” AND “cardiac rehabilitation OR rehabilitation OR recovery”. The inclusion criteria in this review were full-text articles in English, articles with a descriptive, cross-sectional, and cohort design with a minimum of 100 participants that discussed barriers to participation in patients with CHD after undergoing reperfusion therapy, and the CR phases such as I, II, III, and IV have also been identified. Based on the initial search, there are 23 relevant studies out of 7400. The results of this study reported that most of the participants from the studies analyzed had a low level of participation in CR (≤50%). We classify the factors that affect the level of CR participation into five categories: individual factors, health history, environmental, logistical, and health system. The most reported barriers in each category were age, comorbidities, lack of support from friends, family and health workers, distance or travel time, and cost and economic status. Professional health workers, especially nurses, can identify various barriers that patients feel so that they can increase their participation in attending CR.
An Integrated Algorithm for Robust and Imperceptible Audio Adversarial Examples

Audio adversarial examples are audio files that have been manipulated to fool an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system, while still sounding benign to a human listener. Most methods to generate such samples are based on a two-step algorithm: first, a viable adversarial audio file is produced, then, this is fine-tuned with respect to perceptibility and robustness. In this work, we present an integrated algorithm that uses psychoacoustic models and room impulse responses (RIR) in the generation step. The RIRs are dynamically created by a neural network during the generation process to simulate a physical environment to harden our examples against transformations experienced in over-the-air attacks. We compare the different approaches in three experiments: in a simulated environment and in a realistic over-the-air scenario to evaluate the robustness, and in a human study to evaluate the perceptibility. Our algorithms considering psychoacoustics only or in addition to the robustness show an improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as well as in the human perception study, at the cost of an increased word error rate (WER).
Assessment of STAT4 Variants and Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Latin Americans and Europeans

Simple Summary Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent and fatal type of liver cancer with various risk factors. This study examines the connection between a specific genetic variant, STAT4 rs7574865, and HCC risk in Latin American and European populations. The results reveal no general association between this genetic variant and HCC in the studied groups. This study underscores the significance of researching diverse populations to gain a better understanding of the broader influence of genetic factors on HCC risk, which may aid in developing more effective strategies for identifying and managing high-risk individuals. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The STAT4 rs7574865 genetic variant has been associated with an increased risk of developing HCC in Asian populations. However, this association has not been studied in Latin America and is poorly assessed in European populations. This case-control study investigated the association between STAT4 rs7574865 and HCC risk in these populations. We evaluated DNA samples from seven medical institutions across six Latin American countries and one Dutch institution in 1060 individuals (344 HCC and 716 controls). STAT4 rs7574865 SNP was genotyped using TaqMan-genotyping assay and analyzed using logistic regression. We found no significant association between the homozygous risk allele (G) of STAT4 and HCC development in either population, with odds ratios (OR) for GG versus TT of 0.85 (CI: 0.48–1.52, p = 0.58) and 0.81 (CI: 0.34–1.93, p = 0.67) for Latin Americans and Europeans respectively. No correlation was found between the risk allele and HCC based on underlying liver disease. However, we found that Latin Americans of European ancestry were more likely to carry the risk allele. Our results suggest that the STAT4 SNP rs7574865 does not influence the risk of developing HCC in Latin American or European populations, highlighting the importance of evaluating genetic risk factors in various ethnic groups and understanding the possible influence of ancestry on the genetic basis of disease.
Loss of Life, Evacuation and Emergency Management: Comparison and Application to Case Studies in the USA

Abstract : Both in the USA and in the Netherlands extensive studies on approaches for identifying flood risks the combination of levee failure probabilities and consequences -are ongoing. The outcomes of these methods will provide a better insight in the actual level of risk and contribute to a better and more cost and time efficient prioritization of risk reduction actions. In recent years there has been a lot of information exchanged between experts from the Netherlands and the USA on these topics, e.g. within the Memorandum of Understanding between USACE and Rijkswaterstaat and several other meetings in the US and the Netherlands. One topic that has received a lot attention in recent years is the (estimation of) loss of life due flooding and the associated risks. Historical events, such as the 1953 flooding in the Netherlands and the flooding of New Orleans due to hurricane Katrina, have demonstrated that life loss can be significant. Both in the US methods have been developed to estimate these consequences, and in both countries life loss will be considered in (future) policies and decision-making. It is therefore important that credible and reliable methods are available to analyse this type of consequences. Various methods have been developed in the Netherlands, US and other countries for various fields of application such as levee failure, dam breaching and tsunamis. Although these methods provide first insights in the range of loss of life that could be expected, there are still a lot of questions related to the empirical foundation of these methods and their application for policy decisions. A related topic concerns evacuation and emergency management (EEM). The risks to life are directly influenced by the effectiveness of EEM. One challenge is to improve estimates of and insights in evacuation effectiveness, based on empirical data and the joint research efforts of social scientists and more engineering related research.
Degrowth by disaster or design: convergence of crises and possible pathways in Latvia

The ongoing climate and environmental breakdown, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian war in Ukraine are some of the key events creating a continuous convergence of crises that will likely affect most societal groups and the whole global (dis)order. Based on research within the Latvian Council of Science funded project ‘Ready for change? Sustainable management of common natural resources’, this paper explores firstly, the evidence-based impossibility of perpetual growth; secondly, the already visible signs of socio-economic hardship throughout 2020 - 2023; and thirdly, the possible pathways for actions in Latvia, based on long-term involvement in degrowth movement and participatory action research. We conclude that the early warnings for ‘Limits to growth’ 50 years ago have proven correct and dramatic reductions in emissions and material throughput are necessary to ensure a liveable planet for humans and broader biodiversity. The only substantial historical reductions have happened during the crises, and the decoupling of growth from environmental destruction remains a dangerous illusion. Therefore, the degrowth body of knowledge must be considered as a ‘vision for a better future’ with understanding and respect to planetary boundaries, social equity and other limits. Unfortunately, the lessons from crises indicate that corporate and political elites are afraid to reorganize the growth hegemony-driven economic and political systems. Still, the environmental breakdown has not yet provided such a sense of urgency that COVID-19 did, despite all warnings. The possible pathways in Latvia are not unique in this sense as our research confirms such a lack of sense of urgency and prioritisation of economic aims above environmental/existential, immediate above the more distant. There are aspects of valuable societal and environmental resilience in Latvia that are likely to be useful in adaptation to crises, but growth-based environmental destruction is generally not understood even among many environmentally active people. The strategic vision for alternative development strategies is very limited in Latvia. The high risk of degrowth by disaster remains.
The lactate to albumin ratio linked to all-cause mortality in critically ill patients with septic myocardial injury

Background The lactate to albumin ratio (LAR) has emerged as a promising prognostic marker in critically ill patients. Despite its potential utility, the prognostic value of LAR in septic myocardial injury (SMI) remains uncertain. Methods This study aims to investigate the prognostic significance of LAR in SMI through a retrospective cohort analysis of data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) (v1.4) database. The study included intensive care unit (ICU)-admitted patients (age ≥18 years) diagnosed with SMI. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Results A total of 704 patients were included in the study, of which 59.10% were male. Hospital mortality and ICU mortality rates were recorded at 29.97% and 22.87%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate Cox proportional risk analysis demonstrated that LAR was independently associated with an increased risk of both hospital mortality (HR, 1.39 [95% CI: 1.24–1.56] P < 0.001) and ICU mortality (HR, 1.46 [95% CI: 1.29–1.65] P < 0.001). Furthermore, the generalized additive model (GAM) and restricted cubic spline (RCS) model indicated a linear relationship between LAR and mortality rates in the ICU and hospital. Conclusions The LAR may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in critically ill patients with SMI. High LAR levels are associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality and can help identify individuals with high mortality rates. Overall, the findings emphasize the importance of using LAR as a tool for risk stratification and management of critically ill patients with SMI.
Beach changes at Virginia Beach, Virginia

Abstract : Descriptive summary of results of repeated profiles measured daily, weekly or monthly for 4 transects is presented. The study was not intended to present definitive analysis relating wave action to adjustments in the shore profile but rather serves to show magnitude of profile variations to be expected over a period of years, seasonally, or in one case, for a single violent story. Data are also presented and discussed relating to significance of rhythmic undulations of longshore bar-trough systems as they affect range of cut-andfill along offshore profiles. (Author)
Enamel Matrix Derivative Suppresses Chemokine Expression in Oral Epithelial Cells

Epithelial cells in periodontitis patients increasingly express chemokines, suggesting their active involvement in the inflammatory process. Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) is an extract of porcine fetal tooth germs clinically applied to support the regrowth of periodontal tissues. Periodontal regeneration might benefit from the potential anti-inflammatory activity of EMD for epithelial cells. Our aim was, therefore, to set up a bioassay where chemokine expression is initiated in the HSC2 oral squamous carcinoma cell line and then test EMD for its capacity to lower the inflammatory response. To establish the bioassay, HSC2 cells being exposed to TNFα and LPS from E. coli (Escherichia coli) or P. gingivalis (Porphyromonas gingivalis) were subjected to RNAseq. Here, TNFα but not LPS caused a robust increase of chemokines, including CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL8, CCL5, and CCL20 in HSC2 cells. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed the increased expression of the respective chemokines in cells exposed to TNFα and IL-1β. Under these conditions, EMD reduced the expression of all chemokines at the transcriptional level and CXCL8 by immunoassay. The TGF-β receptor type I kinase-inhibitor SB431542 reversed the anti-inflammatory activity. Moreover, EMD-activated TGF-β-canonical signaling was visualized by phosphorylation of smad3 and nuclear translocation of smad2/3 in HSC2 cells and blocked by SB431542. This observation was confirmed with primary oral epithelial cells where EMD significantly lowered the SB431542-dependent expression of CXCL8. In summary, our findings suggest that TGF-β signaling mediates the effects of EMD to lower the forced expression of chemokines in oral epithelial cells.
FALNet: flow-based attention lightweight network for human pose estimation

Abstract. Deep neural networks achieve significant progress in human pose estimation (HPE), but there are still many difficulties in practical applications. One of the important reasons is that the current advanced models are very complex leading to huge computation cost. We propose a flow-based attention lightweight network (FALNet) for HPE to solve this problem. We first design a cheap lightweight bottleneck to reduce the model size and complexity with two components: depthwise convolution and cheap unit. Then we propose a flow-based fusion attention block to generate and aggregate multi-scale features of the same layer effectively. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods on two benchmark datasets: the COCO dataset and the MPII dataset. Our network FALNet-50 only has 2.2 M parameters and 0.66G floating-point operations (FLOPs), achieving comparable or even better accuracy with smaller complexity. Moreover, we show the speed advantage of our network during inference. Specifically, our FALNet-50 achieves 70.4 in average precision score on COCO val2017 with 16 FPS inference speed on a smartphone.
Latvian Quantum Finite State Automata for Unary Languages

We design Latvian quantum finite state automata (LQFAs for short) recognizing unary regular languages with isolated cut point 1/2. From an architectural point of view, we combine two LQFAs recognizing with isolated cut point, respectively, the finite part and the ultimately periodic part of any given unary regular language L. In both modules, we use a component addressed in the literature and here suitably adapted to the unary case, to discriminate strings on the basis of their length. The number of basis states and the isolation around the cut point of the resulting LQFA for L exponentially depends on the size of the minimal deterministic finite state automaton for L.
Sociodemographic characteristics, social support, and family history as factors of depression, anxiety, and stress among young adult senior high school students in metro Manila, Philippines, during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction Academic institutions must consider the students at risk for developing poor mental health and the factors influencing them. With the scarcity of literature concerning student mental health in the Philippines, this study determined the factors influencing the risk of anxiety, depression, and stress among senior high school students in metro Manila. Methods This cross-sectional study explored the influence of sociodemographic characteristics, social support, and family history on depression, anxiety, and stress among young adult senior high school students using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). After describing the data, regression analyses were performed. Results A total of 187 participants were recruited. Three out of five participants have a significant risk for depression. Four out of five participants were at significant risk for anxiety. One out of four participants was at risk for significant stress. Social support from a significant other and one’s family may be protective factors for significant depression among the participants. Having female sex may be a risk factor for significant anxiety. In addition, having female sex and a family history of mental disorders may be risk factors for significant stress. Discussion Social support should be strengthened among senior high school students to improve their mental well-being. Students at risk for poor mental health, including females and those with a family history of mental disorders, may need additional support in school mental health programs. Finally, further research is recommended to fully understand mental health among Filipino students.
Volatile Organic Compounds from Cassava Plants Confer Resistance to the Whitefly Aleurothrixus aepim (Goeldi, 1886)

Simple Summary Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz; Euphorbiaceae) plants have a long lifecycle. They remain in the field for at least 10 months and are exposed to numerous pests. Seventeen groups of pests that affect this crop have been identified. These include 35 species found in the Americas, 11 in Africa, and 6 in Asia, totalling approximately 200 arthropod species that feed on cassava. Whiteflies are considered one of the main pests of cassava worldwide. In northeastern Brazil, the most common whitefly species causing severe damage to cassava is Aleurothrixus aepim (Goeldi, 1886) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Cassava plants emit volatile organic compounds and secrete extrafloral nectar; these substances may be essential for developing biological control strategies against pests. Herein, we describe variations in the blend constitution and individual concentrations of constitutive volatile organic compounds released by two cassava genotypes. Additionally, we highlight the activity of a monoterpene, considering that the resistant genotype emitted higher concentrations of this compound. Abstract Cassava is an essential tuber crop used to produce food, feed, and beverages. Whitefly pests, including Aleurothrixus aepim (Goeldi, 1886) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), significantly affect cassava-based agroecosystems. Plant odours have been described as potential pest management tools, and the cassava clone M Ecuador 72 has been used by breeders as an essential source of resistance. In this study, we analysed and compared the volatile compounds released by this resistant clone and a susceptible genotype, BRS Jari. Constitutive odours were collected from young plants and analysed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry combined with chemometric tools. The resistant genotype released numerous compounds with previously described biological activity and substantial amounts of the monoterpene (E)-β-ocimene. Whiteflies showed non-preferential behaviour when exposed to volatiles from the resistant genotype but not the susceptible genotype. Furthermore, pure ocimene caused non-preferential behaviour in whiteflies, indicating a role for this compound in repellence. This report provides an example of the intraspecific variation in odour emissions from cassava plants alongside information on odorants that repel whiteflies; these data can be used to devise whitefly management strategies. A better understanding of the genetic variability in cassava odour constituents and emissions under field conditions may accelerate the development of more resistant cassava varieties.
Detrital Garnet Geochronology by In Situ U‐Pb and Lu‐Hf Analysis: A Case Study From the European Alps

Detrital geochronology employing the widely‐used zircon U‐Pb proxy is biased toward igneous events and metamorphic anatexis; additionally, zircon is highly refractory and frequently polycyclic. Garnet, a rock‐forming and thus commonly occurring mineral, is predominantly metamorphic and much less refractory. Here, we report in situ U‐Pb and Lu‐Hf ages from detrital garnet hosted in ancient and modern sediments of the European Alps. Both geochronometers are biased toward the most recent garnet‐crystallizing metamorphic event in the source area, with fewer inherited ages. This likely reflects efficient removal of inherited garnet during diagenesis and metamorphism, and is in contrast to detrital zircon, apatite, and rutile U‐Pb data, which largely record pre‐Alpine ages. Neither the U‐Pb nor Lu‐Hf system in garnet exhibits a relationship between age recovery and composition. However, the Lu‐Hf system in garnet yields significantly better age recovery than the U‐Pb system. Estimated initial 238U/206Pbc values at the time of crystallization are near unity, suggesting that garnet does not significantly partition U from Pb during crystallization, at least for the generally almandine‐rich garnets analyzed in this study. Hence, Lu‐Hf geochronology of detrital garnet offers an effective method to detect and date the most recent phase of mid‐grade metamorphism in sub‐anatectic source areas, in which detrital zircon U‐Pb analysis may be of less utility.