Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Responsiveness to exoskeleton loading during bimanual reaching is associated with corticospinal tract integrity in stroke

Background Device-based rehabilitation of upper extremity impairment following stroke often employs one-sized-fits-all approaches that do not account for individual differences in patient characteristics. Objective Determine if corticospinal tract lesion load could explain individual differences in the responsiveness to exoskeleton loading of the arms in chronic stroke participants. Methods Fourteen stroke participants performed a bimanual shared cursor reaching task in virtual reality while exoskeletons decreased the effective weight of the more-impaired arm and increased the effective weight of the less-impaired arm. We calculated the change in relative displacement between the arms (RC) and the change in relative muscle activity (MC) between the arms from the biceps and deltoids. We calculated corticospinal tract lesion load (wCSTLL) in a subset of 10 participants. Results Exoskeleton loading did not change RC (p = 0.07) or MC (p = 0.47) at the group level, but significant individual differences emerged. Participants with little overlap between the lesion and corticospinal tract responded to loading by decreasing muscle activity in the more-impaired arm relative to the less-impaired arm. The change in deltoid MC was associated with smaller wCSTLL (R2 = 0.43, p = 0.039); there was no such relationship for biceps MC (R2 < 0.001, p = 0.98). Conclusion Here we provide evidence that corticospinal tract integrity is a critical feature that determines one’s ability to respond to upper extremity exoskeleton loading. Our work contributes to the development of personalized device-based interventions that would allow clinicians and researchers to titrate constraint levels during bimanual activities.
Decoding Gen Z: AI's influence on brand trust and purchasing behavior

This study focuses on the role of AI in shaping Generation Z's consumer behaviors across fashion, technology, beauty, and education sectors. Analyzing responses from 224 participants, our findings reveal that AI exposure, attitude toward AI, and AI accuracy perception significantly enhance brand trust, which in turn positively impacts purchasing decisions. Notably, flow experience acts as a mediator between brand trust and purchasing decisions. These insights underscore the critical role of AI in developing brand trust and influencing purchasing choices among Generation Z, offering valuable implications for marketers in an increasingly digital landscape.
[161Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy in patients with mCRPC: preliminary dosimetry results and intra-individual head-to-head comparison to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617

Rationale: Evaluation of alternative radionuclides for use in prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted radioligand therapy (RLT) is currently focusing on 161Tb, which may provide advantages by emitting additional Auger and conversion electrons. In this pilot study, we present preliminary dosimetry data for [161Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 RLT in a direct comparison with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617. Method: Six patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) underwent treatment with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and subsequently - after inadequate response - with [161Tb]Tb-PSMA-617. Whole-body planar and SPECT imaging-based dosimetry of organs at risk (kidneys and salivary glands) and tumor lesions were calculated using IDAC for 177Lu and OLINDA/EXM for 161Tb. The therapeutic index (TI) of mean tumor-absorbed doses over relevant organs at risk was calculated. Results: Mean absorbed doses to organs at risk of PSMA-RLT were slightly higher for [161Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 compared to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 (kidneys: 0.643 ± 0.247 vs. 0.545 ± 0.231 Gy/GBq, factor 1.18; parotid gland: 0.367 ± 0.198 vs. 0.329 ± 0.180 Gy/GBq, factor 1.10), but markedly higher regarding tumor lesions (6.10 ± 6.59 vs 2.59 ± 3.30 Gy/GBq, factor 2.40, p < 0.001). Consequently, the mean TI was higher for [161Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 compared to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 for both, the kidneys (11.54 ± 9.74 vs. 5.28 ± 5.13, p = 0.002) and the parotid gland (16.77 ± 13.10 vs. 12.51 ± 18.09, p = 0.008). Conclusion: In this intra-individual head-to-head pilot study, [161Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 delivered higher tumor-absorbed doses and resulted in superior TI compared to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617. This preliminary data support 161Tb as a promising radionuclide for PSMA-RLT in mCRPC.
Assessing knowledge about hypertension and identifying predictors of inadequate knowledge in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Background Globally, hypertension is among the leading causes of premature mortality. It is a noncommunicable disease characterized by a persistent state of raised blood pressure that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and medical conditions affecting the brain and kidneys. There is a paucity of thorough hypertension knowledge assessment among hypertensive patients in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Thus, this study aimed to assess overall and specific knowledge about hypertension and to identify predictors of inadequate knowledge. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia between February and April 2023. Data were collected using an online, self-administered questionnaire divided into two sections. In the first section, the characteristics of the participants were collected. In the second section, the Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale was used to measure overall and specific knowledge areas (subdimensions). The overall and subdimensional means were tested using Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H tests. Furthermore, the binary logistic regression was conducted to determine inadequate knowledge predictors. Results In all 253 hypertensive patients were eligible for participation; almost 70% of whom were male. The mean age of the participants was 45 years (±14.7), and their mean overall knowledge score was 17.60 (±5.09), which was equivalent to 67.7% of the maximum score. In addition, 40.7% of participants had an adequate level of hypertension knowledge. The complications subdimension level of knowledge was borderline optimal. At the same time, an adequate knowledge level was detected only in the lifestyle subdimension. Conclusion Most patients showed inadequate levels of knowledge related to hypertension management. Diet, medical treatment, disease definition, drug compliance, and complications were subsequently the least knowledgeable subdimensions among the study population. Therefore, these subdimensions should be prioritized when planning hypertension educational interventions and during follow-up sessions, especially for patients of younger age groups and those with lower educational levels.
Strong philopatry in an estuarine‐dependent fish

Abstract Understanding fish movement is critical in determining the spatial scales in which to appropriately manage wild populations. Genetic markers provide a natural tagging approach to assess the degree of gene flow and population connectivity across a species distribution. We investigated the genetic structure of black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri across its entire distribution range in Australia, as well as regional scale gene flow across south‐eastern Australia by undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the populations in estuaries across the region. We applied genome‐wide sampling of single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers generated from restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing. Genetic structure and potential gene flow was assessed using principal component analyses and admixture analyses (STRUCTURE). Using 33,493 SNPs, we detected broad scale genetic structuring, with limited gene flow among regional clusters (i.e. Western Australia, South Australia and western Victoria; and eastern Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales). This is likely the result of unsuitable habitats, strong ocean currents (e.g. the Leeuwin Current and the East Australian Current), large water bodies (e.g. Bass Strait) and known biogeographical provinces across the continent. Local‐scale genetic structuring was also identified across the south‐eastern Australian estuaries sampled, reflecting that the coexistence of both migratory and resident individuals within populations (i.e. partial migration), and the movement of fish into coastal waters, still results in strong philopatry across the region. Instances of movement among estuaries at this spatial scale were primarily found between adjacent estuaries and were likely attributed to lone migrants utilising inshore coastal currents for movement beyond nearby habitats. Targeting SNP markers in A. butcheri at this continental scale highlighted how neither spatial proximity of estuaries nor black bream's ability to move into coastal waters reflects increased gene flow. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of location‐specific management.
Temporal evolution of postsurgical bone repair in a rabbit model: A [99mTc]Tc-MDP scintigraphic study

Abstract Bone regeneration is crucial for repairing bone tissue following various injuries. Research techniques that enable the study of metabolic changes in bone tissue under different conditions are important for understanding bone repair and remodeling. This study used bone scintigraphy to evaluate osteogenesis secondary to osteotomy in a preclinical model of New Zealand rabbits. For this purpose, we conducted a longitudinal, prospective, case-control study in which scintigraphic variables were measured in both the right forearm (case-operated) and the left forearm (control - non-operated). The study sample consisted of 10 rabbits subjected to osteotomy, followed by a 12-week postoperative evaluation period, divided into six imaging stages at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. We observed that the operated forearm showed significantly higher external radiation than the control side, using the pinhole collimator, denoting an increase in the biodistribution and tropism of the radiopharmaceutical to the operated forearm. Among the three evaluated time points, osteoblastic activity was highest in the second week and presented a significant decline in the 8th and 12th weeks, denoting regeneration and resolution of the surgical injury; the control forearm was also influenced by the inactivity imposed by the operated forearm. This fact was notably evidenced by the reduction in the metabolic activity of osteoblasts in the left forearm. Our study suggested that bone scintigraphy was sensitive enough to semi-quantitatively differentiate the metabolic activity of osteoblasts in the operated forearm in the three temporal landmarks evaluated in the study.
Isolation of Individual Saturated Fatty Acid Methyl Esters Derived From Groundwater Phospholipids by Preparative High‐Pressure Liquid Chromatography for Compound‐Specific Radiocarbon Analyses

Determining the biogeochemical pathways utilized by microbes living in groundwater is essential for understanding the subsurface C cycle and the fate of organic compounds, including pollutants. The radiocarbon signature (Δ14C) of fatty acid methyl esters derived from microbial phospholipids (PLFA) provides useful information for differentiating microbial C sources and infering microbial metabolism. However, in subsurface environments, those analyses remain challenging. Here we present a method combining large volume groundwater filtration (up to 10,000 L) and PLFA purification for subsequent compound‐specific radiocarbon analyses. The analytical method involves conventional chemical extraction of PLFA followed by purification of individual compounds by semipreparative high‐performance liquid chromatography. Different saturated PLFA in amounts of up to 10 μg each can be simultaneously separated on a C18 high‐load column using a mixture of MeOH/water and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. Our procedure introduced dead‐Cext contaminations of 0.57 ± 0.29 and 0.35 ± 0.18 μg for the high‐performance liquid chromatography and combustion/graphitization steps of the sample preparation, respectively. However, tests on different high‐performance liquid chromatography C18 columns revealed a large difference in dead Cext associated with column bleed. Modern Cext in the amount of 0.40 ± 0.20 μg was introduced by the combustion/graphitization step of the sample preparation, but other steps did not add modern Cext. The entire method recovered ∼50% of the purified compounds on average, but this did not affect their 14C content. This method will allow routine analysis of the Δ14C of PLFA isolated from groundwaters or other sample types, revealing the relationships between microbial and soil‐derived C, sedimentary or dissolved C sources.
Structural dynamics of the active HER4 and HER2/HER4 complexes is finely tuned by different growth factors and glycosylation

Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 4 (HER4 or ERBB4) carries out essential functions in the development and maintenance of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. HER4 activation is regulated by a diverse group of extracellular ligands including the neuregulin (NRG) family and betacellulin (BTC), which promote HER4 homodimerization or heterodimerization with other HER receptors. Important cardiovascular functions of HER4 are exerted via heterodimerization with its close homolog and orphan receptor, HER2. To date structural insights into ligand-mediated HER4 activation have been limited to crystallographic studies of HER4 ectodomain homodimers in complex with NRG1β. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of near full-length HER2/HER4 heterodimers and full-length HER4 homodimers bound to NRG1β and BTC. We show that the structures of the heterodimers bound to either ligand are nearly identical and that in both cases the HER2/HER4 heterodimer interface is less dynamic than those observed in structures of HER2/EGFR and HER2/HER3 heterodimers. In contrast, structures of full-length HER4 homodimers bound to NRG1β and BTC display more large-scale dynamics mirroring states previously reported for EGFR homodimers. Our structures also reveal the presence of multiple glycan modifications within HER4 ectodomains, modeled for the first time in HER receptors, that distinctively contribute to the stabilization of HER4 homodimer interfaces over those of HER2/HER4 heterodimers.
Visible Losses to the Mechanical Harvesting of Ratoon Sugarcane Using the Harvester John Deere 3520

The aim of this study was to evaluate the visible loss of sugar cane and the damage to the knuckles, using the John Deere 3520 harvester on three different travel speeds (3.0; 4.0 and 5.0 km·h-1), in DIC with five repetitions in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro/Brazil. Each treatment was composed by six lines of harvested cane stumps, with a length of 290 m each. In these six lines, the remains of sugar cane left in the field were collected by placing the sampling frame in two central lines every 50 m, and separating 40 m of edge. The sampling area was surrounded by 2 m wide and 10 m long, totaling 20 m2. To calculate the damage to stumps, a visual methodology by [1], was used, which classifies the damage grade, ranging from 1 to 4. Fifty stumps were assessed randomly for each speed, in a sampling area of 1800 m2. The data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey test at 5%, in order to compare the effect of different speeds on the losses and damages. There was no significant difference regarding the loss or damage by comparing the different speeds. Therefore, it is more advantageous to use the speed of 5.0 km·h-1, harvesting more in less time and causing the same level of damage.
Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine

Background and Objective: Event-based analog-to-digital converters allow for sparse bio-signal acquisition, enabling local sub-Nyquist sampling frequency. However, aggressive event selection can cause the loss of important bio-markers, not recoverable with standard interpolation techniques. In this work, we leverage the self-similarity of the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal to recover missing features in event-based sampled ECG signals, dynamically selecting patient-representative templates together with a novel dynamic time warping algorithm to infer the morphology of event-based sampled heartbeats. Methods: We acquire a set of uniformly sampled heartbeats and use a graph-based clustering algorithm to deﬁne representative templates for the patient. Then, for each event-based sampled heartbeat, we select the morphologically nearest template, and we then reconstruct the heartbeat with piece-wise linear deformations of the selected template, according to a novel dynamic time warping algorithm that matches events to template segments. Results: Synthetic tests on a standard normal sinus rhythm dataset, composed of approximately 1.8 million normal heartbeats, show a big leap in performance with respect to standard resampling techniques. In particular (when compared to classic linear resampling), we show an improvement in P-wave detection of up to 10 times, an improvement in T-wave detection of up to three times, and a 30% improvement in the dynamic time warping morphological distance. Conclusion: In this work, we have developed an event-based processing pipeline that leverages signal self-similarity to reconstruct event-based sampled ECG signals. Synthetic tests show clear advantages over classical resampling techniques.
Investigation of the Real-Time Accuracy of the DGPS Method

Abstract : The Real-Time Differential GPS (DGPS) method using the C/A code (not carrier) has the potential to provide positional accuracy to 1-3 meters (1 delta). DGPS is a viable option for positioning tasks in hydrographic surveying. Determination of the real-time DGPS accuracy is the main objective of this study. Accuracy provided by DGPS may deteriorate depending upon operational conditions. Factors influencing DGPS accuracy are discussed. Background of the DGPS method is given including mathematical description, but emphasis is on general concepts and discussion of DGPS error sources. DGPS implementation problems are discussed. Specific realtime data links and their throughput are analyzed. The RTCM-104 standard for meter level DGPS applications and the different DGPS systems used in the study are discussed. The analysis is performed using real-time and post-processed DGPS results. The influence of two major factors affecting the DGPS accuracy: distance from the monitor station and data rate of differential corrections; is investigated. The role of the data rate is evaluated using simulated data rate scenarios. Particular attention is given to the impact of Selective Availability (SA) on meter level DGPS performance during specific days of heavy SA. Real-Time DGPS, C/A Code, Positioning hydrographic surveying, Selective Availability (SA), 1-3 Meters RMS.
Putting ‘pressure’ on mobile authentication

Using a 4 digit passcode as authentication is popular among most smartphone users. However, this type of authentication is highly susceptible to a brute force or shoulder surfing attack. Further, it is not uncommon for close family members or friends to already be aware of this secret passcode. The key limitation of such an approach is that it is solely dependent on `what a user knows'. We present an authentication mechanism that overcomes this limitation by including an additional factor of `what a user is'. In our scheme, in addition to knowing the passcode, we capture the behaviour in which the passcode is entered. We model this behaviour in terms of the pressure applied on the screen by the user as well the duration the screen is pressed for. A key challenge of this approach is to ensure security without forgoing usability. This is particularly hard given the constraints of mobile computing. We tested our authentication mechanism through a user study of 10 participants and initial results show that our approach is both secure and usable.
A General Framework For Vertex Orderings, With Applications To Netlist Clustering

We present a general framework for the construction of vertex orderings for netlist clustering. Our WINDOW algorithm constructs an ordering by iteratively adding the vertex with highest attraction to the existing ordering. Variant choices for the attraction function allow our framework to subsume many graph traversals and clustering objectives from the literature. The DP-RP method of [3] is then applied to optimally split the ordering into a k-way clustering. Our approach is adaptable to use-specified cluster size constraints. Experimental results for clustering and multi-way partitioning are encouraging.
Scalable Nuclear-norm Minimization by Subspace Pursuit Proximal Riemannian Gradient

Nuclear-norm regularization plays a vital role in many learning tasks, such as low-rank matrix recovery (MR), and low-rank representation (LRR). Solving this problem directly can be computationally expensive due to the unknown rank of variables or large-rank singular value decompositions (SVDs). To address this, we propose a proximal Riemannian gradient (PRG) scheme which can efficiently solve trace-norm regularized problems defined on real-algebraic variety $\mMLr$ of real matrices of rank at most $r$. Based on PRG, we further present a simple and novel subspace pursuit (SP) paradigm for general trace-norm regularized problems without the explicit rank constraint $\mMLr$. The proposed paradigm is very scalable by avoiding large-rank SVDs. Empirical studies on several tasks, such as matrix completion and LRR based subspace clustering, demonstrate the superiority of the proposed paradigms over existing methods.
Leveraging Sentiment Analysis for Classifying Patient Complaints

Unsolicited patient complaints expressed in patients' own words provide an evidential basis for identifying and mitigating patient safety and financial risks associated with physicians and other practitioners. Classifying patient complaints is complicated by the complexity of linguistic representation. Current practice relies upon manual classification, which limits scalability. An automatic approach can potentially improve response time and scale, thereby enhancing opportunities to promote physician accountability for safe and respectful care. This research seeks to automate the classification of patient complaints to improve triage and response. We process a corpus of patient complaints data collected by the Patient Advocacy Reporting System (PARS) developed at Vanderbilt and associated institutions. Our method is to map each complaint to a vector based on enhanced Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) lexicons and to train a Naive Bayes classifier over those vectors. We compare it to both Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) and the best case results of any classifier over bag of words features. Our classifier outperforms traditional complaint analysis approaches, which disregard sentiment. Our classifier yields 3% greater accuracy overall than traditional approaches. For the SAFETY OF ENVIRONMENT label, our classifier had an accuracy of 84% (compared to 50% for traditional) and a sensitivity of 96% (compared to 0% for traditional). We conclude that patient sentiments conveyed in complaints are often overlooked yet can be valuable in analyzing such complaints to identify and mitigate patient safety and provider financial risks. We demonstrate that inferring the complaint sentiment leads to improved classification accuracy.