Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Barriers and Facilitators to Breast Cancer Screening: A Qualitative Study of Women with Multiple Sclerosis.

PURPOSE: Recent literature indicates that women with various types of chronic disabling conditions are less likely to participate in routine breast cancer screening compared to those without disabling conditions. The purpose of this study is to identify the barriers and facilitators related to breast cancer screening among women with MS. METHODS: After receiving approval from the IRB, a semi-structured interview in a private setting was conducted with 36 women with MS, whose mean age was 55. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. The interview questions informed by the Health Belief Model, addressed knowledge, experience, barriers and facilitators related to breast cancer screening. Qualitative descriptive techniques were used to analyze the data. The majority of the women in the sample were White, 67% were married, 47% had at least a bachelor's degree and about 31% were unemployed due to their disability. FINDINGS: Findings show that 70% of these women had received annual mammograms and 50% had performed monthly breast self-exams. Of the women who had not received mammograms, most (80%) had mobility limitations. Some of the women in this study described various environmental and intrapersonal barriers to breast cancer screening. Among these were barriers related to transportation, difficulty in positioning for the exam, health care provider attitudes, not remembering, fear, discomfort, and "having enough to handle. " Facilitators included annual reminders and helpful health care providers.
Principles of Design for Large Scale Neural Simulators

We present a review of design principles that are to be used for large-scale neural simulators. This paper emphasizes the most important problems encountered in the simulation of biologically plausible neural systems and provides some solutions derived from modern simulation techniques. We stress upon the idea that a modern simulator should be able to perform generic simulations of as many as possible neural architectures, with various neural models. At the same time the amount of processing effort should be tunable, with the possibility of using various simulation methods simultaneously (e.g. iterative and event-driven). The neuroscientist should be able to use different types of electrophysiological models with complete inter-operability. We provide an example of a neural simulator that complies with modern design guidelines: ”The Neocortex Simulation Environment”.
Output feedback control for underactuated unmanned underwater vehicles

This paper addresses the problem of output feedback control for underactuated unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) moving on the horizontal plane when only the information of position and orientation are available. We show that it is possible to solve the trajectory tracking control by an interesting approach such that the combination of backstepping technique with adaptive dynamical sliding mode control enhances the robustness of UUVs against to systematic uncertainty and environmental disturbances. Although the velocity measurements of the vehicle are unavailable for identification and control, the option of high-gain observer for output feedback control is developed to estimate the velocities without the need for explicit knowledge of the vehicle model. The rigorous stability analysis of overall closed-loop system are achieved here to be globally uniformly ultimately bounded, and simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed observer-controller scheme.
Adiponectin: a key fat-derived molecule regulating inflammation

Adiponectin is the abundant adipocyte-derived protein with well-established anti-atherogenic and insulin-sensitising properties. Besides these well characterised biological functions, recent evidence supports a strong anti-inflammatory function. Whereas initial studies demonstrated that adiponectin suppresses the production of the potent pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, current studies showed that this adipokine also induces various anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-10 or -1 receptor antagonists. These effects are paralleled by various other immune-regulatory properties, such as specific effects on endothelial cell functions. These invitro effects are directly translated into various animal models of inflammation, demonstrating a potent anti-inflammatory effect for adiponectin. Thiazolidinediones selectively upregulate peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-γ, leading to increased tissue and serum concentrations of adiponectin. Adiponectin has emerged as a key mediator regulating and affecting the balance between fat and inflammation. Therefore, either adiponectin itself or its inducing agents, such as thiazolidinediones, might be of key therapeutic interest in the near future far beyond diseases being associated with insulin resistance.
Psychological Assessment in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by impaired development that causes adjustment problems. The spectrum of developmental impairment varies and includes in- tellectual disabilities, communication and social interaction challenges, and attention and executive function deficits. The neurodevelopmental disorders include intellectual disabil- ity, communication disorder, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity dis- order, neurodevelopmental motor disorders, and specific learning disorder. The differential diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders is important, comprehensive psychological assessmentsare required for individuals who may have a neurodevelopmental disorder. This paper focuses on intellectual, neuropsychological, adaptive behavior, and autism di- agnostic assessments and psychiatric comorbidities. These assessments accurately screen for neurodevelopmental disorders and aid in differential diagnosis. The goals of psycho- logical assessment include facilitating therapeutic planning, and suggesting prognosis. Further research is required to clarify each aspect of neurodevelopmental disorders and optimize psychological assessment tools accordingly.
Relationships with God among Young Adults: Validating a Measurement Model with Four Dimensions

Experiencing a relationship with God is widely acknowledged as an important aspect of personal religiosity for both affiliated and unaffiliated young adults, but surprisingly few attempts have been made to develop measures appropriate to its latent, multidimensional quality. This paper presents a new model for measuring relationships with God based on religious role theory, attachment to God theory, and insights from interview-based studies, which allows for a wider array of dimensions than have been considered in prior work: anger, anxiety, intimacy, and consistency. To test our model’s internal validity, we use confirmatory factor analysis with nationally representative data. To test its external validity, we (1) use difference-in-means tests across gender, race/ethnicity, geographical region, and religious affiliation; and (2) analyze correlations between our four new dimensions and four other commonly used measures of religiosity, thereby demonstrating both our model’s validity and value for future studies of personal religiosity.
Accuracy in Wrist-Worn, Sensor-Based Measurements of Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure in a Diverse Cohort

Background The ability to measure activity and physiology through wrist-worn devices provides an opportunity for cardiovascular medicine. However, the accuracy of commercial devices is largely unknown. Objective To assess the accuracy of seven commercially available wrist-worn devices in estimating heart rate (HR) and energy expenditure (EE) and to propose a wearable sensor evaluation framework. Methods We evaluated the Apple Watch, Basis Peak, Fitbit Surge, Microsoft Band, Mio Alpha 2, PulseOn, and Samsung Gear S2. Participants wore devices while being simultaneously assessed with continuous telemetry and indirect calorimetry while sitting, walking, running, and cycling. Sixty volunteers (29 male, 31 female, age 38 ± 11 years) of diverse age, height, weight, skin tone, and fitness level were selected. Error in HR and EE was computed for each subject/device/activity combination. Results Devices reported the lowest error for cycling and the highest for walking. Device error was higher for males,greater body mass index, darker skin tone, and walking. Six of the devices achieved a median error for HR below 5% during cycling. No device achieved an error in EE below 20 percent. The Apple Watch achieved the lowest overall error in both HR and EE, while the Samsung Gear S2 reported the highest. Conclusions Most wrist-worn devices adequately measure HR in laboratory-based activities, but poorly estimate EE, suggesting caution in the use of EE measurements as part of health improvement programs. We propose reference standards for the validation of consumer health devices (http://precision.stanford.edu/). Abbreviations (EE) Energy expenditure (HR) Heart rate (GEE) General estimating equation
On Time Versus Space

It is shown that every deterministic multitape Turing machine of time complexity <italic>t</italic>(<italic>n</italic>) can be simulated by a deterministic Turing machine of tape complexity <italic>t</italic>(<italic>n</italic>)/log<italic>t</italic>(<italic>n</italic>). Consequently, for tape constructable <italic>t</italic>(<italic>n</italic>), the class of languages recognizable by multitape Turing machines of time complexity <italic>t</italic>(<italic>n</italic>) is strictly contained in the class of languages recognized by Turing machines of tape complexity <italic>t</italic>(<italic>n</italic>). In particular the context-sensitive languages cannot be recognized in linear time by deterministic multitape Turing machines.
The Psychophysics of J-R-L Delboeuf (1831–1896)

Delboeuf's writings on psychophysics are little known nowadays. The object of this paper is to describe the psychological contributions of this eminent Belgian psychologist of the second half of the 19th century. A true pioneer of experimental psychology, his work on psychophysics began in 1865 at the University of Gand (Ghent) but was not published until 1873 and following years. His work in this area is characterised on the one hand by the adoption of a logarithmic law relating sensation strength to stimulus strength, but which differed from that of Fechner; and on the other hand by the utilisation of a psychophysical technique based on brightness contrast (now called the ‘bisection method’). Even though Delboeuf was classified by Fechner in his later writings as an opponent of his beliefs, Delboeuf was nevertheless one of his least-virulent critics and the only psychologist of that era to have adopted a logarithmic law. Delboeuf's work is not only of historic interest; his original ideas possess sufficient interest for present-day psychophysicists to reexamine them.
Lactococcal 936-type phages and dairy fermentation problems: from detection to evolution and prevention

The so-called 936-type phages are the most frequently encountered lactococcal phage species in dairy fermentations, where they cause slow or even failed fermentations with concomitant economic losses. Several dairy phage population studies, performed in different geographical locations, have detailed their dominance in dairy phage populations, while various phage-resistance mechanisms have been assessed in a bid to protect against this virulent phage group. The impact of thermal and chemical treatments on 936 phages is an important aspect for dairy technologists and has been assessed in several studies, and has indicated that these phages have adapted to better resist such treatments. The abundance of 936 phage genome sequences has permitted a focused view on genomic content and regions of variation, and the role of such variable regions in the evolution of these phages. Here, we present an overview on detection and global prevalence of the 936 phages, together with their tolerance to industrial treatments and anti-phage strategies. Furthermore, we present a comprehensive review on the comparative genomic analyses of members of this fascinating phage species.
Development of an instrument based on the protection motivation theory to measure factors influencing women's intention to first pap test practice.

BACKGROUND Given that there are many Iranian women who have never had a Pap smear, this study was designed to develop and validate a measurement tool based on the Protection Motivation Theory to assess factors influencing the Iranian women's intention to perform first Pap testing. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this psychometric research, to determine the Content Validity Index (CVI) and the Content Validity Ratio (CVR), a panel of experts (n=10) reviewed scale items. Reliability was estimated through the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (n=30) and internal consistency (n=240). Also, factor analysis (exploratory and conformity) was performed on the data of the sample women who had never had a Pap smear test (n=240). RESULTS A 26-item questionnaire was developed. The CVI and CVR scores of the scale were 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis loaded a 26-item with seven factors questionnaire (perceived vulnerability and severity, fear, response costs, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and protection motivation (or intention)) that jointly accounted for 72.76% of the observed variance. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit for the data. Internal consistency (range 0.70-0.93) and test-retest reliability (range 0.72-0.96) of sub-scales were acceptable. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that the designed instrument was a valid and reliable tool for measuring the factors influencing the women's intention to perform their first Pap testing.
Efficient adaptive blind MAI suppression in DS/CDMA by embedded constraint parallel projection techniques

The paper presents two novel blind set-theoretic adaptive filtering algorithms for multiple access interference (MAI) suppression in DS/CDMA systems. We naturally formulate the problem of MAI suppression as minimizing asymptotically a sequence of cost functions under some linear constraint defined by the desired user's signature. The proposed algorithms embed the constraint in the direction of adaptation, and thus the adaptive filter moves toward the optimal filter without stepping away from the constraint set. In addition, using parallel processors, the proposed algorithms attain good performance behavior with low computational complexity. Geometric interpretation clarifies an advantage of the proposed methods over some conventional methods. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms achieve much faster convergence than conventional methods with a moderate number of concurrent processors.
On Adaptation in Analogy: Tests of Pragmatic Importance and Adaptability in Analogical Problem Solving

When people use analogies to solve problems, they form an analogical mapping between two domains of knowledge. This mapping may support inferences by analogy that suggest a novel solution to a problem. Several factors have been proposed to be important in selecting this mapping from among several alternative mappings: structural factors (systematicity and structural consistency) and pragmatic factors (the exploitation of higher-order planning categories). We suggest another set of factors plays a role in selecting mappings: adaptability. Specifically, if a mapped solution can be adapted easily to a problem, then it will be preferred over an alternative mapping that is less adaptable. Two experiments are reported which test the effects of pragmatic and adaptation factors, using a novel technique in which the story analogue has two alternative plans, either of which can be used to solve an insight problem. In Experiment 1, these plans were varied in terms of their pragmatic importance (success or failure) and their adaptability. In Experiment 2, the relative adaptability of plans was manipulated. The results suggest that there is little evidence for these specific pragmatic factors, but that adaptability plays a definite role in selecting an analogous plan. The findings suggest that most models need to be extended to include adaptation constraints.
Evaluating Routing Protocols for the Wireless Mesh Backbone

Wireless mesh networks offer promising solutions for extending the coverage of wireless local area networks along with increased communication reliability. The wireless mesh backbone serves as an access network for a large number of heterogeneous networks, providing them internet connectivity. Comprising of dedicated routers, the backbone differs significantly from conventional ad hoc networks due to lack of mobility and energy constraints. Classical ad hoc routing protocols developed for typical ad hoc networks, concentrate on mobility and energy conservation and their suitability and possible adoption for the backbone warrants careful evaluation. In this paper, we analyze the performance of four popular ad hoc routing protocols including two reactive (DSR, AODV) and two proactive (OLSR, DSDV) protocols for the mesh backbone using simulation. We provide results for routing overhead, packet delivery fraction and end-to-end delay metrics. Optimizations for these protocols are proposed and design directions for future backbone routing protocols are outlined.
An Adaptive and Intelligent SLA Negotiation System for Web Services

The effective use of services to compose business processes in services computing demands that the Quality of Services (QoS) meet consumers' expectations. Automated web-based negotiation of Service Level Agreements (SLA) can help define the QoS requirements of critical service-based processes. We propose a novel trusted Negotiation Broker (NB) framework that performs adaptive and intelligent bilateral bargaining of SLAs between a service provider and a service consumer based on each party's high-level business requirements. We define mathematical models to map business-level requirements to low-level parameters of the decision function, which obscures the complexity of the system from the parties. We also define an algorithm for adapting the decision functions during an ongoing negotiation to comply with an opponent's offers or with updated consumer preferences. The NB uses intelligent agents to conduct the negotiation locally by selecting the most appropriate time-based decision functions. The negotiation outcomes are validated by extensive experimental study for Exponential, Polynomial, and Sigmoid time-based decision functions using simulations on our prototype framework. Results are compared in terms of a total utility value of the negotiating parties to demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed approach.
A layer-oriented interface for visualizing time-series data from oscilloscopes

We present a prototype interface for visualizing and interacting with univariate time-dependent digital signals, i.e., the kind of signals that might be measured using an oscilloscope and then analyzed to find anomalies in edge timing, overshoot, or other measured characteristics. Our prototype visualizes the data using a standard eye diagram that wraps the signal in time, as well as a parallel coordinates view, and a novel 2.5D layer-based technique based on a drawer metaphor for spreading the eye diagram apart and de-occluding the traces within it. Once a “drawer” is opened, the traces within it can be sorted or grouped according to various attributes, and drilling-down into data can be achieved by opening sub-drawers. We also present a novel technique for browsing eye diagrams called temporal brushing. Initial user feedback from students in electrical engineering is reported. A video demonstrating our prototype can be downloaded at http://profs.logti.etsmtl.ca/mmcguffin/
A Graphical Approach to Testing Real-Time Embedded Devices

Software Testing is both a vital and expensive part of the software development lifecycle. Improving the testing process has the potential for large returns. Current testing methodologies used to test real-time embedded devices are examined and the weaknesses in them are exposed. This leads to the introduction of a new graphical testing methodology based on flowcharts. The new approach is both a visual test creation program and an automated execution engine that together frame a new way of testing. The new methodology incorporates flow-based diagrams, visual layouts, and simple execution rules to improve upon traditional testing approaches. The new methodology is evaluated against other methodologies and is shown to provide significant improvements in the area of software testing.
Personality of Clown Doctors

Abstract. In recent years, both professional and volunteer clowns have become familiar in health settings. The clown represents a peculiar humorist’s character, strictly associated with the performer’s own personality. In this study, the Big Five personality traits (BFI) of 155 Italian clown doctors (130 volunteers and 25 professionals) were compared to published data for the normal population. This study highlighted specific differences between clown doctors and the general population: Clown doctors showed higher agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and extraversion, as well as lower neuroticism compared to other people. Moreover, specific differences emerged comparing volunteers and professionals: Professional clowns showed significantly lower in agreeableness compared to their unpaid colleagues. The results are also discussed with reference to previous studies conducted on groups of humorists. Clowns’ personalities showed some peculiarities that can help to explain the facility for their perform.