Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Continued use of wearables for wellbeing with a cultural probe*

ABSTRACT This study aims to explore what makes people improve their health behavior through the continued use of wearable devices. This research explores the relationship between wearable continuance expedition and wellbeing improvement through a qualitative-longitudinal cultural probe study. This research discovered the sequential patterns of users’ behaviors in using wearables corresponding to users’ agency. First, users who decide to continue using wearables are more likely to incorporate device functionality into their daily lives. Second, users with higher efficacy are more likely to have the autonomy to guide their lives to achieve better wellbeing. We formulated six propositions identifying the roles of efficacy and engagement in shaping the continued vs. discontinued behavior and the change in quality of life, by which this exploratory study has established a foundation for future research. Moreover, it offers managerial guidance for the increasingly important applications of wearables for wellbeing.
Structure and Expression of the ATFa Gene*

The human ATFa proteins belong to the ATF/CREB family of transcription factors. We have previously shown that they mediate the transcriptional activation by the largest E1a protein and can heterodimerize with members of the Jun/Fos family. ATFa proteins have also been found tightly associated with JNK2, a stress-activated kinase. We now report on the structure of the ATFa gene, which mapped to chromosome 12 (band 12q13). Sequence analysis revealed that ATFa isoforms are generated by alternative splice donor site usage. A minimal promoter region of ∼200 base pairs was identified that retained nearly full transcriptional activity. Binding sites for potential transcription factors were delineated within a GC-rich segment by DNase I footprinting. Expression studies revealed that ATFa accumulates in the nuclei of transfected cells, and the nuclear localization signal was defined next to the leucine zipper domain. As revealed by hybridization with mouse ATFa sequences, low levels of ATFa mRNAs were ubiquitously distributed in fetal or adult mice, with enhanced expression in particular tissues, like squamous epithelia and specific brain cell layers. The possible significance of coexpression of ATFa, ATF-2, and Jun at similar sites in the brain is discussed.
Primary HIV infection as source of HIV transmission within steady and casual partnerships among homosexual men

Objective: To assess the contribution of primary or acute HIV infection to the transmission of HIV among homosexual men in Amsterdam and to investigate how the initiation of treatment during primary HIV infection (PHI) can affect the incidence of HIV infection. Methods: A mathematical model describing HIV transmission among homosexual men was developed. In the model, men are involved in both steady and casual partnerships. Infectivity is higher during PHI than during chronic HIV infection. Highly active antiretroviral therapy reduces infectivity and increases the time to the development of AIDS. Its effect is enhanced if treatment is initiated during PHI. HIV incidence and the fraction of transmission attributed to PHI were calculated for different levels of treatment efficacy. Results: Primary infections account for 35% of HIV transmissions from casual partners and 6% of transmissions from steady partners. Among all new infections, only 11% occurs during PHI. Therefore, the effect of treatment during PHI on the incidence of HIV is limited. However, in a community with higher risky behaviour among casual partners, the fraction of transmission attributed to PHI increases to 25%. Conclusion: Primary infections play a more important role in transmission from casual partners than in transmission from steady partners. Therefore, in communities in which steady partners account for the majority of new infections and the epidemic is at an advanced phase, the contribution of PHI to the transmission of HIV is rather small and the effect of early treatment on the incidence of HIV is limited.
Design patterns in multi-agent system simulation

Building system software is hard. It is necessary to have a methodology to achieve good systems. Presently, there are a few methods for developing multi-agent-based systems. Taking experience of solutions that worked well in the past is the main purpose of the design patterns, which were found in designing object-oriented software. In this work, we present three design patterns that could be used for developing multi-agent-based systems. We made a high level design using these patterns and the design was applied to an emergency evacuation system. We measured the flexibility and extensibility of the design using the instability and abstraction metrics.
DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY EMBOLISM : A CONTINUING

The vast majority of pulmonary emboli are thromboemboli originating from deep veins. Fat, air, or tumor emboli are rare [1]. Fat emboli are reported with long bone fractures and liposuction while air emboli occur with cardiac and neurosurgeries. Renal cell carcinoma with invasion reaching inferior vena cava is a clinical setting that may lead to tumor emboli. Data indicate that 90% of pulmonary thromboemboli originate from the lower extremities and pelvis. The remainder come from thrombi that occur in the right side of the heart or in bronchial or cervical veins. Embolization and symptomatology are proportional to how proximal is the vein that contains the thrombus. The vast majority of pulmonary thromboemboli originating from thrombi of the lower extremities come more frequently from the thigh and pelvis (75%) than from smaller veins of the calf and feet [2,3]. The risk of pulmonary embolus is also directly related to the presence of a residual clot at the site of a venous thrombus [4].
Antecedents and consequences of public administration’s social media website attractiveness

With regard to the increasing use of social media channels in public administrations, this study investigates antecedents and consequences of public administration’s social media website attractiveness, focusing on the local government level. We derive a model based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory and apply a structural equation modeling approach by testing our model based on a survey data of 164 citizens in Germany using social media websites in the context of public administration. As a result, we find that Social Motivation, User-Generated Content and Public Administrator-Generated Content have a significant positive influence on Attractiveness. Moreover, Attractiveness positively affects both Intention to Use and Word-of-Mouth (WoM) Intention. Points for practitioners The attractiveness of public institutions’ social media websites such as Facebook depends on three factors: (1) users wish to get connected to other users and (2) the appeal of its content generated by the public institution as well as (3) by other users. Empirical data suggest that the increase in attractiveness of respective social media pages will make users use the social site more often and will also make users recommend the page to others. Against this background, social media page managers of public administration websites will focus on providing an open platform for citizens to exchange information and provide appealing and citizen-oriented content.
Three-phase soft-switching bi-directional DC-DC converter for low voltage high power applications

This paper presents a novel modulation technique for a three-phase dc-dc converter with bi-directional power transfer capability. The topology is geared towards dc microgrid and fuel cell vehicle applications, where a high step-up ratio converter is required to enable efficient energy exchanges between two dc buses of different voltage magnitudes. The proposed converter achieves zero-current switching (ZCS) of all primary switches and zero-voltage switching (ZVS) of secondary switches. Without any need for active clamping or passive snubbers, ZCS is achieved by secondary modulation which clamps the reflected output voltage across primary devices naturally, thereby eliminating the switch turn-off voltage spike issue associated with current-fed converters. Equal current sharing between the three phases over high-frequency (HF) cycles, reduces the peak current stresses and conduction losses within devices. Three-phase switching increases the effective operating frequency of the converter by a factor of 3, thereby reducing input current ripples, output voltage ripples and filtering requirements, eventually. Higher operating frequency also reduces sizes of magnetics, leads to better transformer core utilization and increased power density of the converter. Steady-state analysis and operation of the converter are described. Simulation for a 1 kW prototype is performed in PSIM 9.3. Results validate the accuracy of the analysis and the predicted performance of the proposed converter.
Multivariate Modelling with Latent Variables in Experimental Designs with an Application to Forestry Data

The classical experimental design approach to testing for treatment effects in forestry research applies ANOVA and dummy-variable regression techniques to the individual tree development indicators such as total tree height or trunk diameter. An alternative to standard techniques is provided by a more general framework of structural equation modelling, which encompasses most of the classical techniques and additionally allows estimation of a richer class of models. This includes latent variable models that enable simultaneous incorporation of multiple tree development indicators into a single model treating tree development as a latent variable imperfectly measured by the observable tree measures. A problem in classical experimental design is that we can either test for the treatment effects on separate tree development indicators (e.g., height or diameter), or make an attempt to combine multiple indicators into a single (latent) variable and then test for treatment effects on the composite tree development variable. In this paper we apply structural equations methods to experimental forestry data comparing several approaches to treatment effect testing.
Manager Skill and Portfolio Size with Respect to a Benchmark

Investment managers often manage a portfolio with respect to a benchmark. Typically, they use a mean‐variance optimization framework to maximize the information ratio of their portfolio. We develop an unconventional approach to this question. Given a set of assumptions, we ask what optimal percentage of the benchmark stocks the portfolio manager should select. This optimal portfolio depends on Fisher's and Wallenius's noncentral hypergeometric distributions. We find that the optimal selectivity of a benchmark universe varies from 50% to 80%. These results are provocative, given that many enhanced index portfolio managers select a low percentage of the benchmark universe.
Induction of Transformation and p53-Dependent Apoptosis by Adenovirus Type 5 E4orf6/7 cDNA

ABSTRACT Adenovirus (Ad) E4orf6/7, one of the early gene products of human Ads, forms a stable complex with the cellular transcription factor E2F to activate transcription from the Ad E2 promoter. E2F cDNAs have growth-promoting and apoptosis-inducing activities when overexpressed in cells. We cloned Ad5 E4orf6/7 cDNA in both simian virus 40- and human cytomegalovirus-based expression vectors to examine its transforming and apoptotic activities. The cloned E4orf6/7 collaborated with a retinoblastoma protein (RB)-nonbinding and therefore E2F-nonreleasing mutant of Ad5 E1A (dl922/947) to morphologically transform primary rat cells, suggesting that E2F is an important cellular protein functioning downstream of E1A for transformation. In a G418 colony formation assay, E4orf6/7 was shown to suppress growth of untransformed rat cells. Moreover, a recombinant Ad expressing Ad5 E4orf6/7 induced apoptosis in rat cells when coinfected with wild-type p53-expressing Ad. Mutational analysis of E4orf6/7 revealed that both of the domains required for growth inhibition and transformation by E4orf6/7 lay in the C-terminal region, which is essential for transactivation from the upstream sequence of an E2a promoter containing E2F-binding sites. However, the smallest mutant of E4orf6/7, encoding the C-terminal 59 amino acids, failed to complement the RB-nonbinding dl922/947 mutant despite showing growth inhibition and E2F transactivation activities. Thus, it is suggested that a subregion of E4orf6/7 which is required for growth inhibition and transformation in collaboration with dl922/947 overlaps the transactivation domain of E4orf6/7.
Robust Detection and estimation in dynamic systems and statistical signal processing: Intersections, parallel paths and applications

Algorithms for Robust Fault Detection and Identification (RFDI) in dynamic systems strive to be sensitive to faults in plant components, while being insensitive to plant and noise model uncertainties. In the field of signal detection with applications such as radar and medical images, sensitivity to signals of interest is also an objective, while robustness is concerned with undesirable interferences residing in unknown or partially known subspaces, and uncertainties in the signal and learned interference models. In this review article, we present the similarities and differences in the game theoretic, stochastic, and geometric subspace formulations and solution approaches to robust detection in dynamic systems and in signal processing. We illustrate how innovative formulations are successfully addressing challenging problems by briefly describing results from two examples, one in functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (f MRI) of the brain, and the other in noninvasive image based classification of stem cells.
Paired-Pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Effects of Hemispheric Laterality, Gender, and Handedness in Normal Controls

Summary This investigation analyzed retrospective normative data from paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (PP TMS) studies to assess the effects of hemispheric laterality, gender, and handedness on cortical excitability. There were no significant differences between left and right hemisphere responses in either men or women. Likewise, there was no significant difference in findings between men and women, considering each hemisphere separately. There were no significant differences between right-handed individuals and nonright-handed individuals for left or right hemispheric responses in either men or women or for both genders combined. Nevertheless, large intersubject variance and past evidence of cortical excitability modulation by other factors, such as menstrual cycle phase and reproductive hormonal changes in women, suggest a need for further investigations into other potential factors that may contribute to the large variance among healthy individuals.
The Relationship Between Childhood Maltreatment and Violence to Others in Individuals With Psychosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: There is a growing body of literature identifying a relationship between experiences of child abuse and symptoms of psychosis in adults. However, the impact of this relationship on risk of violence has not been systematically explored. Aims: This meta-analysis aimed to consider the influence of childhood abuse on the risk of violence among individuals with psychosis. Method: Five bibliographic databases and two gray literature resources were systematically searched to identify quantitative research which measured risk of violence and experiences of childhood maltreatment in individuals with psychosis. Risk of bias for each study was assessed under predefined criteria. Logged odds ratios (OR) were synthesized quantitatively in a meta-analysis. Results: A total of 6,298 studies were identified, 11 of which were included in the final analysis (N = 2,215), all studies were of a cross-sectional or case-control design. Individuals with psychotic illnesses who reported historical child maltreatment were at approximately twice the risk of perpetrating violence than patients who reported no early abuse, OR = 2.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [1.91, 3.16]. There was no statistical heterogeneity between main effects (τ = .00; χ2 = 8.87, df = 10, p = .54, I 2 = 0%). Discussion: Risk assessments and interventions may benefit from considering the unique contribution of trauma to violence in this population. Future research considering the interaction between childhood experiences and other risk factors for violence in this population, including specific symptoms of psychosis, would inform the current findings. Findings are limited by the lack of longitudinal research in this area, and there was some evidence of publication bias.
Antibiotic utilization and outcomes for patients with clinically suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia and negative quantitative BAL culture results.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate antibiotic utilization and clinical outcomes among patients with clinically suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and culture-negative BAL (CNBAL). DESIGN Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING A medical ICU from a university-affiliated urban teaching hospital employing a previously described antibiotic discontinuation guideline for the management of VAP. PATIENTS One hundred one patients with a clinical suspicion of VAP and CNBAL were evaluated between July 2002 and December 2004. INTERVENTIONS Prospective patient follow-up and data collection. Antibiotic discontinuation was determined by the clinical guideline and not the results of BAL cultures. RESULTS The average age of the patients was 60.4 +/- 17.9 years and the mean APACHE II score was 23.2 +/- 8.7 (+/- SD). The mean duration of mechanical ventilation prior to clinically suspected VAP was 2.9 +/- 1.9 days. Nineteen patients (18.8%) received antibiotics for other indications prior to BAL. Empiric antibiotic therapy for VAP was begun in 65 patients (64.4%) following BAL. The duration of empiric antibiotic treatment following BAL was 2.1 +/- 0.8 days. None of these patients received antibiotics for > 3 days (median, 2 days; range, 1 to 3 days). Six patients (5.9%) were treated with antibiotics for a secondary episode of VAP or hospital-acquired pneumonia developing at least 72 h after the CNBAL was performed and discontinuation of the empiric antibiotic therapy prescribed for the initially suspected episode of VAP. Overall, 35 patients (34.7%) died during hospitalization. Two deaths occurred in patients with a secondary episode of VAP following CNBAL and discontinuation of empiric antimicrobial therapy. Neither of these two deaths was attributed to VAP. CONCLUSIONS Although the decision to discontinue antibiotic treatment was based on clinical criteria and not BAL culture results, this study suggests that patients with a clinical suspicion of VAP and CNBAL can have empiric antimicrobial therapy safely discontinued within 72 h or in some cases withheld altogether. Prospective studies are needed to determine the safety of employing CNBAL as the primary criterion for the discontinuation of empirically begun antibiotic treatment for VAP.
Cellular Effects and Epistasis among Three Determinants of Adaptation in Experimental Populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT Epistatic interactions in which the phenotypic effect of an allele is conditional on its genetic background have been shown to play a central part in various evolutionary processes. In a previous study (J. B. Anderson et al., Curr. Biol. 20:1383-1388, 2010; J. R. Dettman, C. Sirjusingh, L. M. Kohn, and J. B. Anderson, Nature 447:585-588, 2007), beginning with a common ancestor, we identified three determinants of fitness as mutant alleles (each designated with the letter “e”) that arose in replicate Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations propagated in two different environments, a low-glucose and a high-salt environment. In a low-glucose environment, MDS3e and MKT1e interacted positively to confer a fitness advantage. Also, PMA1e from a high-salt environment interacted negatively with MKT1e in a low-glucose environment, an example of a Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibility that confers reproductive isolation. Here we showed that the negative interaction between PMA1e and MKT1e is mediated by alterations in intracellular pH, while the positive interaction between MDS3e and MKT1e is mediated by changes in gene expression affecting glucose transporter genes. We specifically addressed the evolutionary significance of the positive interaction by showing that the presence of the MDS3 mutation is a necessary condition for the spread and fixation of the new mutations at the identical site in MKT1. The expected mutations in MKT1 rose to high frequencies in two of three experimental populations carrying MDS3e but not in any of three populations carrying the ancestral allele. These data show how positive and negative epistasis can contribute to adaptation and reproductive isolation.
Downward Nominal Wage Rigidity and Inflation Dynamics During and After the Great Recession

I develop a New Keynesian model that embeds heterogeneous workers with asymmetric wage adjustment costs in order to address two inflation puzzles: missing deflation during the Great Recession and the subsequent missing inflation. Downward nominal wage rigidity endogenously arises when the wage adjustment costs are estimated according to U.S. micro wage data, generating the flattening of the observed price Phillips curve during and after recessions. Endogenous evolution of the cross-sectional wage distribution generates nonlinear dynamics such as the sign-, size-, and state-dependence. These nonlinearities help the model address the inflation puzzles as well as matching micro evidence on wage adjustments.
Auditory integration training and other sound therapies for autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of auditory integration training (AIT) or other methods of sound therapy in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Study design: A systematic review was carried out of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of adults or children with ASD. Meta-analysis was attempted. Results: Six RCTs of AIT, including one crossover trial, were identified, with a total of 171 participants aged 3–39 years. 17 different outcome measures were used, with only two outcome measures used by three or more studies. Meta-analysis was not possible owing to very high heterogeneity or presentation of data in unusable forms. Three studies did not show any benefit of AIT over control conditions. Three studies reported improvements at 3 months in the AIT group for total mean scores of the Aberrant Behaviour Checklist (ABC), which is of questionable validity. Of these, one study also reported improvements at 3 months in the AIT group for ABC subgroup scores. No significant adverse effects of AIT were reported. Conclusion: At present there is not sufficient evidence to support its use.